Molecular analysis and environmental description of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey viruses isolated in Venezuela from 2009 to 2017

Revised Criteria for Diagnosis and Treatment of Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis

Morphological and molecular characterization of Apatemon sp. infecting killifish in Mozambique

Two novel species of Ceratomyxa infecting marine ornamental fishes from Indian waters are described. Marine ornamentals, Chaetodon collare and Chaetodon decussatus, collected from Vizhinjam, along the southwest coast of India and Acanthurus leucosternon collected from Lakshadweep islands of Arabian Sea revealed Ceratomyxa infections in their gall bladders. Mature spores of Ceratomyxa from Chaetodon collare and Chaetodon decussatus were elongate and slightly crescentic, with rounded ends, and measured 5.20 ± 0.32μm in length and 16.32 ± 1.29μm in thickness. Polar capsules spherical, equal in size and measured 2.23 ± 0.16μm long and 2.24 ± 0.20μm wide. Posterior angle measured 157.75 ± 8.650. Principle Component Analysis and molecular analysis using partial SSUrDNA sequences showed the isolates from these two hosts to be identical. Morphological, morphometric and molecular analysis using partial SSUrDNA sequences revealed the taxonomic novelty of isolates and are hence treated as Ceratomyxa collarae n. sp. Mature spores of Ceratomyxa from Acanthurus leucosternon were elongate, slightly tapering with rounded ends, and measured 7.34 ± 0.92μm in length and 24.37 ± 2.34μm in thickness. Shell valves were equal, joined by a narrow suture line. Polar capsules spherical in shape, equal in size, 2.59 ± 0.32μm long and 2.46 ± 0.32μm wide, and polar filament measured 18.68 ± 2.54μm. Based on morphological, morphometric and molecular analyses, the present species of Ceratomyxa is distinct, considered as a new species and named Ceratomyxa leucosternoni n. sp. The paper also discusses the prevalence of the recovered parasites and host specificity of Ceratomyxa collarae n. sp.

Abstract. Chunskul J, Thongproh P, Simmasian W, Arkajag J, Tongpun S, Kanishthajata P, Prompalad S, Duangjai S, Duengkae P, Phochayavanich R, Chuaynkern C, Chuaynkern Y. 2021. Molecular identification and morphological description of Theloderma albopunctatum tadpoles from the Phu Khiao-Nam Nao Forest Complex, northeastern Thailand. Biodiversitas 22: 5145-5161. Presently, tadpole description of an external morphology and internal oral features of Theloderma albopunctatum (Anura, Rhacophoridae) is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to describe tadpoles of T. albopunctatum from the Phu Khiao-Nam Nao Forest Complex in northeastern Thailand based molecular and morphological characters. Tadpole identification was based on molecular analyses. The 16S and COI sequences of the T. albopunctutatum tadpole had a genetic distance of 0% and 0.15% with the adults from Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary and Nam Nao National Park, respectively. Bayesian inference analyses of 16S, 16S+COI, and BDNF + SIA + RHO + TYR strongly supported the identity of tadpole and adults T. albopunctatum tadpoles are of medium size, with a black to ashy gray body that turns dark brown in preservative, they also exhibit elliptical body depressions and follow the keratodont row formula 1:2+2/1+1:2 or 1:1+1/1+1:1. T. albopunctatum tadpoles are generally similar to T. asperum.

Genetic diversity and distinctiveness in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) landraces: The Italian case study of ‘A pera Abruzzese’

Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi is a native species of the Neotropical region. Currently there is not an updated record of these species of mealybug in Costa Rica. The aim of this study was to analyze female mealybugs from Siquirrena plantation, Siquirres, Province of Limon, describing the morphology of the insect through the traditional technique of light microscopy and also a molecular description by three universal genes (18S ribosomal, E.F-1α and COXI). The morphological description was made in the Center for Research on Microscopic structures (CIEMic, acronyms in Spanish), UCR on 2012 and the molecular analysis was done in the Molecular Phytopathology Laboratory ending on 2014. According to the obtained results, the insect was described by the presence of the oral rim tubular duct, which was corroborated by the technique of Scanning Electron Microscopy as defining characteristic that differentiates P. jackbeardsleyi from P. elisae. Likewise through phylogenetic trees from molecular results, it was observed that the species P. jackbeardsleyi reported in the GenBank (NCBI) showed no association with any of the sequences of the study; therefore this research presents the first record of P. jackbeardsleyi in Costa Rica.

A new Crocus species (Iridaceae) for southern Albania, Crocus novicii sp. nov. (Iridaceae), is described and illustrated. We here provide diagnostic morphological characteristics, results of molecular analyses, detailed descriptions and illustrations of this new species and compare it with its relatives C. jablanicensis, C. cvijicii and C. veluchensis. Our molecular analysis is based on two chloroplast (matK–trnK, rps16–trnQ) and three nuclear markers (nrETS, nrITS, TOPO6B exon3–exon6) and includes representatives of all related species (C. cvijicii, C. dalmaticus, C. jablanicensis, C. rujanensis, C. sieberi subsp. atticus, and C. veluchensis). Morphologically, C. novicii can be distinguished from its relatives by its white flower with lilac coloring at the base of the perigone and its higher number of leaves (> 3). Although it is morphologically close to C. jablanicensis, molecular analysis has revealed a close affiliation to C. veluchensis. Crocus novicii is diploid with 2n = 20 chromosomes. The new species is named after the Serbian botanist Novica Ranđelović to honor his important work on the genus Crocus on the Balkan Peninsula.

When combined with molecular analysis and immunocytological localization, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) represents one of the most direct and precise experimental tools in current biological research (1-4). Direct visualization and in situ detection fill the gap between molecular analysis and cytological description and provide a new avenue for in vitro and in vivo comparison. Such a system facilitates the understanding of cellular events not only with respect to what and how, but also where and when.KeywordsWash SolutionChromatin FiberPlastic CoverslipSuper BlockerAlkaline Lysis BufferThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Modeling reactivity in chemical systems has evolved dramatically in line with the capabilities of modern computing. Despite the advances in computational ability, the level in which one can model a system depends on a number of factors including the region of reactivity, size of the system, level of sophistication required in the molecular description, and so on. Electronic structure methods allow for a detailed description of the potential energy surface and inherently include all essential physics required for reactivity to occur, however these methods are limited by their computational expense. On the other hand, force fields allow for an atomistic description of the interactions and drastically reduce the simulation time, yet typical force fields are dependent on a fixed bond topology, and as such, cannot model bond cleavage and formation. This dissertation addresses modeling reactivity from electronic structure methods to force field development for reactive systems. The first section of the dissertation will focus on the hydrated HCl system. Accurately modeling covalent HCl, as well as ionization and subsequent proton shuttling, is essential in systems such as gas-liquid nucleation in the atmosphere, concentrated acid solutions, and HCl at the air-water interface. The amount of sampling required for gas-liquid nucleation pathways, or simulation time for large system sizes in the case of concentrated acid simulations necessitates an expedient description of the potential energy surface. To this end, a reactive force field has been developed. In order to determine the solvent environment factors required for an accurate force field description, ab initio molecular dynamics and metadynamics have been performed on HCl(H2O)n(n=1-22). These simulations will be discussed in chapter two, while the development and performance of a reactive force field based on the multi-state empirical bond formalism will be described in chapter three. The second section of the dissertation will focus on modeling reactivity with electronic structure methods for two organic systems. The systems range from determining the factors guiding the regioselectivity of silyloxyallyl cations by analyzing reaction profiles, SAPT energy decomposition, and molecular orbital analysis (chapter four), to the formation of an EDA complex and the corresponding charge transfer (chapter five).

Abstract

During the last twenty years the Polyhedral Skeletal Electron Pair Theory and the isolobal analogy have provided a theoretical basis for the rapid experimental developments, which have occurred in metal cluster chemistry. These theoretical principles have been underpinned by m.o. calculations on specific molecules and more generally by the Tensor Surface Harmonic Theory. This paper will review the important theoretical developments and relate them to the experimental and structural data which have been obtained for cluster compounds in our own and other laboratories. In particular the application of theoretical principles for rationalising and predicting the structures of cluster compounds of the platinum metals and gold are discussed. The bonding requirements of interstitial atoms and fragments are discussed, particularly in the context of interstitial C, B, N and transition metal atoms and diatomic fragments, e.g. C2 and C-H. POLYHEDRAL SKELETAL ELECTRON PAIR THEORY The historical development of the theoretical ideas which have contributed to the Polyhedral Skeletal Electron Pair Theory can be traced back to the pioneering work of Longuet-Higgins forty years ago. In the 1950's the contributions of Longuet-Higgins proved decisive since he not only provided a molecular orbital description of the bonding in diborane (ref. l), but also pioneered the application of molecular orbital theory ideas to deltahedral borides and boranes (ref. 2). The three-centre two-electron description of B-H-B and B-B-B bonds was elegantly generalised into the styx formalism and applied to all known boron hydrides by Lipscomb (ref. 3). The molecular orbital analysis of polyhedral boranes resulted in the successful prediction of the octahedral and icosahedral borane anions some years before they were structurally characterised (ref. 4). Hoffmann and Lipscomb (ref. 5) also developed the molecular orbital methodology of L nguet-Higgins in a general molecular orbital analysis of polyhedral borane anions, BnH;-, in 1962. In the 1960's Cotton and Haas (ref. 6) pioneered the development of molecular orbital ideas to metal cluster compounds of the early transition metals stabilised by halide ligands. Their analysis emphasised the important interactions which can result in such clusters from the overlap of the transition metal d orbitals. An alternative localised description of the bonding in such clusters, which resembled the styx methodology, was proposed by Kettle (ref. 7). These theoretical models tended to emphasise the inherent differences between metal and main group clusters and in common with ligand field theory tended to stress the role of the metal d orbitals. By the mid-nineteen sixties the major classes of transition metal IT -donor and acceptor clusters, and main group polyhedral borane and Zintl 'naked' clusters had been established but were viewed as distinct areas of inorganic chemistry. Experimental studies had, however, begun to indicate the artificiality of these subdivisions. The synthesis of polyhedral organometallic compounds from the reactions of acetylenes with metal carbonyls by HUbel and Braye and transition metallocarboranes by Hawthorne's group (ref. 8) clearly demonstrated that it was possible to synthesise polyhedral molecules with transition metal and main group atoms at the vertices. In addition the structural characterisation of Rh6(C0Il6 by Dahl (ref. 9) provided a real difficulty for the theoretical models which were most widely used. The bonding in Rh6(C0)16 could not be explained by the effective atomic number rule and was not amenable to a molecular orb'tal

The family Glauconomidae has few species, limited molecular data description, and insufficient research attention. The biodiversity of Glauconomidae within China deserves further exploration. In recent years, the taxonomic status of Glauconomidae has undergone changes, and some studies have found a close relationship between Glauconomidae and the family Cyrenidae based on molecular data, suggesting that Glauconomidae should be classified under the superfamily Cyrenoidea. However, both domestic and international research has mainly focused on only four species of Glauconomidae, indicating an urgent need for more species data support. Recently, 46 specimens of Glauconomidae were collected in the Yellow River Estuary in Dongying City of Shandong Province in China. Through a comparative analysis of shell morphology and molecular phylogenetic analysis of COI and 16S rRNA, two species of Glauconomidae was discovered. One is Glauconome angulata Reeve, 1844, and the other is a new species of Glauconomidae found in the Yellow River, named Glauconome huangheensis sp. nov. The G. huangheensis sp. nov. exhibits distinct differences in shell shape and shell color compared to other species of Glauconomidae, resembling G. angulata. There are also significant differences in shell color, shell sculpture, ligament size, and shell thickness. Furthermore, the molecular phylogenetic analysis based on COI and 16S rRNA genes supports the validity of G. huangheensis sp. nov. as a species. It indicates a close phylogenetic relationship with G. angulata, making them sister species. This study provides a redescription of the morphological characteristics of G. angulata and G. huangheensis sp. nov., laying the foundation for the morphological classification, biodiversity research, and conservation of Glauconomidae species.

For the first time in > 30 years of routine sampling under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, a parasite was found in the liver of ringed seals (Phoca hispida) collected near Qaanaaq (Thule), Northwest Greenland, in 2008 and 2014. Concerns regarding changes to parasite occurrence, possibly related to climate change and bioaccumulation of immunomodulating anthropogenic pollutants, spurred further investigations into parasite characterization, and implications for wildlife health and seal hunters. Microscopic, molecular, and morphometric analyses are presented herein. Of 40 seals, 6 (15%) were infected, and 5 of 6 of these seals had severe infections. The parasite was identified morphologically as Orthosplanchnus arcticus Odhner, 1905 (Trematoda; Digenea: Brachycladiidae). Macro- and microscopic pathologic study indicated mild-to-severe biliary hyperplasia associated, stasis associated, and fibrosis associated with trematode infections. Molecular analysis of the trematode confirmed its classification within the Brachycladiidae using sequencing and comparing Internal Transcribed Spacer-1, mitochondrial-NADH Dehydrogenase 3, 18S ribosomal DNA, and Cyclooxygenase-1 regions. This is the first ever report of O. arcticus in ringed seals from Qaanaaq and is one of the most northern records of this parasite. We found significant liver pathology in severely infected seals, but its effects on health of seals in this population are unknown. Host-specificity and the lifecycle of O. arcticus are unknown, but transmission may involve subsistence and commercially harvested Arctic fish species. Further work is needed to answer these questions. Surveying parasites in Arctic wildlife is important in order to assess potential effects on wildlife and human health (i.e., zoonoses).

Cryptosporidium meleagridis from Humans: Molecular Analysis and Description of Affected Patients

A new microsporidian disease of cultured rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss has recently been confirmed in Japan, and the causative species was tentatively designated as Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021. Involvement of common prawn Palaemon paucidens in its transmission was suggested based on the previous feeding trials, although the microsporidian infection in P. paucidens was not confirmed. In this study, P. paucidens in Lake Biwa, Japan was investigated for microsporidian infection and 4 types of spores (types 1–4) were newly found. The nucleotide sequence of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was identical between type 1 and Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021, indicating they are conspecific. However, intriguingly, the spore morphology and the mode of development in fish and prawn were strikingly different. Morphological observations revealed type 1 in the prawn possesses characteristics of the genus Inodosporus Overstreet and Weidner, 1974, while Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021 in the trout exhibited the characteristics of the genus Kabatana Lom, Dyková and Tonguthai, 2000. In the phylogeny, type 1 was placed within a clade comprising Kabatana spp. and Inodosporus octosporus. Based on the morphological and molecular analyses, we describe Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021 as Inodosporus fujiokai n. sp. Together with the success of the previous prawn-feeding trials, this study strongly suggests I. fujiokai n. sp. has a multi-host life cycle utilizing fish and crustacean hosts and different modes of development in each host. Such polymorphic life cycle has barely been known among fish microsporidians. This study also suggests that the genus Kabatana is a junior synonym of the genus Inodosporus.