Μm In Length Research Articles

Fullerene (C60)‐doped zinc‐aluminium layered double hydroxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites: Synthesis, characterization, and photodegradation of methylene blue from water solution

AbstractIntroductionLayered double hydroxides (LDHs) are widely studied anionite clays consisting of positively‐charged hydroxide nanosheets which is described by the general formula: [M(II)1−xM(III)x(OH)2][An−·mH2O], where M(II) and M(III) are the divalent (e.g., Mg2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Co2+, Ni2+, etc.) and trivalent (e.g., Al3+, Fe3+, Cr3+, etc.) metal ions, An− and H2O is the interlamellar anion (e.g., Cl¯, Br¯, NO3¯, CO32¯, SO42¯, SeO42¯) for charge‐neutralization and hydrated state, respectively. They have been widely used in different industry sectors, in materials science and research. Polymer/LDH nanocomposites have gained significant attention in recent years.Carbon‐based nanomaterials, like fullerene, carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene and graphene oxide have attracted significant attention. Fullerene molecules (C60, C70) are used as reinforcing material for polymers to improve their mechanical, thermal, optical, energy storage and charge transport properties.ObjectivesC60‐doped ZnAl‐layered double hydroxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites were successfully synthesized and their photocatalytic activity for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) synthetic dye was quantitatively analyzed by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy. The effect of C60 on the optical, structural, morphological properties, and photocatalytic activity of LDHs was investigated, and the impact of C60/LDH mass ratio and aging time on the properties was also studied.MethodsFullerene‐doped ZnAl‐LDH/PVA nanocomposites were synthesized via urea hydrolysis and coprecipitation‐coformation method. First, 10 wt% PVA/water solution (40 mL) is added into the mixed solution containing 0.015 mol of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and 0.005 mol of Al2(SO4)3·9H2O and titrated by 2 M of NaOH and 1 M of NaHCO3 mixed base solution to adjust pH 9. The obtained white slurry was shaken very hard and aged for 1 year. The obtained samples were marked by the mass percentage of C60 as 1% C60@LDH/PVA, 10% C60@LDH/PVA, 20% C60@LDH/PVA, and 60% C60@LDH/PVA.Results and DiscussionThe basal spacing of C60‐doped ZnAl‐LDH was estimated to be 9.217 Å which is wide enough from the general LDH (~7.0 Å). The crystallite size of nanoparticles is 9.217 nm and ~6 nm by Scherrer's equation and Williamson–Hall method from the XRD data, respectively. Rice‐shaped 2D morphology was formed with 100 nm–2 μm width and 500 nm–10 μm in length by SEM. The maximal photodegradation efficiency was found with 20% of C60 doping (PD% = 96.98) after 360 min, where the sorption efficiency with this compound is very high (R% = 85.55).ConclusionsIn the presented work, the effect of C60 on the optical, structural, morphological properties, and photocatalytic activity of LDHs was investigated, and the impact of C60/LDH mass ratio and aging time on the properties was also studied. For the identification of the photocatalytic activity of obtained C60/LDH nanocomposites, MB was used as a model pollutant and the efficiency of the Zn/Al LDH nanocomposite, with various quantities of fullerene, is also evaluated.

Myxobolus dumerilii sp. n. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) infecting the brain of Chinese longsnout catfish Tachysurus dumerili (Bleeker) in China.

During an investigation of Myxobolus diversity in the Chinese longsnout catfish Tachysurus dumerili (Bleeker), a new species infecting the intracranial epidermis of the host was discovered. Upon opening the cranial cavity, several round whitish plasmodia measuring 0.55-0.80 mm in diameter were observed. Fresh spores (n= 50) were pyriform in the frontal view and fusiform in the sutural view, with a length of 15.4±0.6 (13.9-16.5) μm, width of 9.1±0.4 (8.3-9.8) μm, and thickness of 7.0±0.4 (6.3-7.9) μm. The spores had smooth shell surfaces and transparent membrane sheaths in the posterior. No folds, intercapsular appendix, and caudal appendages were observed. Two equal polar capsules were pyriform and measured 7.5±0.5 (6.7-8.7) μm in length and 3.2±0.3 (2.5-3.6) μm in width. The polar filaments were coiled with five to six turns and perpendicular to the polar capsule length. A BLAST search indicated M. dumerilii sp. n. was closely related to five Myxobolus species (with sequences similarities ranging from 90.54% to 96.52%) found in different organs of yellow catfish Tachysurus fulvidraco (Richardson), rather than the T. dumerili-infecting species M. branchiola Dong and Zhao, 2014 (with 90.5% sequence similarity). Phylogenetic analysis showed that M. dumerilii sp. n. didn't form sister clade with brain-infecting Myxobolus spp, but clustered with M. jianlinensis Gao et Zhao, 2020 and M. voremkhai Akhmerov, 1960 within the Siluriformes-clade with highly supported values, indicating that the host specificity may play a stronger signal than site infections during the evolution of Myxobolus species. Based on the morphological, ecological, and molecular differences observed between the newly discovered species and other available Myxobolus species, M. dumerilii sp. n., is proposed and described in this study.

Shumkonia mesophila gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel representative of Shumkoniaceae fam. nov. and its potentials for extracellular polymeric substances formation and sulfur metabolism revealed by genomic analysis.

A microaerophilic, mesophilic, chemoorganoheterotrophic bacterium, designated Y-P2T, was isolated from oil sludge enrichment in China. Cells of the strain were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped or slightly curved with 0.8-3.0µm in length and 0.4-0.6µm in diameter. The strain Y-P2T grew optimally at 25°C (range from 15 to 30°C) and pH 7.0 (range from pH 6.0 to 7.5) without NaCl. The major cellular fatty acids were C16:0, summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c), summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c). The main polar liquids of strain Y-P2T comprised phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The respiratory quinone was Q-10. Acetate and H2 were the fermentation products of glucose. The DNA G + C content was 66.0%. Strain Y-P2T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (90.3-90.6%) with species within Oceanibaculum of family Thalassobaculaceae in Rhodospirillales. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genomes showed that strain Y-P2T formed a distinct evolutionary lineage within the order Rhodospirillales. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and phylogenomic data, we propose that strain Y-P2T represents a novel species in a novel genus, for which Shumkonia mesophila gen. nov., sp. nov., within a new family Shumkoniaceae fam. nov. The type strain is Y-P2T (= CCAM 826T = JCM 34766T).

ILM Insertion for the Treatment of Macular Hole Associated with Phakic Intraocular Lens Implantation

Purpose: To report a case of macular hole closure using an internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap following implantation of a posterior chamber phakic implantable contact lens (ICL).Case summary: An 18-year-old female patient presented with visual loss of the left eye after ICL implantation. She had high myopia of -12.5 diopter (spherical equivalent) and a corrected visual acuity of 2/100. The fundus photograph and optical coherence tomography showed a full-thickness macular hole measuring 688 µm in width and 976 µm in length. The ILM around the hole was detached from the retinal surface, which was greater in size than the macular hole. The initial surgical intervention involved vitrectomy, inverted ILM flap placement, and gas tamponade. The decrease in gas volume was associated with a loss of the ILM flap. For hole closure, the remaining ILM flap in the peripheral macula was harvested and inserted in the hole during the second surgery. The silicone oil was used for tamponade. One month after ILM insertion, complete closure of the hole was observed. The visual acuity improved to 20/40 after silicone oil removal.Conclusions: A large full-thickness macular hole developed after ICL implantation in a patient with high myopia. Macular hole surgery using ILM insertion and prolonged tamponade closed the hole and effectively improved the visual acuity.

The Double Layer Sign Is Highly Predictive of Progression to Exudation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

The presences of a double layer sign (DLS) and a shallow irregular retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) elevation (SIRE) were investigated using spectral domain-OCT (SD-OCT) imaging to determine their ability to predict progression to exudative macular neovascularization (eMNV) in the unaffected fellow eyes (study eye) of participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with newly diagnosed unilateral eMNV. Retrospective, reanalysis of SD-OCT scans of study eyes from the Early Detection of Neovascular AMD (EDNA) study with 3 years follow-up (FU). The EDNA study repository of SD-OCT scans was assessed for inclusion. Cases with incomplete data sets, low quality scans, or exhibiting other pathology were excluded, which resulted in 459 eligible cases. Spectral domain-OCT volume scans of study eyes were graded for irregular elevation of the RPE (IE), with length, and height measurements made on the most affected B-scan. Eyes with heterogeneous reflectivity within the IE were classified as exhibiting the DLS. Eyes with DLS where the length of separation between RPE and Bruch's membrane was ≥ 1000 μm in length and < 100 μm in height were subclassified as SIRE. Hazard of progression to eMNV for DLS and SIRE. Of the 459 eyes, 268 had IE, of which 101 were DLS-like and 51 also fulfilled criteria for SIRE. Over the 3 years FU period, 104 (23%) eyes progressed to eMNV. After an FU of 18 months, a significantly higher proportion of study eyes (P < 0.001) with IE, DLS, and SIRE developed eMNV compared with those without these features (IE: 17% vs. no IE 6.3%; DLS: 23% vs. no DLS 9.9%; SIRE: 22% vs. no SIRE 11%). In the adjusted Cox regression models, a significantly greater hazard of progression (P < 0.001) was associated with the presence of IE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.88-4.82), DLS (adjusted HR, 3.41; 95% CI, 2.26-5.14), or SIRE (adjusted HR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.68-4.75). The DLS is a highly sensitive predictor of progression to eMNV, and the use of SIRE does not improve predictability. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Collectotrichum higginsianum on Rumex crispus in China.

Rumex crispus L. is a perennial herb with medicinal properties derived from its roots and whole plant (Bhandari et al. 2022). In December 2022, symptoms of anthracnose were observed in approximately 40% of naturally occurring R. crispus plants in Longquan Reservior, Nanchang city (115°53' N, 28°43' E), Jiangxi Province, China. Initially, red lesions appeared randomly on various parts of the leaf blade, which gradually became dry and brown at the center, eventually leading to leaf death. To isolate the fungal pathogen responsible, ten symptomatic leaves were randomly collected and their lesions were cut into small pieces (4 × 4 mm). The leaf fragments were surface-sterilized in 70% ethanol for 45 s and then in 1% NaClO for 45 s. The leaf pieces were rinsed three times with sterile distilled water. The surface-sterilized leaf pieces were then placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28 ℃, dark condition for 3 days. Twelve isolates were obtained, characterized by a milky white and uneven growth pattern with a white root-like structure branching out at the edge, along with scattered black deposits on the bottom of the plate. Conidiogenous cells cylindrical, smooth-walled, hyaline, 9.3-23.2 × 3.6-4.2 μm. Conidia elliptical, aseptate, smooth-walled, with one end blunt and the other truncate, ranging in size from 10.4 to 22.3 (mean 16.7) μm in length and 3.2 to 5.0 (mean 4.1) μm in width (n = 50), which are consistent with the characteristics of the members of Colletotrichum destructivum species complex (Damm et al. 2014). To accurately identify the strain, three representative isolates, namely JFRL 03-930, JFRL 03-931, and JFRL 03-935, were selected for further identification. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, actin (ACT), chitin synthase (CHS), partial sequences of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH), histone3 (HIS3), and beta-tubulin (TUB2) genes were amplified and sequenced using specific primer pairs, including ITS5/ITS4, ACT-512F/ACT-783R, CHS-79F/CHS-354R, GDF1/GDR1, GYLH3F/CYLH3R, and T1/Bt2b (Damm et al. 2014). All sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers OQ560476-OQ560478 (ITS), OQ576154-OQ576156 (ACT), OQ576157-OQ576159 (CHS), OQ576160-OQ576162 (HIS3), OQ576163-OQ576165 (GADPH), and OQ576166-OQ576168 (TUB2). A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed using IQtree v1.5.6 based on the combined ITS, ACT, CHS, GAPDH, HIS3 and TUB2 data set (Nguyen et al. 2015), The phylogenetic tree showed that the three isolates clustered with C. higginsianum in a clade with 91% bootstrap support. Based on morphology and molecular characters, the isolates were identified as C. higginsianum of the C. destructivum species complex. To confirm the pathogenicity, One-year-old R. crispus were collected from the wild and potted in an climate chamber. Six healthy leaves of R. crispus were surface sterilized with 70% ethanol and wounded by sterile needle, and a 20-μl conidial suspension (3×105 conidia/ml) of the isolate JFRL 03-931 was inoculated on the wound. Another set of six leaves of R. crispus was inoculated with distilled water as controls. The potted plants were incubated under conditions of 25 ℃ and 80% humidity. After 10 days, reddish brown spots were observed on all inoculated leaves, while the control leaves remained asymptomatic. To fulfill Koch's postulates, the pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated leaves and confirmed as C. higginsianum by morphological and molecular analysis. It has been reported that C. higginsianum caused anthracnose disease on several cruciferous vegetables, Boehmeria nivea and Rumex acetosa in China (Damm et al. 2014; Wang et al. 2011; Patel et al. 2014; Zhang et al. 2018). But to our knowledge, this is the first report of C. higginsianum casued anthracnose on Rumex crispus in China. Therefore, we should pay more attention to this pathogen and develop appropriate control strategies.

The Impact of Phosphorus Level on Vivianite Precipitation during Microbial Reduction of Ferrihydrite

Iron minerals play a pervasive role in the cycling of phosphorus (P) within both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The behavior of P, especially in oxygen-depleted environments, is frequently regulated by changing redox conditions and the associated phase transformations of Fe (III) (hydr)oxides (Borch and Fendorf 2007). Although the stability of Fe (III) hydroxides under changing redox conditions is well established, the relationship between specific minerals and their influence on the mechanisms of P retention and release remain unclear. In particular, the minerals vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O) and ferrihydrite (Fe2O3·0.5H2O) are of interest. Vivianite crystallization in sediments has attracted increasing attention as a major contributor to P retention during early diagenesis (Slomp et al. 2013) and ferrihydrite reduction has been linked to fluctuating P concentrations which can impact vivianite crystallization. Additionally, there exists strong biological controls on these minerals as the reduction of Fe (III) oxides by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria may result in the formation of a suite of Fe (II)-bearing secondary minerals (O’Loughlin et al. 2021). To better understand the biogeochemical mechanisms behind these interactions, we examined the effects of fluctuating P concentrations on the reduction of ferrihydrite by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 and resulting vivianite formation. In this study, bio-reduction experiments were conducted under sterile conditions in serum bottles containing 80 mL of mineral medium, with 80 mM Fe (III) in the form of Ferrihydrite, and various P concentrations (0, 1 mM, and 10 mM). The bottles were placed on a roller drum (180 rpm) and incubated at 30 oC in the dark for 15 days. Dissolved Fe (II), P concentrations, pH, and optical density (OD) values throughout the experiments were also measured. Our results showed that during incubation, Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 accelerated Ferrihydrite reduction as the dissolved iron (Fe2+) concentration increased significantly when compared to other bacterial and ferrihydrite treatments, as well as the control treatment. Additionally, P in both the 1mM and 10mM treatments was depleted after 5 and 7 days, respectively, and resulted in crystalline precipitates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses of precipitates showed well-formed and highly crystalline vivianite particles of up to 30 µm in length in high P level. Some crystalline precipitates were confirmed as vivianite through SEM and Raman spectroscopy matching a known vivianite reference (Taylor et al. 2008), but only within the 10mM P incubations. After 15 days of incubation the morphology of the vivianite changed from aggregates of lath-shaped crystals to acicular crystals (Fig. 1). Based on our results, fluctuating P concentrations do indeed have a pronounced effect on ferrihydrite reduction and thus vivianite formation.

Comparing Accuracy of Helicobacter pylori Identification Using Traditional Hematoxylin and Eosin-Stained Glass Slides With Digital Whole Slide Imaging

With advancements in the field of digital pathology, there has been a growing need to compare the diagnostic abilities of pathologists using digitized whole slide images against those when using traditional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained glass slides for primary diagnosis. One of the most common specimens received in pathology practices is an endoscopic gastric biopsy with a request to rule out Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The current standard of care is the identification of the organisms on H&E-stained slides. Immunohistochemical or histochemical stains are used selectively. However, due to their small size (2-4 μm in length by 0.5-1 μm in width), visualization of the organisms can present a diagnostic challenge. The goal of the study was to compare the ability of pathologists to identify H. pylori on H&E slides using a digital platform against the gold standard of H&E glass slides using routine light microscopy. Diagnostic accuracy rates using glass slides vs digital slides were 81% vs 72% (P = .0142) based on H&E slides alone. When H. pylori immunohistochemical slides were provided, the diagnostic accuracy was significantly improved to comparable rates (96% glass vs 99% digital, P = 0.2199). Furthermore, differences in practice settings (academic/subspecialized vs community/general) and the duration of sign-out experience did not significantly impact the accuracy of detecting H. pylori on digital slides. We concluded that digital whole slide images, although amenable in different practice settings and teaching environments, does present some shortcomings in accuracy and precision, especially in certain circumstances and thus is not yet fully capable of completely replacing glass slide review for identification of H. pylori. We specifically recommend reviewing glass slides and/or performing ancillary stains, especially when there is a discrepancy between the degree of inflammation and the presence of microorganisms on digital images.

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the apicomplexan parasites, Eimeria media and Eimeria stiedai, infecting the domestic rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus

The eimerian infection is one of the most serious infections that can decrease rabbit productivity since it can lead to serious diseases. There is little information about Eimeria media and Eimeria stiedai infections in Saudi Arabia, and molecular data is particularly weak. To establish the prevalence, morphological and molecular characterization of E. media and E. stiedai isolated from spontaneously infected rabbits, the current study was conducted. Ten healthy rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, whose feces were collected and kept at the laboratory were examined for protozoan parasite infection using the floatation method. Purified oocysts were used to extract DNA, which was then used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers that amplified a partial sequences of the 18S rDNA gene. Seven rabbits had coinfections with two eimerian species. Sporulated oocysts of E. media had an obvious micropyle and were oval, measuring 24.92–30.03 (28.04) µm in length and 16.33–19.63 (18.31) µm in width. In contrast, E. stiedai were ellipsoid and measured 31.03–36.47 (33.79) µm in length and 18.21–20.93 (19.32) µm in width. The identity of the species of Eimeria parasites detected from the host (rabbits) was verified by the results of the sequences for the 18S rDNA gene. Both organisms (E. media and E. stiedai) grouped with rabbit eimerian parasites with distinct association with the group that contains oocysts residual body. Sequences from E. stiedai revealed insertions on two sites that had never been detected in E. stiedai sequences previously deposited in GenBank. The current parasite species are closely related to the previously described and deposited E. media and E. stiedai and are deeply embedded in the genus Eimeria (family Eimeriidae). This study emphasized the significance of combining taxonomy with morphological and genetic data in the identification of Eimeria species.

Micro-tensile and TEM analysis of thermally aged Ni-Mo-Cr alloy before and after alpha particle irradiation

GH3535, a candidate Ni-Mo-Cr alloy for GEN IV molten salt reactors, is thermally aged at 650 °C for 2000 h and exposed to low density so they ion irradiation. The ion energy is attenuated via means of a degrader wheel to vary between 0.1 to 5MeV, resulting in a near -uniform level of radiation damage over a 10 µm depth to a dose of 0.25 dpa and helium concentration 1250 appm at room temperature. A focused ion beam (FIB) milling machine was used to fabricate micro-tensile samples (5 × 5 µm in cross sectional area and 17 µm in length) from pre- and post- irradiated GH3535 samples. Some of the micro-tensile samples feature a single crystal whilst others feature a grain boundary. Both single crystal and grain boundary micro-tensile results showed helium irradiation had a negligible effect on tensile strength and elongation illustrating the radiation damage resistance of thermally aged GH3535. Additionally, the grain-boundary micro-tensile samples did not fail along the grain boundary before irradiation nor after irradiation which suggests GH3535 continues to fail trans - granularly even after helium ion irradiation. TEM and EBSD analysis were performed on the unirradiated and irradiated aged GH3535 samples and the results of the analysis are discussed here in relation to the micro-tensile results.

First record of Alternaria tenuissima causing Aloe barbadensis leaf blight and leaf spot disease in Beijing, China

In 2020, Alternaria leaf blight and spot disease was first observed on Aloe barbadensis in Beijing, China. Samples of diseased leaves of A. barbadensis showing blight and spot symptoms (dark brown necrotic, sunken, and emerged lesions) were collected and identified as Alternaria isolates. The fungal colony was olive green, while conidia were brown, obclavate and measured from 13.4 to 34.2 × 7.5–11.8 μm (length × width) on average. Genomic DNA extraction was performed by multi-locus sequence analysis and the pathogen was identified as Alternaria tenuissima. The pathogenicity test confirmed A. tenuissima's ability to infect A. barbadensis and cause typical leaf blight and spot symptoms, with subsequent re-isolation. This is the first report of leaf blight and leaf spot on A. barbadensis caused by A. tenuissima in Beijing, China. Due to the medicinal importance of A. barbadensis worldwide, studying A. tenuissima induced leaf blight and spot is imperative.

Development of microfibrillated cellulose-based films from globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus)

This research developed biodegradable packaging materials for fresh-cut artichokes using the waste of globe artichokes. The extraction of film-forming materials (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and wax fractions) was done with a mild alkaline extraction method. An environmentally friendly mechanical grinding method (Masuko Supermasscolloider) was chosen to produce cellulose microfibrils having 50–200 μm length and 10–30 μm width. The presence of micro fibrillated cellulose in films hindered the heat sealing ability, so using microfibrillated cellulose and Carboxymethyl cellulose together in films (with glycerol, stearic acid, and wax incorporation) exhibited better performance. Micro fibrillated cellulose and Carboxymethyl cellulose-based films have good elasticity (16 % strain), tensile strength (0.85 kg/mm), and seal ability (at 170–220 °C). Scanning Electron Microscope analyses showed films with smooth surfaces and dense structures (from the cross-sectional area).

Stomiosphaerina bakae sp. nov., a new calcareous dinocyst of the Upper Cretaceous of the Central European Basin.

In this work the new species of Stomiosphaerina bakae sp. nov. is described. This is the third species of the genus Stomiosphaerina. Several dozen specimens of the newly described species were found within the Upper Cretaceous (upper Turonian) white chalk at Dubivtsi section near Halych in western Ukraine (south-eastern margin of Central European Basin). Stomiosphaerina bakae sp. nov. has an asymmetrical oval (pear-like shape) test, as it is wider in one side, and sharp in the opposite side, ranging from 55 to 67 μm in length and from 42 to 56.5 μm in width. It has a two-layered calcareous test. The outer layer, with thickness ranging from 4.5 to 6.5 μm, is built of long and wide plate-shaped calcite crystals and is white in plain-polarized light with a dark cross in crossed-polarized light. The inner layer, with thickness ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 μm, is yellowish, goldish to brownish color in plain-polarized light, with proximal and distal side smooth and even, and is built of short fibrous calcite crystals, without preferential orientation. One narrow (6 to 8 μm width) aperture is observed. Stomiosphaerina bakae sp. nov. differs from other species of Stomiosphaerina, i.e. Stomiosphaerina biedai Nowak 1974 and Stomiosphaerina proxima Řehánek 1987, by its cyst-shape, cyst-size, layers thickness, structure of outer layer and width of aperture. Stomiosphaerina bakae sp. nov. most likely corresponds to the non-defined species of Stomiosphaerina sp. described by Nowak 1974.

Halocynthiibacter halioticoli sp. nov., isolated from the viscera of abalone Haliotis discus hannai.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, glide, non-flagellated, and facultatively anaerobic bacterial strain, designated as Z654T, was isolated from the gut of abalone Haliotis discus hannai from Rongcheng, Shandong province, China. Cells are 0.2-0.8μm in width and 0.7-3.4μm in length. Cells grew best at 30°C (range, 15-37°C), pH 7.0 (range, 6.0-8.5) and NaCl concentration of 2.0% (w/v) (range, 1-10%). According to the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, the strain belongs to the genus Halocynthiibacter and the closest strain is Halocynthiibacter arcticus KCTC 42129T (97.12%). The genome size of strain Z654T was 3,296,250bp and the DNA G + C content was 54.2mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) scores and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) scores with H. arcticus KCTC 42129T were 70% and 14.6-18.2%, respectively. The predominant quinone was Q-10 and the major fatty acids were C18:0, C18:1 ω7c 11-methyl and summed feature 8. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified aminolipid and unidentifed lipids. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data, strain Z654T was considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halocynthiibacter, for which the name Halocynthiibacte halioticoli sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is Z654T (= MCCC 1H00503T = KCTC 92003T).

Molecular Characterization and Pathogenicity of Alternaria spp. Associated with Black Rot of Sweet Cherries in Italy.

Black rot is limiting the production of sweet cherries in Italy. Dark brown to black patches and sunken lesions on fruits are the most common symptoms of Alternaria black rot on sweet cherry fruits. We isolated 180 Alternaria spp. from symptomatic cherry fruits 'Kordia', 'Ferrovia', and 'Regina' harvested in Northern Italy, over three years, from 2020 to 2022. The aim was to identify and characterize a selection of forty isolates of Alternaria spp. based on morphology, pathogenicity, and combined analysis of rpb2, Alt-a1, endoPG and OPA10-2. The colonies were dark greyish in the center with white margins. Ellipsoidal or ovoid shaped conidia ranging from 19.8 to 21.7 μm in length were observed under a microscope. Based on the concatenated session of four gene regions, thirty-three out of forty isolates were identified as A. arborescens species complex (AASC), and seven as A. alternata. Pathogenicity was evaluated on healthy 'Regina' sweet cherry fruits. All the tested strains were pathogenic on their host. This study represents the first characterization of Alternaria spp. associated with black rot of cherries in Italy and, to the best of our knowledge, it is also the first report of AASC as an agent of black rot of sweet cherries in Italy.

Effect of friction stir welding on microstructure and foaming mechanism of rolled-state anisotropic powder

Friction stir welding (FSW) has a significant impact on welding aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) precursor. Yet, the understanding of the microstructure and foaming process on rolled-state powder of welded precursor remains limited. This study exploited the single-pass double-sided forming welding approach to weld the AFS precursor, while the impact of different process parameters of FSW on the microstructure of rolled-state powder was evaluated. Meanwhile, the foaming process of anisotropic powder at different directions was observed in-situ using synchrotron radiation. The results display that FSW transforms gap-like voids, which were ∼20 µm in width and 100–400 µm in length, into circular voids with a diameter of ∼6 µm in the powder at the weld zone (WZ). The welding process eliminates powder agglomeration aggregation and increases the relative density (>97%) of rolled-state powder. However, the low thermal conductivity of the rolled-state powder (117 W·m−1·K−1) leads to a tunnel defect at the root of the WZ. In addition, in-situ observation experiments of the foaming process found that the bubble nucleation of rolled-state powder exhibits anisotropic characteristics, and the welding process causes a transition in the types of bubble nucleation in the WZ region. This study demonstrates the feasibility of improving the anisotropy of powders caused by processing methods to obtain an isotropic pore formation and foam expansion by FSW technology.

Shape-controlled synthesis of varied bismuth nanostructures and their size-dependent photocatalytic removal of organic dyes under visible light irradiation

The catalytic activity of photocatalyst is strongly dependent on the phase structures, grain size and particle morphology of the catalyst. In this paper, the controlled synthesis of bismuth(Bi) with different morphologies (nanoparticles, nanorods, nanocubes and micro-spheres) has been successfully realized by adjusting different experimental parameters. The Bi nanostructures were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), photoluminescence (PL), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The PL spectra shown that the reduction of the size of Bi nanomaterials can decrease the recombination rate of photoelectrons and holes, which leads to the effective separation of photocharge carriers and the better photocatalytic performance of Bi nanomaterials. The energy gaps of Bi nanoparticles, nanorods, nanocubes and microspheres are 2.57 eV, 2.69 eV, 2.99 eV and 3.16 eV respectively. The degradation activity of Bi nanostructures with different sizes on organic dyes showed that 99.9%, 98.9%, 97% and 68.3% degradation of RhB was observed after 90-min visible light irradiation for Bi nanoparticles (20–50 nm), nanorods (20 nm in diameter and 1 μm in length) nanocubes (150–200 nm) and micro-spheres (10 μm), respectively. The results indicated that if the grain sizes of the Bi samples are reduced from micro-size to nano-size, their catalytic activities dramatically increase. At the same time, the achieved results also reveal that Bi2O3 and BiOCl were found in Bi surfaces before and after catalytic degradation, which was confirmed by XPS and FTIR technology. In addition, the catalytic activity of Bi with the same morphology increased with the decrease of pH value. Furthermore, the Bi samples still retained excellent catalytic activity after 40 cycles, the removal rate could also reach 73.5% for the 40th cycling.

Description and development of Auerbachia ignobili n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) from the giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål, 1775) from Indian waters.

The present study describes a new species of myxosporean, Auerbachia ignobili n. sp., infecting the hepatic bile ducts of Caranx ignobilis (Forsskål, 1775). Myxospores are club-shaped with a broad anterior region and a narrow, slightly curved and blunt caudal extension, measuring 17.4 ± 1.5 μm in length and 7.5 ± 7.4 μm in width. Shell valves asymmetrical, with a faint suture line, and enclosed a single, elongate-elliptical polar capsule with a ribbon-like polar filament, arranged in 5-6 coils. Developmental stages included early and late presporogonic stages, pansporoblast, and sporogonic stages with monosporic and disporic plasmodia. A. ignobili n. sp. differs from the other described species of Auerbachia in the shape and dimensions of the myxospores and polar capsules. The molecular analysis generated ~1400 bp long SSU rDNA sequences and the present species exhibited a maximum similarity 94.04-94.91% with A. chakravartyi. Genetic distance analysis indicated the lowest interspecies divergence of 4.4% with A. chakravartyi. In phylogenetic analysis, A. ignobili n. sp. was positioned independently with a high bootstrap value (1/100) and appeared as sister to A. maamouni and A. chakravartyi. Fluorescent in situ hybridization and histology indicates that the parasite develops within the hepatic bile ducts. Histological studies did not reveal any pathological changes. Considering the morphological, morphometric, molecular, and phylogenetic differences coupled with the differences in host and geographic locations, the present myxosporean is treated as a new species and named A. ignobili n. sp.

First report of areolate mildew of cotton, caused by Ramulariopsis pseudoglycines in Mississippi.

In August of 2022, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growing in several north central Mississippi counties was observed to exhibit yellowish lesions on the adaxial leaf surface with white powdery fungal growth on the corresponding abaxial surface. By the end of the 2022 growing season, 19 Mississippi counties were observed to have infected cotton. Symptomatic leaves were collected from affected plants, sealed in plastic freezer bags, stored on ice in a cooler, and transported to the laboratory. Prior to isolation, the pathogen was microscopically examined and determied to be morphologically similar to the description of Ramulariopsis spp. (Ehrlich and Wolf 1932). Using a sterile needle, conidia were transferred to V8 medium amended with chloramphenicol (75 mg/liter) and streptomycin sulfate (125 mg/liter) and incubated in the dark at 25°C. After 14 days, the colony diameter was measured, and morphological characteristics were consistent with previous descriptions (Videira et al. 2016; Volponi et al. 2014). On V8 medium, the 7 mm diameter colonies grew raised, lumpy, and lobed, with iron-grey coloration. The mycelia were hyaline, septate, branched, and 1 to 3 μm in diameter. Conidia ranged from 2.8 to 25.6 μm in length and 1.0 to 4.9 μm in width (x = 12.8 × 3.1 μm; n = 20). Pure cultures were obtained on V8 medium, and DNA was extracted from a 14-day-old-culture. TW098-22, a representative isolate, was amplified, and sequenced targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF 1-α), and actin (ACT) genes as described by Videira et al. (2016). The consensus sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession no. OQ653427, OR157986, OR157987). BLASTn query of the NCBI GenBank showed 100% identity of the 483-bp (ITS) and 706-bp TEF 1-α sequences from TW098-22 with Ramulariopsis pseudoglycines CPC 18242 (type culture; Videira et al. 2016). Koch's postulates were performed after multiplying individual colonies by streaking on V8 medium as above. Culture plates were subsequently incubated at 25°C for 14 days in the dark. Colonies were aseptically transferred to 50 ml centrifuge tubes containing 50 ml of autoclaved reverse osmosis (RO) water amended with Tween 20 (0.01%). The resulting inoculum suspension was adjusted to 13.5 × 105 conidia/ml using a hemocytometer. The foliage of five, 25-day-old cotton plants were sprayed with 10 ml of the suspension and a plastic bag was placed over each plant to maintain humidity for 30 days. Five plants were sprayed with sterilized RO water to serve as controls. Plants were incubated in a growth chamber at 25°C and ~70% relative humidity with 16:8 h of light:dark. Thirty days post-inoculation, foliar symptoms and signs were observed on all inoculated plants including small necrotic lesions and white powdery growth. Control plants remained asymptomatic. The trial was repeated. When reisolated, the colony and conidia morphology and DNA sequence (ITS) were consistent with the description of the original field isolate. Areolate mildew of cotton can be caused by two species of Ramulariopsis: R. gossypii and R. pseudoglycines (Videira et al. 2016). The two species have been reported in Brazil (Mathioni et al. 2021); however, this is the first report of R. pseudoglycines in the United States. In addition, even though areolate mildew has previously been reported from much of the southeastern U.S. (Anonymous 1960), the report herein serves as the first description of R. pseudoglycines in Mississippi and U.S. cotton.

Evolution of tungsten degradation under different cyclic ELM-like high heat flux plasma

A millisecond pulsed repetitive plasma generator based on capillary discharge is utilized to produce ELM-like heat load. Based on this device, the evolution of tungsten degradation under heat loads with different heat fluxes, pulses, and frequencies is investigated. With an increase of heat flux and pulse, the tungsten surface experiences an increasing melting and cracking damage. The cross-sections of samples are analyzed to investigate the mechanisms of crack formation and propagation. There are numerous small cracks of ∼20 μm length in the melting layer, which may extend to form the primary cracks under further stress. Among the primary cracks, the central crack in the heat-affected layer initially propagates perpendicularly to the surface and grows parallel to the surface, converging with the edge cracks under cyclic high heat loads. And the microstructures near cracks also reveal the mechanism of crack formation, including the intergranular primary cracks and partial transgranular secondary cracks. This work provides a novel approach to simulating ELM-like thermal load and corresponding tungsten cracking behavior under repetitive high heat flux plasma.