Red Halo Research Articles

Multicenter registry of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Paired comparison with Kawasaki disease

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify clinical characteristics to differentiate multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD) in Taiwan, an island with a delayed cluster of MIS-C and a high incidence of KD. Additionally, we studied risk factors for developing severe complications in patients with MIS-C. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, multicenter, cohort, and observational study that linked data on patients with MIS-C between May and December 2022 and patients with KD between 2019 and 2021 from 12 medical centers. Hemodynamic compromise, defined as the need for inotropic support or fluid challenge, was recorded in patients with MIS-C. We also evaluated maximal coronary Z-scores before treatment and one month after disease onset. ResultsA total of 83 patients with MIS-C and 466 patients with KD were recruited. A 1:1 age and gender-matched comparison of 68 MIS-C and KD pairs showed that MIS-C patients had a lower percentage of positive BCG red halos, lower leukocyte/platelet counts, more gastrointestinal symptoms, and a higher risk of hemodynamic compromise. In Taiwan, 38.6% of MIS-C patients experienced hemodynamic compromise, with presence of conjunctivitis and elevated levels of procalcitonin (>1.62 ng/mL) identified as independent risk factors. ConclusionWe identified two independent risk factors associated with hemodynamic compromise in MIS-C patients. The comparison between matched MIS-C and KD patients highlighted significant differences in clinical presentations, like BCG red halos, which may aid in the differential diagnosis of the two disease entities, especially in regions with a high incidence rate of KD.

Bacillus sp. G2112 Detoxifies Phenazine-1-carboxylic Acid by N5 Glucosylation.

Microbial symbionts of plants constitute promising sources of biocontrol organisms to fight plant pathogens. Bacillus sp. G2112 and Pseudomonas sp. G124 isolated from cucumber (Cucumis sativus) leaves inhibited the plant pathogens Erwinia and Fusarium. When Bacillus sp. G2112 and Pseudomonas sp. G124 were co-cultivated, a red halo appeared around Bacillus sp. G2112 colonies. Metabolite profiling using liquid chromatography coupled to UV and mass spectrometry revealed that the antibiotic phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) released by Pseudomonas sp. G124 was transformed by Bacillus sp. G2112 to red pigments. In the presence of PCA (>40 µg/mL), Bacillus sp. G2112 could not grow. However, already-grown Bacillus sp. G2112 (OD600 > 1.0) survived PCA treatment, converting it to red pigments. These pigments were purified by reverse-phase chromatography, and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry, NMR, and chemical degradation as unprecedented 5N-glucosylated phenazine derivatives: 7-imino-5N-(1'β-D-glucopyranosyl)-5,7-dihydrophenazine-1-carboxylic acid and 3-imino-5N-(1'β-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,5-dihydrophenazine-1-carboxylic acid. 3-imino-5N-(1'β-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,5-dihydrophenazine-1-carboxylic acid did not inhibit Bacillus sp. G2112, proving that the observed modification constitutes a resistance mechanism. The coexistence of microorganisms-especially under natural/field conditions-calls for such adaptations, such as PCA inactivation, but these can weaken the potential of the producing organism against pathogens and should be considered during the development of biocontrol strategies.

Finger nodules with a papulovesicular hands and feet eruption: a complicated human Orf virus infection

BackgroundOrf virus (ORFV) is the pathogen responsible for Orf, a zoonotic viral infection that can be spread to humans from sheep and goats. Here, we present a case of human Orf complicated by an immune-related reaction, to raise awareness of this under-recognized disease avoiding unnecessary investigations and overtreatment.Case reportA 51-year-old woman with no previous medical history presented with a one-week history of three asymptomatic swelling nodules with a grey necrotic center and red outer halo on her index finger. At physical examination there was also a pruritic papulovesicular eruption on her hands and feet. She reported a recent contact with a goat which had a similar nodular lesion in its mouth. A biopsy of the lesions was performed and a diagnosis of Orf complicated by widespread erythema multiforme was made based on the clinical and histopathological features. The lesions spontaneously resolved within the next 2 weeks.ConclusionsOrf is not very prevalent in our region, so we performed a biopsy of the lesion to guide us toward a diagnosis. However, we should remember that the diagnosis of ecthyma relies on clinical evaluation and epidemiological criteria.

Effectiveness of Homoeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Chronic Urticaria

Background: Chronic urticaria is occurrence of wheals more than twice a week for a period of six weeks or longer. It is a vascular reaction of the skin characterised by the appearance of wheals, which are elevated whitish reddish plaques, generally surrounded by a red halo and associated with severe itching, stinging or burning sensations. Generally the lesions increase in frequency after adolescence, with highest incidence in persons in 3rd decade of their lives. Non- sedating anti-H1 antihistamines are the mainstay of treatment; when ineffective higher dosages are tried, though all are associated with a lot of side effects ranging from arrhythmias to osteoporosis when used for a long period.
 Objectives: The aims and objectives of the present study were to understand the clinical presentation of CU and to assess the effects of constitutional homoeopathic remedies in the treatment of chronic urticaria based on the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), and to study their effects on the quality of life of the patients before and after treatment, using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).
 Materials and Methods: It was a prospective non-randomised uncontrolled observational study; sample size was 30; case taking of all the patients was done based on standard case taking proforma, consent was taken from each patient,a questionnaire of 22 points was used to elicit significant aspects of the nature of urticaria, all the patients were prescribed medicines depending on individual case; follow-up was done every 30 days from first prescription. At each visit, scoring of clinical symptoms was done with the help of UAS. Prognosis was made by comparing the different scores at each visit. Lastly, quality of life assessment was done before and after treatment using DLQI.
 Results: According to severity based on the Urticaria Activity Score, before treatment 10% patients were in mild category, 60% patients in moderate category and 30% in severe category. After treatment, 63.33% patients were in mild category and 36.67% in moderate category. The t-value was 10.56(p=0.001) for UAS. Based on DLQI, 6.67% were in large effect group, 63.33% in moderate effect group, 26.67% in small effect group and 3.33% in no effect group.
 
 KEYWORDS: Chronic Urticaria, Homoeopathic treatment, Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index(DLQI)
 Conflict of interest: None
 

Dermoscopic approach for differential diagnosing of autoimmune bullous disease: pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, and IgA pemphigus.

Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technique for the evaluation of different pigments and microstructures of the epidermis, dermoepidermal junction, and papillary dermis that are not apparent to the naked eye, which therefore improves diagnostic accuracy. This study aims to describe the characteristic dermoscopic features of bullous diseases and analyze the characteristic dermoscopic features of bullous diseases of the skin and hair. A descriptive study was conducted to describe and analyze the characteristic dermoscopic features of bullous diseases in the Zagazig University Hospitals. This study enrolled 22 patients. Dermoscopy revealed yellow hemorrhagic crusts in all patients and white yellow structure with red halo in 90.9% of patients. Pemphigus vulgaris patients were identified by the presence of dermoscopic clues such as bluish deep discoloration, tubular scaling, black dots, hair casts, hair tufts, yellow dots with whitish halos (fried egg sign) and yellow follicular pustules that are not seen in pemphigus foliaceus and IgA pemphigus. Dermoscopy is an important tool that serves as a link between clinical and histopathological diagnoses, and it can easily be used in daily practice. Several suggestive dermoscopic features can help in the differential diagnosis of autoimmune bullous disease but only after making a provisional clinical diagnosis. Dermoscopy is a very useful tool in the differentiation of pemphigus subtypes.

Eruptive yellowish red papules in a fat youth

A 22-year-old man presented with a 6-week history of generalized asymptomatic papules (Fig. 1A). The rashes were increasing gradually and predominantly distributed on the back and the extensor surface of upper limbs. He had a history of obesity and consumed a high-fat diet. He denied any history of hypertension, diabetes, and a family history of dyslipidemia, vascular disease, or pancreatitis. Physical examination revealed multiple yellowish-red, smooth, dome-shaped papules, each measuring 2–4 mm in diameter (Fig. 1B). Dermoscopy manifested yellowish-white areas surrounded by milky red halos and intermingled with branching vessels (Fig. 1C). Investigations revealed triglycerides 35.70 mmol/L (normal range <1.69 mmol/L), cholesterol 10.18 mmol/L (normal range <5.17 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein 4.27 mmol/L (normal range <3.36 mmol/L), and high-density lipoprotein 0.04 mmol/L (normal range 1.16–1.42 mmol/L). Fig. 1BMultiple yellowish-red, smooth, dome-shaped papules. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image Fig. 1CDermoscopy manifested yellowish-white areas surrounded by milky red halos and intermingled with branching vessels. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image

Importance of a Total Body Skin Examination by Exposing a Patient for the Diagnosis of Tick-mediated Infectious Disease

An 81-year-old man was found unconscious in a bathtub by his wife after having taken a long bath. He was rescued by his wife and son, and they dressed him while calling for an ambulance. On arrival, he was in a shock state with convulsion. After exposing him, he was found to have multiple macular skin rashes with eschar with a red halo on his lower right abdomen. He was treated with anticonvulsant and massive infusion. He had had right lower abdominal skin lesions for more than two weeks, general fatigue and skin rash for one week, and a fever for four days before the arrival. A biochemical analysis of his blood on arrival indicated inflammation, hepatic, renal disturbance, and coagulopathy. As he had the triad of tick-mediated infectious diseases, he received minocycline. His general condition improved, and he regained his consciousness on day 6. On day 9, we obtained positive results for scrub typhus. Finally, he was discharged home. Physicians should perform a full body skin examination of patients with a coma or fever in order not to miss fatal diseases.

Contrast between continental and oceanic thunderstorms in producing red sprites and halos

The observations of transient luminous events from space-borne platform extend our exploration on the mysteries of sprite phenomenology from continental thunderstorms to oceanic thunderstorms. By combining with ground-based measurements of causative strokes for hundreds of red sprites observed by the Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightnings (ISUAL) during 2004–2016, there is a consensus that negative cloud-to-ground (CG) strokes spawned by oceanic thunderstorms are more readily to produce sprites. The existing ground-based observations in both Caribbean Sea and near the coast of South China, mainly due to the contributions from numerous amateurs, are generally consistent with the implications of ISUAL observations. However, the physical mechanisms that might cause the enhancement of negative CG strength in the ocean remain not completely understood. There have been analyses on several cases of oceanic thunderstorms abundant in producing negative sprites. It seems that the production of negative sprites heavily depends on the size of parent thunderstorms, and they are often generated by thunderstorm conditions that are also favorable for gigantic jets.

Differential Diagnosis of Rosacea Using Machine Learning and Dermoscopy.

IntroductionRosacea is a common chronic inflammatory disease occurring on the face, whose diagnosis is mainly based on symptoms and physical signs. Due to some overlap in symptoms and signs with other inflammatory skin diseases, young and inexperienced doctors often make misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses in clinical practices. We analyze the results of skin physiology and dermatoscopy using machine learning method and identify the characteristics of acne rosacea, which differentiate it from other common facial inflammatory skin diseases so as to improve the accuracy of clinical and differential diagnosis of rosacea.MethodsA total of 495 patients who were jointly diagnosed by two experienced doctors were included. Basic data, clinical symptoms, physiological skin detection, and dermatoscopy results were collected, and the clinical characteristics of rosacea and other common facial inflammatory diseases were summarized according to the descriptive analysis results. The model was established using a machine learning method and compared with the judgment results of young and inexperienced doctors to verify whether the model can improve the accuracy of clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis of rosacea.ResultsThe proportion of yellow and red halos, vascular polygons, as well as follicular pustules, showed by dermatoscopy, and the melanin index in physiological skin detection revealed statistical significance in differentiating rosacea and other common facial inflammatory diseases (all P < 0.01). After adopting the machine learning, we found that GBM (Gradient Boosting Machine) algorithm was the best, and the error rate of this model in the validation set was 5.48%. In the final man-machine comparison, the accuracy of the GBM algorithm model for the classification of skin disease was significantly higher than that of young and inexperienced doctors.ConclusionDermatoscopy combined with machine learning can effectively improve the diagnosis and differential diagnosis accuracy of rosacea and other facial inflammatory skin diseases.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Corynespora cassiicola on Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki (Sweet Viburnum) in China.

Sweet viburnum [Viburnum odoratissimum Ker-Gawl. var. awabuki (K. Koch) Zabel ex Rumpl.] belonging to the family Adoxaceae, is a medical and landscape plant, native to Korea (Jeju Island), Taiwan, and Japan (Edita 1988). In June and September 2019, leaf spots were observed on approximately 65% to 80% of sweet viburnum plants in a hedgerow located in Fenghe Xincheng District (28°41'52.9"N 115°52'14.3"E) in Nanchang, China. Initial symptoms of disease appeared as dark brown spots surrounded by red halos (Figure 1 A), which expanded irregularly. Finally, the center of the lesions desiccated and became light-brown, surrounded by a deep-red halos (Figure 1 B). Ten leaf samples with typical symptoms were collected and washed with tap water for about 15 min. The tissue between the healthy and necrotic area (ca. 4 mm × 4 mm) was cut with a sterile scalpel and surface sterilized with 70% alcohol for 45 s, 2% NaClO for 2 min, washed in sterile deionized water three times, dried on sterilized filter paper, then placed in Petri dishes and incubated at 25℃ in the dark. After 3 to 5 days, the hyphal tips from the edges of growing colonies were transferred to fresh PDA dishes. Eventually, 54 fungal isolates were obtained and, of these, 39 isolates were identical in their morphological characteristics. Morphological analysis was performed according with Ellis (1971). The isolate S18, chosen as representative, formed a gray to grayish brown colony with concentric circleson PDA, and a diameter of 8.5 to 9 cm after 7 days incubation at 25℃ (Figure 1 G). Conidia were hyaline, straight or slightly curved, needle shaped, truncate at the base, and acuminate at the tip, with 2 to 6 pseudosepta, 18.90 to 38.38 µm (avg. = 27.51 µm) × 1.64 to 4.50 µm (avg. = 2.60 µm) (n = 36) (Figure 1 H). The genes of fungal isolates (i.e., ITS, tub2 and ACT) were amplified with ITS4/ITS5 for ITS (White, Bruns et al. 1990), Bt2a/Bt2b for tub2 (Glass and Donaldson 1995) and ACT783R/ACT512F for ACT (Carbone and Kohn 1999) and sequenced. The sequences were deposited in GenBank (MW165772 for ITS, MW175900 for ACT and MW168659 for tub2), which showing greater than 99.1% similarity to multiple C. cassiicola accessions, respectively. Pathogenicity tests were performed on healthy leaves in field by inoculating surface-sterilized mature leaves with puncture wound (Figure C) and non-wounded young leaves with 20 µL of a conidial suspension (105 conidia ml-1) (Figure F and G) at 26℃. After 4 to 7 days, all inoculated leaves reproduced similar symptoms as observed initially in the field (Figure 1 C, E and F). To fulfill Koch's postulates, the fungus was isolated on PDA from the margins of leaf spots on inoculated leaves and confirmed as C. cassiicola by morphological characters and ITS gene sequencing. Previously, C. cassiicola was reported as an endophyte on Viburnum spp. and Viburnum odoratissimum (Alfieri et al. 1994). More recently, C. cassiicola has been reported as a pathogen of many plant species in China, such as kiwifruit (Cui, Gong et al. 2015), American sweetgum (Mao, Zheng et al. 2021), castor bean (Tang, Liu et al. 2020), and holly mangrove (Xie, He et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot disease on sweet viburnum caused by C. cassiicola in China and the precise identification of the causal agent will be useful for its management.

Gastrointestinal varicella-zoster virus infection.

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed small, shallow ulcers and erosions surrounded by red haloes, spread diffusely throughout the stomach and duodenum.

Plantar Papules and Plaques: A Dermoscopic-Histopathological Correlation

Background: Painful lesions affecting the plantar aspect of the foot are routinely encountered in daily practice, and plantar wart, corn, and callus are the most common conditions. Although the clinical examination is sufficient to clinch an accurate diagnosis, atypical presentations indicate the need for invasive investigations like skin biopsy. Here we evaluated dermoscopic patterns of painful lesions affecting the plantar surface. Objectives: The current study aimed to, firstly, investigate the dermoscopic patterns and differentiate between painful papules and plaques on the foot, and, secondly, to analyze the histopathological correlation of these dermoscopic patterns. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, the current study was carried out on patients with the clinical diagnosis of painful lesions of foot suggestive of plantar wart, corn, and callus referring to a tertiary care center from June 2019 to Jan 2020. Dermoscopy analysis and biopsy were performed for all participants. Results: Among 92 patients with painful plantar lesions, 56, 22, and 15 had a plantar wart, corn, and callus, respectively. Dermoscopy of warts revealed red dots (89.28%) and yellow halo (82.14%). A translucent central core (100%) and whitish ring (81.81%) on dermoscopy of patients with corn. Dermoscopy of callus demonstrated opaque yellow area in all (100%) the patients. Dermatoglyphics were absent in plantar wart in contrast to corn and callus, wherein they were preserved. Conclusions: Dermoscopy can be considered as a rapid, non-invasive, diagnostic tool in the daily practice of a dermatologist. Here, it assisted in distinguishing clinically akin painful plantar papules and plaques. These dermoscopic patterns also were well correlated histopathologically.

A Chief Complaint of Blisters in an Adolescent.

1. Ankita Deosthali, MD* 2. Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH* 1. *Tuft’s Children’s Hospital at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA A 19-year-old male with no significant medical history presents to the adolescent clinic with the complaint of blisters. He noticed painful blisters a week ago, starting on the middle finger of his right hand and buttocks bilaterally, and then 2 days later another blister emerged on the shaft of his penis. He describes the blisters as clear fluid collections that erupted and then scabbed over. He has been applying an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment, which has not helped. He has also been applying a thick lotion, which made the skin overlying the blisters smoother but did not make them go away. This morning he noticed a small circular lesion in his pubic area, above his penis. He has had no fevers, sore throat, dysuria, hematuria, or penile discharge. The only medication he takes is emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada®; Gilead, Foster City, CA) for preexposure prophylaxis against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). He is sexually active with only male partners, participating in oral (receiver and giver) and anal (receiver) intercourse. He has inconsistent condom use with both oral and anal intercourse. On examination his vital signs are normal, and he appears generally well and in no acute distress. Skin examination reveals ulcers on the middle finger of his right hand, the lower buttocks bilaterally, and the shaft of his penis. The ulcers on his hand and penis are approximately 1.5 cm in diameter, and on his buttocks they are larger, approximately 5 cm in diameter. The ulcers are irregularly shaped red halos without a central clearing with ragged edges and are tender to palpation. In addition, there is a 1-cm tender red papule on his mons pubis. There is no inguinal lymphadenopathy or oral lesions. ### Differential Diagnosis The global incidence of genital …

Bioprospection of ligninolytic enzymes from marine origin filamentous fungi.

Fungi are excellent producers of extracellular enzymes. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the screening of marine fungi, which are laccase and manganese peroxidase potential producers, in solid fermentation for future applications in bioremediation processes of contaminated sites. For this purpose, two-level factorial planning was adopted, using time (6 and 15 days) and the absence or presence of oil (0 and 1%) as factors. The semi-quantitative evaluation was carried out by calculating radial growth, enzyme activity and enzyme index by measuring phenol red or syringaldazine oxidation halo. The results showed that all the studied strains showed a positive result for manganese peroxidase production, with an enzymatic activity in solid medium less than 0.61, indicating a strongly positive activity. Through the enzyme index, the study also showed prominence for Penicillium sp. strains, with values > 2. The enzyme index increase in oil presence and the inexpressive use of the genera studied for ligninolytic enzymes production from crude oil demonstrated these data importance for fermentative processes optimization. Considering the ability of these strains to develop into recalcitrant compounds and the potential for manganese peroxidase production, they are indicated for exploitation in various bioremediation technologies, as well as other biotechnological applications.

Can measuring perilesional tissue stiffness and stiff rim sign improve the diagnostic performance between benign and malignant breast lesions?

To evaluate tissue stiffness values around breast lesions and stiff rim sign for the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions. A total of 192 patients (mean age, 44.6 ± 13.6years) with 199 breast lesions were included in this retrospective study. All lesions were pathologically proven by US-guided core needle biopsy (CNB), Mammotome biopsy, or surgery. We first observed the presence or absence of a stiff rim sign, which was defined as a red or orange halo around the breast lesion. The shell around the breast lesion on SWE was then automatically drawn by machine, with a width of 1mm, 2mm, and 3mm. The elasticity moduli of the lesion and surrounding tissue were recorded, including maximum elasticity (Emax), mean elasticity (Emean), minimum elasticity (Emin), and elasticity ratio (shell/lesion ratio). The optimal thresholds of elasticity moduli were calculated according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. There were 75 malignant lesions and 124 benign ones. The average Emax and Emean of lesions and shell were significantly higher in the malignant group than in the benign group (P < 0.05). The optimal cut-off value of Emax for diagnosing malignant lesions was 101.7kPa, with a sensitivity of 66.3% and specificity of 87.9%. The optimal cut-off value of Emean was 29.1kPa, with a sensitivity of 65.3% and specificity of 79.8%. The stiff rim sign had the highest diagnostic performance for malignancy as compared with other elastic parameters, with an accuracy of 88.4%. However, measuring peritumoral tissue stiffness can achieve relatively high sensitivity, whereas specificity was not improved significantly. The stiffness of tissue surrounding breast malignancies was significantly higher than the surrounding benign lesions. Stiff rim sign has the potential to improve the diagnostic performance of breast lesions.

PERBANDINGAN EFEKTIVITAS EKSTRAK DAUN BINAHONG (ANREDERA CORDIFOLIA (TEN.) STEENIS) 25% DAN 50% DIBANDINGKAN OBAT TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE TERHADAP PENYEMBUHAN RECURRENT APHTHOUS STOMATITIS (RAS) MINOR

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is an inflammation of the soft tissues of the mouth characterized by recurrent ulcers without symptoms of other diseases. Clinically, RAS is characterized by painful recurrent ulcerations of the oral mucosa that appear recurrently in single or multiple numbers and have a red halo appearance that usually appears on the lip, cheek, lateral, and ventral mucosa of the tongue in the oral cavity. Triamcinolone acetonide is a prednisolone derivative and is considered an intermediate glucocorticoid. It is effective in reducing the signs and symptoms of many conditions of inflammation of the mouth, including RAS. Binahong contains active compounds of flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins which have an antibacterial effect in inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. so Binahong leaf extract can be used as an alternative natural treatment for minor RAS. This research compared the effectivity of extracts leaves Binahong (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) concentrations of 25%, 50% with Triamcinolone Acetonide in healing Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) minor. The research was pretest-posttest control group design, 30 samples divided into 3 treatment groups, where the treatment group I used Triamcinolone acetonide, treatment group II used 25% binahong leaf extract, and treatment group III used 50% Binahong leaf extract. Data were analyzed with a parametric statistical test of paired sample T-test and showed that there was a significant decrease in RAS diameter in groups I, II, and III (p &lt;0.05). The mean difference of RAS diameter between-group in order 2.7mm for the first treatment group, in the second treatment group, was 1.3mm and 2.2mm for the third treatment group. Analysis with Oneway ANOVA showed that after the treatment was given to the three groups, there was a significant average difference of the minor RAS diameter decrease (p &lt;0.05). The results showed that Triamcinolone acetonide was more effective in accelerating the healing of minor RAS than 25% and 50% binahong leaf extract.

Mysterious Globular Cluster System of the Peculiar Massive Galaxy M85

Abstract We present a study on the stellar population and kinematics of globular clusters (GCs) in the peculiar galaxy M85. We obtain optical spectra of 89 GCs at 8 kpc &lt; R &lt; 160 kpc using the MMT/Hectospec. We divide them into three groups, blue/green/red GCs (B/G/RGCs), with their (g − i)0 colors. All GC subpopulations have mean ages of about 10 Gyr, but showing differences in metallicities. The BGCs and RGCs are the most metal-poor ([Z/H] ∼ −1.49) and metal-rich ([Z/H] ∼ −0.45), respectively, and the GGCs are in between. We find that the inner GC system exhibits a strong overall rotation that is entirely due to a disklike rotation of the RGC system. The BGC system shows little rotation. The GGCs show kinematic properties clearly distinct among the GC subpopulations, having higher mean velocities than the BGCs and RGCs and being aligned along the major axis of M85. This implies that the GGCs have an origin different from the other GC subpopulations. The rotation-corrected velocity dispersion of the RGC system is much lower than that of the BGC system, indicating the truncation of the red halo of M85. The BGCs have a flat velocity dispersion profile out to R = 67 kpc, reflecting the dark matter extent of M85. Using the velocity dispersion of the BGC system, we estimate the dynamical mass of M85 to be 3.8 × 1012 M ⊙. We infer that M85 has undergone merging events lately, resulting in the peculiar kinematics of the GC system.

EOSINOPHILIC ULCER: REPORT OF 4 CASES

Eosinophilic ulcer (EU) is a chronic, benign, and self-limiting condition, more common in the tongue of men. This study reports 4 patients diagnosed as having EU. Of the cases studied, 3 involved men and 1 involved a woman, with a mean age of 60 years. All lesions were described as ulcers covered by a membrane of fibrin with raised margins, which were rigid to touch, and a red halo located at lateral tongue. The mean lesion size was 1.45 cm, and the lesions were present for 10 to 60 days. Squamous cell carcinoma was among probable diagnostic hypothesis in all cases. An incisional biopsy was performed, and the histopathologic analysis revealed an EU in all cases with intense inflammatory infiltrate and presence of eosinophils. After the biopsy and removal of the causative agent (if detected), all the lesions regressed. Performing a biopsy is extremely important to differentiate EU from squamous cell carcinoma.

First Report of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aptata Causing Bacterial Leaf Spot on Common Beet (Beta vulgaris) in Ohio

In July 2017, common beet leaves (cv. Red Ace) from an open field in Erie County, Ohio, showing foliar blight symptoms were received by the OSU Vegetable Pathology Laboratory. Another beet sample (cv. Boro) from Wayne County, Ohio, displaying the same symptoms was received in June 2018. Symptoms consisted of pale brown circular water-soaked necrotic lesions, 2 to 3 mm in diameter, surrounded by a red halo. Bacterial streaming was observed from the lesions when viewed microscopically. Pieces of symptomatic tissue ∼0.25 cm² were surface sterilized in 70% ethanol for 30 s, rinsed in sterile water, placed in 100 µl of sterile water, and minced with a sterile blade. After 30 s, 10 µl of the resulting suspension was streaked onto Pseudomonas F agar medium (PF) and incubated in the dark for 48 h at 28°C. White creamy colonies fluorescent on PF when exposed to UV light were selected. Isolates from both samples were gram negative, oxidase negative, arginine dihydrolase negative, levan positive, and caused a hypersensitive reaction 24 h after infiltration into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves. None of the isolates caused soft rot when inoculated at 10⁷ CFU/ml onto sterile potato slices. Box PCR (Louws et al. 1994) profiles were similar for strain SM200-2017 (Erie County) and SM61-2018 (Wayne County), with an additional band in SM200-2017. Both strains were subjected to whole-cell DNA extraction and multilocus sequence analysis of the housekeeping genes sigma factor 70, rpoD; glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, gapA; DNA gyrase B, gyrB; and citrate synthase, gltA (Hwang et al. 2005). Sequences were compared with those of the reference pathotype strain Pseudomonas syringae pv. aptata (Psa) CFBP 1617 deposited in the PAMDB database (Almeida et al. 2010). Both SM200-2017 (MK085510) and SM61-2018 (MK085511) showed 100% identity to the rpoD gene. SM200-2017 gapA sequence (MK085516) shared 99% homology with the gapA sequence of Psa CFBP 1617, and SM61-2018 gapA sequence (MK085517) was 100% identical. Similarly, the gyrB sequences from SM200-2017 (MK085515) and SM61-2018 (MK085514) were 99 and 100% similar to Psa CFBP 1617, respectively. No match was found for SM200-2017 and SM61-2018 gltA sequences (MK085512 and MK085513, respectively) when compared with those of Psa CFBP 1617. However, the sequences were 100% identical to Psa sequence KX226440 (Arabiat et al. 2016) deposited in the NCBI database. Koch’s postulates were confirmed in a greenhouse by spray inoculating 4-week-old beet seedlings (cv. Red Ace) with 10⁶ CFU/ml water suspensions of SM200-2017 or SM61-2018, or with sterile water. Plants were maintained at 27°C with a 14-h photoperiod, in plastic bags for the first 48 h. Symptom development was monitored daily. Water-soaked necrotic lesions similar to those observed on the original samples appeared 10 days after inoculation, whereas mock-inoculated plants did not show any symptoms. Symptomatic leaves were collected and processed as described above. Colonies with the same morphology on PF and with the same biochemical characteristics previously described were isolated. Box PCR profiles matched those of the original strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial leaf spot of beet caused by Psa in Ohio. Common beets are cultivated throughout Ohio and can be severely affected under disease-conducive environmental conditions.

First Report of Bitter Rot of Apple Caused by Colletotrichum siamense in Pakistan

Apple (Pyrus malus Linn.) is one the most common and consumed fruit in the world, owing to its high nutritional value. In Pakistan apple is cultivated in the highlands of Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Northern Punjab. Red Delicious (Tur-Kulu) and Golden Delicious (Shin-Kulu) are famous cultivars throughout Pakistan for their attractive color and taste. Bitter rot, caused by Colletotrichum species, is one of the destructive diseases in apple growing countries (Sharma et al. 2013). In September 2017 apple fruits (cv. Golden Delicious) showing symptoms of bitter rot disease were collected from an orchard in Quetta (30.1798° N, 66.9750° E), Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Symptoms of bitter rot were initially observed as small, circular gray or brown spots surrounded by red halo on lighter skinned apple fruit. Thereafter, the lesions enlarged rapidly, intermingled, and became sunken. Necrotic tissues extended beneath the fruit core in V-shaped pattern. For the isolation of the causal agent, a small piece (1 to 2 mm) of necrotic tissue having the structure of reproduction of the fungus (i.e., acervuli) was cut from diseased fruit, disinfected with 0.5% NaOCl for 2 min followed by rinsing with sterile distilled water, air dried, and plated onto potato dextrose agar medium. Single-spore culture was obtained by incubating plates at 25 ± 2°C for 7 days, with a 12-h light and darkness period. Colonies were initially white and later became light gray on the front and olivaceous gray on reverse side of plates with concentric rings of salmon acervuli. Conidia were hyaline, straight to slightly curved, cylindrical, aseptate, measuring 3.45 to 5.9 × 11.36 to 17.67 µm (average 4.72 × 14.6 µm) (n = 25), with rounded ends. Appressoria were ovate, globose, ranging from 6.37 to 7.55 × 10.11 to 12.3 µm (average 6.96 × 11.2 µm), and dark brown in color. The morphological characteristics of the causal agent resembled species belonging to the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex (Prihastuti et al. 2009; Weir et al. 2012). For further confirmation of the fungal isolate, DNA was extracted from single-spore isolates. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor alpha1 (tef1) regions were amplified from rDNA. The sequences were submitted to GenBank with accession numbers MG867589 and MH844549, respectively. The BLAST result of the ITS sequence showed 99% identity with the corresponding sequence (MH700460.1) of the reference strains of C. siamense, and tef1 gene BLAST result showed 100% identity with the sequence (KC790609.1) of C. siamense. Koch’s postulates were accomplished by spraying two drops of the conidial suspension (10⁵ conidia/ml) on 10 healthy and ripe fruits, whereas sterile distilled water drops were applied on control fruits. All fruits were incubated at 25 ± 2°C in a humid chamber for 10 days. The characteristic disease symptoms developed, as described above. The fungus was successfully reisolated from inoculated fruits and identified as C. siamense. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing bitter rot of apple in Pakistan. This pathogenic fungus may pose a serious threat to apple cultivation in Pakistan.