Round Spots Research Articles

First Report of Neofusicoccum mangiferae Causing Shoot Blight of Sassafras tzumu in China

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 104, No. 7First Report of Neofusicoccum mangiferae Causing Shoot Blight of Sassafras tzumu in China PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Neofusicoccum mangiferae Causing Shoot Blight of Sassafras tzumu in ChinaYu Wan, Xin-Yu Wang, Long-Xi He, Wu Xu, and Li-Hua ZhuYu WanCollege of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, Xin-Yu WangCollege of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, Long-Xi HeJiangxi Forest Pest Control and Quarantine Bureau, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330038, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, Wu XuShanghai Qingpu Forestry Station, Shanghai, 201700, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, and Li-Hua Zhu†Corresponding author: L.-H. Zhu; E-mail Address: lhzhu@njfu.com.cnhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2740-4980College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author AffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations Yu Wan1 2 Xin-Yu Wang1 2 Long-Xi He3 Wu Xu4 Li-Hua Zhu1 † 1College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China 2Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China 3Jiangxi Forest Pest Control and Quarantine Bureau, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330038, China 4Shanghai Qingpu Forestry Station, Shanghai, 201700, China Published Online:7 May 2020https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-19-2521-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Sassafras tzumu Hemsl. is native to China and was widely planted in central and southwestern China (Wu et al. 2008). The wood of S. tzumu is used for boat and furniture making, and the roots and bark are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Since 2014, severe blight of branches has been observed on S. tzumu in Yichun, Jiangxi, China. Symptoms began as brown round or elliptical necrosis spots at the area where the petioles attached to the branch; the spot gradually expanded to form a lesion and eventually caused wilting of the leaves. Finally, the lesion girdled the branch and killed it. A large number of dark brown to black stromatic conidiomata developed on the lesions. Small pieces of symptomatic stems were surface sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s, 1% NaClO for 90 s, rinsed with sterile water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 25°C for 7 days. Fungal colonies were observed, and monosporic cultures of those colonies were obtained. A representative isolate, Sa-8, was obtained and deposited in the China Forestry Culture Collection Center (CFCC 53952). On PDA, the isolate developed white-gray, circular colonies with aerial mycelia and scalloped margins. The colonies turned to dark-gray after 5 days of incubation. At the beginning, conidia were hyaline, ellipsoid or fusiform, and nonseptated. With time, conidia became brown, two-celled, and measured 13.5 ± 1.4 × 7.3 ± 0.5 μm. Conidia morphology was similar to descriptions of Neofusicoccum sp. (Phillips et al. 2013). For molecular identification, genomic DNA of Sa-8 was extracted and amplified with internal transcribed spacer (ITS) primers (ITS1 and ITS4) (White et al. 1990), with the nuclear ribosomal 18S RNA small subunit (SSU), large subunit (LSU), elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), and β-tubulin (β-tub) genes being amplified with primers NS1/NS4 (White et al. 1990), LR0R/LR05 (Schoch et al. 2009), EF1-F/EF1-R, and βt2a/βt2b (Glass and Donaldson 1995), respectively. The sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. MK757880 [ITS], MK757885 [LSU], MN413328 [EF1-α], MN413329 [β-tub], and MK757888 [SSU]). BLAST results showed high similarities with sequences of Neofusicoccum mangiferae (JN688956.1 [ITS], identities = 525/525 [100%]; NG055730.1 [LSU], identities = 864/864, [100%]; EU673153 [SSU], identities = 924/933 [99%]; and KY000153 [β-tub], identities = 392/397 [99%]) and Dothiorella guttulata (KY815020.1 [EF1-α], identities = 353/360 [98%]). Phylogenetic analyses based on the combined sequences placed Sa-8 in the clade of N. mangiferae with 88% bootstrap support. Based on the morphological and molecular data, the isolate was identified as N. mangiferae (Syd. & P. Syd.) (Crous et al. 2006). Pathogenicity tests were performed on ten 1-year-old seedlings of S. tzumu. The stems of seedlings were wounded with a sterile needle, and mycelial plugs of Sa-8 on PDA were placed on the wounds and covered with Parafilm. Seedlings inoculated with PDA plugs were used as controls. Seedlings were incubated in a greenhouse at 25°C and a 16-h photoperiod. All seedlings inoculated with Sa-8 developed brown necrotic spots 5 days after inoculation and were blighted in 12 days. No symptoms were observed on the controls. The same fungus was reisolated from symptomatic stems. This is the first report of N. mangiferae causing shoot blight on S. tzumu. The disease has caused mortality to thousands of trees and has become a threat to the survival of S. tzumu. These results provided information for developing control strategies for this disease.The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Mongolian spots as a finding in forensic examinations of possible child abuse\u2013implications for case work

Mongolian spots (MS) are congenital dermal conditions resulting from neural crest-derived melanocytes migration to the skin during embryogenesis. MS incidences are highly variable in different populations. Morphologically, MS present as hyperpigmented maculae of varying size and form, ranging from round spots of 1 cm in diameter to extensive discolorations covering predominantly the lower back and buttocks. Due to their coloring, which is also dependent on the skin type, MS may mimic hematoma thus posing a challenge on the physician conducting examinations of children in cases of suspected child abuse. In the present study, MS incidences and distribution, as well as skin types, were documented in a collective of 253 children examined on the basis of suspected child abuse. From these data, a classification scheme was derived to document MS and to help identify cases with a need for recurrent examination for unambiguous interpretation of initial findings alongside the main decisive factors for re-examination such as general circumstances of the initial examination (e. g., experience of the examiner, lighting conditions) and given dermatological conditions of the patient (e. g., diaper rash).

Characterization and a RT-RPA assay for rapid detection of Chilli Veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV) in tobacco

BackgroundChilli veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV), which belongs to the genus Potyvirus of the family Potyviridae, mainly infects solanaceous plants and has caused serious economic losses in Asia and Africa. Tobacco plants infected with ChiVMV suffered from punctate necrosis of leaves, leaf deformation, systemic necrosis of leaves and stems, and eventually plant death. However, ChiVMV infection could not usually be identified given the lack of rapid and efficient detection assays in tobacco plants. Therefore, an isolate of tobacco-infecting ChiVMV (ChiVMV-LZ) was obtained, and a novel isothermal amplification and detection technique, reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA), was established to detect ChiVMV in tobacco plants.MethodsIn this study, the full-length genome of ChiVMV-LZ was obtained using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) assays. The genome sequence of ChiVMV-LZ was characterized by sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. Then, a RT-RPA assay was established for rapid and sensitive detection of ChiVMV-LZ in tobacco. Additionally, the established RT-RPA assay was compared to the RT-PCR assay in aspect of sensitivity and application in field-collected tobacco samples.ResultsChiVMV-LZ was isolated from diseased tobacco in Luzhou, Sichuan, China. The tobacco plants inoculated with ChiVMV-LZ showed typical symptoms of yellow and round spots on the leaves, and curled and folded leaf margin, similar to those observed on naturally ChiVMV-infected tobacco in the field. The full-length genomic sequence of ChiVMV-LZ was determined to be 9742 nucleotides. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that ChiVMV-LZ was most closely related to ChiVMV-Yp8 isolated from pepper plants in Sichuan province while distantly related to ChiVMV-YN from tobacco in Yunnan province, indicating a possibly geographical differentiation of ChiVMV isolates. Additionally, a RT-RPA assay was established for rapid detection of ChiVMV in tobacco. The RT-RPA has no cross-reaction with other related tobacco viruses and is about 10-fold more sensitive than conventional RT-PCR method.ConclusionThe characterization of ChiVMV-LZ infecting tobacco was determined, and the established RT-RPA assay provides a reliable and effective method for rapid detection of ChiVMV in tobacco.

Modeling of intracavity-pumped Q-switched terahertz parametric oscillators based on stimulated polariton scattering

In this paper, the rate equations describing the operation of intracavity-pumped Q-switched terahertz parametric oscillators based on stimulated polariton scattering are given for the first time. The rate equations are obtained under the plane-wave approximation, the oscillating fundamental and Stokes waves are supposed to be round uniform beam spots. Considering the fact that the terahertz wave nearly traverses the pump and Stokes beams and using the coupled wave equations, the terahertz wave intensity is expressed as the function of the fundamental and Stokes intensities. Thus, the rate equations describing the evolution processes of the fundamental and Stokes waves are obtained in the first step. The THz wave properties are then obtained. Several curves based on the rate equations are generated to illustrate the effects of the nonlinear coefficient, the THz wave absorption coefficient, and pulse repetition rate on the THz laser characteristics. Taking the intracavity-pumped Mg:LiNbO3 TPO as an example, the THz frequency tuning characteristic and the dependences of the fundamental, Stokes, and THz wave powers on the incident diode pump power are calculated. The theoretical results are in agreement with the experimental results on the whole.

Experimental and computational determination of hardened zones during laser hardening of steels

Experiments in defocus of beam rectangular-shaped fiber laser in the range of 30-65 mm. using a full factorial experiment, we constructed the surface to depth and width of the zone of hardening through varying the speed of the beam in the range of 15-20 mm/s, power 3-4 kW. Comparative wear tests have shown that laser hardening with a rectangular spot reduces the number of tempering zones and increases the wear resistance of 40Cr steel by 25-35% compared to hardening with a round spot.

Relationship of Pink Pigmentation in Rose Petals and Botrytis cinerea

Pink pigmentation on rose (Rosa × hybrida) petals in the form of round spots or irregular-shaped discoloration has been associated with Botrytis cinerea infection, but scientific evidence has been lacking to support this hypothesis. The unfounded association between pink pigmentation and Botrytis blight has been sufficient to warrant rejection of international shipments during inspection at the ports of entry. The objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship between pink pigmentation symptoms on rose petals and B. cinerea infection. Four shipments of ‘Vendela’ and ‘Brighton’ roses were received from a commercial grower. Intact rose flowers and detached petals were assessed separately, and symptom development and Botrytis blight incidence were evaluated. In addition, tissue pieces with and without pink pigmentation were placed in culture media to determine the frequency of B. cinerea isolation. Results showed that Botrytis blight incidence in whole flowers and petals of cut roses with and without pink pigmentations was not significantly different. B. cinerea was not isolated more frequently from pink-pigmented tissue compared with tissues lacking pink pigmentation. These results show that pink pigmentation in the form of round spots or irregular-shaped discoloration along the petal margins is not associated with B. cinerea infections.

Corneal side effects induced by EGFR-inhibitor antibody-drug conjugate ABT-414 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma: a prospective clinical and confocal microscopy study.

Background:The aim of this study was to prospectively analyse, for the first time worldwide by in vivo clinical confocal microscopy (CCM), corneal side effects secondary to the use of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor depatuxizumab mafodotin (ABT-414) in a cohort of patients affected by EGFR-amplified recurrent glioblastoma.Methods:Each enrolled patient underwent full ophthalmologic examination including in vivo CCM of the cornea. Each patient was examined at baseline and every 2 weeks during treatment as long as patient conditions allowed it.Results:A total of 10 patients were consecutively enrolled. Median follow-up was 5 months. No Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0 grade 4 toxicity was documented. Two (20%) grade 3 toxicities were documented at week 8. CCM examination detected in all eyes multiple and diffuse hyperreflective white round spots in the corneal basal epithelial layers (100%), progressive subbasal nerve plexus layer fibres fragmentation followed by full disappearance (100%) and appearance of round cystic structures in the corneal epithelium (100%). All CCM documented side effects reached the peak of prevalence and severity after a median of 3 infusions. After treatment discontinuation, the reversibility of corneal side effects was documented at CCM after a median of 4 weeks.Conclusion:ABT-414 toxicity is not only directed to the corneal epithelium, but also to corneal nerves. Side effects are detectable in all treated patients and CCM documents early corneal epithelium and subbasal nerve plexus toxicity, with subsequent progressive restoration after treatment discontinuation. Ocular side effects due to ABT-414 can be manageable.

Isolation and Identification of DPPH Radical (2,2-diphenyl-1-pikrylhidrazyl) Scavenging Active Compound in Ethyl acetat fraction of Piper acre Blume

Piper acre Blume, known as Black Betel (local name), is a plant that is widely used by the people of East Kalimantan, especially in Samarinda, for the treatment of illness. Leaves (3-4 months old) are collected from Samarinda, extracted, fractionated, and monitored by DPPH antiradical activity. The isolation of the Piper acre Blume is performed on the active fraction, and the structure identification is based on spectroscopic data of the compound. The leaves were dried, pulverized, and macerated with MeOH. Dried MeOH extract was obtained upon evaporation of the solvent. The extract was then fractionated by vacuum liquid chromatography (vlc), eluted gradually by solvents having different polarities (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol). The fractions obtained were monitored using TLC [n-hexane: ethyl acetate (3: 1 v/v)] that was visualized by UV254 nm, UV366 nm and DPPH. The isolation was performed by preparative TLC [SiO2, n-hexane: ethyl acetate (3: 1)] on ethyl acetate fraction that showed the highest DPPH antiradical value. A single compound was obtained, and it appeared as a round spot and pure according to TLC performances at 3 different solvent systems. The isolated Piper acre Blume compound displayed the IC50 value on the anti-radical DPPH (measured at λ 520 nm) as 10.41µg/mL. The IR spectrum (KBr) showed –OH band (3450 cm-1), aliphatic bands [alkene, 3010 cm-1; alkana 2900 cm-1), an aromatic overtone bands (1900-200 cm-1) and a strong C=O band (1725 cm-1). The NMR (1H- and 13C-) (mono and 2D) indicated the present of a p-di-substituted aromatic signals (δ, 7.54 and 7.52, d, J =6 Hz, 1 H each), 2 methyl (δ, 0.96, d, J = 7.0 Hz, 6 Hs), a triplet signal (δ, 4.22 ppm). Other signals of CH- and CH2 were shown as m signals at δ, 1.64 and 1.34 ppm. Based on those data, the compound was identified as isoamyl p-OH benzoate that is grouped as parabens used as a preservative in the pharmaceutical preparations. In conclusion, the anti-radical (DPPH) active compound present in the leaves of Piper acre Blume is identified as isoamyl p-OH benzoate, having IC50 value anti-radical DPPH 10,41µg/mL.

Phomous rot is a dangerous disease of potato tubers

Goal. To establish the symptoms of pathogens of fomose rot on potato varieties of different resistance, to isolate pathogens from the genus Phoma, parasitizing on tubers and stems of plants.
 Methods. Symptoms of phomotic rot were determined visually by the determinant of diseases and the method of microbiological diagnosis was used. Pathogens were isolated from stems and tubers affected by fomose rot.
 Results. On the basis of psychopathological examination, it was experimentally proved for the first time in Ukraine that fomozna potato rot is widespread in commodity and seed potato plantings. The degree of harmfulness reaches 35%. Pathogens of the genus Phoma (Ph. Solanicola Prill. Et Del Ph tuberosa Malkomcon) affect potato stems and tubers. On the stems, the first symptoms appear as spots during the flowering phase of the plants, and on tubers the gangrene appears as round, depressed and hard spots, light or dark brown in color, on the top of which pycnids form. According to the harmfulness of the pathogen, the Polesye of Ukraine is divided into three zones: 1. The zone of strong development includes the Volyn and Zhytomyr regions, where the number of affected plants with phomosis exceeds 5%, affected tubers — 8—10%; 2. The zone of moderate development, it includes the Rivne and Khmelnitsky regions, where the number of plants affected by phomosis is 2—3%, and tubers during storage of the crop — 5—7%; 3. The zone of insignificant development of the disease includes Kiev and Chernihiv regions, where the number of plants affected by gangrene is up to 2%, and tubers after storage of the crop — up to 4%.
 Conclusions. According to the results of psychopathological surveys, three zones of development of fomose rot of potatoes (severe, moderate and minor damage to phomosis) were identified and a scheme for the development cycle of the infection of the genus Phoma (Solanicola Prill. et. Del. And Ph. Tuberosa Melh.) was established. Symptoms of fomose rot appear on the stems in the form of elongated blurry spots, on which pycnids form from light brown (Eurostar) to dark brown (Riviera) color. On potato tubers, fomosis appears in the form of round, hard, sunken spots of a dark color. It is proved that during the interaction of potato plants with pathogens of the genus Phoma complex physiological, biochemical and pathological processes occur that significantly reduce productivity, quality, taste and other economically valuable traits.

External morphology of the immature stages of Runibia perspicua(Fabricius, 1798) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae).

The study of immature stages in Pentatomidae contributes to the knowledge in several areas, mainly systematics, ecology and agriculture. In faunistic inventories, nymphs comprise a significant part of the specimens collected, which often cannot be identified due to lack of knowledge about the immature. Here, we describe the external morphology of eggs and nymphal stages of Runibia perspicua (Fabricius, 1798). The egg is barrel-shaped with the surface of chorium covered by spines, forming polygonal markings interconnected by sheets, similar as observed in some species of Carpocorini. In all the nymphal instars the abdomen is characterized by having rounded reddish spots and an orange/yellow longitudinal macula in the middle of each abdominal tergite, from abdominal segment II to VII. The first instar is the most distinctive, standing out mainly by the head and thorax totally brown. From the second instar the head and thorax acquire pale color with irregular brown spots. The labium presents significant variations in size along the ontogenetic development showing a non-isometric pattern, when compared to the total length of the body. Illustrations and photographs of all the immature stages and the detailed morphology of some structures in SEM are provided.

In vivo, noncontact, real-time, PV[O]H imaging of the immediate local physiological response to spinal cord injury in a rat model.

.We report a small exploratory study of a methodology for real-time imaging of chemical and physical changes in spinal cords in the immediate aftermath of a localized contusive injury. One hundred separate experiments involving scanning NIR images, one-dimensional, two-dimensional (2-D), and point measurements, obtained in vivo, within a field, on spinal cords surgically exposed between T9 and T10 revealed differences between injured and healthy cords. The collected raw data, i.e., elastic and inelastic emission from the laser probed tissues, combined via the PV[O]H algorithm, allow construction of five images over the first 5 h post injury. Within the larger study, a total of 13 rats were studied using 2-D images, i.e., injured and control. A single 830-nm laser ( diameter round spot) was spatially line-scanned across the cord to reveal photobleaching effects and surface profiles possibly locating a near surface longitudinal artery/vein. In separate experiments, the laser was scanned in two dimensions across the exposed cord surface relative to the injury in a specific pattern to avoid uneven photobleaching of the imaged tissue. The 2-D scanning produced elastic and inelastic emission that allowed construction of PV[O]H images that had good fidelity with the visually observed surfaces and separate line scans and suggested differences between the volume fractions of fluid and turbidity of injured and healthy cord tissue.

Alternaria leaf blight of clusterbean

The annual legume crop clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a promising crop for cultivation in the south of Russia. In 2018, phytosanitary examinations of clusterbean fields (13 collection accessions) were conducted in five VIR branches (Krasnodar Territory, Dagestan, Astrakhan and Volgograd Regions). At all points, several types of leaf spots were observed on clusterbean leaves and symptoms of plant damage by fungi of the genus Alternaria Nees prevailed. Using microbiological methods and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer two (ITS2), the species composition of micromycetes was identified. It was found that the micromycetes Alternaria spp. in different ecological and geographical conditions of the south of Russia cause two main types of leaf spots: the typical (beige and brown round spots, usually accompanied by concentric zonality) and brown spot (small brown bulging merging spots). Overwhelmingly the damage to leaf tissues is caused by the fungus A. tenuissima (Nees & T. Nees : Fr.) Wiltshire. A quite numerous accompanying mycoflora (first of all, fungi of the genus Fusarium Link) was also detected. A. cyamopsidis Rangaswami & A.V. Rao, one of the most harmful guar pathogens in the countries where the main acreage is located (India, Pakistan, USA), was not found on clusterbean fields in Russia. The accessions of clusterbean differ in degree of damage by A. tenuissima that causes Alternaria leaf blight. Differential interaction of parasite and plant host was revealed. Therefore, to prevent epiphytotics, varieties protected by non-identical resistance genes should be grown. At all VIR branches, accessions k-52568 (Argentina) and k-52569 (Pakistan) were weakly damaged by Alternaria leaf blight, and some accessions were resistant only in the environmental conditions of one or two experimental stations. The accessions studied were heterogeneous in pathogen resistance, which allows selecting disease-resistant lines from most of the collection accessions. Thus, in various VIR branches, plants without symptoms of disease were selected from accessions k-52571, k-52573 and k-52580, and seeds were collected to create new donors of disease resistance.

First Report of Dickeya fangzhongdai Causing Soft Rot of Phalaenopsis aphrodite in China

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 103, No. 10First Report of Dickeya fangzhongdai Causing Soft Rot of Phalaenopsis aphrodite in China PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Dickeya fangzhongdai Causing Soft Rot of Phalaenopsis aphrodite in ChinaY. Shen, W. G. Lv, Y. H. Du, Y. X. Zhang, and H. P. LiY. Shen†Corresponding author: Y. Shen; E-mail Address: 763399029@qq.comhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-2600-3854Shunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, W. G. LvShunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, Y. H. DuShunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, Y. X. ZhangShunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author, and H. P. LiShunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, ChinaSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations Y. Shen † W. G. Lv Y. H. Du Y. X. Zhang H. P. Li Shunde Office of Foshan Customs, 528303, Foshan, China Published Online:19 Aug 2019https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-19-0234-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Phalaenopsis aphrodite is very popular in China. In the summer of 2017, a soft rot of P. aphrodite was found at the base of Phalaenopsis plants in Foshan city, Guangdong Province, with the incidence of about 10%. The infected leaves displayed water-soaked small round spots initially, and the spots expanded quickly with the increase of humidity and temperature, becoming translucent when facing a light source. Several days later, the inclusions exuded as the lesions decayed. The bacteria further infected the leaf sheath, resulting in the discoloring and perishing of leaf sheaths, falling off of leaves, and even the death of the whole plant. Finally, the leaves became as dry as paper. Five leaves with typical symptoms were randomly collected; after washing with 75% ethanol for 30 s, with 0.1% HgCl2 for 2 min, and with sterile water three times, small pieces of tissues (5 × 5 mm) were removed from lesion borders, plated on LB solid medium, and incubated at 37°C for 24 to 48 h. Thereafter, 10 representative isolates were chosen for further identification. Generally, these strains were gram negative, cultivated at 37°C, and utilized D-arabinose, melibiose, raffinose, and mannitol but not 5-keto-D-gluconate, β-gentiobiose, or casein. A GEN III MicroPlate system (Biolog) was used for examination, and the 10 isolates were identified as Dickeya chrysanthemi (SIM 0.856). PCR was used to amplify the 16S rDNA gene with primers 27f and 1492r (Tillett et al. 2000), recA (Waleron et al. 2002), and dnaX (Sławiak et al. 2009). BLASTn was carried out online, and the underlying phylogeny trees were obtained based on these gene sequences using MEGA 5.05 through 100% bootstrap values. The results showed that representative tested strain FSPAD1, whose sequences were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers MK394174 (16S rDNA), MK405705 (recA), and MK405706 (dnaX), had the highest homology with D. fangzhongdai for 16S rDNA(JN940859), recA (KT992693), and dnaX (KT992713), with the identities of 100, 97, and 97%, respectively. Therefore, this isolate was identified as D. fangzhongdai strain FSPAD1. Pathogenicity tests were performed on healthy tender leaves of P. aphrodite. Sterile filter paper (1 cm in diameter) was used to absorb sterile water and the bacterial suspension (1 × 108 CFU/ml). Then, the paper with sterile water (control) or the bacterial suspension were attached to tender leaves with three acupuncture points in each leaf. All tested plants were incubated at 28°C and kept moist with plastic bags. After 2 days, soft rot symptoms were observed in the pathogen-inoculated leaves, whereas sterile water (control) inoculated leaves exhibited no symptoms. The pathogenicity test was conducted three times. Koch’s postulates were achieved by reisolating D. fangzhongdai from the inoculated leaves. Meanwhile, 16S rDNA sequence alignment confirmed that the new reisolation was consistent with that of the inoculated plant. This pathogenic bacterium has been reported on Pyrus pyrifolia in China (Tian et al. 2016). So far, this is the first report of D. fangzhongdai causing soft rot disease on P. aphrodite.The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Delineation of two new, highly similar species of Taiwanese Cylindera tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae) based on morphological and molecular evidence

Tiger beetles have been recognized primarily based on morphological characters. However, the variations of elytral maculation and coloration sometimes lead to misjudgment in species classification and the overlooking of the existence of cryptic species. Recently, specimens of two endemic species of Taiwanese Cylindera, C. sauteri and C. pseudocylindriformis, exhibit morphologically recognizable forms, indicating that some undescribed species may exist. To clarify their taxonomic status, morphological characteristics including male genitalia were examined and two mitochondrial genes, COI and 16S rDNA, and one nuclear 28S rDNA were analyzed. Molecular phylogenetic inferences indicated that both forms in both species are reciprocally monophyletic. Moreover, molecular dating showed the forms diverged approximately 1.3 million years ago. Two new species, Cylindera ooasp. nov. and Cylindera autumnalissp. nov., are thereby described. The main recognizable characteristics separating C. ooasp. nov. from C. sauteri are the lack of a triangular spot at the middle edge of elytron and the elongated but not rounded subapical spot. For C. autumnalissp. nov., the apical lunula near the elytral suture is thickened but not linear and slender, and its elytra are more metallic brownish than those of C. pseudocylindriformis. Although their aedeagi characteristics are not distinctive, the body size of the proposed two new species is different. Field observation revealed that niche utilization would be relevant for differentiating these closely related species.

Mystus prabini, a new species of catfish (Siluriformes: Bagridae) fromArunachal Pradesh, north-eastern, India.

Mystus prabini, new species, is described from the Sinkin and the Dibang River in the Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new species differs from all South-Asian congeners except M. bleekeri, M. cavasius, M. zeylanicus, M. falcarius, M. seengtee, M. cineraceus, M. ngasep, M. rufescens and M. ankutta in having a long adipose fin that reaches anteriorly (vs. distinctly does not reach) the base of the last dorsal-fin ray. The new species can be distinguished from the named nine species in having (vs. lacking) a narrow black mid-lateral stripe extending from the anterior region of tympanic spot to the rounded black spot at the caudal-fin base. The analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence shows that the K2P value between Mystus prabini and all other Mystus species ranges from 8.6-22.1%. Mystus prabini is closest genetically to M. bleekeri and M. albolineatus, from which species it has a genetic distance of 8.6% and 13.9%, respectively. The genetic distance (K2P) between the new species and M. dibrugarensis is 21.1%.

Finite element analysis of laser shock peening induced near-surface deformation in engineering metals

This paper investigates near-surface residual stress and equivalent plastic strain distributions using finite element method for further understanding of laser shock peening induced plastic deformation. The results indicate that residual stress and equivalent plastic strain at the topmost surface are sensitive to mesh size while they can be well predicted in the subsurface layer. Increasing laser spot size or overlapping rate deepens the compressive residual stress layer while reducing laser spot size leads to uniformly distributed residual stress and equivalent plastic strain. A minimum overlapping rate of 62.5% is necessary to create fully covered compressive residual stress on the target surface using round laser spot. Higher strain hardening exponent results in higher maximum compressive stress and equivalent plastic strain, deeper compressive residual stress and plastic deformation. In addition, higher elastic modulus results in lower equivalent plastic strain and shallower plastic deformation depth.

Enteromius pinnimaculatus sp. nov. (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from southern Gabon.

We present and describe a new species of Enteromius, adding to the 16 species of Enteromius currently recorded from Gabon, West Africa. This new species is distinguished from all other Gabonese Enteromius by the presence of several distinct spots on the dorsal fin in combination with three or four round spots on the flanks. In Africa, it is superficially similar to Enteromius walkeri and with which it shares an unusual allometry in that the proportional length of the barbels decreases as the fish grows. Nevertheless, one can distinguish these species by vertebral number, maximum standard length, the length of the anterior barbels, the length of the caudal peduncle and in most specimens, the number of lateral-line and circumpeduncular scales. These two species also inhabit widely separated drainages, with E. walkeri occurring in coastal drainages of Ghana including the Pra and Ankobra Rivers and the new species occurring in tributaries of the Louetsi and Bibaka Rivers of Gabon, which are part of the Ogowe and Nyanga drainages, respectively. Despite extensive collections in those drainages the new species is known from only two localities, suggesting the importance of conservation of its known habitat.

Hemiodus bimaculatus, a new species of Hemiodontidae from the Rio Tapajós drainage, Brazil (Ostariophysi: Characiformes).

Hemiodus bimaculatus sp. nov., is described from tributaries of the Rio Juruena and Rio Teles Pires in the upper Rio Tapajós basin. The new species is diagnosed from most congeners, except Hemiodus jatuarana, by having a conspicuous circular or horizontally elongate dark blotch on the caudal peduncle (v. inconspicuous in H. iratapuru and absent in the other species). The new species differs from H. jatuarana by having a round midlateral spot on the flank (v. absent in H. jatuarana), 98-121 perforated scales in the lateral line (v. 66-72 in H. jatuarana), 23-28 scale series above and 14-19 below lateral line (v. 12-13 above and 6-7 below in H. jatuarana). Hemiodus bimaculatus is hypothesised to be related to species of the H. microlepis group, from which it also differs by having 11-25 epibranchial (v. 26-34 in H. argenteus, 29-39 in H. microlepis, 21-42 in H. orthonops and 27-35 in H. parnaguae) and 18-31 ceratobranchial (v. 38-50 in H. argenteus, 43-58 in H. microlepis, 32-52 in H. orthonops and 34-48 in H. parnaguae) gill rakers in the first arch.

First Report of Anthracnose of Atractylodes chinensis Caused by Colletotrichum chlorophyti in China

Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. is a perennial medicinal plant in the Compositae family in China. The dried roots have medicinal functions of invigorating the spleen, dispelling wind, and improving eyesight. Anthracnose-like symptoms were observed on the leaves and stems of a 2-year-old A. chinensis landrace in Changli County, Hebei Province, from July to September in 2017. In the field, small, round dark-brown spots appeared on the leaves and stems at the beginning. Later, the lesions on the leaves expanded to irregular spots, slightly sunken, grayish brown to grayish white in the center, and dark brown on the edge. The lesions on the stems spread from the spot to circle around the whole stem. Eventually, the whole plant started to wither and die. The incidence was as high as 30% in 2017. Symptomatic tissues from leaves were cut into 0.2- to 0.5-mm² squares and stems were cut into 0.5- to 1-cm lengths; they were surface disinfested with 70% ethanol, rinsed with sterile distilled water, and then cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C with a 12-h light regime. Seven Colletotrichum-like isolates were obtained with a frequency of 79%. Colonies on PDA were initially pale, gradually turning black after 3 days, with obvious ring patterns and less aerial mycelium (colonies were 3.25 cm in diameter). Conidia ranged from 15.6 to 23.2 μm long (mean 19.4 μm) × 2.5 to 4.8 μm wide (mean 3.6 μm). Conidia were aseptate, hyaline, smooth, scythe or crescent with oil droplets, curving with tapered ends and a truncated base. Conidial length/width ratio was 3.0 to 6.0. Chlamydospores were dark brown, globose to subglobose, in chains and clusters. Setae were straight, dark brown, and septate. The isolates were further characterized by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin, β-tubulin, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes. The sequences of the isolates (GenBank accession nos. MH290362 for ITS, MH935512 for actin, MH935514 for β-tubulin, and MH935513 for GAPDH) showed 99 to 100% similarity with Colletotrichum chlorophyti in GenBank (JX126475 for ITS, GU227993 for actin, JX126477 for β-tubulin, and GU228286 for GAPDH). Phylogenetic analysis showed the fungal isolates were grouped into the clade with C. chlorophyti. The fungi were identified as C. chlorophyti on the basis of morphological characteristics and sequence analysis. A pathogenicity test was conducted on 2-year-old A. chinensis. Twenty leaves and 20 stems were inoculated with 5-mm-diameter plugs from a 7-day-old culture in moist Petri dishes for 7 days at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod, with PDA plugs serving as the control. The inoculated leaves and stems exhibited similar symptoms to the original field plants. However, there were no symptoms on control plants. The pathogen was reisolated from infected leaves and stems, confirming Koch’s postulates. This fungus previously has been reported as the pathogen of soybean anthracnose, moringa anthracnose, and soybean seed anthracnose (Cai et al. 2016; Yang et al. 2012, 2013). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. chlorophyti causing anthracnose of A. chinensis in China. The disease poses a threat to production of A. chinensis, and this new finding is important in the diagnosis and management in field production.

The Characteristic Sizes of the Sunspots and Pores in Solar Cycle 24

We present a comparative analysis of the size of spots in sunspot groups. For the analysis, we have used the characteristics of individual sunspots and pores according to the daily synoptic observations of the Kislovodsk Mountain astronomical station in Solar Cycle 24. We have constructed the distribution of area for the different types of the spots: pores, transitional sunspots, regular sunspots, and sunspots umbrae. We have found that the properties of the sunspots with largest area $[S_{ \mathrm{max}}]$ differ from the other spots $[S_{\mathrm{nomax}}]$ in sunspot groups. In the distribution of area for $S_{ \mathrm{max}}$ there are two local maxima $S^{\mathrm{mx}}_{ 1}\approx 10~\mbox{msh}$ and $S^{\mathrm{mx}}_{\mathrm{2}}\approx130\,\mbox{--}\,180~\mbox{msh}$ . The $S^{\mathrm{mx}}_{1}$ is connected with the transitional spots where the penumbra is not fully developed. For sunspots with $S_{\mathrm{max}}$ where a penumbra is formed or the ratio $S_{\mathrm{sp}}/S_{\mathrm{um}}> 3.5$ , the maximum $S^{\mathrm{mx}} _{2}$ corresponds to the diameter of a round spot with $d \approx25~\mbox{Mm}$ . This size is close to the size of the supergranules. In the distribution of area, the two-vertex character is absent for sunspots in the groups with the exception of the spot having the largest area. For developed sunspots with $S_{\mathrm{max}}$ , in the distribution of area of the sunspot’s umbra we have a maximum $S^{\mathrm{mx}}_{\mathrm{um}} \approx25~\mbox{msh}$ . Thus, the two-vertex nature of the distribution of area is a consequence of the existence of pores and sunspots with developing penumbra.