Polyphasic taxonomy of marine bacteria from the SAR11 group Ia: Pelagibacter ubiquis (strain HTCC1062) & Pelagibacter bermudensis (strain HTCC7211)

Marine bacteria from the SAR11 clade (class Alphaproteobacteria), specifically strains HTCC1062 and HTCC7211, were characterized according to a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Maximum cell densities and growth rates at various temperatures, salinities, and pH’s were analyzed. Strains HTCC1062 and HTCC7211 were observed as having different growth optimums. On the basis of experimental data obtained in this study, two separate novel species are proposed, Pelagibacter ubiquis gen. nov., sp. nov. (HTCC1062), & Pelagibacter bermudensis sp. nov. (HTCC7211)

Transposon mutagenesis of Psychrobacter cryohalolentis PAMC 21807 by tri-parental conjugation

Random mutagenesis is commonly used to study gene function. The screening of mutants exhibiting specific phenotypes assists in the identification of phenotype-related genes. In the current study, we isolated Antarctic bacteria, and developed a transposon Tn5 mutagenesis system. A total of 26 strains were isolated from seawater and freshwater near Antarctic King Sejong Research Station, King George Island. Six Psychrobacter strains were identified as psychrophilic, with optimal growth temperatures of 10℃ or 15℃ Psychrobacter cryohalolentis PAMC 21807 with a high growth rate at 4℃ was selected for transposon mutagenesis. Tri-parental conjugation with a plasmid containing Tn5 produced 13 putative recombinants containing the selectable marker. Genomic Southern hybridization confirmed Tn5 existed as episomes for seven recombinants, and for a single recombinant, Tn5 was integrated into the genome of Psychrobacter cryohalolentis PAMC 21807. The result indicates that the mutagenesis method, although successful, has a relatively low rate. The psychrophilic bacteria isolated in this study may be a useful resource for studying cold adaptation mechanisms, and the mutagenesis method can be applied to genetic analysis

Applications and Major Achievements of Genome Editing in Vegetable Crops: A Review

The emergence of genome-editing technology has allowed manipulation of DNA sequences in genomes to precisely remove or replace specific sequences in organisms resulting in targeted mutations. In plants, genome editing is an attractive method to alter gene functions to generate improved crop varieties. Genome editing is thought to be simple to use and has a lower risk of off-target effects compared to classical mutation breeding. Furthermore, genome-editing technology tools can also be applied directly to crops that contain complex genomes and/or are not easily bred using traditional methods. Currently, highly versatile genome-editing tools for precise and predictable editing of almost any locus in the plant genome make it possible to extend the range of application, including functional genomics research and molecular crop breeding. Vegetables are essential nutrient sources for humans and provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber to diets, thereby contributing to human health. In this review, we provide an overview of the brief history of genome-editing technologies and the components of genome-editing tool boxes, and illustrate basic modes of operation in representative systems. We describe the current and potential practical application of genome editing for the development of improved nutritious vegetables and present several case studies demonstrating the potential of the technology. Finally, we highlight future directions and challenges in applying genome-editing systems to vegetable crops for research and product development

Progress on the Electromagnetic Calorimeter Trigger Simulation at the Belle II Experiment

The Belle II experiment at KEK in Japan has started real data taking from April 2018 to probe a New Physics beyond the Standard Model by measuring CP violation precisely and rare weak decays of heavy quark and lepton. The experiment is performed at the high luminosity SuperKEKB e^+ e^- collider with 80 x 10^34 cm^-2 s^-1 as an ultimate instantaneous luminosity. In order to develop and test an appropriate trigger algorithm under much higher luminosity and beam background environment than previous KEKB collider, a detail simulation study of the Belle II calorimeter trigger system is very crucial to operate Belle II Trigger and DAQ system in stable. We report preliminary results on various trigger logics and their efficiencies using physics and beam background Monte Carlo events with a Belle II Geant4-based analysis framework called Basf2

Effects and Safety of Gyejibongnyeong-Hwan on Dysmenorrhea Caused by Blood Stagnation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective. This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and controlled trial with two parallel arms: the GJBNH group and the placebo group. This trial recruited 100 women aging 18 to 35 years with primary dysmenorrhea caused by blood stagnation. The investigational drugs, GJBNH or placebo, were administered for two menstrual periods (8 weeks) to the participants three times per day. The participants were followed up for two menstrual cycles after the administration. Results. The results were analyzed by the intention-to-treat (ITT) dataset and the per-protocol (PP) dataset. In the ITT dataset, the change of the average menstrual pain VAS score in the GJBNH group was statistically significantly lower than that in the control group. Significant difference was not observed in the SF-MPQ score change between the GJBNH group and the placebo group. No significant difference was observed in the PP analyses. In the follow-up phase, the VAS scores of the average menstrual pain and the maximum menstrual pain continually decreased in the placebo group, but they increased in the GJBNH group. Conclusion. GJBNH treatment for eight weeks improved the pain of the dysmenorrhea caused by blood stagnation, but it should be successively administered for more than two menstrual cycles. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with Current Controlled Trials no. ISRCTN30426947

Efficacy and Safety of Sipjeondaebo-Tang for Anorexia in Patients with Cancer: A Pilot, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background. Anorexia occurs in about half of cancer patients and is associated with high mortality rate. However, safe and long-term use of anorexia treatment is still an unmet need. Objective. The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of Sipjeondaebo-tang (Juzen-taiho-to, Shi-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang) for cancer-related anorexia. Methods. A total of 32 participants with cancer anorexia were randomized to either Sipjeondaebo-tang group or placebo group. Participants were given 3 g of Sipjeondaebo-tang or placebo 3 times a day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was a change in the Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale of Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT). The secondary outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of anorexia, FAACT scale, and laboratory tests. Results. Anorexia and quality of life measured by FAACT and VAS were improved after 4 weeks of Sipjeondaebo-tang treatment. However, there was no significant difference between changes of Sipjeondaebo-tang group and placebo group. Conclusions. Sipjeondaebo-tang appears to have potential benefit for anorexia management in patients with cancer. Further large-scale studies are needed to ensure the efficacy. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02468141