Novel Species and Records of <i>Dictyosporiaceae</i> from Freshwater Habitats in China and Thailand

China and Thailand are rich in fungal diversity with abundant freshwater resources that are favorable for numerous fungal encounters. Resulting from this, the majority of the Dictyosporiaceae species reported were from these two countries. During the investigation on the diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Greater Mekong Subregion, eleven collections of cheirosporous species on submerged wood were collected from lentic and lotic habitats in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis that combined nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU), internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) and translation elongation factor 1α (tef 1-α) loci revealed six new species: Dictyocheirospora chiangmaiensis, D. multiappendiculata, D. suae, Digitodesmium aquaticum, Vikalpa grandispora and V. sphaerica. In addition, four known species were also identified and reported based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of these taxa are provided with an updated phylogenetic tree of Dictyosporiaceae

One New Species and Two New Host Records of Apiospora from Bamboo and Maize in Northern Thailand with Thirteen New Combinations

The genus Apiospora is known as a cosmopolitan genus, found across various substrates. In this study, four Apiospora taxa were obtained from the decaying stems of bamboo and maize in northern Thailand. Apiospora collections were compared with known species based on the morphological characteristics and the DNA sequence data of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the partial large subunit nuclear rDNA (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1-α) and beta-tubulins (TUB2). Apiospora chiangraiense sp. nov. and two new host records (Ap. intestini and Ap. rasikravindra) are introduced here based on the morphological characteristics and multi-locus analyses. Additionally, thirteen species previously identified as Arthrinium are introduced as new combinations in Apiospora, viz., Ap. acutiapica, Ap. bambusicola, Ap. biserialis, Ap. cordylines, Ap. cyclobalanopsidis, Ap. euphorbiae, Ap. gelatinosa, Ap. locuta-pollinis, Ap. minutispora, Ap. pseudorasikravindrae, Ap. septate, Ap. setariae and Ap. sorghi

Distribution, evolution and structural properties of Wushenqi paleo-uplift in Ordos Basin, NW China

This paper depicts the distribution of the Wushenqi paleo-uplift in the Ordos Basin by using the latest drilling and seismic data, and analyzes the tectonic evolution of the paleo-uplift with the support of Bischke curve and balanced section. The compressional Wushenqi paleo-uplift which developed in the Early Caledonian orogeny (Huaiyuan orogeny) is approximately a ellipse extending in S-N direction. Its long axis is about 194 km and short axis is about 55–94 km in nearly W-E direction. The denudation thickness and area of the Cambrian in the core are 170–196 m and 11 298 kmbrespectively. It was mainly formed during the Huaiyuan orogeny according to the chronostratigraphic framework. It was in the embryonic stage in the Middle–Late Cambrian, denuded after developed obviously at the end of Late Cambrian. The paleo-uplift of the 3rd member of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation was reactivated and reduced in area. In the sedimentary period of the Ma4 Member–pre-Carboniferous, the paleo-uplift experienced non-uniform uplift and denudation. It entered the stable period of burial and preservation in the Carboniferous and later period. The Wushenqi paleo-uplift was formed on the weak area of the basement and tectonic belts, into an compressional structure with irregular morphology, under the control of the non-coaxial compression in the south and north and the stress transmitted by the uplift in the basin. The Wushenqi paleo-uplift has a controlling effect on the sedimentary reservoirs and hydrocarbon accumulation

Three New Species, Two New Records and Four New Collections of Tubeufiaceae from Thailand and China

Tubeufiaceae, a cosmopolitan family with a worldwide distribution, is mostly reported as saprobic on decaying woody materials from both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The family is commonly found as helicosporous hyphomycetes, while some are chlamydosporous and phragmosporous. In this study, thirteen helicosporous hyphomycetes were collected from Thailand and China. The phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, TEF1-α, and RPB2 sequence data placed them in Dematiohelicomyces, Helicoma, Helicotruncatum, Neohelicosporium, Parahelicomyces, and Tubeufia within Tubeufiaceae. Three new species, Tubeufia cocois, Parahelicomyces chiangmaiensis, and Neohelicosporium bambusicola, one new host record, Tubeufia laxispora, and one new geographic record, T. longihelicospora, are introduced based on both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. In addition, Dematiohelicomyces helicosporus, Helicoma guttulatum, Helicotruncatum palmigenum, and Tubeufia cylindrothecia are described with detailed descriptions and color photo plates

An interaction between a FNDC5 variant and obesity modulates glucose metabolism in a Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the impact of common variants of FNDC5 on type 2 diabetes and clinical traits related to glucose metabolism in a large Chinese population sample. METHODS: Three tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms within the region of the FNDC5 gene were selected and genotyped in 6822 participants. Detailed clinical investigations and biochemistry measurements were carried out in all of the participants. Subjects without diabetes were classified into normal weight and overweight/obese subgroups according to body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: None of the SNPs were associated with either the risk of type 2 diabetes in all of the participants or with any of the clinical quantitative traits in the controls with normal glucose regulation. Subgroup analysis showed that in controls with normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m(2)), the rs16835198 major allele G was significantly associated with fasting insulin levels, and that each additional copy of the allele resulted in a 0.0178 mU/L increment of the values (p = 0.046). Moreover, after adjusting for confounding variables, there were trends towards correlation of rs16835198 with HOMA-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.057) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (p = 0.083). In overweight/obese subjects (BMI ≥ 25 Kg/m(2)), we noted rs16835198 showed trends towards association with fasting insulin (p = 0.057) and HOMA-IR levels (p = 0.091), both of which declined with additional copies of the major allele G. Moreover, rs16835198 was significantly associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.013), and HOMA-β cell function (p = 0.028) in the overweight/obese subjects. Finally, we observed a significant interaction between BMI-rs16835198 and fasting insulin levels in the control group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that the effect of the common FNDC5 SNP rs16835198 on fasting insulin was significantly modified by BMI in the Chinese Han population

Association of Genetic Variants of BMP4 with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Clinical Traits in a Chinese Han Population

BMP4 is one of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, which can participate in adipogenesis. Gene encoding BMP4 is acknowledged as a convincing candidate that may contribute to both glucose and lipid metabolism. In this paper, we aimed to test the impacts of BMP4 variants on type 2 diabetes in a large sample of Chinese population. We genotyped 10 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms within the BMP4 region in 6822 participants and acquired detailed clinical investigations and biochemistry measurements. We found that BMP4 rs8014363 showed nominal association towards type 2 diabetes, with the T allele conferring a high risk of type 2 diabetes (OR=1.108, 95%CI 0.999–1.229, P=0.051 for allele; OR=1.110, 95%CI 1.000–1.231, P=0.050 for genotype), but it was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for multiple testing (empirical P=0.3689 for allele based on 10,000 permutations). Moreover, we observed a significant association of rs8014363 with triglyceride level and a trend towards association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol after adjusting for age, gender, and BMI (P=0.035 and 0.068, resp.). Our data suggested that the genetic variants of BMP4 may not play a dominant role in glucose metabolism in Chinese Han population, but a minor effect cannot be ignored

Common variants related to serum uric acid concentrations are associated with glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND:Elevated serum uric acid concentration is an independent risk factor and predictor of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Whether the uric acid-associated genes have an impact on T2D remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of the uric acid-associated genes on the risk of T2D as well as glucose metabolism and insulin secretion. METHOD:We recruited 2,199 normal glucose tolerance subjects from the Shanghai Diabetes Study I and II and 2,999 T2D patients from the inpatient database of Shanghai Diabetes Institute. Fifteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) mapped in or near 11 loci (PDZK1, GCKR, LRP2, SLC2A9, ABCG2, LRRC16A, SLC17A1, SLC17A3, SLC22A11, SLC22A12 and SF1) were genotyped and serum biochemical parameters related to uric acid and T2D were determined. RESULTS:SF1 rs606458 showed strong association to T2D in both males and females (p = 0.034 and 0.0008). In the males, LRRC16A was associated with 2-h insulin and insulin secretion (p = 0.009 and 0.009). SLC22A11 was correlated with HOMA-B and insulin secretion (p = 0.048 and 0.029). SLC2A9 rs3775948 was associated with 2-h glucose (p = 0.043). In the females, LRP2 rs2544390 and rs1333049 showed correlations with fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and insulin secretion (p = 0.028, 0.033 and 0.052 and p = 0.034, 0.047 and 0.038, respectively). SLC2A9 rs11722228 was correlated with 2-h glucose, 2-h insulin and insulin secretion (p = 0.024, 0.049 and 0.049, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicated that the uric acid-associated genes have an impact on the risk of T2D, glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in a Chinese population

Lack of Association between TLR4 Genetic Polymorphisms and Diabetic Nephropathy in a Chinese Population

Objective. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a central role in innate immunity. Activation of innate immune response and subsequent chronic low-grade inflammation are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether TLR4 variants are associated with diabetic nephropathy in the Chinese population. Methods. Seven tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TLR4 based on HapMap Chinese data were genotyped in 1,455 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients. Of these patients, 622 were diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy and 833 were patients with diabetes for over 5 years but without diabetic nephropathy. Results. None of the SNPs and haplotypes showed significant association to diabetic nephropathy in our study. No association between the SNPs and quantitative traits was observed either. Conclusion. We concluded that common variants within TLR4 genes were not associated with diabetic nephropathy in the Chinese type 2 diabetes patients

Clinical characteristics of the study sample population.

<p>Data are shown as n or median (interquartile range).</p><p>BMI, body mass index; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.</p><p>Clinical characteristics of the study sample population.</p