Additional four species of Tatraea (Leotiomycetes, Helotiales) in Yunnan Province, China

During the investigations of discomycetes in Yunnan, China, five species of Tatraea were discovered on decayed, decorticated oak trees or unidentified wood. All species have typical disc-like, large fruiting bodies with grey, brown or greyish-green colors. The ITS sequence analysis showed that they belong to Tatraea (Helotiaceae, Helotiales) and the LSU and ITS combination revealed a different topology within the genus. Four species, T. clepsydriformis, T. griseoturcoisina, T. yunnanensis and T. yuxiensis were established as new species, and T. aseptata was collected and described on oak woods. The pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test results indicated that there is no significant genetic recombination (Φw = 1.0) between all related species pairs. All the species described here are supported by descriptions, illustrations and multi-gene analyses

Three novel species of Aquapteridospora (Distoseptisporales, Aquapteridosporaceae) from freshwater habitats in Tibetan Plateau, China

During an investigation of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Tibetan Plateau, three Aquapteridospora taxa were collected from freshwater habitats in Xizang, China. The new species possess polyblastic, sympodial, denticles conidiogenous cells and fusiform, septate, with or without sheath conidial, that fit within the generic concept of Aquapteridospora, and multi-gene phylogeny placed these species within Aquapteridospora. Detailed morphological observations clearly demarcate three of these from extant species and are hence described as new taxa. The multi-gene phylogeny of the combined LSU, TEF1-α, and ITS sequence data to infer phylogenetic relationships and discuss phylogenetic affinities with morphologically similar species. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, three new species viz. A. linzhiensis, A. yadongensis, and A. submersa are introduced. Details of asexual morphs are described, and justifications for establishing these new species are also provided in this study

A Mouse Model of Interstitial Pneumonitis Induced by Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection after Allogeneic Skin Transplantation

We investigated the effect of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) on interstitial pneumonia in transplant recipients in an experimental skin allograft model. Skin transplantation between C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice was performed in the presence or absence of cyclosporin A treatment. Flow cytometry showed that the number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells and the level of IFN-γ decreased significantly in the groups treated with cyclosporin A. We either mock-infected or infected the mice with MCMV by intranasal administration and monitored pathophysiological behavior and body weight. The infected mice were sacrificed at different days postinfection for histology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biological evaluations. Interstitial pneumonitis was observed in positive control groups as well as in experimental group that received cyclosporin A, a skin transplant, and infected with the highest dose of virus (105 PFU). Transmission electronic microscopy demonstrated the presence of herpes virus particles. MCMV DNA and glycoprotein B were demonstrated in the epithelial cells of the lung tissue in those animals by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Our data demonstrated the establishment of a mouse model of interstitial pneumonitis via MCMV infection after allogeneic skin transplantation

Synthesis of Dihydropyridinone-Fused Indoles and α‑Carbolines via N‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed [3 + 3] Annulation of Indolin-2-imines and Bromoenals

The N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed [3 + 3] annulation of indolin-2-imines and bromoenals was developed to give dihydropyridinone-fused indoles in good to high yields, which were transformed to α-carbolines with different 2-subsituents by a process of dehydrogenation, tosylation, and palladium catalyzed C–C or C–N coupling reaction

Synthesis of Dihydropyridinone-Fused Indoles and α‑Carbolines via N‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed [3 + 3] Annulation of Indolin-2-imines and Bromoenals

The N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed [3 + 3] annulation of indolin-2-imines and bromoenals was developed to give dihydropyridinone-fused indoles in good to high yields, which were transformed to α-carbolines with different 2-subsituents by a process of dehydrogenation, tosylation, and palladium catalyzed C–C or C–N coupling reaction

Hepatic Aquaporin 10 Expression Is Downregulated by Activated NFκB Signaling in Human Obstructive Cholestasis

Background and Aims: Recent studies reported that the hepatic expression of AQP8 and AQP9 was downregulated in bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats and that overexpression of human AQP1 in the rat liver attenuated cholestasis. However, the hepatic expression of AQP10 and its regulatory mechanism in human cholestasis remain unclear. Methods: Serum and liver samples were collected from 34 patients with obstructive cholestasis and from 12 control patients. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were intravenously injected with an adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) encoding human AQP10 driven by a hepatocyte-specific Alb promotor (AAV8-Alb promotor-hAQP10) for functional studies. Constructs of the AQP10 promoter and PLC/PRF/5-ASBT cell lines were used for regulatory mechanism studies. Results: AQP10 was significantly downregulated in patients with obstructive cholestasis and negatively associated with the serum levels of total bile acid (TBA). The hepatocyte-specific overexpression of hAQP10 significantly attenuated the cholestatic liver injury and intrahepatic bile acids (BA) accumulation in BDL mice. Conjugated BAs, such as TCA and inflammatory factor TNFα, significantly repressed AQP10 expression. Furthermore, NFκB p65/p50 directly bound to the AQP10 promotor and decreased its activity in PLC/RPF/5-ASBT cells and in the livers of patients with obstructive cholestasis. However, these changes were diminished by BAY 11-7082 (a specific inhibitor of NFκB signaling). Conclusion: We are the first to report that AQP10 was significantly decreased in patients with obstructive cholestasis. AQP10 overexpression significantly attenuated cholestatic liver injury in BDL mice. Therefore, overexpression of hAQP10 in the liver may be a valuable strategy for cholestasis intervention