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Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia, Baobabopsis sabindy in leaves of Eragrostis spartinoides, Cortinarius magentiguttatus among deep leaf litter, Laurobasidium azarandamiae from uredinium of Puccinia alyxiae on Alyxia buxifolia, Marasmius pseudoelegans on well-rotted twigs and litter in mixed wet sclerophyll and subtropical rainforest. Bolivia, Favolaschia luminosa on twigs of Byttneria hirsuta, Lecanora thorstenii on bark, in savannas with shrubs and trees. Brazil, Asterina costamaiae on leaves of Rourea bahiensis, Purimyces orchidacearum (incl. Purimyces gen. nov.) as root endophyte on Cattleya locatellii. Bulgaria, Monosporascus bulgaricus and Monosporascus europaeus isolated from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum. Finland, Inocybe undatolacera on a lawn, near Betula pendula. France, Inocybe querciphila in humus of mixed forest. Germany, Arrhenia oblongispora on bare soil attached to debris of herbaceous plants and grasses. Greece, Tuber aereum under Quercus coccifera and Acer sempervirens. India, Alfoldia lenyadriensis from the gut of a Platynotus sp. beetle, Fulvifomes subramanianii on living Albizzia amara, Inosperma pavithrum on soil, Phylloporia parvateya on living Lonicera sp., Tropicoporus maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum. Indonesia, Elsinoe atypica on leaf of Eucalyptus pellita. Italy, Apiotrichum vineum from grape wine, Cuphopyllus praecox among grass. Madagascar, Pisolithus madagascariensis on soil under Intsia bijuga. Netherlands, Cytosporella calamagrostidis and Periconia calamagrostidicola on old leaves of Calamagrostis arenaria, Hyaloscypha caricicola on leaves of Carex sp., Neoniesslia phragmiticola (incl. Neoniesslia gen. nov.) on leaf sheaths of standing dead culms of Phragmites australis, Neptunomyces juncicola on culms of Juncus maritimus, Zenophaeosphaeria calamagrostidis (incl. Zenophaeosphaeria gen. nov.) on culms of Calamagrostis arenaria. Norway, Hausneria geniculata (incl. Hausneria gen. nov.) from a gallery of Dryocoetes alni on Alnus incana. Pakistan, Agrocybe auriolus on leaf litter of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Rhodophana rubrodisca in nutrient-rich loamy soil with Morus alba. Poland, Cladosporium nubilum from hypersaline brine, Entomortierella ferrotolerans from soil at mines and postmining sites, Pseudopezicula epiphylla from sooty mould community on Quercus robur, Quixadomyces sanctacrucensis from resin of Pinus sylvestris, Szafranskia beskidensis (incl. Szafranskia gen. nov.) from resin of Abies alba. Portugal, Ascocoryne laurisilvae on degraded wood of Laurus nobilis, Hygrocybe madeirensis in laurel forests, Hygrocybula terracocta (incl. Hygrocybula gen. nov.) on mossy areas of laurel forests planted with Cryptomeria japonica. Republic of Kenya, Penicillium gorferi from a sterile chicken feather embedded in a soil sample. Slovakia, Cerinomyces tatrensis on bark of Pinus mugo, Metapochonia simonovicovae from soil. South Africa, Acremonium agapanthi on culms of Agapanthus praecox, Alfaria elegiae on culms of Elegia ebracteata, Beaucarneamyces stellenboschensis (incl. Beaucarneamyces gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Gardeniomyces kirstenboschensis (incl. Gardeniomyces gen. nov.) rotting fruit of Gardenia thunbergia, Knufia dianellae on dead leaves of Dianella caerulea, Lomaantha quercina on twigs of Quercus suber. Melanina restionis on dead leaves of Restio duthieae, Microdochium buffelskloofinum on seeds of Eragrostis cf. racemosa, Thamnochortomyces kirstenboschensis (incl. Thamnochortomyces gen. nov.) on culms of Thamnochortus fraternus, Tubeufia hagahagana on leaves of Hypoxis angustifolia, Wingfieldomyces cypericola on dead leaves of Cyperus papyrus. Spain, Geastrum federeri in soil under Quercus suber and Q. canariensis, Geastrum nadalii in calcareous soil under Juniperus, Quercus, Cupressus, Pinus and Robinia, Hygrocybe garajonayensis in laurel forests, Inocybe cistophila on acidic soil under Cistus ladanifer, Inocybe sabuligena in a mixed Quercus ilex subsp. ballota/Juniperus thurifera open forest, Mycena calongei on mossy bark base of Juniperus oxycedrus, Rhodophana ulmaria on soil in Ulmus minor forest, Tuber arriacaense in soil under Populus pyramidalis, Volvariella latispora on grassy soils in a Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia stand. Sweden, Inocybe iota in alpine heath on calcareous soil. Thailand, Craterellus maerimensis and Craterellus sanbuakwaiensis on laterite and sandy soil, Helicocollum samlanense on scale insects, Leptosporella cassiae on dead twigs of Cassia fistula, Oxydothis coperniciae on dead leaf of Copernicia alba, Russula mukdahanensis on soil, Trechispora sangria on soil, Trechispora sanpatongensis on soil. Türkiye, Amanita corylophila in a plantation of Corylus avellana. Ukraine, Pararthrophiala adonis (incl. Pararthrophiala gen. nov.) on dead stems of Adonis vernalis. USA, Cladorrhinum carnegieae from Carnegiea gigantea, Dematipyriformia americana on swab from basement wall, Dothiora americana from outside air, Dwiroopa aeria from bedroom air, Lithohypha cladosporioides from hospital swab, Macroconia verruculosa on twig of Ilex montana, associated with black destroyed ascomycetous fungus and Biatora sp., Periconia floridana from outside air, Phytophthora fagacearum from necrotic leaves and shoots of Fagus grandifolia, Queenslandipenidiella californica on wood in crawlspace. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Colletotrichum araujiae on leaves, stems and fruits of Araujia hortorum. Australia, Agaricus pateritonsus on soil, Curvularia fraserae on dying leaf of Bothriochloa insculpta, Curvularia millisiae from yellowing leaf tips of Cyperus aromaticus, Marasmius brunneolorobustus on well-rotted wood, Nigrospora cooperae from necrotic leaf of Heteropogon contortus, Penicillium tealii from the body of a dead spider, Pseudocercospora robertsiorum from leaf spots of Senna tora, Talaromyces atkinsoniae from gills of Marasmius crinis-equi and Zasmidium pearceae from leaf spots of Smilax glyciphylla. Brazil, Preussia bezerrensis from air. Chile, Paraconiothyrium kelleni from the rhizosphere of Fragaria chiloensis subsp. chiloensis f. chiloensis. Finland, Inocybe udicola on soil in mixed forest with Betula pendula, Populus tremula, Picea abies and Alnus incana. France, Myrmecridium normannianum on dead culm of unidentified Poaceae. Germany, Vexillomyces fraxinicola from symptomless stem wood of Fraxinus excelsior. India, Diaporthe limoniae on infected fruit of Limonia acidissima, Didymella naikii on leaves of Cajanus cajan, and Fulvifomes mangroviensis on basal trunk of Aegiceras corniculatum. Indonesia, Penicillium ezekielii from Zea mays kernels. Namibia, Neocamarosporium calicoremae and Neocladosporium calicoremae on stems of Calicorema capitata, and Pleiochaeta adenolobi on symptomatic leaves of Adenolobus pechuelii. Netherlands, Chalara pteridii on stems of Pteridium aquilinum, Neomackenziella juncicola (incl. Neomackenziella gen. nov.) and Sporidesmiella junci from dead culms of Juncus effusus. Pakistan, Inocybe longistipitata on soil in a Quercus forest. Poland, Phytophthora viadrina from rhizosphere soil of Quercus robur, and Septoria krystynae on leaf spots of Viscum album. Portugal (Azores), Acrogenospora stellata on dead wood or bark. South Africa, Phyllactinia greyiae on leaves of Greyia sutherlandii and Punctelia anae on bark of Vachellia karroo. Spain, Anteaglonium lusitanicum on decaying wood of Prunus lusitanica subsp. lusitanica, Hawksworthiomyces riparius from fluvial sediments, Lophiostoma carabassense endophytic in roots of Limbarda crithmoides, and Tuber mohedanoi from calcareus soils. Spain (Canary Islands), Mycena laurisilvae on stumps and woody debris. Sweden, Elaphomyces geminus from soil under Quercus robur. Thailand, Lactifluus chiangraiensis on soil under Pinus merkusii, Lactifluus nakhonphanomensis and Xerocomus sisongkhramensis on soil under Dipterocarpus trees. Ukraine, Valsonectria robiniae on dead twigs of Robinia hispida. USA, Spiralomyces americanus (incl. Spiralomyces gen. nov.) from office air. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia, Agaricus albofoetidus, Agaricus aureoelephanti and Agaricus parviumbrus on soil, Fusarium ramsdenii from stem cankers of Araucaria cunninghamii, Keissleriella sporoboli from stem of Sporobolus natalensis, Leptosphaerulina queenslandica and Pestalotiopsis chiaroscuro from leaves of Sporobolus natalensis, Serendipita petricolae as endophyte from roots of Eriochilus petricola, Stagonospora tauntonensis from stem of Sporobolus natalensis, Teratosphaeria carnegiei from leaves of Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis and Wongia ficherai from roots of Eragrostis curvula. Canada, Lulworthia fundyensis from intertidal wood and Newbrunswickomyces abietophilus (incl. Newbrunswickomyces gen. nov.) on buds of Abies balsamea. Czech Republic, Geosmithia funiculosa from a bark beetle gallery on Ulmus minor and Neoherpotrichiella juglandicola (incl. Neoherpotrichiella gen. nov.) from wood of Juglans regia. France, Aspergillus rouenensis and Neoacrodontium gallica (incl. Neoacrodontium gen. nov.) from bore dust of Xestobium rufovillosum feeding on Quercus wood, Endoradiciella communis (incl. Endoradiciella gen. nov.) endophytic in roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum and Entoloma simulans on soil. India, Amanita konajensis on soil and Keithomyces indicus from soil. Israel, Microascus rothbergiorum from Stylophora pistillata. Italy, Calonarius ligusticus on soil. Netherlands, Appendopyricularia juncicola (incl. Appendopyricularia gen. nov.), Eriospora juncicola and Tetraploa juncicola on dead culms of Juncus effusus, Gonatophragmium physciae on Physcia caesia and Paracosmospora physciae (incl. Paracosmospora gen. nov.) on Physcia tenella, Myrmecridium phragmitigenum on dead culm of Phragmites australis, Neochalara lolae on stems of Pteridium aquilinum, Niesslia nieuwwulvenica on dead culm of undetermined Poaceae, Nothodevriesia narthecii (incl. Nothodevriesia gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum and Parastenospora pini (incl. Parastenospora gen. nov.) on dead twigs of Pinus sylvestris. Norway, Verticillium bjoernoeyanum from sand grains attached to a piece of driftwood on a sandy beach. Portugal, Collybiopsis cimrmanii on the base of living Quercus ilex and amongst dead leaves of Laurus and herbs. South Africa, Paraproliferophorum hyphaenes (incl. Paraproliferophorum gen. nov.) on living leaves of Hyphaene sp. and Saccothecium widdringtoniae on twigs of Widdringtonia wallichii. Spain, Cortinarius dryosalor on soil, Cyphellophora endoradicis endophytic in roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum, Geoglossum laurisilvae on soil, Leptographium gemmatum from fluvial sediments, Physalacria auricularioides from a dead twig of Castanea sativa, Terfezia bertae and Tuber davidlopezii in soil. Sweden, Alpova larskersii, Inocybe alpestris and Inocybe boreogodeyi on soil. Thailand, Russula banwatchanensis, Russula purpureoviridis and Russula lilacina on soil. Ukraine, Nectriella adonidis on overwintered stems of Adonis vernalis. USA, Microcyclus jacquiniae from living leaves of Jacquinia keyensis and Penicillium neoherquei from a minute mushroom sporocarp. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tropical plants are composed of phytonutrients (PTNs) and are utilized for their capacity to manipulate rumen fermentation characteristics and methane production. The aim of this experiment was to determine the impact of microencapsulated phytonutrients-extracted from lemongrass and mangosteen peel (M-LEMANGOS), as well as crude protein levels on nutrient degradability, rumen ecology, microbial population, and methane emission in an in vitro study., Methods: The treatments were randomly assigned in a 2 × 4 Factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design. The two factors consisted of crude protein (CP) percentage in the concentrate diet (16% and 18% CP) and the levels of M-LEMANGOS addition (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% of the total substrate)., Results: The results showed that nutrient degradability both 12 and 24 h were significantly increased with M-LEMANGOS at 4% total substate. In part of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), particularly propionate and total VFA, these were enhanced by %CP and M-LEMANGOS combination. The %CP increased ruminal ammonia-nitrogen concentration (NH3-N), while M-LEMANGOS supplementation reduced such concentration. Methane production and Methanobacteriales population at 12 and 24 h were reduced when supplemented with M-LEMANGOS at 4% total substate. The population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Megasphaera elsdenii were increased with the interaction between %CP and M-LEMANGOS addition., Conclusion: M-LEMANGOS indicates promising potential as a plant-based PTN for dietary modulation of rumen fermentation and mitigation of methane production.

Ruminant animals constitute major contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and play an important part in sustainable agricultural systems. A bioactive compound (BC) with antibacterial properties was utilized to inhibit rumen methanogens and decrease ruminant methane emissions. The bio efficacy of ruminant nutrition was frequently employed using a new technology through microencapsulation technique to produce stable products. The microencapsulated banana flower powder pellet (mBAFLOP) powder was used as a BC in the diets. Consequently, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of mBAFLOP supplementation on in vitro gas production kinetics, rumen fermentation, microbial population, and methane production. A completely randomized design (CRD) was used to randomly assign respective treatments at 0, 1, 2, and 3% of the total dry matter (DM) substrate. Ruminal pH, in vitro dry matter degradability and volatile fatty acid profile both at 12, and 24 h were not negatively affected by supplementation with mBAFLOP. The supplemented mBAFLOP (3% of total DM substrate) resulting in ruminal ammonia-nitrogen concentrations was linearly increased (P < 0.01) different among treatments, while methane production was reduced when compared with other treatment (quadratic effect, P < 0.05). Moreover, Ruminococcus flavefaciens was increased when the proportion of mBAFLOP supplement was increased. Furthermore, there was a linear effect (P < 0.05) of decreasing Methanobacteriales in the rumen with increased levels of mBAFLOP supplementation. Based on this study, the use of mBAFLOP at 3% could enhance NH 3 N concentration and cellulolytic bacteria especially Ruminococcus flavefaciens was increased. Furthermore, supplementation with mBAFLOP decreased methane production. Therefore, a possible dietary plant-based bioactive compound, mBAFLOP supplementation cloud enhances rumen fermentation and mitigates methane production., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Objective: The purposes of the study were to develop reference ranges and maturation patterns of fetal cardiac function parameters measured by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) using multiple biometric variables at 17 to 24 weeks' gestation among Thai fetuses and to compare with other previous reports., Study Design: The four-chamber view of the fetal heart in 79 healthy fetuses was suitably analyzed by STE to establish the best-fit regression model. The 95% reference intervals and Z -score equations of fetal cardiac function parameters were computed., Results: The fractional area change of both ventricles, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, LV stroke volume, LV cardiac output (CO), and LV CO per kilogram were all increased according to gestational age (GA) and five fetal biometric measurements. However, the global longitudinal strain, basal-apical length fractional shortening (BAL-FS), BAL annular free wall and septal wall FS, BAL free wall and septal wall annular plane systolic excursions, 24-segment transverse width FS, as well as LV ejection fraction were all independent of GA or other somatic characteristics. There were varying development patterns between fetal right and left ventricles of these cardiac function indices across the gestation period., Conclusion: Our study created Z -score and corresponding centile calculators, 5th and 95th centile reference tables, and corresponding graphs and determined the normal evolution across gestation using multiple somatic growth and age variables between 17 and 24 gestational weeks. These nomograms serve as an essential prerequisite for quantitatively evaluating fetal cardiac contractility and allow for precisely detecting early changes in the fetal heart function., Key Points: · Most fetal cardiac function measurements were correlated with all the independent variables.. · Fetal ventricular function parameters have their own characteristic maturation changes.. · Racial variability may not occupy an important place for fetal myocardial function during these GA.., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Seaweeds or marine algae exhibit diverse morphologies, sizes, colors, and chemical compositions, encompassing various species, including red, green, and brown seaweeds. Several seaweeds have received increased research attention and application in animal feeding investigations, particularly in ruminant livestock, due to their higher yield and convenient harvestability at present. Recent endeavors encompassing both in vitro and in vivo experiments have indicated that many seaweeds, particularly red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis and Asparagopsis armata), contain plant secondary compounds, such as halogenated compounds and phlorotannins, with the potential to reduce enteric ruminal methane (CH 4 ) emissions by up to 99 % when integrated into ruminant diets. This review provides an encompassing exploration of the existing body of knowledge concerning seaweeds and their impact on rumen fermentation, the toxicity of ruminal microbes, the health of animals, animal performance, and enteric ruminal CH 4 emissions in both in vitro and in vivo settings among ruminants. By attaining a deeper comprehension of the implications of seaweed supplementation on rumen fermentation, animal productivity, and ruminal CH 4 emissions, we could lay the groundwork for devising innovative strategies. These strategies aim to simultaneously achieve environmental benefits, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance animal efficiency, and develop aquaculture and seaweed production systems, ensuring a high-quality and consistent supply chain. Nevertheless, future research is essential to elucidate the extent of the effect and gain insight into the mode of action., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service, and/or company that could be construed as influencing the content of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of microencapsulated bioactive compounds from lemongrass mixed dragon fruit peel pellet (MiEn-LEDRAGON) supplementation on fermentation characteristics, nutrient degradability, methane production, and the microbial diversity using in vitro gas production technique. The study was carried out using a completely randomized design (CRD) with five levels of MiEn-LEDRAGON supplementation at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4% of the total dry matter (DM) substrate. Supplementation of MiEn-LEDRAGON in the diet at levels of 3 or 4% DM resulted in increased (p < 0.05) cumulative gas production at 96 hours (h) of incubation time, reaching up to 84.842 ml/ 0.5 g DM. Furthermore, supplementation with 3% MiEn-LEDRAGON resulted in higher in vitro nutrient degradability and ammonia-nitrogen concentration at 24 h of the incubation time when compared to the control group (without supplementation) by 5.401% and 11.268%, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, supplementation with MiEn-LEDRAGON in the diet led to an increase in the population of Fibrobacter succinogenes at 24 h and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens at 12 h, while decreasing the population of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Methanobacteriales (p < 0.05). Moreover, supplementation of MiEn-LEDRAGON in the diet at levels of 2 to 4% DM resulted in a higher total volatile fatty acids (VFA) at 24 h, reaching up to 73.021 mmol/L (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was an increased proportion of propionic acid (C3) and butyric acid (C4) at 12 h (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, there was a decrease in the proportion of acetic acid (C2) and the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid (C2:C3), along with a reduction of methane (CH 4 ) production by 11.694% when comparing to the 0% and 3% MiEn-LEDRAGON supplementation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study suggests that supplementing MiEn-LEDRAGON at 3% of total DM substrate could be used as a feed additive rich in phytonutrients for ruminants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of various doses of microencapsulated lemongrass and mangosteen peel (MELM) on gas dynamics, rumen fermentation, degradability, methane production, and microbial population in in vitro gas experiments. With five levels of microencapsulated-phytonutrient supplementation at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4% of substrate, 0.5 g of roughage, and a concentrate ratio of 60:40, the trial was set up as a completely randomized design. Under investigation, the amount of final asymptotic gas volume was corresponding responded to completely digested substrate (b) increased cubically as a result of the addition of MELM (P < 0.01) and a cubic rise in cumulative gas output. The amount of MELM form did not change the pH and NH3-N concentration of the rumen after 12 and 24 h of incubation. However, methane production during 24 h of incubation, the levels were cubically decreased with further doses of MELM (P < 0.01) at 12 h of incubation. Increasing the dosage of MELM supplementation at 2% DM resulted in a significant increase in the digestibility of in vitro neutral detergent fiber (IVNDF) and in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) at various incubation times (P < 0.05), but decreased above 3% DM supplementations. Moreover, the concentration of propionic acid (C3) exhibited the variations across the different levels of MELM (P < 0.05), with the maximum concentration obtained at 2% DM. The populations of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Megasphaera elsdenii revealed a significant increase (P < 0.05), while the quantity of Methanobacteriales decreased linearly with increasing doses of MELM. In conclusion, the inclusion of MELM at a concentration of 2% DM in the substrate which could enhance cumulative gas production, NDF and true digestibility, C3 production, and microbial population, while reducing methane concentration and Methanobacterial abundance., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Prachumchai et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Finding out how diet impacts health and metabolism while concentrating on the functional qualities and bioactive components of food is the crucial scientific objective of nutritional research. The complex relationship between metabolism and nutrition could be investigated with cutting-edge "omics" and bioinformatics techniques. This review paper provides an overview of the use of omics technologies in nutritional research, with a particular emphasis on the new applications of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and genomes in functional and biological activity research on ruminant livestock and products in the tropical regions. A wealth of knowledge has been uncovered regarding the regulation and use of numerous physiological and pathological processes by gene, mRNA, protein, and metabolite expressions under various physiological situations and guidelines. In particular, the components of meat and milk were assessed using omics research utilizing the various methods of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and genomes. The goal of this review is to use omics technologies-which have been steadily gaining popularity as technological tools-to develop new nutritional, genetic, and leadership strategies to improve animal products and their quality control. We also present an overview of the new applications of omics technologies in cattle production and employ nutriomics and foodomics technologies to investigate the microbes in the rumen ecology. Thus, the application of state-of-the-art omics technology may aid in our understanding of how species and/or breeds adapt, and the sustainability of tropical animal production, in the long run, is becoming increasingly important as a means of mitigating the consequences of climate change., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of Brazilian spinach ( Alternanthera sissoo ) pellet (BSP) supplementation on rumen fermentation, protozoal population, and methane (CH 4 ) estimation in beef cattle. Four male Thai native beef cattle, 3 years old, with an average bodyweight of 180 ± 5 kg, were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The cattle were supplemented (on-top) with four levels of BSP (2, 4, 6, and 8% dry matter intake (DMI), respectively). The roughage component, derived from rice straw, was fed at 40 % of DMI, while the concentrate diet was fed at 60 % of DMI. The result of the experiment demonstrated that BSP supplementation had no effect on the DMI, nutrient intake, or nutrient digestibility (p > 0.05). Rumen pH and ammonia-nitrogen concentration were not significant, while the average protozoal population linearly decreased (p = 0.002) with BSP supplementation. Mean blood urea-nitrogen concentration was linearly increased (p = 0.004) when increasing the level of BSP. Brazilian spinach pellet had no significant effect on total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), VFA profiles, and CH 4 estimation (p > 0.05). Nitrogen balance was no different from the supplementation of BSP. The study indicates that Brazilian spinach pellet supplementation showed no noticeable effects on feed intake, rumen parameters, and nitrogen utilization; however, at 6-8% of DMI, there was a decrease in protozoal population, with no corresponding reduction in CH 4 estimation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

To assess the diagnostic performance of three cardiothoracic (CT) ratio techniques, including diameter, circumference, and area, for predicting hemoglobin (Hb) Bart's disease between 17 and 22 weeks' gestation, and to create a multivariable scoring system using multiple ultrasound markers. Before invasive testing, three CT ratio techniques and other ultrasound markers were obtained in 151 singleton pregnancies at risk of Hb Bart's disease. CT diameter ratio demonstrated the highest sensitivity among the other techniques. Significant predictors included CT diameter ratio > 0.5, middle cerebral artery-peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) > 1.5 multiples of the median, and placental thickness > 3 cm. MCA-PSV exhibited the highest sensitivity (97.8%) in predicting affected fetuses. A multivariable scoring achieved excellent sensitivity (100%) and specificity (84.9%) for disease prediction. CT diameter ratio exhibited slightly outperforming the other techniques. Increased MCA-PSV was the most valuable ultrasound marker. Multivariable scoring surpassed single-parameter analysis in predictive capabilities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Phytonutrients (PTN) namely saponins (SP) and condensed tannins (CT) have been demonstrated to assess the effect of rumen fermentation and methane mitigation. Phytonutrient pellet containing mangosteen, rambutan, and banana flower (MARABAC) and lemongrass including PTN, hence these plant-phytonutrients supplementation could be an alternative plant with a positive effect on rumen fermentation. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of MARABAC and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) powder on in vitro fermentation modulation and the ability to mitigate methane production. The treatments were arranged according to a 3 × 3 Factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. The two experimental factors consisted of MARABAC pellet levels (0%, 1%, and 2% of the total substrate) and lemongrass supplementation levels (0%, 1%, and 2% of the total substrate). The results of this study revealed that supplementation with MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder significantly improved gas production kinetics (P < 0.01) and rumen fermentation end-products especially the propionate production (P < 0.01). While rumen methane production was subsequently reduced by both factors. Additionally, the in vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD) and organic matter degradability (IVOMD) were greatly improved (P < 0.05) by the respective treatments. MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder combination showed effective methane mitigation by enhancing rumen fermentation end-products especially the propionate concentration and both the IVDMD and IVOMD, while mitigated methane production. The combined level of both sources at 2% MARABAC pellet and 2% lemongrass powder of total substrates offered the best results. Therefore, MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder supplementation could be used as an alternative source of phytonutrient in dietary ruminant., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Tick-borne diseases (TBD) are considered neglected diseases in Thailand with disease burden likely underestimated. To assess risk for emerging TBD in Thailand, the seasonality of questing tick and pathogen prevalence were studied in Khao Yai National Park, a top tourist destination., Methods: During 2019, questing ticks around tourist attractions were systematically collected bimonthly and analyzed for Rickettsia and Anaplasmataceae bacterial species by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing., Results: Larvae and nymphs of questing ticks peaked in Khao Yai National Park during the late rainy-winter season, though no specific trends were observed in adult ticks. Winter (November to February) was the highest risk for human tick-bites due to higher numbers of both ticks and visitors. Of the total 5916 ticks analyzed (651 pools), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis were detected at low rates (≤0.05%). There was a higher prevalence of human rickettsioses (0.2-7%) in ticks surveyed with Rickettsia tamurae, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia montana the major species. Amblyomma ticks had the highest prevalence of Rickettsia (85%, 35/44 Amblyomma adults), in which only R. tamurae and R. raoultii were found in Amblyomma with mixed species infections common. We report the first detection of R. africae-like and N. mikurensis in Ixodes granulatus adults in Thailand, suggesting I. granulatus as a potential vector for these pathogens., Conclusion: This study demonstrated the risk of emerging TBD in Thailand and underscores the need for tick-bite prevention among tourists in Thailand., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The difference in the birth weights between twins and singletons grows with advancing gestation. Although many fetal weight standards based on ultrasonographic measurements have been created for tracking fetal growth in twin pregnancies, their applicability to other groups is limited by the fact that they are population specific., Objective: This study aimed to generate conditional centiles for growth assessment of twin fetuses and to compare them with other population-based growth standards for singleton and twin fetuses., Study Design: This was a retrospective, longitudinal study of ultrasound-based estimated fetal weight data of normal twin fetuses delivered after 34 weeks of gestation. Linear mixed effects models that adjusted for maternal characteristics, fetal gender, and chorionicity were used to evaluate the relationship between estimated fetal weight and gestational age. The estimated fetal weight reference values were calculated using conditional centile based on the estimated fetal weight at an earlier gestational age. To compare our results with previous studies, fetal growth curves were generated using a formula we created that included maternal characteristics and the estimated fetal weight at 24 weeks of gestation in these studies. In a subgroup analysis of our low-risk twin babies born at full term, we calculated the number of fetuses who were reclassified as being in the bottom 10th percentile using each of the previous population-based standard., Results: A total of 2644 ultrasounds with a median of 4 scans per fetus from 572 twin pregnancies were included in this analysis. In the cohort, 36% of the fetuses were monochorionic. Maternal age, body mass index, and the interaction between fetal gender and chorionicity were significantly associated with estimated fetal weight. The predicted growth curves matched the growth standard for twins. In our low-risk group, when the singleton standard was used, the incidence of estimated fetal weight <10th percentile was above 20% from gestational week 24 to 38, and this incidence varied when reclassified using other population-based twin standards., Conclusion: This conditional growth chart was specifically designed to assess fetal growth in twin pregnancies, but it is generalizable to other populations., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the previous research was to evaluate the effects of Brazilian spinach pellet (BSP) supplementation and dietary ratios on rumen characteristics, methane estimation, and milk production in dairy cows. Four crossbred Thai dairy cattle, with Holstein Friesian (HF) cows with a body weight of 442 ± 50 kg were assessed in a 2 × 2 factorial in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to obtain diets; factor A was the roughage (R) to concentrate (C) ratio at 40:60 and 30:70, and factor B was level of BSP supplantation at 2% and 6% of dry matter (basis) intake (DMI). R:C ratio and supplementation of BSP had no interaction effect on DMI and nutrient digestibility. On DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intake, the R:C ratio increased (p < 0.05). The digestibility of OM improved (p < 0.05) when cows were fed a R:C ratio of 30:70. On pH, ammonia-nitrogen, protozoal population, and blood urea-nitrogen, there were no interactions between the R:C ratio and BSP supplementation. Increasing the BSP supplementation to 6% (p < 0.01) decreased the protozoal population. The R:C ratio of 30:70 increased total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and propionate (C3) concentrations while decreasing the acetate (C2) to C3 ratio and methane (CH 4 ) estimation (p < 0.01). The average concentration of total VFA has increased by 114.46 mmol/L for 6% of BSP supplementation. Increased BSP supplementation increased the C3 concentration while decreasing the C2:C3 ratio and CH 4 emissions (p < 0.05). The R:C ratio and BSP supplementation had no interaction effect on milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM), or milk composition. The R:C ratio of 30:70 increased milk yield (p < 0.05) to the highest level of 12.18 kg/day. In conclusion, the diet containing a R:C ratio of 30:70 increased feed intake, milk yield, BUN, total VFA, and C3 concentration, and decreased the C2:C3 ratio and CH 4 emission. BSP supplementation at 6% could increase TVFA and C3 concentrations while decreasing the protozoal population and CH 4 estimation., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Borrelia miyamotoi is a relapsing fever spirochete that shares the same vector as Lyme disease causing Borrelia. This epidemiological study of B. miyamotoi was conducted in rodent reservoirs, tick vectors and human populations simultaneously. A total of 640 rodents and 43 ticks were collected from Phop Phra district, Tak province, Thailand. The prevalence rate for all Borrelia species was 2.3% and for B. miyamotoi was 1.1% in the rodent population, while the prevalence rate was quite high in ticks collected from rodents with an infection rate of 14.5% (95% CI: 6.3-27.6%). Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in Ixodes granulatus collected from Mus caroli and Berylmys bowersi, and was also detected in several rodent species (Bandicota indica, Mus spp., and Leopoldamys sabanus) that live in a cultivated land, increasing the risk of human exposure. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the B. miyamotoi isolates detected in rodents and I. granulatus ticks in this study were similar to isolates detected in European countries. Further investigation was conducted to determine the serological reactivity to B. miyamotoi in human samples received from Phop Phra hospital, Tak province and in rodents captured from Phop Phra district using an in-house, direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay with B. miyamotoi recombinant glycerophosphodiester-phosphodiesterase (rGlpQ) protein as coated antigen. The results showed that 17.9% (15/84) of human patients and 9.0% (41/456) of captured rodents had serological reactivity to B. miyamotoi rGlpQ protein in the study area. While a low level of IgG antibody titers (100-200) was observed in the majority of seroreactive samples, higher titers (400-1,600) were also detected in both humans and rodents. This study provides the first evidence of B. miyamotoi exposure in human and rodent populations in Thailand and the possible roles of local rodent species and Ixodes granulatus tick in its enzootic transmission cycle in nature., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

The study focused on the examination of the different fungal species isolated from commercial rice samples, applying conventional culture techniques, as well as different molecular and phylogenic analyses to confirm phenotypic identification. Additionally, the mycotoxin production and contamination were analyzed using validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In total, 40 rice samples were obtained covering rice berry, red jasmine rice, brown rice, germinated brown rice, and white rice. The blotting paper technique applied on the 5 different types of rice samples detected 4285 seed-borne fungal infections (26.8%) for 16,000 rice grains. Gross morphological data revealed that 19 fungal isolates belonged to the genera Penicillium/Talaromyces (18 of 90 isolates; 20%) and Aspergillus (72 of 90 isolates; 80%). To check their morphologies, molecular data (fungal sequence-based BLAST results and a phylogenetic tree of the combined ITS, BenA , CaM , and RPB2 datasets) confirmed the initial classification. The phylogenic analysis revealed that eight isolates belonged to P. citrinum and, additionally, one isolate each belonged to P. chermesinum, A. niger , A. fumigatus , and A. tubingensis. Furthermore, four isolates of T. pinophilus and one isolate of each taxon were identified as Talaromyces ( T. radicus , T. purpureogenum , and T. islandicus ). The results showed that A. niger and T. pinophilus were two commonly occurring fungal species in rice samples. After subculturing, ochratoxin A (OTA), generated by T. pinophilus code W3-04, was discovered using LC-MS/MS. In addition, the Fusarium toxin beauvericin was detected in one of the samples. Aflatoxin B1 or other mycotoxins, such as citrinin, trichothecenes, and fumonisins, were detected. These preliminary findings should provide valuable guidance for hazard analysis critical control point concepts used by commercial food suppliers, including the analysis of multiple mycotoxins. Based on the current findings, mycotoxin analyses should focus on A. niger toxins, including OTA and metabolites of T. pinophilus (recently considered a producer of emerging mycotoxins) to exclude health hazards related to the traditionally high consumption of rice by Thai people.

The frequent occurrence of mushroom poisoning cases in the wet season in Thailand has long been recognized but has never been quantitatively analyzed. This study aims to analyze mushroom poisoning cases in Thailand between 2003 and 2017 and focused on their association with the rainfall. The results revealed 22,571 cases and 106 deaths in this period. Cases were higher for females than males, adults than children, and agriculturists than people in other occupations. Cases were higher in the northeastern and northern regions than in the central, south, and east regions. There are strong effects of seasonality on mushroom poisoning cases. Over the 15-y period, 17,337 cases occurred in the wet season (May-Sep) compared with 5,234 cases in the dry season (Oct-Apr). The number of monthly poisoning cases were high in men, mature adults, agriculturists, people living in the rural areas and people living in the Northeastern and Northern provinces. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was shown between the number of monthly poisoning cases and the amount of monthly rainfall., (2022, by The Mycological Society of Japan.)

Aim: To assess the impact of laser power and time on interstitial ablation generated by neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) and diode laser in the human placental model., Methods: The experiment was carried out in a simulation model of interstitial laser ablation on ex-vivo placental tissue. One-hundred and forty-four pieces of fresh placentae were interstitially ablated with Nd:YAG or diode laser at various power (15, 20, 25, 30 W)-time (5, 10, 15 s) combinations. The ablation tissues were evaluated using both sonographic and histopathologic measurements., Results: Laser generator, power, and time significantly affected the ablation size (p < 0.001). The coagulation zone continuously increased with extending time at the power of 15, 20, and 25 W. When adjusting to the power of 30 W, increased time from 10 to 15 s did not induce the larger coagulation diameter. The maximal diameter was obtained at the laser power of 20 W for 15 s. The ablation from the diode laser was greater than that from Nd:YAG laser. The sonographic evaluation overestimated the ablation size by an average of 24%., Conclusion: Diode laser destroys greater tissue than Nd:YAG laser. Different power settings of interstitial laser ablation produce diverse patterns of correlation between laser time and coagulation size., (© 2022 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Paramyrothecium eichhorniae sp. nov. was observed and collected from Chiang Mai and Phetchaburi Provinces, Thailand. This new species is introduced based on morphological and molecular evidence. This fungus is characterized by its production of sporodochium conidiomata with a white setose fringe surrounding an olivaceous green to dark green slimy mass of conidia, penicillately branched conidiophores, and aseptate and cylindrical to ellipsoid conidia. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU rDNA, ITS rDNA, tef1 , rpb2 , tub2 and cmdA sequence data using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches placed the fungus in a strongly supported clade with other Paramyrothecium species in Stachybotryaceae (Hypocreales, Sordariomycetes). The descriptions of the species are accompanied by illustrations of morphological features, and a discussion of the related taxa is presented., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of the Korean Society of Mycology.)

Introduction: The aim of the study was to establish normal reference values obtained by fetal speckle tracking analysis of the fetal heart between 17 and 24 weeks of gestation among Thai fetuses and compare the nomograms with previous studies., Methods: The 4-chamber view (4CV) of the fetal heart in 79 normal fetuses was analyzed by speckle tracking analysis to determine the best-fit regression model. The 95% reference intervals and Z-score equations of fetal cardiac parameters were computed., Results: The end-diastolic length, width, area, and circumference of the 4CV as well as the ventricular end-diastolic length, 24-segment widths, and area were all increased as a function of gestational age (GA), and 5 fetal biometric parameters. In contrast, the global sphericity index (SI), 24-segment SI, and right ventricle/left ventricle width and area ratios did not change with GA or fetal biometric measurements. There were few differences in Z-score reference ranges of fetal cardiac measurements between the current study and previous studies conducted in different patient populations., Conclusion: Our study provided z-score and corresponding centile calculators, 5th and 95th centile reference tables, and corresponding graphs for evaluating the size and shape of the 4CV and the right and left ventricles using 6 independent variables between 17 and 24 weeks of gestation. These results provide normal reference ranges for future studies of fetuses with pathologies that may alter the size and shape of the 4CV and ventricles., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antartica , Cladosporium austrolitorale from coastal sea sand. Australia , Austroboletus yourkae on soil, Crepidotus innuopurpureus on dead wood, Curvularia stenotaphri from roots and leaves of Stenotaphrum secundatum and Thecaphora stajsicii from capsules of Oxalis radicosa. Belgium , Paraxerochrysium coryli (incl. Paraxerochrysium gen. nov.) from Corylus avellana. Brazil , Calvatia nordestina on soil, Didymella tabebuiicola from leaf spots on Tabebuia aurea, Fusarium subflagellisporum from hypertrophied floral and vegetative branches of Mangifera indica and Microdochium maculosum from living leaves of Digitaria insularis. Canada , Cuphophyllus bondii from a grassland. Croatia , Mollisia inferiseptata from a rotten Laurus nobilis trunk. Cyprus , Amanita exilis on calcareous soil. Czech Republic , Cytospora hippophaicola from wood of symptomatic Vaccinium corymbosum. Denmark , Lasiosphaeria deviata on pieces of wood and herbaceous debris. Dominican Republic , Calocybella goethei among grass on a lawn. France (Corsica) , Inocybe corsica on wet ground. France (French Guiana) , Trechispora patawaensis on decayed branch of unknown angiosperm tree and Trechispora subregularis on decayed log of unknown angiosperm tree. Germany , Paramicrothecium sambuci (incl. Paramicrothecium gen. nov.) on dead stems of Sambucus nigra. India , Aureobasidium microtermitis from the gut of a Microtermes sp. termite, Laccaria diospyricola on soil and Phylloporia tamilnadensis on branches of Catunaregam spinosa . Iran , Pythium serotinoosporum from soil under Prunus dulcis. Italy , Pluteus brunneovenosus on twigs of broadleaved trees on the ground. Japan , Heterophoma rehmanniae on leaves of Rehmannia glutinosa f. hueichingensis. Kazakhstan , Murispora kazachstanica from healthy roots of Triticum aestivum. Namibia , Caespitomonium euphorbiae (incl. Caespitomonium gen. nov.) from stems of an Euphorbia sp. Netherlands , Alfaria junci, Myrmecridium junci, Myrmecridium juncicola, Myrmecridium juncigenum, Ophioceras junci, Paradinemasporium junci (incl. Paradinemasporium gen. nov.), Phialoseptomonium junci, Sporidesmiella juncicola, Xenopyricularia junci and Zaanenomyces quadripartis (incl. Zaanenomyces gen. nov.), from dead culms of Juncus effusus, Cylindromonium everniae and Rhodoveronaea everniae from Evernia prunastri, Cyphellophora sambuci and Myrmecridium sambuci from Sambucus nigra, Kiflimonium junci, Sarocladium junci, Zaanenomyces moderatricis-academiae and Zaanenomyces versatilis from dead culms of Juncus inflexus, Microcera physciae from Physcia tenella, Myrmecridium dactylidis from dead culms of Dactylis glomerata, Neochalara spiraeae and Sporidesmium spiraeae from leaves of Spiraea japonica, Neofabraea salicina from Salix sp., Paradissoconium narthecii (incl. Paradissoconium gen. nov.) from dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum, Polyscytalum vaccinii from Vaccinium myrtillus, Pseudosoloacrosporiella cryptomeriae (incl. Pseudosoloacrosporiella gen. nov.) from leaves of Cryptomeria japonica, Ramularia pararhabdospora from Plantago lanceolata, Sporidesmiella pini from needles of Pinus sylvestris and Xenoacrodontium juglandis (incl. Xenoacrodontium gen. nov. and Xenoacrodontiaceae fam. nov.) from Juglans regia . New Zealand , Cryptometrion metrosideri from twigs of Metrosideros sp., Coccomyces pycnophyllocladi from dead leaves of Phyllocladus alpinus, Hypoderma aliforme from fallen leaves Fuscopora solandri and Hypoderma subiculatum from dead leaves Phormium tenax. Norway , Neodevriesia kalakoutskii from permafrost and Variabilispora viridis from driftwood of Picea abies. Portugal , Entomortierella hereditatis from a biofilm covering a deteriorated limestone wall. Russia , Colpoma junipericola from needles of Juniperus sabina, Entoloma cinnamomeum on soil in grasslands, Entoloma verae on soil in grasslands, Hyphodermella pallidostraminea on a dry dead branch of Actinidia sp., Lepiota sayanensis on litter in a mixed forest, Papiliotrema horticola from Malus communis , Paramacroventuria ribis (incl. Paramacroventuria gen. nov.) from leaves of Ribes aureum and Paramyrothecium lathyri from leaves of Lathyrus tuberosus. South Africa , Harzia combreti from leaf litter of Combretum collinum ssp. sulvense, Penicillium xyleborini from Xyleborinus saxesenii , Phaeoisaria dalbergiae from bark of Dalbergia armata, Protocreopsis euphorbiae from leaf litter of Euphorbia ingens and Roigiella syzygii from twigs of Syzygium chordatum . Spain , Genea zamorana on sandy soil, Gymnopus nigrescens on Scleropodium touretii, Hesperomyces parexochomi on Parexochomus quadriplagiatus, Paraphoma variabilis from dung, Phaeococcomyces kinklidomatophilus from air in men's locker room and Tuber suaveolens in soil under Quercus faginea. Svalbard and Jan Mayen , Inocybe nivea associated with Salix polaris. Thailand , Biscogniauxia whalleyi on corticated wood. UK , Parasitella quercicola from Quercus robur. USA , Aspergillus arizonicus from indoor air in a hospital, Caeliomyces tampanus (incl. Caeliomyces gen. nov.) from office dust, Cippumomyces mortalis (incl. Cippumomyces gen. nov.) from a tombstone, Cylindrium desperesense from air in a store, Tetracoccosporium pseudoaerium from air sample in house, Toxicocladosporium glendoranum from air in a brick room, Toxicocladosporium losalamitosense from air in a classroom, Valsonectria portsmouthensis from air in men's locker room and Varicosporellopsis americana from sludge in a water reservoir. Vietnam , Entoloma kovalenkoi on rotten wood, Fusarium chuoi inside seed of Musa itinerans , Micropsalliota albofelina on soil in tropical evergreen mixed forests and Phytophthora docyniae from soil and roots of Docynia indica. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation : Crous PW, Osieck ER, Jurjević Ž, et al. 2021. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1284-1382. Persoonia 47: 178-374. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.47.06., (© 2021 Naturalis Biodiversity Center & Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute.)

Background: Placental anastomoses in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancy have a major impact on fetal circulation. This study was designed to define reference ranges of cardiac and vascular Doppler indices in MCDA twin pregnancies., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 442 uncomplicated MCDA twin fetuses undergoing Doppler ultrasonography at 18-35 weeks of gestation. Left and right myocardial performance index (LV-MPI, RV-MPI), E/A ratio of atrioventricular valves, pulsatility indices of umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery (MCA), and ductus venosus (DV), cerebroplacental ratio, peak systolic velocity of MCA, S/a ratio of DV, and early diastolic filling time of ductus venosus (DV-E) were evaluated under standardized settings. The equation models between Doppler indices and gestational age (GA) were fitted. After adjustment for GA, the correlations between MPI and fetal heart rate (FHR), and between MPI and DV indices were analyzed., Results: Estimated centiles of Doppler indices were derived as a function of GA, being distinct in values from those of singletons. There was no correlation between GA-adjusted MPI and FHR. DV-E was inversely related to LV-MPI., Conclusions: MCDA twins showed significant changes in some Doppler indices throughout gestation with quantitative differences from singletons, emphasizing the importance of MC twin-specific reference values for clinical application. Further adjustment of MPI for FHR was unnecessary. DV-E is a vascular index indirectly representing fetal diastolic function., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Ticks are known vectors for a variety of pathogens including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In this study, bacterial communities were investigated in active life stages of three tick genera ( Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor , and Amblyomma ) collected from Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Four hundred and thirty-three questing ticks were selected for pathogen detection individually using real-time PCR assays, and 58 of these were subjected to further metagenomics analysis. A total of 62 ticks were found to be infected with pathogenic bacteria, for a 14.3% prevalence rate, with Amblyomma spp. exhibiting the highest infection rate (20.5%), followed by Haemaphysalis spp. (14.5%) and Dermacentor spp. (8.6%). Rickettsia spp. were the most prevalent bacteria (7.9%) found, followed by Ehrlichia spp. (3.2%), and Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp. each with a similar prevalence of 1.6%. Co-infection between pathogenic bacteria was only detected in three Haemaphysalis females, and all co-infections were between Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasmataceae ( Ehrlichia spp. or Anaplasma spp.), accounting for 4.6% of infected ticks or 0.7% of all examined questing ticks. The prevalence of the Coxiella -like endosymbiont was also investigated. Of ticks tested, 65.8% were positive for the Coxiella -like endosymbiont, with the highest infection rate in nymphs (86.7%), followed by females (83.4%). Among tick genera, Haemaphysalis exhibited the highest prevalence of infection with the Coxiella -like endosymbiont. Ticks harboring the Coxiella -like endosymbiont were more likely to be infected with Ehrlichia spp. or Rickettsia spp. than those without, with statistical significance for Ehrlichia spp. infection in particular ( p -values = 0.003 and 0.917 for Ehrlichia spp. and Rickettsia spp., respectively). Profiling the bacterial community in ticks using metagenomics revealed distinct, predominant bacterial taxa in tick genera. Alpha and beta diversities analyses showed that the bacterial community diversity and composition in Haemaphysalis spp. was significantly different from Amblyomma spp. However, when examining bacterial diversity among tick life stages (larva, nymph, and adult) in Haemaphysalis spp., no significant difference among life stages was detected. These results provide valuable information on the bacterial community composition and co-infection rates in questing ticks in Thailand, with implications for animal and human health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Takhampunya, Sakolvaree, Chanarat, Youngdech, Phonjatturas, Promsathaporn, Tippayachai, Tachavarong, Srinoppawan, Poole-Smith, McCardle and Chaorattanakawee.)

Cultivation of Penaeus vannamei (Pacific white shrimp) is faced with the serious problem of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus that carries plasmids containing binary toxin genes. The disease is typically moderated by the use of antibiotics. To investigate the control of AHPND and maintenance of water quality without the use of antibiotics, the supplementation of shrimp feed with anti-vibrio compounds from a crude extract of probiotic Rhodobacter sphaeroides SS15 was evaluated. The experimental design comprised four treatments: two that were challenged with AHPND-causing V. parahaemolyticus SR2 at a density of 6.0 × 10 5 cells mL -1 and two that were not challenged. The unchallenged groups comprised a control group that received commercial feed only (CF) and a group that received CF supplemented with 0.27% (w/w) of the extract of R. sphaeroides SS15 (modified CF: MCF). The treatments challenged with V. parahaemolyticus SR2 comprised a challenge group that received CF only (challenge CF: CF-SR2) and a challenge group that received modified CF (challenge MCF: MCF-SR2). V. parahaemolyticus SR2 was inoculated at the start of cultivation and at day 48 at the same cell density. No significant difference in growth performance was found among all treatments. All water quality parameters were better in the two treatments that received modified CF but excess nitrite, due to overfeeding in low salinity (5-8 ppt), caused shrimp mortality in all treatments. Vibrio populations were much higher in the CF treatments than in the modified CF treatments. After the first challenge, the survival rate was about 67% in both the CF-SR2 and MCF-SR2 treatments, compared with approximately 83% in the unchallenged treatments. One day after the second challenge, mortality in the CF-SR2 treatment was 100%, whereas 16.67% survived in the MCF-SR2 treatment. The survival rate was roughly 27% higher in the MCF treatment than in the CF treatment. The hepatopancreas and gut of both modified CF treatments showed no sign of AHPND. Via better water quality and trained immunity, the anti-vibrio compounds in the modified CF have great potential to increase the survival of cultivated shrimp infected with AHPND-causing strain SR2., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf has been found to be an important source of protein, vitamins, minerals, as well as phytonutrients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Chaya leaf pellet (CHYP) with various level of crude protein (CP) in the concentrate on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrient degradability in in vitro gas production technique., Methods: In an in vitro rumen fermentation study the dietary treatments were arranged according to a 3×5 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, consisting of Factor A: three levels of CP of concentrate mixtures (14%, 16%, and 18% CP, respectively) and Factor B: five levels of CHYP supplementation (at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% of dry matter substrates)., Results: The gas production kinetics, fraction (a) and fraction (b) were lower (p<0.05) with an increasing CHYP addition. Additionally, the fraction (a+b) was found to yield a significant interaction (p<0.05) while the fraction (c) was not impacted by CHYP addition. However, in vitro DM degradability was enhanced and interactive (p<0.05), using 16% CP of concentrate with 6% and 8% CHYP, when compared with 18% CP in the non-addition. Additionally, the treatment with higher CP of the concentrate was higher in NH3-N concentration (p<0.001) and by CHYP supplementation group (p<0.05). Nevertheless, protozoal counts in the rumen were remarkably decreased (p<0.05) with increasing level of CHYP supplementation. Furthermore, rumen C2 concentration was lower (p<0.05) in the treatments with CHYP supplementation, while C3 was significantly increased and interactive (p<0.05) between levels of CP and CHYP supplementation especially at 8% CHYP supplementation., Conclusion: Based on this study, the results revealed CHYP as a promising feed supplement to enhance rumen fermentation and to mitigate methane production. However, in vivo feeding experiments should be subsequently conducted to elucidate the effect of CHYP supplementation on rumen fermentation, as well as ruminant production efficiency.

During the rainy season in Thailand, specimens of Phallus chiangmaiensis sp. nov. and P. merulinus were collected from Chiang Mai and Samut Sakhon Provinces, respectively. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), nuclear ribosomal 5.8S gene including the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 (ITS), and the protein-coding gene atp6 (mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate [ATP] synthase subunit 6) support the placement of the new species within Phallus . Phallus chiangmaiensis has a well-developed white indusium and campanulated caps with reticulate surfaces. It differs morphologically from the related species, as supported by the phylogenetic data. Phallus merulinus is reported here as a species that was re-encountered in Thailand. The descriptions of the species are accompanied by illustrations of macro- and micro- morphological features, and a discussion of the related taxa is presented., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of the Korean Society of Mycology.)

Realistic reconstruction of angioarchitecture within the morphological landmark with three-dimensional sonoangiography (three-dimensional power Doppler; 3D PD) may augment standard prenatal ultrasound and Doppler assessments. This study aimed to (a) present a technical overview, (b) determine additional advantages, (c) identify current challenges, and (d) predict trajectories of 3D PD for prenatal assessments. PubMed and Scopus databases for the last decade were searched. Although 307 publications addressed our objectives, their heterogeneity was too broad for statistical analyses. Important findings are therefore presented in descriptive format and supplemented with the authors' 3D PD images. Acquisition, analysis, and display techniques need to be personalized to improve the quality of flow-volume data. While 3D PD indices of the first-trimester placenta may improve the prediction of preeclampsia, research is needed to standardize the measurement protocol. In highly experienced hands, the unique 3D PD findings improve the diagnostic accuracy of placenta accreta spectrum. A lack of quality assurance is the central challenge to incorporating 3D PD in prenatal care. Machine learning may broaden clinical translations of prenatal 3D PD. Due to its operator dependency, 3D PD has low reproducibility. Until standardization and quality assurance protocols are established, its use as a stand-alone clinical or research tool cannot be recommended.

Background: Lao People's Democratic Republic has frequent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD). This study aimed to determine susceptibility and exposure to VPD in Saravan, a rural province with high ethnic diversity and some of the poorest health indicators nationwide., Methods: Patients from three district hospitals and one provincial hospital were enrolled. Serum was tested by ELISA for IgG against hepatitis B virus (HBV), tetanus, diphtheria, measles, and rubella., Results: The study enrolled 2463 participants aged 5-90 years. Exposure to HBV was 33.2% and increased with age up to 62.4% of those aged >50 years. HBV surface antigen prevalence was 5.7% in males and 2.4% in females; 9.9% had serology compatible with vaccination. Seroprevalence of protective anti-tetanus antibodies was 46.3% overall. Protective anti-diphtheria seroprevalence was 40.5%. Anti-measles seroprevalence increased from 16.7% in those aged 5-10 years to 97.7% in those aged >50 years. Anti-rubella seroprevalence was 93.0% overall. There were differences in seroprevalences between sex, districts and ethnicity., Conclusions: Routine infant vaccination needs strengthening in order to close the immunity gaps. High burden of HBV infection should be addressed by increasing birth dose vaccine coverage. Regional and ethnic differences need to be investigated to enable a targeted approach to vaccination., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Borrelia is a genus of spirochetal bacteria with several species known to cause disease in humans. The distribution of Borrelia has rarely been studied in Thailand. In this study, a retrospective survey of Borrelia was conducted in ticks and wild rodents to better characterize the prevalence, diversity, and distribution of Borrelia across Thailand. Several pools of DNA from tick samples were positive for Borrelia spp. (36/258, 13.9%). Borrelia theileri/B. lonestari was found in 17 tick samples (16 pools of Haemaphysalis bandicota and 1 pool of Rhipicephalus sp.), and Borrelia yangtzensis was found in 8 tick samples (2 pools of H. bandicota and 6 pools of Ixodes granulatus). Borrelia spp. were detected at low prevalence levels in rodent tissue samples (24/2001, 1.2%), with 19 identified as B. theileri or B. lonestari and 5 identified as B. miyamotoi. Several geographic and species-specific infection trends were apparent, with Ixodes ticks infected with B. yangtzensis and Haemaphysalis and Rhipicephalus ticks infected with both B. yangtzensis and B. theileri/B. lonestari. Notably, B. yangtzensis showed a similar geographic distribution to B. miyamotoi, which was identified in new areas of Thailand in this study. The flagellin gene sequence from B. miyamotoi was more similar to European (99.3-99.9%) than Japanese (96.9-97.6%) genotypes. This study greatly expands the knowledge of Borrelia in Thailand and identified several Borrelia species for the first time. It also found several ticks and rodents infected with the pathogen that were not previously known to carry Borrelia., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2020.)

Background: Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has been used for a wide range of epidemiological and surveillance studies. Here, we used amplicon-based NGS to species identify Rickettsia and their arthropod hosts from entomological surveillance., Methods: During 2015-2016, we screened 1825 samples of rodents and ectoparasites collected from rodents and domestic mammals (dog, cat, and cattle) across Thailand for Rickettsia . The citrate synthase gene was amplified to identify Rickettsia to species, while the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I ( CO I) and subunit II ( CO II) genes were used as target genes for ectoparasite identification. All target gene amplicons were pooled for library preparation and sequenced with Illumina MiSeq platform., Result: The highest percentage of Rickettsia DNA was observed in fleas collected from domestic animals (56%) predominantly dogs. Only a few samples of ticks from domestic animals, rodent fleas, and rodent tissue were positive for Rickettisia DNA. NGS based characterization of Rickettsia by host identified Rickettsia asembonensis as the most common bacteria in positive fleas collected from dogs (83.2%) while " Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis" was detected in only 16.8% of Rickettsia positive dog fleas. Sequence analysis of CO I and CO II revealed that almost all fleas collected from dogs were Ctenocephalides felis orientis . Other Rickettsia species were detected by NGS including Rickettsia heilongjiangensis from two Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks, and Rickettsia typhi in two rodent tissue samples., Conclusion: This study demonstrates the utility of NGS for high-throughput sequencing in the species characterization/identification of bacteria and ectoparasite for entomological surveillance of rickettsiae. A high percentage of C. f. orientis are positive for R. asembonensis . In addition, our findings indicate there is a risk of tick-borne Spotted Fever Group rickettsiosis, and flea-borne murine typhus transmission in Tak and Phangnga provinces of Thailand.

Aim: To investigate the factors influencing decisions concerning prenatal diagnosis (PND) and termination of pregnancy for β-thalassemia in Thai pregnant women., Methods: A total of 142 Thai Buddhist pregnant women waiting for PND were asked to undertake semi-structured interviews regarding their reasons for PND and their decisions and reasoning concerning pregnancy if the fetus was found to be affected. The interviews were analyzed using a thematic content approach., Results: Thai pregnant women accepted PND for three reasons: to know whether their pregnancies were affected, to confirm that their pregnancies were unaffected and to terminate if their pregnancies were affected. Three decisions identified among the women were to terminate the pregnancy, to continue the pregnancy and undecided. The interview analysis identified five themes and nine sub-themes affecting pregnancy-related decision-making: (i) quality of life (suffering or no disability); (ii) burden (difficulty or acceptability); (iii) sense of motherhood (the best way for the child or I cannot hurt my child); (iv) significant others (support to terminate, support to continue or support to wait for the test result) and (v) conflict in deciding., Conclusion: An acceptance of PND in Thai pregnant women was not always associated with pregnancy termination. Multiple factors influenced the decision to terminate, but not their religious affiliation., (© 2021 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Two lanostane dimers, ganoweberianones A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), together with seven previously undescribed lanostanes, ganoweberianic acids A-G ( 3 - 9 ), and three known compounds ( 10 - 12 ), were isolated from the artificially cultivated fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Ganoderma weberianum . Ganoweberianone A ( 1 ) exhibited significant antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 (multidrug-resistant strain) with an IC 50 value of 0.050 μM. A method for semisynthesis of 1 by condensation of the corresponding lanostane monomers and acid-catalyzed intramolecular transesterification was demonstrated.

The aim of this experiment was to test the effect of yeast-fermented de-hulled rice (YDR) levels of protein-rich feed with different kinds of roughages on in vitro gas production, nutrient degradability, and rumen fermentation. The treatments were randomly assigned according to a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD). The two experimental factors were comprised of two roughages (R) (untreated rice straw (RS) and sweet grass hay (SGH)) and four ratios of roughage to yeast-fermented de-hulled rice (R:YDR) (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75). Thus, there were 8 treatment combinations. The results revealed that the interaction between R and R:YDR ratios influenced on the gas production rate constant for the insoluble fraction ratio (c) (P < 0.01). The in vitro dry mater degradability (IVDMD) was improved by SGH and R:YDR ratios (P < 0.05). Supplementation of YDR with both of roughage sources (RS and SGH) increased propionate (C3) (P < 0.05) and total VFA production (P < 0.01); both factors showed interactive effects on rumen methane production (P < 0.01). Moreover, bacterial population was significantly increased by the SGH:YDR ratios (P < 0.05). Therefore, it could be summarized that supplementing YDR, an enriched protein source with SGH:YDR ratio at 50-75:50-25 ratio significantly enhanced nutrient degradability and in vitro rumen fermentation efficiency.

Background: Twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence consists of acardiac twin (A) paradoxically perfused by pump twin (P) through an umbilical artery (UA). We proposed characterization of acardiac twins with intrafetal vascular pattern (IVP), and assessed its correlation with morphology and UA Doppler indices., Methods: We prospectively evaluated 21 cases of TRAP sequence. Morphology (acardia vs hemicardia) and IVP (simple vs complex) of acardiac twins were characterized with ultrasound and color Doppler. Twins weight ratio (A/P Wt) and UA Doppler indices of acardiac and pump twins including (1) difference of systolic/diastolic ratio (UA ∆S/D), (2) difference of resistance index (UA ∆RI), and (3) ratio of pulsatility index (UA PI A/P) were calculated., Results: The median (min, max) gestational age at diagnosis was 18 (11, 27) weeks. Acardia (n = 14) were associated with simple IVP (n = 16) (P < .05). After exclusion of acardia with complex IVP (n = 1), the A/P Wt, UA ∆S/D, UA ∆RI, and UA PI A/P of acardia with simple IVP (n = 13), hemicardia with simple IVP (n = 3), and hemicardia with complex IVP (n = 4) were not significantly different (P > .05)., Conclusions: Most of acardiac twins were acardia with simple IVP. Morphology and IVP of acardiac twins were not associated with UA Doppler indices., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The principle of the study was to assess the influence of yeast-fermented cassava pulp (YFCP) as a protein supplement on feed intake, nutrient digestibilities, rumen microbial protein synthesis, fermentation end-products, and N-balance in Thai native beef cattle. The experiment was conducted following the 4 × 4 Latin square design using 4 levels of YFCP supplementation (0, 100, 200, and 300 g/head/day) in 3-year-old Thai native beef cattle crossbreds. The response of YFCP supplementation level using rice straw as a roughage source revealed promising results. The rumen ecology parameters including cellulolytic, amylolytic, and proteolytic bacterial population were significantly increased while the protozoal population were reduced, as affected by increasing level of YFCP supplementation (P < 0.05). In parallel with these results, totals VFA, propionate (C3) production in the rumen, and the ratio of C2:C3 were remarkably increased (P < 0.01), while rumen methane production by prediction from VFA was decreased (P < 0.01), as YFCP supplementation increased. Regarding, the nutrient digestibilities, those of OM and CP were remarkably enhanced (P < 0.01), hence increased DM intake. Furthermore, the use of YFCP at high level resulted in the highest N-balance and N retention absorption (P < 0.01). The results indicated that YFCP can be nutritionally enhanced by yeast fermentation, thus is promising to be used as a protein source in ruminant feeding.

Background: A low-fidelity fetoscopic surgical simulator (FSS) for training of selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (SFLP) was developed., Objective: To evaluate and compare training satisfaction with an FSS and with a conventional box trainer (BT)., Methods: The BT consisted of a cleaned human placenta attached to the inside of a plastic storage box with a watertight lock cover and an ultrasound-transparent rubber skin. The FSS consisted of the replica of a monochorionic twin placenta attached to the inside of a spherically shaped, ultrasound-transparent phantom. Tap water was used as an ultrasound conduction agent. Evaluation of the mannequin trainings was conducted on 8 junior maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) attending physicians and 22 MFM fellows. Training satisfaction was scored from 0 to 10 on 8 different domains., Results: The mean satisfaction score (±SD) with the FSS was higher than with the BT in all domains (p < 0.05). The fellows' training satisfaction with the BT was greater than that of the attending physicians in 4 domains: tactile feedback, demonstration of chorionic vessels, feedback on performance, and overall value as learning aid (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: As evaluated by a small group of trainees, our FSS is superior to the BT in mannequin training of SFLP. However, the BT may be more useful for trainees with limited clinical experience., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objectives: To develop a simulation model and assess the learning curve of fetal shunting., Methods: Three staff and three trainees performed fetal shunting on a model using the fetal bladder stent. The model was evaluated according to various sources of validity evidence. The number of procedures to reach competency was determined by the learning curve-cumulative summation (LC-CUSUM) and CUSUM analysis. The learning and control phases were defined as the periods before and after passing the level of competency, respectively., Results: The model was validated to be constructive in the educational process. A total of 600 procedures were carried out with an overall success rate of 94.2% and no significant difference between staff and trainees. The average number of procedures to reach competency was 47. Total procedural time decreased after passing the level of competency. Although the trainees required a longer procedural time in the learning phase than the staff did, there was no significant between-group difference in the control phase., Conclusions: Using this model, the estimated number of procedures to achieve competency was 47, as substantiated by the increased procedural success and reduced procedural time in the control phase. Training on this simulation model may improve technical performance., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

In this study, we used a metagenomic approach to analyze bacterial communities from diverse populations (humans, animals, and vectors) to investigate the role of these microorganisms as causative agents of disease in human and animal populations. Wild rodents and ectoparasites were collected from 2014 to 2018 in Nan province, Thailand where scrub typhus is highly endemic. Samples from undifferentiated febrile illness (UFI) patients were obtained from a local hospital. A total of 200 UFI patient samples were obtained and 309 rodents and 420 pools of ectoparasites were collected from rodents ( n = 285) and domestic animals ( n = 135). The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced with the Illumina. Real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the next-generation sequencing (NGS) results and to characterize pathogen species. Several pathogens were detected by NGS in all populations studied and the most common pathogens identified included Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., Leptospira spp., and Orientia tsutsugamushi . Interestingly, Anaplasma spp. was detected in patient, rodent and tick populations, although they were not previously known to cause human disease from this region. Candidatus Neoehrlichia, Neorickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in rodents and their associated ectoparasites. The same O. tsutsugamushi genotypes were shared among UFI patients, rodents, and chiggers in a single district indicating that the chiggers found on rodents were also likely responsible for transmitting to people. Serological testing using immunofluorescence assays in UFI samples showed high prevalence (IgM/IgG) of Rickettsia and Orientia pathogens, most notably among samples collected during September-November. Additionally, a higher number of seropositive samples belonged to patients in the working age population (20-60 years old). The results presented in this study demonstrate that the increased risk of human infection or exposure to chiggers and their associated pathogen ( O. tsutsugamushi ) resulted in part from two important factors; working age group and seasons for rice cultivation and harvesting. Evidence of pathogen exposure was shown to occur as there was seropositivity (IgG) in UFI patients for bartonellosis as well as for anaplasmosis. Using a metagenomic approach, this study demonstrated the circulation and transmission of several pathogens in the environment, some of which are known causative agents of illness in human populations.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Angola , Gnomoniopsis angolensis and Pseudopithomyces angolensis on unknown host plants. Australia , Dothiora corymbiae on Corymbia citriodora, Neoeucasphaeria eucalypti (incl. Neoeucasphaeria gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus sp., Fumagopsis stellae on Eucalyptus sp., Fusculina eucalyptorum (incl. Fusculinaceae fam. nov.) on Eucalyptus socialis, Harknessia corymbiicola on Corymbia maculata, Neocelosporium eucalypti (incl. Neocelosporium gen. nov., Neocelosporiaceae fam. nov. and Neocelosporiales ord. nov.) on Eucalyptus cyanophylla, Neophaeomoniella corymbiae on Corymbia citriodora , Neophaeomoniella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus pilularis, Pseudoplagiostoma corymbiicola on Corymbia citriodora, Teratosphaeria gracilis on Eucalyptus gracilis, Zasmidium corymbiae on Corymbia citriodora. Brazil , Calonectria hemileiae on pustules of Hemileia vastatrix formed on leaves of Coffea arabica , Calvatia caatinguensis on soil, Cercospora solani-betacei on Solanum betaceum , Clathrus natalensis on soil, Diaporthe poincianellae on Poincianella pyramidalis , Geastrum piquiriunense on soil, Geosmithia carolliae on wing of Carollia perspicillata , Henningsia resupinata on wood, Penicillium guaibinense from soil, Periconia caespitosa from leaf litter, Pseudocercospora styracina on Styrax sp., Simplicillium filiforme as endophyte from Citrullus lanatus , Thozetella pindobacuensis on leaf litter, Xenosonderhenia coussapoae on Coussapoa floccosa. Canary Islands (Spain) , Orbilia amarilla on Euphorbia canariensis. Cape Verde Islands , Xylodon jacobaeus on Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Chile , Colletotrichum arboricola on Fuchsia magellanica. Costa Rica , Lasiosphaeria miniovina on tree branch. Ecuador , Ganoderma chocoense on tree trunk. France , Neofitzroyomyces nerii (incl. Neofitzroyomyces gen. nov.) on Nerium oleander. Ghana , Castanediella tereticornis on Eucalyptus tereticornis , Falcocladium africanum on Eucalyptus brassiana , Rachicladosporium corymbiae on Corymbia citriodora. Hungary , Entoloma silvae-frondosae in Carpinus betulus - Pinus sylvestris mixed forest. Iran , Pseudopyricularia persiana on Cyperus sp . Italy , Inocybe roseascens on soil in mixed forest. Laos , Ophiocordyceps houaynhangensis on Coleoptera larva. Malaysia , Monilochaetes melastomae on Melastoma sp. Mexico , Absidia terrestris from soil. Netherlands , Acaulium pannemaniae , Conioscypha boutwelliae , Fusicolla septimanifiniscientiae , Gibellulopsis simonii , Lasionectria hilhorstii , Lectera nordwiniana, Leptodiscella rintelii, Parasarocladium debruynii and Sarocladium dejongiae (incl. Sarocladiaceae fam. nov.) from soil. New Zealand , Gnomoniopsis rosae on Rosa sp. and Neodevriesia metrosideri on Metrosideros sp. Puerto Rico , Neodevriesia coccolobae on Coccoloba uvifera , Neodevriesia tabebuiae and Alfaria tabebuiae on Tabebuia chrysantha . Russia , Amanita paludosa on bogged soil in mixed deciduous forest, Entoloma tiliae in forest of Tilia × europaea , Kwoniella endophytica on Pyrus communis. South Africa , Coniella diospyri on Diospyros mespiliformis, Neomelanconiella combreti (incl. Neomelanconiellaceae fam. nov. and Neomelanconiella gen. nov.) on Combretum sp., Polyphialoseptoria natalensis on unidentified plant host, Pseudorobillarda bolusanthi on Bolusanthus speciosus , Thelonectria pelargonii on Pelargonium sp. Spain , Vermiculariopsiella lauracearum and Anungitopsis lauri on Laurus novocanariensis , Geosmithia xerotolerans from a darkened wall of a house, Pseudopenidiella gallaica on leaf litter. Thailand , Corynespora thailandica on wood, Lareunionomyces loeiensis on leaf litter, Neocochlearomyces chromolaenae (incl. Neocochlearomyces gen. nov.) on Chromolaena odorata, Neomyrmecridium septatum (incl. Neomyrmecridium gen. nov . ), Pararamichloridium caricicola on Carex sp., Xenodactylaria thailandica (incl. Xenodactylariaceae fam. nov. and Xenodactylaria gen. nov.), Neomyrmecridium asiaticum and Cymostachys thailandica from unidentified vine. USA , Carolinigaster bonitoi (incl. Carolinigaster gen. nov.) from soil, Penicillium fortuitum from house dust, Phaeotheca shathenatiana (incl. Phaeothecaceae fam. nov.) from twig and cone litter, Pythium wohlseniorum from stream water, Superstratomyces tardicrescens from human eye, Talaromyces iowaense from office air. Vietnam , Fistulinella olivaceoalba on soil. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Trombiculid mites are the vectors of scrub typhus, with infected larval mites (chiggers) transmitting the causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, during feeding. Co-existence of multiple O. tsutsugamushi strains within infected mites has previously been reported in naturally infected, laboratory-reared mite lines using molecular methods to characterize the 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA) gene. In the current study, more advanced next-generation sequencing technology was used to reveal the heterogeneity of O. tsutsugamushi genotypes in field-collected trombiculid mites from rodents and small mammals in scrub typhus-endemic areas of Thailand. Twenty-eight trombiculid mites collected from 10 small mammals were positive for O. tsutsugamushi, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 0.7% within the mite population. Twenty-four of the infected mites were Leptotrombidium spp., indicating that this genus is the main vector for O. tsutsugamushi transmission in Thailand. In addition, O. tsutsugamushi was detected in the mite genera Ascoschoengastia, Blankaartia, Gahrliepia, and Lorillatum. Of the 10 infested small animal hosts, six had 2-10 infected mites feeding at the time of collection. Deep sequencing was used to characterize mixed infections (two to three O. tsutsugamushi genotypes within an individual mite), and 5 of the 28 infected mites (17.9%) contained mixed infections. Additionally, 56-kDa TSA gene sequence analysis revealed identical bacterial genotypes among co-feeding mites with single or mixed infections. These results suggest that co-feeding transmission may occur during the feeding process, and could explain the occurrence of mixed infections in individual mites, as well as the recovery of multiple infected mites from the same host. This study also revealed highly diverse within-host O. tsutsugamushi genotypes. The occurrence of multiple O. tsutsugamushi genotypes within individual mites has important implications, and could provide a mechanism for pathogen evolution/diversification in the mite vector., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Hybrid composites of fillers and/or fibers reinforced polymer was generally produced by masterbatch dilution technique. In this work, the simplified preparation was introduced for the large volume production of 30 wt % short-fiber and talcum reinforced polymer hybrid composite by direct feeding into twin-screw extruder. Multifunctional epoxide-based terpolymer and/or maleic anhydride were selected as in situ reactive compatibilizers. The influence of fiber and talcum ratios and in situ reactive compatibilizers on mechanical, dynamic mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of hybrid composites were investigated. The morphological results showed the strong interfacial adhesion between fiber or talcum and Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix due to a better compatibility by reaction of in situ compatibilizer. The reactive PLA hybrid composite showed the higher tensile strength and the elongation at break than non-compatibilized hybrid composite without sacrificing the tensile modulus. Upon increasing the talcum contents, the modulus and storage modulus of hybrid composites were also increased while the tensile strength and elongation at break were slightly decreased compared to PLA/fiber composite. Talcum was able to induce the crystallization of PLA hybrid composites.

This work describes the preparation of mesoporous silica by the green reaction of rice husk ash (RHA) with glycerol, followed by the modification and the potential use as a drug carrier. The reaction was carried out at 215 &deg;C for 2 h. The solution was further hydrolyzed with deionized water and aged for various times (24, 48, 120, 360, 528 and 672 h) before calcinations at 500 &deg;C for 24 h. Further treatment of prepared mesoporous silica was performed using trimethylmethoxysilane (TMMS) to obtain hydrophobic Mesoporous silica. For all synthesized silicas, silica contents were as high as 95 wt %, whereas organic residues were less than 3 wt %. RHA-glycerol showed the highest specific surface area with smallest pore diameter (205.70 m²/g, 7.46 nm) when aged for 48 h. The optimal hydrolysis-ageing period of 120 h resulted in 500.7 m²/g specific surface area, 0.655 cm³/g pore volume and 5.23 nm pore diameter. The surface modification of RHA-glycerol occurred through the reaction with TMMS as confirmed by FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy). Ibuprofen was selected as a model drug for the adsorption experiments. The adsorption under supercritical CO₂ was carried out at isothermal temperature of 40 &deg;C and 100 bar; % ibuprofen loading of TMMS modified mesoporous silica (TMMS-g-MS) was 6 times less than that of mesoporous silica aged for 24 h (MS-24h) due to the hydrophobic nature of modified mesoporous silica, not surface and pore characteristics. The release kinetics of ibuprofen-loaded mesoporous silicas were also investigated in vitro. The release rate of ibuprofen-loaded MS-24h was much faster than that of ibuprofen-loaded TMMS-g-MS, but comparable to the crystalline ibuprofen. The slower release rate was attributed to the diffusion control and the stability of hydrophobic nature of modified silica. This would allow the design of a controlled release drug delivery system.

A maleic anhydride derivative, botryoanhydride (1), and a chromone derivative, botryochromone (2), together with three known chromones, eugenitin (3), 6-hydroxymethyleugenin (4) and 6-methoxymethyleugenin (5), were isolated from cultures of the endophytic fungus BCC 54265 of the family Botryosphaeriaceae. The structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR, HRMS and CD data. Compound 2 showed weak cytotoxic activity to cancer cell-lines.

Ultrasound is an integral part of prenatal interventions. Doppler studies and 3-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) are frequently used to determine whether fetal surgery is required. The operator's experience remains crucial for reducing procedure-related morbidity. Real-time 3DUS (or 4DUS) can simultaneously display the needle tip in three orthogonal planes, providing reassurance that no fetal parts are in the path. In experienced hands, 4DUS guidance may not be more effective than B-mode, but its value for less-experienced operators remains to be determined. Recent developments in needle, shunt, and video endoscopic technologies may compliment the use of image-guided in utero procedures. Future developments of higher-dimensional transducers and image software may improve the utility of ultrasound for invasive obstetric interventions.

Objective: The objective of the study is to compare radiofrequency (RF) effects on fresh placentae with varying levels of sustained time (Ts) and degrees of target temperature (°t)., Method: A total of 108 pieces of fresh placentae were coagulated with a 2-cm RF needle at 60 W in an organ bath. The vertical and horizontal diameters (Vd, Hd) of tissue coagulation visualized by ultrasound were measured. The impacts of 12 different Ts-°t combinations on the ablation size ascertained on pathological examination (Vd p , Hd p ) were compared using 2-way ANOVA. The agreement between sonographic and pathological findings was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis., Results: Considerable changes in the Vd p and Hd p were associated with increasing the Ts and °t. The impact of RF on tissue coagulation was greatest when the °t was set at 100°C, with further destruction as the Ts progressed to 7 minutes of exposure. The ablation size estimated by ultrasound exhibited an overestimation by an average of 5.65% and 21.02% for Vd and Hd, respectively., Conclusion: A prolonged Ts at a higher °t contributes to progressive placental tissue destruction by RF, with maximum destruction at 100°C for 7 minutes in an ex vivo nonperfused placenta. Tissue injury that is apparent on ultrasound may extend beyond pathological damage., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The co-evolution of Orientia tsutsugamushi and its vector/host Leptotrombidium mites is important for this bacterium to survive and exist in its environment. The data in this study demonstrated that O. tsutsugamushi has adapted to take advantage of the parasitic nature of the host's larval stage and thus increase its chance of transmission to a vertebrate host and potentially to other vector mites by increasing its density at the time of transmission. Our data demonstrated that during the larval stage the density of O. tsutsugamushi was at its highest level compared to other life stages (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.0001). We further revealed that the different O. tsutsugamushi 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA) genotypes within the mite were maintained and preserved during transovarial transmission from the Leptotrombidium imphalum, lines Li-3 and Li-5. No sequence difference of 56-kDa TSA gene (variable domain I-III, 765 bp) was observed between the UT302-like genotype found in mothers and their offspring (100% identity). However, one or two nonsynonymous mutations in the 56-kDa TSA gene were observed in the Karp-like genotypes found in the F1 offspring with a percent difference ranging from 0.13 to 0.26 for nucleotide sequences and from 0.39 to 0.78 for amino acid sequences. Additionally, the composition of co-existing O. tsutsugamushi genotypes was maintained in L. imphalum lines through transsovarial and transstadial transmission processes; however, the proportion of these genotypes in each stage varied (larva, nymph, adult). These results show some of the key characteristics of O. tsutsugamushi maintenance within and transmission among its vector/host L. imphalum.