Diagnostic and therapeutic assessment by telephone electrocardiographic monitoring of ambulatory patients.

The electrocardiograms of ambulatory patients have been monitored over the telephone by staff of the intensive cardiac care unit using equipment in the unit. Telephone monitoring is a useful way of diagnosing transient symptomatic arrhythmias and a reliable aid in supervising the patient''s rhythm at the beginning or end of treatment. The doctor has direct contact with the patient at the time of his symptoms so that he can reassure or instruct him. This system costs relatively little in manpower and equipment and permits relatively long periods of follow-up. It is effective, however, only in symptomatic cases in which the rate or rhythm disturbances last long enough to be transmitted. Also important are the negative findings when the patient complains of symptoms and abnormal findings during routine telephone transmissions. Accurate detection of transient ischaemic changes seems to be less reliable, and further technical improvements are required.     

Four novel species of the anamorphic yeast genus Candida found in Thailand and Taiwan

Four strains of yeasts isolated in Thailand and Taiwan were found to represent four distinct novel species of the ascomycetous anamorphic yeast genus Candida. These strains are located in the Clavispora-Metschnikowia clade in a phylogenetic tree based on the D1/D2 domain sequences of the large subunit rRNA genes. Together with Candida picinguabensis and Candida saopaulonensis, the four novel species constitute a well-separated subclade from other species of the Clavispora-Metschnikowia clade. Three species from Thailand are described as Candida bambusicola sp. nov. (type strain, ST-50(T) = BCC 7750(T) = NBRC 106734(T) = CBS 11723(T)), Candida nongkhaiensis sp. nov. (type strain, ST-95(T) = BCC 8331(T) = NBRC 105874(T) =CBS 11724(T)) and Candida succicola sp. nov. (type strain, ST-631(T) = BCC 15314(T) = NBRC 106736(T) = CBS 11726(T)), respectively, and the species from Taiwan is described as Candida touchengensis sp. nov. (type strain, SY4S03(T) = NBRC 102647(T) = BCRC 23097(T) = CBS 10585(T)).     

High-resolution copy-number variation map reflects human olfactory receptor diversity and evolution

Olfactory receptors (ORs), which are involved in odorant recognition, form the largest mammalian protein superfamily. The genomic content of OR genes is considerably reduced in humans, as reflected by the relatively small repertoire size and the high fraction ( approximately 55%) of human pseudogenes. Since several recent low-resolution surveys suggested that OR genomic loci are frequently affected by copy-number variants (CNVs), we hypothesized that CNVs may play an important role in the evolution of the human olfactory repertoire. We used high-resolution oligonucleotide tiling microarrays to detect CNVs across 851 OR gene and pseudogene loci. Examining genomic DNA from 25 individuals with ancestry from three populations, we identified 93 OR gene loci and 151 pseudogene loci affected by CNVs, generating a mosaic of OR dosages across persons. Our data suggest that approximately 50% of the CNVs involve more than one OR, with the largest CNV spanning 11 loci. In contrast to earlier reports, we observe that CNVs are more frequent among OR pseudogenes than among intact genes, presumably due to both selective constraints and CNV formation biases. Furthermore, our results show an enrichment of CNVs among ORs with a close human paralog or lacking a one-to-one ortholog in chimpanzee. Interestingly, among the latter we observed an enrichment in CNV losses over gains, a finding potentially related to the known diminution of the human OR repertoire. Quantitative PCR experiments performed for 122 sampled ORs agreed well with the microarray results and uncovered 23 additional CNVs. Importantly, these experiments allowed us to uncover nine common deletion alleles that affect 15 OR genes and five pseudogenes. Comparison to the chimpanzee reference genome revealed that all of the deletion alleles are human derived, therefore indicating a profound effect of human-specific deletions on the individual OR gene content. Furthermore, these deletion alleles may be used in future genetic association studies of olfactory inter-individual differences.     

Candida sirachaensis sp. nov. and Candida sakaeoensis sp. nov. two anamorphic yeast species from phylloplane in Thailand

Three strains (LM008^T, LM068 and LM078^T), representing two novel yeast species were isolated from the phylloplane of three plant species by an enrichment technique. On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and the sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene and the internal spacer region, the three strains were assigned as two novel Candida species. Strain LM008^T was assigned to be Candida sirachaensis sp. nov. (type strain LM008^T = BCC 47628^T = NBRC 108605^T CBS 12094^T) in the Starmerella clade. Two strains (LM068 and LM078^T) represent a single species in the Lodderomyces-Spathaspora clade for which the name Candida sakaeoensis sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain LM078^T = BCC 47632^T = NBRC 108895^T = CBS 12318^T.     

Candida kazuoi sp. nov. and Candida hasegawae sp. nov., two new species of ascomycetous anamorphic yeasts isolated from insect frass in Thailand

Two strains of anamorphic yeasts isolated from insect frass collected in southern Thailand were assigned to the genus Candida based on the conventional taxonomic criteria used for yeast classification. In the phylogenetic tree based on the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA, these strains are distant from the known species of yeasts and considered to represent two different new species. They are named Candida kazuoi sp. nov. and Candida hasegawae sp. nov.     

Comprehensive dataset of mangrove tree weights in Southeast Asia

We assembled a dataset tabulating the weights of Thai and Indonesian mangrove trees that we measured between 1982 and 2001. We selected four Thai study sites in Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun, and Trat Provinces and one site in eastern Indonesia on Halmahera Island in Maluku Province. The stands in Ranong Province and on Halmahera Island were in primary forests with data collected in the 1980s and the remaining stands were in secondary forests with data collected later. We collected 124 tree samples from ten species (Avicennia alba, Bruguiera cylindrica, B. gymnorrhiza, Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata, Sonneratia alba, S. caseolaris, Xylocarpus granatum, and X. moluccensis) and measured the root weights of 32 individuals of nine species (A. alba, B. cylindrica, B. gymnorrhiza, C. tagal, R. apiculata, R. mucronata, S. alba, S. caseolaris, and X. granatum). All sampled trees were subjected to a standardized protocol to obtain aboveground weights. The trunks were divided into horizontal segments from which the leaves and branches were collected separately. Roots were collected by winching them out of the ground, by trench digging, or by complete excavation. Thus, we were able to compile the weights of the trunk, branches, leaves, and roots of each tree sampled. Aerial roots were included in root weight measurements, although they were collected above ground. We compiled separate lists of trunk diameters, trunk heights, heights of the lowest living branches, and the heights of aerial roots on the trunks of trees in different size categories. Our dataset includes a wide range of tree sizes (maximum trunk diameter 48.9 cm), geographical locations (1°10′N–12°24′N, 98°32′E–123°49′E) and organ weights (trunks, branches, leaves, and roots), and therefore should prove useful in future biomass studies of mangrove forests.     

Fine root production in three zones of secondary mangrove forest in eastern Thailand

Key message

High root productions, especially in the fine roots, estimated by ingrowth cores were confirmed in mangrove forests. The zonal variation in root production was caused by inundation regime and soil temperature.

Abstract

Mangrove forests have high net primary productivity (NPP), and it is well known that these trees allocate high amounts of biomass to their root systems. In particular, fine root production (FRP) comprises a large component of the NPP. However, information on root production remains scarce. We studied FRP in three zones (Avicennia, Rhizophora, and Xylocarpus) of a mangrove forest in eastern Thailand using ingrowth cores (0–30 cm of soil depth). The root biomass and necromass were periodically harvested from the cores and weighed during the one-year study. The FRP was determined by summation of the fine root biomass (FRB) and root necromass. The results showed that the FRB clearly increased in the wet and cool dry seasons. Magnitude of FRB in the Rhizophora and Xylocarpus zones was 1171.07 and 764.23 g/m²/30 cm, respectively. The lowest FRB (292.74 g/m²/30 cm) was recorded in the Avicennia zone locating on the river edge where there is a greater frequency of inundation than the other zones. Root necromass was high in the Rhizophora and Xylocarpus zones, and accumulated noticeably when soil temperatures rapidly declined during the middle of the wet season to cool dry season. However, root necromass in the Avicennia zone varied within a small range. We attributed the small accumulation of root necromass in the Avicennia zone to the relative high soil temperature that likely caused a high root decomposition rate. The average FRP (3.403–4.079 ton/ha/year) accounted for 74.4, 81.5, and 92.4 % of the total root production in the Avicennia, Rhizophora, and Xylocarpus zone, respectively. The root production and causative factors (i.e., soil temperature and inundation regime) are discussed in relation to the carbon cycle of a mangrove forest.

     

Torulaspora maleeae sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast species from Japan and Thailand

Nine strains of a new Torulaspora species were isolated from natural samples collected in Japan and Thailand including one strain obtained from a leaf of Rhizophora stylosa (NBRC 11061T), one strain from soil (NBRC 11062), six strains from mosses (ST-14, ST-266, ST-510, ST-511, ST-513 and ST-581) and one strain from sediment in mangrove forest (RV-51). On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and the sequence analyses of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) (ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2) region, the nine strains were found to represent a single novel species of the genus Torulaspora, which were named Torulaspora maleeae sp. nov. The type strain is NBRC 11061T (BCC 25515T=CBS 10694T). In the phylogenetic trees based on the sequences of the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene, T. maleeae showed a close relationship with the five recognized species of the genus Torulaspora, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora franciscae, Torulaspora globosa, Torulaspora microellipsoides and Torulaspora pretoriensis. Torulaspora maleeae differed from the five recognized species of the genus Torulaspora by six to 12 nucleotide substitutions (1.1-2.1%) in the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene and by 6.4-11.7% nucleotide substitutions in the ITS (ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2) region.     

Three anamorphic yeast species Candida sanitii sp. nov., Candida sekii sp. nov. and Candida suwanaritii, three novel yeasts in the Saturnispora clade isolated in Thailand

Nine strains of three novel anamorphic yeast species were obtained from samples collected in Thailand including six strains (RV96, RV152, R14, RS9, RS58 and EA1) obtained from estuarine waters collected from two mangrove forests, one strain (ST84) from insect frass and two strains (SR16 and UB13) from forest soils. On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and the sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene, the nine strains were found to represent three novel Candida species in the Saturnispora clade. Five strains (RV96, RV152, R14, RS9 and RS58) were assigned as a single novel species, which was named Candida sanitii sp. nov. The type strain is RV152^T (BCC 25967^T=NBRC 103864^T=CBS 10864^T). Strain EA1 was named as Candida suwanaritii sp. nov. The type strain is EA1^T (BCC 29900^T=NBRC 104877^T=CBS 11021^T). Three strains (ST84, SR16 and UB13) represented another novel species, for which Candida sekii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ST84^T (BCC 8320^T=NBRC 105671^T=CBS 10931^T).