The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an essential component of human civilization because of its long global history of use in food and beverage fermentation. However, the diversity and ...evolutionary history of the domesticated populations of the yeast remain elusive. We show here that China/Far East Asia is likely the center of origin of the domesticated populations of the species. The domesticated populations form two major groups associated with solid- and liquid-state fermentation and appear to have originated from heterozygous ancestors, which were likely formed by outcrossing between diverse wild isolates primitively for adaptation to maltose-rich niches. We found consistent gene expansion and contraction in the whole domesticated population, as well as lineage-specific genome variations leading to adaptation to different environments. We show a nearly panoramic view of the diversity and life history of S. cerevisiae and provide new insights into the origin and evolution of the species.
The wild yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus has become a new model in ecology and evolutionary biology. Different lineages of S. paradoxus have been recognized across the world, but the distribution and ...genetic diversity of the species remain unknown in China, where the origin of its sibling species S. cerevisiae lies. In this study, we investigated the ecological and geographic distribution of S. paradoxus through an extensive field survey in China and performed population genomic analysis on a set of S. paradoxus strains, including 27 strains, representing different geographic and ecological origins within China, and 59 strains representing all the known lineages of the species recognized in the other regions of the world so far. We found two distinct lineages of S. paradoxus in China. The majority of the Chinese strains studied belong to the Far East lineage, and six strains belong to a novel highly diverged lineage. The distribution of these two lineages overlaps ecologically and geographically in temperate to subtropical climate zones in China. With the addition of the new China lineage, the Eurasian population of S. paradoxus exhibits higher genetic diversity than the American population. We observed more possible lineage‐specific introgression events from the Eurasian lineages than from the American lineages. Our results expand the knowledge on ecology, genetic diversity, biogeography, and evolution of S. paradoxus.
Take away
S. paradoxus is distributed in temperate to subtropical climate zones in China.
A novel highly diverged ancient lineage of S. paradoxus is identified.
S. paradoxus exhibits higher genetic diversity in Eurasia than in America.
Saccharomyces paradoxus is distributed in temperate to subtropical climate zones in China. Chinese S. paradoxus strains cluster with the Far East lineage and a novel highly diverged lineage. The Eurasian population of S. paradoxus exhibits higher genetic diversity and more possible HGT/introgression events than the American population.
Lager-brewing arose in 15th century Bavaria 1 and is nowadays the most popular technique for alcoholic beverage production in the world. The technique is characterized by low temperature fermentation ...using the domesticated yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus (synonym S. carlsbergensis). It has been clear that the lager yeast is a hybrid with one portion of its genome having originated from S. cerevisiae ale yeast 2. However, the source of the non-ale subgenome, which endows lager yeast with cold tolerance, had been a matter of debate 3. Recently, a Patagonian origin hypothesis of lager yeast has been proposed based on the discovery of a new cryotolerant Saccharomyces species from Patagonian native forests of Argentina 4. This yeast, named S. eubayanus, exhibited the closest known match (99.56%) to the non-ale portion of lager yeast and, thus, was believed to be its progenitor. However, we now show that this yeast species is likely native to the Tibetan Plateau. One of the Tibetan populations of the species exhibits closer affinity with lager yeast than the Patagonian population as inferred from population genetics and genome sequence analyses. We thus provide strong evidence for a Far East Asian origin hypothesis of lager yeast, which apparently corresponds better with geography and world trade history.
Bing et al. pinpoint the origin of yeast used for lager brewing to Asia.
The amylolytic yeast
Saccharomycopsis fibuligera
is a predominant species in starters and the early fermentation stage of Chinese liquor (Baijiu). However, the genetic diversity of the species ...remains largely unknown. Here we sequenced the genomes of 97
S. fibuligera
strains from different Chinese Baijiu companies. The genetic diversity and population structure of the strains were analyzed based on 1,133 orthologous genes and the whole genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Four main lineages were recognized. One lineage contains 60 Chinese strains which are exclusively homozygous with relatively small genome sizes (18.55–18.72 Mb) and low sequence diversity. The strains clustered in the other three lineages are heterozygous with larger genomes (21.85–23.72 Mb) and higher sequence diversity. The genomes of the homozygous strains showed nearly 100% coverage with the genome of the reference strain KPH12 and the sub-genome A of the hybrid strain KJJ81 at the above 98% sequence identity level. The genomes of the heterozygous strains showed nearly 80% coverage with both the sub-genome A and the whole genome of KJJ81, suggesting that the Chinese heterozygous strains are also hybrids with nearly 20% genomes from an unidentified source. Eighty-three genes were found to show significant copy number variation between different lineages. However, remarkable lineage specific variations in glucoamylase and α-amylase activities and growth profiles in different carbon sources and under different environmental conditions were not observed, though strains exhibiting relatively high glucoamylase activity were mainly found from the homozygous lineage.
Objective:
To confirm the benefits of whole-body vibration exercise for pain intensity and functional disability in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.
Design:
Single-blind randomized ...controlled trial.
Setting:
Outpatient.
Subjects:
Eighty-nine patients with non-specific chronic low back pain met the inclusion criteria, they were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 45) or the control group (n = 44).
Intervention:
The intervention group received whole-body vibration exercises three times a week for 12 weeks. The control group received general exercise protocol three times a week for 12 weeks.
Main outcomes:
The primary outcome measures were pain intensity and functional disability measured by the visual analog scale scores and Oswestry Disability Index. The secondary outcome measures included lumbar joint position sense, quality of life (Short Form Health Survey 36) and overall treatment effect (Global Perceived Effect).
Results:
A total of 84 subjects completed the 12-week study program. After 12 weeks, compared with the control group, the mean visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores decreased by additional 1 point (95% confidence interval (CI) = –1.22 to −0.78; P < 0.001), 3.81 point (95% CI, −4.98, −2.63; P < 0.001) based on adjusted analysis in the intervention group. And the intervention group provided additional beneficial effects for in terms of lumbar joint position sense (P < 0.05), quality of life (P < 0.05), and Global Perceived Effect (P = 0.012).
Conclusion:
The study demonstrated that whole-body vibration exercise could provide more benefits than general exercise for relieving pain and improving functional disability in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.
Abstract
Five yeast strains isolated from tree bark and rotten wood collected in central and southwestern China, together with four Brazilian strains (three from soil and rotting wood collected in an ...Amazonian rainforest biome and one from Bromeliad collected in Alagoas state) and one Costa Rican strain isolated from a flower beetle, represent a new species closely related with
Yueomyces sinensis
in
Saccharomycetaceae
, as revealed by the 26S ribosomal RNA gene D1/D2 domain and the internal transcribed spacer region sequence analysis. The name
Yueomyces silvicola
sp. nov. is proposed for this new species with the holotype China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center 2.6469 (= Japan Collection of Microorganisms 34885). The new species exhibits a whole‐genome average nucleotide identity value of 77.8% with
Y. sinensis
. The two
Yueomyces
species shared unique physiological characteristics of being unable to utilize ammonium and the majority of the amino acids, including glutamate and glutamine, as sole nitrogen sources. Among the 20 amino acids tested, only leucine and tyrosine can be utilized by the
Yueomyces
species. Genome sequence comparison showed that
GAT1
, which encodes a GATA family protein participating in transcriptional activation of nitrogen‐catabolic genes in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, is absent in the
Yueomyces
species. However, the failure of the
Yueomyces
species to utilize ammonium, glutamate, and glutamine, which are generally preferred nitrogen sources for microorganisms, implies that more complicated alterations in the central nitrogen metabolism pathway might occur in the genus
Yueomyces
.
Take‐away
Yueomyces silvicola
sp. nov. occurs in tropical and subtropical forests worldwide.
Yueomyes
species are unable to utilize ammonium and can utilize only leucine and tyrosine among the 20 amino acids tested.
Yueomyces
species lack
GAT1
, which encodes an activator of nitrogen‐catabolic genes.
The negative glutamate and glutamine assimilation imply more complicated alterations in the central nitrogen metabolism pathway in
Yueomyces
.
The newly launched Fengyun-3D (FY-3D) satellite carried a wide-field auroral imager (WAI) that was developed by Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences ...(CIOMP), which will provide a large field of view (FOV), high spatial resolution, and broadband ultraviolet images of the aurora and the ionosphere by imaging the N
LBH bands of emissions. The WAI consists of two identical cameras, each with an FOV of 68° in the along-track direction and 10° in the cross-track direction. The two cameras are tilted relative to each other to cover a fan-shaped field of size 130° × 10°. Each camera consists of an unobstructed four-mirror anastigmatic optical system, a BaF
filter, and a photon-counting imaging detector. The spatial resolution of WAI is ~10 km at the nadir point at a reference height of 110 km above the Earth's surface. The sensitivity is >0.01 counts s
Rayleigh
pixel
(140-180 nm) for both cameras, which is sufficient for mapping the boundaries and the fine structures of the auroral oval during storms/substorms. Based on the tests and calibrations that were conducted prior to launch, the data processing algorithm includes photon signal decoding, geometric distortion correction, photometric correction, flat-field correction, line-of-sight projection and correction, and normalization between the two cameras. Preliminarily processed images are compared with DMSP SSUSI images. The agreement between the images that were captured by two instruments demonstrates that the WAI and the data processing algorithm operate normally and can provide high-quality scientific data for future studies on auroral dynamics.
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•Microbial communities and their correlation with flavor compound formation during the mechanized production of light-flavor Baijiu were first recognized.•The physicochemical ...characteristics and microbial community succession of mechanized and traditional fermentation process are different, especially during the soaking process.•Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus were found to be the most important fungal and bacterial groups during both the mechanized and traditional fermentation process.•Saccharomyces, Naumovozyma, Hanseniaspora, Kazachstania, Lactobacillus, and Acetilactobacillus were found to be the main contributors to the formation of alcohol, acidity and other flavor compounds.
Light-flavor Baijiu fermentation is a typical spontaneous solid-state fermentation process fueled by a variety of microorganisms. Mechanized processes have been increasingly employed in Baijiu production to replace traditional manual operation processes, however, the microbiological and physicochemical dynamics in mechanized processes remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the microbial community succession and flavor compound formation during a whole mechanized fermentation process of light-flavor Baijiu using the conventional dilution plating method, PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that largely different fungal and bacterial communities were involved in the soaking and fermentation processes. A clear succession from Pantoea agglomerans to Bacillus (B.) smithii and B. coagulans in dominant bacterial species and from Cladosporium exasperatum to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lichtheimia ramosa in dominant fungal species occurred in the soaking processes. In the fermentation process, the most dominant bacterial species was shifted from Pantoea agglomerans to Lactobacillus (La.) acetotolerans and the most dominant fungal species were shifted from Lichtheimia ramose and Rhizopus arrhizus to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The bacterial and fungal species positively associated with acidity and the formation of ethanol and different flavor compounds were specified. The microbial species exhibited strong co-occurrence or co-exclusion relationships were also identified. The results are helpful for the improvement of mechanized fermentation process of light-flavor Baijiu production.
Objectives
To develop a CT-based radiomics model for preoperative prediction of lymph node (LN) metastasis in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA).
Methods
The study enrolled consecutive pCCA patients ...from three independent Chinese medical centers. The Boruta algorithm was applied to build the radiomics signature for the primary tumor and LN. The k-means algorithm was employed to cluster the selected LNs based on the radiomics signature LN. Support vector machines were used to construct the prediction models. The diagnostic efficiency was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The optimal model was evaluated in terms of calibration, clinical usefulness, and prognostic value.
Results
A total of 214 patients were included in the study (mean age: 61.6 years ± 9.4; 130 male). The selected LNs were classified into two clusters, which were significantly correlated with LN metastasis in all cohorts (
p
< 0.001). The model incorporated the clinical risk factors, radiomics signature primary tumor, and the LN cluster obtained the best discrimination, with AUC values of 0.981 (95% CI: 0.962–1), 0.896 (95% CI: 0.810–0.982), and 0.865 (95% CI: 0.768–0.961) in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. High-risk patients predicted by the optimal model had shorter overall survival than low-risk patients (median, 13.7 vs. 27.3 months,
p
< 0.001).
Conclusions
The study proposed a radiomics model with good performance to predict LN metastasis in pCCA. As a noninvasive preoperative prediction tool, this model may help in patient risk stratification and personalized treatment.
Clinical relevance statement
A CT-based radiomics model accurately predicts lymph node metastasis in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients. This noninvasive preoperative tool can aid in patient risk stratification and personalized treatment, potentially improving patient outcomes.
Key Points
• The radiomics model based on contrast-enhanced CT is a useful tool for preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.
• Radiomics features extracted from lymph nodes show great potential for predicting lymph node metastasis.
• The study is the first to identify a lymph node phenotype with a high probability of metastasis based on radiomics.
Objective
To review the effectiveness of different physical therapies for acute and sub-acute low back pain supported by evidence, and create clinical recommendations and expert consensus for ...physiotherapists on clinical prescriptions.
Data sources
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and the Cochrane Library for studies published within the previous 15 years.
Review methods
Systematic review and meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials assessing patients with acute and sub-acute low back pain were included. Two reviewers independently screened relevant studies using the same inclusion criteria. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database and the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews tool were used to grade the quality assessment of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, respectively. The final recommendation grades were based on the consensus discussion results of the Delphi of 22 international experts.
Results
Twenty-one systematic reviews and 21 randomized controlled trials were included. Spinal manipulative therapy and low-level laser therapy are recommended for acute low back pain. Core stability exercise/motor control, spinal manipulative therapy, and massage can be used to treat sub-acute low back pain.
Conclusions
The consensus statements provided medical staff with appliable recommendations of physical therapy for acute and sub-acute low back pain. This consensus statement will require regular updates after 5–10 years.