One-day-old chicks are susceptible to infection by strains of Salmonella enterica subspecies. Because multistrain probiotics are suggested to be more effective than monostrain probiotics due to the additive and synergistic effects, in this study, we prepared a multistrain formula A (MFA) consisting of 4 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains selected by enhancing the TNF-α production for mouse macrophage 264.7 cells. The antagonistic effect of this MFA against the cecal colonization, viscera invasiveness, as well as the inflammation of 1-d-old chicks challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium were then assayed. One-day-old chicks were fed with MFA from d 1 to d 3, and on d 4, chicks were challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium (200 μL, 10(6) cfu/mL). The livers, spleens, and cecal tonsils of chicks were then removed on d 3 and 6 postinfection. Compared with the multistrain formula B (MFB) which consisted of LAB strains selected at random, the efficacy of MFA to reduce the Salmonella counts recovered from the cecal tonsils, spleens, and livers of chicks were significantly higher. Moreover, when the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-γ, and anti-inflmmatory cytokine, that is, IL-10, in cecal tonsils were measured by reverse-transcription real-time quantitative PCR; it was found that chicks fed with MFA for 3 d had lower levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ and a higher level of IL-10 in the cecal tonsils of chicks as compared with those of the chicks fed with MFB or without LAB. These results suggest that multistrain probiotics consisting of LAB strains selected by immunomodulatory activity and adherence are more effective than those consisting of strains selected at random in antagonistic effect against Salmonella colonization, invasion, and the induced inflammation.

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Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. Its calyxes are rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins and are used to make roselle drink and hibiscus tea. Roselles are grown in counties of Taitung, Pingtung, and Chiayi in Taiwan. In addition to a few local cultivars, the major cultivar currently grown in Taiwan is Roselle cv. Victor. In April of 2012, a wilt disease appeared on seedlings of a cultivar, Chiada 1, at the Chungpu Township of Chiayi County. Mature plants were free from this disease. Leaves appeared weak and drooping when they were still green, followed by collapse of the whole plant a few days later. Browning of vascular and pith tissues was evident, especially at the base of the stem. A whitish mass of bacteria oozed from the cut end of diseased stems, suggesting that bacteria might be the cause of this disease. A total of 15 bacterial strains were collected. Colonies on tetrazolium chloride medium (3) were round to oval and fluidal, each with a pink or red center after incubation at 30°C for 48 h. When tobacco leaves were infiltrated with these strains, a hypersensitive reaction (HR) typical of phytopathogenic bacteria was induced. All strains produced the expected amplicon (282 bp) after PCR with the Ralstonia solanacearum-specific primer pair, AU759f and AU760r (4). Three hexose alcohols (mannitol, sorbitol, and dulcitol), rather than three disaccharides (lactose, maltose, and cellobiose), were utilized, which suggests R. solanacearum biovar 4 (2). R. solanacearum phylotype I was determined by phylotype-specific multiplex PCR (1). Pathogenicity of the strains was tested on roselle, tomato, pepper, and eggplant. Young plants of the various species were inoculated at the four- to six-leaf stage by soil drenching with 30 ml of bacterial suspension (about 108 CFU/ml). Control plants were inoculated with sterile water. Each treatment comprised eight plants with a single plant in each pot. Plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 25 to 31°C and 56 to 93% humidity. Wilting was observed 4 to 6 days after inoculation, while the control did not wilt. To find the correlation between plant growth stage and resistance to the pathogen, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-week-old roselle plants cv. Chiada 1 were transplanted into artificially infested soil. Eight plants in each treatment were planted with a single plant in each pot. The disease incidences for plants of different ages were 75%, 62.5%, 50%, and 12.5%, respectively. This study showed that resistance increases with plant age. Hence, if older seedlings are transplanted, the risk of bacterial wilt of roselle can be reduced. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. solanacearum on roselle in Taiwan. References: (1) M. Fegan and P. Prior. Bacterial Wilt Disease and the Ralstonia solanacearum Species Complex, page 449. C. Allen et al., eds. The American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 2005. (2) A. C. Hayward. J. Appl. Bacteriol. 27:265, 1964. (3) A. Kelman. Phytopathology 44:693, 1954. (4) N. Opina et al. Asia Pac. J. Mol. Biol. Biotechnol. 5:19, 1997.

Paratrichaptum accuratum is a large conspicuous polypore fungus growing on dead or living angiosperm trees in subtropical-boreal areas of China, Indonesia, Japan, and Taiwan. The present study places P. accuratum in the family Gloeophyllaceae that belongs to the order Gloeophyllales within Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota), based on evidence derived from morphological and ecological characteristics, and phylogenetic analyses of sequences of nuclear rDNA regions (5.8S, nuc 18S, nuc 28S) and protein-coding genes (rpb1, rpb2, and tef1). The analyses presented in this study also give strong support for including Jaapia in Gloeophyllaceae and Gloeophyllales. Thus, the names Jaapiaceae and Jaapiales are considered here as synonyms of Gloeophyllaceae and Gloeophyllales. Since Paratrichaptum represents the earliest diverging lineage in Gloeophyllales, pileate basidiocarps and brown rot appear to be ancestral states of Gloeophyllales. Paratrichaptum accuratum may represent a relic species, according to its phylogenetic position, peculiar distribution pattern and rare occurrence.

Tatu Estuary is an ecological area where economical, cultural, leisure and academic research potentials are enormous. Recent researches indicated that the water quality of the upper streams remained at safety conditions. However, the water body of the downstream sections starting from the outfall of the Taiwan Chemical Fabric Company (TCFC) effluent has been seriously polluted. Due to the effect of tidal flow in this area of the river, it has been very difficult for the accumulated pollutants to dispel and the situation has reached a severe level. This study proposed that legislation should be established in order to reduce and to control the industrial wastes entering the river. To cope with the effort in environmental conservation, it is hoped that water resources of Tatu Chi (River) can be used more effectively.