Clinical and Treatment Aspects of Brown–Black Fungi

Brown–black (or dematiaceous) fungi are responsible for a wide variety of infectious syndromes in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, including local infections, allergic disease, pneumonia, brain abscess, and disseminated infection. They are distinct from the more common hyaline molds, Aspergillus and Fusarium, that cause human disease. They are often found in soil and generally distributed worldwide. In recent years, these fungi have been increasingly recognized as important pathogens. Dematiaceous fungi may have unique pathogenic mechanisms owing to the presence of melanin in their cell walls, which imparts the characteristic dark color to their spores and hyphae. Diagnosis rests on careful microscopic and pathologic examination, as there are no specific laboratory tests to reliably identify these fungi. Therapy depends upon the clinical syndrome, although disseminated infection often has high mortality. Triazoles such as voriconazole, posaconazole, and itraconazole are the most active antifungal agents available. Further studies are needed to better understand the pathogenesis and optimal treatment of these uncommon infections.     

Efficacy of different types of aerobic exercise in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Introduction  

The efficacy and the optimal type and volume of aerobic exercise (AE) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are not established. We therefore assessed the efficacy of different types and volumes of AE in FMS.     

Ecosystem Perspective of Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in India and Relevance in Policy

Millions of people living in India are at risk by consuming arsenic contaminated groundwater. Several technological solutions have failed to address the problem due to segmental approaches, resulting in human suffering for a period of three decades. The article is based on an analysis of arsenic-related health problems from an ecosystem perspective through a primary survey conducted in five arsenic affected villages in the state of West Bengal and review of existing research and policy documents. Although modern agricultural practices and drinking water policies have resulted in arsenic contamination of groundwater, current mitigation policy is essentially confined to biomedical approaches, which includes potable water supply and medical care. The study also shows that existing disparity, difficulty in coping, inaccessibility to health service and potable water supply and lack of participation in decision making have resulted in more suffering among the poor. On the other hand, spreading of arsenic contamination in the ecosystem remains unabated. Foods grown in the affected area have emerged as additional sources of exposure to humans. There is lack of evidence of any perceivable benefits due to sustainable agriculture, as present nature of agriculture practice is essentially driven by crop yield only. Further research is needed to generate credible evidence of alternative agriculture paradigms that may eventually reduce body burden of arsenic through reduced dependency on groundwater.     

Development and characterization of 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the aphidophagous gall midge, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphidoletes aphidimyza</Emphasis> (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

We have developed and characterized 21 microsatellite markers in the aphidophagous gall midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). All 21 loci tested were polymorphic: the number of alleles ranged from 2 to 17. Allelic richness and observed heterozygosities were higher in females than in males. Several loci had no heterozygosity in males, suggesting that the loci were located on sex chromosomes or E-chromosomes, common to cecidomyiids. The high polymorphism detected in this study suggests the markers will be of value in analyzing genetic structure of field populations.     

Effects of hydrogen peroxide on the content of major volatile halogenated compounds in the red alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Asparagopsis taxiformis</Emphasis> (Bonnemaisoniaceae)

The genus Asparagopsis is a prolific source of halogenated metabolites. Due to its commercial applications, it has been intensively cultivated in southern Portugal. In the present study, we assess if the internal levels of the major halogenated metabolites (bromoform and dibromoacetic acid) in Asparagopsis taxiformis can be increased with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) addition. Previous studies with red algae showed that the production/release of bromoform can be enhanced by exogenously supplying H₂O₂. However, no study has assessed if H₂O₂ supply enhances the content of secondary metabolites within the biomass. This detail is important as the objective of the proposed research is to enhance the content of these valuable metabolites in the produced biomass. Both the activity of the haloperoxidase enzyme and the metabolite content were assessed on short-term and long-term incubation periods to H₂O₂. To determine the susceptibility of A. taxiformis photosynthetic performance to the imposed oxidative stress, the in vivo fluorescence of photosystem II was monitored. A. taxiformis was shown to be physiologically vulnerable to H₂O₂, given the observed decrease of the maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (F _v/F _m). Contrary to what was expected, the presence of H₂O₂ inhibited the activity of the iodoperoxidase enzyme. Nevertheless, the extracted halogenated metabolites were higher over the first hours of exposure to H₂O₂, decreasing after 48 h. These results are probably related to the prosthetic group of the halogenated enzyme in A. taxiformis and the long-term oxidative stress damage of H₂O₂ exposure. Considering the objective of the proposed research, addition of H₂O₂ to the cultures, prior (3 h) to biomass harvesting, increases the metabolite content.