Peri-articular histiocytic sarcoma in Bernese Mountain Dogs : a retrospective investigation of the prevalence of this tumour in association with previously diseases joints

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Phylogeny and ecology of the ubiquitous saprobe Cladosporium sphaerospermum, with descriptions of seven new species from hypersaline environments

Saprobic Cladosporium isolates morphologically similar to C. sphaerospermum are phylogenetically analysed on the basis of DNA sequences of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster, including the internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1 and ITS2, the 5.8S rDNA (ITS) and the small subunit (SSU) rDNA as well as β-tubulin and actin gene introns and exons. Most of the C. sphaerospermum-like species show halotolerance as a recurrent feature. Cladosporium sphaerospermum, which is characterised by almost globose conidia, is redefined on the basis of its ex-neotype culture. Cladosporium dominicanum, C. psychrotolerans, C. velox, C. spinulosum and C. halotolerans, all with globoid conidia, are newly described on the basis of phylogenetic analyses and cryptic morphological and physiological characters. Cladosporium halotolerans was isolated from hypersaline water and bathrooms and detected once on dolphin skin. Cladosporium dominicanum and C. velox were isolated from plant material and hypersaline water. Cladosporium psychrotolerans, which grows well at 4 °C but not at 30 °C, and C. spinulosum, having conspicuously ornamented conidia with long digitate projections, are currently only known from hypersaline water. We also newly describe C. salinae from hypersaline water and C. fusiforme from hypersaline water and animal feed. Both species have ovoid to ellipsoid conidia and are therefore reminiscent of C. herbarum. Cladosporium langeronii (= Hormodendrum langeronii) previously described as a pathogen on human skin, is halotolerant but has not yet been recorded from hypersaline environments

Is there a common water-activity limit for the three domains of life?

Archaea and Bacteria constitute a majority of life systems on Earth but have long been considered inferior to Eukarya in terms of solute tolerance. Whereas the most halophilic prokaryotes are known for an ability to multiply at saturated NaCl (water activity (a w) 0.755) some xerophilic fungi can germinate, usually at high-sugar concentrations, at values as low as 0.650-0.605 a w. Here, we present evidence that halophilic prokayotes can grow down to water activities of <0.755 for Halanaerobium lacusrosei (0.748), Halobacterium strain 004.1 (0.728), Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and Halococcus morrhuae (0.717), Haloquadratum walsbyi (0.709), Halococcus salifodinae (0.693), Halobacterium noricense (0.687), Natrinema pallidum (0.681) and haloarchaeal strains GN-2 and GN-5 (0.635 a w). Furthermore, extrapolation of growth curves (prone to giving conservative estimates) indicated theoretical minima down to 0.611 a w for extreme, obligately halophilic Archaea and Bacteria. These were compared with minima for the most solute-tolerant Bacteria in high-sugar (or other non-saline) media (Mycobacterium spp., Tetragenococcus halophilus, Saccharibacter floricola, Staphylococcus aureus and so on) and eukaryotic microbes in saline (Wallemia spp., Basipetospora halophila, Dunaliella spp. and so on) and high-sugar substrates (for example, Xeromyces bisporus, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Aspergillus and Eurotium spp.). We also manipulated the balance of chaotropic and kosmotropic stressors for the extreme, xerophilic fungi Aspergillus penicilloides and X. bisporus and, via this approach, their established water-activity limits for mycelial growth (∼0.65) were reduced to 0.640. Furthermore, extrapolations indicated theoretical limits of 0.632 and 0.636 a w for A. penicilloides and X. bisporus, respectively. Collectively, these findings suggest that there is a common water-activity limit that is determined by physicochemical constraints for the three domains of life

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials and cochlear microphonics in the HMSN family with auditory neuropathy.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work was to assess the hearing impairment in patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). Elevation of pure tone thresholds in the presence of preserved inner ear function as suggested by cochlear microphonics (CM), absent or markedly abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and elevation of speech perception out of proportion to the pure tone loss were found in the patients. From 28 members of a Gypsy family, we examined two siblings aged 31 and 30 years and their nephew aged 20 years, all suffering from HMSN that was associated with auditory neuropathy. All three affected members with difficulty of understanding speech had following investigations: pure tone and speech audiograms, BAEP, cochlear microphonics, and nerve conduction studies (NCV). RESULTS: the older two siblings had a flat 80 dB audiogram, whereas the younger one has flat 20 dB audiogram on the Lt. ear and 30 dB audiogram on the Rt. ear. All had no speech comprehension and no BAEP. Two patients had preserved cochlear microphonics on one ear. Peripheral nerves were electrically not elicitable, however, at the beginning of the disease nerve conduction was slow. CONCLUSION: in all three affected members with distinct clinical picture of HMSN their hearing impairment was proved to be due to severe auditory neuropathy in the presence of preserved inner ear function

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials and cochlear microphonics in the HMSN family with auditory neuropathy.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work was to assess the hearing impairment in patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). Elevation of pure tone thresholds in the presence of preserved inner ear function as suggested by cochlear microphonics (CM), absent or markedly abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and elevation of speech perception out of proportion to the pure tone loss were found in the patients. From 28 members of a Gypsy family, we examined two siblings aged 31 and 30 years and their nephew aged 20 years, all suffering from HMSN that was associated with auditory neuropathy. All three affected members with difficulty of understanding speech had following investigations: pure tone and speech audiograms, BAEP, cochlear microphonics, and nerve conduction studies (NCV). RESULTS: the older two siblings had a flat 80 dB audiogram, whereas the younger one has flat 20 dB audiogram on the Lt. ear and 30 dB audiogram on the Rt. ear. All had no speech comprehension and no BAEP. Two patients had preserved cochlear microphonics on one ear. Peripheral nerves were electrically not elicitable, however, at the beginning of the disease nerve conduction was slow. CONCLUSION: in all three affected members with distinct clinical picture of HMSN their hearing impairment was proved to be due to severe auditory neuropathy in the presence of preserved inner ear function

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials and cochlear microphonics in the HMSN family with auditory neuropathy.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work was to assess the hearing impairment in patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). Elevation of pure tone thresholds in the presence of preserved inner ear function as suggested by cochlear microphonics (CM), absent or markedly abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and elevation of speech perception out of proportion to the pure tone loss were found in the patients. From 28 members of a Gypsy family, we examined two siblings aged 31 and 30 years and their nephew aged 20 years, all suffering from HMSN that was associated with auditory neuropathy. All three affected members with difficulty of understanding speech had following investigations: pure tone and speech audiograms, BAEP, cochlear microphonics, and nerve conduction studies (NCV). RESULTS: the older two siblings had a flat 80 dB audiogram, whereas the younger one has flat 20 dB audiogram on the Lt. ear and 30 dB audiogram on the Rt. ear. All had no speech comprehension and no BAEP. Two patients had preserved cochlear microphonics on one ear. Peripheral nerves were electrically not elicitable, however, at the beginning of the disease nerve conduction was slow. CONCLUSION: in all three affected members with distinct clinical picture of HMSN their hearing impairment was proved to be due to severe auditory neuropathy in the presence of preserved inner ear function

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials and cochlear microphonics in the HMSN family with auditory neuropathy.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work was to assess the hearing impairment in patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). Elevation of pure tone thresholds in the presence of preserved inner ear function as suggested by cochlear microphonics (CM), absent or markedly abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and elevation of speech perception out of proportion to the pure tone loss were found in the patients. From 28 members of a Gypsy family, we examined two siblings aged 31 and 30 years and their nephew aged 20 years, all suffering from HMSN that was associated with auditory neuropathy. All three affected members with difficulty of understanding speech had following investigations: pure tone and speech audiograms, BAEP, cochlear microphonics, and nerve conduction studies (NCV). RESULTS: the older two siblings had a flat 80 dB audiogram, whereas the younger one has flat 20 dB audiogram on the Lt. ear and 30 dB audiogram on the Rt. ear. All had no speech comprehension and no BAEP. Two patients had preserved cochlear microphonics on one ear. Peripheral nerves were electrically not elicitable, however, at the beginning of the disease nerve conduction was slow. CONCLUSION: in all three affected members with distinct clinical picture of HMSN their hearing impairment was proved to be due to severe auditory neuropathy in the presence of preserved inner ear function