Microsporidia as a Potential Threat to the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Lynx pardinus is one of the world’s most endangered felines inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula. The present study was performed to identify the presence of microsporidia due to the mortality increase in lynxes. Samples of urine (n = 124), feces (n = 52), and tissues [spleen (n = 13), brain (n = 9), liver (n = 11), and kidney (n = 10)] from 140 lynxes were studied. The determination of microsporidia was evaluated using Weber’s chromotrope stain and Real Time-PCR. Of the lynxes analyzed, stains showed 10.48% and 50% positivity in urine and feces samples, respectively. PCR confirmed that 7.69% and 65.38% belonged to microsporidia species. The imprints of the tissues showed positive results in the spleen (38.46%), brain (22.22%), and liver (27.27%), but negative results in the kidneys. PCR confirmed positive microsporidia results in 61.53%, 55.55%, 45.45%, and 50%, respectively. Seroprevalence against Encephalitozoon cuniculi was also studied in 138 serum samples with a positivity of 55.8%. For the first time, the results presented different species of microsporidia in the urine, feces, and tissue samples of Lynx pardinus. The high titers of anti-E. cuniculi antibodies in lynx sera confirmed the presence of microsporidia in the lynx environment. New studies are needed to establish the impact of microsporidia infection on the survival of the Iberian lynx

Proposed nomenclature for Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and related genera

As a result of fundamental changes in the International Code of Nomenclature on the use of separate names for sexual and asexual stages of fungi, generic names of many groups should be reconsidered. Members of the ECMM/ISHAM working group on Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium infections herein advocate a novel nomenclature for genera and species in Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and allied taxa. The generic names Parascedosporium, Lomentospora, Petriella, Petriellopsis, and Scedosporium are proposed for a lineage within Microascaceae with mostly Scedosporium anamorphs producing slimy, annellidic conidia. Considering that Scedosporium has priority over Pseudallescheria and that Scedosporium prolificans is phylogenetically distinct from the other Scedosporium species, some name changes are proposed. Pseudallescheria minutispora and Petriellidium desertorum are renamed as Scedosporium minutisporum and S. desertorum, respectively. Scedosporium prolificans is renamed as Lomentospora prolificans

GIS platform on main natural hazards for Valparaiso City (Chile) and vulnerability studies for some historical constructions and urban sectors

The Project \u201cMAR VASTO\u201d (\u201cRisk Management in Valpara\uedso/Manejo de Riesgos en Valpara\uedso, Servicios T\ue9cnicos\u201d) started in March 2007. It is managed by ENEA, with the participation of Italian and Chilean partners and the support of local stakeholders. Being the city declared patrimony of the humanity by UNESCO since 2003, the goals of the project are the following: to evaluate the impact of main hazards (earthquake, tsunami, fire, and landslide); to provide a vulnerability analysis for three historical churches (San Francisco, Las Hermanitas de la Providencia, La Matr\uedz, made by various materials - masonry, concrete, wood and adobe - and located in different city sites) and for a pilot building stock in the Cerro Cordillera historical area, analyzing more than 200 constructions; to suggest guidelines for future urban planning; to develop a GIS digital archive, well organized, user-friendly and easy to be implemented in the future, providing maps and scenarios of specific and multiple risk. In the paper, preliminary results are given, taking into account the in situ work of two missions at Valpara\uedso (May and October-December 2007)

Alterações cognitivas em trabalhadores de uma empresa de processamento de dados Cognitive problems in workers of a data processing company

Realizou-se estudo de 191 trabalhadores de uma empresa federal de processamento de dados em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, em 1989, objetivando estudar déficits cognitivos. São analisadas as relações entre queixas de alteração de memória e os respectivos desempenhos em testes de avaliação cognitiva segundo três grupos de trabalhadores, o primeiro com atividades automatizadas e repetitivas (digitadores) e dois outros com funções diversificadas. Utilizou-se um teste de rastreamento psiquiátrico para controlar esta possível variável de confusão. Existe uma alta prevalência de queixas de perda de memória (65,4%), apesar de não haver evidências significativas de problemas cognitivos. Observou-se uma associação estatisticamente significativa entre a presença ou não de queixas de memória e o desempenho no teste psiquiátrico. Sugere-se que futuros estudos enfatizem o aspecto de saúde mental e sofrimento psíquico para compreensão destas queixas, tendo em vista as características do processo de trabalho na informática.<br>A study of 191 data processing workers undertaken in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 1989, is presented. The relationship between complaints of loss of memory and their respective scores on cognitive testing in three groups of workers, one with automatized repetitive activities and two others with diversified activities, is analysed. The scores and complaints are compared with the results of a screening test for psychiatric disorders in order to verify the influence of this confounding factor. No significant evidence of cognitive problems was found despite the high prevalence of complaints of memory loss in this population (65,4%). There is a significant statistical association between these complaints and the scores of the psychiatric testing. It is suggested that futures studies should emphasize psychiatric analysis with a view to clarifying the complaints of Data Processing workers

Developing collaborative works for faster progress on fungal respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis

International audienceCystic fibrosis (CF) is the major genetic inherited disease in Caucasian populations. The respiratory tract of CF patients displays a sticky viscous mucus, which allows for the entrapment of airborne bacteria and fungal spores and provides a suitable environment for growth of microorganisms, including numerous yeast and filamentous fungal species. As a consequence, respiratory infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in this clinical context. Although bacteria remain the most common agents of these infections, fungal respiratory infections have emerged as an important cause of disease. Therefore, the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) has launched a working group on Fungal respiratory infections in Cystic Fibrosis (Fri-CF) in October 2006, which was subsequently approved by the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM). Meetings of this working group, comprising both clinicians and mycologists involved in the follow-up of CF patients, as well as basic scientists interested in the fungal species involved, provided the opportunity to initiate collaborative works aimed to improve our knowledge on these infections to assist clinicians in patient management. The current review highlights the outcomes of some of these collaborative works in clinical surveillance, pathogenesis and treatment, giving special emphasis to standardization of culture procedures, improvement of species identification methods including the development of nonculture-based diagnostic methods, microbiome studies and identification of new biological markers, and the description of genotyping studies aiming to differentiate transient carriage and chronic colonization of the airways. The review also reports on the breakthrough in sequencing the genomes of the main Scedosporium species as basis for a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of these fungi, and discusses treatment options of infections caused by multidrug resistant microorganisms, such as Scedosporium and Lomentospora species and members of the Rasamsonia argillacea species complex

Análise da distribuição de potência cortical em função do aprendizado de datilografia Analisis da distribuición de potencia cortical en función del aprendizado de dactilografia Analysis of cortical power distribution as a function of the typewriting skill

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar alterações nos padrões eletroencefalográficos de sujeitos normais e destros durante o aprendizado motor de uma tarefa manual. Estudos recentes têm demonstrado que o córtex cerebral é suscetível a modificações em vários aspectos durante a aprendizagem e que tais alterações nos padrões eletrocorticais são resultado da aquisição de habilidades motoras e consolidação de memória. Para tal, a atividade elétrica cortical dos sujeitos foi analisada antes e depois da prática motora. Os dados foram captados pelo Braintech 3000 e analisados pelo programa Neurometrics. Para a análise estatística, variáveis comportamentais tais como tempo e erro foram observadas através de uma ANOVA one-way, blocos como efeito principal. Na variável neurofisiológica, potência absoluta, foi utilizado um teste t pareado a fim de detectar alterações entre os momentos pré e pós-aprendizagem, e diferentes eletrodos, CZ-C3/CZ-C4 em teta e alfa, e O1-P3/T3-F7 em beta. Os resultados principais demonstraram mudança na performance através das variáveis tempo e número de erros. Concomitantemente, foi verificado aumento de potência na banda alfa sobre áreas centrais (CZ-C3/CZ-C4) e diminuição em beta localizada na área temporoparietal esquerda (O1-P3/T3-F7). Alterações na banda teta, como demonstradas em outros experimentos, não ocorreram neste estudo. Tais resultados sugerem uma adaptação do córtex sensório-motor em que a alteração da atividade elétrica cortical é condizente com uma transição ao automatismo motor.<br>El objetivo del presente estudio fue el de investigar alteraciones en los padrones electroencefalográficos de sujetos normales y diestros durante el aprendizaje motor de una tarea manual Estudios recientes tienen demostrado que en el cortex cervical es susceptible a varias modificaciones en varios aspectos durante el aprendizaje, y que tales alteraciones en los padrones electrocorticales son los resultados de la adquisición de habilidades motoras y de la consodilación de la memoria. Para tal, la actividad cortical eléctrica de los sujetos fue analizada antes y después de la práctica motora. Los datos fueron captados por el "Braintech" 3000 y analizados por el programa "Neurometrics". Para el análisis estadístico, variables del comportamiento tales como tiempo y error fueron observadas a través de un ANOVA "one-way", bloques como efecto principal. En la variable neurofisiológica; potenbcia absoluta, fue utilizado el test-T pareado a fin de poder detectar alteraciones entre los momentos pre y post aprendizaje, en diferentes electrodos, CZ-C3/CZ-C4 en teta y alfa y O1-P3/T3-F7 en beta. Los resultados principales demonstraron un cambio en la performance a través del tiempo y en el número de errores Concomitantemente, fue observado y verificado un aumento de la potencia en la banda alfa sobre las áreas centrales (CZ-C3/CZ-C4) y una diminuición en beta localizada en el área temporo-parietal izquierda (O1-P3/T3-F7). Las alteraciones en la banda teta, como se han demostrado en otras experiencias, no ocurrieron en este estudiotales resultados sugieren una adapatación del la corteza sensorio-motora en la que la alteración de la actividad eléctrica cortical es coincidente con una transmición al automatismo motor.<br>The present study aimed to investigate alterations in EEG patterns in normal and right-handed individuals, during the process of learning a specific motor skill (typewriting). Recent studies have shown that the cerebral cortex is susceptible to several changes during a learning process and that alterations in the brain's electrical patterns take place as a result of the acquisition of a motor skill and memory consolidation. In this context, the subjects' brain electrical activity was analyzed before and after the motor task. EEG data was collected by a Braintech 3000 and analyzed by Neurometrics. For the statistical analysis, the behavioral variables "time" and "number of errors" were assessed by a one-way ANOVA, block as main factor. For the neurophysiological variable "absolute power", a paired t-test was performed for each pair of electrodes CZ-C3/CZ-C4, in the theta and alpha frequency bands and for O1-P3/T3-F7 in the beta band. The main results demonstrated a change in performance, through both behavioral variables ("time" and "number of errors"). At the same time, no changes were observed for the neurophysiological variable ("absolute power") in the theta band. On the other hand, a significant increase was observed in the alpha band in central areas (CZ-C3/CZ-C4) and a reduction in the beta band in temporal-parietal areas (O1-P3/T3-F7). These results suggest an adaptation of the sensory-motor cortex, as a result of the typewriting training

Proposed nomenclature for Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and related genera

As a result of fundamental changes in the International Code of Nomenclature on the use of separate names for sexual and asexual stages of fungi, generic names of many groups should be reconsidered. Members of the ECMM/ISHAM working group on Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium infections herein advocate a novel nomenclature for genera and species in Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and allied taxa. The generic names Parascedosporium, Lomentospora, Petriella, Petriellopsis, and Scedosporium are proposed for a lineage within Microascaceae with mostly Scedosporium anamorphs producing slimy, annellidic conidia. Considering that Scedosporium has priority over Pseudallescheria and that Scedosporium prolificans is phylogenetically distinct from the other Scedosporium species, some name changes are proposed. Pseudallescheria minutispora and Petriellidium desertorum are renamed as Scedosporium minutisporum and S. desertorum, respectively. Scedosporium prolificans is renamed as Lomentospora prolificans. © 2014, Mushroom Research Foundation