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Fusarium has a cosmopolitan distribution, with some species able to cause diseases in agricultural crops. A number of isolates of endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy roots of Dendrobium crumenatum (Orchidaceae) at Universiti Putra Malaysia campus. The isolates were primarily identified as Fusarium chlamydosporum based on morphological characteristics. The cultures were produced in a range of chicory pink to red and brown pigmentation. Only morphological studies of Fusarium can notgive any guarantee at the species levels of identification but key the putative species names. Therefore, molecular studies based on gene sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 regions of theribosomal DNA (rDNA) were carried out. The amplified DNA was sequenced and aligned against the reference sequences, previously identified as Fusarium species. Results obtained have shown that all of the isolates putatively identified as F. chlamydosporum were in agreement with the ex-type strains of F. chlamydosporum gene sequences collected from the GenBank database. Thus, data from the present study suggested that the best conceivable connection between the morphological characters and themolecular characters are to use sequence based analysis of the ITS 1/2 regions of the rDNA of the original specimen at the same times as it could be removed any kind of controversial identification of F. chlamydosporum at the species level.

Objective High frequency oscillations (HFOs) can be recorded with depth electrodes in focal epilepsy patients. They occur during seizures and interictally and seem important in seizure genesis. We investigated whether interictal and ictal HFOs occur in the same regions and how they relate to epileptiform spikes. Methods In 25 patients, spikes, ripples (80–250 Hz) and fast ripples (FR: 250–500 Hz) and their co-occurrences were marked during interictal slow wave sleep (5–10 min), during 10 pre-ictal seconds and 5 s following seizure onset. We compared occurrence and spatial distribution between these periods. Results HFOs and spikes increased from interictal to ictal periods: the percentage of time occupied by ripples increased from 2.3% to 6.5%, FR from 0.2% to 0.8%, spikes from 1.1% to 4.8%. HFOs increased from interictal to pre-ictal periods in contrast to spikes. Spikes were in different channels in the interictal, pre-ictal and ictal periods whereas HFOs largely remained in the same channels. Conclusions HFOs remain confined to the same, possibly epileptogenic, area, during interictal and ictal periods, while spikes are more widespread during seizures than interictally. Significance Ictal and interictal HFOs represent the same (epileptogenic) area and are probably similar phenomena.

Anesthetic agents modulate on oxidant/antioxidant activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of desflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia on the oxidant/antioxidant activity in the liver of young and aged rats. The study involved 60 male Wistar Albino Rats. Rats, which 5-6 months of age deemed as young (Group Y, n = 30) and 10-11 months of age deemed as old (Group O, n = 30). The weight range of the rats was 270-350 g. The groups of rats were randomly divided into 3 groups as the control group [Group Y, (Young Control 100% O-2; n = 10) and Group O-c (Old Control 100% 0,; n = 10)], desflurane group [Group Y-D, (Young Desflurane; 6% Desflurane in 100% O-2; n = 10)] and Group O-2, (Old Desfluranee; 6% Desflurane in 100% O-2; n = 10)] and sevoflurane group [Group Y-S (Young Sevoflurane; 2% Sevoflurane in 100% O-2; n = 10) and Group O-S (Old Sevoflurane; 2% Sevoflurane in 100% 02; n = 10)]. The rats placed into a transparent plastic cage. The rats were exposed to different anesthetic agents or oxygen for 2 h by the use of half open Anesthesia System (AMS, Senior 425), while rats' simultaneous normal breathing was maintained. At the end of the exposure, they were administered a high dose of ketamine and the livers of the animals were sugically removed. SOD, GST and NOS activities were determined and levels of oxidative stress was monitored by measuring TBARS via levels of MDA in the liver. Desflurane induce oxidative stress in both young and old rats, with higher levels in old rats. However, sevoflurane did not cause oxidative stress in young rats. Sevoflurane increased the oxidative stress in the old rats based on SOD and TBARS levels, while it maintained GST activity and decreased NOS activity. However, further studies are needed.

Objective(s): Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum) is one of the most common dermatophytes worldwide. This fungus invaded skin appendages of humans and animals. Recently, resistance to antifungal drugs as well as appearance of side effects due to indication of these kinds of antibiotics has been reported. Besides, using some plant extracts have been indicated in herbal medicine as an alternative treatment of these fungal infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Garlic (Allium sativum) and pure allicin on the growth of hypha in T. rubrum using Electron miscroscopy. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out to observe the morphological changes of T. rubrum treated with allicin as well as aqueous garlic extract using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: SEM surveys, showed that hypha treated with allicin has rough and granular like surface, abnormal and irregularly-shape. However, hypha treated with garlic extract had rough and fluffy surface and also irregularly-shape. TEM studies also found that hypha treated with allicin displays disintegration of cytoplasm, breaking down in cell membrane and the cell wall, and collapsing of hypha, meanwhile hypha treated with garlic extract exhibiting degradation and dissolution of cytoplasm components, demolition of cell wall and cell membrane, and hypha appeared to break. Conclusion: The present study revealed that pure allicin (6.25 µg/ml and 12.5 µg/ml) is more efficient in inhibition of the growth in hyphal cells compare to the garlic extract (2 mg/ml and 4 mg/ml) and they could be used as alternatives in treatment of dermatophytosis.

The antifungal activities of the leaves extract of 15 selected medicinal plants; Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd., Alstonia spatulata Blume., Annona muricata L., Blechnum orientale L., Blumea balsamifera L., Centella asiatica L., Dicranopteris linearis (Burm. f.) Underw., Dillenia suffruticosa (Griff ex Hook.f. and Thomson) Martelli, Litsea garciae Vidal., Melastoma malabathricum L., Momordica charantia L., Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.), Pangium edule Reinw., Piper betle L. and Polygonum minus Huds., were evaluated on the plant pathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum capsici which was isolated from chilli. The antifungal assay was carried out in potato dextrose media in five different treatments, which were distilled water as the negative control, crude extract of leaves in methanol, chloroform, acetone and Kocide 101 as the positive control. They were carried out in three replicates. The two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out on all the data to justify the difference between critical difference (CD) of mean (P = 0.05) and coefficient of variation (CV %) in terms of mean percent reduction in colony diameter, sporulation and minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) of C. capsici to take statistical decisions. Crude extract of P. betle in all the solvents was found to be the most effective and exhibited the highest antifungal activities. Crude extract of P. betle in methanol inhibited 85.25% of radial growth of C. capsici followed by 78.53% leaves crude extract in chloroform and 73.58% leaves crude extract in acetone at the concentration of 10 μg/ml (p < 0.05). The exact concentrations that had definite potential to fully restrict the growth (100% inhibition) of C. capsici (MIC) by P. betle was 12.50 μg/ml in methanol, 17.50 μg/ml in chloroform and 15.00 mg/ml in acetone. The sporulation assay also revealed that, P. betle leaves crude extracts showed the highest inhibition of spore germination rate of C. capsici overall at the concentration of 10 μg/ml; with 80.93% inhibition by leaves crude extracts in methanol, 74.09% by leaves crude extracts in chloroform and 72.91% by leaves crude extracts in acetone. Concentration of plant leaves crude extracts that inhibited 50% or more of the radial growth and sporulation was considered as effective (LC ≥ 50). As a conclusion, the leaf crude extracts that exhibited effectiveness by showing more than 50% inhibition against C. capsici should be considered for further evaluation. P. betle leaf crude extracts was the most effective in inhibiting the fungus respectively and thus, exhibited the highest potential as a new leading biofungicide in the agriculture field.Key words: Plant leaves crude extracts, antifungal activities, Colletotrichum capsici.