Search

Urnula craterium (Schwein.) Fr. (1851) has been reported from North America, Europe, and Asia, and can be a pathogen on various hardwood species. In this study, we investigated the mitochondrial genome of U. craterium. The biology and taxonomy of this fungus is poorly studied and there are no mitogenomes currently available for any member of the Sarcosomataceae (Order Pezizales). The complete mitogenome of U. craterium comprises 43 967 bps and encodes 14 protein-coding genes, a complete set of tRNAs and rRNA genes. A novel feature of the mitogenome is the presence of a single subunit DNA polymerase-coding region that is typically associated with linear invertron-type plasmids. The mitogenome may offer insights into the evolution of mitogenomes among members of the Pezizales with regards to gene content and order, mobile elements, and genome sizes.

Demethylation of industrial lignin has been for long coveted as a pathway to the production of an abundant natural substitute for fossil-oil derived phenol. In an attempt to possibly identify a novel Kraft lignin-demethylating enzyme, we surveyed a collection of fungi by using selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). This method readily identifies methanol resulting from lignin demethylation activity. Absidia cylindrospora, and unidentified Cylindrocladium sp. and Aspergillus sp. were shown to metabolize lignin via different pathways, based on the HPLC analysis of lignin fragments. Of these three, Cylindrocladium and Aspergillus were shown to retain most of the lignin intact after 3 weeks in culture, while removing about 40% of the available methoxy groups. Our results demonstrate that after optimization of culture and lignin recovery methods, biological modification of Kraft lignin may be a feasible pathway to obtaining demethylated lignin for further industrial use., (Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To study the feasibility and effectiveness of a discharge medication therapy management program., Design: Quasi-experimental pre-post study design., Setting: Thirty-six-bed hospital within an extended care hospital., Participants: All patients admitted to facility from January 2009 to December 2009 (control) and February 2010 to January 2011 (program)., Intervention: Pharmacist review of anticipated discharge following 18-20 days of stay, with suggested medication changes communicated to physicians via patient chart. Agreed changes were implemented on the next day., Measurements: Patient readmissions within 30, 60, and 90 days into the hospital system. Medication interventions were quantified as to type., Results: During the control period, 432 patients were followed, and during the intervention period, 369 patients were followed, with similar lengths of stay. In the intervention period, 565 medication interventions were attempted on 216 patients, with an 85.3% acceptance rate. The major intervention was discontinuation of medications. Mean maintenance medications per patient decreased from 10.57 to 9.46 in the intervention group, and daily medication doses per patient decreased from 17.95 to 15.73 (P < 0.001). Readmission rates were lower at 30 and 60 days in the intervention group, with a 90-day overall decrease in system readmission rate from 51% to 39% (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The discharge medication management program was successful in decreasing both number and type of discharge medications via pharmacist intervention. Overall, patient system readmission rates were also significantly decreased in the intervention period.

Results of a study on species of Inocybe section Rimosae sensu lato in Utah are presented. Eight species, seven from the Pseudosperma clade (section Rimosae sensu stricto) and one from the Inosperma clade (section Rimosae pro parte), are documented morphologically and phylogenetically. Five of the eight species, I. aestiva, I. breviterincarnata, I. cercocarpi, I. niveivelata and I. occidentalis-all members of the Pseudosperma clade-are described as new from Utah and other western states. Two European species, I. spuria and I. obsoleta, are confirmed from Utah. Inocybe aurora, originally described from Nova Scotia, is synonymized with I. obsoleta. The only member of the Inosperma clade recorded from Utah is I. lanatodisca, a widely distributed species for which three geographical clusters were detected. The phylogenetic analyses indicate that the Pseudosperma clade includes 53 clusters or species worldwide and that the Inosperma clade includes 47 such clusters. Many of these probably correspond to undescribed species. A key to species of section Rimosae sensu lato from Utah is provided together with illustrations of the eight species found in the state.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are used extensively in forestry and agriculture to control broadleaf plant competition. A review of the literature offers conflicting results regarding the impact of glyphosate on fungal growth. This study investigated the effects of 7 glyphosate concentrations (1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 1000 microg*mL-1) of Roundup (35.6% glyphosate) on the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) of soilborne microfungi from a boreal forest soil sample and on the in vitro linear growth of 20 selected species of microfungi representative of this boreal forest soil. Concentrations of glyphosate at 50 microg*mL-1 and higher significantly decreased the number of CFUs observed. At glyphosate concentrations equal to 5 microg*mL-1, 13 fungal species exhibited colony diameters less than 50% than that of their respective controls. Several species showed an inhibition of pigmentation and sporulation when subjected to glyphosate concentrations of 1 microg*mL-1. Differential sensitivity was observed among species at the various concentrations, suggesting the possibility of a shift towards tolerant species of fungi when they are exposed to glyphosate.

Most clinical drug trials relating to acute otitis media have evaluated medications in terms of treatment. In this randomized double-blind, cross-over study, the effectiveness of an antihistamine decongestant in the prevention of AOM was investigated, rather than the treatment. The medication/placebo was started at the onset of a cold and continued throughout its duration. No treatment effect was evident in the results obtained with 308 children who completed the eight-month study. However, the results indicated a strong relationship between colds and AOM, and a trend toward higher occurrence of AOM in children under four years of age.

Most clinical drug trials relating to acute otitis media have evaluated medications in terms of treatment. In this randomized double-blind, cross-over study, the effectiveness of an antihistamine decongestant in the prevention of AOM was investigated, rather than the treatment. The medication/placebo was started at the onset of a cold and continued throughout its duration. No treatment effect was evident in the results obtained with 308 children who completed the eight-month study. However, the results indicated a strong relationship between colds and AOM, and a trend toward higher occurrence of AOM in children under four years of age.

Recent government studies have reported an oversupply of family physicians and recommended reductions in their numbers. Believing these recommendations to be based on overestimates, as the unfounded assumption is made that all non-specialists are family physicians in active practice, we attempted to determine how many physicians were actually in general practice in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1984. Using screening procedures followed by a mailed questionnaire to confirm our results and obtain further information about family practice, we identified only 309 general practitioners of 662 non-specialists. Only 45% of the total number of physicians who are not practising a specialty other than family medicine, and who are registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, could be positively identified as family physicians. We therefore recommend that information on actual numbers of family physicians, rather than non-specialists as a whole, be made available to policy makers determining personnel requirements. Questionnaire results indicated certain problem areas in family practice, particularly long work weeks, inadequate coverage for practices, and lack of hospital privileges and obstetrical care. We suggest that professionals in family medicine address these problems.