Placental inflammation in a fetal demise of a SARS-CoV-2-asymptomatic, COVID-19-unvaccinated pregnant woman: a case-report.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine fetal demise is a recognized complication of coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnant women and is associated with histopathological placental lesions. The pathological mechanism and virus-induced immune response in the placenta are not fully understood. A detailed description of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced inflammation in the placenta during fetal demise is crucial for improved clinical management. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 27-week gestation SARS-CoV-2-asymptomatic unvaccinated pregnant woman without comorbidities or other risk factors for negative pregnancy outcomes with a diagnosis of intrauterine fetal demise. Histopathological findings corresponded to patterns of subacute inflammation throughout the anatomic compartments of the placenta, showing severe chorioamnionitis, chronic villitis and deciduitis, accompanied by maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion. Our immunohistochemistry results revealed infiltration of CD68+ macrophages, CD56+ Natural Killer cells and scarce CD8+ T cytotoxic lymphocytes at the site of placental inflammation, with the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid located in stromal cells of the chorion and chorionic villi, and in decidual cells. CONCLUSION: This case describes novel histopathological lesions of inflammation with infiltration of plasma cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and natural killer cells associated with malperfusion in the placenta of a SARS-CoV-2-infected asymptomatic woman with intrauterine fetal demise. A better understanding of the inflammatory effects exerted by SARS-CoV-2 in the placenta will enable strategies for better clinical management of pregnant women unvaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 to avoid fatal fetal outcomes during future transmission waves.

Beyond the visual: using metabarcoding to characterize the hidden reef cryptobiome.

In an era of coral reef degradation, our knowledge of ecological patterns in reefs is biased towards large conspicuous organisms. The majority of biodiversity, however, inhabits small cryptic spaces within the framework of the reef. To assess this biodiverse community, which we term the 'reef cryptobiome', we deployed 87 autonomous reef monitoring structures (ARMS), on 22 reefs across 16 degrees latitude of the Red Sea. Combining ARMS with metabarcoding of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene, we reveal a rich community, including the identification of 14 metazoan phyla within 10 416 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). While mobile and sessile subsets were similarly structured along the basin, the main environmental driver was different (particulate organic matter and sea surface temperature, respectively). Distribution patterns of OTUs showed that only 1.5% were present in all reefs, while over half were present in a single reef. On both local and regional scales, the majority of OTUs were rare. The high heterogeneity in community patterns of the reef cryptobiome has implications for reef conservation. Understanding the biodiversity patterns of this critical component of reef functioning will enable a sound knowledge of how coral reefs will respond to future anthropogenic impacts.

Disentangling the complex microbial community of coral reefs using standardized Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS).

Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) have been applied worldwide to describe eukaryotic cryptic reef fauna. Conversely, bacterial communities, which are critical components of coral reef ecosystem functioning, remain largely overlooked. Here we deployed 56 ARMS across the 2,000-km spread of the Red Sea to assay biodiversity, composition and inferred underlying functions of coral reef-associated bacterial communities via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that bacterial community structure and diversity aligned with environmental differences. Indeed, sea surface temperature and macroalgae cover were key in explaining bacterial relative abundance. Importantly, taxonomic and functional alpha diversity decreased under more extreme environmental conditions (e.g., higher temperatures) in the southern Red Sea. This may imply a link between bacterial community diversity and functional capabilities, with implications for conservation management. Our study demonstrates the utility of ARMS to investigate the response of coral reef-associated bacterial communities to environmental change.

The genome of Tetranychus urticae reveals herbivorous pest adaptations.

The spider mite Tetranychus urticae is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest with an extensive host plant range and an extreme record of pesticide resistance. Here we present the completely sequenced and annotated spider mite genome, representing the first complete chelicerate genome. At 90 megabases T. urticae has the smallest sequenced arthropod genome. Compared with other arthropods, the spider mite genome shows unique changes in the hormonal environment and organization of the Hox complex, and also reveals evolutionary innovation of silk production. We find strong signatures of polyphagy and detoxification in gene families associated with feeding on different hosts and in new gene families acquired by lateral gene transfer. Deep transcriptome analysis of mites feeding on different plants shows how this pest responds to a changing host environment. The T. urticae genome thus offers new insights into arthropod evolution and plant-herbivore interactions, and provides unique opportunities for developing novel plant protection strategies.

Parasitic findings on threatened pudu deer from Central Chile accounts first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile and the first molecular report of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes in this species.

Southern pudu (Pudu puda) is a threatened endemic deer of the temperate forests of Chile. In recent years pudu populations rates have decreased mainly due to anthropogenic causes including forest loss and landscape fragmentation. In this context, the parasitic fauna of Chilean pudu has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the parasitic status of rescued pudu n = 13 from its natural habitat in Central Chile (Maule region) during March 2022 and June 2023 by applying morphological, histopathological, and molecular analyses. As result, we report the presence of transmission of parasites from dogs to pudus as showed by the presence of metacestodes of the parasite Taenia hydatigena on omentum, liver, and pleura of pudus during postmortem examinations, being the first molecular report on the presence of this parasite on Chilean pudu. Meanwhile, ectoparasite examinations determined the presence of chewing and sucking lice on pudu exemplars here analysed. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of lice revealed new insights on Bovicola and Anoplura lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile, equally being the first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing pudu exemplars in Chile. In addition, parasite loads of lice and metacestodes were analysed. However, no statistically significance was observed when comparing environmental and individual traits influence on parasite load variation. Overall, the study area is the northern limit of habitat distribution of this specie in Chile and we here provide novel information on pudu deer parasites, thus making a useful and valuable contribution to the parasitological knowledge on this threatened species.

Changes in Televisit Modalities Due to the COVID Pandemic in Chile: A Comparison of Patient Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted healthcare guidelines and modalities of patient consultation worldwide. The frequent cycles of quarantine confinement in Chile have caused mobility restrictions for patients and physicians, forcing the Hospital Las Higueras de Talcahuano (HHT) to replace the assisted televisit modality with a more classic televisit program. Here we have described if this change in televisit modality and type of outpatient may have impacted patients' satisfaction. METHODS: The patient's perception of satisfaction was evaluated through self-administered survey questionnaires previously validated in Spanish. Cohorts were grouped according to the following two relational models: (i) assisted televisit, 503 neurology patients from 2018 to 2019, and (ii) televisit, 831 patients from different specialties treated during 2020. Perception of satisfaction was compared by gender, age, and type of televisit, and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) and reliability (factorial analysis of principal components) were assessed. Finally, we compared the patient satisfaction of both modalities. RESULTS: Questionnaires showed excellent internal consistency; all items showed point biserial correlations greater than 0.30. Assisted televisit and televisit cohorts comprised 64.2% and 67.6% females, respectively, and patients under the age of 65 years were 62.2% and 75%, respectively. Assisted televisit patients showed very high 94.4% (n=475) and high 5.2% (n=26) satisfaction levels, while televisit patients showed very high 22.3% (n=185), high 63.9% (n=531), and moderate 13.1% (n=109) satisfaction levels; this difference was statistically significant at p<0.001. CONCLUSION: Lower perception of satisfaction due to the change in televisit relational modality underscores the importance of primary care professionals who support the specialist in the assisted televisit model. However, the televisit modality showed high patient satisfaction and suggested that this modality can be a plausible alternative according to each location's reality. The results of this study indicate that both assisted televisit and televisit contribute to delivering an integrative solution that helps to alleviate the system's fragmentation.

Responses of the coral reef cryptobiome to environmental gradients in the Red Sea.

An essential component of the coral reef animal diversity is the species hidden in crevices within the reef matrix, referred to as the cryptobiome. These organisms play an important role in nutrient cycling and provide an abundant food source for higher trophic levels, yet they have been largely overlooked. Here, we analyzed the distribution patterns of the mobile cryptobiome (>2000 µm) along the latitudinal gradient of the Saudi Arabian coast of the Red Sea. Analysis was conducted based on 54 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures. We retrieved a total of 5273 organisms, from which 2583 DNA sequences from the mitochondrially encoded cytochrome c oxidase I were generated through sanger sequencing. We found that the cryptobiome community is variable over short geographical distances within the basin. Regression tree models identified sea surface temperature (SST), percentage cover of hard coral and turf algae as determinant for the number of operational taxonomic units present per Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS). Our results also show that the community structure of the cryptobiome is associated with the energy available (measured as photosynthetic active radiation), sea surface temperature, and nearby reef habitat characteristics (namely hard corals, turf and macroalgae). Given that temperature and reef benthic characteristics affect the cryptobiome, current scenarios of intensive climate change are likely to modify this fundamental biological component of coral reef functioning. However, the trajectory of change is unknow and can be site specific, as for example, diversity is expected to increase above SST of 28.5°C, and with decreasing hard coral and turf cover. This study provides a baseline of the cryptobenthic community prior to major coastal developments in the Red Sea to be used for future biodiversity studies and monitoring projects. It can also contribute to better understand patterns of reef biodiversity in a period where Marine Protected Areas are being discussed in the region.

Biodiversity patterns of the coral reef cryptobiota around the Arabian Peninsula.

The Arabian Peninsula accounts for approximately 6% of the world's coral reefs. Some thrive in extreme environments of temperature and salinity. Using 51 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS), a standardized non-destructive monitoring device, we investigated the spatial patterns of coral reef cryptobenthic diversity in four ecoregions around the Arabian Peninsula and analyzed how geographical and/or environmental drivers shape those patterns. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was used to identify Amplicon Sequence Variants and assign taxonomy of the cryptobenthic organisms collected from the sessile and mobile fractions of each ARMS. Cryptobenthic communities sampled from the two ecoregions in the Red Sea showed to be more diverse than those inhabiting the Arabian (Persian) Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Geographic distance revealed a stronger relationship with beta diversity in the Mantel partial correlation than environmental distance. However, the two mobile fractions (106-500 µm and 500-2000 µm) also had a significant correlation between environmental distance and beta diversity. In our study, dispersal limitations explained the beta diversity patterns in the selected reefs, supporting the neutral theory of ecology. Still, increasing differences in environmental variables (environmental filtering) also had an effect on the distribution patterns of assemblages inhabiting reefs within short geographic distances. The influence of geographical distance in the cryptofauna assemblages makes these relevant, yet usually ignored, communities in reef functioning vulnerable to large scale coastal development and should be considered in ecosystem management of such projects.

Long-Term and Carryover Effects of Supplementation with Whole Oilseeds on Methane Emission, Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Profile of Grazing Dairy Cows.

Research is ongoing to find nutritional methane (CH4) mitigation strategies with persistent effects that can be applied to grazing ruminants. Lipid addition to dairy cow diets has shown potential as means to decrease CH4 emissions. This study evaluated the effects of oilseeds on CH4 emission and production performance of grazing lactating dairy cows. Sixty Holstein Friesian cows grazing pasture were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 15): supplemented with concentrate without oilseeds (CON), with whole cottonseed (CTS), rapeseed (RPS) or linseed (LNS). Oilseeds were supplemented during weeks 1-16 (spring period) and 17-22 (summer period), and the autumn period (wk 23-27) was used to evaluate treatment carryover effects. Cows fed CTS decreased CH4 yield by 14% compared to CON in spring, but these effects did not persist after 19 weeks of supplementation (summer). Compared to CON, RPS decreased milk yield and CTS increased milk fat concentration in both spring and summer. In summer, CTS also increased milk protein concentration but decreased milk yield, compared to CON. In spring, compared to CON, CTS decreased most milk medium-chain fatty acids (FA; 8:0, 12:0, 14:0 and 15:0) and increased stearic, linoleic and rumenic FA, and LNS increased CLA FA. There were no carry-over effects into the autumn period. In conclusion, supplementation of grazing dairy cows with whole oilseeds resulted in mild effects on methane emissions and animal performance. In particular, supplementing with CTS can decrease CH4 yield without affecting milk production, albeit with a mild and transient CH4 decrease effect. Long term studies conducted under grazing conditions are important to provide a comprehensive overview of how proposed nutritional CH4 mitigation strategies affect productivity, sustainability and consumer health aspects.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 detected in placentas of 2 coronavirus disease 2019-positive asymptomatic pregnant women-case report.

There is limited evidence regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in the placenta of pregnant women who tested positive, and if this could be a route for vertical transmission of the virus in utero. We present the cases of 2 pregnant women in their third trimester who were admitted for delivery by cesarean delivery and who, through universal screening, tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019. The maternal and fetal sides of the placenta were sectioned from both patients for viral analysis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of the placental-extracted RNA revealed a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on the fetal side of the placenta in both patients. The virus was isolated from the patient with the lowest cycle threshold value on the fetal side of the placenta. Whole genome sequencing showed that the virus detected in this placenta was from the B1 lineage. Immunohistochemical analysis of the placental tissue detected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the endothelial cells of chorionic villi vessels proximal to both the maternal and fetal sides, with a granular cytoplasmic pattern and perinuclear reinforcement. Histologic examination of the placenta also detected a dense infiltrate of lymphoid cells around decidual vessels and endothelial cells with cytopathic changes, especially on the maternal side. Nasopharyngeal swabs from the infants that were subjected to reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing were negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at 24 hours after birth. A follow-up analysis of the infants for immunoglobin G and immunoglobin M expression, clinical manifestations, and long-term developmental abnormalities is recommended.

A Five-Year Retrospective Cohort Study Analyzing Factors Influencing Complications after Nasal Trauma.

The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes of patients with nasal trauma during a long period of time and determine factors predisposing to complications after nasal trauma treatment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included all patients who were attended for a nasal trauma between January and December 2010. In 2015, the charts were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were prospectively followed up looking for outcomes after treatment of nasal trauma. A univariate analysis between complications and risk factors was performed and a logistic regression model was used to explore the prognostic role of the variables considered to have clinical relevance and to estimate the odds ratio for the occurrence of postoperative complications. A total of 220 consecutive patients with nasal trauma were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 44.3 ± 10.3 months (3-67) with 10% of lost patients. The most important factors determining complications after nasal trauma treatment were male gender, acute septal injury, chronic septal deviation, displaced or comminuted fractures in the radiologic study, and late nasal reduction surgery. A decision-making algorithm is proposed based on the fact that nasal bone fracture is not a minor problem and that closed nasal bone reduction is not the treatment of choice for all patients with nasal trauma.

Characterization of the orbital volume in normal population.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to describe the normal orbital volume and its most important relationships with other clinical variables. METHODS: We designed a correlation study and consecutive normal CTs scans were included. Orbital volume and facial anthropometrics were measured and correlated between them. Two independent and blind observers made all the measurements. Uni and multivariate statistical analysis were performed in order to create a predicting model for orbital volume. RESULTS: A total of 199 consecutive patients were included in the study (398 orbits). The mean Orbital Volume (OV) was 24.5 ± 3.08 cc. Adequate intra and interobserver reliability was observed. There were no differences between the right and left orbit (p=0.73). The male average OV was 24.9 ± 3.03 cc, the female OV was 23.9 ± 3.08 cc. Age group analysis demonstrated a slow increase in OV beyond thirty years, but these differences were not significant (p=0.98). Only the age, total facial height, facial width and the interorbital distance were significant and were included in the predictive model of OV. CONCLUSION: We have characterized the normal orbital volume,variations and associations. In order to further advance in the understanding of the clinical implications the abnormal orbital volume must be fully studied.

Survey of medical ethnobotanicals for dental and oral medicine conditions and pathologies.

Ethnomedical questionnaires were distributed in Chicago, Costa Rica, and Colombia to identify the most common over-the-counter (OTC) plant or plant-based products advocated for treating oral pain, ulcerative conditions, and cancer within these locations. Over 100 plants or plant-based herbal preparations and commercial products, purchased from local botanical markets and pharmacies, were advocated for the treatment of oral medicine conditions. Locally familiar and common language names were attributed to the plant products at the time of purchase. Plant products or plant-based commercial products containing plant-based essential oils, anesthetic constituents, and or chemical compounds recommended as OTC oral medicine preparations were systematized, tabulated, and correlated with the published phytotherapeutic literature. Though pharmacognostic research is available for some of the species collected, further ethnographic research is needed to correlate common names with the accurate taxonomic identification for each plant species. Furthermore, epidemiological research is needed to verify the use and standardized dosage for OTC ethnomedicine preparations for oral medicine conditions. Pharmacognostic research and clinical trails which can verify taxonomy, dose, safety, active principles, and efficacy of these OTC oral medicine products must be enhanced in order to verify the claimed validity in contemporary, global, oral medicine practice.

A new approach to nasoseptal fractures: Submucosal endoscopically assisted septoplasty and closed nasal reduction.

BACKGROUND: Nasal bone fracture is the most common among facial bone fractures. The prevalence of concomitant septal and nasal bone fractures fluctuates between 34% and 96.2%. An adequate management of such fractures is essential to prevent complications such as post-traumatic nasal obstruction and nasoseptal deformities. The purpose of the present study is to introduce the submucosal endoscopically assisted septoplasty (SEAS) as an alternative approach for acute septal lesions and to report our experience and outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective review including patients with nasal fracture in association with septal fracture (nasoseptal fractures) who underwent to submucosal endoscopically assisted septoplasty and closed nasal reduction. The surgical technique is described and a video is presented. RESULTS: Ninety patients were included; 23% were female and 77% were male, with a mean age of 40 years. All the cases were workplace accidents or commuting accidents. The mean time elapsed between the accident and surgery was 15 days. There were no technique-related intraoperative complications. Three (3.3%) patients suffered a subsequent nasal obstruction and/or deviation of the nasal axis, requiring subsequent secondary open rhinoseptoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Submucosal endoscopically assisted septoplasty and closed nasal reduction for the treatment of nasoseptal fractures is a novel approach that reduces the rate of secondary rhinoseptoplasty as compared to other authors' reports. The technique described is reproducible, cost-effective and has very encouraging outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV Therapeutic.

The accuracy of different methods for diagnosing septal deviation in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of different diagnostic tests in predicting nasal septum deformities during preoperative planning for septorhinoplasty. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent septorhinoplasty between June 2011 and August 2012 were included (n = 30) and underwent a protocol of diagnostic tests, including nasal speculoscopy, craniofacial computed tomography (CT), three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the nasal septum by CT and nasal endoscopy. A modified Guyuron classification of septal deformities was used for classifying the septal deviations. Direct surgical assessment of the nasal septum during open septorhinoplasty was the reference standard with which each of the diagnostic tests was compared. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of each test were calculated. RESULTS: The preoperative diagnosis was nasal bone fracture in 11 patients, nasal septal fracture in 15 and post-traumatic nasal deformity in four. For type A deviations (localised), craniofacial CT showed the highest performance with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99%. For type B septal deformations (C shape), nasal endoscopy (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 87.5%; PPV, 87.7%; and NPV, 100%) showed the highest performance. For type C deformities (S shape), nasal endoscopy (sensitivity, 70%; specificity, 100%; PPV, 100%; and NPV, 87%) showed the highest performance. The accuracy for nasal endoscopy was 27/30 (90%), 26/30 (87%) for craniofacial CT, 22/30 (73%) for 3D reconstruction and 10/28 (36%) for speculoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal endoscopy and craniofacial CT were more accurate and precise than nasal speculoscopy and 3D reconstruction for preoperative evaluation of the nasal septum, thus enabling more appropriate surgical planning for septorhinoplasty.

The Evolving Role of Dental Responders on Interprofessional Emergency Response Teams.

Disaster and pandemic response events require an interprofessional team of health care responders to organize and work together in high-pressure, time-critical situations. Civilian oral health care professionals have traditionally been limited to forensic identification of human remains. However, after the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York, federal agencies realized that dentists can play significant roles in disaster and immunization response, especially on interprofessional responder teams. Several states have begun to incorporate dentists into the first responder community. This article discusses the roles of dental responders and highlights legislative advancements and advocacy efforts supporting the dental responder.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Panama: a cluster description.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne infection caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a cluster of fatal cases of RMSF in 2007 in Panama, involving a pregnant woman and two children from the same family.  The woman presented with a fever followed by respiratory distress, maculopapular rash, and an eschar at the site from which a tick had been removed.  She died four days after disease onset.  This is the second published report of an eschar in a patient confirmed by PCR to be infected with R. rickettsii.  One month later, the children presented within days of one another with fever and rash and died three and four days after disease onset. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, PCR and sequencing of the genes of R. rickettsii in tissues obtained at autopsy. 

Constructed wetlands for domestic wastewater treatment in a Mediterranean climate region in Chile

Background: Constructed wetlands are a promising, cheap and effective wastewater treatment in small communities. The studies on these systems have been reported mainly from cold, tropical or subtropical climate regions. In this work we constructed a pilot plant with six horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSF CWs) with a surface area of 2 m² and a depth of 0.6 m each, planted with Typha latifolia or Scirpus sp., and filled with gravel (G) or fine gravel (FG) of 2.8 and 1.2 cm of diameter respectively, continuously fed with raw domestic wastewater. This experimental setup was evaluated over 280 days for the removal of organic matter and nutrients in a Mediterranean climate, near Valparaíso, Chile. The removal of total COD, NH4+-N and PO4-3-P was calculated, in order to assess by analysis of variance the effect of initial pollutants concentration, air temperature (season) and plant/support combination on the wetlands performance. Results: The Scirpus/FG combination showed the highest average removal of total COD of about 59%, and Typha/FG shows the highest removal of NH4+-N and PO4-3-P (49 and 32%, respectively). Furthermore, the removal of organic matter was independent of influent concentration, while mildly dependent of the season, unlike nutrients removal that was dependent on these two parameters. Media, plant and the plant/media combination influenced positively organic matter, ammonia and phosphorous removal, respectively. Conclusions: Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of wetlands in treatment of wastewater in Mediterranean regions and show how these can help to improve the quality of water in domestic zones without high-throughput technologies.

Analysis of manganese-regulated gene expression in the ligninolytic basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora.

In this work, we explore the use of the unbiased cDNA-AFLP strategy to identify genes involved in Mn(2+) homeostasis in Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. In this ligninolytic white-rot fungus, whose genome has not yet been sequenced, three Mn peroxidase genes responding to Mn(2+) have been characterized. Using cDNA-AFLP to identify transcript-derived fragments (TDFs), a total of 37 differentially expressed cDNA fragments were identified by comparing band intensities among cDNA-AFLP patterns obtained from mycelia from cultures supplemented with different concentrations of Mn(2+). Of 21 differentially expressed TDFs, nine were classified as upregulated, five as downregulated and seven as unregulated. Of these, six upregulated and two downregulated TDFs were selected for further characterization. The expected TDFs for the known Mn peroxidases were not isolated, but several genes encoding proteins related to protein sorting, storage and excretion of excess Mn(2+) were identified. Transcripts induced under Mn(2+) supplementation exhibited homologies to the elongation factor eEF3, a HDEL sequence binding protein and the ARD1 subunit of the N-acetyltransferase complex, among others. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest a complex picture of Mn(2+) homeostasis and provide the possibility to search for common regulatory elements in the promoters of the novel putatively identified genes.