Bacterial diversity using metagenomics of 16s rDNA in water kefir, an innovative source of probiotics for bee nutrition.

Water kefir is a sparkling, slightly acidic fermented beverage made from sugar, water, and water kefir grains, which are a mixture of yeast and bacteria. These grains produce a variety of fermentation compounds such as lactic acid, acetaldehyde, acetoin, ethanol and carbon dioxide. In this study, a high-throughput sequencing technique was used to characterize the bacterial composition of the original water kefir from which potential probiotics were obtained. We studied the bacterial diversity of both water kefir grains and beverages. DNA was extracted from three replicate samples of both grains and beverages using the Powerlyzer Microbial Kit. The hypervariable V1-V2 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified to prepare six DNA libraries. Between 1.4M and 2.4M base-pairs were sequenced for the library. In total, 28721971 raw reads were obtained from all the samples. Estimated species richness was higher in kefir beverage samples compared to grain samples. Moreover, a higher level of microbial alpha diversity was observed in the beverage samples. Particularly, the predominant bacteria in beverages were Anaerocolumna and Ralstonia, while in grains Liquorilactobacillus dominated, with lower levels of Leuconostoc and Oenococcus. Although the bacterial diversity in kefir grains was low because only three genera were the most represented, all of them are LAB bacteria with the potential to serve as probiotics in the artificial feeding of bees.

Spanish cohort of VEXAS syndrome: clinical manifestations, outcome of treatments and novel evidences about UBA1 mosaicism.

BACKGROUND: The vacuoles, E1-enzyme, X linked, autoinflammatory and somatic (VEXAS) syndrome is an adult-onset autoinflammatory disease (AID) due to postzygotic UBA1 variants. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the presence of VEXAS syndrome among patients with adult-onset undiagnosed AID. Additional studies evaluated the mosaicism distribution and the circulating cytokines. METHODS: Gene analyses were performed by both Sanger and amplicon-based deep sequencing. Patients' data were collected from their medical charts. Cytokines were quantified by Luminex. RESULTS: Genetic analyses of enrolled patients (n=42) identified 30 patients carrying UBA1 pathogenic variants, with frequencies compatible for postzygotic variants. All patients were male individuals who presented with a late-onset disease (mean 67.5 years; median 67.0 years) characterised by cutaneous lesions (90%), fever (66.7%), pulmonary manifestations (66.7%) and arthritis (53.3%). Macrocytic anaemia and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and ferritin were the most relevant analytical abnormalities. Glucocorticoids ameliorated the inflammatory manifestations, but most patients became glucocorticoid-dependent. Positive responses were obtained when targeting the haematopoietic component of the disease with either decitabine or allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Additional analyses detected the UBA1 variants in both haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic tissues. Finally, analysis of circulating cytokines did not identify inflammatory mediators of the disease. CONCLUSION: Thirty patients with adult-onset AID were definitively diagnosed with VEXAS syndrome through genetic analyses. Despite minor interindividual differences, their main characteristics were in concordance with previous reports. We detected for the first time the UBA1 mosaicism in non-haematopoietic tissue, which questions the previous concept of myeloid-restricted mosaicism and may have conceptual consequences for the disease mechanisms.

Microbiological and chemical characterization of water kefir: An innovative source of potential probiotics for bee nutrition.

We evaluated the microbial composition of water kefir grains and beverage over the course of one year to determine whether the number and type of microorganisms changed over the time. Bacteria and yeast colonies with different morphologies were isolated from water kefir and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Paenibacillus larvae and Ascosphaera apis. A chemical characterization of kefir was also carried out. Our results confirmed that bacteria and yeasts were more numerous in kefir grains compared with those in the beverage. The counts of microorganisms declined, although an important microbial community was still present in kefir after the long storage period. Eleven strains which inhibited bee pathogens were isolated from kefir. Genotypic results demonstrated that these isolates included Lentilactobacillus hilgardii, Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Thus, water kefir may be an innovative source of potential probiotic strains for bee nutrition in order to control honeybee diseases.

Temperature and salinity effects on whole-organism and cellular level stress responses of the sub-Antarctic notothenioid fish Patagonotothen cornucola yolk-sac larvae.

This work aimed to evaluate the whole-organism and cellular level responses to different combinations of water temperature and salinity of the notothenioid Patagonotothen cornucola at the end of the yolk-sac larval stage. Egg masses of the species were collected in the wild and then maintained at natural water conditions (4 °C and 30 PSU). Newly hatched larvae were placed in aquaria with different combinations of water temperature (4 °C, 12 °C, and 16 °C) and salinity (15 and 30 PSU) during four days before yolk sac absorption. Larvae exposed to 12 °C grew more in length than those exposed to 16 °C, but yolk volume was more reduced in larvae exposed to 16 °C than those exposed to 4 °C and 30 PSU than of 15 PSU. In addition, a higher proportion of larvae exposed to 12 °C and 15 PSU completely absorbed their yolk. Whereas the more tolerant larvae to high temperatures were those exposed to 16 °C and 30 PSU, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were highest at natural and at 12 °C and 30 PSU conditions, respectively. The nutritional status (as standardized DNA/RNA index-sRD -) was low in all cases, even at natural conditions (average sRD ~ 1). Our study suggests that, in the context of climate change, the mortality rate of yolk-sac larvae of P. cornucola would not increase due to temperature or salinity stress. However, indirect effects (such as habitat degradation or changes in food availability) would be critical after complete absorption of the yolk.

Phylogenomics, CAZyome and core secondary metabolome of Streptomyces albus species.

A phylogenomic study conducted with different bioinformatic tools such as TYGS, REALPHY and AAI comparisons revealed a high rate of misidentified Streptomyces albus genomes in GenBank. Only 9 of the 18 annotated genomes available in the public database were correctly identified as S. albus species. The pangenome of the nine in silico confirmed S. albus genomes was almost closed. Lignocellulosic agroresidues were a common niche among strains of the S. albus clade while carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) were highly conserved. Relevant enzymes for cellulose degradation such as beta glucosidases belonging to the GH1 family, a GH6 cellulase and a monooxygenase AA10-CBM2 were encoded by all S. albus genomes. Among them, one GH1 glycosidase would be regulated by CebR. However, this regulatory mechanism was not confirmed for other genes related to cellulose degradation. Based on AntiSMASH predictions, the core secondary metabolome of S. albus encompassed a total of 23 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), where 4 were related to common metabolites within Streptomyces genus. Species specific BGCs included those related to pseudouridimycin and xantholipin. Additionally, four BGCs encoded putative derivatives of ibomycin, the lasso peptide SSV-2086, the lanthipeptide SapB and the terpene isorenieratene. Known metabolites could not be assigned to ten BGCs and three clusters did not match with any previously described BGC. The core genome of S. albus retrieved from nine closely related genomes revealed a high potential for the discovery of novel bioactive metabolites and underexplored regulatory genomic elements related to lignocellulose deconstruction.

Morphological and biochemical approaches to assess the nutritional condition of the Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi larvae from two different nursery areas.

The Argentine hake, Merluccius hubbsi, is one of the most important fishing species in the Argentine Sea due to its great abundance and high-quality meat. The study of the nutritional condition is widely used to determine the physiological state of the fish larvae and to estimate their survival possibilities. The larval nutritional condition reflects the environmental conditions to which they have been exposed and represents a useful instrument to determine favourable nursery areas. It also provides tools for the comprehensive management of a population subjected to fishing exploitation. This study aimed to determine potential differences in the nutritional condition of M. hubbsi larvae from the two fishing stocks (Northern and Southern) of the species. The authors assessed the nutritional condition of larvae captured during the 2012 main reproductive peak in the nursery areas of each population. Two different methodologies were applied: a morphometrical approach, by recording five morphometric variables, and a biochemical technique, employing the RNA/DNA index (RDs ) and its derived index of growth performance. The morphometrical indexes did not show differences in the larval condition between both stocks. Nonetheless, the RDs index did detect differences in the nutritional condition of larvae from different stocks. The RDs index of larvae in pre-flexion and flexion stages showed significant differences between stocks, indicating that these stages are more susceptible to starvation. The results suggest that the biochemical indexes prove to be more sensitive than the morphometric indexes to detect slight differences in hake larvae nutritional condition. The scope and limitations of these techniques for the analysis of the nutritional condition of larvae are discussed.

Transcriptomic response of durum wheat to cold stress at reproductive stage.

Understanding the genetic basis of cold tolerance is a key step towards obtaining new and improved crop varieties. Current geographical distribution of durum wheat in Argentina exposes the plants to frost damage when spikes have already emerged. Biochemical pathways involved in cold tolerance are known to be early activated at above freezing temperatures. In this study we reported the transcriptome of CBW0101 spring durum wheat by merging data from untreated control and cold (5 °C) treated plant samples at reproductive stage. A total of 128,804 unigenes were predicted. Near 62% of the unigenes were annotated in at least one database. In total 876 unigenes were differentially expressed (DEGs), 562 were up-regulated and 314 down-regulated in treated samples. DEGs are involved in many critical processes including, photosynthetic activity, lipid and carbohydrate synthesis and accumulation of amino acids and seed proteins. Twenty-eight transcription factors (TFs) belonging to 14 families resulted differentially expressed from which eight families comprised of only TFs induced by cold. We also found 31 differentially expressed Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), most of them up-regulated in treated plants. Two of these lncRNAs could operate via microRNAs (miRNAs) target mimic. Our results suggest a reprogramming of expression patterns in CBW0101 that affects a number of genes that is closer to the number reported in winter genotypes. These observations could partially explain its moderate tolerance (low proportion of frost-damaged spikes) when exposed to freezing days in the field.

The genetic component of bicuspid aortic valve and aortic dilation. An exome-wide association study.

BACKGROUND: Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common cardiovascular congenital malformation affecting 2% of the general population. The incidence of life-threatening complications, the high heritability, and familial clustering rates support the interest in identifying risk or protective genetic factors. The main objective of the present study was to identify population-based genetic variation associated with bicuspid aortic valve and concomitant ascending aortic dilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional exome-wide association study was conducted in 565 Spanish cases and 484 controls. Single-marker and gene-based association analyses enriched for low frequency and rare genetic variants were performed on this discovery stage cohort and for the subsets of cases with and without ascending aortic dilation. Discovery-stage association signals and additional markers indirectly associated with bicuspid aortic valve, were genotyped in a replication cohort that comprised 895 Caucasian cases and 1483 controls. RESULTS: Although none of the association signals were consistent across series, the involvement of HMCN2 in calcium metabolism and valve degeneration caused by calcium deposit, and a nominal but not genome-wide significant association, supported it as an interesting gene for follow-up studies on the genetic susceptibility to bicuspid aortic valve. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of a genome-wide significant association signal shows this valvular malformation may be more genetically complex than previously believed. Exhaustive phenotypic characterization, even larger datasets, and collaborative efforts are needed to detect the combination of rare variants conferring risk which, along with specific environmental factors, could be causing the development of this disease.

Postmortem genetic testing should be recommended in sudden cardiac death cases due to thoracic aortic dissection.

BACKGROUND: Acute thoracic aortic dissections and ruptures, the main life-threatening complications of the corresponding aneurysms, are an important cause of sudden cardiac death. Despite the usefulness of the molecular diagnosis of these conditions in the clinical setting, the corresponding forensic field remains largely unexplored. The main goal of this study was to explore and validate a new massive parallel sequencing candidate gene​ assay as a diagnostic tool for acute thoracic aortic dissection autopsy cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Massive parallel sequencing of 22 thoracic aortic disease candidate genes performed in 17 cases of thoracic aortic dissection using AmpliSeq and Ion Proton technologies. Genetic variants were filtered by location, type, and frequency at the Exome Aggregation Consortium and an internal database and further classified based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommendations published in 2015. All prioritized results were confirmed by traditional sequencing. RESULTS: From the total of 10 potentially pathogenic genetic variants identified in 7 out of the 17 initial samples, 2 of them were further classified as pathogenic, 2 as likely pathogenic, 1 as possibly benign, and the remaining 5 as variants of uncertain significance, reaching a molecular autopsy yield of 23%, approximately. CONCLUSIONS: This massive parallel sequencing candidate gene approach proved useful for the molecular autopsy of aortic dissection sudden cardiac death cases and should therefore be progressively incorporated into the forensic field, being especially beneficial for the anticipated diagnosis and risk stratification of any other family member at risk of developing the same condition.

PRKG1 and genetic diagnosis of early-onset thoracic aortic disease.

BACKGROUND: The 20% of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections independent from the main connective tissue syndromes and expected to be familial has gained importance over the past years. The more frequent pattern of inheritance of these nonsyndromic cases is autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance and variable expression. Although many candidate genes exist, unresolved familial cases suggest still unravelled genetic variation. The main purpose of this study was to establish the genetic diagnosis of one of those. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To begin with, we applied a candidate gene approach based on both traditional and a customized massive parallel sequencing panel, followed by Illumina HiSeq 2000 whole exome sequencing of four family members affected by early-onset thoracic aortic disease and two unaffected relatives. We prioritized whole exome sequencing results based on variant location, type and frequency in general population databases and performed segregation analysis in 14 family members using traditional sequencing. RESULTS: After the negative results we obtained with candidate gene approaches, the analysis and prioritization of whole exome sequencing results brought out the heterozygote c.530G>A:p.Arg177Gln PRKG1 variant (NM_001098512), located in one of the aortic smooth muscle cell contractile apparatus genes. This candidate variant segregated with thoracic aortic disease, as it was present in seven affected and absent in five unaffected family members, further supporting its causality. CONCLUSIONS: This was the second time PRKG1 was associated with thoracic aortic disease, highlighting and reaffirming it as a strong candidate for gene-based diagnosis of nonsyndromic early-onset cases.

Massilia umbonata sp. nov., able to accumulate poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate, isolated from a sewage sludge compost-soil microcosm.

A bacterial strain, designated strain LP01(T), was isolated from a laboratory-scale microcosm packed with a mixture of soil and sewage sludge compost designed to study the evolution of microbial biodiversity over time. The bacterial strain was selected for its potential ability to store polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as intracellular granules. The cells were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-endospore-forming motile rods. Phylogenetically, the strain was classified within the genus Massilia, as its 16S rRNA gene sequence had similarity of 99.2 % with respect to those of Massilia albidiflava DSM 17472(T) and M. lutea DSM 17473(T). DNA-DNA hybridization showed low relatedness of strain LP01(T) to the type strains of other, phylogenetically related species of the genus Massilia. It contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) as the major fatty acid(s). It was found to contain small amounts of the fatty acids C18 : 0 and C14 : 0 2-OH, a feature that served to distinguish it from its closest phylogenetic relatives within the genus Massilia. The DNA G+C content was 66.0 mol%. Phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data obtained in this study suggest that strain LP01(T) represents a novel species of the genus Massilia, for which the name Massilia umbonata sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LP01(T) ( = CECT 7753(T) = DSM 26121(T)).

Like noodles in a soup: Anthropogenic microfibers are being ingested by juvenile fish in nursery grounds of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

The balance between marine health and ecosystem sustainability confronts a pressing threat from anthropogenic pollution. Estuaries are particularly susceptible to contamination, notably by anthropogenic microfibers originated from daily human activities in land and in fishing practices. This study examines the impact of anthropogenic microfibers on the whitemouth croaker in an estuarine environment of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean during cold and warm seasons. The presence of anthropogenic microfibers was revealed in 64 % of juvenile gastrointestinal tracts, and 94 % of water samples, and concentrations were influenced by factors such as temperature, bay zone, and fish body length. Blue and black anthropogenic microfibers, with a rather new physical aspect, were dominant. This study highlights the impact of microfibers in a heavily anthropized body of water, subject to federal and local regulations due to the presence of commercially significant fish species inhabiting this area.

Comparison between Classical- and Rotational-Mechanical-Chair-Assisted Maneuvers in a Population of Patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Introduction: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) stands as the most common cause of peripheral vertigo. Its treatment with repositioning maneuvers on an examination table is highly effective. However, patients with back or neck problems, paraplegia, or other conditions face challenges with these maneuvers, potentially experiencing longer healing times and creating additional difficulties for physicians diagnosing and treating BPPV in everyday practice. The emergence of mechanical rotational chairs (MRCs) offers a more convenient alternative for performing these maneuvers. Objectives: The primary objective was to compare the effectiveness of maneuvers on the examination table with those on MRCs in BPPV patients diagnosed in the emergency room and randomly classified into one of the treatment options. The secondary objectives included a comparison of patient quality of life during BPPV episodes and after their resolution and an analysis of recurrences and associated risk factors. Methods: This was a cohort study on sixty-three patients diagnosed with BPPV in the emergency department. Patients were classified into two cohorts depending on diagnostic and treatment maneuvers (MRC or conventional repositioning maneuvers (CRMs)) and received weekly follow-ups until positioning maneuvers became negative. Subsequent follow-ups were conducted at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the resolution of vertigo. Patients were classified into two groups based on their assigned treatment method. Results: Thirty-one patients were treated with CRMs and 32 with TRV. Mean age was 62.29 ± 17.67 years and the most affected canal was the PSC (96.8%). The mean number of required maneuvers was two, while 55.56% only required one maneuver until resolution. Recurrence was present in 26.98% of the patients during the 6-month follow-up. Comparing both cohorts, there were no statistically significant differences between treatments (TRV vs. CRM) regarding the number of maneuvers, number of recurrences, and days until remission of BPPV. Dizziness Handicap Inventory and Visual Analogue Scale values decreased considerably after BPPV resolution, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Age was identified as a covariable in the number of maneuvers and days until BPPV resolution, showing that an increase in age implies a greater need of maneuvers. Conclusions: There was no difference between the means of treatment for BPPV in our population ot There was no difference between the groups of treatments for BPPV in our population. The quality of life of patients improved six months after the resolution of BPPV, regardless of the treatment applied.

Ferromagnetic Order in 2D Layers of Transition Metal Dichlorides.

Magnetism in two dimensions is traditionally considered an exotic phase mediated by spin fluctuations, but far from collinearly ordered in the ground state. Recently, 2D magnetic states have been discovered in layered van der Waals compounds. Their robust and tunable magnetic state by material composition, combined with reduced dimensionality, foresee a strong potential as a key element in magnetic devices. Here, a class of 2D magnets based on metallic chlorides is presented. The magnetic order survives on top of a metallic substrate, even down to the monolayer limit, and can be switched from perpendicular to in-plane by substituting the metal ion from iron to nickel. Using functionalized STM tips as magnetic sensors, local exchange fields are identified, even in the absence of an external magnetic field. Since the compounds are processable by molecular beam epitaxy techniques, they provide a platform with large potential for incorporation into current device technologies.

Prefrontal EEG correlation during Tower of Hanoi and WCST performance: effect of emotional visual stimuli.

INTRODUCTION: Emotional stimuli elicit changes in the electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of several brain structures. Prefrontal cortex is involved in the processing of emotional stimuli and executive functions. The correlation analysis of EEG provides information about the functional coupling between areas. It is reasonable to expect that emotional activation will modify prefrontal coupling during the performance of executive tasks such as Tower of Hanoi or Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). AIM: Determine whether the prefrontal EEG correlation during the performance of the Tower of Hanoi and WCST is affected by previous exposure to videos with sexual or aggressive content. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prefrontal EEG coupling was determined by the Pearson correlation. Valence and general arousal were evaluated by the Self-Assessment Manikin Scale and sexual arousal with a Sexual Arousal Scale. Computerized versions of the Towers of Hanoi and WCST provided data on prefrontal executive functions. METHODS: EEG from the left and right prefrontal zones was recorded during the performance of the Tower of Hanoi and WCST immediately after the subjects were exposed to one of the videos (neutral, aggressive, and erotic). RESULTS: There was no difference between videos in the task performance parameters. Only the erotic video produced an increased prefrontal coupling in the slow bands (delta and theta) during the performance of the Tower of Hanoi, whereas a decreased coupling in the delta, theta, and alpha bands was observed during the WCST. CONCLUSIONS: Prefrontal coupling was changed after exposure to the erotic video, and it is likely that enhanced sexual arousal was the main cause of this change. The correlation patterns obtained could be associated with particular cognitive strategies or to functional adaptations while being sexually aroused. The results of this study may contribute to an understanding of the central nervous mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of sexual arousal.

Emended descriptions of Bacillus sporothermodurans and Bacillus oleronius with the inclusion of dairy farm isolates of both species.

Bacillus sporothermodurans is an industrially important micro-organism because of its ability to produce endospores which resist ultra-high temperature (UHT) and industrial sterilization processes. It was described by Pettersson et al. (1996) [Pettersson, B., Lembke, F., Hammer, P., Stackebrandt, E. & Priest, F. G. (1996). Int J Syst Bacteriol 46, 759-764] based on seven genetically homogeneous isolates all from UHT milk. Bacillus oleronius, the closest phylogenetic neighbour of B. sporothermodurans, was described by Kuhnigk et al. (1995) [Kuhnigk, T., Borst, E.-M., Breunig, A., König, H., Collins, M. D., Hutson, R. A. & Kämpfer, P. (1995). Can J Microbiol 41, 699-706] based on a single strain, isolated from the hindgut of the termite Reticulitermes santonensis. A polyphasic study of a heterogeneous collection of B. sporothermodurans and B. oleronius strains isolated from various sources and geographical origins led to an emended description of both species. Additional data presented are the results of fatty acid, quinone and/or cell wall (polar lipid) analyses. DNA-DNA hybridization confirmed 3 subgroups of strains obtained after SDS-PAGE analysis of cellular proteins as B. sporothermodurans. One named B. sporothermodurans strain (R-7489) was reclassified as a Bacillus fordii strain. The phenotypic profiles of both species were rather heterogeneous, sometimes different from the original descriptions and did not differ in a large number of characteristics, although B. oleronius generally gave stronger reactions in its positive tests than did B. sporothermodurans; the variable and weak reactions for both organisms with some substrates blurred the distinction between the two. However, differences in polar lipid, SDS-PAGE and menaquinone profiles clearly allow distinction between the two species.

Sustainable oxygen evolution electrocatalysis in aqueous 1 M H2SO4 with earth abundant nanostructured Co3O4.

Earth-abundant electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) able to work in acidic working conditions are elusive. While many first-row transition metal oxides are competitive in alkaline media, most of them just dissolve or become inactive at high proton concentrations where hydrogen evolution is preferred. Only noble-metal catalysts, such as IrO2, are fast and stable enough in acidic media. Herein, we report the excellent activity and long-term stability of Co3O4-based anodes in 1 M H2SO4 (pH 0.1) when processed in a partially hydrophobic carbon-based protecting matrix. These Co3O4@C composites reliably drive O2 evolution a 10 mA cm-2 current density for >40 h without appearance of performance fatigue, successfully passing benchmarking protocols without incorporating noble metals. Our strategy opens an alternative venue towards fast, energy efficient acid-media water oxidation electrodes.

pmoA Primers for detection of anaerobic methanotrophs.

Published pmoA primers do not match the pmoA sequence of "Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera," a bacterium that performs nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation. Therefore, new pmoA primers for the detection of "Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera"-like methanotrophs were developed and successfully tested on freshwater samples from different habitats. These primers expand existing molecular tools for the study of methanotrophs in the environment.

[Pelvic reconstruction after abdominoperineal resection of the rectum]. / Reconstrucción pélvica tras amputación abdominoperineal del recto.

Despite the advances in the treatment of cancer of the rectum and the expansion of the multimodal therapeutic technique, abdominoperineal resection (APR) still needs to be performed as radical treatment in 20-30% of cases. APR of the rectum involves a significant morbidity, including intestinal obstruction and wound complications, with radiotherapy-induced enteritis being able to develop in 15% of cases subjected to post-operative radiotherapy. Furthermore, with the aim of improving local oncology results, an extended APR is recommended; a technique that requires a perineal reconstruction technique that allows a tension free closure in a previously radiated tissue and may prevent perineal hernias developing. The objective of this article is to review pelvic and perineal repair methods after APR due to cancer, with special attention to the new prosthetic repair techniques.

Ganoderma sessile is a fast polysaccharide producer among Ganoderma species.

The selection of fast-growing and high-yield-producing strains is required to satisfy the market demand on fungal food supplements. To that aim, three strains deposited in our collection as G. lucidum and G. oregonense were screened for polysaccharide production and biomass yield. Ganoderma strains deposited as G. lucidum were identified as G. sessile and G. lingzhi by nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) phylogenies. The identity of G. oregonense was confirmed by molecular phylogeny and biogeography. Additionally, mycelial antagonism confirmed species differentiation, and strains were further distinguished by morphology and protein profiles. Biomass and polysaccharide yields of G. sessile were clearly different from those of G. lingzhi and G. oregonense in both liquid culture and solid-state fermentation. The maximum polysaccharide yield (4.52 ± 0.83 g L-1) for G. sessile was obtained from submerged cultures at day 9. G. sessile also achieved the highest linear growth in lignocellulosic solid substrates. Consequently, basidiomata were successfully obtained by solid-state fermentation in polypropylene bags, whereas G. lingzhi and G. oregonense mushrooms were not produced in artificial solid substrates. G. sessile, a species frequently collected in America, showed to be a promising polysaccharide producer for the manufacture of dietary supplements.