Worldwide forest surveys reveal forty-three new species in Phytophthora major Clade 2 with fundamental implications for the evolution and biogeography of the genus and global plant biosecurity.

During 25 surveys of global Phytophthora diversity, conducted between 1998 and 2020, 43 new species were detected in natural ecosystems and, occasionally, in nurseries and outplantings in Europe, Southeast and East Asia and the Americas. Based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and four mitochondrial gene regions they were assigned to five of the six known subclades, 2a-c, e and f, of Phytophthora major Clade 2 and the new subclade 2g. The evolutionary history of the Clade appears to have involved the pre-Gondwanan divergence of three extant subclades, 2c, 2e and 2f, all having disjunct natural distributions on separate continents and comprising species with a soilborne and aquatic lifestyle and, in addition, a few partially aerial species in Clade 2c; and the post-Gondwanan evolution of subclades 2a and 2g in Southeast/East Asia and 2b in South America, respectively, from their common ancestor. Species in Clade 2g are soilborne whereas Clade 2b comprises both soil-inhabiting and aerial species. Clade 2a has evolved further towards an aerial lifestyle comprising only species which are predominantly or partially airborne. Based on high nuclear heterozygosity levels ca. 38 % of the taxa in Clades 2a and 2b could be some form of hybrid, and the hybridity may be favoured by an A1/A2 breeding system and an aerial life style. Circumstantial evidence suggests the now 93 described species and informally designated taxa in Clade 2 result from both allopatric non-adaptive and sympatric adaptive radiations. They represent most morphological and physiological characters, breeding systems, lifestyles and forms of host specialism found across the Phytophthora clades as a whole, demonstrating the strong biological cohesiveness of the genus. The finding of 43 previously unknown species from a single Phytophthora clade highlight a critical lack of information on the scale of the unknown pathogen threats to forests and natural ecosystems, underlining the risk of basing plant biosecurity protocols mainly on lists of named organisms. More surveys in natural ecosystems of yet unsurveyed regions in Africa, Asia, Central and South America are needed to unveil the full diversity of the clade and the factors driving diversity, speciation and adaptation in Phytophthora. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Phytophthora amamensis T. Jung, K. Kageyama, H. Masuya & S. Uematsu, Phytophthora angustata T. Jung, L. Garcia, B. Mendieta-Araica, & Y. Balci, Phytophthora balkanensis I. Milenkovic, Z. Tomic, T. Jung & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora borneensis T. Jung, A. Durán, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora calidophila T. Jung, Y. Balci, L. Garcia & B. Mendieta-Araica, Phytophthora catenulata T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, N.M. Chi & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora celeris T. Jung, L. Oliveira, M. Tarigan & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora curvata T. Jung, A. Hieno, H. Masuya & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora distorta T. Jung, A. Durán, E. Sanfuentes von Stowasser & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora excentrica T. Jung, S. Uematsu, K. Kageyama & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora falcata T. Jung, K. Kageyama, S. Uematsu & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora fansipanensis T. Jung, N.M. Chi, T. Corcobado & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora frigidophila T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora furcata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora inclinata N.M. Chi, T. Jung, M. Horta Jung & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora indonesiensis T. Jung, M. Tarigan, L. Oliveira & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora japonensis T. Jung, A. Hieno, H. Masuya & J.F. Webber, Phytophthora limosa T. Corcobado, T. Majek, M. Ferreira & T. Jung, Phytophthora macroglobulosa H.-C. Zeng, H.-H. Ho, F.-C. Zheng & T. Jung, Phytophthora montana T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora multipapillata T. Jung, M. Tarigan, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora multiplex T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora nimia T. Jung, H. Masuya, A. Hieno & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora oblonga T. Jung, S. Uematsu, K. Kageyama & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora obovoidea T. Jung, Y. Balci, L. Garcia & B. Mendieta-Araica, Phytophthora obturata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora penetrans T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora platani T. Jung, A. Pérez-Sierra, S.O. Cacciola & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora proliferata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudocapensis T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudocitrophthora T. Jung, S.O. Cacciola, J. Bakonyi & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudofrigida T. Jung, A. Durán, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudoccultans T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pyriformis T. Jung, Y. Balci, K.D. Boders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora sumatera T. Jung, M. Tarigan, M. Junaid & A. Durán, Phytophthora transposita T. Jung, K. Kageyama, C.M. Brasier & H. Masuya, Phytophthora vacuola T. Jung, H. Masuya, K. Kageyama & J.F. Webber, Phytophthora valdiviana T. Jung, E. Sanfuentes von Stowasser, A. Durán & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora variepedicellata T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora vietnamensis T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora ×australasiatica T. Jung, N.M. Chi, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora ×lusitanica T. Jung, M. Horta Jung, C. Maia & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora ×taiwanensis T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, H.-S. Fu & M. Horta Jung. Citation: Jung T, Milenkovic I, Balci Y, Janousek J, Kudlácek T, Nagy ZÁ, Baharuddin B, Bakonyi J, Broders KD, Cacciola SO, Chang T-T, Chi NM, Corcobado T, Cravador A, Dordevic B, Durán A, Ferreira M, Fu C-H, Garcia L, Hieno A, Ho H-H, Hong C, Junaid M, Kageyama K, Kuswinanti T, Maia C, Májek T, Masuya H, Magnano di San Lio G, Mendieta-Araica B, Nasri N, Oliveira LSS, Pane A, Pérez-Sierra A, Rosmana A, Sanfuentes von Stowasser E, Scanu B, Singh R, Stanivukovic Z, Tarigan M, Thu PQ, Tomic Z, Tomsovský M, Uematsu S, Webber JF, Zeng H-C, Zheng F-C, Brasier CM, Horta Jung M (2024). Worldwide forest surveys reveal forty-three new species in Phytophthora major Clade 2 with fundamental implications for the evolution and biogeography of the genus and global plant biosecurity. Studies in Mycology 107: 251-388. doi: 10.3114/sim.2024.107.04.

A combination of N-acetyl cysteine and propolis attenuates oxidative-inflammatory parameters during COPD exacerbation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine any differences in oxidative stress and inflammation parameters in COPD patients treated with either N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) alone or with NAC in combination with propolis (NACP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty COPD patients in the exacerbation phase were enrolled into the study and were treated with either NAC (NAC group; n=20) or NACP (NACP group; n=20) twice daily for one month. Redox status was determined by measuring superoxide anion (O2.-), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), total oxidative status (TOS), prooxidative-antioxidant balance (PAB), malondialdehyde (MDA), ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and several other antioxidant markers: superoxide dismutase (SOD), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), total sulfhydryl groups (SHG) and total antioxidant status (TAS). Interleukins 6, 8 and 17 were measured as markers of inflammatory status. RESULTS: Both groups had similar socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. After treatment significantly higher SHG [0.446 (0.395-0.516) vs. 0.292 (0.270-0.325), p<0.001] and significantly lower TOS - 50.6 [49.7-53.4 vs. 73.2 (50.9-84.6), p<0.05] - and IMA [0.650 (0.629-0.682) vs. 0.709 (0.667-0.756), p<0.05] - were found in the NACP group compared to the NAC group. Factorial analysis indicated a larger oxidative stress-inflammatory load in the NAC group after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: From an oxidative stress and inflammatory status perspective, treatment with NACP was more successful than with NAC. The inclusion of propolis into therapy for COPD patients, especially those in the exacerbation phase, could prove beneficial.

Effects of short- and long-term physical activity on DNA stability and oxidative stress status in young soccer players.

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine whether single soccer training is able to cause oxidative stress and DNA instability. We have also sought to investigate if adaptive response will be developed during 45 days training period and to what extent. METHODS: This study was conducted on 16 soccer players aged 18.13±0.35 years. We used single cells gel electrophoresis (comet assay) to investigate leukocyte DNA stability. The results were presented as DNA score and percent of cells with medium and high damage. Oxidative status of our subjects was estimated through blood levels of superoxide anion, the thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARs), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) and sulfhydryl-groups (SH-groups). RESULTS: During single soccer training, DNA score and percent of the cells with medium and high damage were increased after training but without significance. Sulphydryl-groups (P=0.033), TOS (P=0.002) and PAB (P=0.045) were significantly lower after training. After 45 days training period DNA score was decreased but with no significance. However, percent of cells with medium and high damage was significantly lower (P=0.01). TOS (P=0.001) and MDA (P=0.038) levels were also significantly lower, while sulphydryl-groups levels were significantly higher (P=0.006). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that single soccer training had not compromised DNA stability. Possible development of oxidative stress was effectively neutralized by very well preserved antioxidative mechanisms. It was also shown that during 45 days adaptive response was induced. All measured parameters should be considered as useful information on oxidative status of trainees.

Nuclear volume in type I gastric intestinal metaplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively compare nuclear size of epithelial cells in type I intestinal metaplasia (IM) from various pathologic lesions of gastric mucosa. STUDY DESIGN: Endoscopic mucosal biopsies with type I IM from intestinal type gastric carcinoma (n = 25), chronic gastritis (n = 40) and benign ulcer (n = 32) cases were analyzed. After standard fixation, embedding, sectioning, routine hematoxylin and eosin and alcian blue--periodic acid--Schiff reaction (pH 1.0 and 2.5) staining were used for identification of IM. The mean point sampled nuclear intercept was estimated by the original test system and 100x objective at a total magnification of 1,200x. To obtain the mean nuclear volume, the cubed nuclear intercept was multiplied by pi/3. In each case 100 epithelial cell nuclei were analyzed. RESULTS: In type I IM in gastric carcinoma cases there was significantly greater nuclear volume (118.34 +/- 10.32 micron 3) than in type I IM in other pathologic states of gastric mucosa (77.72 +/- 8.58 micron 3). CONCLUSION: The karyometric findings of the present study suggest a difference between type I IM found in benign pathologic states and type I IM found in gastric mucosa surrounding carcinoma, despite morphologic and histochemical similarities. Nuclear volume may be used in early detection of precancerous states of gastric mucosa.

Nucleolar volume in breast carcinomas.

The prognostic value of histopathological typing of breast carcinomas is relatively good. The determination of cell size has been a common and useful parameter in the diagnosis of various malignancies. With modern stereologic methods it is possible to obtain unbiased estimates of nucleolar volume. The aim of this study was to present our data regarding the nucleolar size in breast carcinoma. Patients treated for breast carcinoma (n = 39) were retrieved and randomly selected from the files of the University Institute of Pathology, Nis. Histological sections (4 microns) were cut from each of the routinely processed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A Carl Zeiss NU-1 microscope equipped with a x 100 oil-immersion lens (N.A. = 1.25) and eyepiece graticule was used for stereological measurements. A total magnification of x 1600 was used. A simple grid was used for point sampling of nucleolar intercepts, which were measured in one arbitrary direction. By multiplying the averaged, cubed intercept length by pi/3, an unbiased estimate of volume-weighted nucleolar volume was obtained. The nucleolar volume was significantly larger in invasive ductal carcinoma (12.34 +/- 3.48 microns3) than invasive lobular carcinoma (5.6 +/- 2.73 microns 3) and mucinous (colloid) adenocarcinoma (0.88 +/- 0.42 micron 3). Various histological types of breast cancer exhibit differences with regard to nucleolar volume.