Environmental and bioclimatic factors influencing yeasts and molds distribution along European shores.

The present study employed data collected during the Mycosands survey to investigate the environmental factors influencing yeasts and molds distribution along European shores applying a species distribution modelling approach. Occurrence data were compared to climatic datasets (temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation), soil datasets (chemical and physical properties), and water datasets (temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration) downloaded from web databases. Analyses were performed by MaxEnt software. Results suggested a different probability of distribution of yeasts and molds along European shores. Yeasts seem to tolerate low temperatures better during winter than molds and this reflects a higher suitability for the Northern European coasts. This difference is more evident considering suitability in waters. Both distributions of molds and yeasts are influenced by basic soil pH, probably because acidic soils are more favorable to bacterial growth. Soils with high nitrogen concentrations are not suitable for fungal growth, which, in contrast, are optimal for plant growth, favored by this environment. Finally, molds show affinity with soil rich in nickel and yeasts with soils rich in cadmium resulting in a distribution mainly at the mouths of European rivers or lagoons, where these metals accumulate in river sediments.

Mycosands: Fungal diversity and abundance in beach sand and recreational waters - Relevance to human health.

The goal of most studies published on sand contaminants is to gather and discuss knowledge to avoid faecal contamination of water by run-offs and tide-retractions. Other life forms in the sand, however, are seldom studied but always pointed out as relevant. The Mycosands initiative was created to generate data on fungi in beach sands and waters, of both coastal and freshwater inland bathing sites. A team of medical mycologists and water quality specialists explored the sand culturable mycobiota of 91 bathing sites, and water of 67 of these, spanning from the Atlantic to the Eastern Mediterranean coasts, including the Italian lakes and the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Seas. Sydney (Australia) was also included in the study. Thirteen countries took part in the initiative. The present study considered several fungal parameters (all fungi, several species of the genus Aspergillus and Candida and the genera themselves, plus other yeasts, allergenic fungi, dematiaceous fungi and dermatophytes). The study considered four variables that the team expected would influence the results of the analytical parameters, such as coast or inland location, urban and non-urban sites, period of the year, geographical proximity and type of sediment. The genera most frequently found were Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., Fusarium spp. and Cryptococcus spp. both in sand and in water. A site-blind median was found to be 89 Colony-Forming Units (CFU) of fungi per gram of sand in coastal and inland freshwaters, with variability between 0 and 6400 CFU/g. For freshwater sites, that number was 201.7 CFU/g (0, 6400 CFU/g (p = 0.01)) and for coastal sites was 76.7 CFU/g (0, 3497.5 CFU/g). For coastal waters and all waters, the median was 0 CFU/ml (0, 1592 CFU/ml) and for freshwaters 6.7 (0, 310.0) CFU/ml (p < 0.001). The results advocate that beaches should be monitored for fungi for safer use and better management.

[False surgical acute abdomen with intermittent acute porphyria]. / Fals abdomen acut chirurgical în cadrul unei porfirii acute intermitente.

This article presents a case of acute intermittent porphyria admitted to the Surgery Department of C.F. Craiova Hospital between 18.08.2003-26.08.2003 then transferred to the Colentina Hospital in Bucharest for diagnosis confirmation and adequate treatment. The purpose of this paper is to bring attention on a rare metabolic inherited disease that, due to its non-specific and often noisy symptoms and limited possibilities of biochemical, enzymatic and genetic diagnosis, could generate potential serious confusions. The presentes case illustrates the fact that sometimes the acute attack may be mistaken for an acute surgical affection which requires an emergency operation with all the aggravating consequences and delay in the real diagnosis. About 1% of acute attacks of porphyria may be fatal. Only the drugs known as safe should be prescribed. Basic treatment consists in oral and intravenous glucose and hematin administration.

Accelerated streptokinase--a new thrombolytic regimen in acute myocardial infarction.

Efficiency and safety of an accelerated regimen of streptokinase (1.5 M.U. over 20 min., 109 patients) has been compared with the standard regimen (1.5 M.U. over 60 min, 119 patients) in 218 patients admitted within the first 6 hours after the onset of the symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Using the noninvasive criteria we found a coronary reperfusion rate of 77.04% in patients belonging to the accelerated regimen group and this value was significantly higher than the one of 57.14% registered in the standard group. No major hemorrhagic events were registered in both groups. Although the hypotension appeared to be more frequent in patients in whom the accelerated regimen was used, however this side effect proved to be transient and well controlled using the rapid infusion of natrium chloride solution. In conclusion, the accelerated regimen of streptokinase is safe and followed by a higher rate of coronary reperfusion as compared to the standard one.

The smoke that kills. Yanomami.

PIP: Since the mid-1980s, gold prospectors have poured into the lands of the Yanomami Indians of northwestern Brazil, bringing disease and destruction and threatening the existence of the planet's largest Stone Age tribe. The Yanomami number a little less than 10,000 people. For millennia they have lived in harmony with the Brazilian rain forest, one of the world's most fragile ecosystems by limiting their own population growth; e.g., women usually wait to have a 2nd child after the 1 child is 3 years old. Contact with the outside world had been limited until gold prospectors began penetrating Yanomami territory. In the past few years, some 1500 Yanomami have died of malaria, measles, tuberculosis, and other diseases brought by the prospectors. Malaria alone has infected 4 out of 10 Yanomami. In their search for gold, the outsiders have also destroyed the delicate ecosystem; e.g., the mercury used in the mining process has poisoned the rivers. In response to pressure from environmentalists and others concerned over the fate of the Yanomami, Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello established the Yanomami Indian reserve in November 1991. The move, however, has angered some powerful interests in Brazil. The military is concerned that the Yanomami might join forces with their brethren in Venezuela and try to establish an independent state. Large mining interests also oppose the reserve because the Yanomami lands are rich in gold, uranium, tin and other minerals. Enforcing the demarcation of the reserve may prove impossible for the Brazilian government because of the lack of resources to protect an area 3 times the size of Holland. In the meantime, the Brazilian Ministry of Health and other organizations have begun to send medical teams to treat those Yanomami sick with malaria.^ieng

Influence of pregnancy, birth and abortion on the evolution of systemic lupus erythematosus.

The effect of pregnancy, birth and abortion on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was studied in 225 patients with or without a history of pregnancy and abortion. It was observed that pregnancy, birth and abortion aggravate the evolution of disease in patients with active SLE. The tissue autoantibodies studies presented a low titer in patients in whom pregnancy had occurred in the course of disease. Antimeasles antibodies presented a high titer in patients with a history of gestation. These data suggest that gestation induces immune changes which aggravate SLE.

The area of lymphocyte nucleoli (ALN) and its relationship with RNA synthesis in lymphocytes after blastic transformation in in vitro cultures.

The area of lymphocyte nucleoli (ALN) is a recently imagined method (Micu et al., 1978) which can detect cytochemically the microscopically visible surface of nucleolar RNA, measurable in mu2. The normal ALN value in peripheral blood is 84.4 +/- 9.2 mu2. Using in vitro cultures of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes obtained from 106 patients with various internal diseases, the authors could demonstrate a relationship between the rate of the lymphocytic RNA biosynthesis and the ALN variations, namely that an RNA hyper- or hyposynthesis is accompanied by an increase or a decrease, respectively, of the ALN.

The relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and tuberculosis.

Investigation of 280 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) admitted during 15 consecutive years to the "N. Gh. Lupu" Institute of Internal Medicine, Bucharest, revealed association of this disease with tuberculosis (tb) in 51 cases (19%). In most of these patients, tb onset preceded that of SLE; in the others it was either concomitant or it occurred later, in the course of SLE evolution. It is assumed that tb is favouring SLE development, probably by antigenic oversollicitation in patients with genetic immune deficiencies. When it occurs in the late stages of SLE, association of tb is of severe prognosis.

The area of lymphocyte nucleoli, a new method estimating the blastic transformation of stimulated lymphocytes in in vitro cultures.

To estimate the degree of lymphocyte reactivity in patients with internal diseases with immune components, the authors used a new method of investigation, the area of lymphocyte nucleoli (ALN), recently proposed by them. ALN was determined in blood cultures stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and sacrificed after three days. The blood was obtained from 120 patients with chronic internal diseases with immune components such as: bronchial asthma, chronic hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The data obtained showed clearly that, compared with the classical test of lymphocyte blastic transformation, ALN--which presented increases even by more than 100% over normal in rheumatoid arthritis and in systemic lupus erythematosus--can supply additional information regarding the degree of reactivity of the cultivated lymphocytes. In CLL, as it was to be expected, ALN values were below the normal.

Study of mediastinal and lung involvements in Hodgkin's disease.

Clinical, biological, radiological and radioisotope investigations in 224 patients with Hodgkin's disease revealed a great frequency (100 cases, i.e. 44%) of mediastinal and pleuro-pulmonary involvements, most of them in advanced stages of the disease. The predominant histologic types in these cases were mixed cellularity or nodular sclerosis. Evolution and prognosis were improved by combination chemotherapy in COOP courses; X-ray therapy was associated after drug therapy only if absolutely necessary, on limited areas.

Relationships between lymphography and the histologic nodal and splenic types in Hodgkin's disease. Considerations on clinical evolution.

Trying to establish the eventual interrelations of the initial histologic nodal type and the splenic one, the general lymphographic picture, the histologic nodal type and spleen involvement, lymphographic and histologic examinations were carried out in 151 patients with Hodgkin's disease. Lympographies were performed in 139 cases, and splenectomy (followed by splenic, hepatic and abdominal lymph node biopsies) in 32. Lymphocyte depletion was found in 72.7% of the patients with lymph node obstruction diagnosed lymphographically. Splenic involvement was more frequent in cases with pathologic lymphographic picture and histologic aspects of lymphocyte predominance or nodular sclerosis. In patients with initial nodal histologic types of nodular sclerosis or lymphocyte depletion, the splenic histopathologic types were the same, but they got more severe in cases with lymphocyte predominance or mixed cellularity. Splenic biopsy might be unconclusive after protracted cytostatic treatment or splenic X-ray therapy. In the authors' opinion, early routine splenectomy is rather more advisable than differentiated splenectomy.