A genome-informed higher rank classification of the biotechnologically important fungal subphylum Saccharomycotina.

The subphylum Saccharomycotina is a lineage in the fungal phylum Ascomycota that exhibits levels of genomic diversity similar to those of plants and animals. The Saccharomycotina consist of more than 1 200 known species currently divided into 16 families, one order, and one class. Species in this subphylum are ecologically and metabolically diverse and include important opportunistic human pathogens, as well as species important in biotechnological applications. Many traits of biotechnological interest are found in closely related species and often restricted to single phylogenetic clades. However, the biotechnological potential of most yeast species remains unexplored. Although the subphylum Saccharomycotina has much higher rates of genome sequence evolution than its sister subphylum, Pezizomycotina, it contains only one class compared to the 16 classes in Pezizomycotina. The third subphylum of Ascomycota, the Taphrinomycotina, consists of six classes and has approximately 10 times fewer species than the Saccharomycotina. These data indicate that the current classification of all these yeasts into a single class and a single order is an underappreciation of their diversity. Our previous genome-scale phylogenetic analyses showed that the Saccharomycotina contains 12 major and robustly supported phylogenetic clades; seven of these are current families (Lipomycetaceae, Trigonopsidaceae, Alloascoideaceae, Pichiaceae, Phaffomycetaceae, Saccharomycodaceae, and Saccharomycetaceae), one comprises two current families (Dipodascaceae and Trichomonascaceae), one represents the genus Sporopachydermia, and three represent lineages that differ in their translation of the CUG codon (CUG-Ala, CUG-Ser1, and CUG-Ser2). Using these analyses in combination with relative evolutionary divergence and genome content analyses, we propose an updated classification for the Saccharomycotina, including seven classes and 12 orders that can be diagnosed by genome content. This updated classification is consistent with the high levels of genomic diversity within this subphylum and is necessary to make the higher rank classification of the Saccharomycotina more comparable to that of other fungi, as well as to communicate efficiently on lineages that are not yet formally named. Taxonomic novelties: New classes: Alloascoideomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Dipodascomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Lipomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente, A. Rokas, Pichiomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Sporopachydermiomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Trigonopsidomycetes M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas. New orders: Alloascoideomycetes: Alloascoideales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Dipodascomycetes: Dipodascales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Lipomycetes: Lipomycetales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Pichiomycetes: Alaninales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Pichiales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Serinales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Saccharomycetes: Phaffomycetales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas, Saccharomycodales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Sporopachydermiomycetes: Sporopachydermiales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Trigonopsidomycetes: Trigonopsidales M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas. New families: Alaninales: Pachysolenaceae M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Pichiales: Pichiaceae M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas; Sporopachydermiales: Sporopachydermiaceae M. Groenew., Hittinger, Opulente & A. Rokas. Citation: Groenewald M, Hittinger CT, Bensch K, Opulente DA, Shen X-X, Li Y, Liu C, LaBella AL, Zhou X, Limtong S, Jindamorakot S, Gonçalves P, Robert V, Wolfe KH, Rosa CA, Boekhout T, Cadez N, Péter G, Sampaio JP, Lachance M-A, Yurkov AM, Daniel H-M, Takashima M, Boundy-Mills K, Libkind D, Aoki K, Sugita T, Rokas A (2023). A genome-informed higher rank classification of the biotechnologically important fungal subphylum Saccharomycotina. Studies in Mycology 105: 1-22. doi: 10.3114/sim.2023.105.01 This study is dedicated to the memory of Cletus P. Kurtzman (1938-2017), a pioneer of yeast taxonomy.

Immune gene expression in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) after Lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV-Sa) challenge resulting in asymptomatic infection.

AIMS: To determine the immune gene expression response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) that is experimentally infected with the lymphocystivirus LCDV-Sa. METHODS AND RESULTS: Viral DNA and transcripts were detected by qPCR in all samples from fish injected with LCDV-Sa, demonstrating that the virus establish a systemic and asymptomatic infection. The expression of 23 immune-related genes was also analysed by RT-qPCR in the head kidney (HK) and intestine at several times post-infection (dpi). In HK, the expression of five type I interferon (IFN)-related genes (ifn, irf3, mx2, mx3 and isg15), il10 and ck10 was upregulated at 1-3 dpi, while genes related to the inflammation process (tnfα, il1ß, il6, casp1) were not differentially expressed or even downregulated. The expression profile in the intestine was different regarding type I INF-related genes. An upregulated c3 and ighm expression was observed in both HK and intestine at 3-8 dpi. Finally, the transcription of nccrp1 and mhcIIα was induced in HK, whereas tcrß expression was downregulated in both organs. CONCLUSIONS: LCDV-Sa seems to trigger an immune response in gilthead seabream characterized by a partial activation of type I IFN system and a lack of systemic inflammatory response which may be related to viral persistence. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The immune response observed in gilthead seabream infected by LCDV-Sa could be implicated in the establishment of an asymptomatic persistent infection.

Virulence properties of three new Photobacterium species affecting cultured fish.

AIMS: Several virulence factors of three new Photobacterium species: Photobacterium toruni, Photobacterium malacitanum and Photobacterium andalusiense associated with diseases of cultured redbanded seabream (Pagrus auriga) were studied. The exoenzymatic activities, adherence and cytotoxic capabilities, and iron-uptake mechanisms were determined both in bacterial extracellular products (ECP) and whole bacterial cells. The histopathology damages provoked on redbanded seabream by the ECP was also studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: The highest exoenzymatic activities of the ECP were alkaline- and acid-phosphatase, phosphohydrolase and lipase. The ECP were strongly lethal for fish at 4-96 h post-inoculation (p.i). Histological changes were evident at 96 hpi of ECP, affecting head kidney, splenic parenchyma and heart. Cytotoxicity assays, on three fish lines and one human cell line, were conducted using whole bacterial cells and their ECP. The new species tested were cytotoxic only for fish cell lines using whole bacterial cells. Bacterial adherence showed an adherence index moderate on CHSE-214 cell line. All strains showed variable haemolytic activity, and were able to grow under iron-limiting conditions, although the CAS reactivitiy was very low. However, all strains produced high amounts of extracelullar citrate that could be used as iron carrier, and use haem as iron source, except the P. toruni strains because a deletion in the genomic region encoding this ability in all Vibrionaceae members. CONCLUSIONS: The toxic activity of the bacterial ECPs was thermolabile, and not associated with their thermoresistant lipopolysaccharide content. The virulence of the strains tested could not be related to the haemolytic activity. Iron uptake could be based on the use of endogenous citrate as iron carrier and P. toruni lacks the ability to use haem as iron source. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study analyses for the first time the virulence properties of three new species of Photobacterium pathogenic for fish.

Pharmaceutical Supply chain Risk Assessment During COVID-19 Epidemic.

The global health products supply chain is negatively influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the risks in the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) have increased. Assessment and mitigation risks in PSC are essential issues to control and counter these risks. In this study, a 2-Tuple ARAS-BWM approach, which combines ARAS and BWM methods under linguistic 2-Tuple environment, is proposed to evaluate and address various risks to the best mitigation strategies in the pharmaceutical industry in Tunisia during COVID-19. Noted that the main risk identified in the PSC is related to supply and suppliers and its best mitigation strategy is reducing risk.

Molecular intraspecific characterization of Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae strains affecting cultured marine fish.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to analyse the intraspecific variability of Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae strains isolated from different cultured marine fish species using molecular typing methods. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty P. damselae ssp. damselae strains isolated from marine fish species were used in this study. Phenotypic characterization of the strains was carried out using standard microbiological methods. Genetic characterization was conducted using three PCR-based methods [random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) and repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (REP-PCR)]. Dice coefficient and the unweighted pair group method with average linkage were used for numerical analyses of banding patterns. At phenotypic level, the strains analysed showed seven different profiles, which could not be related to the host fish species, geographic area or outbreak of disease. Isolates were grouped into nine and eight clusters using the RAPD technique with primers 5 and 4, respectively. In both cases, the main cluster grouped 45% of strains. The techniques ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR were more discriminatory, both resulting in 14 different clusters, which grouped 15-20% of the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the techniques tested are confirmed as good tools for molecular typing, because they allow discrimination between P. damselae ssp. damselae strains isolated within the same outbreak. In addition, ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR methods were more adequate for rapid typing of P. damselae ssp. damselae than RAPD, allowing the discrimination at strain level. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results, in agreement with previous studies, confirmed the high intraspecific variability among isolated P. damselae ssp. damselae strains at both phenotypic and genetic levels. This suggests the existence of different clonal lineages that coexist in the same geographic area, within a short period of time (2-3 years). The discrimination at strain level can be useful to study the traceability of infections.

Eating disorder attitude and abnormal eating behaviours in a sample of 11-13-year-old school children: the role of pubertal body transformation.

OBJECTIVE: A cross sectional study was performed to evaluate the presence, in a sample of subjects in the age of pubertal transition, of those psychological characteristics and abnormal eating behaviours, which are generally considered the predictors of eating disorders (EDs) in adolescence. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the presence of EDs-related psychological traits and of abnormal eating behaviours, in a wide sample of natural 11-13-year-old population, and to determine if, in this period of transition, there are the same differences between males and females, which are related to the ED psychological characteristics that are often observed and assessed in samples of adolescents or young adults; our secondary aim was to evaluate, in the female sample, if and how the episode of menarche, and the related pubertal body transformation, play a role in the development of ED symptomatology. METHOD: We screened 2925 school children by means of an ad-hoc socio-demographic schedule, the EDI 2 and the EDI-Symptom Checklist questionnaires. We compared each EDI 2 scales score (Mann-Whitney U) and the abnormal eating behaviours (chi(2) analyses) between pre- and post-menarche female subjects, for each age subgroup. RESULTS: Fourteen percent of the entire sample scored higher than the cut-off value at the EDI 2 drive for thinness scale and have to be considered at risk for an ED onset. The EDI 2 scores and the adoption of abnormal eating behaviour increase, in the female population, depending on whether they have had menarche. In the male sample the mean values at EDI 2 scales decrease with increasing age. DISCUSSION: The abnormal eating behaviours and the psychological ED attitude are widespread even among a "cross-pubertal" population. Our data confirm the differences between male and female subjects at the EDs attitude, suggesting a strong relation in the female children between the pubertal body transformation and the risk of ED onset.

High incidence of antibiotic multi-resistant bacteria in coastal areas dedicated to fish farming.

Marine bacteria exposed to antibiotics in fish farms can acquire antimicrobial resistance by mobile genetic elements and horizontal gene transfer. A total of 872 autochthonous marine bacterial strains was isolated from samples collected from four different fish farms located at northern and southern Italian Adriatic Sea. Resistance to only tetracycline (17%) and to trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (7%) were the most frequent patterns obtained, while flumequine resistance has recorded in only 0.3% of the strains. Comparing strains isolated from coastal areas and fish farms, a significant higher incidence (4% versus 10%) of multi-resistant strains in aquaculture centers was found. Significant differences in antibiotic resistance incidence were also detected among the four fish farms due probably to different approaches in farm management and the more or less frequent use of antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant and multi-resistant strains isolated constitute an environmental reservoir directly involved in the seafood chain and might represent a public health concern.

[Juvenile Pick's disease: clinical study]. / Malattia di Pick giovanile: contributo clinico

The Authors discuss the case of a 23-year-old man who manifested the characteristic symptomatology of a progressive mental deterioration and disorders in behaviour displaying themselves as apathy, speechlessness, progressive detachment from environment and considerable slovenliness. It has been also emphasized a situation which suggest Kleist's melokinetic apraxia. In addition to usual routine laboratory studies, the patient underwent a EEG, an encephalography and psychodiagnostic investigations executed by a means of series of tests in order to ascertain his intellectual efficiency and outline his psychological profile. On the basis of the investigations made and after a discussion concerning possible differential diagnoses, the Authors have reached the conclusion that it is an uncommon case of juvenile Pick's disease.

Acoso moral (mobbing): un nuevo riesgo en la medicina del trabajo / Moral harassment: a new risk in occupational medicine

Los riesgos psicosociales se están constituyendo en una de las principales causas de alteración de la salud en los puestos de trabajo. En los últimos años, el "riesgo relacional o interpersonal" - mobbing - se ha ido incrementando debido a los cambios macroeconómicos y por el cambio en la tipología del trabajo y en los riesgos laborales derivados. Cada trabajador, independientemente de las características de su propia personalidad y del propio carácter, puede ser objeto de acoso moral. Los primeros efectos derivados del mobbing son observables sobre la salud de la víctima que, casi siempre, después de un intervalo variable, se altera con manifestaciones en la esfera neuropsíquica, Las consecuancias sociales pueden ser devastadoras. El costo del mobbing no se limita a los aspectos individuales, sino que se refleja generalmente a nivel de la empresa. La gestión del fenómeno de mobbing es multidisciplinaria. A nivel asistencial, el rol del médico del trabajo, del psiquiatra y del psicólogo son interdependientes y deben por lo tanto ser integrados en una estructura funcional unitaria...

Acoso moral (mobbing): un nuevo riesgo en la medicina del trabajo / Moral harassment: a new risk in occupational medicine

Los riesgos psicosociales se están constituyendo en una de las principales causas de alteración de la salud en los puestos de trabajo. En los últimos años, el "riesgo relacional o interpersonal" - mobbing - se ha ido incrementando debido a los cambios macroeconómicos y por el cambio en la tipología del trabajo y en los riesgos laborales derivados. Cada trabajador, independientemente de las características de su propia personalidad y del propio carácter, puede ser objeto de acoso moral. Los primeros efectos derivados del mobbing son observables sobre la salud de la víctima que, casi siempre, después de un intervalo variable, se altera con manifestaciones en la esfera neuropsíquica, Las consecuancias sociales pueden ser devastadoras. El costo del mobbing no se limita a los aspectos individuales, sino que se refleja generalmente a nivel de la empresa. La gestión del fenómeno de mobbing es multidisciplinaria. A nivel asistencial, el rol del médico del trabajo, del psiquiatra y del psicólogo son interdependientes y deben por lo tanto ser integrados en una estructura funcional unitaria...(AU)