Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Neocamarosporium halophilum in leaf spots of Atriplex undulata. Australia, Aschersonia merianiae on scale insect (Coccoidea), Curvularia huamulaniae isolated from air, Hevansia mainiae on dead spider, Ophiocordyceps poecilometigena on Poecilometis sp. Bolivia, Lecanora menthoides on sandstone, in open semi-desert montane areas, Sticta monlueckiorum corticolous in a forest, Trichonectria epimegalosporae on apothecia of corticolous Megalospora sulphurata var. sulphurata, Trichonectria puncteliae on the thallus of Punctelia borreri. Brazil, Catenomargarita pseudocercosporicola (incl. Catenomargarita gen. nov.) hyperparasitic on Pseudocercospora fijiensis on leaves of Musa acuminata, Tulasnella restingae on protocorms and roots of Epidendrum fulgens. Bulgaria, Anthracoidea umbrosae on Carex spp. Croatia, Hymenoscyphus radicis from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi erraticum, Orbilia multiserpentina on wood of decorticated branches of Quercus pubescens. France, Calosporella punctatispora on dead corticated twigs of Aceropalus. French West Indies (Martinique), Eutypella lechatii on dead corticated palm stem. Germany, Arrhenia alcalinophila on loamy soil. Iceland, Cistella blauvikensis on dead grass (Poaceae). India, Fulvifomes maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum, Fulvifomes natarajanii on dead wood of Prosopis juliflora, Fulvifomes subazonatus on trunk of Azadirachta indica, Macrolepiota bharadwajii on moist soil near the forest, Narcissea delicata on decaying elephant dung, Paramyrothecium indicum on living leaves of Hibiscus hispidissimus, Trichoglossum syamviswanathii on moist soil near the base of a bamboo plantation. Iran, Vacuiphoma astragalicola from stem canker of Astragalus sarcocolla. Malaysia, Neoeriomycopsis fissistigmae (incl. Neoeriomycopsidaceae fam. nov.) on leaf spots on flower Fissistigma sp. Namibia, Exophiala lichenicola lichenicolous on Acarospora cf. luederitzensis. Netherlands, Entoloma occultatum on soil, Extremus caricis on dead leaves of Carex sp., Inocybe pseudomytiliodora on loamy soil. Norway, Inocybe guldeniae on calcareous soil, Inocybe rupestroides on gravelly soil. Pakistan, Hymenagaricus brunneodiscus on soil. Philippines, Ophiocordyceps philippinensis parasitic on Asilus sp. Poland, Hawksworthiomyces ciconiae isolated from Ciconia ciconia nest, Plectosphaerella vigrensis from leaf spots on Impatiens noli-tangere, Xenoramularia epitaxicola from sooty mould community on Taxus baccata. Portugal, Inocybe dagamae on clay soil. Saudi Arabia, Diaporthe jazanensis on branches of Coffea arabica. South Africa, Alternaria moraeae on dead leaves of Moraea sp., Bonitomyces buffels-kloofinus (incl. Bonitomyces gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Constrictochalara koukolii on living leaves of Itea rhamnoides colonised by a Meliola sp., Cylindromonium lichenophilum on Parmelina tiliacea, Gamszarella buffelskloofina (incl. Gamszarella gen. nov.) on dead insect, Isthmosporiella africana (incl. Isthmosporiella gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothoeucasphaeria buffelskloofina (incl. Nothoeucasphaeria gen. nov.), on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothomicrothyrium beaucarneae (incl. Nothomicrothyrium gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Paramycosphaerella proteae on living leaves of Protea caffra, Querciphoma foliicola on leaf litter, Rachicladosporium conostomii on dead twigs of Conostomium natalense var. glabrum, Rhamphoriopsis synnematosa on dead twig of unknown tree, Waltergamsia mpumalanga on dead leaves of unknown tree. Spain, Amanita fulvogrisea on limestone soil, in mixed forest, Amanita herculis in open Quercus forest, Vuilleminia beltraniae on Cistus symphytifolius. Sweden, Pachyella pulchella on decaying wood on sand-silt riverbank. Thailand, Deniquelata cassiae on dead stem of Cassia fistula, Stomiopeltis thailandica on dead twigs of Magnolia champaca. Ukraine, Circinaria podoliana on natural limestone outcrops, Neonematogonum carpinicola (incl. Neonematogonum gen. nov.) on dead branches of Carpinus betulus. USA, Exophiala wilsonii water from cooling tower, Hygrophorus aesculeticola on soil in mixed forest, and Neocelosporium aereum from air in a house attic. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation: Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, et al. 2023. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613. Persoonia 51: 280-417. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08.

Survivin expression in lymph nodes, affected by lymphoma and reactive hyperplasia

Survivin is a member of the inhibitors from the apoptosis family over-expressed in various human cancers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of survivin in lymph nodes, invaded by non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (nHL) and in lymph nodes reactive hyperplasia. We analysed paraffin sections obtained from 50 patients with nHL and from 13 patients with reactive hyperplasia using, an anti-survivin antibody. There was abundant immunoreactivity cytoplasm in 34/50 (68%) patients with nHL and in only 5/13 (38%) with reactive hyperplasia. Out of the 27 patients with aggressive nHL, 19 (70%) revealed survivin expression in almost all tumour cells. Out of the 23 patients with indolent nHL, 16 (70%) revealed the expression but with lower immunoreactivity score. The study indicates that patients with nHL presented a high level of survivin expression, it was more pronounced in aggressive than in indolent nHL.

The influence of calcineurin inhibitors on mycophenolic acid pharmacokinetics

Despite the fact that concentrations of mycophenolic acid (MPA) are not routinely measured, accumulating data suggest the usefulness of this monitoring to optimize therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of CsA and tacrolimus on MPA pharmacokinetics. Concentrations of MPA were measured using HPLC. An assay was performed before dose (the C(0)), as well as at 40 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 hours after administration of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). MPA profiles were assessed in 51 patients receiving tacrolimus at a dose of 1.0 g/d and prednisone as well as in 97 patients receiving CsA (2.0 g/d) and prednisone. Significant correlations of MPA levels with serum albumin and GFR were observed in both groups. Women presented with higher levels of MPA than men. C(0) MPA level among the tacrolimus group were significantly higher than those in CsA group: 3.18 +/- 2.21 microg/mL versus 1.68 +/- 1.03 microg/mL (P </=.001). The level of MPA AUC((0-12)) in the tacrolimus group was nonsignificantly higher than that in the CsA group. There was no second peak of MPA level in a group of patients receiving CsA. We developed a limited sampling strategy to estimate MPA AUC((0-12)) in both tacrolimus and CsA groups. We observed a correlation between C(0) MPA and C(0) CsA (r =.35; P </=.001) as well as, between tacrolimus dose and MPA C(40) and MPA C(max) (r =.24; P </=.05; r =.27; P </= 0.05, respectively). No relationship between MPA pharmacokinetics and tacrolimus blood concentrations was noticed. Tacrolimus and CsA both affect the pharmacokinetics of MPA; high MPA concentrations in patients treated with tacrolimus justify MMF dose reduction in this group. Alterations of CsA concentrations must be used to guide MMF dose adjustments.

The effect of endothelin-1 on muscle microcirculation and its attenuation by verapamil

The vascular endothelium plays an important role in the regulation of vascular tone, by producing both vasodilating and vasoconstricting mediators. Using intravital videomicroscopy, this study examined the in vivo responses of the rat cremaster muscle microcirculation to topical application of endothelin-1 (ET-1), as well as the effect of verapamil pretreatment on these responses. ET-1 produced a potent and persistent vasoconstriction in arteries and veins which lasted for 150 min. The contractile response to ET-1 was significantly more prolonged in arterioles (11 to 30 microns) than in small arteries (40 to 70 microns). Pretreatment of the muscle with verapamil did not inhibit the initial vasoconstrictive action of ET-1, but produced a significant (p < 0.0001) reduction in the recovery time required for vessel relaxation in both small arteries and arterioles. The results suggest that Ca2+ channels contribute to the prolonged vasoconstriction induced in microvessels by ET-1. Because this prolonged vasoconstriction may be responsible for the "no-reflow" phenomenon which occurs in microsurgical procedures, therapy with a calcium antagonist may be useful in attenuating its duration.

Distal rupture of the palmaris longus tendon and fascia as a cause of acute carpal tunnel syndrome

Acute carpal tunnel syndrome is rare compared with its more chronic presentation. Previous reports in the literature have documented the most common causes. Rupture of the distal palmaris longus tendon into the palmaris fascia as a cause of an acute carpal tunnel syndrome has not been reported previous to this case report. Partial rupture of the tendon and hemorrhage around its insertion produced intrinsic compression on the transverse ligament and the underlying nerve.

[Intradural herniation of the intervertebral disk of the cervical segment of the spine]

The authors treated surgically a case of intradural herniation of the nucleus of the C5-6 disc. In the available literature only 3 similar cases were found. On the basis of this case and those reported in the literature the authors call attention to certain characteristic signs of this condition: onset after trauma, beginning in the 5th or 6th decade of life, degenerative changes of lower spinal part, massive signs of cervical spinal cord damage occurring after varying time after trauma (from several hours to one month in the cases reported by others, and 5 months in this case), incomplete regression of signs after operation and rehabilitation treatment.

[Biochemical neoplasm markers in selected neurological diseases]

Using radioimmunoassay methods the authors assayed the concentration of biochemical neoplasm markers (BMN) in 106 patients with neurological diseases (M-56, F-50) in the serum, and in 20 cases in the cerebrospinal fluid. In certain cases these markers were present, and sometimes their concentration was raised: ferritin in multiple sclerosis from 200 to 1365 ng/ml, in ischaemic stroke up to 327.9 ng/ml, in Parkinson's disease up to 423 ng/ml in the serum. In some cases of other diseases the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), acid prostatic phosphatase (PAP) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were raised, similarly as that of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Further studies are being conducted on BMN, including also other markers (CA 125, CA 199), with monoclonal antibodies, beta-endorphins and prostaglandins in neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis. It is suggested (Nowak) that BMN may have an indirect role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of certain diseases of the nervous system and that they may have connections with prostaglandins.

[Intradural herniation of the intervertebral disk of the lumbar segment of the spine]

The authors present 11 cases of intradural lumbar disc herniations selected from 2030 patients treated surgically for intervertebral disc prolapse. In the light of these cases and a survey of pertinent literature the authors consider that the frequency of intradural disc rupture is very low, it is most often found at LIV-LV space, mainly in men. In these cases the preoperative diagnosis of this condition should be suspected when there is a history of significant chronic low-back pain followed by an acute episode of cauda equina syndrome and presence of a complete or nearly complete block on myelography. In these cases adhesions of dura mater with ligaments were always found. The penetration of an extruded disc through the dura mater has been explained as being due to adhesions that attach the dural sac to the anterior wall of the spinal canal. In the discussion the authors review the contemporary views on the aetiology, possibility of preoperative diagnosis, operation technique and late results.

[Lumbar intervertebral disk herniation in adolescents]

The authors present 28 patients aged 15-19 years selected from 1600 cases treated surgically for intervertebral disc prolapse. In the light of these cases and a survey of the pertinent literature the authors consider that disc prolapse is not always a consequence of injury. Certain differences of the clinical picture could be observed in younger patients.

Use of the tourniquet during surgery in patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathies

Twenty-one patients carrying the sickle cell gene underwent 29 operative procedures using tourniquet-induced ischemia. No statistically increased incidence of complications occurred in the sickle cell group when compared with a control group of black patients who did not have the sickle cell trait, but who underwent similar operative procedures. There was no obvious contraindication to the use of the tourniquet in patients carrying the sickle cell gene.