Survival and growth of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi in recalcitrant amine, amide and ammonium containing media

The elimination of hazardous compounds in chemical wastes can be a complex and technically demanding task. In the search for environmental-friendly technologies, fungal mediated remediation and removal procedures are of concern. In this study, we investigated whether there are fungal species that can survive and grow on solely amine-containing compounds. One compound containing a primary amine group; 2-diethylaminoethanol, one compound with a primary amide group; 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM), and a third compound containing a quaternary ammonium group; N₃-trimethyl(2-oxiranyl)methanaminium chloride, were selected. The choice of these compounds was motivated by their excessive use in large scale manufacturing of protein separation media (2-diethylaminoethanol and the quaternary amine). 2,6-dichlorobenzamide, the degradation product of the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (dichlobenil), was chosen since it is an extremely recalcitrant compound. Utilising part of the large fungal diversity in Northern European forests, a screening study using 48 fungal isolates from 42 fungal species, including saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi, was performed to test for growth responses to the chosen compounds. The ericoid (ERM) mycorrhizal fungus Rhizoscyphus ericae showed the best overall growth on 2-diethylaminoethanol and BAM in the 1–20 g L^-1 concentration range, with a 35-fold and 4.5-fold increase in biomass, respectively. For N₃-trimethyl(2-oxiranyl)methanaminium chloride, the peak growth occurred at 1 g L^-1. In a second experiment, including three of the most promising fungi (Laccaria laccata, Hygrophorus camarophyllus and Rhizoscyphus ericae) from the screening experiment, a simulated process water containing 1.9% (w/v) 2-diethylaminoethanol and 0.8% (w/v) N_3-trimethyl(2-oxiranyl)methanaminium chloride was used. Laccaria laccata showed the best biomass increase (380%) relative to a control, while the accumulation for Rhizoscyphus ericae and Hygrophorus camarophyllus were 292% and 136% respectively, indicating that mycorrhizal fungi can use amine- and amide-containing substrates as nutrients. These results show the potential of certain fungal species to be used in alternative green wastewater treatment procedures.

Distribution patterns of fungal taxa and inferred functional traits reflect the non-uniform vertical stratification of soil microhabitats in a coastal pine forest

In boreal systems, soil profiles typically consist of distinct stratified horizons, with organic layers at the surface overlying deeper mineral horizons providing microhabitat variation along a depth gradient, and vertical stratification of fungal communities along such soil profiles is commonly observed. We studied fungal community structure in a coastal pine forest along a gradient of decreasing influence from the coast. In this system, the vertical stratification pattern of soil microhabitats (defined here as organic, mineral with roots and mineral without roots: O, MR and MN, respectively) is non-uniform; organic horizons are sometimes buried under drifting sand dunes. Our results show that soil microhabitats are distinct with respect to physiochemical characteristics, community composition and OTU richness. While community composition was partly related to depth and distance from the coastal forest edge, microhabitat appeared to have the strongest influence. A closer inspection of the OTUs with the highest relative sequence abundance within each microhabitat revealed that microhabitats support functionally distinct fungal communities with respect to trophic mode and growth morphology. These results suggest that in coastal pine forests, variation in soil microhabitats contributes to the high fungal diversity found belowground and may play an important role in optimizing nutrient cycling.

Intricate tunnels in garnets from soils and river sediments in Thailand - Possible endolithic microborings

Garnets from disparate geographical environments and origins such as oxidized soils and river sediments in Thailand host intricate systems of microsized tunnels that significantly decrease the quality and value of the garnets as gems. The origin of such tunneling has previously been attributed to abiotic processes. Here we present physical and chemical remains of endolithic microorganisms within the tunnels and discuss a probable biological origin of the tunnels. Extensive investigations with synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) reveal morphological indications of biogenicity that further support a euendolithic interpretation. We suggest that the production of the tunnels was initiated by a combination of abiotic and biological processes, and that at later stages biological processes came to dominate. In environments such as river sediments and oxidized soils garnets are among the few remaining sources of bio-available Fe²⁺, thus it is likely that microbially mediated boring of the garnets has trophic reasons. Whatever the reason for garnet boring, the tunnel system represents a new endolithic habitat in a hard silicate mineral otherwise known to be resistant to abrasion and chemical attack.

Strategies for selecting optimal sampling and work-up procedures for analysing alkylphenol polyethoxylates in effluents from non-activated sludge biofilm reactors

Trace-level analysis of alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) in wastewater containing sludge requires the prior removal of contaminants and preconcentration. In this study, the effects on optimal work-up procedures of the types of alkylphenols present, their degree of ethoxylation, the biofilm wastewater treatment and the sample matrix were investigated for these purposes. The sampling spot for APEO-containing specimens from an industrial wastewater treatment plant was optimized, including a box that surrounded the tubing outlet carrying the wastewater, to prevent sedimented sludge contaminating the collected samples. Following these changes, the sampling precision (in terms of dry matter content) at a point just under the tubing leading from the biofilm reactors was 0.7% RSD. The findings were applied to develop a work-up procedure for use prior to a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection analysis method capable of quantifying nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOs) and poorly investigated dinonylphenol polyethoxylates (DNPEOs) at low microg L(-1) concentrations in effluents from non-activated sludge biofilm reactors. The selected multi-step work-up procedure includes lyophilization and pressurized fluid extraction (PFE) followed by strong ion exchange solid phase extraction (SPE). The yields of the combined procedure, according to tests with NP10EO-spiked effluent from a wastewater treatment plant, were in the 62-78% range.

[No "unnecessary" care when measured by American standards. The Oregon list tested at a department of otorhinolaryngology in Halmstad]

It is often asserted in the health care debate that stricter priority setting would be one way of solving some of the economic problems. However, comparison of the workload at a Swedish ENT department with the Oregon list, one of the strictest prioritisation instruments yet devised, suggests that this is not the case. After adaptation of the Oregon list to the norms of Swedish practice (e.g., current policy regarding tonsillectomy, as elicited from Scandinavian studies), very little of the remaining workload would not be approved according to the Oregon list. Thus the scope for economy would appear to derive from professional skill in the internal planning of diagnostic investigation and treatment, rather than from the application of prioritisation systems devised by others.

Failure to demonstrate enterovirus aetiology in Swedish patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Attempts were made to establish a possible relationship between enterovirus infection and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by use of serology, virus isolation from faecal samples, and detection of enteroviral RNA in endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera from 63 patients with DCM and matched controls were examined for enterovirus infection by mu-capture IgM and indirect IgG ELISA. Thirty-six patients were further tested for the presence of enterovirus group-specific antigen (VP1) in an immunoassay system. The results were consistently negative. Faecal samples from 35 of these patients were negative by enterovirus isolation both when samples were cultured directly and after acid treatment. EMB from 35 patients were examined for enteroviral RNA by PCR; none of the samples was reactive. In conclusion, the results fail to indicate involvement of enteroviruses in the aetiology of DCM.

Intrauterine fetal death due to echovirus 11

In a case of intrauterine fetal death in the 29th week of gestation, echovirus 11 could be isolated from the umbilical cord of the fetus. The mother had no apparent signs of infection but serological evidence of current echovirus 11 infection. Enterovirus PCR performed on paraffin-embedded specimens of various tissues (myocardium, lung, liver and placenta) from the fetus yielded positive results in all cases. These findings, together with supporting serological and epidemiological findings--e.g. proven echovirus 11 infection 3 weeks before in the 18-month-old son of the woman--constituted strong evidence that echovirus 11 infection was responsible for the fetal death.

Synthesis and secretion of proteoglycans by cultured chondrocytes. Effects of monensin, colchicine and beta-D-xyloside

Chondrocytes, isolated from elastic ear cartilage of young rabbits, were grown in monolayer cultures in Ham's F-12 medium. Synthesis and secretion of macromolecules were monitored by labelling with radioactive precursors and the effect of monensin and other experimental agents was investigated. Monensin caused an inhibition of the incorporation of precursors into macromolecular material and a moderate intracellular accumulation when used in higher concentrations. The effect was more pronounced for 35SO4 than for 3H-labelled glucose or proline. p-Nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside alleviated this inhibition to some extent, but there was a concomitant increase in the amount of intracellular labelled material. Colchicine and monensin together caused a severe inhibition of the incorporation of 35SO4 and a marked shift of the label to the intracellular compartment. Colchicine also increased the sensitivity of the cells to monensin, lowering the minimal effective concentration about one order of magnitude. The latter results are consistent with the idea that cytoplasmic microtubules have a stabilizing function on the secretory pathways and, that their removal by colchicine, causing a 'randomizing' of the Golgi complex, makes these pathways more vulnerable to monensin.