Ectomycorrhizal fungi from southern Brazil - a literature-based review, their origin and potential hosts

A first list of ectomycorrhizal and putative ectomycorrhizal fungi from southern Brazil (the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná), their potential hosts and origin is presented. The list is based on literature and authors observations. Ectomycorrhizal status and putative origin of listed species was assessed based on worldwide published data and, for some genera, deduced from taxonomic position of otherwise locally distributed species. A total of 144 species (including 18 doubtfull species) in 49 genera were recorded for this region, all accompanied with a brief distribution, habitat and substrate data. At least 30 collections were published only to the genus level and require further taxonomic review

Brown rotting fungus closely related to Pseudomerulius curtisii (Boletales) recorded for the first time in South America.

In the region of Santa Maria, Southern Brazil, we have analyzed morphologically and molecularly some interesting brown-rotting mushroom specimens closely related to Pseudomerulius curtisii. Except for minor differences in morphology and ITS sequence similarity, collections have corresponded to P. curtisii by basidiospore size and shape, the kind of hyphal system, the macromorphology, the slightly unpleasant pungent spicy smell turning stronger upon drying and, particularly, by the highly supported and closely related clade after phylogenetic analysis. Perhaps due the rarity in nature, morphological data are not abundant in literature and appears to be somewhat incomplete to discordant for the species, so we provide a more detailed description and illustrations from collected specimens

Brown rotting fungus closely related to Pseudomerulius curtisii (Boletales) recorded for the first time in South America

In the region of Santa Maria, Southern Brazil, we have analyzed morphologically and molecularly some interesting brown-rotting mushroom specimens closely related to Pseudomerulius curtisii. Except for minor differences in morphology and ITS sequence similarity, collections have corresponded to P. curtisii by basidiospore size and shape, the kind of hyphal system, the macromorphology, the slightly unpleasant pungent spicy smell turning stronger upon drying and, particularly, by the highly supported and closely related clade after phylogenetic analysis. Perhaps due the rarity in nature, morphological data are not abundant in literature and appears to be somewhat incomplete to discordant for the species, so we provide a more detailed description and illustrations from collected specimens

Use of chemotherapy in patients with oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, and ovarian cancer: an International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) population-based study

Background: There are few data on international variation in chemotherapy use, despite it being a key treatment type for some patients with cancer. Here, we aimed to examine the presence and size of such variation. Methods: This population-based study used data from Norway, the four UK nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), eight Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan), and two Australian states (New South Wales and Victoria). Patients aged 15–99 years diagnosed with cancer in eight different sites (oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, or ovarian cancer), with no other primary cancer diagnosis occurring from within the 5 years before to 1 year after the index cancer diagnosis or during the study period were included in the study. We examined variation in chemotherapy use from 31 days before to 365 days after diagnosis and time to its initiation, alongside related variation in patient group differences. Information was obtained from cancer registry records linked to clinical or patient management system data or hospital administration data. Random-effects meta-analyses quantified interjurisdictional variation using 95% prediction intervals (95% PIs). Findings: Between Jan 1, 2012, and Dec 31, 2017, of 893 461 patients with a new diagnosis of one of the studied cancers, 111 569 (12·5%) did not meet the inclusion criteria, and 781 892 were included in the analysis. There was large interjurisdictional variation in chemotherapy use for all studied cancers, with wide 95% PIs: 47·5 to 81·2 (pooled estimate 66·4%) for ovarian cancer, 34·9 to 59·8 (47·2%) for oesophageal cancer, 22·3 to 62·3 (40·8%) for rectal cancer, 25·7 to 55·5 (39·6%) for stomach cancer, 17·2 to 56·3 (34·1%) for pancreatic cancer, 17·9 to 49·0 (31·4%) for lung cancer, 18·6 to 43·8 (29·7%) for colon cancer, and 3·5 to 50·7 (16·1%) for liver cancer. For patients with stage 3 colon cancer, the interjurisdictional variation was greater than that for all patients with colon cancer (95% PI 38·5 to 78·4; 60·1%). Patients aged 85–99 years had 20-times lower odds of chemotherapy use than those aged 65–74 years, with very large interjurisdictional variation in this age difference (odds ratio 0·05; 95% PI 0·01 to 0·19). There was large variation in median time to first chemotherapy (from diagnosis date) by cancer site, with substantial interjurisdictional variation, particularly for rectal cancer (95% PI –15·5 to 193·9 days; pooled estimate 89·2 days). Patients aged 85–99 years had slightly shorter median time to first chemotherapy compared with those aged 65–74 years, consistently between jurisdictions (–3·7 days, 95% PI –7·6 to 0·1). Interpretation: Large variation in use and time to chemotherapy initiation were observed between the participating jurisdictions, alongside large and variable age group differences in chemotherapy use. To guide efforts to improve patient outcomes, the underlying reasons for these patterns need to be established. Funding: International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Cancer Institute New South Wales, Cancer Research UK, Danish Cancer Society, National Cancer Registry Ireland, The Cancer Society of New Zealand, National Health Service England, Norwegian Cancer Society, Public Health Agency Northern Ireland on behalf of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, DG Health and Social Care Scottish Government, Western Australia Department of Health, and Public Health Wales NHS Trust)

Ectomycorrhizal fungi from southern Brazil – a literature-based review, their origin and potential hosts

A first list of ectomycorrhizal and putative ectomycorrhizal fungi from southern Brazil (the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná), their potential hosts and origin is presented. The list is based on literature and authors observations. Ectomycorrhizal status and putative origin of listed species was assessed based on worldwide published data and, for some genera, deduced from taxonomic position of otherwise locally distributed species. A total of 144 species (including 18 doubtfull species) in 49 genera were recorded for this region, all accompanied with a brief distribution, habitat and substrate data. At least 30 collections were published only to the genus level and require further taxonomic review

EUCALYPTUS ESSENTIAL OIL AS BIO-STIMULATOR OF THE GROWTH OF IN VITRO ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGI

The secondary metabolites extracted from forest species known as micossimbiontes can stimulate the growth of in vitro ectomycorrhizal isolates. We determined the effect of concentration of Eucalyptus grandis essential oil in stimulating growth of the ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus sp. (UFSC Pt 24 and UFSC Pt 188), Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC Pt 116) Chondrogaster angustiporus (UFSC Ch 163), Scleroderma citrinum (UFSC Sc 124) and Suillus sp. (UFSM RA RA UFSM 2.2 and 2.8) in liquid culture medium. After a period of 25 days of incubation, we evaluated the morphology and growth of the isolates. The addition of essential oil at concentrations from 20 to 30 mu L L-1 promoted mycelial growth in vitro in isolated Pt 24 UFSC, UFSC Pt 116, Ch 163 UFSC, UFSC Sc 124, UFSM RA RA UFSM 2.2 and 2.8. The addition of essential oil at a concentration of 20 mu L L-1 resulted in an increase in the diameter and branching hyphae of isolates UFSC Pt 116 and Pt 24 UFSC. The use of essential oil in the preparation of culture media for the growth of ectomycorrhizal isolates has shown to be efficient and to increase the mycelial mass of the fungus.23240341

Risk factors and prognostic implications of diagnosis of cancer within 30 days after an emergency hospital admission (emergency presentation): an International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Greater understanding of international cancer survival differences is needed. We aimed to identify predictors and consequences of cancer diagnosis through emergency presentation in different international jurisdictions in six high-income countries. METHODS: Using a federated analysis model, in this cross-sectional population-based study, we analysed cancer registration and linked hospital admissions data from 14 jurisdictions in six countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK), including patients with primary diagnosis of invasive oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, or ovarian cancer during study periods from Jan 1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2017. Data were collected on cancer site, age group, sex, year of diagnosis, and stage at diagnosis. Emergency presentation was defined as diagnosis of cancer within 30 days after an emergency hospital admission. Using logistic regression, we examined variables associated with emergency presentation and associations between emergency presentation and short-term mortality. We meta-analysed estimates across jurisdictions and explored jurisdiction-level associations between cancer survival and the percentage of patients diagnosed as emergencies. FINDINGS: In 857 068 patients across 14 jurisdictions, considering all of the eight cancer sites together, the percentage of diagnoses through emergency presentation ranged from 24·0% (9165 of 38 212 patients) to 42·5% (12 238 of 28 794 patients). There was consistently large variation in the percentage of emergency presentations by cancer site across jurisdictions. Pancreatic cancer diagnoses had the highest percentage of emergency presentations on average overall (46·1% [30 972 of 67 173 patients]), with the jurisdictional range being 34·1% (1083 of 3172 patients) to 60·4% (1317 of 2182 patients). Rectal cancer had the lowest percentage of emergency presentations on average overall (12·1% [10 051 of 83 325 patients]), with a jurisdictional range of 9·1% (403 of 4438 patients) to 19·8% (643 of 3247 patients). Across the jurisdictions, older age (ie, 75-84 years and 85 years or older, compared with younger patients) and advanced stage at diagnosis compared with non-advanced stage were consistently associated with increased emergency presentation risk, with the percentage of emergency presentations being highest in the oldest age group (85 years or older) for 110 (98%) of 112 jurisdiction-cancer site strata, and in the most advanced (distant spread) stage category for 98 (97%) of 101 jurisdiction-cancer site strata with available information. Across the jurisdictions, and despite heterogeneity in association size (I2=93%), emergency presenters consistently had substantially greater risk of 12-month mortality than non-emergency presenters (odds ratio >1·9 for 112 [100%] of 112 jurisdiction-cancer site strata, with the minimum lower bound of the related 95% CIs being 1·26). There were negative associations between jurisdiction-level percentage of emergency presentations and jurisdiction-level 1-year survival for colon, stomach, lung, liver, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer, with a 10% increase in percentage of emergency presentations in a jurisdiction being associated with a decrease in 1-year net survival of between 2·5% (95% CI 0·28-4·7) and 7·0% (1·2-13·0). INTERPRETATION: Internationally, notable proportions of patients with cancer are diagnosed through emergency presentation. Specific types of cancer, older age, and advanced stage at diagnosis are consistently associated with an increased risk of emergency presentation, which strongly predicts worse prognosis and probably contributes to international differences in cancer survival. Monitoring emergency presentations, and identifying and acting on contributing behavioural and health-care factors, is a global priority for cancer control. FUNDING: Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Cancer Council Victoria; Cancer Institute New South Wales; Cancer Research UK; Danish Cancer Society; National Cancer Registry Ireland; The Cancer Society of New Zealand; National Health Service England; Norwegian Cancer Society; Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, on behalf of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry; the Scottish Government; Western Australia Department of Health; and Wales Cancer Network