No abstract

The biota of black fungi in humid indoor environments was established using a protocol that consisted of non-selective and selective isolation procedures. In total, 113 samples were taken from bathrooms of residences in The Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Samples were processed either (i) directly by culturing on agar media, or (ii) by pre-incubating samples for enrichment in mineral solutions with perlite granules under constant toluene atmosphere for three months. Dilutions from the latter were then cultured and incubated as were those directly plated to agar media. Black colonies were selected and identified by sequencing the rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region. Twenty-eight strains of black fungi were found in 26 positive samples without enrichment, and 42 strains were isolated from 38 positive samples after enrichment in toluene. The great majority of black fungal species were members of the order Chaetothyriales, which is the main order of melanized human opportunistic pathogens. Cladosporium species (Capnodiales) were the most frequent isolates when no enrichment was applied, as opposed to Exophiala species (Chaetothyriales) with enrichment. The enrichment method provides insight into a fungal biota commonly occurring in homes which has previously been overlooked. Several species have been previously known only from cutaneous infections and could suggest that bathrooms are a likely reservoir of these fungi.

Iron overload and AQP4 may play a critical role in the formation of brain edema after ICH. In addition, AQP4 expression was affected by iron concentration. Importantly, treatment with DFO significantly reduced brain edema in rats and inhibited the AQP4 upregulation after ICH. Deferoxamine may be a potential therapeutic agent for treating ICH.

Summary Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor of the development of atherosclerosis in humans. However, studies examining mechanisms underlying diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis have been limited by the lack of suitable humanoid animal models. Pigs have a cardiovascular system that is very similar to that of humans and is useful as a model for human physiology and pathophysiology. In this study, we established a new miniature pig model for studying dyslipidaemia and atherosclerosis in diabetes. Chinese Guizhou minipigs were fed a normal control diet or a high-fat/high-sucrose diet (HFSD) for 6 months. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), insulin and glucose were quantified at monthly intervals. The induction of insulin resistance and dysfunction of the pancreatic beta-cell were assessed by oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity test. The aortic fatty streak lesions were quantified following lipid staining with Sudan IV. During the feeding period, mild high plasma TC and TG were induced. At the end of 6 months, in HFSD-fed animals, the adipocytes were hypertrophic, fat deposit in the liver was observed, loss of pancreatic beta-cells was observed, and the aortic fatty streak lesions were clearly present in the animals' aortas. Our study established that miniature pigs that were fed a HFSD without adding dietary cholesterol developed insulin resistance, mild diabetes and atherosclerotic lesions. HFSD-fed miniature pigs may be good animal models for research on the treatment of diabetic dyslipidaemia complicated with atherosclerosis.