Crescimento micelial de Pleurotus ostreatus em resíduo de Simarouba amara

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento micelial do cogumelo Pleurotus ostreatus, cultivado na serragem da espécie madeireira Simarouba amara. Avaliaram-se: o efeito das temperaturas de 22, 25, 27, 30 e 35ºC sobre o crescimento micelial de P. ostreatus, nos meios malte-ágar 3% e SDA-MA (infusão da serragem de S. amara, enriquecida com farelo de soja-dextrose-ágar); e o crescimento micelial em substrato de cultivo de serragem de S. amara, com e sem suplementação de farelo de soja, a 25 e 30ºC. O melhor desenvolvimento de P. ostreatus ocorreu em meio malte-ágar 3% a 25ºC. A suplementação de farelo de soja na serragem de S. amara favorece o crescimento micelial.

Caracterização da produção em toros do cogumelo comestível Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler na região oeste do Estado de São Paulo

This study was carried out in the towns of Dracena, Junquciropolis, Mirandopolis, Aliancas, Ilha Solteira, Castilho, Aracatuba, Birigui and Guararapes, São Paulo State, by surveying 17 Shiitake growers through a questionnaire. Data pertaining to the stages of log-Shiitake growing, recording and characterization of growers and growing systems were entered into Microsoft Excel for Windows. The results showed that Shiitake cultivation is recent and increasing in this region, and that growers have a high education level. Shiitake cultivation is mainly located in rural areas, with both Brazilians of Japanese descent and native Brazilians growing it. The most commonly used trees are eucalyptus and mango. The high level of log contamination is perhaps due to growing without temperature or moisture control and to the inappropriate growing system.. In 2004, there were 45,000 Shiitake-inoculated logs in this region, and the yield stood around 200 g of fresh mushroom/log. The mushrooms are picked in boxes of 200 g, and are sold mainly to Ceasa in open markets.

Efeito do uso do cogumelo Agaricus brasiliensis no estado nutricional, na frequência e intensidade dos efeitos adversos da terapia medicamentosa e na resposta bioquímica hepática em indivíduos com hepatite crônica pelo vírus C: estudo prospectivo, randomizado, duplo cego, placebo controlado

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Uso de resíduos madeireiros da Amazônia brasileira no cultivo in vitro de Lentinus strigosus

Lentinus strigosus (Schwein.) Fr. is an exploitable edible mushroom occurring in the Brazilian Amazon, being part of a huge diversity of edible mushrooms which are little grown. The use of regional waste is recommended to reduce production costs of any kind of edible mushroom. Thus, the mycelial growth of L. strigosus in culture media based on regional wood waste extract by using substrates based on Protium puncticulatum, Cariniana micrantha and Caryocar glabum sawdust, supplemented with 20% of wheat bran (Triticum aestivum), corn bran (Zea sp.) or rice bran (Oryza sp.) was observed. Eucalyptus (Eucaliptus sp.) sawdust was used for comparison with the other wood wastes because it is commonly used in the cultivation of edible fungi. The experimental design employed was totally randomized, in 4 x 3 factorial scheme (sawdust x bran), adding up 12 treatments with 5 repetitions, being that each repetition corresponded to a Petri dish, totalizing 60 dishes, incubated at 35 ºC. The diameter of the colony was daily evaluated until the fungus reached the borders of the Petri dish in one of the treatments. After that period, the media based on P. puncticulatum sawdust obtained thebest results of mycelial growth, showing potential to be used as an alternative residuein a future production of L. strigosus in the state of Amazonas.

Cinética micelial dos fungos comestíveis Pleurotus ostreatus e Lentinula edodes em resíduos lignocelulósicos

The objective of this work was to evaluate the mycelial growth of 2 edible fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes) in 6 culture media [(malt-agar, sawdustdextrose-agar-marupá (SDA-MA), sawdust-dextrose-agar-cajuí (SDA-CA), sawdust-dextrose-agaraçaí (SDA-AÇA), sawdust-dextrose-agar-banana 50% (BAN 50%) and sawdust-dextrose-agar-banana 100% (BAN 100%)], in Petri dishes. The experimental design was totally randomized, in a 6x2 factorial scheme. Each treatment consisted of six repetitions in 1 Petri dish, totaling 72 experimental units. It was verified that P. ostreatus presented better mycelial development (81.00; 64.66; 81.00; 50.16 and 33.33mm for SDA-MA, SDA-CA, SDA-AÇA, BAN 50% and BAN 100%, respectively) than L. edodes (32.00; 31.66; 27.66; 37.33 and 21.83mm for SDA-MA, SDA-CA, SDA-AÇA, BAN 50% and BAN 100%, respectively). It was also verified that there was no advantage for L. edodes in relation to mycelial growth, when media based on residues were used, compared to malt-agar medium (control), which obtained the best performance (62.17mm). As for P. ostreatus, SDA-MA and SDA-AÇA medium presented the highest growth averages (81 mm), representing a growth increase of 34% in relation to the control medium (malt-agar), whose growth average was 60.33mm. Thus, the residues tested present potential to be used in fungiculture, especially for the cultivation of P. ostreatus.

Isolation and maintenance of symbiotic fungi of ants in the tribe Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

O isolamento e a manutenção de fungos basidiomicetos simbiontes de formigas da tribo Attini tem sido dificultado pela baixa velocidade de crescimento desses fungos, bem como pela presença de muitos microrganismos que vivem na superfície do material que as formigas mantêm no interior nos ninhos como substrato para o crescimento dos seus fungos simbiontes. No presente trabalho nós descrevemos um método que aumenta em mais de sete vezes a eficiência de isolamento desses fungos, quando comparada àquela obtida por procedimentos tradicionais. Ninhos subterrâneos de formigas atíneas dos gêneros Atta, Acromyrmex, Trachymyrmex e Mycetarotes foram localizados e deles foram coletadas amostras contendo fungos simbiontes e formigas, que foram transportadas para o laboratório, onde as formigas foram capazes de limpar a cultura do fungo e estimular o seu crescimento. em seguida, porções dos micélios foram assepticamente coletadas e transferidas para meio Yeast Nitrogen Base contendo glicose e cloranfenicol. Para facilitar a manutenção dos isolados em culturas de laboratório, diferentes nutrientes foram analisados para a elaboração de um meio de cultivo complexo, que possibilitou aumentar a velocidade de crescimento dos fungos e estocá-los por longos períodos. O método foi aplicado com sucesso para os fungos simbiontes de todos os gêneros de formigas estudados, gerando, assim, um procedimento extremamente útil para a formação e manutenção de uma coleção representativa de diferentes fungos simbiontes de formigas da tribo Attini.

Low variation in ribosomal DNA and internal transcribed spacers of the symbiotic fungi of leaf-cutting ants (Attini: Formicidae)

Leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex (tribe Attini) are symbiotic with basidiomycete fungi of the genus Leucoagaricus (tribe Leucocoprineae), which they cultivate on vegetable matter inside their nests. We determined the variation of the 28S, 18S, and 5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene loci and the rapidly evolving internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) of 15 sympatric and allopatric fungi associated with colonies of 11 species of leafcutter ants living up to 2,600 km apart in Brazil. We found that the fungal rDNA and ITS sequences from different species of ants were identical (or nearly identical) to each other, whereas 10 GenBank Leucoagaricus species showed higher ITS variation. Our findings suggest that Atta and Acromyrmex leafcutters living in geographic sites that are very distant from each other cultivate a single fungal species made up of closely related lineages of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. We discuss the strikingly high similarity in the ITS1 and ITS2 regions of the Atta and Acromyrmex symbiotic L. gongylophorus studied by us, in contrast to the lower similarity displayed by their non-symbiotic counterparts. We suggest that the similarity of our L. gongylophorus isolates is an indication of the recent association of the fungus with these ants, and propose that both the intense lateral transmission of fungal material within leafcutter nests and the selection of more adapted fungal strains are involved in the homogenization of the symbiotic fungal stock.

The status of soil phosphate fractions and the ability of fungi to dissolve hardly soluble phosphates

Brazilian soils predominantly consist of iron and aluminum oxides and have a low phosphorus content. The present study was carried out in order to assess the status of phosphate fractions in pasture, forest and agricultural soils and the ability of soil fungi to solubilize iron and aluminum phosphates. The abundance of P fractions in the soils studied occurred in the following order: Fe-P > reductant-soluble Fe-P > occluded Fe-P > occluded Al-P > Al-P > Ca-P. of the 481 fungi isolated, 33 showed the ability to solubilize the inorganic phosphates in culture. of these, 14 were considered to be high or very high solubilizers based on a solubilization capacity > 1000 mu g PO43- ml(-1). Isolate F-111 was the only one that dissolved all the insoluble phosphates used. Nine isolates solubilized both Al-P and Ca-P, and four other isolates only solubilized Ca-P. The highest number of isolates with high solubilization capacity were detected in pasture soil, followed by tropical rain forest and forest patch soils. Pasture soil presented both the largest contents of insoluble phosphates and the largest number of fungal isolates with phosphate-solubilizing ability. The range and size of P fractions influenced the number of fungi and their ability to solubilize hardly soluble phosphates. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and enzymatic responses of phytopathogenic fungi to glucose in culture media and soil

The effect of inoculation of Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium verticillioides, and Penicillium sp. in Dystrophic Red Latosol (DRL) and Eutroferric Red Latosol (ERL) soils with or without glucose on the total carbohydrate content and the dehydrogenase and amylase activities was studied. The fungal growth and spore production in culture medium with and without glucose were also evaluated. A completely randomized design with factorial arrangement was used. The addition of glucose in the culture medium increased the growth rate of A. flavus and Penicillium sp. but not of F. verticillioides. The number of spores increased 1.2 for F. verticillioides and 8.2 times for A. flavus in the medium with glucose, but was reduced 3.5 times for Penicillium sp. The total carbohydrates contents reduced significantly according to first and second degree equations. The consumption of total carbohydrates by A. flavus and Penicillium sp. was higher than the control or soil inoculated with F. verticillioides. The addition of glucose to soils benefited the use of carbohydrates, probably due to the stimulation of fungal growth. Dehydrogenase activity increased between 1.5 to 1.8 times (p <0.05) in soils with glucose and inoculated with the fungi (except F. verticillioides), in relation to soil without glucose. Amylase activity increased 1.3 to 1.5 times due to the addition of glucose in the soil. Increased amylase activity was observed in the DRL soil with glucose and inoculated with A. flavus and Penicillium sp. when compared to control.

Efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi in the control of eggs and larvae of the horn fly Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Filamentous fungi found on foundress queens of leaf-cutting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Selection of fungi for accelerated decay in stumps of Eucalyptus spp.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The presence of fungi on contact electrical stimulation electrodes and ultrasound transducers in physiotherapy clinics

Objectives To evaluate the presence of fungi on contact electrodes and ultrasound transducers from physiotherapy clinics.Design Quantitative study conducted at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology of Piaui - NOVAFAPI, Teresina, Brazil.Setting Sample collection was performed in 10 clinics ( 20 ultrasound transducers and 20 contact electrodes).Main outcome measures Swabs were soaked with saline solution, inoculated in culture and incubated for filamentous fungi and yeast growth.Results Fourteen taxons were identified: Acremomium hyalinulum (Sacc.), Aspergillus terreus, Candida albicans, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cladosporium elatum, Cladosporium oxysporum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosphialophora bantiana, Curvularia clavata, Curvularia senegalensis, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium decumbens, Scopulariopsis candida and Sporothrix schenckii. Aspergillus terreus, Cladosporium oxysporum, Sporothrix shenckii and Candida albicans were found most often on contact electrodes, and Penicillium decumbens and Cladosporium cladosporioides were found most often on ultrasound transducers.Conclusion Fungi were found on all of the contact electrodes and ultrasound transducers. Physiotherapy professionals need to improve the disinfection procedures for this equipment. (C) 2010 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of fungi in water used at a haemodialysis centre

Aims: The aim of this study was to identify and determine the diversity, occurrence and distribution of fungi in water used at a haemodialysis centre.Methods and Results: Samples in the hydraulic circuit for the distribution of the water, dialysate samples and samples of sterilization solution from dialysers were collected over a 3-month period, and 500 ml of each sample was filtered through membranes. All together 116 isolates of fungi were recovered from 89% of all water samples collected inside the haemodialysis unit, with prevalence of moulds in tap water samples and of yeasts in dialysate samples. Fusarium spp. was the most abundant genus found, whereas Candida parapsilosis was the predominant yeast species.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that various fungi were present in the water system. These data suggest the inclusion of the detection and quantification of fungi in the water of haemodialysis.Significance and Impact of the Study: The recovery of fungi from aqueous haemodialysis environments implies a potential risk for haemodialysis patients and indicates the need for continuous maintenance and monitoring. Further studies on fungi in haemodialysis water systems are required to investigate the organism ability to persist, their role in biofilm formation and their clinical significance.

New antimicrobial therapies used against fungi present in subgingival sites-A brief review

Although the main reservoir of Candida spp. is believed to be the buccal mucosa, these microorganisms can coaggregate with bacteria in subgingival biofilm and adhere to epithelial cells. The treatment of periodontal disease includes scaling and root planning (SR?) associated with proper oral hygiene. However, some patients may have negative responses to different therapeutic procedures, with a continuous loss of insertion, so the use of antimicrobials is needed as an adjuvant to SRP treatment. The use of a broad-spectrum antibiotic, such as tetracycline and metronidazole, as an aid in periodontal treatment has also been a factor for the development of superinfections by resistant bacteria and Candida species, even in patients with HIV. In the dental practice, the most commonly used antifungals are nystatin and fluconazole. However, the introduction of new drugs like the next generation of azoles is essential before the onset of emergent species in periodontal disease. Plants are good options for obtaining a wide variety of drugs. This alternative could benefit a large population that uses plants as a first treatment option. Plants have been used in medicine for a long time and are extensively used in folk medicine, because they represent an economic alternative, are easily accessible and are applicable to various diseases. Herein, we briefly review the literature pertaining the presence of Candida sp. in periodontal pockets, the conventional antifungal resistance and new therapies that include natural antifungal agents are reviewed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.