One mission of the Microbial Observatory Experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) is to examine the traits and diversity of fungal isolates to gain a better understanding of how fungi may adapt to microgravity environments and how this may affect interactions with humans in a closed habitat. Here, we report an initial characterization of two isolates, ISSFT-021 and IF1SW-F4, of Aspe...

Sixteen clinical fungal isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility by using disks impregnated with growth medium and antibiotic. The procedure was easier to perform, less time consuming, and as reliable as other currently available methods.

Microbial biofilms has remained a major complication of tracheal intubation in patients requiring ventilator equipment. The aim of this study was to characterize bacterial and fungal biofilms in endotracheal tubes from intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Ahwaz, Iran. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, patients admitted to ICU that required mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours ...

Global-scale data on the Oligocene to Recent planktic foraminifers and coccoliths from the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are employed for quantitative testing of alternative models (Red Queen and Stationary Hypotheses) of the relationship between speciation rates, extinction rates, taxonomic diversity, abiotic events, and history of the paleosystem. The results demonstrate that although ...

Tropical orchids constitute the greater part of orchid diversity, but little is known about their obligate mycorrhizal relationships. The specificity of these interactions and associated fungal distributions could influence orchid distributions and diversity. We investigated the mycorrhizal specificity of the tropical epiphytic orchid Ionopsis utricularioides across an extensive geographical ra...

entomopathogenic fungi produce a variety of degrading enzymes, including proteases, chitinases and lipases, to facilitate their entry through the massive barriers of insect cuticle. isolates of the entomopathogenic fungi vary considerably in their proteolytic activity and virulence. the proteolytic activity of different isolates has been hypothesized to reflect their virulence toward the host. ...

Ten isolates of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were examined for differences in virulence in outbred mice intravenously inoculated with the fungus, associated with mycelial morphology, and genetic patterns measured by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Virulence was evaluated by viable yeast cell recovery from lungs and demonstration of histopathologic lesions in different organs. The resu...

The worldwide-distributed aquatic fungus Articulospora tetracladia Ingold is a dominant sporulating species in streams of the Northwest Iberian Peninsula. To elucidate the genetic diversity of A. tetracladia, we analyzed isolates collected from various types of plant litter or foam in streams from North and Central Portugal and North Spain, between 2000 and 2010. Genetic diversity of these fung...

the dry bubble disease, caused by lecanicillium fungicola, is an important fungal disease of white button mushroom in iranian mushroom production farms. twenty-three isolates of the pathogen collected in iran and identified as l. fungicola var. fungicola, were compared for genetic polymorphism, diversity in growth rate and virulence. ten universal rice primers (urp) were used to evaluate the ge...

A total of 4 aquatic plants, Eleocharis kuroguwai Ohwi, Hydrocharis dubia Backer, Salvinia natans All., and Zizania latifolia Turcz., were sampled from representative two wetlands of South Korea. A total of 38 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from aquatic plants native to the Daepyeong wetland, and 27 strains were isolated from the Jilnal wetland. The internal transcribed spacer regions ...