Additions to the knowledge of the genus Helvella in Europe. New records and de novo description of five species from the Nordic region.

Helvella is a species-rich genus, forming a large variation of astounding ascocarps in many different habitats. During the last decade, molecular markers and morphological characters have been combined to delimit and identify cryptic species in this genus. We report on a list of 54 species of Helvella s.s. in the Nordic region and describe five new species, i.e. H. bresadolae, H. convexa, H. japonica, H. nordlandica and H. oroarctica. The morphological and molecular characteristics of the new species and the emended / hypocrateriformis, / fibrosa-macropus, and / fallax-pezizoides lineages of Helvella s.s. are shortly commented upon. Further we include a discussion of the distribution of species in the Nordic region based on a large set of studied collections. The ecological versatility and variable geographic patterns of these species indicate that cryptic species may have contrasting ecology in their local habitats. Citation: Skrede I, Løken SB, Mathiesen C, Schumacher T (2023). Additions to the knowledge of the genus Helvella in Europe. New records and de novo description of five species from the Nordic region. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 11: 71-84. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.11.06.

Fissure sealing and caries development in Norwegian children.

PURPOSE: To explore the use of fissure sealing as a caries preventive method by describing characteristics of children who had received sealants and to study associations between sealing and caries prevalence at 12 years of age. METHODS: The study included 3075 children examined at 5 and 12 years of age. Data were collected by clinical examination and questionnaire to parents. The questionnaire provided information on child characteristics and oral health behaviour in children at 5 years of age. Data on sealing and caries prevalence were obtained from dental records. Bi- and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. The Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics approved the study (2.200.54 and 2013/1881). RESULTS: Of the children, 12% had received sealants on permanent teeth before 12 years of age. Children with dentin caries at 5 years of age (OR 2.0, CI 1.5-2.7) had a higher probability of having received sealants than children without caries. Having sealants (OR 2.8, CI 2.2-3.6), enamel caries (OR 1.5, CI 1.2-1.9), dentin caries (OR 2.9, CI 2.3-3.6) and using fluoride lozenges less than daily (OR 1.5, CI 1.3-1.8) at 5 years of age were associated with having dentin caries prevalence at 12 years of age. CONCLUSION: Few children had received fissure sealing. Although sealing was used as a caries preventive method in children who had experienced caries in primary teeth, these children continued developing caries in their permanent teeth.

The Helvella corium species aggregate in Nordic countries - phylogeny and species delimitation.

Mycologists have always been curious about the elaborate morphotypes and shapes of species of the genus Helvella. The small, black, cupulate Helvella specimens have mostly been assigned to Helvella corium, a broadly defined morpho-species. Recent phylogenetic analyses, however, have revealed an aggregate of species hidden under this name. We performed a multispecies coalescent analysis to re-assess species limits and evolutionary relationships of the Helvella corium species aggregate in the Nordic countries. To achieve this, we used morphology and phylogenetic evidence from five loci - heat shock protein 90 (hsp), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef), RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and the 5.8S and large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. All specimens under the name Helvella corium in the larger university fungaria of Norway, Sweden and Denmark were examined and barcoded, using partial hsp and/or rpb2 as the preferential secondary barcodes in Helvella. Additional fresh specimens were collected in three years (2015-2018) to obtain in vivo morphological data to aid in species discrimination. The H. corium species aggregate consists of seven phylogenetically distinct species, nested in three divergent lineages, i.e. H. corium, H. alpina and H. pseudoalpina sp. nov. in the /alpina-corium lineage, H. alpestris, H. macrosperma and H. nannfeldtii in the /alpestris-nannfeldtii lineage, and H. alpicola as a weakly supported sister to the /alpestris-nannfeldtii lineage. Among the seven species, the ribosomal loci expressed substantial variation in evolutionary rates, suggesting care in the use of these regions alone in delimitation of Helvella species. Altogether, 469 out of 496 available fungarium specimens were successfully barcoded.

Caries-preventive self-care for children. Consistent oral health messages to the public?

BACKGROUND: Recommendations regarding caries-preventive self-care for children are provided by several health authorities. OBJECTIVE: To investigate recommendations given to the public regarding children's caries-preventive self-care by Norwegian dentists, dental hygienists, dental nurses and public health nurses. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent by e-mail and answered by 808 of 1132 persons who provide oral preventive promotion to children in dental services and health centres. The preventive advice was obtained through questions about the preferred preventive methods, fluoride recommendations and sources of knowledge on which the personnel based the advice about caries prevention in children. The responses were analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: The majority (59-71%) in all professions judged oral hygiene education to be the most important caries-preventive method. Most personnel (84-98%) recommended all children to use fluoride toothpaste, and half of all personnel (53%) recommended fluoride lozenges for 50% or more of children. Multivariate analysis showed that dental nurses recommended lozenges to more children than dentists (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.7-3.7), while health nurses recommended lozenges to fewer children than dentists (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8). The most important source of knowledge reported by dental personnel was professional education, while health nurses relied on information from dental personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Health professions' recommendations regarding caries-preventive self-care for children were mainly similar, although variation existed both between and within professions. Collaboration between professions and awareness of the evidence base for preventive oral care may improve the consistency of information given by health professionals to the public.

Attenuated reovirus displays oncolysis with reduced host toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Although the naturally occurring reovirus causes only mild symptoms in humans, it shows considerable potential as an oncolytic agent because of its innate ability to target cancer cells. In immunocompromised hosts, however, wild-type reovirus can target healthy tissues, including heart, liver, pancreas and neural structures. METHODS: We characterized an attenuated form of reovirus (AV) derived from a persistently infected cell line through sequence analysis, as well as western blot and in vitro transcription and translation techniques. To examine its pathogenesis and oncolytic potential, AV reovirus was tested on healthy embryonic stem cells, various non-transformed and transformed cell lines, and in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice with tumour xenografts. RESULTS: Sequence analysis of AV reovirus revealed a premature STOP codon in its sigma 1 attachment protein. Western blot and in vitro translation confirmed the presence of a truncated σ1. In comparison to wild-type reovirus, AV reovirus did not kill healthy stem cells or induce black tail formation in SCID mice. However, it did retain its ability to target cancer cells and reduce tumour size. CONCLUSION: Despite containing a truncated attachment protein, AV reovirus still preferentially targets cancer cells, and compared with wild-type reovirus it shows reduced toxicity when administered to immunodeficient hosts, suggesting the potential use of AV reovirus in combination cancer therapy.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a hyaluronan scaffold for treatment of an osteochondral defect in a rabbit model.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of using mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in a hyaluronan scaffold for repair of an osteochondral defect in rabbit knee. Bone marrow was harvested from the posterior iliac crest in 11 New Zealand White rabbits. MSC were isolated and cultured in autologous serum for 28 days and transferred to a hyaluronan scaffold 24 h prior to implantation. A 4 mm diameter and 1.5 mm deep defect was created in the medial femoral condyle of both knees and the scaffold with MSC was implanted in one knee while an empty scaffold was implanted in the contra-lateral knee. After 24 weeks the rabbits were killed and histological sections were subjected to semiquantitative and quantitative evaluation by observers blinded regarding treatment modality. High degree of filling was obtained, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments. However, there was a tendency for a better quality of repair in the MSC treated knees. No hypertrophy was observed by either method. MSC in a hyaluronan scaffold may be a promising treatment approach, but further studies are needed to determine the best combination of scaffold and cells.

Synchronous collagenous sprue and enteropathy-type T cell lymphoma: variants of the same disease.

A 64-year-old man with treated hypothyroidism had 10 months of diarrhea, abdominal pain, anorexia and recent involuntary 13.6 kg weight loss. He presented to hospital with an acute abdomen that had a radiological correlate of free air under the diaphragm. He was diagnosed with a perforated mid-jejunum due to an ulcerated enteropathy-type T cell lymphoma (ETL), complicating collagenous sprue and cryptic celiac disease. Polymerase chain reaction verified monoclonal gamma- and beta-T cell receptor gene rearrangements in the neoplasm. He had a complete resolution of symptoms when treated with a gluten-free diet in the postoperative period. This is apparently the first report describing collagenous sprue and ETL as synchronous lesions. Because atypical CD8+ lymphocytes are in both the collagenous sprue epithelium and ETL, the implication is that collagenous sprue is a noninvasive component of the ETL.

[Surgery of femoral neck fractures--higher rate of osteosynthesis failure with the use of 4,5 mm screws compared to 6,5 mm screws]. / Operasjon for lårhalsbrudd--hyppigere osteosyntesesvikt med bruk av 4,5 mm skruer enn med 6,5 mm.

BACKGROUND: Displaced femoral neck fractures are usually treated with screw osteosynthesis or primary hip replacement (unipolar or bipolar). MATERIAL AND METHOD: In this retrospective study we compared the rate of early failure during two consecutive years using two different screw implants each year. The patient groups were demographically similar, and the relationships between the use of hip replacement and screws as primary treatment were similar in the two groups. In the first group (group A), two screws with a shaft and outer thread diameter both of 6.5 mm were used. In the second group (group B), two screws with shaft diameter of 4.5 mm and outer thread diameter of 7.3 mm were used. The number of patients operated with screws were 191 the first year and 177 the following year. RESULTS: The number of patients reoperated with a hip replacement within the first 100 days was 16 (8%) in group A and 29 (16%) in group B (risk difference 0.08; 95% CI 0.013-0.147). INTERPRETATION: We recommend that when two screws are used for fixation of femoral neck fractures, they should have a shaft diameter of at least 6.5 mm.

[Miniinvasive plate osteosynthesis of distal tibial fractures]. / Miniinvasiv plateosteosyntese av distale brudd i tibia.

The end result after open reduction and internal fixation in distal leg fractures is jeopardized by soft tissue complications. Functional conservative treatment of the same type of fractures often results in delayed and non-union, malunion or non-optimal functional result concerning ankle mobility. Mini-invasive plateosteosynthesis was performed in ten patients with sustained juxta or intra-articular fractures of the distal tibia. In all patients, stable osteo-fixation could be achieved and soft tissue complications did not affect the final result in any of the patients. Mini-invasive plateosteosynthesis seems to be a good treatment alternative in extra- or intraarticular fractures of the distal leg.

Factors that influence therapeutic anticoagulation control.

A wide range of variables can influence warfarin anticoagulation control. This report summarizes the effects of medication, alcohol, diet, and other factors on prothrombin times. Useful summary tables are included.

High-performance computing, high-speed networks, and configurable computing environments: progress toward fully distributed computing.

The next several years will see the maturing of a collection of technologies that will enable fully and transparently distributed computing environments. Networks will be used to configure independent computing, storage, and I/O elements into "virtual systems" that are optimal for solving a particular problem. This environment will make the most powerful computing systems those that are logically assembled from network-based components and will also make those systems available to a widespread audience. Anticipating that the necessary technology and communications infrastructure will be available in the next 3 to 5 years, we are developing and demonstrating prototype applications that test and exercise the currently available elements of this configurable environment. The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) Information and Computing Sciences and Research Medicine Divisions have collaborated with the Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center to demonstrate one distributed application that illuminates the issues and potential of using networks to configure virtual systems. This application allows the interactive visualization of large three-dimensional (3D) scalar fields (voxel data sets) by using a network-based configuration of heterogeneous supercomputers and workstations. The specific test case is visualization of 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The virtual system architecture consists of a Connection Machine-2 (CM-2) that performs surface reconstruction from the voxel data, a Cray Y-MP that renders the resulting geometric data into an image, and a workstation that provides the display of the image and the user interface for specifying the parameters for the geometry generation and 3D viewing. These three elements are configured into a virtual system by using several different network technologies. This paper reviews the current status of the software, hardware, and communications technologies that are needed to enable this configurable environment. These interdependent technologies include: (1) user interface and application program construction methodologies, (2) the interprocess communication (IPC) mechanisms used to connect the software modules of the application, (3) the network protocols and interface hardware used by the IPC for communicating between modules running on separate and independent computing system elements, (4) the telecommunications infrastructure that provides the low-level data transfer functions for the networks that connect the geographically distributed elements used by the application, and (5) the nature of the functional elements that will be connected to form virtual systems.

Radon: detection and treatment.

Within the last few years, natural radon exposure in non-industrial settings, primarily homes, has become a health concern. Research has demonstrated that many homes throughout the United States have radon concentrations much higher than the legal federal limits set for miners. Thousands of unsuspecting people are being exposed to high levels of radiation. It is estimated that up to 15 percent of lung cancers are caused from radon. This is a significant health risk. With basic knowledge of the current information on radon, a primary health care provider can address patients' radon concerns and make appropriate referrals.

Giardiasis: diagnosis and treatment.

Giardiasis is the number one parasite-caused gastrointestinal illness in the United States. It can be acquired through various water sources or the fecal-oral route. The detection and treatment of giardiasis can be difficult. Nurse practitioners, as primary health care providers, often see patients presenting with gastrointestinal complaints. These complaints could represent one of many illnesses, including giardiasis. Presented is a review of the background and current information available on Giardia necessary for appropriate evaluation and care of patients with suspected giardiasis.