Morphology and dynamics of the spindle pole bodies (S PBs) in Exophiala dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans were examined by freeze-substitution and serial ultrathin sectioning electron microscopy.The SPBs showed double forms and were located on the nuclear envelope in G1 phase, entered the nuclear membrane or the periphery of nucleus in M phase,and appeared to duplicate in early G1 phase in these yeasts.Thus, the SPBs in these yeasts are clearly different from those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the thiocarbamate antifungal agent liranaftate, the edema and the neutrophil accumulation detected by the activity of neutrophil marker enzyme, myeloperoxidase (MPO) ,were examined following application of liranaftate to mouse ears with inflammation induced by phorbol 12-myristate13-acetate (PMA) .
Topical 20 μl administration of liranaftate in a dose-range between1-4% suppressed the increase in ear thickness 6 hr after PMA application dose-dependently.
Similarly, it decreased the weight increase of an ear section after 24 hr dose-dependently. More than 1% of liranaftate also suppressed augmentation of MPO activity of the ear section. This and histological observation indicate that liranaftate treatment suppressed neutrophil accumulation in PMA-applied ear lesion.
From these results, we discussed that liranaftate might suppress inflammatory symptoms caused by trychophytosis in a clinical condition.

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We examined the effects of spices and herbs on Candida albicans growth using in vitro assay and therapeutic activity of some selected herbal preparations against murine oral candidiasis. All tested samples: lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus ) ,lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) ,thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) ,rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis) ,roselle ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ) ,green tea ( Camellia sinensis ) ,and cassia ( Cinnamomum cassia ) inhibited Candida mycelial growth in vitro.The results of this assay showed that the anti- Candida activity of lemongrass, green tea, and cassia is stronger than that of the other tested herbs. Oral administration of lemongrass or green tea did not result in significant improvement in the murine oral candidiasis, while the administration of cassia improved the symptoms and reduced the number of viable Candida cells in the oral cavity. The results of in vitro Candida growth assay including GC/MS analysis suggested that cinnamaldehyde in the cassia preparation was the principal component responsible for the inhibitory activity of Candida mycelial growth. These findings suggest that oral intake of a cassia preparation is a clinical candidate for a prophylactic or therapeutic tool against oral Candida infection.

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Background: Onychomycosis represents the most frequently encountered nail disease, which is difficult to eradicate with drug treatment. Aim: This study was undertaken to document the clinico-mycological pattern of onychomycosis in Iran. Results of mycological tests of nail scrapings collected over a 4-year period were analyzed. Methods: Both direct microscopy and cultures of the nail material were performed to identify the causative agents. Results: The microscopic and/or cultural detection of fungi was positive in 40.2% of samples. The most common clinical type noted was distolateral subungual onychomycosis in 48.4% of cases. Etiological fungal agents were 50% dermatophytes, 46.8% yeasts, and 3.2% saprophytic moulds. The most frequently detected dermatophyte species were Trichophyton rubrum (48.4%) and T. mentagrophytes (41.9%). Among yeasts, Candida albicans (58.6) was most common, followed by C. parapsilosis (17.2%), C. glabrata (10.3%), C. krusei and C. tropicalis (each 6.9%). Aspergillus niger and A. flavus were the most frequent saprophytic moulds. Females were affected more frequently than males, and in both sexes those most infected were between 40-49 years of age. Fingernails were affected more frequently than toenails. Conclusions: The clinico-epidemiological data collected can serve as reference for future research and may be useful in the development of preventive and educational strategies.

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In recent years, incidence of invasive fungal infection has been increasing, mostly due to advances in + medicine that may produce immunocompromised individuals. Candidial infection in the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most serious forms of blood stream infection of Candida sp. and mortality is known to be more than 50%.
In this research, we employed 27 autopsies with confirmed in vasive CNS yeast infection which were confirmed. In addition to detailed morphological analysis of yeast cells in lesions, in situ hybridization was carried out with an originally designed Candida -specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe to identify the candidial infection of each patient. This was followed by histopathological investigation:invasiveness, shape, and distribution of yeast or yeasts with pseudohyphal growth, and a study regarding the correlation between histological characteristics and number of leukocytes in the peripheral blood just before death.
Resalts showed that the, supratentorial region was the most common area of disseminated candidial infection in CNS, and that density was highest in the cerebral gray matter followed by the white matter and basal ganglia. On the other hand, regarding the lesions developed in the cortical area, the average distance from the brain surface was 4.026 mm. This area corresponding to the deeper cortex has a characteristic arterial structure that refers hairpin curving reverse. The structure may contribute to the high incidence of candidial foci in the deeper cortex, because of the increase in shear stress.

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