Evaluating simultaneous impacts of three anthropogenic effects on a floodplain-dwelling marsupial Antechinus flavipes

Regulation of river flows has altered floodplain ecosystems around the world. Floods are less frequent, which leads to reduction of favourable environmental conditions for many terrestrial and aquatic organisms adapted to natural flooding regimes. In Australia, the Murray River floodplains have been subjected to decline in inundations, to extensive logging and to removal of fallen timber. The yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) is the only small, native, ground-dwelling/semi-arboreal mammal on most floodplains of south-eastern Australia, yet the effects of floods on its population dynamics largely are unknown. Here, we found positive effects of proximity to flooding, higher woodloads and of abundance of large, hollow-bearing trees on antechinus numbers. Mean trapping rates of antechinuses were lowest in 2003 following a 3-year period with no inundation, higher in 2004 following the first breeding season during a small, controlled flood in 2003, and higher again in 2005, following a small, controlled flood in 2004. In 2004 and 2005, trapping rates declined with distance from floodwaters. This study provides evidence for the benefits of using management flows to inundate floodplains, conserving large trees and ensuring high woodloads in floodplains for sustaining populations of the yellow-footed antechinus.     

Marine Anticancer Agents: An Overview with a Particular Focus on Their Chemical Classes

The marine environment is a rich source of biologically active molecules for the treatment of human diseases, especially cancer. The adaptation to unique environmental conditions led marine organisms to evolve different pathways than their terrestrial counterparts, thus producing unique chemicals with a broad diversity and complexity. So far, more than 36,000 compounds have been isolated from marine micro- and macro-organisms including but not limited to fungi, bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, sponges, corals, mollusks and tunicates, with hundreds of new marine natural products (MNPs) being discovered every year. Marine-based pharmaceuticals have started to impact modern pharmacology and different anti-cancer drugs derived from marine compounds have been approved for clinical use, such as: cytarabine, vidarabine, nelarabine (prodrug of ara-G), fludarabine phosphate (pro-drug of ara-A), trabectedin, eribulin mesylate, brentuximab vedotin, polatuzumab vedotin, enfortumab vedotin, belantamab mafodotin, plitidepsin, and lurbinectedin. This review focuses on the bioactive molecules derived from the marine environment with anticancer activity, discussing their families, origin, structural features and therapeutic use.     

Extensive production of Neospora caninum tissue cysts in a carnivorous marsupial succumbing to experimental neosporosis

ABSTRACT: Experimental infections of Sminthopsis crassicaudata, the fat-tailed dunnart, a carnivorous marsupial widely distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid zones of Australia, show that this species can act as an intermediate host for Neospora caninum. In contrast to existing models that develop relatively few N. caninum tissue cysts, dunnarts offer a new animal model in which active neosporosis is dominated by tissue cyst production. The results provide evidence for a sylvatic life cycle of N. caninum in Australia between marsupials and wild dogs. It establishes the foundation for an investigation of the impact and costs of neosporosis to wildlife.     

Infectivity, pathogenicity, and genetic characteristics of mammalian gastric Cryptosporidium spp. in domestic ruminants.

Farm ruminants were infected experimentally with four mammalian gastric Cryptosporidium, namely Cryptosporidium andersoni LI03 originated from cattle and three isolates of Cryptosporidium muris from brown rat (isolate RN66), Bactrian camel (isolate CB03) and firstly characterized isolate from East African mole rat (isolate TS03). Sequence characterizations of the small-subunit rRNA gene showed that the LI03 isolate was C. andersoni and the other three isolates belonged to C. muris, although the TS03 isolate showed unique sequence variations (one single nucleotide change and four nucleotide insertions). C. andersoni LI03 was infectious for calves only, whereas lambs and kids were susceptible to C. muris CB03. C. muris TS03 and RN66 were not infectious for any farm ruminants. Infection dynamics including prepatent and patent period and infection intensity of the isolates used differed depending on the host species, but no clinical signs of cryptosporidiosis were observed in any of experimentally infected hosts. Cryptosporidium developmental stages were only detected in infected animals in the abomasum region. Histopathological changes were characterized by dilatation and epithelial metaplasia of infected gastric glands with no significant inflammatory responses in the lamina propria.     

The formation of sunlike stars

Understanding how stars like the sun formed constitutes one of the principal challenges confronting modern astrophysics. In recent years, advances in observational technology, particularly at infrared and millimeter wavelengths, have produced an avalanche of critical data and unexpected discoveries about the process of star formation, which is blocked from external view at optical and shorter wavelengths by an obscuring blanket of interstellar dust. Fueled by this new knowledge, a comprehensive empirical picture of stellar genesis is beginning to emerge, laying the foundations for a coherent theory of the birth of sunlike stars.     

Natural infection with two genotypes of Cryptosporidium in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in Italy

We investigated the genotypes of Cryptosporidium infecting red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in two areas of the Western Alps in Italy. Examination of 141 faecal samples from 70 red squirrels revealed oocysts of Cryptosporidium in 17 animals (24.3%). Based on 18S rRNA gene sequencing, two genotypes of Cryptosporidium species were found: 15 squirrels were positive for the Cryptosporidium ferret genotype and 2 for the Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I. The occurrence and intensity of Cryptosporidium infection did not differ between the study areas or sex. More than 85% of the positive animals were adults; however no difference was found between Cryptosporidium infection in the juvenile and adult age groups. Oocysts of the Cryptosporidium ferret genotype measured 5.5 +/- 0.3 x 5.2 +/- 0.2 microm (shape index 1.06) and the Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype I 5.8 +/- 0.3 x 5.4 +/- 0.3 microm (shape index 1.07). Neonatal and adult CD1 and BABL/c mice inoculated with 1 x 10(3) fresh oocysts of both genotypes did not produce detectable infection.     

Seasonal changes in soil and tissue nutrition in balsam fir and influence on postharvest needle abscission

Postharvest needle abscission in balsam fir varies based on time of harvest, but little is known about the effect of soil and tree nutrition on postharvest needle abscission. From April to November, 18 balsam fir samples were obtained each month and evaluated for postharvest needle abscission characteristics. Soil samples were collected simultaneously and evaluated for moisture, pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and mineral nutrition. Needle tissue samples were also evaluated for mineral nutrition. Many parameters were found to vary based on month throughout the study, but not all were associated with needle abscission. Soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, Ca, and Mn all had a significant (P?P?R²?>?.50), suggesting that higher concentrations of tissue Ca were linked to superior needle retention in balsam fir. Overall, this study provides evidence that changes to soil management, such as the inclusion of organic matter and certain minerals, may improve needle retention in balsam fir.     

Marker‐trait association analysis for postharvest needle retention/abscission in balsam fir (Abies balsamea)

Balsam fir the principal tree species of the Christmas tree industry, is a major export commodity of Atlantic Canada region. However, postharvest needle abscission poses a main concern leading to low consumer satisfaction and a shift in preference towards artificial trees. The search for diverse balsam fir lines with high needle retention is very crucial for quality improvement programmes. In this regard, a panel of 75 balsam fir genotypes exhibiting diversity for needle retention traits were randomly selected from a set of 220 genotypes evaluated for needle retention characteristics for two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) and genotyped with 41 bi‐allelic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)/insertion/deletion markers. The cluster analysis and population structure identified four and seven subpopulations. We observed an SNP marker with significant association (p < 0.05) with the needle retention/abscission trait by using general linear model and mixed linear model approaches. The present study lays the foundation for analysing the genetic mechanisms underlying needle retention/abscission, as well as the use of molecular markers to target specific traits in balsam fir.     

Seeding rate and seed spacing modulate root yield and recovery of slicer and dicer carrots differently

Field experiments were conducted on carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus), involving a slicer variety, Caro choice; and a dicer variety, Red Core Chantenay (RCC), to determine the interactive effects of seeding rates (SR) and line spacings (LS), to identify optimal SR and LS and to understand the influence of various seed spacings on yield and root recovery. Caro choice and RCC were sown at various seeding rates: 18, 22, 27, 33 (slicer); 9, 12, 14, 18 (dicer) seeds 30 cm⁻¹ at three different line spacings: 2.5, 3.8 and 5.7 cm. The interaction between SR and LS on total root yield and yield of supreme quality roots (1.9–3.1 cm diameter) was not significant whereas, the interaction for recovery of root grades was significant for Caro choice. In contrast, the interaction between SR and LS was marginally significant for the total yield and for the yield of supreme quality roots (3.8–5.1 cm diameter) but not for the recovery percentage of any of the root grades in RCC. A line spacing of 3.8 cm and SR of 22 seeds 30 cm⁻¹ for Caro choice, and LS of 5.7 cm and SR of 18 seeds 30 cm⁻¹ for RCC were optimal to obtain the highest total and supreme quality root yield, respectively. Seed spacing between the range of 4.6–38 cm² exhibited a significantly negative relationship with total root yield and marginally significant positive relationship with the recovery percentage of 1.9–3.8 cm roots in Caro choice. Neither total yield nor recovery percentage of 3.8–5.1 cm roots showed any significant relationship with seed spacing in RCC, suggesting that RCC may be less sensitive to the spatial variations compared to Caro choice and would adjust physiologically and/or morphologically to equalize yield.     

The relationship between water status and chlorophyll a fluorescence in grapes (Vitis spp.)

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of chlorophyll fluorescence to non-destructively monitor water status in plant tissue, specifically water loss in grapes (Vitis spp.) destined for wine production. An automated remote-sensing (ARS), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometer prototype, capable of scanning a large surface area, was used to monitor chlorophyll fluorescence from ‘L’Acadie’ (LAc) and ‘Thompson Seedless’-type (TS) grape clusters during postharvest dehydration. Increasing mass loss (%) in grapes correlated with increasing soluble solids (SS) content and decreasing osmotic potential (Ψ_s) (p < 0.001). All of the primary fluorescence parameters monitored (F₀, F_m, F_v and F_v/F_m) had a strong curvilinear relationship (p < 0.001) with grape mass loss. In both cultivars, F₀ increased during the later stages of dehydration, likely as a result of increased disorder within the thylakoid membranes and/or a reduction in energy transfer between LHCII and PSII. F_m, F_v and F_v/F_m declined, likely due to several factors that are known to inhibit photosynthesis and the primary charge recombination during osmotic stress. Chlorophyll degradation during dehydration was a major factor influencing cultivar differences in the fluorescence relationships. An inflection point in the F₀ value at ≈20–25% mass loss appeared to correspond with an inflection point in the decreasing glucose:fructose ratio. The relationship between chlorophyll fluorescence and water loss, SS, Ψ_s and potentially other indicators of metabolic change, could lead to practical applications of this technology in the slow dehydration of grapes and other fruits used to make high value wines.