Search Results (2,245)

Although asymbiotic orchid seed germination was first achieved in vitro in 1922, the prediction of germination requirements under in vitro conditions still remains complicated. To address this, we developed a machine learning framework to classify the ex situ asymbiotic germination potential of wild orchids into four discrete groups: Low (0–30%), Mid (31–50%), High (51–80%), and Max (81–100%). Models were trained on a dataset of 203 species, utilizing seed morphometrics—specifically, the embryo-to-testa (E:S) length ratio—alongside core ecological traits (subfamily, growth habit, habitat, and climate zone), as well as chemical scarification duration as a proxy of seed permeability. Validation leveraged novel germination and trait data from 26 taxa from Greece (17) and Armenia (9), published here for the first time. To mitigate class imbalance and prevent algorithmic bias toward highly germinating species, we applied inverse frequency weighting during training. Iterative testing of six algorithms revealed that the “Step 4” feature matrix (excluding climate zone and pretreatment duration) yielded the optimal predictive balance. K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) emerged as the superior models, achieving overall accuracies of 44.4% and 61.1%, respectively, with both achieving 100% accuracy for low-germinating species. Finally, we synthesized a novel database compiling new seed morphometrics from Armenia (17 taxa), Greece (52 taxa), and the data from the literature (479 taxa). After filtering previously utilized species, we generated a prediction pool of 361 orchid taxa. Applying our Step 5 KNN and SVM models to forecast their germination behavior revealed distinct variations linked to ecological profiles. This high-accuracy framework, particularly for low-germinability groups, offers a powerful screening tool for ex situ conservation planning. The final trained models are compiled in the publicly available R (v. 4.6.0) package OrchidGermClass. Full article

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, AD1) is the most important fiber crop for the world’s textile industry. The genetic base of Upland cotton is narrow, and the introgression of germplasm from other species into Upland cotton can broaden its genetic diversity, including the introduction of new qualitative traits. The objectives of this study were to determine the inheritance, allelism, and linkage relationships of the red anther trait introduced into Upland from the red anther donor G. armourianum (D2-1) through crosses involving a synthetic tetraploid A1D2-1. After two generations of backcrossing to Upland cotton, followed by inbreeding, homozygous red-anthered plants (RA) were selected and used for crosses with two Upland lines, the Upland standard TM-1, the multiple recessive marker line T582, and the multiple dominant marker line T586. All Upland cotton parents, except the RA parents and T586 (possessing yellow anthers), had cream anthers. The anther color of the F₁ plants was red, indicating that the red anther trait is dominant. In nine of ten F₂ populations and four of five testcross populations, the segregation of anther color followed a 3:1 and 1:1 ratio, respectively, as expected under a one-gene model. In three F₂ populations with a total of 885 plants between RA with green leaf and T586 with red leaf (R₁ on chromosome D07), no double recessive genotype (yellow/cream anther and green leaf) was observed, indicating the allelic relationship between R₁ and red anther allele, designated R₁^a. The recombination frequency between R₁^a and cluster-1 (cl₁) on D07 was estimated to be 0.112 in 256 F₂ plants of a cross between RA and T582 based on the maximum likelihood estimation. This new red anther trait and its associated new gene allele provide an important genetic source for understanding the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and may have utility for improving resistance to anther-feeding insects in cotton. Full article

The aim of the study was to synthesize nanocomposites based on cerium orthophosphate stabilized with citrate at different ratios for biomedical applications, and to evaluate its safety in different animal species. Nanocomposites were synthesized using four different initial mass ratios of Ce(NO₃)₃ × 6H₂O to citric acid: 1:5 (Ce:5CA), 1:3 (Ce:3CA), 1:1 (Ce:1CA), and 1:0.5 (Ce:0.5CA). The obtained products were characterized by a series of physicochemical methods including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and IR spectroscopy. Biomedical studies of the sols were performed to evaluate redox activity and their effects on the metabolism and proliferation of human fibroblasts. Safety studies were carried out in different animal species, including determination of the acute toxicity of the selected nanocomposite following application to intact skin and intragastric administration, as well as determination of subchronic toxicity using a model of acute experimental full-thickness skin wounds. According to the physicochemical studies, all synthesized nanocomposites contained nanocrystals with bimodal dimensions (width 3–10 nm, length 15–40 nm) and diffraction peaks characteristic of CePO₄. IR spectroscopy demonstrated the formation of new chemical bonds. Antioxidant activity was observed for the Ce:3CA, Ce:1CA, and Ce:0.5CA samples, being most pronounced for Ce:1–0.5CA, whose antioxidant capacity exceeded that of ascorbic acid. In contrast, Ce:5CA exhibited pro-oxidant activity at all tested concentrations. Biocompatibility with human cells was demonstrated. Ce:0.5CA was identified as the most promising candidate for biomedical applications owing to its highest regenerative and antioxidant potential and its demonstrated safety in animals following topical and intragastric administration, as well as in wound models. Histomorphological examination of the internal organs supported the safety and potential of the developed nanocomposites for skin regeneration and wound healing. Full article

Sapindus delavayi (Franch.) Radlk. is a non-wood tree species of considerable ornamental, ecological, and medicinal value, and its fruits are rich in saponins, with notable cleansing and skin-care properties. However, this tree species is currently facing the dilemma of low fruit yield and unstable fruiting. Fertilization is an effective measure to improve this cultivation situation. Considering the harm of nitrogen fertilizer in soil, we designed four schemes to replace nitrogen fertilizer with organic fertilizers in this study, aiming to obtain the optimal fertilization combination for the growth of Sapindus delavayi (Franch.) Radlk. Three-year-old seedlings were subjected to applications of nitrogen fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and their combinations to evaluate their effects on plant physiological responses and soil physicochemical properties. Results revealed that the sole application of organic fertilizer significantly promoted the elongation of new shoots. Compared with the unfertilized control, the combined treatment of 30% organic fertilizer and 70% nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased soil nitrate nitrogen content by 161.54%, while ammonium nitrogen content decreased by 24.30%. Principal component analysis indicated that glutamine synthase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and nitrate reductase (NR) were the major enzymes influencing leaf physiological responses. Therefore, we concluded that fertilization has affected the rate of nitrogen assimilation and altered the process of amino acid synthesis, thereby influencing the metabolism and maintenance of cellular function in Sapindus delavayi (Franch.) Radlk. Structural equation modeling further indicated that fertilization primarily influenced total carbon content in plant leaves by affecting soil organic matter and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen. These findings elucidate the regulatory relationship between plant physiological processes and soil properties under co-application of nitrogen and organic fertilizer, providing a scientific reference for field fertilization management of this tree species. Full article

Jingpo Lake in Northeast China is a vital aquatic ecosystem, yet it lacks baseline molecular data for its insects. Trichoptera (caddisflies) are excellent ecological bioindicators, but their accurate identification is often hindered by morphological similarities, life-stage limitations, and insufficient DNA barcode records. To address this gap, this study combined morphological identification with DNA barcoding to establish a local reference database. From 285 collected adult caddisflies, 105 representative specimens were selected for genetic analysis. The survey identified 22 species across 9 families, revealing four new records for China and six for Heilongjiang Province. Analyses confirmed the high efficacy of the COI marker, demonstrating low intraspecific genetic divergence (0.78%) and high interspecific divergence (17.80%), with a clear barcode gap separating all examined species. Species accumulation curves indicated robust sampling of the main genera, although expanded collection efforts could still uncover additional species. In conclusion, this study provides a valuable DNA barcode reference library for Trichoptera in the Jingpo Lake region. It establishes foundational data for regional biodiversity inventories and future ecological monitoring based on environmental DNA (eDNA) or metabarcoding approaches. Full article

Laccaria is a cosmopolitan genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that plays an important role in forest ecosystems worldwide. To explore the species diversity of Laccaria in Asia, this study conducted morphological observations and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses on 12 specimens collected from China and Thailand. The results showed that these 12 specimens formed five distinct and well-supported clades, which, combined with morphological comparisons, were recognized as five new species: L. aurantirufescens, L. bisporus, L. jilongensis, L. longicystidiata, and L. yadongensis. The main diagnostic characteristics of each new species are as follows: L. aurantirufescens has small to medium-sized basidiomata, an orange-red to russet pileus, and a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown stipe surface; L. bisporus has small basidiomata, a pale orange to orange-white pileus, and a brown to yellowish-brown stipe surface, and it possesses cheilocystidia, pleurocystidia, and caulocystidia; L. jilongensis has large basidiomata, with a pileus reaching up to 11 cm in diameter, orange-red coloration, sparse lamellae, a stipe up to 15 cm long, and the presence of cystidia; L. longicystidiata has small basidiomata, a pale orange to grayish-orange pileus, a light brown to brown stipe surface, and long cheilocystidia; L. yadongensis has small to medium-sized basidiomata, a pinkish-brown to fleshy-brown pileus that is darker at the center, four-spored basidia with sterigmata extending up to 10 μm in length, and a pileipellis composed of inflated hyphae, some of which exhibit brown pigmentation. These characteristics distinguish them from their closely related species. These findings not only enhance our understanding of Laccaria species diversity in Asia but also highlight the increasingly important role that Asia is poised to play in global fungal diversity conservation and taxonomic research. Full article

Accidental releases of radionuclides from nuclear-powered vessels or ships carrying nuclear weapons may expose marine organisms to radioactive contaminants. The consequences of such events can differ markedly between resident fish populations and migratory species that move through affected areas. While these contrasting responses have been evaluated by the authors for coastal nuclear accidents, comparable assessments for open-sea scenarios remain limited. We simulated radionuclide releases from vessels in the North Atlantic to evaluate exposure pathways and potential ecological effects on both resident and migratory fish, since several naval bases operating nuclear-powered vessels are located along the eastern North American coastline. Physical transport of radionuclides was modeled using a Lagrangian framework that incorporates advection by ocean currents, three-dimensional turbulent diffusion, radioactive decay, and dynamic sediment–water exchanges. This transport model was coupled to a four-compartment food-web bioaccumulation model representing phytoplankton, zooplankton, non-piscivorous fish, and piscivorous fish. The approach allows evaluation of contaminant uptake in resident fish populations and along the migration routes of highly mobile species. Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), a key ecological and commercially valuable species, was selected as the migratory case study. Migration paths reconstructed from electronic tagging data were integrated to estimate radionuclide exposure along individual trajectories. This combined modeling framework provides new insight into how open-sea nuclear releases may differentially affect resident fish communities and wide-ranging migratory species in the North Atlantic, with relevance for fish ecology, population risk assessment, and fisheries management. Full article

Babesia aktasi is a recently discovered species that is highly prevalent in native goats in Türkiye’s Mediterranean region. Although it does not induce clinical disease in local breeds, it causes severe illness in Saanen goats, manifesting with high fever, anemia, hemoglobinuria, and jaundice. Imidocarb dipropionate (IMDP) has been reported to be therapeutically effective against Babesia species. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of IMDP and its ability to eliminate the parasite in experimentally infected Saanen goats. Twelve goats were assigned to treatment and control groups (n = 5 per group) and infected using fresh blood from two splenectomized donors. All goats developed clinical babesiosis, with parasitemia ranging from 3.8% to 22. Semi-nested PCR specific to B. aktasi was performed for 30 days post-treatment. Following treatment with IMDP (1.2 mg/kg), clinical signs resolved by the third and fourth days, and parasitemia became microscopically undetectable. However, one goat in the treatment group and four goats in the control group died shortly after infection. Hematological parameters (HCT, RBC, HB) decreased during infection but normalized in surviving animals. Notably, B. aktasi DNA remained detectable by PCR up to 30 days after treatment. These findings indicated that IMDP resolved clinical signs and eliminated microscopically detectable parasitemia; however, it may not completely eliminate the parasite at the molecular level in B. aktasi infections. The results of this study provide valuable information for optimizing therapeutic approaches and improving our understanding of treatment responses in new species B. aktasi. Full article

Ectoparasites cause skin lesions, anemia, and mortality in wild animals and act as vectors of zoonotic pathogens. This study reports ectoparasites detected during an opportunistic survey on wild mammals admitted to the Van Yuzuncu Yil University Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Center in eastern Türkiye during 2024–2025. Due to the opportunistic nature of sampling, the findings primarily reflect parasite burdens in injured or debilitated individuals and may not be representative of healthy free-ranging populations. Of the 28 animals examined, 20 (71.4%) were infested. A total of 449 ectoparasites were collected: 370 fleas (82.4%), 58 ticks (12.9%), and 21 lice (4.7%). Identified species included four fleas (Paraceras melis, Chaetopsylla globiceps, Pulex irritans, Archaeopsylla erinacei), four ticks (Ixodes kaiseri, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis erinacei), and one louse (Trichodectes melis). This study provides new host–ectoparasite association records for Türkiye: I. kaiseri and R. turanicus on beech marten (Martes foina); I. kaiseri and C. globiceps on Eurasian badger (Meles meles); and P. irritans on Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos). Bipartite network analysis revealed moderate specialization (H2’ = 0.52) and marked variation in host specificity, with T. melis, A. erinacei, and P. melis showing high host specificity (d’ > 0.85), whereas Chaetopsylla globiceps and Pulex irritans acted as generalists (d’ < 0.30). Some identified ectoparasites are known or suspected vectors of zoonotic pathogens. These findings provide baseline data for future research on wildlife health and disease transmission risks in the region. Full article

As a result of investigation of glycosidic composition of the sea cucumber Ocnus glacialis (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida) two new glycosides, glacialisosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated. Their structures were established by in-depth analysis of ¹H, ¹³C NMR, 1D TOCSY, and 2D NMR (¹H,¹H COSY, HMBC, HSQC, ROESY), in addition to HR-ESI mass spectra. The structures of the obtained desulfated derivatives 3, 4 were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS. The aglycone moieties of these glycosides are known from other glycosides of four species belonging to the order Dendrochirotida. However, despite sharing common sugar compositions and architectures, the carbohydrate chains of 1, 2 are novel due to the distinct positioning of sulfate groups. Glacialisosides A (1) and B (2) exhibit structural features shared with compounds from sea cucumbers of the orders Holothuriida, Elasipodida, and Dendrochirotida. The hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of compounds 1–4 were studied against human erythrocytes and four breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-468), as well as the non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10A and the pancreatic epithelioid carcinoma cell line PANC-1. The sulfated native compounds 1 and 2 were significantly more potent than desulfated derivatives 3 and 4 across all tested cell lines, indicating a positive contribution of sulfate groups to bioactivity. Notably, the normal epithelial MCF-10A cells exhibited resistance to the membranolytic action of the glycosides, an important and favorable feature, particularly given the pronounced cytotoxicity observed against the triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cell line. Furthermore, glacialisoside A (1) demonstrated potent inhibitory activity against the formation and growth of MDA-MB-468 cell colonies, effectively blocking cell division even at concentrations below 0.2 μM and completely halting it at a dosage of 1 μM. Thus, the colony formation assay reveals a latent sensitivity of cancer cells—not only to the membranolytic action of triterpene glycosides, but also to the effects of these compounds relevant to other aspects of cell survival, division, and spread. Full article

Biological research relies on the use of taxa, with species expressed in the form of a Latin binomial. Although taxa are commonly regarded as established entities, they actually represent hypotheses on the distribution of natural biological variation and may change their status as new systematic knowledge becomes available. A long-standing problem affecting systematics and taxonomy, with important consequences for other biological disciplines, is that a binomial itself conveys no information about the strength of the taxonomic hypothesis it represents. Here, we introduce the concept of a standardized heuristic index, named Turrill’s Omega Index (TOI), to estimate the degree of support for a taxonomic hypothesis. Turrill’s Omega Index is a single numerical value calculated by integrating four macro-categories of comparative data: Phenotype, Genealogy, Isolation, and Geography-Ecology. Turrill’s Omega Index provides a practical and reliable framework for quantifying the support for a taxonomic hypothesis, without requiring resolution of the long-standing debate surrounding species delimitation and species concepts. Accordingly, it has the potential to represent a valuable and transformative advance in systematics and taxonomy. In addition, TOI can support conservation decision-making by helping prioritize funding allocation among equally threatened taxa according to their degree of support. Full article

The Peruvian Andes harbor one of the most geographically complex and biologically diverse regions of the Tropical Andes, yet several microbasins and mountain ridges remain poorly surveyed for amphibians. Here, we describe four new species of the terrestrial-breeding frog genus Oreobates from the departments of Amazonas, San Martín and Huánuco, Peru, based on morphology, coloration, and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The new species inhabit humid montane and premontane forests of the upper basin of the Huallaga River. The new taxa differ from congeners by combinations of body size, skin texture, digital morphology, coloration, and iris pattern. Phylogenetic analyses recovered the new species within distinct lineages of Oreobates, supporting their recognition as independent evolutionary entities. Our results further highlight the role of Andean topography, especially dry inter-Andean valleys associated with the Marañón, Apurímac, and Mantaro systems, as important barriers shaping diversification in Andean amphibians. These discoveries emphasize the underestimated diversity of Oreobates in the Peruvian Yungas and reinforce the importance of continued taxonomic exploration of the Andean ecosystems. Full article

Diatoms are microscopic algae with silica walls; they evolved relatively recently compared to other algal groups but have the greatest diversity of any and are abundant enough to contribute a fifth of the oxygen in the atmosphere and to have accumulated fossil mineral deposits (diatomaceous earth). Among the most recent and most diverse diatom genera is Mastogloia, with over 370 valid taxa but so far no pattern of phylogenetic relationships among the species. The genus is defined by the presence of chambers (partecta) on the girdle bands, which are as varied as the valve shapes and pore patterns. Mastogloia decussata was described in 1892, but its structure is still poorly understood, including whether it has axial costae and the nature of a V-shaped structure reported in 1970. A similar species, M. singaporensis, differs in having narrower, quadrate partecta that occupy only the middle half of the band; it has axial costae. We have observed several populations with quadrate partecta extending nearly to the apices in samples from Micronesian and Caribbean islands; such specimens have also been reported in the literature misidentified as M. decussata. The objective was to establish the ultrastructure of these species. Four major findings are as follows: (1) We establish the correct description of M. decussata with a neotype and show that it has axial costae; (2) we show that it has compound partecta with intrapartectal cylinders; (3) we describe one new species, M. paddocketkempii Lobban & J.A.B.Valencia, which also has compound partecta; (4) we show that all have dual pseudoloculate valve walls with interior and exterior pseudoloculi in slightly offset hexagonal arrays. The new species occurred in both ocean basins and may include simulacra, but we could not separate them morphologically. Detailed SEM of M. singaporensis shows its structural similarity to the other two species. Full article

Excessive fluoride in groundwater and industrial wastewater poses serious risks to human health. Although commercial γ-alumina is a low-cost adsorbent recommended for defluoridation, its limited adsorption capacity and poor regeneration stability hinder its practical application. In this work, three template-free γ-alumina materials with distinct morphologies (nanosheets, rhombic flakes, and nanofibers) were synthesized by a mild hydrothermal method and systematically compared with commercial granular γ-alumina. To isolate the effect of morphology, all four γ-alumina adsorbents were prepared with comparable BET surface areas (180–230 m²·g⁻¹). Their structural, morphological, and surface properties were comprehensively characterized, and their fluoride adsorption performance, adsorption mechanism, and regeneration behavior were systematically evaluated. Despite their similar BET surface areas, the four samples exhibited markedly different adsorption performances. At an initial fluoride concentration of 600 mg·L⁻¹, the adsorption capacity followed the order: nanosheets (87.2 mg·g⁻¹) > nanofibers (49.0 mg·g⁻¹) > rhombic flakes (46.1 mg·g⁻¹) > commercial alumina (35.0 mg·g⁻¹). The superior adsorption performance of the nanosheet morphology suggests that the accessibility and local chemical environment of surface hydroxyl species, rather than their total abundance alone, play an important role in fluoride adsorption. In contrast, nanofibrous XW-600 exhibited superior resistance to repeated acid–alkali regeneration, preserving its crystal structure and fibrous morphology while maintaining the highest residual adsorption capacity among the synthesized alumina samples after five regeneration cycles. Overall, the results suggest that alumina morphology strongly influences fluoride adsorption performance and regeneration stability. This work provides a simple, template-free strategy for preparing morphology-controlled γ-alumina and offers new insights into the relationship between alumina morphology and fluoride adsorption, providing guidance for the rational design of high-performance, regenerable alumina adsorbents. Full article

Bimetallic nanoclusters (NCs) containing gold and silver were prepared by template-assisted synthesis using human serum albumin (HSA) via a newly optimized fabrication route at 25 °C. Additionally, following this procedure, we also reproducibly synthesized further Au/Ag NCs, containing a similar Au:Ag ratio, using bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme (LYZ), transferrin (Tf), and gamma-globulin (γG). The aim was to highlight the importance of experimental conditions of the synthesis (e.g., metal ion: protein molar ratio and metal and protein concentrations, as well as synthesis time, temperature, and pH) for the composition, structure, and optical features of the protein-stabilized ultra-small-sized products. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy revealed that the partial unfolding of the stabilizing proteins is primarily caused by the alkaline synthesis environment rather than the nanocluster formation itself. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) successfully confirmed the presence of mainly metallic (Au⁰) core structures alongside Ag⁰/Ag⁺ species, providing the actual metal-to-protein ratios after purification. As a new result, cytotoxicity of these bimetallic NCs was determined by using doxorubicin-sensitive Colo205 and CCD-19Lu human normal fibroblast cell lines, and their antibacterial activity was also evaluated using four different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Full article