Search Results (133)

Spiders and other arthropods can sometimes consume others of their kind, and this is most often associated with mating activity, whereby females cannibalize males during or after mating, or during mating attempts. Nonsexual cannibalism is less common but may be associated with food availability or territorial aggression. In the Southeastern United States, a non-native orb-weaving spider, Trichonephila clavata (the “jorō spider”), is expanding its range. Prior lab experiments indicated this species to be “shy” compared to other native spiders, based on behavioral reactions to stimuli. Here, we report descriptive observations and photo-documentation of nonsexual cannibalism by this species, including from anecdotal observations, plus findings from controlled pairings of spiders, both in the lab and in natural webs in the field. In the cases where cannibalism was witnessed, it involved one female biting and killing another, typically after a short fight. When two females of a similar size were placed together in a container (n = 25 trials), fights ensued 40% of the time. When females of different sizes were paired (n = 27 trials), fights happened 18% of the time, and the larger females were not always the aggressor. Across all the lab trials (n = 52), six bouts (9%) led to the direct killing of one female. In field trials where two females were placed on an empty web (n = 14 trials), we observed one fight (7%) where the aggressor ended up killing and wrapping the other spider in silk. Given that some of these instances happened away from any web, these observations imply that the aggression is not necessarily an act of territoriality. The intraspecific aggression could arise when females are provoked or stressed, which deserves more study. Full article

Species presence in urban landscapes is driven by complex biological and environmental interactions. In this study, we evaluated habitat and microhabitat selection by amphibians in urban environments using correspondence analysis, multiple correspondence analysis, and preference analysis. Data on habitats, microhabitats, and activities were recorded for 26 amphibian species in urban areas. All species were observed in natural habitats, while only 11 in artificial habitats. Leptodactylus latinasus, Leptodactylus macrosternum, Rhinella arenarum, and Rhinella dorbignyi were found in both habitat types, in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Most individuals (74%) were recorded in natural habitats, predominantly aquatic ones. In artificial habitats (26%), R. arenarum was the most abundant species, primarily using terrestrial habitats. All species exhibited some degree of habitat preference, even generalist species. Amphibian activities were also linked to habitat type, with natural aquatic habitats primarily used for breeding and natural terrestrial habitats for refuge, foraging, and other activities. Our results highlight that heterogeneous natural habitats promote greater species diversity, while artificial habitats restrict amphibian presence. However, the capacity of certain species to adjust to artificial environments underscores the need to enhance these habitats by adding bodies of water, bare ground, and vegetation of all kinds to support the conservation of urban amphibians. Full article

The application of an environmentally friendly plant growth regulator to regulate plant growth and development represents a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture. Thymol is a kind of plant-derived natural compound. We have found that thymol is a potential biostimulant with the capability to trigger plant defense against abiotic stresses. Little is known about whether and how thymol modulates plant root system architecture. In this study, physiological, histochemical, and molecular approaches were applied to identify the role of thymol in promoting lateral root development in watermelon seedlings. Thymol significantly promoted LRP (lateral root primordia) initiation and lateral root formation. Rboh (respiratory burst oxidase homolog)-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was involved in thymol-promoted lateral root development from LRP. Then, the Rboh gene family with nine members (ClRboh1–ClRboh9) was identified from watermelon genome. Thymol significantly induced the expression of a set of ClRbohs in roots. These results suggested that thymol was able to stimulate lateral root formation by triggering Rboh-dependent ROS production. These findings may help understand the biological function of thymol as an elicitor of lateral root in both applied and fundamental study. Full article

Mystus gulio and Mystus cavasius are small indigenous fish species (SIFs) found throughout the year at the various stretches of the river Ganga and contribute significantly to the commercial fishery. The current study was conducted with a total of 609 specimens of M. gulio with a total length ranging from 84 to 190 mm and 377 specimens of M. cavasius with a total length ranging from 51 to 232 mm, collected from eight selected sites of lower stretches of the river Ganga between July 2018 and October 2019 to analyse their growth, mortality, and exploitation status. The sample specimens’ length-frequency distribution, primarily taken from bag nets and set barrier nets used in artisanal fisheries, was assessed using the FiSAT II programme. For M. gulio, the estimated asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), and initial condition factor (t₀) were 183.23 mm, 0.31 yr⁻¹, and −0.486 years, and for M. cavasius, these values were 246.23 mm, 0.19 yr⁻¹, and −0.302 years, respectively. The estimates for the total (Z), natural (M), and fishing (F) mortality rates were 1.78, 0.49, and 1.29 yr⁻¹ for M. gulio and 0.68, 0.33, and 0.35 yr⁻¹ for M. cavasius, respectively. Both M. gulio (May to July) and M. cavasius (June to August) experienced a single spawning peak. The estimated exploitation ratio (E) for M. gulio was 0.72, which is higher than the optimal level of exploitation (E_opt) and the maximum level of exploitation (E_max). On the other hand, the E value for M. cavasius was 0.52, which means that it was exploited at the right level. The fishing pressure was found to be slightly excessive for the current stocks of M. gulio, which should be considered for proper management of the fishery in the river Ganga. The present study, the first of its kind, highlights the stock status of these two commercially important species and the management measures taken to revive the stock along the lower stretches of the Ganga in India. The environmental parameters of the lower stretches of the river Ganga show favourable conditions for the optimum growth of M. gulio and M. cavasius. Full article

Human activities intensely transform landscapes, resulting in significant changes in the abundance of native plant species and even leading to their local extinction. The fragmentation of native orchid habitats and populations in countries recognized as global biodiversity hotspots is a matter of grave concern. This issue is exacerbated by the extensive infrastructure projects currently underway in many biodiversity hotspot areas of the world. The southwestern state of Kerala in India is a prominent hotspot for orchids, both in India and globally, owing to its exceptionally high density of native orchid species. Roadside trees in Kerala provide a sanctuary for a diverse range of species, including native orchids, which constitute one of the major groups. This study undertook a preliminary assessment of the diversity of trees and native orchids in two northern districts of Kerala, specifically, Kannur and Wayanad. The removal of trees in Kerala for road building directly affects the populations of many native orchids, some of which are endemic to the southern Western Ghats regions in Kerala. In the Kannur district, Mangifera indica and Artocarpus heterophyllus were the dominant trees in terms of hosting the greatest number of individual orchids. The endemic tree Pterocarpus marsupium from Wayanad was the dominant tree, which hosted the greatest number of species of orchids, including four that are endemic. This paper explores the potential opportunities of rescuing orchids and planting them in a safe and protected urban environment. The thematic question is whether native orchids, particularly endemic species, can be preserved from local extinction and used for conservation translocation. Could this method of introducing native orchids to urban environments enhance conservation efforts while also fostering a stronger connection between people and nature? Over 17,000 plants, representing 22 native orchid species, were collected, of which 16 species were endemic. Six months after planting, all but three of the endemic species successfully survived in the urban biological park. Among the surviving orchids, all species except four managed to bloom. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first endeavor of its kind to plant a substantial number of endemic rescued orchids within an urban landscape to reduce local extinction and enhance the connectivity of people with native biodiversity. This resource aims to enhance our understanding of the resilience of endemic orchids, which originate from highland regions, as they adapt to a lowland urban environment in the coming decades. Full article

The brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) is an insect pest of rice, which mainly feeds on the phloem sap of the leaf sheath. RNA interference (RNAi) has application prospects in pest control, but it is necessary to select target genes and design suitable dsRNA fragments for RNAi so that it can achieve effective pest control and avoid risks to non-target organisms. NlAtg3 is a key protein in the autophagy pathway of N. lugens. Three kinds of dsRNA fragments of the NlAtg3 gene (dsNlAtg3-474×1, dsNlAtg3-138×3 and dsNlAtg3-47×10) were designed to compare the RNAi efficiency and specificity against the target insect N. lugens and non-target organisms through microinjection. The results showed that the fragment dsNlAtg3-474×1 showed strong inhibitory effects on the survival of N. lugens, which resulted in the survival rate decreasing to zero on the fifth day, while the survival rate of a closely related species, Sogatella furcifera, dropped to 2.22%. In contrast, dsNlAtg3-47×10 specifically designed against N. lugens only showed slight or no inhibitory effects on S. furcifera and other non-target organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster, but still showed good lethal effects against N. lugens, with the survival rate dropping to 18.89% on the ninth day. In addition, after being fed N. lugens injected with dsNlAtg3-47×10 fragments, the survival rate of the natural enemies Dolomedes sulfureus and Tytthus chinensis did not show significant change, compared with those treated with the dsGFP control. Our results suggest that the NlAtg3 gene can serve as a potential target for controlling N. lugens. Moreover, by designing suitable RNAi fragments, it is possible to avoid harm to non-target organisms while effectively inhibiting the target insect N. lugens. Full article

Ongoing improvements in the sensitivity of sub-mm- and mm-range interferometers and single-dish radio telescopes allow for the increasingly detailed study of AGB and post-AGB objects in molecular species other than ${}^{12}\mathrm{CO}$ and ${}^{13}\mathrm{CO}$. With a new update introduced in the modelling tool SHAPE + shapemol, we can now create morpho-kinematical models to reproduce observations of these AGB and post-AGB circumstellar shells in different molecular species, allowing for an accurate description of their physical features as well as their molecular abundances and isotopic ratios. The pre-planetary nebula M1-92 (Minkowski’s Footprint) is one of the most complex objects of this kind, with a wide range of physical conditions and more than 20 molecular species detected. We model this nebula, reproducing the observational data from IRAM-30m and HSO/HiFi spectra and NOEMA interferometric maps, trying to understand the unusual evolution of its central star in the last phases of its life. The results show interesting features that tell us the story of its death. According to standard evolution models, a ${}^{17}\mathrm{O}$/${}^{18}\mathrm{O}$ isotopic ratio of 1.6 implies a stellar initial mass of ∼1.7$M_{\odot }$. Such a star should have turned C-rich by the end of the AGB phase, in striking contrast to the O-rich nature of the nebula. The most plausible way of reconciling this discrepancy is that M1-92 resulted from a sudden massive ejection event, interrupting the AGB evolution of the central source and preventing its transformation into a C-rich star. We also detect a changing ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$/${}^{13}\mathrm{C}$ ratio across the nebula, which is particularly relevant in the inner equatorial region traced by ${\mathrm{HCO}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}^{13}$${\mathrm{CO}}^{+}$, indicating an isotopic ratio variation taking place at some point during the last 1200 yr. Full article

Epiphytes represent a key component in tropical forests. They are affected by anthropogenic and natural disturbances suffered by forests, since they depend on their hosts and the microclimatic conditions they generate. We analyzed differences in abundance, species richness, and vertical distributions of epiphytic bromeliads in primary and disturbed forests. We found a higher abundance (5316 individuals) and species richness (8 species) of bromeliads in disturbed forest than in primary forest (1360 individuals and 4 species, respectively). Most bromeliads (97%) were found on Taxodium mucronatum, a dominant tree with rough bark in the disturbed forest (gallery forest). Bromeliads were more abundant in the middle of the tree and diminished towards the trunk base and the upper crown. Tillandsia baileyi was the most abundant bromeliad, and the size categories of this species differentially colonize trees in gallery forest according to Johansson zones; seedlings of T. baileyi abundantly colonize the upper canopy, and juveniles colonize the middle canopy or secondary branches. Gallery forest represents an important reservoir for epiphytic bromeliads. Hence, it is important to extend this kind of study to wetland sites to understand the role they play as a habitat for epiphytes, as well as the dynamics and ecological processes that occur in such habitats. Full article

In the foreseeable future, the development of petroleum-based polymeric materials may be limited, owing to the gradual consumption of disposable resources and the increasing emphasis on environmental protection policies. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on introducing environmentally friendly renewable biobased materials as a substitute for petroleum-based feed stocks in the preparation of different types of industrially important polymers. Plant polyphenols, a kind of natural aromatic biomolecule, exist widely in some plant species. Benefiting from their special macromolecular structure, high reactivity, and broad abundance, plant polyphenols are potent candidates to replace the dwindling aromatic monomers derived from petroleum-based resources in synthesizing high-quality polymeric materials. In this review, the most related and innovative methods for elaborating novel polymeric materials from plant polyphenols are addressed. After a brief historical overview, the classification, structural characteristics, and reactivity of plant polyphenols are summarized in detail. In addition, some interesting and innovative works concerning the chemical modifications and polymerization techniques of plant polyphenols are also discussed. Importantly, the main chemical pathways to create plant polyphenol-based organic/organic–inorganic polymeric materials as well as their properties and possible applications are systematically described. We believe that this review could offer helpful references for designing multifunctional polyphenolic materials. Full article

Objectives: Pharmacokinetic issues were the leading cause of drug attrition, accounting for approximately 40% of all cases before the turn of the century. To this end, several high-throughput in vitro assays like microsomal stability have been developed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profiles of compounds in the early stages of drug discovery. At NCATS, a single-point rat liver microsomal (RLM) stability assay is used as a Tier I assay, while human liver microsomal (HLM) stability is employed as a Tier II assay. We experimentally screened and collected data on over 30,000 compounds for RLM stability and over 7000 compounds for HLM stability. Although HLM stability screening provides valuable insights, the increasing number of hits generated, along with the time- and resource-intensive nature of the assay, highlights the need for alternative strategies. One promising approach is leveraging in silico models trained on these experimental datasets. Methods: We describe the development of an HLM stability prediction model using our in-house HLM stability dataset. Results: Employing both classical machine learning methods and advanced techniques, such as neural networks, we achieved model accuracies exceeding 80%. Moreover, we validated our model using external test sets and found that our models are comparable to some of the best models in literature. Additionally, the strong correlation observed between our RLM and HLM data was further reinforced by the fact that our HLM model performance improved when using RLM stability predictions as an input descriptor. Conclusions: The best model along with a subset of our dataset (PubChem AID: 1963597) has been made publicly accessible on the ADME@NCATS website for the benefit of the greater drug discovery community. To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest open-source model of its kind and the first to leverage cross-species data. Full article

Mushroom Jin Er has attracted widespread attention in Asia over the past two decades due to its medicinal properties and nutritional values. In the present study, Jin Er basidiocarps were often found to be surrounded by Stereum hirsutum fruiting bodies in their natural habitat and occasionally in artificial cultivation. The observation of two different kinds of mycelia within the hymenium and analyses of ITS sequences confirmed that Jin Er basidiocarps were composed of two fungal species, Naematelia aurantialba and S. hirsutum. This heterogeneity of Jin Er fruiting bodies is indeed distinct from the homogeneous hypha of Tremella fuciformis found in Yin Er mushroom, although its development also requires the presence of another fungus Annulohypoxylon stygium. Basidiospores can germinate on the surface of basidiocarps and produce mycelia. However, basidiospores in PDA medium can only bud into yeast-like conidia. The yeast-like conidia of N. aurantialba can transform into pseudohyphae with a change in temperature from 20 °C to 28 °C or switch into filamentous cells on an induction medium (IDM) at 20 °C, 25 °C and 28 °C. This dimorphic was reported for the first time in N. aurantialba. Haustorium-like structures were abundantly observed both within the hymenium and in the aerial mycelia cultured on the IDM. The developmental process was documented firstly in this study, involving the formation of protuberances with basal clamp connections, elongation at the protuberances, branch production, and eventual maturation. However, further observation is required to determine whether the haustorium-like structures can penetrate S. hirsutum hyphae. These findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the relationship and interaction between these two fungi, thereby advancing the cultivation of fruiting bodies. Full article

Virus taxonomy uses a Linnaean-like subsumption hierarchy to classify viruses into taxonomic units at species and higher rank levels. Virus species are considered monophyletic groups of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) often delimited by the phylogenetic analysis of aligned genomic or metagenomic sequences. Taxonomic units are assumed to be independent organizational, functional and evolutionary units that follow a ‘natural history’ rationale. Here, I use phylogenomic and other arguments to show that viruses are not self-standing genetically-driven systems acting as evolutionary units. Instead, they are crucial components of holobionts, which are units of biological organization that dynamically integrate the genetics, epigenetic, physiological and functional properties of their co-evolving members. Remarkably, phylogenomic analyses show that viruses share protein domains and loops with cells throughout history via massive processes of reticulate evolution, helping spread evolutionary innovations across a wider taxonomic spectrum. Thus, viruses are not merely MGEs or microbes. Instead, their genomes and proteomes conduct cellularly integrated processes akin to those cataloged by the GO Consortium. This prompts the generation of compositional hierarchies that replace the ‘is-a-kind-of’ by a ‘is-a-part-of’ logic to better describe the mereology of integrated cellular and viral makeup. My analysis demands a new paradigm that integrates virus taxonomy into a modern evolutionarily centered taxonomy of organisms. Full article

Changes to the microbial community during pickled cucumber fermentation were studied using the 16S rDNA technique. The changes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during pickled cucumber fermentation were studied by gas chromatograph–ion mobility spectrometry. At the phylum level, Cyanophyta and Proteobacteria were the dominant flora in the natural fermentation group, and Firmicutes were the dominant flora in the added-bacteria fermentation group. At the generic level, the addition of Lactobacillus led to changes in the community of the bacteria in the added-bacterial fermentation group and decreased the species abundance of other bacteria. In total, 75 volatile organic compounds were identified from naturally fermented pickled cucumber, and 60 volatile organic compounds were identified from fermented pickled cucumber with bacterial addition. The main metabolites were esters, aldehydes, acids, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, nitriles, and alkenes. These metabolites will bring their unique aroma components to the pickled cucumber. Metabolomic analysis of the O2PLS model showed that Weissella and Lactobacillus were closely and positively correlated with nine alcohols, six esters, five aldehydes, four acids, three ketones, and one pyrazine. Pseudomonas and norank_f_Mitochondria show a close positive correlation with four kinds of alcohols, two kinds of esters, one kind of aldehyde, and one kind of nitrile. Full article

Cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol (CT) and its analogues are abundant in natural sources and are reported to demonstrate cytotoxicity toward different kinds of tumor cells without a deep probe into their mechanism of action. CT is also one of the major metabolic oxysterols of cholesterol in mammals and is found to accumulate in various diseases. An extensive exploration of the biological roles of CT over the past few decades has established its identity as an apoptosis inducer. In this study, the effects of CT on A549 cell death were investigated through cell viability assays. RNA-sequencing analysis and western blot of CT-treated A549 cells revealed the role of CT in inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and enhancing autophagy flux, suggesting a putative mechanism of CT-induced cell-death activation involving reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated ER stress and autophagy. It is reported for the first time that the upregulation of autophagy induced by CT can serve as a cellular cytotoxicity response in accelerating CT-induced cell death in A549 cells. This research provides evidence for the effect of CT as an oxysterol in cell response to oxidative damage and allows for a deep understanding of cholesterol in its response in an oxidative stress environment that commonly occurs in the progression of various diseases. Full article

Intensive wheat production, which produces high yields through the excessive use of chemical inputs and non-renewable energy, is unsustainable in the long term. Innovative cultivation methods such as intercropping can address emerging challenges. This kind of plant association offers the possibility of achieving a balanced yield with the use of a natural nitrogen source. An experiment was conducted for three growing seasons (2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023) with a combination of three winter wheat varieties (GK Szilárd, Cellule, GK Csillag) and a winter pea variety (Aviron) in three sowing densities to determine the species interaction and the economics of mixed plots. The intercropping systems were evaluated in terms of the land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressivity (A), competitive ratio CR), actual yield loss (AYL), monetary advantage index (MAI), and intercropping advantage (IA). In almost all mixtures, the values of partial A, CR, and AYL indicated that wheat was more competitive than peas due to the overconcentration of mixtures. For MAI, the mixture Cellule/Aviron 75:50 was more profitable than the others in the first two years. Our results draw attention to the influence of the seeding rate, which can contribute to new directions for current research. Full article