Morphometric variation in nearly unstudied populations of the most studied mammal: The non-commensal house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in the Near East and Northern Africa

The phenotypic consequences in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) of the transition from an ordinary field-dwelling rodent to a species that is dependent on human populations was studied by investigating the morphometric variation of non-commensal populations of M. m. domesticus from Syria, Jordan, SW Iran, and Libya and comparing them with that of conspecific commensal populations from Eastern Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria. Commensal populations of M. musculus musculus from the Czech Republic were used as an outgroup. About 849 adult specimens of M. musculus were analysed by multivariate procedures based on standard molar, skull and body measurements. As expected, there was considerable variation among the studied populations and a good correspondence between morphometric and geographic distances. The resulting morphometric tree was consistent with the hypothesis that the original radiation of M. m. domesticus took place somewhere in the Near East. Commensal populations of M. m. domesticus form a single derived branch. Specimens originating from four different sites in eastern Syria showed the greatest similarity to one another and possessed relatively bigger molars than the other studied populations. Commensal populations were characterised by longer tails when compared to non-commensal populations, which suggests an adaptation for living in a more three-dimensionally heterogeneous environment for commensal populations.     

Wild chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) mouthwashes in methotrexate-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is a known complication of methotrexate (MTX) therapy, but a single efficacious intervention or agent for prophylaxis or management of this side effect has not yet been identified. We report a case of MTX-induced oral mucositis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, who was successfully treated with Wild chamomile mouthwashes.     

Nationalization and Globalization Trends in the Wild Mushroom Commerce of Italy with Emphasis on Porcini (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Boletus edulis</Emphasis> and Allied Species)

Nationalization and Globalization Trends in the Wild Mushroom Commerce of Italy with Emphasis on Porcini ( Boletus edulis and Allied Species). This paper presents an historical overview of wild mushroom commerce in Italy, with a focus on recent trends in the production of porcini (Boletus edulis and closely allied species). Over the past century, two major trends—nationalization and globalization—have been apparent in the wild mushroom commerce of Italy. First, a simplified national mushroom menu has emerged through processes of governmental regulation and culinary fashion, but it has come at the expense of differing, localized mushroom traditions which may suffer under the European Union’s free trade principles. Second, Italy has emerged as a focal point of a global market for a small number of mushroom species—particular porcini. While the name porcini has become synonymous with Italian cuisine, and in spite of a vibrant tradition of recreational mushroom collecting in Italy, most of the porcini commercially available in Italy or exported by Italy are no longer of Italian origin. Porcini and other mushrooms now flow into Italy from all over the world—especially from China and eastern Europe—and are then often exported as “Italian porcini.” This globalization of the wild mushroom trade, while offering significant income to rural producers and processors around the globe, has other effects as well, for example, a kind of national branding as “Italian” of globally-produced products, of which porcini is one, that is in direct opposition to some of the European Union’s rules for regional denominations.

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Processi di Nazionalizzazione e Globalizzazione nel Commercio Italiano dei Funghi spontanei, con Particolare Riguardo ai Porcini ( Boletus edulis e Specie Affini). Questo articolo presenta una panoramica storica sul commercio dei funghi spontanei in Italia, con particolare riguardo alle recenti tendenze nella produzione dei porcini (Boletus edulis e specie affini). Nello scorso secolo si sono osservate due tendenze principali—di nazionalizzazione e di globalizzazione—nel commercio dei funghi spontanei in Italia. In primo luogo si è affermata nel territorio nazionale una tradizione limitata al consumo di un numero contenuto di specie, sia per effetto di alcune normative che di mode culinarie, ma ciò è avvenuto a discapito di tradizioni locali più ricche, che potrebbero ulteriormente risentire dei principi per il libero scambio all’interno dell’Unione Europea. In secondo luogo, l’Italia si è posta in evidenza come un punto nodale per il mercato globale di alcune specie fungine, in particolare dei porcini. Nonostante quest’ultimo termine sia tradizionalmente associato alla cucina italiana, e nonostante esista in Italia una vivace e radicata tradizione nella raccolta amatoriale dei funghi, la maggior parte dei porcini ivi commercializzati (allo stato fresco, essiccati o variamente conservati) o esportati verso altri paesi non sono più di origine locale. I porcini e altre specie fungine giungono attualmente in Italia da ogni parte del mondo—in modo particolare dalla Cina e dall’Europa orientale—e sono successivamente spesso esportati come “prodotti Italiani.” Questo processo di globalizzazione del mercato dei funghi spontanei, pur offrendo un significativo introito ai raccoglitori e commercianti rurali su tutto il globo, è responsabile di altri effetti, come per l’appunto una sorta di marchio nazionale “Italiano” su alcuni prodotti di provenienza globale, come per l’appunto i porcini, cosa che contrasta con alcune delle regole dell’Unione Europea in materia di denominazioni regionali.

     

Competence of the pollen of wild species and the cultivar of tomato to affect fertilization at low temperature

Summary The competitive ability of the pollen of wild tomato species (Solanum pennellii, Lycopersicum hirsutum and L. minutum) and a cultivar of tomato to affect fertilization at low temperature was investigated. Pollen grains of wild species were mixed with those of the cultivar and pollinated onto the stigma of the cultivar. The number of seedlings resembling the wild species, excluding L. minutum, were significantly higher when the plants were maintained at a low temperature (8°–12° C) than when they were maintained at a normal temperature (22°–28° C). This indicates that the pollen of S. pennellii and L. hirsutum wild species can compete better with pollen of the cultivar at a low temperature, while there was no change in the competitive ability of L. minutum pollen under these conditions.     

EST‐SSR markers from Fragaria vesca L. cv. Yellow Wonder

Fourteen microsatellite primer pairs were developed from a cDNA library of heat‐treated seedlings of Fragaria vesca cv. yellow wonder. Transferability to 13 species of Fragaria ranged from 71% in diploid species F. gracilis Losinsk., F. iinumae Makino, F. nilgerrensis Schltdl. ex J. Gay and F. nipponica Makino, to 100% in octoploid domestic strawberry and its progenitors. Polymorphism was high in polyploid Fragaria species. However, polymorphism and heterozygosity of eight EST‐SSRs (expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeats) was low in 14 F. vesca genotypes.     

二斑叶螨为害对草莓叶片H2O2、MDA含量以及部分防御酶活性的影响

本文旨在探究二斑叶螨Tetranychus urticae为害对草莓Fragaria×ananassa Duch.叶片内过氧化氢（H2O2）、丙二醛（MDA）含量以及部分防御酶活性的影响。在草莓苗上接种不同数量（5~25头）的二斑叶螨,分别在接种后的24 h、48 h和72 h取样,分析草莓叶片内H2O2、MDA的含量以及部分防御酶的活性。结果显示,二斑叶螨为害的草莓叶片内H2O2和MDA的含量以及超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）的活性随着时间的延长而呈现先升后降的趋势,在二斑叶螨持续为害草莓叶片24 h、48 h和72 h时,受损草莓叶片中H2O2的含量均显著高于对照（P<0.05）,不同密度二斑叶螨为害的草莓叶片中H2O2的含量均显著高于对照（P<0.05）,但与取食时间关系不大。当为害时间达到48 h时,MDA的含量和SOD的活性均达到最高峰,此时它们均与二斑叶螨的密度密切相关。当二斑叶螨为25头/叶时,MDA的含量和SOD的活性分别约是对照的3.6倍和10倍。过氧化物酶（POD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性随时间延长不断升高,均在二斑叶螨为害72 h时达到最高峰。同时,二斑叶螨的为害时间和为害密度之间存在一定的交互作用。以上结果表明草莓叶片主要通过调节其体内H2O2和MDA的含量以及各种防御酶活性的变化,对二斑叶螨的为害产生应激反应。     

茉莉酸类物质在草莓果实发育中的作用及其分子机理分析

该研究以草莓‘红颜’(Fragaria ananassa Duch.‘Benihoppe’)为试材,于草莓花后15d采用注射法开始注射茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA,浓度为400μmol/L),分析MeJA对草莓果实发育进程的影响及其相关基因的表达,以揭示MeJA在草莓果实发育和成熟调控中的作用及其分子机理。结果表明:(1)MeJA处理草莓果实后,果实变红成熟期比对照显著提前,平均提前4d;(2)随着草莓果实发育成熟,MeJA处理的茉莉酸(JA)合成基因FaOPDA1的表达量迅速升高;(3)FaOPDA1基因在草莓果实中的超表达能够促进草莓果实提前成熟3~5d,且FaOPDA1基因的超表达能够诱导与草莓果实成熟相关的一系列基因的表达量升高,从而促进草莓果实提前成熟。