Hatching plasticity in a Southeast Asian tree frog mitigates submergence-induced mortality

Environmentally cued hatching has been well-documented in amphibians in response to a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors. The hatching of terrestrial amphibian eggs in response to flooding may be basal within the group, but amphibian lineages in tropical Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have not received as much attention as their Neotropical counterparts. We investigated submergence-induced hatching in Feihyla hansenae, a Rhacophorid tree frog with terrestrial eggs. We quantified natural rates of clutch submergence at our study site in Thailand. Using submergence experiments, we found that embryos are capable of hatching early to escape flooding, and that failure to hatch results in mortality. Among the embryos that were able to hatch early, only the earliest, youngest hatchlings experienced a trade-off in body size that persisted for 6 days, while later, older hatchlings were not significantly smaller than spontaneous hatchlings under control conditions. By incorporating our natural and experimental data into Monte Carlo methods to simulate and compare survival probabilities with and without hatching plasticity, we found an overall 3.1% increase in submergence survival due to hatching plasticity. Our findings support the idea that flooding-induced hatching is widespread across amphibians with terrestrial eggs and highlight the importance of researching understudied tropical regions. As climate change is projected to affect rainfall patterns, the ability of embryos to escape abiotic egg-stage threats may be an indicator of species' ability to flexibly navigate a changing environment.     

Tris not only controls the pH in microalgal cultures,but also feeds bacteria

Tris (Tris(hydroxymethyl)amino methane), a compound often used as a buffer in microalgal culture media, sustains active bacterial growth in non-axenic microalgal cultures when sodium phosphate is present. The low pH levels caused by bacterial growth and probably the depletion of phosphorus in the medium caused the collapse ofPhaeodactylum tricornutum cultures resulting in a reduction of microalgal growth from 32 x 10⁶ to 1.1 x 10⁶ cells ml^–1. This emphasizes the need for care when interpreting the results of non-axenic microalgae cultures in which Tris or other organic buffer is added.     

First report of Garella musculana (Erschov, 1874) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) in Italy with insights into its identity

The Asian walnut moth, Garella musculana (Erschov, 1874) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), is a major pest of walnut. Native to Central Asia, it was found to be invasive in 2008 in Sevastopol (Crimea) and nowadays widespread in Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Russia. Here, we account for the finding of G. musculana in NE Italy (Veneto region) in 2021, where adults were found in a light lamp, representing the first record of the Asian walnut moth for this country and Western Europe. Adult specimens were identified morphologically on both external characters and genitalia features. G. musculana larvae and damage were also observed on a plantation of Juglans regia L. (Fagales: Juglandaceae) located in Veneto in October 2021. A COI-barcoding analysis was performed to attain a molecular characterization of our specimens and probate our morphological identification. However, because no sequence of G. musculana was present in major gene databases and the similarity of our sequences with those attributed to Garella ruficirra (Hampson, 1905) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) made clear that these taxa deserved further scrutiny regarding their specific distinction. Some subtle differences in the male terminalia could be found between them and their vast geographic distributions, but the strong similarity in most features calls for further morphological and genetical insights on a broad set of samples to assess whether they represent two closely related, substantially parapatric species, or a unique, geographically varying entity. Solving this issue may turn out crucial in the identification and proper management of walnut moths of the genus Garella.     

Influence of seasonal variation to the population growth and ecophysiology of Typha domingensis (Typhaceae)

Journal of Plant Research - Precipitation is an important climatic element that defines the hydrological regime, and its seasonal variation produces annual dry and wet periods in some areas. This...     

Aptamer-functionalized quantum dots as theranostic nanotools against cancer and bacterial infections: A comprehensive overview of recent trends

Aptamers (Apts) are synthetic nucleic acid ligands that can be engineered to target various molecules, including amino acids, proteins, and pharmaceuticals. Through a series of adsorption, recovery, and amplification steps, Apts are extracted from combinatorial libraries of synthesized nucleic acids. Using aptasensors in bioanalysis and biomedicine can be improved by combining them with nanomaterials. Moreover, Apt-associated nanomaterials, including liposomes, polymeric, dendrimers, carbon nanomaterials, silica, nanorods, magnetic NPs, and quantum dots (QDs), have been widely used as promising nanotools in biomedicine. Following surface modifications and conjugation with appropriate functional groups, these nanomaterials can be successfully used in aptasensing. Advanced biological assays can use Apts immobilized on QD surfaces through physical interaction and chemical bonding. Accordingly, modern QD aptasensing platforms rely on interactions between QDs, Apts, and targets to detect them. QD-Apt conjugates can be used to directly detect prostate, ovarian, colorectal, and lung cancers or simultaneously detect biomarkers associated with these malignancies. Tenascin-C, mucin 1, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, nucleolin, growth factors, and exosomes are among the cancer biomarkers that can be sensitively detected using such bioconjugates. Furthermore, Apt-conjugated QDs have shown great potential for controlling bacterial infections such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. This comprehensive review discusses recent advancements in the design of QD-Apt bioconjugates and their applications in cancer and bacterial theranostics.     

Phytochemical Characterization of Cannabis sativa L. Roots from Northeastern Brazil

This article describes the phytochemical study of Cannabis sativa roots from northeastern Brazil. The dried plant material was pulverized and subjected to exhaustive maceration with ethanol at room temperature, obtaining the crude ethanolic extract (Cs-EEBR). The volatile compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which allowed to identify 22 compounds by comparing the linear retention index (LRI), the similarity index (SI) and the fragmentation pattern of the constituents with the literature. By this technique the major compounds identified were: friedelan-3-one and β-sitosterol. In addition, two fractions were obtained from Cs-EEBR by classical column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography. These fractions were analyzed by NMR and IR and together with the mass spectrometry data allowed to identify the compounds: epifriedelanol, friedelan-3-one, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol. The study contributed to the phytochemical knowledge of Cannabis sativa, specifically the roots, as there are few reports on the chemical constituents of this part of the plant.     

Study of the Biological Activity and Phenolic Content of the Ethanol Extract of Phyllogonium viride Brid. (Phyllogoniaceae,Bryophyta)

The present study aimed to examine the phenolic content and evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of ethanol extracts from the moss species Phyllogonium viride Brid. on the pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, and the pathogenic fungi Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. The antimicrobial activity was determined from Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC). Antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH method. Folin-Denis reagent was used for the content of total phenolics and flavonoids and HPLC-DAD for identification of phenolic compounds. The results showed that bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities occurred at concentrations ranging from 9.76 μg/mL–78.13 μg/mL among all evaluated microorganisms. These values, considering the criteria used, suggest the P. viride extract as a potent antimicrobial. For antioxidant activity, P. viride extract was considered weak. Analysis of the phenolic content showed a wide range of compounds, with Kaempferol (0.41 mg/g) being the major compound, followed by t-cinnamic acid and caffeic acid (0.17 mg/g). Although P. viride is a species of moss not yet referenced in scientific publications of biotechnological interest, it has shown promising potential for further studies and possible application as an antimicrobial of natural origin.     

Antiproliferative Potential of Olneya tesota PF2 Lectin in Human Acute Monocytic Leukemia Cells

Acute monocytic leukemia is a type of myeloid leukemia that develops in monocytes. The current clinical therapies for leukemia are unsatisfactory due to their side effects and nonspecificity toward target cells. Some lectins display antitumor activity and may specifically recognize cancer cells by binding to carbohydrate structures on their surface. Therefore, this study evaluated the response of the human monocytic leukemia cell lines THP-1 to the Olneya tesota PF2 lectin. The induction of apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production in PF2-treated cells was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the lectin-THP-1 cell interaction and mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated by confocal fluorescence microscopy. PF2 genotoxicity was evaluated by DNA fragmentation analysis via gel electrophoresis. The results showed that PF2 binds to THP-1 cells, triggers apoptosis and DNA degradation, changes the mitochondrial membrane potential, and increases reactive oxygen species levels in PF2-treated THP-1 cells. These results suggest the potential use of PF2 for developing alternative anticancer treatments with enhanced specificity.