Fire-Borne Life: A Brief Review of Smoke-Induced Germination

Naturally occurring fires have been shaping landscapes long before mankind existed. Presumably, it is an early observation that in some habitats, fire is crucial to maintaining species diversity and for the rejuvenation of the vegetation, and so early settled farmers might have started to take advantage of the controlled burning of a desired area. The heat of fire is essential to break the dormancy of many fire ephemerals and for the seed release of some serotinous or woody taxa. Besides the physical effects caused by the heat on seeds, smoke and burnt organic material contain chemical cues that regulate the germination of seeds and the early development of seedlings. The scientific community really started to reveal the secrets of these enigmatic components from the early 1990s, although there are still a number of questions to be answered. In this review, we briefly introduce the path which leads to our current knowledge on smoke-derived compounds and their enormous effects on plant life.

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Natural Phenolic Compounds for the Control of Oxidation, Bacterial Spoilage, and Foodborne Pathogens in Meat

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9060794 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 794 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aphrodite I. Kalogianni ◽

Thomai Lazou ◽

Ioannis Bossis ◽

Athanasios I. Gelasakis

Keyword(s):

Phenolic Compounds ◽

Foodborne Pathogens ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Antimicrobial Properties ◽

Meat Industry ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activity ◽

Relevant Regulation

Alternative technologies for long-term preservation, quality assurance, and safety of meat are continuously pursued by the food industry to satisfy the demands of modern consumers for nutritious and healthy meat-based products. Naturally occurring phenolic compounds are considered promising substances by the meat industry for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, while consumers seem to embrace them for their claimed health benefits. Despite the numerous in vitro and in situ studies demonstrating their beneficial effects against meat oxidation, spoilage, and foodborne pathogens, wide application and commercialization has not been yet achieved. Major obstacles are still the scarcity of legislative framework, the large variety of meat-based products and targeted pathogens, the limited number of case-specific application protocols and the questionable universal efficiency of the applied ones. The objectives of the present review are (i) to summarize the current knowledge about the applications of naturally occurring phenols in meat and meat-based products, emphasizing the mechanisms, determinants, and spectrum of their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; (ii) to present state-of-the-art technologies utilized for the application of phenolic compounds in meat systems; and (iii) to discuss relevant regulation, limitations, perspectives, and future challenges for their mass industrial use.

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Naturally Occurring PCSK9 Inhibitors

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12051440 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1440

Author(s):

Maria Pia Adorni ◽

Francesca Zimetti ◽

Maria Giovanna Lupo ◽

Massimiliano Ruscica ◽

Nicola Ferri

Keyword(s):

Ldl Cholesterol ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Pcsk9 Inhibitors ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Starting Point

Genetic, epidemiological and pharmacological data have led to the conclusion that antagonizing or inhibiting Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces cardiovascular events. This clinical outcome is mainly related to the pivotal role of PCSK9 in controlling low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The absence of oral and affordable anti-PCSK9 medications has limited the beneficial effects of this new therapeutic option. A possible breakthrough in this field may come from the discovery of new naturally occurring PCSK9 inhibitors as a starting point for the development of oral, small molecules, to be used in combination with statins in order to increase the percentage of patients reaching their LDL-cholesterol target levels. In the present review, we have summarized the current knowledge on natural compounds or extracts that have shown an inhibitory effect on PCSK9, either in experimental or clinical settings. When available, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of the listed compounds are described.

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Natural Genetic Transformation of Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli in Urine and Water

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.68.1.440-443.2002 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 440-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Markus Woegerbauer ◽

Bernard Jenni ◽

Florian Thalhammer ◽

Wolfgang Graninger ◽

Heinz Burgmann

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽

Aquatic Environments ◽

Wild Type ◽

E Coli ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Natural Genetic Transformation ◽

Type Strains

ABSTRACT Transfer of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli wild-type strains is possible by transformation under naturally occurring conditions in oligotrophic, aquatic environments containing physiologic concentrations of calcium. In contrast, transformation is suppressed in nitrogen-rich body fluids like urine, a common habitat of uropathogenic strains. Current knowledge indicates that transformation of these E. coli wild-type strains is of no relevance for the acquisition of resistance in this clinically important environment.

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Revision of the status of some genus-level water mite taxa in the families Pionidae Thor, 1900, Aturidae Thor, 1900, and Nudomideopsidae Smith, 1990 (Acari: Hydrachnidiae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3919.1.6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3919 (1) ◽

pp. 111 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

IAN M. SMITH ◽

DAVID R. COOK ◽

REINHARD GERECKE

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Family Group ◽

Water Mites ◽

Water Mite ◽

Genus Level ◽

The Family ◽

The Status ◽

Apparent Age

A number of changes to the status of genus group names in water mites are proposed to foster a more consistent and phylogenetically defensible approach to the ranking of taxa at this level of the classification. The water mite taxa Acercopsis Viets, 1926 (Pionidae: Tiphyinae), Madawaska Habeeb, 1954 (Pionidae: Foreliinae), Brachypodopsis Piersig, 1903, Cubanaxonopsis Orghidan & Gruia, 1981, Hexaxonopsis Viets, 1926, Paraxonopsis Motaş & Tanasachi, 1947, Vicinaxonopsis Cook, 1974, Parabrachypoda Viets, 1929, and Ocybrachypoda Cook, 1974 (Aturidae: Axonopsinae), Ameribrachypoda Smith, 1991 (Aturidae: Aturinae), and Allomideopsis Smith, 1990 (Nudomideopsidae) are elevated in rank from subgenera to full genera to reflect current knowledge of their species diversity, morphological distinctness, relationships and apparent age. In light of the above changes in the subfamily Axonopsinae, the subgenera Kalobrachypoda Viets, 1929 and Navinaxonopsis Cook, 1967 are transferred from the genus Axonopsis to the genus Brachypodopsis, the subgenus Plesiobrachypoda Viets, 1942 is transferred from the genus Axonopsis to the genus Hexaxonopsis, and the species formerly placed in the subgenus Hemibrachypoda Viets, 1937 are transferred from the genus Brachypoda to the genus Parabrachypoda Viets, 1929, and Hemibrachypoda is placed in synonymy with Parabrachypoda. The family group taxa to which all of these genera belong are reviewed to provide context for the proposed changes.

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Applications of the FIV Model to Study HIV Pathogenesis

10.20944/preprints201804.0009.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Craig Miller ◽

Zaid Abdo ◽

Aaron Ericsson ◽

John Elder ◽

Sue VandeWoude

Keyword(s):

Vaccine Development ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Immune Dysfunction ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Oral Microbiota ◽

Hiv Pathogenesis ◽

Opportunistic Disease ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Feline Model

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a naturally-occurring retrovirus that infects domestic and non-domestic feline species, producing progressive immune depletion that results in an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Much has been learned about FIV since it was first described in 1987, particularly in regard to its application as a model to study the closely related lentivirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In particular, FIV and HIV share remarkable structure and sequence organization, utilize parallel modes of receptor-mediated entry, and result in a similar spectrum of immunodeficiency-related diseases due to analogous modes of immune dysfunction. This review summarizes current knowledge of FIV infection kinetics and mechanisms of immune dysfunction in relation to opportunistic disease, specifically in regard to studying HIV pathogenesis. Furthermore, we present data which highlight changes in the oral microbiota and oral immune system during FIV infection, and outline the potential for the feline model of oral AIDS manifestations to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of HIV-induced oral disease. Finally, we discuss advances in molecular biology, vaccine development, neurologic dysfunction, and the ability to apply pharmacologic interventions and sophisticated imaging technologies to study experimental and naturally occurring FIV, which provide an excellent, but often overlooked resource for advancing therapies and management of HIV/AIDS.

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N-Acyl Amino Acids: Metabolism, Molecular Targets, and Role in Biological Processes

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom9120822 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 822 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Natalia Battista ◽

Monica Bari ◽

Tiziana Bisogno

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Acid Amide ◽

Molecular Targets ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Lipid Signal ◽

Amide Derivatives

The lipid signal is becoming increasingly crowded as increasingly fatty acid amide derivatives are being identified and considered relevant therapeutic targets. The identification of N-arachidonoyl-ethanolamine as endogenous ligand of cannabinoid type-1 and type-2 receptors as well as the development of different–omics technologies have the merit to have led to the discovery of a huge number of naturally occurring N-acyl-amines. Among those mediators, N-acyl amino acids, chemically related to the endocannabinoids and belonging to the complex lipid signaling system now known as endocannabinoidome, have been rapidly growing for their therapeutic potential. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms for the biosynthesis and inactivation of the N-acyl amino acids, as well as the various molecular targets for some of the N-acyl amino acids described so far.

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Cross-Linking Optimization for Electrospun Gelatin: Challenge of Preserving Fiber Topography

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym12112472 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 2472

Author(s):

Chiara Emma Campiglio ◽

Selene Ponzini ◽

Paola De Stefano ◽

Giulia Ortoleva ◽

Lorenzo Vignati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Cues ◽

Cross Linking ◽

Fiber Morphology ◽

Fiber Network ◽

Specific Chemical ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Effective Combination ◽

Significant Impairment ◽

Fibrous Morphology ◽

Electrospun Gelatin

Opportunely arranged micro/nano-scaled fibers represent an extremely attractive architecture for tissue engineering, as they offer an intrinsically porous structure, a high available surface, and an ideal microtopography for guiding cell migration. When fibers are made with naturally occurring polymers, matrices that closely mimic the architecture of the native extra-cellular matrix and offer specific chemical cues can be obtained. Along this track, electrospinning of collagen or gelatin is a typical and effective combination to easily prepare fibrous scaffolds with excellent properties in terms of biocompatibility and biomimicry, but an appropriate cross-linking strategy is required. Many common protocols involve the use of swelling solvents and can result in significant impairment of fibrous morphology and porosity. As a consequence, the efforts for processing gelatin into a fiber network can be vain, as a film-like morphology will be eventually presented to cells. However, this appears to be a frequently overlooked aspect. Here, the effect on fiber morphology of common cross-linking protocols was analyzed, and different strategies to improve the final morphology were evaluated (including alternative solvents, cross-linker concentration, mechanical constraint, and evaporation conditions). Finally, an optimized, fiber-preserving protocol based on carbodiimide (EDC) chemistry was defined.

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Rethinking the Dental Amalgam Dilemma: An Integrated Toxicological Approach

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16061036 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. 1036 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Hector Jirau-Colón ◽

Leonardo González-Parrilla ◽

Jorge Martinez-Jiménez ◽

Waldemar Adam ◽

Braulio Jiménez-Velez

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

Mercury Vapor ◽

The United States ◽

Dental Amalgam ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Toxic Pollutant ◽

Dental Amalgams ◽

Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽

Amalgam Fillings

Mercury (Hg) has been identified as one of the most toxic nonradioactive materials known to man. Although mercury is a naturally occurring element, anthropogenic mercury is now a major worldwide concern and is an international priority toxic pollutant. It also comprises one of the primary constituents of dental amalgam fillings. Even though dental mercury amalgams have been used for almost two centuries, its safety has never been tested or proven in the United States by any regulatory agency. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the safety of its use since 1845, and many studies conclude that its use exposes patients to troublesome toxicity. In this review, we present in an objective way the danger of dental amalgam to human health based on current knowledge. This dilemma is addressed in terms of an integrated toxicological approach by focusing on four mayor issues to show how these interrelate to create the whole picture: (1) the irrefutable constant release of mercury vapor from dental amalgams which is responsible for individual chronic exposure, (2) the evidence of organic mercury formation from dental amalgam in the oral cavity, (3) the effect of mercury exposure on gene regulation in human cells which supports the intrinsic genetic susceptibility to toxicant and, finally, (4) the availability of recent epidemiological data supporting the link of dental amalgams to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

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Symmetrical Motifs in Young Children’s Drawings: A Study on Their Representations of Plant Life

Symmetry ◽

10.3390/sym11010026 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 26 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

José Domingo Villarroel ◽

María Merino ◽

Álvaro Antón

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Young Children ◽

Educational Level ◽

Scientific Community ◽

Conceptual Development ◽

Reliable Data ◽

Children's Drawings ◽

Independent Variables ◽

Plant Life ◽

Children’S Drawings

Young children love drawing; this is without question. Besides that, drawings are also of interest to scholars and educators, since they seem to provide food for thought regarding children’s conceptual development during their early education. Different approaches are taken when it comes to analysing children’s drawings but insufficient attention has been given to the issue of the spontaneous depictions of symmetrical motifs in young children’s drawings. This pictorial phenomena might not go unnoticed by parents and teachers but the fact is that the scientific community has no reliable data regarding how children under 8 naturally draw symmetrical patterns to express themselves graphically. Accordingly, the present study analyses 116 drawings undertaken by children between 4 and 7 on a well-known natural issue in early childhood such as plant life. Pictorial motifs displaying both cyclic and dihedral symmetries were found in the pictorial sample under examination and the data gathered is put in perspective with the gender and educational level variables. The results of the study show that symmetry, particularly, dihedral symmetry, is a very common pictorial practice in the sample and, also, that the occurrence of symmetrical motifs displays a relationship with the independent variables considered in the study.

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The diversity–disease relationship: evidence for and criticisms of the dilution effect

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182016000536 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 143 (9) ◽

pp. 1075-1086 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Z. Y. X. HUANG ◽

F. VAN LANGEVELDE ◽

A. ESTRADA-PEÑA ◽

G. SUZÁN ◽

W. F. DE BOER

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Host Species ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Risk Measures ◽

Extinction Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Dilution Effect ◽

Landscape Fragmentation

SUMMARYThe dilution effect, that high host species diversity can reduce disease risk, has attracted much attention in the context of global biodiversity decline and increasing disease emergence. Recent studies have criticized the generality of the dilution effect and argued that it only occurs under certain circumstances. Nevertheless, evidence for the existence of a dilution effect was reported in about 80% of the studies that addressed the diversity–disease relationship, and a recent meta-analysis found that the dilution effect is widespread. We here review supporting and critical studies, point out the causes underlying the current disputes. The dilution is expected to be strong when the competent host species tend to remain when species diversity declines, characterized as a negative relationship between species’ reservoir competence and local extinction risk. We here conclude that most studies support a negative competence–extinction relationship. We then synthesize the current knowledge on how the diversity–disease relationship can be modified by particular species in community, by the scales of analyses, and by the disease risk measures. We also highlight the complex role of habitat fragmentation in the diversity–disease relationship from epidemiological, evolutionary and ecological perspectives, and construct a synthetic framework integrating these three perspectives. We suggest that future studies should test the diversity–disease relationship across different scales and consider the multiple effects of landscape fragmentation.

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