Fungi attacking historic wood of Fort Conger and the Peary Huts in the High Arctic

Historic wooden structures in Polar Regions are being adversely affected by decay fungi and a warming climate will likely accelerate degradation. Fort Conger and the Peary Huts at Lady Franklin Bay in northern Ellesmere Island are important international heritage sites associated with early exploration in the High Arctic. Fort Conger, built by Adolphus Greely and expedition members during the First International Polar Year in 1881, was dismantled and used by Robert Peary and his expedition crew in the early 1900’s to build several smaller shelters. These historic structures remain at the site but are deteriorating. This investigation examines the fungi associated with wood decay in the historic woods. Soft rot was observed in all 125 wood samples obtained from the site. The major taxa found associated with the decayed wood were Coniochaeta (18%), Phoma (13%) Cadophora (12%), Graphium (9%), and Penicillium (9%) as well as many other Ascomycota that are known to cause soft rot in wood. Micromorphological observations using scanning electron microscopy of historic wooden timbers that were in ground contact revealed advanced stages of type I soft rot. No wood destroying Basidiomycota were found. Identification of the fungi associated with decay in these historic woods is a first step to better understand the unusual decomposition processes underway in this extreme environment and will aid future research to help control decay and preserve this important cultural heritage.

Download Full-text

Chitin as an indicator of the biomass of two wood-decay fungi in relation to temperature, incubation time, and media composition

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/w98-039 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 575-581 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Kent Nilsson ◽

Jonny Bjurman

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Soft Rot ◽

Dry Mass ◽

Malt Extract ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

Chitin Content ◽

Wood Decay Fungi

Cell wall chitin was determined in the mycelia of the brown rot fungus Neolentinus lepideus (Lentinus lepideus) and an isolate of the soft rot fungus Phialophora sp. to study the correlation to mycelial dry mass. The fungi were incubated as liquid cultures for three incubation periods at three temperatures in six nutrient media with varying levels and combinations of carbon and nitrogen. The glucosamine yield was found to be maximized by hydrolysis at 90°C for 48 h. The chitin content in the studied fungi varied from 8.3 to 39.8 μg.mg-1for N. lepideus and 7.7 to 46 μg.mg-1for the Phialophora isolate. The chitin concentration was remarkably constant, about 10 μg.mg-1, in mycelia growing on the low nitrogen malt extract medium. An experiment with wood blocks indicated that chitin may be a good marker for total fungal biomass production, including living and dead mycelia, in early stages of wood decay (dry weight loss <6%). At higher dry weight losses, the chitin content reaches a plateau or decreases despite continuing degradation as determined by the dry weight loss. The chitin content of visible mycelia growing on wood was determined for both fungi and found to be 19.1 and 12.9 μg.mg-1for N. lepideus and the Phialophora isolate, respectively.Key words: chitin, wood-decay fungi, utility poles, brown rot, soft rot, glucosamine, colorimetry.

Download Full-text

IPY 2007–2008 data legacy – a long story cut short

Earth System Science Data Discussions ◽

10.5194/essdd-8-447-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 447-460

Author(s):

A. Driemel ◽

H. Grobe ◽

M. Diepenbroek ◽

H. Grüttemeier ◽

S. Schumacher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Science ◽

Technical Information ◽

The Arctic ◽

Future Research ◽

Polar Regions ◽

International Polar Year ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Wide Range ◽

Data Products

Abstract. The International Polar Year 2007–2008 was a synchronized effort to simultaneously collect data from polar regions. Being the fourth in a row of IPYs, the demand for interdisciplinarity and new data products was high. However, despite of all the research done on land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere and the large amount of data collected, no central archive or portal was created for IPY data. In order to address these issues, a concerted effort between PANGAEA – Data Publisher for Earth and Environmental Science, the ICSU World Data System (WDS), and the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) was undertaken to extract data resulting from IPY publications for long-term preservation. 1380 IPY-related references were collected. Out of these, only 450 contained accessible data. All data was extracted, quality checked, annotated with metadata and uploaded to PANGAEA. The 450 articles dealt with a multitude of IPY topics – plankton biomass, water chemistry, ice thickness, whale sightings, Inuit health, alien species introductions by travelers or tundra biomass change – to mention just a few. Both, the Arctic and the Antarctic were investigated in the articles, and all realms (land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere) and a wide range of countries were covered. The data compilation can now be found with the identifier doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 and individually searched for using the PANGAEA search engine (www.pangaea.de) and adding "+project:ipy". With this effort, we hope to improve the visibility, accessibility and long-term storage of IPY data for future research and new data products.

Download Full-text

Fungal Degradation of Wood: Emerging Data, New Insights and Changing Perceptions

Coatings ◽

10.3390/coatings10121210 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1210

Author(s):

Barry Goodell ◽

Jerrold E. Winandy ◽

Jeffrey J. Morrell

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Soft Rot ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Future Research ◽

Fungal Decay ◽

Outward Appearance ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

New Findings ◽

Biochemical Analyses

Wood durability researchers have long described fungal decay of timber using the starkly simple terms of white, brown and soft rot, along with the less destructive mold and stain fungi. These terms have taken on an almost iconic meaning but are only based upon the outward appearance of the damaged timber. Long-term deterioration studies, as well as the emerging genetic tools, are showing the fallacy of simplifying the decay process into such broad groups. This paper briefly reviews the fundamentals of fungal decay, staining and mold processes, then uses these fundamentals as the basis for a discussion of fungal attack of wood in light of current knowledge about these processes. Biotechnological applications of decay fungi are reviewed, and an overview is presented on how fungi surmount the protective barriers that coatings provide on surfaces. Advances in biochemical analyses have, in some cases, radically altered our perceptions of how wood is degraded, and even the relationships between fungal species, while other new findings have reinforced traditional perspectives. Suggestions for future research needs in the coatings field relative to enhanced fungal and environmental protection are presented.

Download Full-text

EFFICIENCY OF ANDIROBA, COPAIBA AND JATROPHA OILS TO IMPROVE THE RESISTANCE OF Pinus elliottii WOOD TO WOOD-DECAY FUNGI

Revista Árvore ◽

10.1590/1806-908820200000030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

Author(s):

Sara Freitas de Souza ◽

Juarez Benigno Paes ◽

Marina Donária Chaves Arantes ◽

Luciana Ferreira da Silva ◽

Larissa Dudecki

Keyword(s):

White Rot Fungi ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Soft Rot ◽

Pinus Elliottii ◽

Iodine Concentration ◽

White Rot ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

Natural Oils ◽

Wood Decay Fungi

ABSTRACT Non-renewable chemical products are still the most used for wood protection, however, they have negative aspects. Several problems associated with the extensive use of these substances have been reported, such as intoxication of animals and plants, and environmental contamination. This has led to a search for alternative methods of control that cause less impact on the environment. In this context, the use of natural products extracted from different plants can be an alternative to this industrial activity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of andiroba, copaiba and jatropha oils, either pure or enriched with iodine (I2), to improve the biological resistance of Pinus elliottii wood to wood-decay fungi causing brown, white and soft rot. The andiroba and copaiba oils came from the state of Pará and the jatropha oil came from Paraíba. Thus, we performed resistance tests to accelerated decay (brown and white rot fungi) and soft rot tests in the laboratory. We used pure natural oils and those enriched with sublimated iodine in assessing efficiency. In turn, we evaluated the effects of volatilization and leaching on the efficiency of solutions against decaying fungi. Pure andiroba and jatropha oils were the least efficient in controlling the Trametes versicolor fungus in the accelerated decay biological assay. Moreover, the wood treated with pure copaiba oil (normal situation) was classified as non-resistant for controlling Postia placenta fungus. In the soft rot test, we observed that there was a tendency to improve the wood resistance (normal situation) with an increase in the iodine concentration (I2).

Download Full-text

The IPY 2007–2008 data legacy – creating open data from IPY publications

Earth System Science Data ◽

10.5194/essd-7-239-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 239-244

Author(s):

A. Driemel ◽

H. Grobe ◽

M. Diepenbroek ◽

H. Grüttemeier ◽

S. Schumacher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Science ◽

Technical Information ◽

The Arctic ◽

Future Research ◽

Polar Regions ◽

International Polar Year ◽

International Council ◽

Wide Range ◽

Data Products

Abstract. The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008 was a synchronized effort to simultaneously collect data from polar regions. Being the fourth in a series of IPYs, the demand for interdisciplinarity and new data products was high. However, despite all the research done on land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere and the large amount of data collected, no central archive or portal was created for IPY data. In order to improve the availability and visibility of IPY data, a concerted effort between PANGAEA – Data Publisher for Earth and Environmental Science, the International Council for Science (ICSU) World Data System (WDS), and the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) was undertaken to extract data resulting from IPY publications for long-term preservation. Overall, 1380 IPY-related references were collected. Of these, only 450 contained accessible data. All data were extracted, quality checked, annotated with metadata and uploaded to PANGAEA. The 450 articles dealt with a multitude of IPY topics – plankton biomass, water chemistry, ice thickness, whale sightings, Inuit health, alien species introductions by travellers or tundra biomass change, to mention just a few. Both the Arctic and the Antarctic were investigated in the articles, and all realms (land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere) and a wide range of countries were covered. The data compilation can now be found with the identifier doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.150150, and individual parts can be searched using the PANGAEA search engine (www.pangaea.de) and adding "+project:ipy". With this effort, we hope to improve the visibility, accessibility and long-term storage of IPY data for future research and new data products.

Download Full-text

Stem Cell-Based Therapies: A New Ray of Hope for Diabetic Patients

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.2174/1574888x13666181002154110 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 146-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Junaid Khan ◽

Amit Alexander ◽

Mukta Agrawal ◽

Ajazuddin ◽

Sunil Kumar Dubey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Drug Therapy ◽

Type I Diabetes ◽

Embryonic Stem ◽

Health Concern ◽

Future Research ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Type I

Diabetes and its complications are a significant health concern throughout the globe. There are physiological differences in the mechanism of type-I and type-II diabetes and the conventional drug therapy as well as insulin administration seem to be insufficient to address the problem at large successfully. Hypoglycemic swings, frequent dose adjustments and resistance to the drug are major problems associated with drug therapy. Cellular approaches through stem cell based therapeutic interventions offer a promising solution to the problem. The need for pancreatic transplants in case of Type- I diabetes can also be by-passed/reduced due to the formation of insulin producing β cells via stem cells. Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) and induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), successfully used for generating insulin producing β cells. Although many experiments have shown promising results with stem cells in vitro, their clinical testing still needs more exploration. The review attempts to bring into light the clinical studies favoring the transplantation of stem cells in diabetic patients with an objective of improving insulin secretion and improving degeneration of different tissues in response to diabetes. It also focuses on the problems associated with successful implementation of the technique and possible directions for future research.

Download Full-text

Ecological impacts of fungal wood decay types: A review of current knowledge and future research directions

Ecological Research ◽

10.1111/1440-1703.12260 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yu Fukasawa

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Directions ◽

Future Research Directions

Download Full-text

Weathering Stability and Durability of Birch Plywood Modified with Different Molecular Weight Phenol-Formaldehyde Oligomers

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13020175 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 175

Author(s):

Juris Grinins ◽

Vladimirs Biziks ◽

Brendan Nicholas Marais ◽

Janis Rizikovs ◽

Holger Militz

Keyword(s):

Uv Light ◽

Phenol Formaldehyde ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Soft Rot ◽

Solid Wood ◽

Solid Content ◽

Molecular Weights ◽

Weathering Processes ◽

Commercial Resin ◽

D 20

This study investigated the effect of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin treatment on the weathering stability and biological durability of birch plywood. Silver birch (Betula pendula) veneers were vacuum-pressure impregnated with four different PF resins with average molecular weights (Mw) of 292 (resin A), 528 (resin B), 703 (resin C), and 884 g/mol (resin D). The aging properties of PF resin modified birch plywood were analyzed using artificial weathering with ultraviolet (UV) light, UV and water spray, and weathering under outdoor conditions. The same combinations of PF-treated plywood specimens were then tested in soil-bed tests to determine their resistance against soft-rot wood decay. It was not possible to compare weathering processes under artificial conditions to processes under outdoor conditions. However, the weathering stability of birch plywood treated with PF resins A, B, and C, scored better than plywood treated with commercial resin D (regardless of solid content concentration [%]). Results from unsterile soil bed tests showed improvements in resistance to soft-rot wood decay compared to untreated plywood and solid wood. Mass loss [%] was lowest for birch plywood specimens treated with resin of highest solid content concentration (resin D, 20%). Provisional durability ratings delivered durability class (DC) ratings of 2–3, considerably improved over untreated solid wood and untreated birch plywood (DC 5).

Download Full-text

xtgeebcv: A command for bias-corrected sandwich variance estimation for GEE analyses of cluster randomized trials

The Stata Journal Promoting communications on statistics and Stata ◽

10.1177/1536867x20931001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 363-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

John A. Gallis ◽

Fan Li ◽

Elizabeth L. Turner

Keyword(s):

Randomized Trials ◽

Variance Estimation ◽

Public Health Education ◽

Standard Errors ◽

Future Research ◽

Type I ◽

Cluster Randomized Trials ◽

Finite Sample ◽

Individual Level ◽

Cluster Randomized

Cluster randomized trials, where clusters (for example, schools or clinics) are randomized to comparison arms but measurements are taken on individuals, are commonly used to evaluate interventions in public health, education, and the social sciences. Analysis is often conducted on individual-level outcomes, and such analysis methods must consider that outcomes for members of the same cluster tend to be more similar than outcomes for members of other clusters. A popular individual-level analysis technique is generalized estimating equations (GEE). However, it is common to randomize a small number of clusters (for example, 30 or fewer), and in this case, the GEE standard errors obtained from the sandwich variance estimator will be biased, leading to inflated type I errors. Some bias-corrected standard errors have been proposed and studied to account for this finite-sample bias, but none has yet been implemented in Stata. In this article, we describe several popular bias corrections to the robust sandwich variance. We then introduce our newly created command, xtgeebcv, which will allow Stata users to easily apply finite-sample corrections to standard errors obtained from GEE models. We then provide examples to demonstrate the use of xtgeebcv. Finally, we discuss suggestions about which finite-sample corrections to use in which situations and consider areas of future research that may improve xtgeebcv.

Download Full-text