Annotated checklist of the flora of Sverdlovsk Region. Part VII: Dicotyledonous plants (Asteraceae, Cichorioideae)

This article for the first time presents a detailed checklist of the flora of dicotyledonous plants (Asteraceae, Cichorioideae) of Sverdlovsk Region, based on the long-term filed research, a critical study of herbarium materials and literature sources. Part VII of the checklist includes 91 species and 6 interspecific hybrids of wild plants. The information on all the species is given on the occurrence in botanical-geographical districts and administrative districts of the region. In the checklist for species bioecological features are indicated (life form according to K. Raunkiaer and I. G. Serebryakov, coenotic groups and ecological groups in relation to moistning), zonal and longitudinal arealogic group, economic significance. As for the alien species, origin, migration thecnique, and level of naturalization achieved in the region are additionally indicated. Species that need protection in the region are noted.

Quantifying the Accessibility of Sustainable Seafood in Southeast Queensland, Australia

Seafood is a nutritious source of protein for billions of people around the world and is generally more sustainable than other animal-based protein sources. As the human population grows, seafood will continue to play an important role in feeding the world. The sustainability of seafood products differs, depending on the species consumed, origin, and production/fishing method. Having access to sustainable seafood products is essential to ensure future generations can continue to consume seafood. We aimed to determine the accessibility of sustainable seafood products to consumers in southeast Queensland, Australia. We surveyed 52,447 fresh, cooked, and processed (packaged) seafood products across southeast Queensland from 2110 establishments (restaurants, supermarket, takeaway shops). We investigated the species, origin and catch method of seafood products and used this information to determine their sustainability according to the Good Fish Guide developed by the Australian Marine Conservation Society. We found enough information to determine the level of sustainability for 36% (n= 18,709) of surveyed products: 4.9% were sustainable, 4.1% were classified as ‘Eat Less’, and 27% were classified as ‘Say No’. The 64% (n=33,737) of products that we could not assess was due to the lack of information at point of sale (16%) or the product was not included in the Good Fish Guide (48%). The top three most accessible sustainable products were Australian farmed barramundi, oysters and prawns. The three most common products to ‘Say No’ were Australian farmed Atlantic salmon, imported prawns and basa. We found that 44% (n= 12,040) of products listed in the Good Fish Guide were lacking origin information. Improving the labelling of species, origin, and catch method of seafood products at the point of sale, especially detailed information about a product’s origin, is essential to improving the accessibility of sustainable seafood.

Changes in the Molecular Characteristics of Bovine and Marine Collagen in the Presence of Proteolytic Enzymes as a Stage Used in Scaffold Formation

Biopolymers, in particular collagen and fibrinogen, are the leading materials for use in tissue engineering. When developing technology for scaffold formation, it is important to understand the properties of the source materials as well as the mechanisms that determine the formation of the scaffold structures. Both factors influence the properties of scaffolds to a great extent. Our present work aimed to identify the features of the molecular characteristics of collagens of different species origin and the changes they undergo during the enzymatic hydrolysis used for the process of scaffold formation. For this study, we used the methods of gel-penetrating chromatography, dynamic light scattering, reading IR spectra, and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that cod collagen (CC) and bovine collagen (BC) have different initial molecular weight parameters, and that, during hydrolysis, the majority of either type of protein is hydrolyzed by the proteolytic enzymes within the first minute. The differently sourced collagen samples were also hydrolyzed with the formation of two low molecular fractions: Mw ~ 10 kDa and ~20 kDa. In the case of CC, the microstructure of the final scaffolds contained denser, closely spaced fibrillar areas, while the BC-sourced scaffolds had narrow, short fibrils composed of unbound fibers of hydrolyzed collagen in their structure.

What does Brazil know about the origin and uses of tree species employed in the housing sector? Perspectives on available species, origin and current challenges

Timber consumption is a complex discussion for the industry, in part because the issue has been marked by doubts about lineage and origin. This paper aimed to identify challenges related to species, origins and wood use in the Brazilian construction sector. Searches on corporate websites and face-to-face interviews were used to identify involvement by species and origin in the domestic production of timber for housing. Relevant results were obtained for both methods since their margins of error were low. Forty exotic and nine native species were revealed to contribute significantly to the construction sector. 'Grapia' and 'Angelim pedra' native woods and eight eucalypt and pine species were shown to be the most popular through both methodologies. Pine timber was found to be in greater demand than that of Eucalyptus species. Despite some lack of clarity relating to the origin of certain species, the sector's status was better than expected. However, it still requires assertive actions to increase the use of legalized wood in order to favour product certification and integration into foreign markets.

The Binding of Monoclonal and Polyclonal Anti-Z-DNA Antibodies to DNA of Various Species Origin

DNA is a polymeric macromolecule that can display a variety of backbone conformations. While the classical B-DNA is a right-handed double helix, Z-DNA is a left-handed helix with a zig-zag orientation. The Z conformation depends upon the base sequence, base modification and supercoiling and is considered to be transient. To determine whether the presence of Z-DNA can be detected immunochemically, the binding of monoclonal and polyclonal anti-Z-DNA antibodies to a panel of natural DNA antigens was assessed by an ELISA using brominated poly(dG-dC) as a control for Z-DNA. As these studies showed, among natural DNA tested (Micrococcus luteus, calf thymus, Escherichiacoli, salmon sperm, lambda phage), micrococcal (MC) DNA showed the highest binding with both anti-Z-DNA preparations, and E. coli DNA showed binding with the monoclonal anti-DNA preparation. The specificity for Z-DNA conformation in MC DNA was demonstrated by an inhibition binding assay. An algorithm to identify propensity to form Z-DNA indicated that DNA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis could form Z-DNA, a prediction confirmed by immunoassay. Together, these findings indicate that anti-Z-DNA antibodies can serve as probes for the presence of Z-DNA in DNA of various species origin and that the content of Z-DNA varies significantly among DNA sources.

Microsatellite markers from Peronospora tabacina, the cause of blue mold of tobacco, reveal species origin, population structure, and high gene flow

Peronospora tabacina is an obligate parasite that causes blue mold of tobacco. The pathogen reproduces primarily asexually by sporangia, and sexual oospores are a rarely observed form of propagation. A collection of 122 isolates of P. tabacina was genotyped using nine microsatellites to assess the population structure of individuals from subpopulations collected from Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and North America, and Australia. Genetic variation among the six subpopulations accounted for about 8% of total variation with moderate levels of genetic differentiation, high gene flow among these subpopulations, and a positive correlation between geographic and genetic distance (r = 0.225; P<0.001). Evidence of linkage disequilibrium (P<0.001) showed that populations contained partially clonal subpopulations, except subpopulations from Australia and Mediterranean Europe. High genetic variation and population structure among samples could be explained by continuous gene flow across continents via infected transplant exchange and/or long-distance dispersal of sporangia via wind currents. This study analyzed the most numerous P. tabacina collection to date and allowed conclusions on the migration, mutation, and evolutionary history of this obligate biotrophic oomycete. The evidence pointed to the species origin in Australia and identified intra- and inter-continental migration patterns of this important pathogen.

Coccus celatus (coffee green scale).

The female lays eggs which hatch within a matter of hours. There are three nymphal stages which are mobile. The adult female is sedentary and covered by an ovoid, green scale, about 3.5 mm long and only slightly convex. All stages feed principally on the underside of the leaf generally close to a vein but may also be found on green shoots, fruits and other parts of the plant. In Uganda it was reported (as C. consimilis) to be found on the collar of the plant at or just below ground level (De Lotto, 1960). Associations: Ants such as Tetramorium aculeatum (Uganda; De Lotto, 1960) and Solenopsis geminata (Papua New Guinea; Buckley and Gullan, 1991) which feed on the honeydew, build earth covers over the colonies. Oecophylla longinoda (Ivory Coast; Couturier et al., 1985), Crematogaster sp. (Papua New Guinea; Murphy, 1985), Paratrechina sp. (Papua New Guinea; Murphy, 1985), Pheidole sp. (Papua New Guinea; Murphy, 1985) and Technomyrmex albipes (Papua New Guinea; Murphy, 1985) also tend colonies. The presence of ants undoubtedly hinders attacks by natural enemies both by shielding the colonies and by removing honeydew. Murphy et al. (2011) attest that in Papua New Guinea 14 species of ant attend C. celatus/C. viridis populations of which only two are native (Rhoptromyrmex sp1 and Rhoptromyrmex melleus). By contrast six exotics and six species (origin unknown) attend the scales. The three spatially most common and abundant exotic species were Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant), Pheidole megacephala (African big-headed ant) and T. albipes (white footed ant).