The Saliency of Snake Scales and Leopard Rosettes to Infants: Its Relevance to Graphical Patterns Portrayed in Prehistoric Art

Geometrically arranged spots and crosshatched incised lines are frequently portrayed in prehistoric cave and mobiliary art. Two experiments examined the saliency of snake scales and leopard rosettes to infants that are perceptually analogous to these patterns. Experiment 1 examined the investigative behavior of 23 infants at three daycare facilities. Four plastic jars (15×14.5cm) with snake scales, leopard rosettes, geometric plaid, and plain patterns printed on yellowish-orange paper inside were placed individually on the floor on separate days during playtime. Fourteen 7–15-month-old infants approached each jar hesitantly and poked it before handling it for five times, the criterion selected for statistical analyses of poking frequency. The jars with snake scales and leopard rosettes yielded reliably higher poking frequencies than the geometric plaid and plain jars. The second experiment examined the gaze and grasping behavior of 15 infants (spanning 5months of age) seated on the laps of their mothers in front of a table. For paired comparisons, the experimenter pushed two of four upright plastic cylinders (13.5×5.5cm) with virtually the same colored patterns simultaneously toward each infant for 6s. Video recordings indicated that infants gazed significantly longer at the cylinders with snake scales and leopard rosettes than the geometric plaid and plain cylinders prior to grasping them. Logistic regression of gaze duration predicting cylinder choice for grasping indicated that seven of 24 paired comparisons were not significant, all of which involved choices of cylinders with snake scales and leopard rosettes that diverted attention before reaching. Evidence that these biological patterns are salient to infants during an early period of brain development might characterize the integration of subcortical and neocortical visual processes known to be involved in snake recognition. In older individuals, memorable encounters with snakes and leopards coupled with the saliency of snake scales and leopard rosettes possibly biased artistic renditions of similar patterns during prehistoric times.

Surface orange patinas on the limestone of the Batalha Monastery (Portugal): characterization and decay patterns

Samples of orange patinas found on a limestone window tracery and an ornament of the Batalha Monastery have been investigated by X-ray micro-diffractometry (μ-XRD) and low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (LV-SEM + EDS). The aim of the study was to determine the composition of the layered patinas, assess whether they have been intentionally applied or naturally formed, and study their degradation patterns. Preliminary results revealed that the orange patinas on the window tracery and the ornament showed different compositions and appearance, suggesting distinct formation pathways. Orange patinas on the ornament, which are now showing decay and delamination patterns, mainly consisted of gypsum with hematite as a minor component, implying the possibility of an intentional application of a mixture of ochre and lime as tint plaster. Orange patinas on the window tracery show, instead, the presence of Ca-oxalates, abundant weddellite, and minor whewellite, with minor hematite suggesting the yellowish/orange color as being due to Ca-oxalate patinas imbedding soil dust airborne particles. Such patina was possibly formed naturally either by the chemical attack due to atmospheric air pollutants from traffic exhausts emissions or by bacterial activity. No delamination was observed on the window tracery sample with granular decohesion as the major decay phenomenon. A comparison was made between this patina and the so-called scialbatura, a surface yellowish coating often found by conservators on limestone and marble in ancient monuments in the Mediterranean region.

A new species of Lepiota (Agaricaceae) from Punjab, Pakistan

During our surveys of fungi of some areas adjacent to the Cholistan desert, Punjab, Pakistan, we collected a new species in Lepiota sect. Echinatae. It was found on loamy soil under Vachellia nilotica and is described and illustrated as new based on the distinct morphology and ITS nrDNA analysis. The new species, Lepiota haroonabadensis, is characterized macroscopically by a light yellowish orange pileus covered with brown squarrose scales, bright yellowish to yellowish red stipe with pale yellow spiny scales, and rudimentary annulus; and microscopically by ellipsoid basidiospores, narrowly clavate to clavate cheilocystidia, cylindrical to sub-cylindrical or ellipsoidal elements of the pileus covering and cylindrical to globose elements of the stipe covering. A full description, color photos, line illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to show the position of the new species are provided.

First report of the fleshy mushroom Trichaleurina javanica (Rehm) M. Carbone et al. (Ascomycota: Pezizales: Chorioactidaceae) from southern India

Trichaleurina javanica was collected from tropical dry evergreen forests, located in the southeastern coastal belt of India. This is the first report of the species from southern India. Trichaleurina javanica is a fleshy and rubbery cup-like mushroom, brownish-grey in colour with a brilliant yellowish-orange disc. The identification is supported using morphological and microscopical characters. It is one of the less known wild edible mushrooms belonging to Ascomycota.

Sequence analysis of 18SrDNA gene from sagoplast degrading fungi

The bioplastic can be made from sago flour and known as sagoplast. It was widely known that for making bioplastic, the addition of acetic acid and glycerol are needed. Products that are air-dried are easy to grow fungi within a few weeks. This makes the basis for researchers to undestand more about the character and identity of the sagoplast degrading fungi. Characterization and identification were carried out by observed morphology and analyzing the 18SrDNA gene sequence of fungal isolates that had grown on the sagoplast. Fungal isolates morphology showed yellowish-orange color with white thread-like mycelia and a blackish brown mace with white thread-shaped mycelia. These characters of fungal morphology that similar with Aspergillus. The gene sequences of the fungal isolates were aligned with reference gene sequences of the fungi obtained from the Gen Bank of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Sequence data analysis was performed by using the Clustal X program to determine the kinship and taxonomy of the fungal isolates that able to degrade sagoplast. The result showed that two fungal isolates, DFSP.J1 and DFSP.J4, were found and demonstrated their ability for degrading sagoplast. Isolate DFSP.J1 is related to Aspergillus flavus strain PSU2 LC127086.1, while isolate DFSP.J4 is related to Aspergillus niger IFO4033 D63697.1.

Sequence analysis of 18SrDNA gene from sagoplast degrading fungi

The bioplastic can be made from sago flour and known as sagoplast. It was widely known that for making bioplastic, the addition of acetic acid and glycerol are needed. Products that are air-dried are easy to grow fungi within a few weeks. This makes the basis for researchers to undestand more about the character and identity of the sagoplast degrading fungi. Characterization and identification were carried out by observed morphology and analyzing the 18SrDNA gene sequence of fungal isolates that had grown on the sagoplast. Fungal isolates morphology showed yellowish-orange color with white thread-like mycelia and a blackish brown mace with white thread-shaped mycelia. These characters of fungal morphology that similar with Aspergillus. The gene sequences of the fungal isolates were aligned with reference gene sequences of the fungi obtained from the Gen Bank of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Sequence data analysis was performed by using the Clustal X program to determine the kinship and taxonomy of the fungal isolates that able to degrade sagoplast. The result showed that two fungal isolates, DFSP.J1 and DFSP.J4, were found and demonstrated their ability for degrading sagoplast. Isolate DFSP.J1 is related to Aspergillus flavus strain PSU2 LC127086.1, while isolate DFSP.J4 is related to Aspergillus niger IFO4033 D63697.1.

Orange Layered Patinas on Limestone Surface in the Batalha Monastery (Portugal): Characterization and Decay Patterns

Samples of orange patinas found on a limestone balustrade and an ornament of the Batalha Monastery have been investigated by X-ray micro-diffractometry (µ-XRD) and Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (LV-SEM + EDS). Aim of the study was to determine the composition of the layered patinas, assess whether they were been intentionally applied or naturally formed, and study their degradation patterns. Preliminary results revealed that the orange patinas on the balustrade and the ornament showed different compositions and appearance, suggesting distinct formation pathways. Orange layers on the ornament which suffers salt decay and delamination nowadays, mainly consisted of gypsum with hematite as a minor component, implying the possibility of an intentional application of a mixture of ochre and lime as tint plaster. Orange patinas on the balustrade show the presence of Ca-oxalates, abundant weddellite and minor whewellite, with minor hematite suggesting the yellowish/orange color to be due to Ca-oxalate patinas imbedding soil dust airborne particles. Such patina was possibly formed naturally either by the chemical attack due to atmospheric air pollutants from traffic exhausts emissions or by bacterial activity. No delamination was observed, abrasion is the major decay phenomenon on the balustrade sample. A comparison was made between this patina and the so called “scialbatura”, a surface yellowish coating often found by conservators on limestone and marble in ancient monuments in the Mediterranean region.

Aquisphaera Insulae Sp. Nov., a New Member in Isosphaeraceae Isolated From the Floating Island of Loktak Lake and Emended Description of the Genus Aquisphaera

Strain JC669T was isolated from a floating island of Loktak lake, Manipur, India and shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity with Aquisphaera giovannonii OJF2T. The strain is an aerobe, Gram-stain-negative, yellowish orange coloured, non-motile, NaCl intolerant, spherical to oval shaped, grows in single or aggregates and produce structures which appear like fruiting bodies. Strain JC669T grows well up to pH 9.0, has MK6 as respiratory quinone, C18:1ω9c, C16:0 and C18:0 as major fatty acids and phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified amino lipid, an unidentified choline lipid (UCL) and six unidentified lipids (UL1,2,3,4,5,6) as polar lipids. The genome size of strain JC669T is 10.04 Mbp and genomic G+C content of 68.5 mol%. Based on phylogenetic, polyphasic including genomic analyses support strain JC669T as a novel species of the genus Aquisphaera, for which we propose the name Aquisphaera insulae sp. nov. Type strain is JC669T ( =KCTC 72672T = NBRC 114306T).

Lattice Doping of Lanthanide Ions in Cs2AgInCl6 Nanocrystals Enabling Tunable Photoluminescence

Lead-free halide double perovskite Cs2AgInCl6 has become the research hotspot in the optoelectronic fields. It is a challenge to utilize the lattice doping by different lanthanide ions with rich and unique photoluminescence (PL) emissions for emerging photonic applications. Here, we successfully incorporated Dy3+, Sm3+, and Tb3+ ions into Cs2AgInCl6 nanocrystals (NCs) by the hot-injection method, bringing diverse PL emissions of yellowish, orange, and green light in Cs2AgInCl6:Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Dy3+, Sm3+, Tb3+). Moreover, benefiting from the energy transfer process, Sm3+ and Tb3+ ion-codoped Cs2AgInCl6 NCs achieved tunable emission from green to yellow orange and a fluorescent pattern from the as-prepared NC-hexane inks by spray coating was made to show its potential application in fluorescent signs and anticounterfeiting technology. This work indicates that lanthanide ions could endow Cs2AgInCl6 NCs the unique and tunable PL properties and stimulate the development of lead-free halide perovskite materials for new optoelectronic applications.