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Five new species in Piloderma (Atheliales, Basidiomycota) and epitypification of P. byssinum /
No full textPiloderma constitutes a small genus of soft, corticioid, ectomycorrhizal, widely distributed and mostly very common species. Microscopically, its members have traditionally been recognised by their simple-septate hyphae and by their small, thick-walled, colourless to pale yellow spores. We describe five new species from northern Europe based on molecular and morphological data: P. frondosum sp. nov., P. fugax sp. nov., P. lamprolithum sp. nov., P. luminosum sp. nov. and P. mirabile sp. nov. All the new species, except P. luminosum seem to be more or less rare. Piloderma fugax has a strong preference for old-growth forest – a lifestyle seemingly deviating from the rest of the genus. Piloderma mirabile is a sister species to P. sphaerosporum and the first known species with clamped hyphae. Piloderma lamprolithum is closely related to P. exiguum and distinguished by its large encrusting crystals. Piloderma luminosum is very closely related to, and morphologically semicryptic with, P. byssinum. To clarify its distinction from P. byssinum, an epitype is designated for the latter. Piloderma frondosum also belongs to the P. byssinum cluster and is distinguished by its association to broadleaved trees. An updated key to all Piloderma species is provided
The study on Culicoides: The environment they live in and trypanosomatids they coexist /
No full textInformation on Culicoides transmitted parasites, especially trypanosomatids, infecting animals and insects, is scarce. Our goal was to clarify the seasonal patterns of both Culicoides and trypanosomatids detected in these insects and the relationships between Culicoides abundance and meteorological parameters. UV light traps were used to collect biting midges in four study sites in 2022–2023; collected Culicoides females were dissected and analyzed using microscopy and PCR-based methods. Out of 1631 parous Culicoides females belonging to 14 different species, 6.5% were found to be infected with trypanosomatids (5.0% with at least three Trypanosoma species and 1.5% with monoxenous parasites). The highest Culicoides abundance was detected in June. The prevalence of trypanosomatids in biting midges increased during the summer (5.3% in June, 8.8% in July, and 11.2% in August). Temperature was recorded to be a presiding environmental gradient structuring Culicoides species composition, while wind speed and precipitation explained little of the variation. Our results indicate that both avian and mammalian trypanosomes can be found in these insects, although further research is needed to better understand the development of these parasites in biting midges and Culicoides vectorial capacity
Cyano-phycocyanin loaded enriched transfersomes for enhanced topical skin delivery and antioxidant protection /
No full textThis study aimed to develop and evaluate cyano-phycocyanin (C-PC)-loaded enriched transfersomes for topical application, improved skin delivery, and antioxidant protection. The main objective was to overcome the limitations associated with C-PC's instability and poor skin permeability due to its high molecular weight and hydrophilicity. Six formulations were prepared using an organic solvent-free two-step method: glycerol-enriched transfersomes (Gly-transfersomes), glycerol and cholesterol-enriched transfersomes (Gly-chol-transfersomes), hyaluronate-enriched transfersomes (Hyal-transfersomes), hyaluronate and cholesterol-enriched transfersomes (Hyal-chol-transfersomes), glycerol and hyaluronate-enriched transfersomes (Hyal-gly-transfersomes), and a combination of all three (Hyal-gly-chol-transfersomes). Empty vesicles were prepared via direct sonication, then C-PC was gently loaded using mild sonication in a temperature-controlled ultrasonic bath. All formulations demonstrated properties suitable for skin delivery, with mean diameters <115 nm, polydispersity indexes <0.2, and zeta potential below −30 mV. Cryo- transmission electron microscopy confirmed spherical, unilamellar or oligolamellar morphology. Gly- and Gly-chol-transfersomes exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (∼52 %) and remained stable for up to 8 months at 4 °C. Antioxidant activity of C-PC (∼23–27 μmol TE/g of dry C-PC) was confirmed via DPPH assay. Biological tests on HaCaT cells exposed to H2O2-induced oxidative stress showed ∼80 % cell viability after treatment with C-PC formulations, compared to ∼60 % in untreated cells, indicating cytoprotective activity. Ex vivo skin penetration studies revealed significantly higher C-PC accumulation in the epidermis especially for Gly- and Gly-chol-transfersomes versus aqueous C-PC. These findings confirm the potential of enriched transfersomes as effective carriers to improve the skin delivery and bioactivity of C-PC in antioxidant skin care formulations
Impact of climate change on the development of the islands of the Neris River (eastern part of the Baltic Sea basin) /
No full textThe frequency of high floods is one of the most important factors shaping the riverbed and influencing other aspects, such as sediment transport and deposition, vegetation establishment and growth. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of climate change on the flood regime of the Neris River (eastern part of the Baltic Sea basin) and the related changes in river islands, morphometric indicators of the riverbed, and vegetation colonization. To identify changes in the hydrological regime of the river, water level measurement data from the Buivydžiai and Jonava hydrological stations were used. To assess vegetation coverage and the presence of islands in the Neris River, orthophotos at a scale of 1:10 000 from the years 2005–2006, 2012–2013, and 2018–2020 were analyzed. Using the ArcGIS ArcMap software package, river island area and island forest coverage were calculated. The results of the study show that during the observation period (2005–2020), in the lower course of the river, the area of the islands increased, and island forest coverage grew from 7% to 18%. Between 2005 and 2020, the water level in the lower course rose above 300 cm (above the station’s zero line) only twice. The absence of high floods creates favorable conditions for plants to colonize alluvial environments. Consequently, this may lead to extreme flood events in the future, caused by a restructured river channel following a prolonged period of low flood activity
Dicranota Zetterstedt, 1838 crane flies (Diptera, Pediciidae) of Korea /
No full textPediciinae crane flies belonging to the genus Dicranota Zetterstedt, 1838 of the Korean Peninsula were studied beginning in 1933, but only seven species have been recorded from North Korea so far; the genus was unknown from South Korea. Seventeen species were found during our studies on the Peninsula, three of them described as new: D. (Eudicranota) distincta Podenas, sp. nov., D. (Rhaphidolabis) seoi Podenas, sp. nov., D. (Rhaphidolabis) yeongokia Podenas, sp. nov. Ten new species are added to the Korean species list, five of them new for North Korea with total number reaching twelve, and eleven species new for South Korea. Habitat, elevation range, and seasonality data is presented for each species. Images of taxonomically important morphological characters, distribution maps, and an identification key for all Korean species of the genus Dicranota are presented
Molekulinių metodų optimizavimas ir pritaikymas Sarcocystis spp. Aptikimui gamtiniuose mėginiuose.
No full textCurrently, over 200 species of parasites within the genus Sarcocystis have been identified, which are capable of infecting mammals, birds, and reptiles. Although infections are frequently asymptomatic, extensive infections in intermediate hosts can result in fever, nausea, diarrhea, miscarriage, or even death. Certain species pose a threat to human health, with infections occurring through the consumption of improperly cooked beef or pork. While human infections are often asymptomatic, mild health issues may also arise. To date, research on Sarcocystis parasites has predominantly involved the analysis of animal carcasses, with environmental samples being studied only sporadically. Consequently, the objective of the doctoral studies was to develop reliable extraction and molecular detection techniques for identifying Sarcocystis species in environmental samples, with a focus on species that utilize farm animals as intermediate hosts. During the work, a newly developed and optimized method was used to isolate Sarcocystis parasites from environmental samples, specifically targeting sporocysts in water, forage, and soil samples. Analysis of various water bodies revealed that the properties of the water body do not influence the detection and prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in environmental water samples. A comprehensive regional study of the distribution of Sarcocystis species was conducted by collecting bottom sediments of water bodies in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. For the first time, the diversity of Sarcocystis species infecting domestic animals was determined in environmental water, forage and soil samples. During the study, two zoonotic species, S. hominis and S. suihominis, were detected in environmental samples of Lithuanian for the first time
A curated dataset on the distribution of West Palaearctic freshwater bivalves /
No full textFreshwater bivalves (FWB) are attracting scientific and societal attention given their essential ecosystem services, ecological functions, and poor conservation status. Current knowledge of the spatial distribution of West Palearctic FWB is poor preventing the understanding of biogeography and conservation planning. One of the priorities of the pan-European networking project “CONFREMU - Conservation of freshwater mussels: a pan-European approach” funded by the European Union, was to fill the knowledge gap on the distribution of FWB in Europe and adjacent regions. Based on the efforts of this network of scientists, we provide the most complete, taxonomically, and geographically accurate distribution of FWB species for the entire West Palearctic. The dataset contains 270,287 geo-referenced records of 93 native and 8 non-native FWB from 1674 to 2023. The dataset compiles information from private records from 82 specialists and multiple sources (e.g., published articles, grey literature, biodiversity databases, and scientific collections). This dataset, available online, represents an important data source for future studies on the biodiversity, biogeography, and conservation of these important organisms
Description of a new subgenus for Himalaea batanga and its new sister species from Xizang Autonomous Region, China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Amphipyrinae, Psaphidini) /
No full textA new subgenus, Macrohimalaea subgen. nov., in the genus Himalaea Hreblay & L. Ronkay, 1998, is established and described for Himalaea (Macrohimalaea) batanga Saldaitis, Benedek & Volynkin, 2022 and for a new species, Himalaea (Macrohimalaea) silvana sp. nov. This new species is the type of the new subgenus. The new subgenus is distinct from the nominotypical one in having antennal pectination and its forewing shape and male genitalia. All four known adult specimens of the genus and their genitalia are illustrated and compared. Their collection localities are mapped
Phylogenetic assessment of Plasmodium (Saurocytozoon) tupinambi comb. nov. (Haemosporida, Plasmodiidae) in golden tegu lizards: Shedding light on a long-standing Haemosporida taxonomic puzzle /
No full textHaemosporidians constitute a monophyletic group of vector-borne parasites that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including Neotropical lizards. The remarkable diversity of these host parasite associations and inadequate research on certain parasite groups have resulted in controversial haemosporidian taxonomy. Herein, we rediscover erythrocytic and non erythrocytic haemosporidians infecting golden tegus (Tupinambis teguixin) from Brazil and Colombia. The erythrocyte-inhabiting parasite belongs to Plasmodium sp., and the non erythrocytic form was identified as Saurocytozoon tupinambi, previously attributed to the Family Leucocytozoidae. These non-pigmented haemosporidian parasites do not multiply in the blood. The relationships between the Saurocytozoon and Leucocytozoidae species were discussed for many years, especially during the 1970s. However, cytochrome b (cytb) sequences and the mitochondrial genomes recovered for this species strongly support classifying this parasite as a Plasmodium taxon. Therefore, we proposed a new combination for leucocytozoid-like gametocytes. this parasite, Plasmodium (Saurocytozoon) tupinambi comb. nov., where Saurocytozoon is retained as a subgenus due to its distinct morphology. These results reinforce that a broader definition of Plasmodiidae must include saurian parasites that develop non-pigmented leucocytozoid-like gametocytes