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Phylogeny and taxonomy of Nigroporus (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) with four new species from Asia and Oceania
No full textNigroporus vinosus (Berk.) Murrill, first described from North America, was considered to be a common species in China. The existence of a species complex is confirmed through a phylogenetic analysis of samples examined. Based on morphological examination and molecular evidence, four new species are described as Nigroporus australianus, N. austroasianus, N. subvinosus and N. yunnanensis. They are characterized by pileate, effused-reflexed to resupinate, purplish, vinaceous to brown basidiomata when fresh, mostly becoming brown when dry. Nigroporus australianus is characterized by narrower basidiospores measuring 3.4–4.1 × 1.3–1.5 µm, thicker contextual hyphae measuring 3.2–6.4 µm in diam and a geographical distribution in Australia. Nigroporus austroasianus is characterized by smaller pores measuring 10–13 per mm, generative hyphae dominant in the tube trama, small basidiospores measuring 3–4.1 × 1.5–2 μm and a distribution in Malaysia and tropical to subtropical regions of China. Nigroporus subvinosus is characterized by skeletal hyphae with thin to slightly thick walls, barrel- to pear-shaped basidia, and long cystidioles measuring 10–18 µm and is common in Asia. Nigroporus yunnanensis is characterized by thinner pilei measuring 2.5 mm thick at the base, bigger basidiospores measuring 4–4.5 × 1.9–2.2 μm and is found only in Yunnan. The 2-gene (ITS+nLSU) analysis of the Steccherinaceae indicated that the four new species nested in the Nigroporus clade. The 3-gene (ITS+nLSU+TEF1) analysis of the genus Nigroporus showed that N. australianus formed a monophyletic lineage, N. subvinosus was sister to N. austroasianus and N. yunnanensis, and N. austroasianus was sister to N. yunnanensis. Furthermore, N. vinosus sensu stricto is also distributed in Asia
Evaluation of biomarkers for clinical activity of systemic lupus erhythematodes
No full textThe scope of the present clinical study is to conduct research on biomarkers of clinical activity of SLE (Human IFN-gamma, Human IFN-alpha, Human sICAM-1, Human sVCAM-1, Human sIL-2R, and TNF-R) and to determine the connection between laboratory biomarkers and clinical and immunological activity of the disease. In the present study, we included 48 patients with SLE (43 women and 5 men) age 53 years, with an average value of 4.32 points (min 0 max 12 points) of activity of SLE by SLEDAI-2K, and 34 healthy controls (31 women and 3 men). Basic clinical symptoms include arthritis and skin damage. The analysis of biomarkers in serum is statistically significantly higher than healthy controls for human IFN-alpha and human sVCAM-1. The analysis of biomarkers in the serum of human IFN-gamma, human sICAM-1, TNF-R, and human IL-12p40/p70 is not statistically significantly higher than healthy controls. The correlation analysis between disease activity assessed with SLEDAI-2K and biomarkers did not confirm a statistically significant relationship. Conclusion. Human IFN-alpha and human sVCAM-1 are sensitivity markers and play an important role in the activity of the disease in the Bulgarian population with SLE
Protist ecology in Patagonian peatlands: pH, organic phosphorus, and sulfate as key drivers of testate amoeba diversity in undisturbed ecosystems
No full textPeatlands in southern Chile, particularly in the remote Aysén region, provide unique ecosystems that remain understudied despite their ecological significance. Testate amoebae, a group of shelled protists, are important components of these ecosystems due to their roles in nutrient cycling and their sensitivity to environmental changes, which make them valuable bioindicators. However, research on the ecological drivers shaping their diversity and community composition in Chilean peatlands remains scarce. This study investigates the spatial distribution and diversity of testate amoebae across five peatlands in the Aysén region. By analyzing environmental variables such as pH, dissolved organic carbon, and sulfate, we identify key factors influencing community structure. Our findings highlight significant spatial turnover in testate amoeba communities, suggesting that local environmental gradients strongly shape their distribution. Notably, the Sphagnum-dominated peatlands exhibit higher diversity compared to mixed vegetation peatlands. The redundancy analysis reveals that organic phosphorus, pH, and sulfate are the most influential variables affecting testate amoeba communities. This study fills a critical gap in the understanding of microbial biodiversity in Chilean peatlands and underscores the importance of conserving these near-pristine ecosystems as reservoirs of microbial diversity and natural archives of environmental change
The InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: contribution to the knowledge of DNA barcodes of the vascular plants of north-eastern Portugal
No full textMetabarcoding is invaluable for understanding trophic interactions, enabling high-resolution and rapid dietary assessments. However, it requires a robust DNA barcode reference library for accurate taxa identification. This dataset has been generated in the framework of the InBIO Barcoding Initiative (IBI) and Agrivole project. The integration of these two projects was crucial, as Agrivole aimed to investigate the trophic niche of small mammals in Trás-os-Montes Region through DNA metabarcoding, which required a reliable plant DNA barcode library for this same region. Given the large number of species not yet represented in international databases, a survey of local plants was essential to fill this gap. Thus, this study created an accurate DNA reference database for the plants of the Trás-os-Montes Region of Portugal.The current DNA reference database contains 632 vascular plant samples, all morphologically identified and belonging to 435 species. This represents 14% and 38.7% of the total known plant species for Portugal and the study area, respectively.Of the 1781 barcode sequences provided in this dataset, 1099 contain new information (61.7%) at different levels: 254 (13.6%, ITS2: 41, trnL-ef: 126, trnL-gh: 87) are completely new to GenBank and/or BOLD databases at the time of publication, 438 (24.6%, ITS2: 59, trnL-ef: 173, trnL-gh: 206) are new records for a given species and 407 (22.9%, ITS2: 187, trnL-ef: 206, trnL-gh: 14) provide additional information (e.g. different bp length, intraspecific genetic variability); the remaining 682 sequences (38.3%) are equal (100% identity) to sequences already publicly available for the identified species. Overall, this dataset represents a significant contribution to the genetic knowledge of vascular plants represented in public libraries. This is one of the public releases of the IBI database, which provides genetic and distributional data for several taxa.All vouchers are deposited in the Herbarium of the Museum of Natural History and Science of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP) and their DNA barcodes are publicly available in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), NCBI GenBank online databases and International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC)
Technology Readiness Level of biodiversity monitoring with molecular methods – where are we on the road to routine implementation?
No full textHuman activities are causing rapid biodiversity loss across ecosystems, affecting human well-being and crucial ecosystem services. Traditional biodiversity monitoring tools cannot keep up with the increasing demands of monitoring due to their limited spatial or temporal coverage, high costs, and lack of taxonomic expertise. Thus, implementation of novel molecular monitoring methods such as environmental DNA (eDNA) and DNA metabarcoding, are necessary. Molecular monitoring methods offer significant benefits for biodiversity monitoring and environmental assessment: high sensitivity and accuracy, non-invasive sampling, broad taxonomic range and cost and time efficiency. However, the diverse methodological approaches lead to poor comparability between studies and surveys, highlighting the need for standardised assessments. We used the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework to evaluate the maturity of molecular monitoring methods, providing a structured assessment of their readiness for routine use. In a systematic literature review, 420 articles fulfilling the study criteria were assessed and both individual studies and method categories ranked according to the TRL scale. The findings revealed a growing number of studies, particularly in aquatic environments, with most studies validating molecular technologies on a small scale but lacking large-scale system demonstrations. Aquatic eDNA-based methods targeting fish showed overall higher technology readiness compared to other sample types and taxa and applications of molecular monitoring methods ranked into the highest TRL were predominantly freshwater studies. Key barriers to the broader implementation of molecular methods to monitoring include the need for international standards, better quantitative estimates and comprehensive reference libraries. National and international cooperation is crucial for establishing common standards, ensuring reliable and comparable results and expediting the routine use of molecular methods in biodiversity monitoring. Recent efforts towards international standardisation are encouraging, but further coordinated actions are necessary for the global implementation and acceptance of these methods
First record of Poospiza ornata (Landbeck, 1865) (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) from Paraguay
No full textPoospiza ornata (Landbeck, 1865) is a Neotropical passerine bird distributed in xerophytic areas of Argentina. It shows migratory or nomadic behavior in winter and occasionally reaches Uruguay. Here we report the presence of P. ornata in Reserva Natural Cañada El Carmen, a Paraguayan protected area in the Dry Chaco. The new data extends the geographic distribution of this species by 347 km northwest from the nearest previously known locality in Formosa Province, Argentina
Comparison of complete mitochondrial genome sequences in the Aporrectodea caliginosa species group (Annelida, Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae)
No full textWe present for the first time the complete mitochondrial genomes (mt genomes) of the earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa and Ap. trapezoides (Clitellata, Megadrili) collected in Hungary and Korea, respectively. The complete mt genome of Ap. trapezoides comprised 15,014 base pairs. Lengths of the three complete Ap. caliginosa mt genomes varied between 15,090 and 15,123 bp. All four mt genomes contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding control region. These mt genome arrangements are identical to those observed in the mt genomes of most earthworms, and all the 37 genes are transcribed from the same directional strand. All 13 PCGs had the same ATG start codon. Most of the PCGs end with TAA or TAG, whereas the remaining end with an incomplete stop codon, T. Stop codons were consistent in the PCGs throughout the mt genomes, except Ap. caliginosa 5, which contains a TAG stop codon in ND5 instead of the TAA found in the other samples. Both species’ genomes showed biased base composition, with 63.5% AT and 36.4% GC content in Ap. trapezoides and 62.8% and 37.2% in Ap. caliginosa. Phylogenetic analysis of the mt genomes corroborated the monophyly of the family Lumbricidae and the close relationship between Ap. trapezoides and Ap. caliginosa species pairs. The available Ap. tuberculata sequences were embedded between the Ap. caliginosa samples, thereby supporting the synonymy of the two names
Beyond urban boundaries: the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) now reaching Iberian coastal habitats
No full textThe little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), notable for its minute size and painful sting, has emerged as a significant threat in Mediterranean Europe. This widespread exotic species is well-known because of its invasive nature, impacting biodiversity, public health, and economic activities. Noted for the first time in Málaga (S Spain) in 2018, it has since expanded to other locations in the same province. Here we report the presence of W. auropunctata in La Marina (Alacant province, SE Spain), representing the fifth recorded population on the Iberian Peninsula and the first occurrence outside Málaga province. The species was found infesting a coastal area of approximately 5.1 hectares, with workers being observed in foraging trails across multiple surfaces and living in dense concentrations both indoors and outdoors. Exclusion of native ant species within the occupied area and direct engagement in combat with other species was observed. The population was discovered in September 2024; however, based on infestation density, spatial extent, and comparison with data of other Mediterranean exotic populations, the species likely established in the region prior to 2019. For the first time in Iberia, W. auropunctata was also detected in the coastal dunes adjacent to the infested urbanised area, highlighting its potential adaptability to dry Mediterranean habitats. The resilience of W. auropunctata, combined with its aggressive invasive traits and propensity to sting, underscores the urgent need for integrated management strategies to limit further expansion of the species in Iberia
A Transparent and Ecologically Sustainable DLT-based Approach for Tendering Processes
No full textTendering processes aim to provide transparency in the trade of services or goods but often fall short, leading to corruption and loss of trust. The emergence of Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs), such as blockchain, has prompted research into their application for enhancing transparency in tendering. However, adopting DLT usually incurs extra costs, network fees, and high carbon footprints. This paper conducts a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) process to select the most suitable DLT for tendering processes. As a result, a novel tendering process based on IOTA is proposed, which improves transparency, ensures ecological sustainability, and avoids extra costs. The IOTA-based approach also fosters collaboration between human and computer capabilities in selecting the tender winner. Our method is compared with existing approaches, demonstrating the highest transparency
Chelonopsis guchengensis, a new species of Lamiaceae from Hubei Province in Central China
No full textChelonopsis is a small genus endemic to East Asia. In this study, a new species, C. guchengensis, from Nanhe National Nature Reserve, Gucheng County, Hubei Province is described and illustrated. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on two nuclear ribosomal DNA regions (ETS and ITS) and five plastid DNA markers (trnL intron, trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, psbA-trnH, and rps16) were carried out to explore the phylogenetic position of the new species. A close relationship between the new species and C. giraldii is supported by molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence. However, the two species can be easily distinguished from each other by mostly leaf and inflorescence morphology