A saxicolous species of Chiodecton and two corticolous species of Enterographa are described as new to science. Chiodecton submontanum is characterized by a saxicolous habitat, irregularly verrucose thallus, inspersed hymenium, ascospores usually exceeding 50 μm in length with 6–10 septa and the presence of roccellic acid. Enterographa sparrii has immersed, perithecioid ascomata in indistinct to slightly raised pseudostromata, 40–55 μm long ascospores with 6–9 septa and contains roccellic acid. Enterographa subcaudata has immersed, more or less round ascomata with a black disc, 35–58 μm long ascospores with 6–12(–15) septa and schizopeltic acid in its chemistry. Additionally, an identification key to the members of Roccellaceae reported so far from India is provided.

Recently, mathematical and computational approaches have been incorporated into ICSI interventions as guiding tools. However, those tools carry no prognostic potential. Improving this capability may enhance ICSI attempts and assist clinicians working in infertility clinics. This study, thus aimed to investigate whether parental parameters could have predictive potential for the quality of resulting embryos with the ICSI approach using mathematical modelling techniques. Patient data including follicle number, MI and MII oocyte numbers, sperm number, sperm morphology and motility for 765 distinct couples attending British Cyprus IVF hospital was collected. Furthermore, morphological quality data as well as aneuploidy status for the 4123 resultant embryos were obtained. Regression analyses were conducted to observe the possible correlations between parental parameters and embryo quality and ploidy. Correlation analyses showed that follicle and oocyte numbers, as well as sperm parameters can be indicative of morphological quality of resulting embryos via ICSI (p values < 0.05). On the other hand, aneuploidy prediction remains too complicated to be predicted solely by these parameters (p values > 0.05). This study indicates a predictive potential of infertility measurements for male and female partners on ICSI success and is expected to act as a basis for the development of prognostic softwares to be used in IVF clinics.

Max Nicholls had an almost unique experience as a medical practitioner, researcher and teacher of medical genetics. An earlier paper described his contribution to the etiology of neurofibromatosis. This was followed by Nicholls’ own experience as lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia. This note draws attention to his research in immunology. For example, he was instrumental in the study of the buffy coat leuko-agglutination (BCLA) test, a sensitive assay for cell-mediated immunity that he introduced to detect conditions (including cancer) in preclinical stages.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) is a leguminous shrub native to western Europe, voluntarily introduced into Uruguay for ornamental purposes. It is considered among the 100 most problematic invasive species in the world. In Uruguay, it seriously affects both livestock and forestry systems. We evaluated different weed management techniques on a cattle farm invaded by U. europaeus, in the region of Lavalleja. In spring 2020, three treatments were applied—cutting only (C); cutting and grazing (CG); and cutting, applying herbicide, and grazing (CHG)—to 18 plots ranging from 25 m2 to 50 m2. Following treatment, U. europaeus regrowth and the height and the perimeter of five plants per plot, as well as seedling recruitment, were assessed over 16 mo. The livestock were cattle (Bos sp.) and sheep (Ovis sp.). The CHG treatment was the most effective in inhibiting the regrowth of U. europaeus, while grazed plants grew less in height compared with those excluded from grazing (CG = 62.3 cm ± 1.9, C = 84.8 cm ± 2.0, P < 0.05). However, by the end of the study, seedling recruitment was lower in the C treatment (C = 0.3 ± 0.3, CG = 3.1 ± 1.8, CHG = 8.6 ± 4.6 seedlings m−2, P < 0.05), where increased height of herbaceous vegetation may have reduced the success of the emergence and establishment of regenerants. These results encourage further long-term study of this invasive species’ response, as well as an evaluation of the potential impacts of these control measures on non-target species.

The objective was to identify the predictive markers and develop a diagnostic model with predictive markers for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and investigate the roles of immune cells in the disease pathology. Microarray datasets of PD and control samples were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We then performed a comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), functional enrichment, and protein-protein interactions to pinpoint a set of promising candidate genes. To establish a diagnosis model for PD, we utilized machine learning algorithms and evaluated the corresponding diagnostic performance using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Additionally, the differential abundance of immune cell subsets between PD and control samples was evaluated using the single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) method. A total of 264 DEGs were identified in GSE72267. The PPI network ultimately identified 30 hub genes for model construction. Seven genes, namely CD79B, CD40, CCR9, ADRA2A, SIGLEC1, FLT3LG, and THBD, were identified as diagnostic markers for PD, with an AUC of 0.870. This seven-gene signature model was subsequently validated in an independent cohort (GSE22491), demonstrating an AUC of 0.825. Ultimately, the infiltration of 28 immune cells showed that activated B cells, natural killer T cells, and regulatory T cells may contribute to the occurrence and progression of PD. We also found complex associations between these genes and immune cells. CD79B, CD40, CCR9, ADRA2A, SIGLEC1, FLT3LG, and THBD were identified as diagnostic markers for PD, and the infiltration of immune cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.

The study of animal welfare is essential for undergraduates seeking to pursue careers with animals, yet pedagogical research on this topic is limited. While animal welfare is an accepted (albeit relatively new) scientific discipline, student views on animal welfare as a science require further exploration. This article reports the findings from a mixed-methods action research project undertaken at Harper Adams University (HAU) in the UK. Undergraduate student questionnaire responses (n = 123) revealed key attitudinal constructs related to animal welfare, and relationships to demographic factors. Students overwhelmingly defined animal welfare in terms of health; however, rural (compared to urban) students more often perceived ‘naturalness’ as important in the maintenance of good welfare. Notions of what constitutes good animal welfare appeared to be mediated by prospective career paths. For instance, veterinary nursing students were more likely to define animal welfare based upon resource-based measures and appropriate treatment of animals, which may link to their future role in educating clients on these topics. Finally, student attitudes toward animal welfare science revealed deeper epistemological views on the meaning of ‘science’. That is, natural sciences were seen as trustworthy; students invoked the Scientific Method and disciplines such as neurobiology to bring credence to animal welfare science. Conversely, aspects of animal welfare addressed by the social sciences were dismissed as unscientific. Based on these results, recommendations for action are proposed, which include further research into the attitudes of educators, strategies for engaging with dissatisfied student groups, and elevating the social sciences within animal welfare curricula.

Medusozoa comprise a diverse group of marine invertebrates that includes cubozoans, hydrozoans, staurozoans, and scyphozoans, which play a fundamental role in marine ecosystems. In Cuba, with exceptions, most of the studies of the phylum Cnidaria have focused on the scleractinian corals. However, their close relatives, the jellyfish have been poorly addressed, limiting themselves to isolated records of some species. In this study, we aimed to update the list of medusozoan species registered in Cuba and compare it with the registries in the Greater Caribbean region. Peer-reviewed publications, museum collections, field-trips, global repositories, and social networks were accomplished to compile a species list. Twenty-one new species are recorded, and the distribution of 11 species previously reported is expanded. Cuba, with 361 species is the country with the highest species richness in the Caribbean region: 342 species of Hydrozoa are distributed in 69 families, 16 species of Scyphozoa are distributed in 10 families, and three species of Cubozoa each belong to one family. Analysing the studies of Medusozoa reveals significant heterogeneity in jellyfish species composition across the Caribbean region, where Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the USA are the countries with the highest species richness. A high similarity was observed between the assemblages from Cuba and the USA. The number of jellyfish species reported for Cuba constitutes a baseline for ecological studies of their integrated role in marine ecosystems. Studies in the Caribbean region are heterogeneous, with an imbalance in the sampling effort in time and space and probably underestimate the number of species known.

Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to adverse health outcomes such as depression in old age. However, limited data exist on the association of loneliness and social isolation with probable depression (PD) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), while psychosocial mediators are largely unknown. This study investigates the individual and joint associations of social isolation and loneliness with PD among older adults in Ghana. It quantifies the extent to which psychosocial factors mediate the associations. Cross-sectional data from the Aging, Health, Well-being, and Health-seeking Behaviour Study were analyzed. PD was defined as moderate to severe depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D-9) scale. Loneliness and social isolation were assessed with the University of California, Los Angeles 3-item loneliness scale and the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index, respectively. Multivariable logistic models and PROCESS macro bootstrapping mediation analyses were performed. Among the 1,201 adults aged ≥50 years (Mage = 66.1 ± 11.9 years, 63.3% women), 29.5% PD cases were found. The prevalence of social isolation and loneliness was 27.3% and 17.7%, respectively. Loneliness (OR = 3.15, 95% CI = 3.26–5.28) and social isolation (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.10–1.41) were independently associated with higher odds of PD. The loneliness and PD association was modified by spatial location (Pinteraction = 0.021); thus, the association was more pronounced in rural areas (OR = 7.06) than in urban areas (OR = 3.43). Psychosocial factors (e.g. sleep problems) mediated the loneliness/social isolation and PD association. Loneliness and social isolation were independently associated with a higher likelihood of PD, and psychosocial factors mediated the associations. Interventions to reduce PD in later life should also consider addressing loneliness and social isolation, as well as sleep problems.

Soil acidity and the decline in organic matter content of the soil are among the major yield-limiting factors in the northwest highlands of Ethiopia. Therefore, a 4 × 4 factorial field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design in two dry seasons, under irrigation at the Koga Irrigation Scheme, in northwestern Ethiopia to examine the effect of carbonized rice husk application timing (CRHT) and soil amendments (SAs) on water use efficiency, lodging, and yield of tef. Treatments were four SAs: without SA (control), compost (10 t ha−1), lime (2.5 ton ha−1), and 10 t ha−1 compost + 2.5 t ha−1 lime (CL); four CRHT: control (no application), whole rate during sowing (CRHT2), equal splitting during sowing and tillering (CRHT3), and whole rate during tillering (CRHT4), with a total of 16 treatment combinations, replicated four times. The pooled mean ANOVA results showed that the SA significantly influenced lodging index (p < 0.01), leaf area index (p < 0.001), and aboveground biomass yield (p < 0.01), but not water use efficiency, plant height, panicle length, and number of plants per square meter (p > 0.05). The CRHT only significantly (p < 0.05) influenced chlorophyll content. The effect of lime on grain, aboveground biomass, and straw yield parameters was statistically similar to the application of compost. Compost and CL showed significantly increased sensitivity of tef to lodging, which ranged from 46.2% to 65.9%, compared with lime and control treatments. In conclusion, the application of CL significantly improved tef grain, aboveground biomass, and straw yields by 12.1%, 14.5%, and 15.2%, compared with lime, 12.3%, 9.3%, and 8.4%, respectively, from the control treatment.

Herbicide resistance poses an escalating challenge to successful weed management in contemporary cropping systems, prompting growing interest in integrated strategies to reduce reliance on herbicides. Although cover cropping has long been recognized for its potential to suppress weeds, it has recently gained renewed attention as a weed management tool and for its ability to help producers achieve broader goals of soil health and environmental sustainability. Although research on its efficacy in the midsouthern United States has accumulated, a meta-analytic synthesis has been lacking. This meta-analysis synthesized 746 effect sizes from 27 peer-reviewed studies (selected based on explicit reporting of weed suppression metrics, conducted in the midsouthern United States between 1991 and 2023) to assess cover crop weed suppression in the midsouthern region, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, eastern Oklahoma, Tennessee, and eastern Texas. Six key moderators and their two-way interactions were evaluated: tillage status of no-cover-crop controls, cover crop termination timing, weed control evaluation timing, cover crop type, weed functional group, and crop type, using a multivariate framework capturing study-level variation. The overall effect size was 36 (confidence interval [CI], 25–47], with most moderator levels showing positive effect sizes. Suppression was pronounced against no-till controls (mean difference [MD] = 43; CI, 30–55), while tilled controls exhibited moderated effects (MD = 27; CI, 14–39) due to the inherent weed suppression provided by tillage. Effects were greater for early evaluation timing (MD = 47; CI, 33–61) than late timing (MD = 34; CI, 20–48). Grass-legume mixtures provided the greatest suppression (MD = 70; CI, 56–84), while brassicas were ineffective (MD = 13; CI, 0–27). However, substantial two-way interactions among these moderators were prevalent, accompanied by high heterogeneity, indicating complex context specificity. Nonetheless, these findings highlight the weed suppression potential of cover crops and provide agroecologically informed quantitative insights into using cover crops for weed management in the region.

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) have increased risk of hepatoblastoma (HB). We report monozygotic twins with HB in a FAP family. To explore genetic alterations in the HBs of the twins, we carried out whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA-seq, and immunohistochemical analyses of the tumors. Additional multiregional digital PCR was performed to profile clonality of each tumor. To determine a pathogenic germline variant in APC, Sanger sequencing was applied for the twins, the father, and the siblings of the father. A pathogenic variant of the APC gene was identified in the father as well as the twins. The WES of the HBs in the twins identified somatic mutations, including an NRAS mutation in the tumor of the first infant (C1), and an ACVR2A mutation in the tumor of the second infant (C2). No somatic mutations were identified in the genes associated with the Wnt signaling pathway. However, accumulation of β-catenin was found in the C1 and C2 tumors by immunohistochemical staining, suggesting activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Digital PCR analysis revealed that the NRAS mutation was found in multiregional specimens of C1 and those of C2. The ACVR2A mutation was found in multiregional specimens of C2, whereas the mutation was also identified in those of C1. The existence of a shared somatic mutation may suggest that microchimerism took place in the development of HBs through the utero-placental circulatory system. Importantly, the initiation of tumorigenesis is thought to occur during the fetal period after organ development of the liver.

Horseweed [Erigeron canadensis L.; syn.: Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist (2n = 18), family: Asteraceae] is known as one of the 10 most troublesome and most commonly occurring weeds in 12 categories of broadleaf crops, fruits, and vegetables and is present in 2,540 counties across the United States. Wide phenotypic plasticity coupled with highly adaptive traits and reported allelopathy might have resulted in its rapid spread and extensive presence across the United States, presumably by altering the composition of local plant community. This study for the first time revealed the allelopathic effect of E. canadensis leaf aqueous extract (10%) on seed germination and seedling growth of seven common weeds, namely, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson), smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.), prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.), and pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.), which are native to North America, and non-native lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), curly dock (Rumex crispus L.), and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.]. Erigeron canadensis aqueous extract significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the seed germination and seedling growth of A. hybridus, A. palmeri, R. crispus, and S. spinosa, but showed nonsignificant impacts on I. lacunosa, C. album, and E. crus-galli. Based on synthetical allelopathic effects (SE < 0), the order of inhibition from highest to lowest was as follows: A. hybridus (−0.580), R. crispus (−0.464), A. palmeri (−0.409), S. spinosa (−0.248), C. album (−0.143), I. lacunosa (−0.035), and E. crus-galli (0.009). Liquid chromatography of the E. canadensis aqueous extract identified a total of 38 compounds with previously known allelopathy, including piperidine, choline, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, acetonecyanohydrin, gallic acid, 2-furoic acid, genistein, and gentisic acid. The current study, utilizing a petri dish bioassay, explains E. canadensis’s invasive potential and mechanisms for affecting the succession of commonly occurring native and non-native weed species in the southern United States. These results establish a solid foundation for understanding the mechanisms driving the successful invasion of E. canadensis in its native range and provide a valuable theoretical framework for early-warning systems assessing ecological risks.

Purple nutsedge is a competitive and persistent perennial weed in the agronomic and horticultural cropping systems of the southeastern United States. Its management is a challenge during the growing season due to its ability to propagate vegetatively through underground rhizomes and tubers. Therefore, effective herbicide programs are needed that can check the spread of purple nutsedge and protect crop yields. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2024 to evaluate the response of purple nutsedge at two different growth stages (10 to 15 cm and 15 to 20 cm heights) to herbicides currently labeled for use in Mississippi cropping systems. Herbicides tested were glyphosate at 1,260 g ai ha–1, glufosinate at 672 g ai ha–1, bentazon at 1,680 g ai ha–1, halosulfuron at 69.5 g ai ha–1, and trifloxysulfuron at 6.9 g ai ha–1. Glyphosate was the most effective herbicide against purple nutsedge, providing >90% control, followed by halosulfuron, which provided 70% to 90% control at both growth stages. New shoot emergence was highest when glufosinate and bentazon were applied, and no new shoots emerged when glyphosate and halosulfuron were applied. More new shoots were observed when glufosinate and bentazon were applied when plants were 15 to 20 cm high compared to 10 to 15 cm. Shoot regrowth at 21 d after cutting the aboveground shoots indicated similar trends. A reduction of >90% in shoot and root biomass was observed when glyphosate, halosulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron were applied, whereas glufosinate and bentazon applications resulted in 50% less biomass reduction. Overall, herbicide efficacy against purple nutsedge was greater when plants were treated at the recommended height of 10 to 15 cm rather than 15 to 20 cm. The study results indicated that both herbicide mode of action and application timing are important for better purple nutsedge management in cropping systems.

Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) is among the most troublesome weeds in the Intermountain West affecting corn (Zea mays L.) production and contributing to significant yield losses, in addition to losses caused by water stress. Improvements in agricultural technology such as use of drought-tolerant (DT) corn hybrids has helped minimize the impact of water stress on corn yields. However, it is not known how the use of hybrids affects the interactions between weeds and corn. This work evaluated the competitive effects of A. retroflexus on DT and drought-susceptible (DS) corn hybrids exposed to optimal and reduced irrigation levels in a semi-controlled study. The semi-controlled environment was established in a rainout shelter with corn maintained at a density of 66,482 plants ha−1 and A. retroflexus varied at densities of 0, 33,241, and 66,482 plants ha−1 that were then provided either optimal or reduced irrigation (100% and 50%). We observed a 45% reduction in the shoot biomass of DS corn under reduced irrigation, while the shoot biomass of DT corn remained the same under both irrigation levels in Season 1. In Season 2, both hybrids experienced a decrease in shoot biomass under reduced irrigation. Amaranthus retroflexus exhibited an 80% increase in shoot biomass when growing with DS corn exposed to reduced irrigation, compared with its growth with DS corn exposed to optimal irrigation. Conversely, DT corn negatively impacted A. retroflexus shoot biomass under reduced irrigation, resulting in only a 9% difference between the reduced and optimally irrigated plots. These findings suggest that DT corn may mitigate water stress while also providing the additional benefit of improved competition against weeds, effectively suppressing their growth in water-stressed environments.