Reviewing the world's edible mushroom species: A new evidence-based classification system

Wild mushrooms are a vital source of income and nutrition for many poor communities and of value to recreational foragers. Literature relating to the edibility of mushroom species continues to expand, driven by an increasing demand for wild mushrooms, a wider interest in foraging, and the study of traditional foods. Although numerous case reports have been published on edible mushrooms, doubt and confusion persist regarding which species are safe and suitable to consume. Case reports often differ, and the evidence supporting the stated properties of mushrooms can be incomplete or ambiguous. The need for greater clarity on edible species is further underlined by increases in mushroom-related poisonings. We propose a system for categorizing mushroom species and assigning a final edibility status. Using this system, we reviewed 2,786 mushroom species from 99 countries, accessing 9,783 case reports, from over 1,100 sources. We identified 2,189 edible species, of which 2,006 can be consumed safely, and a further 183 species which required some form of pretreatment prior to safe consumption or were associated with allergic reactions by some. We identified 471 species of uncertain edibility because of missing or incomplete evidence of consumption, and 76 unconfirmed species because of unresolved, differing opinions on edibility and toxicity. This is the most comprehensive list of edible mushrooms available to date, demonstrating the huge number of mushrooms species consumed. Our review highlights the need for further information on uncertain and clash species, and the need to present evidence in a clear, unambiguous, and consistent manner.     

Toward the discovery of novel anti-HIV drugs. Second-generation inhibitors of the cellular ATPase DDX3 with improved anti-HIV activity: synthesis, structure-activity relationship analysis, cytotoxicity studies, and target validation

A hit optimization protocol applied to the first nonnucleoside inhibitor of the ATPase activity of human DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3 led to the design and synthesis of second-generation rhodanine derivatives with better inhibitory activity toward cellular DDX3 and HIV-1 replication. Additional DDX3 inhibitors were identified among triazine compounds. Biological data were rationalized in terms of structure-activity relationships and docking simulations. Antiviral activity and cytotoxicity of selected DDX3 inhibitors are reported and discussed. A thorough analysis confirmed human DDX3 as a valid anti-HIV target. The compounds described herein represent a significant advance in the pursuit of novel drugs that target HIV-1 host cofactors.     

Comprehensive Molecular Dissection of Dermatophilus congolensis Genome and First Observation of tet(Z) Tetracycline Resistance

Dermatophilus congolensis is a bacterial pathogen mostly of ruminant livestock in the tropics/subtropics and certain temperate climate areas. It causes dermatophilosis, a skin disease that threatens food security by lowering animal productivity and compromising animal health and welfare. Since it is a prevalent infection in ruminants, dermatophilosis warrants more research. There is limited understanding of its pathogenicity, and as such, there is no registered vaccine against D. congolensis. To better understanding the genomics of D. congolensis, the primary aim of this work was to investigate this bacterium using whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. D. congolensis is a high GC member of the Actinobacteria and encodes approximately 2527 genes. It has an open pan-genome, contains many potential virulence factors, secondary metabolites and encodes at least 23 housekeeping genes associated with antimicrobial susceptibility mechanisms and some isolates have an acquired antimicrobial resistance gene. Our isolates contain a single CRISPR array Cas type IE with classical 8 Cas genes. Although the isolates originate from the same geographical location there is some genomic diversity among them. In conclusion, we present the first detailed genomic study on D. congolensis, including the first observation of tet(Z), a tetracycline resistance-conferring gene.     

Tracking responses related to self-recognition: A frequency comparison of responses to mirrors, photographs, and videotapes by cotton top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).

The frequency of responses cotton top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) emitted indicative of self-recognition to a mirror was compared with the frequencies of responses emitted to digitized photographs of tamarins (Experiment 1) and to videotapes of real-time or prior tamarin action (Experiment 2). Results indicated more attentional responses toward the mirror in both studies, but behavioral indices of self-recognition were not consistently generated by the mirror. The 2 experiments confirmed that real-time self-reflection is a condition that generates heightened attention and ram examples of particular mirror-specific behaviors in tamarins. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Removal of chromium Cr(VI) by low-cost chemically activated carbon materials from water

Low-cost, chemically activated carbon materials, Pellet-600 and PVA-300, were prepared at relatively low temperatures and show more effective removal efficiency of Cr(VI) from water than commercially available activated carbons tested. The Pellet-600 is a pelletized carbon material with high mesoporous volumes and surface area, and the PVA-300 is composed of a high surface area carbon coating on a fiberglass mat substrate. A much faster adsorption kinetics and a much higher adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) are achieved by the Pellet-600. At very low concentrations of Cr(VI), the PVA-300 displays a strong adsorption ability for Cr(VI). XPS data show an increase in the atomic ratio of Cr/C and oxidation of carbon materials after adsorption of Cr(VI). These results suggest that a high content of mesopores with a high surface area and surface functional groups greatly improve the Cr(VI) removal efficiency from water.     

Do promises matter? An exploration of the role of promises in psychological contract breach.

Promises are positioned centrally in the study of psychological contract breach and are argued to distinguish psychological contracts from related constructs, such as employee expectations. However, because the effects of promises and delivered inducements are confounded in most research, the role of promises in perceptions of, and reactions to, breach remains unclear. If promises are not an important determinant of employee perceptions, emotions, and behavioral intentions, this would suggest that the psychological contract breach construct might lack utility. To assess the unique role of promises, the authors manipulated promises and delivered inducements separately in hypothetical scenarios in Studies 1 (558 undergraduates) and 2 (441 employees), and they measured them separately (longitudinally) in Study 3 (383 employees). The authors’ results indicate that breach perceptions do not represent a discrepancy between what employees believe they were promised and were given. In fact, breach perceptions can exist in the absence of promises. Further, promises play a negligible role in predicting feelings of violation and behavioral intentions. Contrary to the extant literature, the authors’ findings suggest that promises may matter little; employees are concerned primarily with what the organization delivers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Engineered Sleeping Beauty Transposon as Efficient System to Optimize Chimp Adenoviral Production

Sleeping Beauty (SB) is the first DNA transposon employed for efficient transposition in vertebrate cells, opening new applications for genetic engineering and gene therapies. A transposon-based gene delivery system holds the favourable features of non-viral vectors and an attractive safety profile. Here, we employed SB to engineer HEK293 cells for optimizing the production of a chimpanzee Adenovector (chAd) belonging to the Human Mastadenovirus C species. To date, chAd vectors are employed in several clinical settings for infectious diseases, last but not least COVID-19. A robust, efficient and quick viral vector production could advance the clinical application of chAd vectors. To this aim, we firstly swapped the hAd5 E1 with chAd-C E1 gene by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We demonstrated that in the absence of human Ad5 E1, chimp Ad-C E1 gene did not support HEK293 survival. To improve chAd-C vector production, we engineered HEK293 cells to stably express the chAd-C precursor terminal protein (ch.pTP), which plays a crucial role in chimpanzee Adenoviral DNA replication. The results indicate that exogenous ch.pTP expression significantly ameliorate the packaging and amplification of recombinant chAd-C vectors thus, the engineered HEK293ch.pTP cells could represent a superior packaging cell line for the production of these vectors.     

Investigation of the Effects and Mechanisms of Anticancer Action of a Ru(II)-Arene Iminophosphorane Compound in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the breast cancers with poorer prognosis and survival rates. TNBC has a disproportionally high incidence and mortality in women of African descent. We report on the evaluation of Ru-IM ( 1 ), a water-soluble organometallic ruthenium compound, in TNBC cell lines derived from patients of European (MDA-MB-231) and African (HCC-1806) ancestry (including IC₅₀ values, cellular and organelle uptake, cell death pathways, cell cycle, effects on migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, a preliminary proteomic analysis, and an NCI 60 cell-line panel screen). 1 was previously found highly efficacious in MDA-MB-231 cells and xenografts, with little systemic toxicity and preferential accumulation in the tumor. We observe a similar profile for this compound in the two cell lines studied, which includes high cytotoxicity, apoptotic behavior and potential antimetastatic and antiangiogenic properties. Cytokine M-CSF, involved in the PI3/AKT pathway, shows protein expression inhibition with exposure to 1 . We also demonstrate a p53 independent mechanism of action.     

ARDEA—An MAV with skills for future planetary missions

We introduce a prototype flying platform for planetary exploration: autonomous robot design for extraterrestrial applications (ARDEA). Communication with unmanned missions beyond Earth orbit suffers from time delay, thus a key criterion for robotic exploration is a robot's ability to perform tasks without human intervention. For autonomous operation, all computations should be done on‐board and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) should not be relied on for navigation purposes. Given these objectives ARDEA is equipped with two pairs of wide‐angle stereo cameras and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for robust visual‐inertial navigation and time‐efficient, omni‐directional 3D mapping. The four cameras cover a $240^{°}$ vertical field of view, enabling the system to operate in confined environments such as caves formed by lava tubes. The captured images are split into several pinhole cameras, which are used for simultaneously running visual odometries. The stereo output is used for simultaneous localization and mapping, 3D map generation and collision‐free motion planning. To operate the vehicle efficiently for a variety of missions, ARDEA's capabilities have been modularized into skills which can be assembled to fulfill a mission's objectives. These skills are defined generically so that they are independent of the robot configuration, making the approach suitable for different heterogeneous robotic teams. The diverse skill set also makes the micro aerial vehicle (MAV) useful for any task where autonomous exploration is needed. For example terrestrial search and rescue missions where visual navigation in GNSS‐denied indoor environments is crucial, such as partially collapsed man‐made structures like buildings or tunnels. We have demonstrated the robustness of our system in indoor and outdoor field tests.     

Deciphering the Immunological Phenomenon of Adaptive Natural Killer (NK) Cells and Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Natural killer (NK) cells play a significant and vital role in the first line of defense against infection through their ability to target cells without prior sensitization. They also contribute significantly to the activation and recruitment of both innate and adaptive immune cells through the production of a range of cytokines and chemokines. In the context of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, NK cells and CMV have co-evolved side by side to employ several mechanisms to evade one another. However, during this co-evolution the discovery of a subset of long-lived NK cells with enhanced effector potential, increased antibody-dependent responses and the potential to mediate immune memory has revolutionized the field of NK cell biology. The ability of a virus to imprint on the NK cell receptor repertoire resulting in the expansion of diverse, highly functional NK cells to this day remains a significant immunological phenomenon that only occurs in the context of CMV. Here we review our current understanding of the development of these NK cells, commonly referred to as adaptive NK cells and their current role in transplantation, infection, vaccination and cancer immunotherapy to decipher the complex role of CMV in dictating NK cell functional fate.