MILK: carrier of heavy metals from crops through ruminant body to human beings

Exposure of heavy metals to humans is higher today than ever before in modern history due to continuously increasing industrialization around the globe. Industrial wastes are rich in heavy metals and these wastes are discharged near agricultural fields or mixed with soil, from where these metals are taken up by the crops and are finally transported to humans. Due to this increasing threat of heavy metals contamination in food, it is necessary to analyze the food before consumption. Content of selected metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) in cow milk is determined in this study. To investigate the possible pathways of these metals to reach in milk; fodder supplied to these cows was analyzed besides analysis of soil samples on which this fodder was grown. Pearson correlation among metal contents in soil-forage and forage-milk was also determined to check the route of transfer of these metals from soil to forage and from forage to milk. It was found that a strong correlation (p < 0.5) exists for Cr, Cd, Cu and Zn. This shows that these metals are mainly transferred through soil. However, a weak correlation was found for Pb, which shows that Pb is introduced into forage through some other source (automobile exhaust etc.). A comparison of present study is also done with previously reported work from other countries on metal contents in milk and findings of both the studies were in good agreement mutually

Power Dynamics in Wole Soyinka’s ‘The Trials of Brother Jero’

The paper draws upon Wole Soyinka’s play ‘The Trials of Brother Jero’ to explore the power dynamics within a discourse of power which has its foundations in suppression, poverty, deprivation and a formidable colonial past and where power is not restricted to any homogenous group but is rather conditioned by culture, feminism and sexuality and is thus perpetually changing in form and structure. The play is a harsh depiction of how the Yoruban ecclesiasts manipulate the gullible working class to exercise power and gain control over a small fishing community with the effect of creating power relations that are hinged on oppression and resistance and where power is constantly changing hands between the state and the subjects. The paper suggests a Foucauldian analysis of the play by exploring the concepts of ‘bio power’ and ‘pastoral power’ within a ‘regime of truth’ which accepts physical and psychological coercion by the religious authorities as an essential pre requisite to salvation and where religion is manipulated to dehumanize individuals into slavish followers who are in turn, menacing breeders of revolt and resistance and poss

Fungal Systematics and Evolution : FUSE 4

Eight new species presented are Calostoma areolatum collected in Wuyishan National Park (China), Crinipellis bidens from Hubei Province (China), Lactifluus sainii from Himalayan India, Inocybe elata from Yunnan (China), Inocybe himalayensis from Pakistan. Specimens previously identified as Massalongia carnosa represent a new species, namely M. patagonica restricted to southern South America. Saprolegnia maragheica is a new oomycete species of fresh water in Maraghe (Iran). Uncispora wuzhishanensis is a new aquatic hyphomycete species. A type specimen of Raddetes turkestanicus was studied and based on this the new combination Conocybe turkestanica, is proposed. Argyranthemum frutescens is a new host for Alternaria alternata and Syzygium cumini for Phyllosticta capitalensis in India. Crepidotus ehrendorferi is confirmed for Hungary and Pluteus leucoborealis for Central Europe, and for the phytogeographical region of Carpaticum. Pseudopithomyces palmicola is shown to occur on grapevine and it is validated by adding a unique identifier. Terfezia fanfani is reported first from Algeria.Peer reviewe

Fungal systematics and evolution : FUSE 3

The present study introduces seven new species, one new combination, one new variety and several interesting taxonomical notes and/or geographical records. Most of the new taxa are Ascomycetes, but the study also includes a new variety of a Basidiomycete. Novel species include Gyromitra khanspurensis (Discinaceae, Pezizales, Pezizomycetes) from Pakistan growing near Cedrus deoadara and Paramyrothecium guiyangense and Paramyrothecium verruridum (Stachybotriaceae, Hypocreales, Sordariomycetes) both isolated from soil in China. New species from South Africa are Sclerostagonospora elegiae on culm litter of Elegia equisetacea, Sclerostagonospora fusiformis on culm litter of Thamnochortus spicigerus, Sclerostagonospora pinguis on culm litter of Cannomois virgata and Sclerostagonospora sulcata on culm litter of Ischyrolepis subverticellata (Phaeosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). Hapalocystis berkeleyi var. kickxii with its basionym Hypoxylon kickxii is shown to be a taxon on species level and thus recombined as Hapalocystis kickxii (Sydowiellaceae, Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes), and it is lecto- and epitypified. The new variety Pluteus romellii var. luteoalbus (Pluteaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetes) growing on a mossy fallen stem of a deciduous tree is described from Czech Republic. Cortinarius scaurocaninus (Cortinariaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetes) is new for Austria, Humicola grisea (Chaetomiaceae, Sordariales, Sordariomycetes) is an interesting new record for Chile. Two taxa are reported as new for Turkey: the lichenicolous fungus Opegrapha parasitica (Opegraphaceae, Arthoniales, Arthoniomycetes) growing partly immersed in the thallus of Aspicilia and the lichen Rinodina zwackhiana (Physciaceae, Teloschistales, Lecanoromycetes) from calcareous rock. Finally, Xerula strigosa (Physalacriaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetes), described from China, is confirmed to be present also in Pakistan.HM was funded by Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT), Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT), Chile, project no. 11140562. The financial support by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF; project P27645-B16) to HV is gratefully acknowledged. Cordial thanks are due to Alain Gardiennet for providing a fresh specimen of Hapalocystis kickxii, and Ann Bogaerts (BR) for providing detailed information on the lectotype specimen of H. kickxii. The Gyromitra study was supported by Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan. The Turkish lichen study was supported by TUBITAK (Project 114Z892). The Paramyrothecium study was supported by the project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31660006). YC is grateful to Jing-Rong Feng, Shuang-Fei Ran & Kun-Ying Wang in experiment and suggestions from Ling Chuan-Geng on the manuscript. The Czech authors thank P. Ševčík for collaboration in the field, G. Vasas, curator of BP, for the possibility to study of herbarium collections. The studies of HŠ were enabled by support provided to the Moravian Museum by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic as part of its long-term conceptual development programme for research institutions (DKRVO, ref. MK000094862). Institutional support for the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences was provided by the Long-term Development Projects RVO61388971, RVO67985831, and RVO61389005. Technical assistance of Kesiban Karasungur is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support of the Austrian Ministry of Science for ABOL is gratefully acknowledged.http://www.sydowia.at/syd62-1/syd62-1.htm2018-12-18am2018Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)Microbiology and Plant Patholog

Fungal Systematics and Evolution: FUSE 5

Thirteen new species are formally described: Cortinarius brunneocarpus from Pakistan, C. lilacinoarmillatus from India, Curvularia khuzestanica on Atriplex lentiformis from Iran, Gloeocantharellus neoechinosporus from China, Laboulbenia bernaliana on species of Apenes, Apristus, and Philophuga (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from Nicaragua and Panama, L. oioveliicola on Oiovelia inachadoi (Hemiptera,Veliidae) from Brazil, L. termiticola on Macrotermes subhyalinus (Blattodea, Termitidae) from the DR Congo, Pluteus cutefractus from Slovenia, Rhizoglomus variabile from Peru, Russula phloginea from China, Stagonosporopsis flacciduvarum on Vitis vinifera from Italy, Strobilomyces huangshanensis from China, Uroinyces klotzschianus on Rumex dentatus subsp. klotzschianus from Pakistan.The following new records are reported: Alternaria calendulae on Calendula officinalis from India; A. tenuissima on apple and quince fruits from Iran; Candelariella oleaginescens fromTurkey; Didymella americana and D. calidophila on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing tip blight of Dianella tasmanica variegata' from India; Marasmiellus subpruinosus from Madeira, Portugal, new for Macaronesia and Africa; Mycena albidolilacea, M. tenuispinosa, and M. xantholeuca from Russia; Neonectria neomacrospora on Madhuca longifolia from India; Nothophoma quercina on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Plagiosphaera immersa on Urtica dioica from Austria; Rinodina sicula from Turkey; Sphaerosporium lignatile from Wisconsin, USA; and Verrucaria murina from Turkey. Multi-locus analysis of ITS, LSU, rpbl,tefl sequences revealed that P immersa, commonly classified within Gnomoniaceae (Diaporthales) or as Sordariomycetes incertae sedis, belongs to Magnaporthaceae (Magnaporthales). Analysis of a six-locus Ascomycota-wide dataset including SS