Attempted Tumour Therapy Complicated by a Viroid Associate of the Tumour

ANTI-TUMOUR therapy upon experimental animals has long served as a model for attempts to treat cancer in man. As with few exceptions these agents have marrow depressant qualities there has always been a serious danger that therapeutically effective doses will prove lethal as a consequence of haematopoietic failure. Within the last 10 years some encouragement has come from the demonstration that an injection of viable bone marrow can restore haematopoietic function (Lorenz, Congdon and Uphoff, 1952) when given after a dose of irradiation sufficient to cause haematopoietic failure but insufficient to damage irreparably the intestinal epithelium. It has been shown quite clearly that this restoration is due to repopulation of the depleted haematopoietic sites by the injected marrow (Ford et al., 1956). Barnes et al. (1956) and Barnes and Loutit (1957) were quick to realise the use of the finding to extend the doses of irradiation available as therapy against cancer. Others have adopted a similar approach though using radiomimetic chemicals. Although in both mice (Barnes and Loutit, 1957) and men (Thomas

Sensitivity of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) to phosphate, phosphite, and arsenate pulses as influenced by fungal symbiotic associations

Many plant species adapted to P-impoverished soils, including jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), develop toxicity symptoms when exposed to high doses of phosphate (Pi) and its analogs such as phosphite (Phi) and arsenate (AsV). The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of fungal symbionts Scutellospora calospora, Scleroderma sp., and Austroboletus occidentalis on the response of jarrah to highly toxic pulses (1.5 mmol kg−1 soil) of Pi, Phi, and AsV. S. calospora formed an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis while both Scleroderma sp. and A. occidentalis established a non-colonizing symbiosis with jarrah plants. All these interactions significantly improved jarrah growth and Pi uptake under P-limiting conditions. The AM fungal colonization naturally declines in AM-eucalypt symbioses after 2–3 months; however, in the present study, the high Pi pulse inhibited the decline of AM fungal colonization in jarrah. Four weeks after exposure to the Pi pulse, plants inoculated with S. calospora had significantly lower toxicity symptoms compared to non-mycorrhizal (NM) plants, and all fungal treatments induced tolerance against Phi toxicity in jarrah. However, no tolerance was observed for AsV-treated plants even though all inoculated plants had significantly lower shoot As concentrations than the NM plants. The transcript profile of five jarrah high-affinity phosphate transporter (PHT1 family) genes in roots was not altered in response to any of the fungal species tested. Interestingly, plants exposed to high Pi supplies for 1 day did not have reduced transcript levels for any of the five PHT1 genes in roots, and transcript abundance of four PHT1 genes actually increased. It is therefore suggested that jarrah, and perhaps other P-sensitive perennial species, respond positively to Pi available in the soil solution through increasing rather than decreasing the expression of selected PHT1 genes. Furthermore, Scleroderma sp. can be considered as a fungus with dual functional capacity capable of forming both ectomycorrhizal and non-colonizing associations, where both pathways are always accompanied by evident growth and nutritional benefits

Mapping the distribution of the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) within natural forest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world and are severely threatened by poaching the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat. In Malaysian Borneo, conservation initiatives for the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) are hindered by a paucity of data on their distribution and population size. Using MaxEnt niche modelling and consolidated species location data, we projected the distribution of Sunda pangolins in Sabah. Additionally, we assessed the accessibility of their forest habitats to humans to understand potential threats. Our model indicated that, as of 2015, approximately half of Sabah’s land area (39,530 km²) is suitable for pangolins, with 43% in protected forests, 38% in production forests, and 19% outside of these areas. Alarmingly, our data suggest that nearly all (91%) of these suitable habitats are relatively easily accessible to poachers. Our findings provide a state-level baseline understanding of Sunda pangolin distribution and assess potential threats in Sabah. These can inform short- and long-term conservation management plans for pangolin to safeguard this critically endangered species

Diversidad zoológica asociada a un silvopastoreo leucaena-guinea con diferentes edades de establecimiento

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la diversidad zoológica asociada a un silvopastoreo con leucaena-guinea, por medio de la caracterización de la composición y estructura de las aves, insectos y la macrofauna del suelo, en cuatro edades de establecimiento (3, 4, 5 y 6 años de explotación). Con las especies registradas en cada uno de estos grupos zoológicos, se calcularon los índices ecológicos: número de individuos, riqueza, diversidad y abundancia de especies, en diferentes edades del sistema. En todos los grupos, se apreció el aumento significativo en la riqueza de especies y en el índice de diversidad biológica de Shannon, en la medida que se desarrolló el sistema. Se observó incremento en la abundancia de insectos biorreguladores y, en relación con las aves, el horario de muestreo no mostró interacción con los distintos años de siembra. La macrofauna se incrementó, observándose dominancia de anélidos al 6º y 7º año de explotación, caracterizado por Polyferetrina elongata y Oligochaeta elegans. El desarrollo del silvopastoreo leucaena-guinea logra sistemas productivos pecuarios que aumentan la producción de biomasa y de otros componentes biológicos y contribuir para crear un sistema sostenible y compatible con el ambiente