The use of activity diaries for understanding the daily lives of farmers and their livelihood choices

This paper reviews the use of activity diaries in two Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) projects in PNG: a smallholder cocoa project in the East New Britain province (ASEM/2006/127) and a smallholder coffee project in Eastern Highlands province (ASEM/2008/036). Both projects were similarly concerned with identifying the production constraints on cocoa- and coffee-farming households and to better understand the range of socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing farmer decision-making and the allocation of household labour among various livelihood activities. In PNG, the household is the principal production unit underpinning livelihood activities such as commodity production. It is at the household level that decisions and negotiations are made regarding the organisation, mobilisation and management of family and extended family labour. Thus, examining in detail the daily economic and social livelihood activities of household members, through time-allocation studies, helps researchers to understand more comprehensively the factors influencing smallholder decision-making regarding livelihood choices, agricultural practices and the adoption of agricultural innovations. This paper outlines two different techniques using activity diaries employed in the projects, and discusses the methodological advantages and challenges of these techniques in smallholder studies in PNG

The influence of contrasting microbial lifestyles on the pre-symbiotic metabolite responses of Eucalyptus grandis roots

© 2019 Wong, Lutz, Natera, Wang, Ng, Grigoriev, Martin, Roessner, Anderson and Plett. Plant roots co-inhabit the soil with a diverse consortium of microbes of which a number attempt to enter symbiosis with the plant. These microbes may be pathogenic, mutualistic, or commensal. Hence, the health and survival of plants is heavily reliant on their ability to perceive different microbial lifestyles and respond appropriately. Emerging research suggests that there is a pivotal role for plant root secondary metabolites in responding to microbial colonization. However, it is largely unknown if plants are able to differentiate between microbes of different lifestyles and respond differently during the earliest stages of pre-symbiosis (i.e., prior to physical contact). In studying plant responses to a range of microbial isolates, we questioned: (1) if individual microbes of different lifestyles and species caused alterations to the plant root metabolome during pre-symbiosis, and (2) if these early metabolite responses correlate with the outcome of the symbiotic interaction in later phases of colonization. We compared the changes of the root tip metabolite profile of the model tree Eucalyptus grandis during pre-symbiosis with two isolates of a pathogenic fungus (Armillaria luteobubalina), one isolate of a pathogenic oomycete (Phytophthora cinnamomi), two isolates of an incompatible mutualistic fungus (Suillus granulatus), and six isolates of a compatible mutualistic fungus (Pisolithus microcarpus). Untargeted metabolite profiling revealed predominantly positive root metabolite responses at the pre-symbiosis stage, prior to any observable phenotypical changes of the root tips. Metabolite responses in the host tissue that were specific to each microbial species were identified. A deeper analysis of the root metabolomic profiles during pre-symbiotic contact with six strains of P. microcarpus showed a connection between these early metabolite responses in the root with later colonization success. Further investigation using isotopic tracing revealed a portion of metabolites found in root tips originated from the fungus. RNA-sequencing also showed that the plant roots undergo complementary transcriptomic reprogramming in response to the fungal stimuli. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the early metabolite responses of plant roots are partially selective toward the lifestyle of the interacting microbe, and that these responses can be crucial in determining the outcome of the interaction

Anti-Parasitic Compounds from Streptomyces sp. Strains Isolated from Mediterranean Sponges

Actinomycetes are prolific producers of pharmacologically important compounds accounting for about 70% of the naturally derived antibiotics that are currently in clinical use. In this study, we report on the isolation of Streptomyces sp. strains from Mediterranean sponges, on their secondary metabolite production and on their screening for anti-infective activities. Bioassay-guided isolation and purification yielded three previously known compounds namely, cyclic depsipeptide valinomycin, indolocarbazole alkaloid staurosporine and butenolide. This is the first report of the isolation of valinomycin from a marine source. These compounds exhibited novel anti-parasitic activities specifically against Leishmania major (valinomycin IC50 < 0.11 μM; staurosporine IC50 5.30 μM) and Trypanosoma brucei brucei (valinomycin IC50 0.0032 μM; staurosporine IC50 0.022 μM; butenolide IC50 31.77 μM). These results underscore the potential of marine actinomycetes to produce bioactive compounds as well as the re-evaluation of previously known compounds for novel anti-infective activities

Tamoxifen Is Effective in the Treatment of Leishmania amazonensis Infections in Mice

Leishmaniasis is an antropozoonotic disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations. In humans, signs of disease vary from skin and mucosal ulcers to enlargement of internal organs such as the liver and spleen. The unicellular parasite Leishmania amazonensis is able to infect humans and cause localized or diffuse skin lesions. The treatment for this disease is difficult, as it requires prolonged and painful applications of toxic drugs that are poorly tolerated. Therefore, a key area in leishmaniasis research is the study of new therapeutic schemes and less toxic drugs. The present report is based on the investigation of tamoxifen's activity (a compound that has been in clinical use since the 1970s for the treatment of breast cancer) in the treatment of mice experimentally infected with L. amazonensis. We observed that infected mice treated with 20 mg/kg/day of tamoxifen for 15 days showed a significant clinical and parasitological response, with reduction in the size of lesions and ulcers and decreased numbers of parasites. These promising results pave the way for further testing of this drug as a new alternative in the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis

Efecto de tres frecuencias de riego sobre algunos caracteres de la planta en cuatro cultivares de algodón (Gossypium hirsutum l.) tipo Upland | Effect of three irrigation intervals on some plant characters of four Upland cotton cultivars (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

El presente trabajo se realizó en el Sistema de Riego Santa Elena de las Piñas, Valle del Río Guarapiche, Maturín. El objetivo fue determinar el efecto de tres frecuencias de riego sobre los caracteres de las plantas en cuatro cultivares dealgodón. El diseño estadístico utilizado fue el de parcelas divididas con tres repeticiones, las parcelas principales correspondieron a las tres frecuencias de riego (6, 9 y 12 días) y las subparcelas correspondieron a los cuatro cultivares de algodón (Cabuyare, Deltapine 16, Deltapine 61 y Acala 90-1). La prueba de Duncan fue usada para determinar las diferencias entre los promedios. El nivel de significación fue del 5 %. El riego se aplicó mediante sifones de 2”. Serealizaron dos cosechas, la primera a los 107 y la segunda a los 123 días después de la siembra (DDS). No se encontraron diferencias significativas para las frecuencias de riego, ni para los cultivares ni para la interacción frecuencias de riego * cultivares para los siguientes caracteres: número de días a 50 % de plantas a inicio de floración (56,2 DDS), diámetro del tallo (1,22 cm), altura de la planta (85,5 cm), altura de la primera rama fructífera en la segunda cosecha (29,4 cm), número de ramas fructíferas/planta para la primera y segunda cosecha (3,9 y 3,1 ramas, respectivamente), número de bellotas/plantapara la primera y segunda cosecha (4,4 y 3,4 bellotas, respectivamente) y rendimiento de algodón en rama/planta para la primera cosecha, segunda cosecha y producción total (20,9; 17,7 y 38,5 g/planta, respectivamente). Para la altura de la primera rama fructífera y la altura de la primera bellota en la primera cosecha se encontraron diferencias entre los cultivares, las plantas con una mayor altura de la primera rama fructífera correspondieron a Cabuyare con 26,8 cm, siendo mas altas que aquellas de Acala 90-1 y Deltapine 61, mientras que las plantas con una mayor altura de la primera bellota correspondieron a Cabuyare, Deltapine 16 y Acala 90-1. Por otra parte, se encontraron diferencias significativas para la interacción frecuencias de riego * cultivares para la altura de la primera bellota en la segunda cosecha, en las frecuencias de riego de 9 y 12 días, estos tres cultivares mostraron la mayor altura de la primera bellota, mientras que para la frecuencias de riego de 6 días todos los cultivares mostraron una altura similar. En los cultivares Cabuyare y Deltapine 16, la altura de la primera bellota fue similar en las tres frecuencias de riego, pero en Deltapine 61 y Acala 90-1, las frecuencias de riego de 6 y 9 días, produjeron plantas con una mayor altura de la primera bellota que la frecuencias de riego de 12 días. En conclusión, las frecuencias de riego no afectaron los caracteres de las plantas en los cuatro cultivares de algodón a excepción de la altura de la primera bellota, así mismo, los cultivares no mostraron diferencias entre sí para la mayoría de los caracteres, incluyendo el número de bellotas/planta y el rendimiento de algodón en rama/planta, los cuales son componentes importantes del rendimiento de algodón en rama/ha.Palabras claves: Algodón, Gossypium hirsutum, frecuencia de riego, caracteres de plantaABSTRACTThe present research was carried out at Santa Elena de las Piñas Irrigation System, Guarapiche River Valley, Maturín, Venezuela. The objective was to determine the effect of three irrigation frequencies on plant characters in four cotton cultivars. The split-plot design was used with three replications, irrigation frequencies were the main plots (6, 9 and 12 days) and the sub-plots were the four cotton cultivars (Cabuyare, Deltapine 16, Deltapine 61 and Acala 90-1). Means were tested by Duncan multiple range test. The statistical level used was 5 %. Irrigation was applied by means of siphons of 2”. Two harvests were carried out, the first harvest at 107 day after sowing (DAS) and the second harvest at 123 DAS. There were not significant differences for irrigation frequencies, cotton cultivars and irrigation frequencies * cotton cultivars interaction for the following characters: number of days to 50% of plants at blooming initiation (56.2 DAS), stem diameter (1.22 cm), plant height (85.5 cm), first fruiting branch height in second harvest (29.4 cm), number of fruiting branches/plant for first and second harvest (3.9 and 3.1 branches, respectively), boll/plant for the first and second harvest (4.4 and 3.4 bolls, respectively) and seed cotton yield /plant for the first harvest, second harvest and total production (20.9; 17.7 and 38.5  g/plant, respectively). There were significant differences for the first fruiting branch height and the first boll height in the first harvest among cultivars, plants with bigger first fruiting branch height corresponded to Cabuyare with 26.8 cm, overcoming those of Acala 90-1 and Deltapine 61, while plants with bigger first boll height corresponded to Cabuyare, Deltapine 16 and Acala 90-1. On the other hand, there were significant differences for the interaction irrigation frequencies * cotton cultivars for first boll height in the second harvest, in 9-day and 12-day irrigation frequencies, these three cotton cultivars showed the biggest first boll height, while for the 6-day irrigation frequency all the cotton cultivars had a similar first boll height. In cultivars Cabuyare and Deltapine 16, the first boll height was similar in the three irrigation frequencies, but in Deltapine 61 and Acala 90-1, the 6-day and 9-day irrigation frequencies, produced plants with a bigger first boll height than in 12-day irrigation frequency. In conclusion, the irrigation frequencies didn't affect the plant characters in the four cotton cultivars, except the first boll height. The cotton cultivars didn't show differences among them for most of the characters, including bolls/plant and seed cotton yield/plant, which are very important components of seed cotton yield/ha.Key words: Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum, irrigation frequency, plant character

Germline mutations in mitochondrial complex I reveal genetic and targetable vulnerability in IDH1-mutant acute myeloid leukaemia

The interaction of germline variation and somatic cancer driver mutations is underinvestigated. Here we describe the genomic mitochondrial landscape in adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and show that rare variants affecting the nuclear- and mitochondriallyencoded complex I genes show near-mutual exclusivity with somatic driver mutations affecting isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), but not IDH2 suggesting a unique epistatic relationship. Whereas AML cells with rare complex I variants or mutations in IDH1 or IDH2 all display attenuated mitochondrial respiration, heightened sensitivity to complex I inhibitors including the clinical-grade inhibitor, IACS-010759, is observed only for IDH1-mutant AML. Furthermore, IDH1 mutant blasts that are resistant to the IDH1-mutant inhibitor, ivosidenib, retain sensitivity to complex I inhibition. We propose that the IDH1 mutation limits the flexibility for citrate utilization in the presence of impaired complex I activity to a degree that is not apparent in IDH2 mutant cells, exposing a mutation-specific metabolic vulnerability. This reduced metabolic plasticity explains the epistatic relationship between the germline complex I variants and oncogenic IDH1 mutation underscoring the utility of genomic data in revealing metabolic vulnerabilities with implications for therapy.Mahmoud A. Bassal, Saumya E. Samaraweera, Kelly Lim, Brooks A. Bernard, Sheree Bailey, Satinder Kaur, Paul Leo, John Toubia, Chloe Thompson-Peach, Tran Nguyen, Kyaw Ze Ya Maung, Debora A. Casolari, Diana G. Iarossi, Ilaria S. Pagani, Jason Powell, Stuart Pitson, Siria Natera, Ute Roessner, Ian D. Lewis, Anna L. Brown, Daniel G. Tenen, Nirmal Robinson, David M. Ross, Ravindra Majeti, Thomas J. Gonda, Daniel Thomas, Richard J. D, Andre

A Potential Regulatory Role for Intronic microRNA-338-3p for Its Host Gene Encoding Apoptosis-Associated Tyrosine Kinase

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important gene regulators that are abundantly expressed in both the developing and adult mammalian brain. These non-coding gene transcripts are involved in post-transcriptional regulatory processes by binding to specific target mRNAs. Approximately one third of known miRNA genes are located within intronic regions of protein coding and non-coding regions, and previous studies have suggested a role for intronic miRNAs as negative feedback regulators of their host genes. In the present study, we monitored the dynamic gene expression changes of the intronic miR-338-3p and miR-338-5p and their host gene Apoptosis-associated Tyrosine Kinase (AATK) during the maturation of rat hippocampal neurons. This revealed an uncorrelated expression pattern of mature miR-338 strands with their host gene. Sequence analysis of the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of rat AATK mRNA revealed the presence of two putative binding sites for miR-338-3p. Thus, miR-338-3p may have the capacity to modulate AATK mRNA levels in neurons. Transfection of miR-338-3p mimics into rat B35 neuroblastoma cells resulted in a significant decrease of AATK mRNA levels, while the transfection of synthetic miR-338-5p mimics did not alter AATK levels. Our results point to a possible molecular mechanism by which miR-338-3p participates in the regulation of its host gene by modulating the levels of AATK mRNA, a kinase which plays a role during differentiation, apoptosis and possibly in neuronal degeneration