Oidiodendron: A survey of the named species and related anamorphs of Myxotrichum

AbstractSynoptic and dichotomous keys to 23 species of Oidiodendron and similar arthroconidial anamorphs of Myxotrichum were developed using morphological and physiological characters. Illustrations and brief descriptions based on living isolates and published descriptions are provided for all species treated. Included are the unnamed Oidiodendron states of Myxotrichum arcticum, M. cancellatum, M. emodense, M. setosum, and M. striatosporum, as well as the anamorphic species O. ambiguum, O. cerealis, O. chlamydosporicum (inclusive of O. scytaloides as a synonym), O. echinulatum, O. fimicola, O. flavum, O. fuscum, O. griseum, O. hughesii (inclusive of O. reticulatum as a synonym), O. maius (inclusive of O. maius var. citrinum and O. maius var. maius), O. muniellense, O. myxotrichoides, O. periconioides, O. pilicola, O. rhodogenum, O. setiferum (inclusive of O. ramosum as a synonym), O. tenuissimum, and O. truncatum. Oidiodendron fuscum, the original type species, is recognized as distinct. Oidiodendron robustum is excluded because of its large conidia and conidiophores and because the original drawings do not convincingly portray arthroconidia. Oidiodendron terrestre is excluded because its large, two-celled conidia, rapid growth, and hyaline conidiophores are inconsistent with the generic diagnosis and because the mode of its conidiogenesis is unclear from the original descriptions and illustrations.Taxonomic novelties: Oidiodendron maius var. citrinum (Barron) Rice & Currah stat. nov

Aerial Inventories of Waterfowl in Illinois and Estimation of Moist-soil Plant Seed Abundance for Waterfowl on Lands Managed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Grant/Contract No: W-43-R 53-54-55Reports on progress and results of inventories of waterfowl along the Illinois and central Mississippi rivers during fall and winter and estimation of moist-soil plant seed abundance for waterfowl on lands managed by Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesINHS Technical Report Prepared for U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resource

Improving the PCR protocol to amplify a repetitive DNA sequence

Although PCR-based techniques have become an essential tool in the field of molecular and genetic research, the amplification of repetitive DNA sequences is limited. This is due to the truncated nature of the amplified sequences, which are also prone to errors during DNA polymerase-based amplification. The complex structure of repetitive DNA can form hairpin loops, which promote dissociation of the polymerase from the template, impairing complete amplification, and leading to the formation of incomplete fragments that serve as megaprimers. These megaprimers anneal with other sequences, generating unexpected fragments in each PCR cycle. Our gene model, MaSp1, is 1037-bp long, with 68% GC content, and its amino acid sequence is characterized by poly-alanine-glycine motifs, which represent the repetitive codon consensus. We describe the amplification of the MaSp1 gene through minor changes in the PCR program. The results show that a denaturation temperature of 98°C is the key determinant in the amplification of the MaSp1 partial gene sequence

Feasibility and initial efficacy of project-based treatment for people with ABI

Background: Communication impairments are common and pervasive for people a long time following acquired brain injury (ABI). These impairments have a significant impact on a person's quality of life (QOL) post‐injury. Project‐based treatment is a treatment approach that could have an impact on communication skills and QOL for people with ABI a long‐term post‐injury. This treatment is embedded in a context of meaningful activities chosen by people with ABI, whereby, as a group, they work collaboratively to achieve a tangible end product. Aims: To evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of project‐based treatment on improving the communication skills and QOL for people with ABI. Methods & Procedures: An exploratory controlled trial with alternate allocation of groups, and follow‐up at 6–8 weeks, was completed. Twenty‐one people with chronic ABI were recruited in groups of two to three from community settings, allocated to either a TREATMENT (n = 11) or WAITLIST group (n = 10). Participants attended a 20‐h group‐based treatment over 6 weeks where they worked towards achieving a project that helped others. To determine feasibility, four criteria were used: demand, implementation, practicality and acceptability. A range of communication and QOL outcomes was used to determine a fifth feasibility criterion, initial efficacy. Some of these criteria were additionally used to evaluate the feasibility of the outcomes. Outcomes & Results: All participants received the treatment as allocated with high attendance and no dropouts. The treatment was feasible to deliver as intended and was highly acceptable to participants. Medium and large effect sizes were found from pre‐ to post‐treatment, and from pre‐treatment to follow‐up for measures of conversation, perceived communicative ability and QOL. Conclusions & Implications: Project‐based treatment is feasible with indications of initial efficacy for both communication skills and QOL. The treatment provides a promising new approach for improving communication skills and QOL in people with chronic acquired brain injuries in the community setting

An Environmentally Friendly Conductive Ink Made Using Transgenic Spider Silk Protein and Silver Salts

The goal of this study was to demonstrate that it is possible to formulate an electrically conductive, stretchable and environmentally friendly ink or coating. This is made possible by harnessing the properties of biomimetic spider silk obtained from transgenic goats. In this experiment we formulated four inks using spider silk, silver trifluoroacetate and carbon nanotubes (CNT). We utilized Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), spider silk, natural rubber (Latex) and polystyrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene(SIS) as substrates to demonstrate the flexible nature of the ink/coating. We then conducted surface characterization using FTIR and SEM to verify the presence of our coating and quantified the thickness of our coatings. We measured the conductivity of the ink using an Ohm meter. Our preliminary results indicate successful formulation of an ink that meets the parameters described above. Inks formulated using spider silk and AgTFA are in fact more stable and conductive than other inks tested in this experiment. We also found little or no success with the other three inks described in the experiment. This study serves as a proof of concept and starting point for optimization of such inks for use in the bio medical and technology sectors

Correlations between the HMH plus, minus and combined accommodative rock tests

Correlations between the HMH plus, minus and combined accommodative rock test

Making Electrospun Spider Silk Fibers Stronger

Spider silk is one of the most robust and versatile fibers making it a topic of interest in the scientific community. Possessing strength and elasticity many have sought to create fibers comparable to natural spider silk. Up until recently many scientists have fallen short of creating said fibers. With the use of a technique called electrospinning, comparable spider silk fibers have been created. Electrospinning is the process of creating fibers from a polymer solution using an electrical field. This method leads to the formation of nanofibers. These Fibers can then be further modified by crosslinking, a technique traditionally used to analyze protein-protein interactions