Kajika

 is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in "Weekly Shōnen Jump" in 1998, with the twelve chapters collected into a single "tankōbon" volume by Shueisha. Although it has not been licensed for an English language release, "Kajika" has been translated and published in several European territories.
Plot.
"Kajika" is the story of title protagonist and his quest to return to being a normal boy. As a member of the , Kajika is extremely strong and has special powers. As a child, Kajika was very evil. His greatest known evil was chasing after a defenseless fox and smashing it with a giant rock. Upon being killed, the spirit of the fox cursed Kajika and Kajika was turned into a fox-man. Kajika was then kicked out of his village because of his monstrous appearance, and the only way to break the curse was to save the lives of 1,000 life forms. The spirit of the dead fox, named Gigi, decided to accompany Kajika on his journey. Upon saving 1,000 life forms, Kajika will go back to being a boy and Gigi will once again get its body back.
After five years of saving life forms, the team only has ten more lives to save. One day, Kajika runs across a girl and saves her from a gang of bad guys. After defeating the gang, Kajika then uses a special power to remove all of their evil, turning them good. Kajika learns that the girl he saved is named Haya, and is told that the guys were after her because of the Dragon Egg she possesses. The Dragon egg is extremely rare and was stolen by the gang leader Gibachi from . Haya then went to Sumakia and stole it from Gibachi. She then went on a quest to return the egg. Gibachi tries to kill Haya and recover the egg. Haya then asks Kajika to help her on her quest.
As the three go to Ronron island we are told why Gibachi wants the egg so badly. There is an old saying that says if you drink the blood of a young Dragon, then you will gain incredible powers. No one is sure if this is true, but the baby dragon does have Dragomin in its blood which allows it to mature extremely fast. As the three set off, though, Haya makes up an excuse as to why she can not continue, but it is really because she fears Gibachi. So, now it is up to Kajika and Giri to return the egg, but it will not be so easy now that they are being hunted down by the world-famous assassin known as Isaza, who is also a member of the powerful Kawa tribe. Kajika is an extremely strong boy, but it is also revealed that being turned into a fox-man is holding down his true powers.
Media.
Manga.
Written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama, "Kajika" was serialized in "Weekly Shōnen Jump" magazine from issue #32 to #44 of 1998. The twelve chapters were collected into one "tankōbon" volume that was released on January 8, 1999 by Shueisha.
"Kajika" has been translated and released in foreign countries, such as in France by Glénat, Spain by Planeta DeAgostini, Malaysia by Comics House, Finland by Sangatsu Manga, and in Germany, Sweden and Denmark by Carlsen Verlag.
Reception.
"Animerica Extra" columnist Patricia Duffield stated that "Kajika" was regularly stocked in Japanese bookstores within the United States. She described "Kajika" as a highly entertaining adventure story due to Toriyama's easy-to-follow writing and comic style and for possessing "the art of a master of action".


Maribacter


Monidovirineae


Cyrtinae

Cyrtinae is a subfamily of the Acroceridae (small-headed flies). Their larvae are endoparasites of araneomorph spiders in the subfamily Entelegynae.
Genera.
The subfamily includes twelve extant genera and two extinct:


Biology of trust

The biology of trust is the study of physiological mechanisms involved in mediating trust in social attachments. It has been studied in terms of genetics, endocrinology and neurobiology.
Trust is the intentional choice to believe the input of strangers because one believes they know the truth and have one's best interest at heart. Trust is important in creating social attachments.
Social bonds is a characteristic present in many mammals and other vertebrae species. However, there exists a paradox in the formation of social bonds in humans- while there are benefits, drawbacks, such as judgment, vulnerabilities to harmful physical and emotional hurt do exist. And overarching all of this is trust, which is marked by the intentional choice to rely on another individual for an underlying purpose, despite drawbacks- a factor in social bonds with biological implications.
Neural Mechanisms.
Neuropeptides, specifically oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP), have been shown to be involved in physiological mechanisms of social behavior. Sex hormones, have also been correlated. The involvement of OT and AVP in trust and social attachment can be attributed the fact that both molecules can be released as neurotransmitters or hormones throughout the body. OT and AVP act as neurotransmitters when released directly by the hypothalamus; they act as neurohormones when released peripherally by the pituitary gland. So, both AVP and OT are peripheral (functioning throughout the body) and central (functioning within the brain).
Both social bonding and social attachment involve OT. In female rats that had OT injected directly into the brain, studies found that the OT rats exhibited full maternal behavior towards foster pups. In studies involving human subjects, increases in OT were observed in subjects who received intentional trust signals in a controlled trust game. When an OT receptor antagonist was injected in rats, it was found that there was a decrease in social recognition and decreased social bonding. In a similar study, injection of central or peripheral OT in the lateral septum or main olfactory bulbs showed an increase in social recognition and interaction. Studies have also shown the integration of OT with Dopamine (DA) and AVP in social bonding. Function of DA neurons on OT receptors bound in the striatum strengthen social attachment by directing the reward pathways in which DA is involved with towards behavioral trust.
Social recognition memory also involves AVP. In a study conducted on Brattleboro rats that carried a mutation inhibiting AVP production, injection of central and peripheral AVP was correlated with an improvement in social recognition. As with OT, injection of AVP receptor antagonist was followed by impaired social bonding and recognition. In male titi monkeys, injection of AVP increased social behavior towards their female partner. In human studies, AVP has also shown to increase pro-social behavior towards their significant other. The effects of AVP are reinforced by its integration with OT. In a study in which rats received increased peripheral or central OT and AVP, the rats with increased OT or AVP exhibited an increase in huddling and sharing food with other rats.
Social bonding is mediated several brain areas which respond to OT, AVP, and DA. Studies using fMRI have been used in research to assess associated brain areas in human attachment based on auditory and visual stimuli responses of the brain to attachment target. These studies found that the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and ventral striatum in the brain were activated during responses to attachment target. Further research in fMRI studies have shown that the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (NA), hypothalamus, sub-cortical and cortical reward neural networks are also involved mediating social attachment. These networks and pathways contain receptors that allow OT, AVP, and DA to exert their effects in high and low level processes in the brain that provide a foundation for social trust. In studies with human subjects who experienced social isolation, there was an increase in activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis-a neural network involved in the release of cortisol, a stress-response hormone. This same research showed a deactivation in brain regions associated with OT and AVP.


Terricolous lichen

A terricolous lichen is a lichen that grows on the soil as a substrate. An example is some members of the genus "Peltigera".


Eustigmatophyte

Eustigmatophytes are a small group (17 genera; ~107 species) of eukaryotic algae that includes marine, freshwater and soil-living species.
All eustigmatophytes are unicellular, with coccoid cells and polysaccharide cell walls. Eustigmatophytes contain one or more yellow-green chloroplasts, which contain chlorophyll a and the accessory pigments violaxanthin and β-carotene. Eustigmatophyte zoids (gametes) possess a single or pair of flagella, originating from the apex of the cell. Unlike other heterokontophytes, eustigmatophyte zoids do not have typical photoreceptive organelles (or eyespots); instead an orange-red eyespot outside a chloroplast is located at the anterior end of the zoid.
Ecologically, eustigmatophytes occur as photosynthetic autotrophs across a range of systems. Most eustigmatophyte genera live in freshwater or in soil, although "Nannochloropsis" contains marine species of picophytoplankton (2–4 μm).
The class was erected to include some algae previously classified in the Xanthophyceae.
Phylogeny.
Phylogeny of Eustigmatophyceae based on the work of Amaral et al 2020


Indian cuckoo

The Indian cuckoo ("Cuculus micropterus") is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, that is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ranges from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and north to China and Russia. It is a solitary and shy bird, found in forests and open woodland at up to .
Description.
This is a medium-sized cuckoo with both sexes alike. It has grey upperparts while the underside has broad black barring. The tail is barred with a broad subterminal dark band and a white tip. Young birds have white markings on the crown and white chin and throat contrasting with a dark face. Juveniles are browner and have broad white tips to the head and wing feathers. The eye-ring is gray to yellow (a feature shared with the common hawk-cuckoo). The iris is light brown to reddish. The female differs from the male in being slightly paler grey on the throat and in having more brown on the breast and tail. The barring on the belly is narrower than in the male. Nestlings have an orange-red mouth and yellow flanges to the gape.
The call is loud with four notes. They have been transcribed as "orange-pekoe", "bo-ko-ta-ko", "crossword puzzle" or "one more bottle". In northern India, they can be locally common during the breeding season with densities estimated at a calling bird for every .
They feed on hairy caterpillars and other insects but sometimes take fruits. They usually feed on the upper canopy, gleaning insects, sometimes making aerial sallies for flying termites or rarely even by hovering lower near the ground.
Taxonomy and systematics.
Two subspecies are generally recognized. The nominate form is found in much of continental Asia, while "concretus" S. Müller, 1845 which is smaller and darker is known from the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The birds in the Amur region are larger and Swinhoe described a form from northern China as "Cuculus michieanus" while Walter Norman Koelz described a form "fatidicus" from northeastern India.
Distribution and habitat.
The species is found widely distributed across Asia, from the Indian subcontinent eastwards to Southeast Asia. The preferred habitat is deciduous and evergreen forests but also occur in garden lands and thick scrub.
Some populations in India migrate south in winter, although there are breeding populations in the southern areas as well, with specimens netted at night or recorded at lighthouses. The population in the Amurland of the Russia is migratory.
Behaviour and ecology.
The Indian cuckoo is a brood parasite. In Russia, females were found to pair with specific males during the breeding season. The male diverts the attention of hosts from their nest giving time for the female to lay her egg. It lays its single egg mostly in the nests of drongos and crows. Brown shrikes have been recorded as hosts in Russia. The female removes and eats an egg from the host nest before laying her own. The breeding season varies from May to July in northern China, March to August in India, January to June in Burma and January to August in the Malay Peninsula.
The host species include "Lanius cristatus" in the Amur region, black drongo and "Pica cyanea" in China. In India, they have been found to be fed by black drongos and ashy drongo. Other hosts that have been recorded include black-headed oriole, streaked spiderhunter, "Eurylaimus ochromalus" and "Dicrurus paradiseus".
The eggs of the cuckoo hatch in 12 days while those of the brown shrike in the Amur region take 15 days. During the third or fourth day, the young bird bends its back when touched and heaves out other eggs or nestlings. This instinct is lost soon after.
In culture.
The loud calls have led to numerous cultural interpretations. In Bengali, it is interpreted as "বউ কথা কও (bou-kotha-kao)", "Bride, please speak". In Uttarakhand and Nepal, it is rendered as "kafal pako", or "the kafal fruit ("Myrica esculenta") is ripe", as is the case in May–June when calling increases. Very little variation is noted between regions. In the Kangra Valley of India, the call is interpreted as the soul of the dead shepherd uttering "where is my sheep". In China, the call is variously interpreted as "why not go home" (不如歸去), "single lonely" (光棍好苦), "single happy" (光棍好過), "mother-in-law beats me" (家婆打我), "catfish congee" (滑哥煲粥), "myna of pea" (豌豆八哥), "pea and maize corn" (豌豆包谷), "go to cut wheat" (快快割麥), "Grandpa, Grandma, cut wheat, transplant rice" (阿公阿婆，割麦插禾). The Soliga people use the interpretation "ke:ta satto, makka ketto " which translate to "Ketha (a person's name) died, his sons cried".


Throne of Jade

Throne of Jade is the second novel in the "Temeraire" alternate history/fantasy series written by American author Naomi Novik. It was published by Del Rey first in the United States on April 25, 2006 and was published in the United Kingdom in August 2007 by Voyager.
Plot introduction.
The story is set during an alternate history version of the Napoleonic Wars, in which dragons not only exist but are used as a staple of aerial warfare in Asia and Europe. The dragons are portrayed as sapient and intelligent, capable of logical thought and human speech. The series centers on events involving Temeraire (the titular dragon) and his handler, William Laurence. The first book of the series centered on how Laurence, formerly a Captain in the Royal Navy, becomes Temeraire's handler, and their early training in preparation for battles against Napoleon's aerial fleet.
Synopsis.
After defeating Napoleon's forces at the battle of Dover, Laurence and Temeraire are confronted by envoys from Imperial China, including Prince Yongxing, brother of the Jiaqing Emperor. The Chinese are eager to recover their rare Celestial dragon from the British. According to Chinese law, Celestials are only allowed to accompany royalty; Temeraire was intended for Napoleon, Emperor of the French, while Laurence, a mere commoner, is deemed unworthy. This raises consternation within Government, as a Napoleon allied with China -- the most powerful nation in the world, isolationist and able to keep other countries at bay through their superior draconic husbandry -- would be impossible to oppose.
After several failed attempts to convince Laurence and the Royal Aerial Corps to return Temeraire to China, the Chinese and the British agree to have Temeraire and his flight crew — including Laurence — accompany the Imperial envoys back to China. As the land routes are deemed unsafe, the Navy has a dragon transport, HMS "Allegiance", captained by Laurence's former second officer Tom Riley, ferry the Celestial and his crew to China. During the voyage, attempts are made on the life of Laurence in order to remove him from Temeraire. In addition, political machinations on the part of the British, French, and Chinese are discovered that threaten the position of Britain in the East, as well as the stability of the Chinese throne. News of the defeat of the Third Coalition at the Battle of Austerlitz and subsequent death of Prime Minister William Pitt casts a pall over the voyage. Finally, Laurence has ongoing difficulties with both Captain Riley, a staunch supporter of the slave trade (Laurence himself descends from known abolitionists), and the diplomat Arthur Hammond, sent along to smooth the operation.
During the sea voyage, Temeraire catches a respiratory illness from Volatilus, a slow-minded though sweet-natured Greyling serving in the courier corps who visits the "Allegiance" with dispatches. They stop at Cape Town, lately captured in the Battle of Blaauwberg, to look for a remedy. By use of a posset made using an extremely smelly mushroom, the cooks of the Chinese delegation are able to restore Temeraire to health. This event, though seemingly unimportant at the moment, shapes the next two novels of the series.
After their arrival in China, Temeraire gets to meet his family, including his mother, and observes the conditions of dragonkind in China, which he deems far superior to British custom: Chinese dragons are citizens in their own right who, amongst other things, may take the Imperial Examination. He begins courting an Imperial dragon named Mei, and is exposed to a young boy of Yongxing's company, who attempts to befriend him. Laurence, for his part, attempts to learn Chinese, liaises with the French ambassador de Guignes, and suffers more direct attempts on his life, including confrontations with Yongxing and his companion, the albino Celestial Lien. Hammond is able to deduce that Yongxing has designs on Prince Mianning, the heir-apparent whose dragon is Temeraire's twin brother, and that Temeraire was sent to France not because the Chinese esteem Napoleon -- indeed, the British are relieved to learn that the Chinese have no particular esteem for Napoleon at all, laying their greatest fear to rest -- but so that Temeraire himself could not be used to complicate the line of succession. Indeed, Yongxing has had him returned to China so that Temeraire may lend legitimacy to a puppet king Yongxing intends to set upon the throne.
At a theatre production in the British delegation's honor, Yongxing attempts to put his plans in motion, but is prevented by the actions of Temeraire and Laurence, and is himself killed in the ensuing scuffle. As a result, the Emperor of China himself adopts Laurence as an honorary son, at a stroke resolving the issues with Laurence's social status and easing relations with Britain. Temeraire, after much deliberation, decides to return to Britain, partially out of love for Laurence and partially to attempt to bring the greater civil liberties of the Middle Kingdom back to the Commonwealth.
Notes.
Novik includes an allusion to the legend of Hua Mulan, or at least the Disney version:


Gomphidius pseudomaculatus

Gomphidius pseudomaculatus is a mushroom in the family Gomphidiaceae that is found in Idaho in North America.


Excavata

Excavata is a major supergroup of unicellular organisms belonging to the domain Eukaryota. It was first suggested by Simpson and Patterson in 1999 and introduced by Thomas Cavalier-Smith in 2002 as a formal taxon. It contains a variety of free-living and symbiotic forms, and also includes some important parasites of humans, including "Giardia" and "Trichomonas". Excavates were formerly considered to be included in the now obsolete Protista kingdom. They are classified based on their flagellar structures, and they are considered to be the most basal Flagellate lineage. Phylogenomic analyses split the members of the Excavates into three different and not all closely related groups: Discobids, Metamonads and Malawimonads. Except for Euglenozoa, they are all non-photosynthetic.
Characteristics.
Most excavates are unicellular, heterotrophic flagellates. Only the Euglenozoa are photosynthetic. In some (particularly anaerobic intestinal parasites), the mitochondria have been greatly reduced. Some excavates lack "classical" mitochondria, and are called "amitochondriate", although most retain a mitochondrial organelle in greatly modified form (e.g. a hydrogenosome or mitosome). Among those with mitochondria, the mitochondrial cristae may be tubular, discoidal, or in some cases, laminar. Most excavates have two, four, or more flagella. Many have a conspicuous ventral feeding groove with a characteristic ultrastructure, supported by microtubules—the "excavated" appearance of this groove giving the organisms their name. However, various groups that lack these traits may be considered excavates based on genetic evidence (primarily phylogenetic trees of molecular sequences).
The Acrasidae slime molds are the only excavates to exhibit limited multicellularity. Like other cellular slime molds, they live most of their life as single cells, but will sometimes assemble into larger clusters.
Classification.
Excavates are classified into six major subdivisions at the phylum/class level. These are shown in the table below. An additional group, Malawimonadida (e.g. "Malawimonas"), may also be included amongst excavates, though phylogenetic evidence is equivocal.
Discoba or JEH clade.
Euglenozoa and Heterolobosea (Percolozoa) or Eozoa (Cavalier-Smith) appear to be particularly close relatives, and are united by the presence of discoid cristae within the mitochondria (Superphylum Discicristata). A close relationship has been shown between Discicristata and Jakobida, the latter having tubular cristae like most other protists, and hence were united under the taxon name Discoba, which was proposed for this apparently monophyletic group.
Metamonads.
Metamonads are unusual in having lost classical mitochondria—instead they have hydrogenosomes, mitosomes or uncharacterised organelles. The oxymonad "Monocercomonoides" is reported to have completely lost homologous organelles.
Monophyly.
Excavate relationships are still uncertain; it is possible that they are not a monophyletic group. The monophyly of the excavates is far from clear, although there seem to be several clades within the excavates that are monophyletic.
Certain excavates are often considered among the most primitive eukaryotes, based partly on their placement in many evolutionary trees. This could encourage proposals that excavates are a paraphyletic grade that includes the ancestors of other living eukaryotes. However, the placement of certain excavates as 'early branches' may be an analysis artifact caused by long branch attraction, as has been seen with some other groups, for example, microsporidia.
Malawimonads.
The malawimonads are generally considered to be members of Excavata owing to their typical excavate morphology, and phylogenetic affinity to other excavate groups in some molecular phylogenies. However, their position among eukaryotes remains elusive.
Ancyromonads.
Ancyromonads are small free-living cells with a narrow longitudinal groove down one side of the cell. The ancyromonad groove is not used for 'suspension feeding', unlike in 'typical excavates' (e.g. malawimonads, jakobids, "Trimastix", "Carpediemonas", "Kiperferlia", etc). Ancyromonads instead capture prokaryotes attached to surfaces. The phylogenetic placement of ancyromonads is poorly understood (in 2020), however some phylogenetic analyses place them as close relatives of malawimonads. Consequently, it is possible that ancyromonads are relevant for understand the evolution of 'true' excavates.
Cladogram.
Here is a proposed cladogram for the positioning of the Excavata, with the Eukaryote root in the excavates, mainly following Cavalier-Smith.
In this view, excavata is highly paraphyletic, and is proposed to be abandoned. In alternative view, the Discoba are sister to the rest of the Diphoda.


Mycobacterium flavescens

Mycobacterium flavescens is a species of the phylum Actinobacteria (Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content, one of the dominant phyla of all bacteria), belonging to the genus "Mycobacterium".
Etymology.
Its name is derived from the Latin word "flavescens", which means "becoming golden yellow."
Description.
Gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods.
Pathogenesis.
Not associated with disease. Biosafety level 2.
Type strain.
Strain ATCC 14474 = CCUG 29041 = CIP 104533 = DSM 43991 = JCM 12274 = NCTC 10271 = NRRL B-4038.


Endolithic lichen

An endolithic lichen is a crustose lichen that grows inside solid rock, growing between the grains, with only the fruiting bodies exposed to the air. An example is "Caloplaca luteominea" subspecies "bolandri".


Polyrhaphis spinosa

Polyrhaphis spinosa is a species of longhorn beetles of the subfamily Lamiinae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
Description.
Head and antennae brown, the latter about the length of the insect. Thorax lighter brown and rough, terminating on the sides in two very long and sharp spines, bending upwards; on the middle are two others that are more obtuse and thick, with a small bump or rising behind them. Scutellum black. Elytra brown on the middle and sides, but at their extremities grey, terminating in two long spines. A row of small but sharp spines runs on each side the suture, from the middle almost to the scutellum; and along the sides runs another row from the anterior corners almost to the extremities. Six others are placed on each side the scutellum, running towards the middle in regular order; and on the remaining parts of the wing cases are placed a great number of small pustules, that are to be discerned only by the help of a microscope. Legs brown. Tibiae marked with grey. Body length a little more than an inch (28 mm).


Mononiviridae


Victorivirus

Victorivirus is a genus of viruses, in the family "Totiviridae". Filamentous fungi serve as natural hosts. There are 14 species in this genus.
Structure.
Viruses in "Victorivirus" are non-enveloped, with icosahedral geometries, and T=2 symmetry. The diameter is around 40 nm. Genomes are linear, around 4.6-6.7kb in length. The genome has 2 open reading frames.
Life cycle.
Viral replication is cytoplasmic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by virus remains intracellular. Replication follows the double-stranded RNA virus replication model. Double-stranded RNA virus transcription is the method of transcription. Translation takes place by RNA termination-reinitiation. The virus exits the host cell by cell to cell movement.
Filamentous fungi serve as the natural host.
Taxonomy.
The genus "Victorivirus" includes the following species:


List of Scleroderma species

This is a list of species in the fungal genus "Scleroderma" (order Boletales).


Gnomes (film)

Gnomes is an American 1980 hour-long animated TV special, based on the book of the same name by Dutch writer Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet. The show was first broadcast on CBS, on November 11, 1980. It was nominated for an Emmy in 1981 for "Outstanding Animated Program".
Several years after this film was released, the television series, "The World of David the Gnome" was created, based on the same book.
Plot.
The movie starts by introducing gnomes in general, and a particular family of forest gnomes who live together in a home under a tree. The family consists of a father, mother, grandfather, older son Tor, and a set of young twins. Tor is about to marry his fiancée Lisa, and the gnomes are busy decorating and preparing for the wedding.
In the same forest live a family of trolls: a large and stupid troll father, a somewhat more intelligent mother troll (who wears a snake in her hair and smokes a cigar), their two bumbling older sons and a young troll child affectionately called "Runt". When the father gnome frees the trapped bear cub they had intended to have for their supper, the trolls resolve to get their revenge.
The trolls’ intended method of revenge is to set the gnome dwelling on fire, and each member of the troll family marches toward the gnomes’ household, memorably chanting “burn, burn, burn” in unison.
Lisa and her parents arrive, carried by a goose from the city. They are "house gnomes" who live among humans and are the "aristocrats" of gnome society. Another less welcome arrival is Uncle Kostya from Siberia who crashes the wedding ceremony, adding extra alcohol to Grandpa's punch and making inappropriate advances to the mother of the bride. Their differences are soon forgotten however when the trolls strike.
The movie also contains a handful of vignettes, which use still illustrations from the original book and narration to explain some of the facts about the different sorts of gnomes, and what sorts of duties gnomes perform to help the creatures they live among.
Airing.
It was once common to see this film played on cable television movie channels, however it has since become very hard to find as it is not readily available for sale on DVD or VHS.
Copyright status.
It was quite popular in Sweden where it has a fairly large fan base, but due to its unclear copyright status (after the production company shut down) further viewing was deemed impossible by Sveriges Television until the status was resolved. Member of the Swedish Riksdag Karl Sigfrid aimed a written question to Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask how this and similar issues should be resolved.
DVD releases.
Despite no official news about the copyright status, a DVD release was released in Sweden on December 1, 2010. The distributor is the Norwegian company CCV.


Asellariales

The Asellariales are an order of fungi classified under Kickxellomycotina.
Species include "Asellaria dactylopus" and "Asellaria jatibonicua".


Gaskiers Formation

The Gaskiers Formation is a geologic formation in Newfoundland and Labrador. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ediacaran period.


Marinobacter

Marinobacter is a genus of Proteobacteria found in sea water. They are also found in a variety of salt lakes.
A number of strains and species can degrade hydrocarbons. The species involved in hydrocarbon degradation include "M. alkaliphilus", "M. arcticus", "M. hydrocarbonoclasticus", "M. maritimus" & "M. squalenivorans".
There are currently 46 species of Marinobacter that are characterized by Gram-negative rods and salt-tolerance.


Entamoeba invadens

Entamoeba invadens is an amoebozoa parasite of reptiles, within the genus "Entamoeba". It is closely related to the human parasite "Entamoeba histolytica", causing similar invasive disease in reptiles, in addition to a similar morphology and lifecycle.
High Risk Species.
Amebiasis has been observed in saurian, ophidian, and chelonian reptiles and is shown to result in a mortality rate of approximately 100%. Several scientists have noted that reptiles native to lower temperature climates tend to be carriers of the parasite, while those species who live in warmer temperatures usually develop pathogenic cases. It has also been found that snakes and lizards have the highest mortality rates in contrast to turtles and crocodiles who tend to be asymptomatic carriers. Symptoms typically include dehydration, anorexia, lethargy, and bloody stools. This condition is usually diagnosed by directly examining fecal samples for trophozoites, however, diagnosis is difficult due to the short lifespan and the morphological similarities to the other Entamoeba species. There is still a great need to develop an assay that is rapid, specific, and sensitive to "E. Invadens". The development of such an assay will allow identification of carriers, therefore preventing the spread of E. Invadens to other reptiles.
Morphology.
"E. invadens" trophozoites and cysts can be visualized with conventional light microscopy techniques. The motile parasite appears amoeboid in shape and becomes round when exposed to stress. The cyst stage of the parasite is usually smaller than the trophozoite, round, and quadrinucleated. In order to differentiate between a cyst and a “stressed” trophozoite under a light microscope, the cells have to be washed with a strong detergent which will lyse all trophozoites and immature cysts, leaving only mature cysts.
Disease and lifecycle.
"Entamoeba invadens" is a causative agent of amoebiasis in reptiles, such as snakes and lizards. Reptile amoebiasis can be treated with metronidazole, an amoebicide drug.
"Entamoeba invadens" is primarily transmitted via the ingestion of contaminated faeces, also known as the faecal-oral route. It has two distinct lifecycle stages. The first is a resistant cyst stage, which is transmitted outside of a host, and is also known as the infectious stage. The second is the motile trophozoite stage, which is released from the cyst following introduction into the host environment, and is the disease-causing (pathogenic) stage.
To survive and infect other hosts, "E. invadens" must form a carbohydrate rich cyst. The chemical makeup and of formation of the cyst is of paramount importance to scientists all around the world because detailing this could lead to treatment development. Studies investigating cyst wall composition have shown that the wall specifically contains chitin, chitosan fibrils, and chitin binding proteins. As opposed to walls of plants and fungi who have multilayered walls, the "Entamoeba" cyst wall is homogenous—containing only one layer. The combination of these elements confers resistance to extreme environmental conditions such as desiccation, heat, and detergent Despite the amount of research conducted to date, the formation of the cyst wall during encystation has not yet been clearly defined. Scientists do know that during this process, the level of cytoplasmic vesicles is significantly reduced, which is thought to be caused by vesicles fusing with the plasma membrane in order to deposit the cyst wall on the exterior of the cell. These cyst wall properties allow the infective form of the parasite to persist for prolonged periods of time in extreme environments before it is ingested by the next host. Once ingested, the cyst travels through the digestive system unaffected until it reaches the small intestine, where it encounters several triggers, that have been found to induce excystation. Such triggers include, low glucose, osmotic shock, and a combination of water, bicarbonate, and bile. Eight pathogenic trophozoites emerge from each cyst (Brewer, 2008) and begin to feed on the bacteria that is naturally found in the reptilian gut in addition to mucin cells that make up the mucosal layer of the large intestine. The parasite will also secrete enzymes that continue to destroy the mucosal layer. This degradation recruits more bacteria to the scene of invasion, further fueling trophozoite replication. In addition to feeding the trophozoites, this excess flow of bacteria also can result in secondary bacterial infections that could also assist in the systemic distribution of the parasite causing liver or brain abscesses. The increased population of trophozoites through various cell signaling pathways will initiate trophozoite aggregation, which is the first step in encystation. Once encystation occurs, the infective cysts are excreted into the environment.
Cyst Formation.
Unknown signals within the gastro-intestinal tract trigger encystation. The accumulation of trophozoites in one area is thought to be made up of one signal that leads to aggregation, which believed to be the first step in encystation. This multicellular trophozoite aggregate is known as the “precyst.” Cells adhere to each other via Gal/GalNac lectin which is found on the surface of the pathogen. Host mucin cells have galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine which serve as the binding sites for these Gal/GalNac lectins. These lectins are a huge area of interest for scientists, as the association between these glycoproteins could potentially be a target for drug therapy. Once the trophozoites begin to aggregate, cyst differentiation is initiated by intracellular rearrangement which leads to cell rounding and cellular compaction. This rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton seems to be crucial in differentiation to cysts. While encystation is yet to be completely defined in "Entamoeba", scientists are getting close. Specific acting binding proteins, small GTPases, Rho kinases, and Rab proteins have all been identified as participants in various stages of encystation, which has been in part due to studying other various parasites, because several pathways and mechanisms have been conserved.
Use in research.
"Entamoeba invadens" has been used as a model system for studying development, and encystation "in vitro", particularly due to difficulties associated with studying encystation in the closely related human parasite "E. histolytica". Genome sequencing has revealed 74% equivalency in genic regions and 50% equivalency in intergenic regions existing between "Entamoeba invadens" and "Entamoeba histolytica""."
For instance, it was found that, during the conversion from the tetraploid uninucleate trophozoite to the tetranucleate cyst, homologous recombination is enhanced. Expression of genes with functions related to the major steps of meiotic recombination also increased during encystations. These findings in "E. invadens", combined with evidence from studies of "E. histolytica" indicate the presence of meiosis in the Entamoeba.
Genome.
The genome of "E. invadens", sequenced in 2013, was approximately 40 MB in size, and predicted to contain 11,549 genes. Overall, the genome was considered to be highly repetitive. Many genes occurred in large, multi-gene families. When compared to the genome of "E. histolytica", Wang et al. found that on average, "E. invadens" had 60% sequence identity. Comparing the two genomes will allow further insights into the human pathogen, since "E. invadens" can readily encyst in vitro. The fully sequenced genome of "E. invadens" will allow researchers to investigate gene expression and virulence at the molecular level, making it an invaluable tool for eradicating this parasite. In addition, sequencing the genome during "E. invadens" encystation will further highlight drug therapy targets in the closely related human species, "Entamoeba histolytica".


Zoophagus

Zoophagus is a genus of zygomycete fungi that preys on rotifers and nematodes. It was established in 1911 by Sommerstorff, who originally considered it to be an oomycete. It is common in a variety of freshwater habitats, such as ponds and sewage treatment plants.
Morphology.
The mycelium is composed of non-septate hyphae that bear lateral adhesive pegs. Spores are sometimes septate long, fusiform merosporangia with tapered ends that are borne on lateral sporangiophores.
Ecology.
"Zoophagus" species have been reported from ponds, brooks, and fens, usually in association with algae or decaying plant matter. Exceptions are "Z. cornus", which was described from rice paddy mud, and "Z. pectosporus", which was described from moss and additionally reported from leaf litter. "Zoophagus insidians" in particular has also been reported from sewage treatment plants where it can pose a significant threat to water quality. "Zoophagus" spp. prey on a variety of rotifer species. "Zoophagus pectosporus" primarily preys on nematodes and seems to be restricted to species of "Bunonema", though it is also capable of trapping rotifers. When prey encounter one of the traps, an adhesive is released and the animal is caught. Hyphae later grow into the body and digest it.


List of parasitic organisms

This is an "incomplete list" of organisms that are true parasites upon other organisms.
Endoparasites.
Parasitic worms.
These can be categorized into three groups; cestodes, nematodes and trematodes. Examples include:
Ectoparasites.
Monogeneans.
Monogeneans are flatworms, generally ectoparasites on fish.


Microbial consortium

A microbial consortium or consortium, is two or more bacterial or microbial groups living symbiotically. Consortiums can be endosymbiotic or ectosymbiotic, or occasionally may be both. The protist "Mixotricha paradoxa", itself an endosymbiont of the "Mastotermes darwiniensis" termite, is always found as a consortium of at least one endosymbiotic coccus, multiple ectosymbiotic species of flagellate or ciliate bacteria, and at least one species of helical "Treponema" bacteria that forms the basis of "Mixotricha" protists' locomotion.
The concept of a consortium was first introduced by Johannes Reinke in 1872, and in 1877 the term symbiosis was introduced and later expanded on.
Human Health.
Consortia are commonly found in humans, with the predominant examples being the skin consortium and the intestinal consortium which provide protection and aid in human nutrition. Additionally, bacteria have been identified as existing within the brain (previously believed to be sterile), with metagenomic evidence suggesting the species found may be enteric in origin. As the species found appear to be well-established, have no discernible impact on human health, and are species known to form consortia when found in the gut, it is highly likely they have also formed a symbiotic consortium within the brain.


Acanthocyte (mycology)

In mycology, acanthocyte refers to stellate cells found on the hyphae of fungi of the genus "Stropharia". Recent work, published in 2006, on those of "Stropharia rugosoannulata" has shown them to have nematode-killing properties.


Rathayibacter

Rathayibacter is a genus of bacteria of the order Actinomycetales which are gram-positive soil organisms.


Table of permselectivity for different substances

This is a table of permselectivity for different substances in the glomerulus of the kidney in renal filtration.


Stripe rust

Stripe rust may refer to:


Acaulospora taiwania

Acaulospora taiwania is a species of fungus in the family Acaulosporaceae. It forms arbuscular mycorrhiza and vesicles in roots. Found in Taiwan growing in association with "Taiwania cryptomerioides", it was described as new to science in 1998.


Phikmvvirus

Phikmvvirus is a genus of viruses that infect bacteria. There are currently 16 species in this genus including the type species "Pseudomonas virus phiKMV".
Bacteriophage phiKMV and its relatives are known to be highly virulent phages, producing large ( diameter) clear plaques on a susceptible host. The only reported exception is phage LKA1, which yields small plaques () surrounded by a halo. While all other "P. aeruginosa"-specific phikmvviruses use the Type IV pili as primary receptor, LKA1 particles attach to the bacterial lipopolysaccharide layer.
Taxonomy.
The following species are recognized:
Virology.
Electron microscopic imaging of purified phage particles revealed these phages as typical members of the "Podoviridae", with a head diameter of approximately and a stubby tail with a length of 8–10 nm. Although phiKMV phage resembles the well-studied podovirus T7 in overall genome architecture, it was the first known T7-like phage which encoded a single-subunit RNA polymerase gene downstream its DNA metabolism genes instead of in the early genomic region. Based on these properties, the genus "Phikmvvirus" is classified within the "Autographiviridae".
Life cycle.
Viral replication is cytoplasmic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by absorption into the host cell. DNA-templated transcription is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by lysis, and holin/endolysin/spanin proteins. Bacteria serve as the natural host. Transmission routes are passive diffusion.


Susan G. Ernst

Susan G. Ernst is a professor of Biology at Tufts University and was the first Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Her research is in Developmental biology and primarily focuses on the role of the Endo16 gene in embryogenesis. She uses the sea urchin as her model system for research.
Academic career.
Ernst graduated with honors from Louisiana State University in 1968 with a B.S. in Zoology. She received her Ph.D. in Zoology in 1975 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After completing post-doctoral fellowships first at Case Western Reserve and then the California Institute of Technology, Ernst became an Assistant Professor at Tufts University in 1979.
From 1997 to 2005, Ernst held a number of deanships at Tufts serving, most notably, as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences from 2001 to 2005. Throughout this time she continued to teach undergraduate and graduate courses and pursue her research. In 2005, Ernst returned to teaching and research full-time.


List of model organisms

This is a list of model organisms used in scientific research.


Twitya Formation

The Twitya Formation is a geologic formation in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ediacaran period.


Clostridium innocuum

Clostridium innocuum is an anaerobic, non-motile, gram-positive bacterium that reproduces by sporulation. While there are over 130 species of Clostridium, "C. innocuum" is the third most commonly isolated. Although it is not normally considered an aggressive human pathogen, it has been isolated in some disease processes. "C. innocuum" and other Clostridium line the oropharynx and gastrointestinal tract, and are considered normal gut flora.
Characteristics and identification.
Anaerobic gram-positive bacilli affecting human beings are generally divided into two distinct groups, those that form spores ("Clostridium" spp) and those that do not form spores. Within the spore-forming group of "Clostridium" species, some are very pathogenic or toxigenic ("C. perfringens") while others are rarely pathogenic. Identification and differentiation between anaerobic gram-positive bacteria in a clinical laboratory can be a very difficult task.
"C. innocuum" forms white, glossy, raised colonies and exhibits a chartreuse fluorescence. It is a small, non-motile rod that does not swarm. "C. innocuum" falls into the saccharolytic, non-proteolytic group of Clostridium spp. and is negative for gelatin hydrolysis, lecithinase, lipase, indole, urea, and nitrate. It is positive for glucose fermentation, esculin and produces oval, terminal spores.
Pathology.
Although "Clostridium innocuum" are often present and harmless in healthy people, they have been isolated in various infections and predominantly in patients that are immunocompromised as an opportunistic bacteria. In one case, "C. innocuum" was isolated in an infected hematoma adjacent to a transplanted kidney in a 38-year-old, Hepatitis C patient. Originally, the bacteria was misidentified as another "Clostridium" species but was eventually correctly identified. This led the authors to state that "C. innocuum" infection post transplant may be severely underestimated. "C. innocuum" has also been implicated in cases of fatal bacteremia as reported in a retrospective study done by Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Patients that succumbed to the infection (100% mortality) had underlying disease states (malignancy, diabetes or liver disease). While clostridial species only account for 2% of clinical bacteremia, "C innocuum" was among the three most commonly isolated bacteria in this study. "C. innocuum" has also been isolated in patients with recurrent diarrhea who had prior "C. difficile" associated diarrhea. One case of fatal bacterial endocarditis was also found in the literature. This is possibly the only confirmed case of "C. innocuum" endocarditis involving the pulmonary and tricuspid valves resulting in multiple emboli and death.
Drug resistance.
In a study that identified clostridial species using commercial identification kits, it was found that as many as 10% of "C. innocuum" isolates were somewhat resistant to clindamycin. Most strains were found to be only moderately susceptible to vancomycin (MIC at which 90% of strains are inhibited, 4 micrograms/mL). In another study, where "C innocuum" was positively identified by gas-liquid chromatography, resistance to vancomycin was seen in all 28 strains isolated. All other clostridial species were at least 8 times more susceptible to vancomycin than "C. innocuum", suggesting an intrinsic vancomycin resistance mechanism in "C. innocuum".


Gonyostomum semen

Gonyostomum semen is a species of freshwater algae in the genus "Gonyostomum", with worldwide distribution. They cause nuisance algal blooms and are known to cause allergic reactions to people swimming in lakes.
Distribution.
This freshwater microalgal species is globally distributed. It usually occurs in small, acidic lakes with high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, which result in sharp gradients of light intensity due to rapid attenuation of light with depth. During the last decades, "G. semen" has spread in northern Europe to many non-humic lakes with higher pH. There is evidence that brownification of lakes in these areas, decreasing pH and higher water temperature initiated the spreading of this species.
Physiology.
The drop-shaped, vegetative cells of "G. semen" are up to 100 µm long, but can vary quite a bit in form and size, as they are only surrounded by a cell membrane instead of a cell wall. These microalgae are, therefore, highly fragile and sensitive to mechanical stress. The cells are filled with many bright green, oval chloroplasts. The bright green color is caused by the pigment chlorophyll "a". Additionally, "G. semen" displays the pigments chlorophyll "c1" and "c2", diadinoxanthin, trans-neoxanthin, cis-neoxanthin, "α" and "β" carotene, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin and alloxanthin. Like other heterokont algae, the planktonic cells of "G. semen" possess two differently shaped flagella, which enable them to actively swim around in the water column. Under physical stress, small organelles that sit under the cell membrane and are called trichocysts, explode and release slimy threads. This likely represents a deterring mechanism against predators. These slimy threads also cause skin irritation for some bathers that are swimming in "G. semen" blooms.
In temperate regions, this species forms blooms during the summer. In spring, vegetative cells hatch from resting stages called cysts. The vegetative cells mainly reproduce asexually through division of the mother cell into two daughter cells. During unfavorable conditions, the motile cells can also form temporary resting stages, which usually germinate within a few days. At the end of summer, vegetative cells divide into two gametes, which fuse later to a planozygote. After these steps of sexual recombination, the planozygotes form resting cysts, which sink to the sediment, where they outlast the winter. These resting stages are much more robust than vegetative cells.
Ecology.
"Gonyostomum semen" can germinate from its resting stages under many environmental conditions, which probably facilitates the dispersal to new habitats. Additionally, this species can grow in a wide range of pH and light conditions allowing the frequent formation of blooms in summer. Lack of efficient grazers in several lakes and the ability to feed on dissolved organic matter might further help "G. semen" to thrive in many different habitats.


Adnaviria

Adnaviria is a realm of viruses.
Classification.
"Adnaviria" is monotypic down to the rank of class and contains two orders. This taxonomy is shown hereafter:


Parmales

The Parmales are an order of marine microalgae within the Bolidophyceae class. They are found worldwide and characterized by a cell wall composed of 5-8 interlocking silica plates with distinct forms. They were initially thought to be loricate choanoflagellates but were shown to be a separate phyla entirely upon the discovery of chloroplasts, placing it among the photosynthetic stramenopiles.
The group is divided into two distinct morphologies- the naked and mobile bolidophyte form and the non-mobile and silica-plate covered parmalean form. The bolidophyte form lacks silica plates and has two unequal flagella inserted ventrally, vaguely reminiscent of "Chlamydomonas". The parmalean form is similar to the diatoms as it is coated in silicate plates. These silicate plates are used to divide the Parmales into separate genera based upon the number and location of the siliceous plates. Unlike the diatoms, the Parmales are able to grow in silica-limiting environments because the synthesis of the silica plates is not directly connected to growth or reproduction.
The Parmales actively feed on nanophytoplankton such as "Prochlorococcus" and "Synechococcus" and are one of the most important grazers on these cyanobacteria in oligotrophic waters. This heterotrophy serves as an important step in the foundation of the microbial loop.
Etymology.
The name comes from the Latin word for a small, round shield carried by infantry and cavalry. It refers to the silica plates that the Parmales are covered by.
Distribution.
Parmales can be found in all the major world oceans. However, their density is consistently low (10-100 cells/ml) and they represent at most 3% of the phytoplankton present. They are most abundant in polar and subarctic waters but are also capable of growing in tropical and subtropical locations.
Within the water column, Parmales are found in the upper, euphotic portion where they remain without difficulty due to their small size. It is currently unknown whether they have mechanisms to regulate buoyancy.
Parmales have also been found as fossils in the Middle America Trench in sediments from the mid to late Quaternary period. Older fossils have been reported but are unverifiable.
Taxonomy.
Although initially placed within the Chrysophyceae, Parmales were shown in 2016 to belong to the Bolidophyceae


Euphaedra eupalus

Euphaedra eupalus, the western blue-banded forester, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo.
The habitat consists of wet forests. Adults are attracted to fallen fruit.
Description.
Upperside: antennae black, lighter at the tips. Head black. Thorax and abdomen dark brown. Anterior wings dark red brown, tipped with white; but next to the shoulders of a purplish hue, with a dark yellow streak near the tips, extending obliquely from the anterior towards the external edge. Posterior wings also red brown; but towards the middle and shoulders of a purplish blue, which they reflect more or less according to the position they are held in.
Under side: palpi and breast yellow. Anterior wings olive brown, tipped with white; but along the external edges of a hazel colour, and near the shoulders having three round black spots on each. Posterior wings similar to the anterior, being of a brown olive, variegated, and clouded, with three small spots placed near the shoulders, as in the superior ones. All the wings are a little dentated (tooth like).
Wingspan a little over inches (90 mm).


Daria Mochly-Rosen

Daria Mochly-Rosen is a Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she also holds the George D. Smith Chair for Translational Medicine. She is in addition the founder of Mitoconix Bio, a startup company whose goal is to produce drugs that treat Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative illnesses.


Leptodontidium

Leptodontidium is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Leptodontidiaceae.
The species of this genus are found in Europe and Australia.
Species:


Jonesia


Leprose lichen

A leprose lichen is a lichen with a powdery or granular surface. Leprose lichens lack an outer "skin," or cortex. If a crustose lichen starts to disintegrate, it will appear powdery, but crustose lichens will leave a cortex surface, and leprose lichens do not. Leprose lichens have no inner or outer cortex. They sometimes have a weak kind of medulla, but are composed mainly of the fungal hyphae and an algae.


Mycobacterium lentiflavum

Mycobacterium lentiflavum
Etymology: Lentus from Latin for slow, flavus, Latin for yellow.
Description.
Gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast coccobacilli.
Colony characteristics
Physiology
Differential characteristics
Type strain.
Strain 2186/92 = ATCC 51985 = CCUG 42422 = CCUG 42559 = CIP 105465 = DSM 44418 = JCM 13390.


Unicorn Trend

The Unicorn Trend is a tendency to design and consume objects, clothing and food with a rainbowed and vibrant color palette, usually composed by pastel or highly saturated colors such as pink, violet, blue and green. This tendency has acquired a strong popularity since 2016, especially among millennials. They rediscovered in the mythological figure of the unicorn a comeback to the childhood and a way to escape from reality. Its popularity was also due to influencers and celebrities who started to share on social networks their appreciation of the unicorn symbol as a trendy emblem through the consumption of inspired phone cases, water bottles, tote bags, makeup and food.
The unicorn trend is also characterized by a visual value: the kitschy aesthetic of the modern unicorn depiction appeals to people who like posting on social networks colorful and filtered contents to get likes.
Trend development.
The unicorn has had an aesthetic and commercial value for centuries. The first written reference to this kind of animals dates back to the fourth century BCE. Later on, they became popular folklore figure, symbols of chastity and purity as they were attracted by the naked breasts of virginal women.
Since the ancient Greeks, the unicorn was pictured in the mythology as an elegant beast similar to a white horse with a long and spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. The unicorn briefly appears even in the Old Testament of the Bible under the name of "re’em" (also "reem", Hebrew: רְאֵם), making its way in the Western art and culture during the Medieval and then the Renaissance Age.
Over time the unicorn was re-imagined as a toy, characterized by pastel bright colors and sparkly eyes that were popular among young girls during the 1980s.
Contemporary consumption.
The physical perception of the unicorn has evolved during the years from a white, pure and elegant horse (as portrayed for example in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone") to the sparkly and pink creatures of the cartoon TV series My Little Pony, becoming a trendy cultural phenomenon.
The start of the trend.
The health food photographer Adeline Waugh unintentionally started the unicorn food trend in June 2016. As a food blogger she liked experimenting with cream cheese and natural pigments on toasts, that is how she came up with a pastel-colored cream to decorate her toasts. Her followers appreciated the experiment and started calling it “unicorn toast”. After came unicorn lattes, cakes, hot chocolate. The fad went on spreading from unicorn beauty products to pool floats. Marketers soon recognized the power of this fad and started exploiting it for commercial purposes, Starbucks for example launched a unicorn Frappuccino in 2017 and really contributed to the boom of the unicorn fad. The LGBT community also started to embrace this unicorn fever, as its typical colors reminded the ones of the community’s signature flag.
As Vaughn Scribner points out this infatuation with unicorns is not new, however, with social media it has been spreading on a much wider scale. In 2016 it became a whole cultural phenomenon. The trend expert Daniel Levine helped explaining why the unicorn mania became a fad. According to Levine three are the key points that create a fad: “an established cultural interest in something that combines with the current "zeitgeist", “publicity by celebrities” and “a high visual interest that gets the attention on social media”. In the unicorn case the social media part came first, the bright pastel colors and the sparkle were a perfect fit for the Instagram language.
The way we currently use social media played a huge role in the spreading of the fad, social media like Instagram and Snapchat strongly emphasize visual culture, it’s no surprise that pastel and highly saturated colored pictures really took off on those platforms.
Part of the reason why unicorns are so loved is that they remind us of our childhood, and they help people escape from reality. Just like creatures such as vampires or werewolves were popular when times were more joyful, unicorns became popular during a time when politics and culture were dark and oppressive.
Unicorns are also connected to the millennials nostalgia, which is evident everywhere on social media platforms. The unicorn reminds millennials of their carefree and happy childhood. In 2010, the TV cartoon "" played a big role in that, it draws on the My Little Pony franchisee of the 1980s.
The Unicorn mania can also be linked to Lisa Frank, the founder of the a school supply company called Lisa Frank Incorporated. It sold a lot of school supply and stickers characterized by colorful and neon colors. Lisa Frank, just like My Little Pony, had a strong impact on kids that are now millennials.
The Unicorn Fad.
According to Google Trend, the global search of the term unicorn reached its highest point during April 2017 when Starbucks launched its Unicorn Frappuccino. From August 2016 through July 2017 searches on Pinterest for unicorn food saw an increase of nearly 400%. While those for unicorn makeup reached more than 460%. On Instagram, the hashtag unicorn has amassed more than 5.9 million posts. Since then, the search interest has dropped off during 2018. New fads have taken over the unicorn fever, like the mermaid trend for example.
For this reason, more than a trend it could be referred to as a fad. Even if sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably, they differ in their rise, incubation period and duration. The trend rises slowly and is driven by a functional need, a fad is an ephemeral and emotional necessity to purchase that rises from a sudden hype towards something. Therefore, it rises as quickly as it disappears.
Subcategories of the trend.
Unicorn food.
The unicorn figure, with its colors similar to the rainbow’s hues, are used to decorate several types of food.
The Unicorn Frappuccino consisted in a purple color-changing drink with some blue tones and with a sweet and a fruity dominant taste. Since then, any kind of food, from sweet to savory recipes, has started to take the shape of a pastel colored unicorn. Food bloggers, writers, YouTubers, celebrities but also ordinary people started to recreate recipes and applied them to various kind of food.  They created books, blogs, YouTube videos and websites dedicated to the reproduction and the purchase of sparkly and colorful ingredients and meals.
Different kinds of food started to be decorated  accordingly like biscuits, yogurt bowls, cakes fudges, milkshakes, cupcakes, ice-creams, marshmallows, meringues, banana breads, doughs but also some more unusual ones like popcorns, sushi, noodles, soups, sandwiches, grilled cheese, pizza.
Contrary to the popular belief that sees pastel and sparkly colors on food as very caloric and sugary, a lot of them are now obtained by natural and plant-based ingredients.
A widely used ingredient is spirulina powder, an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory substance, full of vitamins, from which you obtain the light blue color.
Many colors are also obtained from fruits and vegetables, for example the beet juice to create pink, frozen dried blueberry powder or red cabbage leaves to obtain purple and blue, and again yellow and orange from the root of turmeric.
Unicorn beauty.
Unicorn beauty involves the use of pastel colors (soft pink, green, blue and lavender), holographic shades, glitters and unicorn horn-shaped objects for makeup, nail art and hairstyling.
It is believed that the trend entered the beauty industry around 2008 when an online vegan and cruelty-free brand for makeup and hair colour (Lime Crime) was founded and used the tagline “Makeup for Unicorns” to commercialize its rainbowed products. In 2014, the hair colorist and youtuber Guy Tang shared a series of photos on Instagram with a unicorn-colored hairstyle, that made him popular worldwide.
By 2017 the unicorn trend had spread into the beauty world thanks to social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest and partly overtook its counterpart, the Mermaid Trend. In the same year, Lisa Frank made a collaboration with the brand Glamour Dolls Makeup and released a cruelty-free makeup collection with the packaging covered by her iconic rainbowed animal prints.
In 2018 Paris Hilton launched a skincare line, starting with the release of a limited edition rose water named “Unicorn Mist”. In 2019, during the National Unicorn Day (celebrated on April 9 in the U.S.), Paris Hilton announced on social media the re-release of the sold-out product.
Thanks to the popularity of this trend in this sector, products labelled as “unicorn snot” (holographic glitter body gel), “unicorn tears” (lipsticks and lip-glosses) and “unicorn essence” (serum for the skin) are offered in the market.
Some beauty products related to this trend are: unicorn-inspired highlighters, eye palettes, lipsticks, nail polish, soaps, unicorn horn makeup brushes and hairstyles.
Unicorn design.
The Unicorn Trend has also infected the world of design with the creation of some daily life objects and gadgets that have the appearance and the colours of unicorns. This tendency englobes pillows, sheets and bed-covers, drinking cups, flatware. One of the most popular during the past summers was the unicorn pool float, a real inflatable with the appearance of a unicorn, frequently used by teenagers on pools and beaches, and the protagonist of several users’ pictures on social networks.
The Unicorn Trend has spilled over so fast and so deeply that during the Design Week 2019 in Milan, the city also decided to set up the Unicorn House for only three day. It was a real house organized by Booking.com with an internal design that reminded the mythological animal with various decorations like on stars, rainbows, magical horns, colourful clouds and pastel shades.
Furthermore, there are many other locations around the globe that follow this unicorn theme like cafés, swimming pools, amusement parks.
Unicorn fashion.
Rapidly the popularity of unicorn-themed objects also reached the fashion industry. Clothes, shoes and accessories were involved, but also phone covers and tattoos. Materials such as sheer fabrics and fake fur started to be used more frequently associated with rainbow or pastel colours and unicorn images. In no time even celebrities engaged in the trend.
In 2016, the actress Margot Robbie at the premiere of the movie "Suicide Squad" wore an Alexander McQueen gown adorned with a gold sequin unicorn.
During the 2017 Milan Fashion Week, Moschino unveiled a capsule collection in collaboration with the 80’s children toy brand “My Little Pony”. Models were parading on the runway clothed with bubble-gum pink and baby blue looks displaying the toys’ graphic.
During the 2018 Paris Fashion Week, the American designer Thom Browne ended his show with a model walking out on the runway having a unicorn on leash. The unicorn consisted of two male models wearing an elaborate white tulle costume coordinated with the look of the model


Pilobolus crystallinus

Pilobolus crystallinus var. "crystallinus", commonly known as the "Dung Cannon" or "Hat Thrower", is a species of fungus belonging to the Mucorales order. It is unique in that it adheres its spores to vegetation, so as to be eaten by grazing animals. It then passes through the animals' digestive systems and grows in their feces. Although these fungi only grow to be tall, they can shoot their sporangium, containing their spores, up to away. Due to an increase of pressure in the vesicle, the sporangium can accelerate 0–45 mph in the first millimeter of its flight, which corresponds to an acceleration of an incredible 20000 g. Using a mucus-like substance found in the vesicle of the fungus, the sporangium can adhere itself onto whatever it lands, thus completing its life cycle.
The basionym of this species is "Hydrogera crystallina" F.H. Wigg. 1780.
The ability of this fungus to cause problems for florists was noted in the scientific literature in 1881:
... this small fungus had proved this season to be an expensive annoyance to florists engaged in winter forcing flowers. Rose-growers especially had found it to interfere seriously with their profits. The injury was caused by the projection of the sporangia which covered the flowers and leaves of the roses as if profusely dusted with black pepper. The flowers were almost unsaleable as the first impression was that the black dots were aphids.
Description.
This fungus normally grows beneath the surface – a sensitivity to oxygen inhibits radial growth at the hyphae.
According to McVickar (1942), and later amended by Ootaki et al. (1993), the development of "P. crystallinus" may be divided into six stages: In stage I, the sporangiophore initially elongates at the apex, but does not rotate. In stage II, the sporangiophore develops a sporangium. In stage III, after the development of the sporangium, there is a temporary cessation of growth. In stage IV, a subsporangial vesicle expands beneath the sporangium. This is followed by stage V, where the spore matures, and the region of hypha directly below the subsporangial vesicle continues elongating. Finally, in stage VI, the subsporangial vesicle bursts and throws the sporangium into the air.
Scanning and transmission electron microscopy has shown that the surface of the sporangium is covered with crystals of two distinct sizes. The larger crystals enclose spines having a central pore.


Ichthyophonida

Ichthyophonida is an order of parasitic eukaryotes.
Taxonomy.
Members of Ichthyophonida include:


Basidiobolaceae

The Basidiobolaceae are a family of fungi in the order Entomophthorales. All fungal cells of this family are exclusively uninucleate and their relatively large nuclei contain a nucleolus, but no heterochromatin.


Staphylococcus capitis

Staphylococcus capitis is a coagulase-negative species (CoNS) of "Staphylococcus". It is part of the normal flora of the skin of the human scalp, face, neck, scrotum, and ears and has been associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis, but is rarely associated with native valve infection.
Clinical importance.
CoNS produce a slimy biofilm enabling them to adhere to medical devices such as prosthetic valves and catheters and makes them difficult to remove by patient immune response to antibiotic therapy. As native flora of the skin and mucous membranes, they may be introduced anytime these are punctured, i.e. at the time of device placement, venipuncture, or through breaks in the mucous membrane or skin. CoNS species, such as "S. epidermidis" and "S. capitis", are recorded as the most common cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis.
"S. capitis", fortunately, has a lower propensity to antibiotic resistance and also produces less biofilm than many other CoNS. This improves chances of successful eradication of "S. capitis" in periprosthetic infections (as total knee and total hip arthroplasty infections) relative to other CoNS such as S. epidermidis .
New studies show that the organism can be taken from prosthetic joint infections, most likely contracted from surgery. This organism is shown in creating human disease and can easily be spread in the hospital so knowing where the bacteria comes from is vital in improving treatment algorithms in the future.


Luteimonas mephitis

Luteimonas mephitis is a yellow-pigmented bacterium and the type species of its genus. Its type strain is B1953/27.1T (= DSM 12574T).


Clavulina purpurea

Clavulina purpurea is a species of coral fungus in the family Clavulinaceae. The purple fruit bodies are up to . It occurs in New Zealand.


Gomphogaster

Gomphogaster is a fungal genus in the family Gomphidiaceae. Circumscribed in 1972 by American mycologist Orson K. Miller, Jr., the genus is monotypic, containing the single gasteroid species Gomphogaster leucosarx, found in the United States.


Completoria

Completoria is a fungal genus in the monotypic family Completoriaceae, of the order Entomophthorales. "Completoria" is itself monotypic, containing a single species, Completoria complens. The species is rare, known only from greenhouse cultures where it grows as an obligate intracellular parasite of fern gametophytes.


Carnobacteriaceae

The Carnobacteriaceae are a family of Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria.


Hepatitis D virus


Aphelidium

Aphelidium species are endoparasites of freshwater green algae. "Aphelidium" belongs to the phylum Aphelida, and is part of the Opisthosporidia, a sister clade to Fungi. The cells of "Aphelidium" are much smaller than the cells of its green algae host, which is protected by a robust cell wall. "Aphelidium" have evolved a remarkable life cycle to defeat host's defenses.
The infection process for "Aphelidium" is notable for its method of entry. An "Aphelidium" cyst attached to a potential host will raise its internal pressure by expanding the posterior vacuole before using the sudden release of this pressure to defeat the host cell wall and jet itself into the host. As parasites of green algae, "Aphelidium" have important implications for the production of biofuels using algaculture.
History of research.
"Aphelidium" was first described in 1885 by Wilhelm Zopf, however the current phylogenetic organisation was not solidified until the 2010s. In the first half of the 20th century, "Aphelidium" was put in the Monadinea group, a group of organisms with life cycles resembling a fungus but have amoebic trophic stages. Beginning from the 1950s "Aphelidium" were included in class Rhizopoda, and for the rest of the 20th century while studies in "Aphelidium" life cycles and ecology continued "Aphelidium" was not included in the updated phylogenetic classifications. Interest in classifying "Aphelidium" renewed in the 21st century when class Aphelidea was established by Gromov, which includes "Aphelidium, Amoeboaphelidium," and "Pseudaphelidium". rRNA analysis provided the needed resolution for "Aphelidium’s" position in the phylogenetic tree, placing it with Cryptomycota ("Rozella" and the like), and Microsporidia to form the ARM branch. The ARM branch, also known as the Opisthosporidia, forms a monophyletic sister group to fungi.
Ecology and life cycle.
All known examples of "Aphelidium" are obligate parasites of freshwater phytoplankton. As parasites, the life cycle of "Aphelidium" is closely tied to its ecological relationship with its hosts. The cycle begins with the motile "Aphelidium" zoospore contacting its host, a green alga. The singular flagellum of the zoospore is lost as part of the attachment process. A pseudopodium extends from the zoospore and probes the host surface, seeking a weakness or gap in the cell wall. The attached zoospore first encysts then inserts an infection tube into the host cell, priming the ingress of the "Aphelidium". The cyst forms a posterior vacuole, which expands and raises the internal pressure of the cyst. Ultimately the pressure pushing against the chitin wall of the cyst punctures the cell wall of the host green alga at the point of insertion of the infection tube, and the "Aphelidium" enters its host abruptly, leaving the cyst cell wall behind.
Once within the host, "Aphelidium" becomes an amoeboid that proceeds to consume the host from the inside out by phagocytizing host cytoplasm before digesting it internally in a central digestive vacuole. As the parasite expands within the host cell, it develops into a multinucleate plasmodium which grows to eventually replace the entirety of the host cytoplasm. Now all that remains of the green alga is its cell wall and the residual body, a clump consisting of host cell fragments indigestible to the parasite. The "Aphelidium" plasmodium then proceeds to divide into uninucleate cells which develop into zoospores, using the cell wall of the host alga as a sporangium. Finally, the uniflagellate zoospores erupt the husk of the host cell via the same puncture made by the infection tube of the parent "Aphelidium" to seek new green alga hosts.
Practical importance.
Microalgae are candidates for biofuel production, thanks to their fast generation times and low space requirements. In the high-density environment of algal agriculture, parasites can quickly propagate and devastate the algae population, which makes algal endoparasites such as "Aphelidium" important targets for study.


Selin Balci

Selin Balcı is a visual artist and biologist who creates works with Petri dishes filled with mold, fungi, and other organisms, and refers to her work as "a living studio." She has exhibited internationally in both group and solo exhibitions.
Education.
Balcı earned her Bachelor of Science in Forestry at Istanbul University, Turkey, in 2002, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia at West Virginia University in 2008. She received her Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2012.
Recognition.
Balcı has been recognized with several fellowships, including an Artist in Residence fellowship at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Amherst, VA, and a College Art Association Professional Development Fellowship. She was both a Hot Picks Artist (2012) and a Project Grant recipient (2014) at Smack Mellon in Brooklyn, NY, and has twice been named a finalist for the Trawick Prize at the Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards in Bethesda, MD for artists from the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia area (2013 and 2015). Balcı has been featured in several solo and two-person shows in the Washington, DC area, as well as in Maryland and in Istanbul. In 2017, her work was included in the show "Contemporary Artists from Turkey," at the Biennale Arcipelago Mediterraneo in Palermo, Italy. Her work in "Under the Scope" at the Silber Art Gallery of Goucher College in Towson, MD, was the subject of a 2014 Washington City Paper article.
Technique.
Balcı, trained in biology, finds her samples in tree bark and soil from her backyard, and sometimes collaborates with her plant pathologist husband for colorful natural material, and stores her specimens in the refrigerator in test tubes. In recent years, Balcı has moved from boards to framed works, and uses Yupo paper as a support, which can withstand the mold growth and emphasizes the texture of her medium. After sterilizing her Yupo paper, she coats it in potato dextrose agar to feed the colonies, and waits one to two months for her composition to grow. Although she has used the term "living" to describe her works, she no longer exhibits living specimens—instead she allows them to dry out and prevents new growth with a layer of acrylic. Along with boards and frames, she has recently exhibited her works in Petri dishes arranged in shapes such as a map of the world or on Yupo paper covered with watch glasses to magnify certain elements of the growths. Balcı studies how microorganisms behave and relate to one another before beginning new projects, and is interested in how their interactions reflect conflicts and boundaries in the human world.


Stephen Shin

Stephen Shin is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a supporting character of Aquaman who debuted during "The New 52" reboot. Stephen Shin first appeared in "Aquaman" #2 (December 2011) and was created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis.
Shin made his live-action cinematic debut in the 2018 DC Extended Universe film "Aquaman", portrayed by Randall Park.
Fictional character biography.
Stephen Shin is a marine biologist who befriends lighthouse keeper Tom Curry and his son with the sea-dwelling Atlanna, Arthur Curry, the future Aquaman. He has more knowledge of Atlantis than any other surface-dweller. Shin helps Arthur develop his powers, but turns on his protege when he refuses to reveal the location of Atlantis.
Some years later, Aquaman and Mera pay a visit to Shin, asking for his help to identify strange sea creatures. He does, but is angered again when Aquaman refuses to let him keep one.
After Aquaman and Mera help some ships get to the coast before a storm hits, the two of them pay a visit to Stephen Shin to see if he can help figure out the Atlantean artifact that they have. They ask him if he knows of the identity of the person who sank Atlantis. Shin states that it was possible for someone to sink Atlantis and mentions that it has enemies due to it being the most powerful civilization in the world. When he asked about the creatures that came from the Trench, Aquaman stated that he caused a volcanic explosion that trapped them there. Just then, a woman named Ya'Wara breaks into Stephen's house in order to kill him only for Mera to take action. When Aquaman breaks up the fight, Ya'Wara tells him that Black Manta killed Kahina, took the gold seal that she had, and believed Stephen told Black Manta about it. As Ya'Wara believes that Stephen Shin is in league with Black Manta, Aquaman says that they need him to find the missing relics as Aquaman has Stephen start looking. He does warn Shin that if he is in anyway connected to Kahina's death, he will allow Ya'Wara to feed him to her pet jaguar. Shin returns to work on the Atlantean black box as Mera asks him about Black Manta and what he knows about the Others. When Mera keeps asking Stephen Shin about Black Manta, he states that he hasn't seen Black Manta in years. He explains that he met Tom Curry and his son Arthur years ago when Tom saved him from an expedition that went wrong. While he did get the knowledge of Atlantis during that time, Tom refused to have Arthur's abilities revealed to the media as Shin states that it can save his career. Shin then tells Mera about a treasure hunter that he found shipwrecked off the coast of Iceland and had fought off a group of pirates. Mera believed that the treasure hunter was Black Manta which Shin confirms. Though he denied that Black Manta had a hand in Tom Curry's death by stating that Tom died of a heart attack and Aquaman later killed Black Manta's father. As Mera still doesn't trust Stephen Shin after he revealed Aquaman to the public, he states that he is not the man that she thinks he is. He also explains that on the day of Tom Curry's funeral, Aquaman attacked Black Manta's ship where it was revealed that the captain was Black Manta's father while Black Manta was the diver. When Black Manta arrives to abduct Stephen Shin, Mera fights him until Black Manta stuns Mera and teleports away with Stephen. When Aquaman arrives at King Atlan's tomb, Black Manta tries to get Stephen to help him only for Stephen to decline as he does not want to betray Aquaman again. After getting information from the Operative on where Stephen Shin was taken, Mera heads to King Atlan's tomb. At King Atlan's tomb, Black Manta has the Dead King's Scepter in his hand as he orders his men to kill Stephen only to Aquaman to fight Black Manta's minions. As Ya'Wara believes Stephen to be responsible for Black Manta obtaining the Dead King's Scepter, she starts to attack only for Vostok to stop her saying that Stephen has regretted his actions. After the Others regrouped at the Operative's airplane, Stephen Shin still feels remorse for what happened to Tom Curry only for Aquaman to tell him that what happened to Tom wasn't his fault.
As Aquaman faced off against Ocean Master during the "Throne of Atlantis" storyline, Cyborg is instructed to protect Stephen Shin. Stephen Shin and Nuidis Vulko watch the news about the war from the computers of the Justice League Watchtower. When the reporters claim that Aquaman will betray the Justice League, Stephen refuses to believe that fact. Vulko reminds Stephen about his past actions towards Aquaman. He then attacks and knocks out Stephen while ranting about how he was banished after Aquaman left Atlantis.
Powers and abilities.
Stephen Shin has genius-level intellect.


Thelazia californiensis

Thelazia californiensis is a nematode that originates in the genus "Thelazia", which comes from phylum Nematoda. This worm has been known to cause Thelaziasis in hosts.
Morphology.
As with most "Thelazia" worms, they are small parasites that average about 12-13 mm long. To differentiate between other members of this genus, "T. californiensis" has a vulva that opens mid-ventrally, while "T. callipaeda" has an anterior vulva.
Hosts.
Similar to Thelazia callipaeda, the worm has definitive hosts in dogs, cats, sheep, and occasionally humans. They also use intermediate hosts to move around, specifically using the lesser house fly ("Fannia canicularis").
Life cycle.
The worm starts its life cycle by laying eggs in the tears and tear ducts of the host and the eggs are picked up by the flies. Because the eggs develop into larvae inside the fly, it is a parenthetic host. After developing in the fly, the larvae move so they can easily escape the fly's mouth when it feeds again, starting the cycle over.
Symptoms.
Both the adult and larval stages cause disease in the eye, which can have different levels of pain and discomfort. Some of the problems include keratitis, ulcers, conjunctivitis, and other afflictions.
Diagnosis and treatment.
As with other eyeworms, the course of diagnosis is to exam the eye and spot any worms that are moving around. In some cases, microscopes can be used to look at tear fluid to see eggs or larvae. Treatment consists of pulling the worms out with forceps in humans. Some cases of infection have shown promising results by using ivermectin.


Umbelopsidaceae

The Umbelopsidaceae are a family of fungi in the order Mucorales. Members of this family (currently in the single genera "Umbelopsis") have a widespread distribution.


Lichtheimia

Lichtheimia is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Lichtheimiaceae.
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.
Species.
Species:


Pichiaceae

The Pichiaceae are a family of yeasts in the order Saccharomycetales. According to the 2007 Outline of Ascomycota, the family contains four genera. The family was named by Zender in 1925.


Etapapillomavirus

Etapapillomavirus is a genus of viruses, in the family "Papillomaviridae". Birds serve as natural hosts. There is only one species in this genus: Etapapillomavirus 1. Diseases associated with this genus include: causes cutaneous lesions.
Structure.
Viruses in "Etapapillomavirus" are non-enveloped, with icosahedral geometries, and T=7 symmetry. The diameter is around 60 nm. Genomes are circular, around 8kb in length. The genome has 7 open reading frames.
Life cycle.
Viral replication is nuclear. Entry into the host cell is achieved by attachment of the viral proteins to host receptors, which mediates endocytosis. Replication follows the dsDNA bidirectional replication model. Dna templated transcription, with some alternative splicing mechanism is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by nuclear envelope breakdown.
Birds serve as the natural host. Transmission routes are contact.


Nemoderma

Nemoderma is the only genus in the family Nemodermataceae and order Nemodermatales of the brown algae (class Phaeophyceae). The genus contains only a single species, Nemoderma tingitanum.


Mycobacterium pyrenivorans

Mycobacterium pyrenivorans is a scotochromogenic, rapidly growing mycobacterium, first isolated from an enrichment culture obtained from soil that was highly contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The soil sample was collected on the site of a former coking plant at Ubach-Palenberg, Germany. Etymology: pyrenivorans; digesting pyrene.
Description.
Microscopy
Colony characteristics
Physiology
Differential characteristics


Pycnidium

A pycnidium (plural pycnidia) is an asexual fruiting body produced by mitosporic fungi in the form order Sphaeropsidales (Deuteromycota, Coelomycetes). It is often spherical or inversely pearshaped (obpyriform) and its internal cavity is lined with conidiophores. When ripe, an opening generally appears at the top, through which the pycnidiospores escape.


Trichaptum sector

Trichaptum sector is a plant pathogen infecting sweetgum trees.


Acaulospora koskei

Acaulospora koskei is a species of fungus in the family Acaulosporaceae. It forms arbuscular mycorrhiza and vesicles in roots. Found in Poland, where it was collected from soil under "Ammophila arenaria", it was described as a new species in 1996.


La Llorona (Grimm)

"La Llorona" is the 31st episode of the supernatural drama television series "Grimm" and ninth episode of season 2, which premiered on October 26, 2012, on NBC. The episode was written by Akela Cooper, and was directed by Holly Dale.
The episode was broadcast on NBC as a Halloween special. In this episode Nick and Hank investigate a case that holds a striking resemblance to a Hispanic legend: La Llorona. With the help of a New Mexico detective, Nick and Hank are faced with a chain of supernatural kidnappings. Elsewhere Monroe is driven by his love of Halloween.
Plot.
Opening Quote: "On many a dark night people would see her walking along the riverbank and crying for her children."
On the eve of Halloween in Portland, Luis Alvarez is spending time with his son Rafael, but Luis is distracted when he tries to help a mysterious crying woman in white who plunges into a river, apparently trying to kill herself. Luis follows, but he can't find the woman. He then turns to helplessly watch as she walks away with Rafael. A desperate Luis enlists the help of the police, but his inability to speak English only delays the case. When Nick and Hank are called to investigate the case, Nick calls Juliette to help translate, given that she can speak Spanish fluently.
Thanks to the translation of Juliette, Nick and Hank come to the home of Luis where they look for evidence of any possible suspect. Luis' neighbor Pilar talks with Juliette, claiming that she knows who is the kidnapper, and proceeds to explain that it is "La Llorona", (The Weeping Woman) a woman who according to several Hispanic legends, is a ghost who takes children to drown them in a river. Shortly after the police leave, Pilar approaches Juliette and warns her that her cat scratch is a sign that someone cursed her.
In Albuquerque, a jaguar-like Wesen is alerted by her computer of a new kidnapping and decides to immediately go to the city where it happened: Portland, Oregon. Back in Portland, in the city precinct, the same Wesen, who is revealed to be an Alburquerque detective named Valentina Espinoza. Valentina, who has extensive experience in this case, warns Captain Renard that the woman is a serial killer, and that shortly there will be a second and third child abduction.
Shortly afterwards in another river of Portland, a girl is kidnapped by La Llorona, who takes her to her lair with Rafael. Upon learning of the second kidnapping, Nick and Hank begin to trust Valentina, but Captain Renard appears and orders them to place Valentina in custody, given that she was fired from her job for her obsession with the Woman. Nick prevents Valentina from attacking the captain, knowing that she is a wesen, and later the detectives interrogate her to find out if she is involved, but Valentina warns them that there will be a third abduction and claims she is after the woman because she was responsible for the death of her nephew, refusing to believe that the criminal is a ghost.
Nick is interested in checking the authenticity of the kidnapper, but when he investigates in Aunt Marie's trailer with Hank, they discover that none of Nick's ancestors were able to determine who La Llorona was. Given the inability to prove that Valentina is right, without really knowing what they are facing and preceded the appearance of the third kidnapping. Nick and Hank free Valentina and with her Spanish translations, all three determine La Llorona drowns the taken children at a point where the rivers connect called "abrazo del río" (river's embrace).
In the nearby rivers of La Llorona's lair, she prepares to drown the children, in order to bring her own children back from the dead. The process is interrupted by the appearance of Nick, Hank and Valentina. Nick and La Llorona fight on the river where she disappears right before his eyes. Back in the precinct, Nick reunites the children with their parents, and despite the discontent of Captain Renard with the actions of their detectives, he forgives them.
Elsewhere in Portland, an excited Monroe celebrates Halloween with much enthusiasm, as he decorates his house. During the course of the day, Monroe prevents some bullies from stealing candy from a little girl. This infuriates the children, and they get even with Monroe by breaking his window with a decoration, built with Nick's medieval weapon. Monroe tricks them, frightening them with his .
Reception.
Ratings.
The episode received a 2.06 18–49 ratings share and was watched by 6.11 million viewers, a marked increase from the previous episode. The episode premiered after the now cancelled show, "Mockingbird Lane".
Critical reception.
The episode was met with mixed to positive reviews.
Emily Rome of "Entertainment Weekly" gave it a mixed review since she was surprised by the elements in the episode: "Well, lo and behold, Grimm delivered a compelling case-of-the-week in tonight's episode, though it may have not been compelling for the reasons we were hoping for (more on that later)."
Kevin McnFarland of "The A.V. Club" rated the episode a B+, stating, "This is an example of how to use a popular folktale well; this is the model for episodic storytelling in a supernatural setting. A “Very Special Episode” of Grimm around Halloween is basically a must because of the show’s premise. It features streamlined and functional investigation from Nick and Hank, an intriguing guest star in Valentina, the bluish cat Wesen and disgraced detective obsessed with the La Llorona abductions, and even blends in a useful and compelling Juliette storyline to boot."


Bacillarnavirus

Bacillarnavirus is a genus of viruses in the order Picornavirales. Marine diatoms serve as natural hosts. There are three species in this genus.
Taxonomy.
The genus contains the following three species:
Structure.
Viruses in "Bacillarnavirus" are non-enveloped, with icosahedral, spherical, and round geometries, and T=pseudo3 symmetry. The diameter is around 30-32 nm. Genomes are linear and non-segmented, around 8.8-9.5kb in length. The genome has 2 open reading frames.
Life cycle.
Viral replication is cytoplasmic. Entry into the host cell is achieved by attachment of the virus to host receptors, which mediates endocytosis. Replication follows the positive stranded RNA virus replication model. Positive stranded RNA virus transcription is the method of transcription. Marine diatoms serve as the natural host.


Tropical acidweed


Mycobacterium phlei

Mycobacterium phlei is a species of acid-fast bacteria in the genus "Mycobacterium". It is characterized as one of the fast-growing mycobacteria. "M. phlei" has only occasionally been isolated in human infections, and patients infected with "M. phlei" generally respond well to anti-mycobacterial therapy. "M. phlei" has an unusually high GC-content of 73%.
Description.
"M. phlei" is a rod-shaped bacterium 1.0 to 2.0 micrometers in length. If grown on an agar plate, "M. phlei" colonies appear orange to yellow in color, and predominantly dense with smooth edges, although some smaller filamentous colonies have also been described. Like other mycobacteria, "M. phlei" retains the acid-fast stain. "M. phlei" can grow at temperatures ranging from 28 °C to 52 °C.
History.
"M. phlei" was first identified as the "Timothy Bacillus" or "Grass Bacillus I" by the German microbiologist Alfred Moëller in 1898. The following year, the bacterium was given its current name by Karl Bernhard Lehmann and Rudolf Otto Neumann.
This bacterium was extensively studied by Brodie and collaborators, in connection with the metabolism and role of vitamin K2.