Transcriptome analysis reveals involvement of oxidative stress response in a copper-tolerant Fusarium oxysporum strain.

High amount of copper is toxic to most organisms, but endophytic fungi can develop survival strategies to tolerate and respond to environmental stressors such as heavy metal contaminants. While high copper induces oxidative stress, it is still unclear which genes are associated with copper tolerance. Here, we performed a metatranscriptome analysis of endophytic fungi isolated from a black nightshade plant Solanum nigrum L.

Assessment of Alternanthera sessilis and Aster philippinensis as excluders in a small-scale Cu-Au processing site at Kias, Benguet, Philippines.

In unregulated mining and processing for Cu and Au, large amounts of heavy metals and metalloids are generated as tails. These wasted by-products could actually pose serious environmental problems. The objective of this study was to assess the potential ability of Alternanthera sessilis and Aster philippinensis thriving abundantly in a small-scale mine processing site at Kias, Benguet, for possible Cu, Pb, Zn, and As uptake.

Localization of nickel in the hyperaccumulator plant (Poir.) Mull.Arg. discovered in the nickeliferous laterites of Zambales, the Philippines.

A newly discovered nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulator plant, (Phyllanthaceae) from the nickeliferous laterites of Acoje, Zambales, has elevated Ni concentrations. Its computed bioaccumulation factor is 1.7 and the translocation factor is 4.

Pteris melanocaulon Fée is an As hyperaccumulator.

Pteris melanocaulon is noted to thrive very well in selected Cu-Au mines in the Philippines such as the Carmen Cu mine in Cebu and the Manila Mining Cu-Au mine in Surigao. Soil and plant samples were collected from field surveys as well as potted experiments. The computed bioaccumulation factor (BF) and translocation factor (TF) values from the analyses of As contents of the soil and the belowground and above ground components of the plant, apparently were comparable to known As hyperaccumulators Pteris vittata and Pityrogramma calomelanos.

Towards integrated management of a shallow tropical lake: assessment of water quality, sediment geochemistry, and phytoplankton diversity in Lake Palakpakin, Philippines.

The limited carrying capacities of shallow tropical lakes render them more vulnerable to ecological problems like eutrophication. Unregulated human activities such as unsustainable aquaculture and urbanization can alter ecosystem dynamics rapidly, and this warrants more comprehensive researches than what has been previously conducted. Here, we presented an integrated assessment of the nutrient dynamics, phytoplankton diversity, and sediment geochemistry in Lake Palakpakin, a shallow tropical lake of volcanic origin, to understand its deteriorating ecological state.

The identification of indigenous Cu and As metallophytes in the Lepanto Cu-Au Mine, Luzon, Philippines.

The mining activities in the Lepanto Cu-Au Mine which is situated within the Mankayan Mineral District in the Philippines have exposed the arsenic (As)-rich copper (Cu)-gold (Au) and polymetallic ores to surface conditions. Cu and As dispersal into nearby soils and waters could pose health hazards to the natural ecosystems and human settlements. The study focused on the identification of indigenous metallophytes thriving in the area as well as the bioavailability of Cu and As in soils and its implication to the growth of the indigenous plants.

Trace organic chemical pollutants from the lake waters of San Pablo City, Philippines by targeted and non-targeted analysis.

More than half of the freshwater lakes in the Philippines are small with surface areas of <2 km. The dynamics in these lakes are different from those in the bigger lakes. This study was conducted to determine the organic pollutants and their sources in three of the seven lakes of San Pablo City in Laguna, Philippines: lakes Palakpakin, Sampaloc, and Pandin.

Copper uptake by Pteris melanocaulon Fée from a Copper-Gold mine in Surigao del Norte, Philippines.

The ability of some plants to take up metal contaminants in the soil has been of increasing interest as an environmental approach to pollution clean-up. This study aimed to assess the ability of Pteris melanocaulon for copper(Cu) uptake by determining the Cu levels in the fern vis-à-vis surrounding soil and the location of Cu accumulation within its biomass. It also aimed to add information to existing literature as P.

Immunological and histological evaluation of clinical samples from psoriasis patients treated with anti-CD6 itolizumab.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a prevalence of approximately 2-3% in the general population. The majority of diagnosed patients have plaque psoriasis, and about 20% have moderate-to-severe disease. Itolizumab, a new monoclonal antibody specific for the CD6 molecule mainly expressed on T lymphocytes, has demonstrated to inhibit in vitro ligand-induced proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.