Publications by authors named "Victor Leshyk"

The floating freshwater fern is the only plant that retains an endocyanobiont, (aka ), during its sexual and asexual reproduction. The increased interest in as a potential source of food and its unique evolutionary history have raised questions about its cyanotoxin content and genome. Cyanotoxins are potent toxins synthesized by cyanobacteria which have an anti-herbivore effect but have also been linked to neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, liver and kidney failure, muscle paralysis, and other severe health issues.

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Environmental contamination of aquatic systems by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has generated significant health concerns. Remediation of contaminated sites such as the fire-fighting emergency training grounds that use aqueous film-forming foams is a high priority. Phytoremediation may help play a part in removing PFAS from such contaminated waters.

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Article Synopsis
  • In places like Cambodia, where sanitation is poor, bacteria can easily spread between humans and animals, worsening the problem of antibiotic resistance.
  • The study found similar patterns of antibiotic resistance in humans and animals in Cambodia, highlighting the need for better control at the human-animal interface to combat this issue effectively, particularly in lower and middle-income countries.
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Despite worldwide prevalence, post-agricultural landscapes remain one of the least constrained human-induced land carbon sinks. To appraise their role in rebuilding the planet’s natural carbon stocks through ecosystem restoration, we need to better understand their spatial and temporal legacies.

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Droughts in a warming climate have become more common and more extreme, making understanding forest responses to water stress increasingly pressing. Analysis of water stress in trees has long focused on water potential in xylem and leaves, which influences stomatal closure and water flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. At the same time, changes of vegetation water content (VWC) are linked to a range of tree responses, including fluxes of water and carbon, mortality, flammability, and more.

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Article Synopsis
  • The amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the air is going up, which helps plants grow better and use water more efficiently.
  • This growth can lead to more plants and soil that store carbon, which might help slow down climate change.
  • However, figuring out how plants and soil react to this extra CO₂ is complicated, and while there's strong evidence of increased carbon storage, it's hard to know exactly how much it helps and what other factors are at play.
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The 4D Nucleome Network aims to develop and apply approaches to map the structure and dynamics of the human and mouse genomes in space and time with the goal of gaining deeper mechanistic insights into how the nucleus is organized and functions. The project will develop and benchmark experimental and computational approaches for measuring genome conformation and nuclear organization, and investigate how these contribute to gene regulation and other genome functions. Validated experimental technologies will be combined with biophysical approaches to generate quantitative models of spatial genome organization in different biological states, both in cell populations and in single cells.

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