Robust species delimitations provide a foundation for investigating speciation, phylogeography, and conservation. Here we attempted to elucidate species boundaries in the cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungal taxon Lecanora polytropa. This nominal taxon is morphologically variable, with distinct populations occurring on all seven continents. To delimit candidate species, we compiled ITS sequence data from populations worldwide. For a subset of the samples, we also generated alignments for 1209 single-copy nuclear genes and an alignment spanning most of the mitochondrial genome to assess concordance among the ITS, nuclear, and mitochondrial inferences. Species partitions were empirically delimited from the ITS alignment using ASAP and bPTP. We also inferred a phylogeny for the L. polytropa clade using a four-marker dataset. ASAP species delimitations revealed up to 103 species in the L. polytropa clade, with 75 corresponding to the nominal taxon L. polytropa. Inferences from phylogenomic alignments generally supported that these represent evolutionarily independent lineages or species. Less than 10% of the candidate species were comprised of specimens from multiple continents. High levels of candidate species were recovered at local scales but generally with limited overlap across regions. Lecanora polytropa likely ranks as one of the largest species complexes of lichen-forming fungi known to date.

In show caves, artificial lighting is intended to illuminate striking cave formations for visitors. However, artificial lighting also promotes the growth of novel and diverse biofilm communities, termed lampenflora, that obtain their energy from these artificial light sources. Lampenflora, which generally consist of cyanobacteria, algae, diatoms, and bryophytes, discolor formations and introduce novel ecological interactions in cave ecosystems. The source of lampenflora community members and patterns of diversity have generally been understudied mainly due to technological limitations. In this study, we investigate whether members of lampenflora communities in an iconic show cave—Lehman Caves—in Great Basin National Park (GRBA) in the western United States also occur in nearby unlit and rarely visited caves. Using a high-throughput environmental DNA metabarcoding approach targeting three loci—the ITS2 (fungi), a fragment of the 16S (bacteria), and a fragment of 23S (photosynthetic bacteria and eukaryotes)—we characterized diversity of lampenflora communities occurring near artificial light sources in Lehman Caves and rock surfaces near the entrances of seven nearby “wild” caves. Most caves supported diverse and distinct microbial-dominated communities, with little overlap in community members among caves. The lampenflora communities in the show cave were distinct, and generally less diverse, from those occurring in nearby unlit caves. Our results suggest an unidentified source for a significant proportion of lampenflora community members in Lehman Caves, with the majority of community members not found in nearby wild caves. Whether the unique members of the lampenflora communities in Lehman Caves are related to distinct abiotic conditions, increased human visitation, or other factors remains unknown. These results provide a valuable framework for future research exploring lampenflora community assemblies in show caves, in addition to a broad perspective into the range of microbial and lampenflora community members in GRBA. By more fully characterizing these communities, we can better monitor the establishment of lampenflora and design effective strategies for their management and removal.

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Antioxidants are able to prevent the oxidation of biomolecules. Free radicals are oxidants known to be agents which damage DNA. This damage can lead to cancer. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and are an effective defense system. It has been shown that consumption of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and seeds increases the body's total antioxidant capacity.1 Performing a study that provides data on antioxidant levels in serum will offer insight on potential improvements that can be made in the diets of various populations. In this study we used the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay (ORAC) to compare serum antioxidant status in three different groups, college age, elderly, and cancer patients. Serum was obtained from 15 college age students (18-21) at Brigham Young University, 15 age matched elderly persons (over the age of 55), and 15 cancer patients. 10 ml of blood was drawn, allowed to clot, centrifuged to separate the cells from the serum, and then diluted to a 1/128 concentration. The ORAC assay was utilized as a way to determine the ability of serum to prevent the oxidation of fluorescein. The results of the experiment surprisingly demonstrate that cancer serum has the highest level of antioxidant status with 99200.97 trolox equivalents per Liter (TE/L) and a standard deviation (STDEV) of 17838.13. The elderly presented the second highest levels of serum antioxidants with 37837.75 TE/L and a STDEV of 7947.08. The college age group had the lowest TE/L with 19051.82 and a STDEV of 2113.36. The elderly compared to the youthful had a p-value < 0.0001, and the cancer patients compared to the healthy possessed a p-value < 0.0001. These results have brought forth more questions than answers. The elderly and cancer patients may have a greater concern for proper dietary intake compared to college age individuals. The cells of the youthful also may be more capable of intaking the antioxidants from the bloodstream. Further studies on these two conclusions may reveal more on the data retrieved. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4613. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4613

In today's market place organic foods have become a very popular topic of discussion. Some studies have compared the different benefits of organic foods vs. conventional foods in disease prevention, including cancer. Although differences have been examined, no broad or concrete conclusions have been reached. Studies have shown that consumption of antioxidants can decrease the risk of oxidative damage, degenerative conditions, and cancer. In this study, antioxidant levels between organic blueberries and conventional blueberries were analyzed and compared in their skin, seed, and juice using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity assay (ORAC). Data indicate that, in each sample category, conventional samples showed higher antioxidant activities overall when compared to organic samples. 15 organic samples and 15 conventional samples were taken for measurement of antioxidant activity. All values are reported as Trolox Equivalents per 100 grams sample (TE/100g). Conventional blueberry skin revealed highest overall antioxidant activity (7258 TE/100g, s=1024), while organic blueberry seed revealed the lowest (494 TE/100g, s=160). Conventional skin (7258 TE/100g, s=1024) revealed higher values than organic skin (3891 TE/100g, s=288). Conventional seed (1308 TE/100g, s=597) revealed higher values than organic seed (494 TE/100g, s=160). Conventional juice (5077 TE/100g) revealed higher values than organic juice (2205 TE/100g, s=276). Student's t-test analysis revealed statistically significant differences between conventional and organic samples in all three groups (organic vs. conventional skin, p=1.3×10-5, organic vs. conventional seed, p=0.008; organic vs. conventional juice, p=0.022). Data from this study suggest that consumption of organic fruits may not provide higher antioxidant protection when compared to consumption of conventional samples; consumption on conventional blueberries may prove to be most beneficial. Further studies on other fruit samples may provide additional insight on the antioxidant benefits of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4614. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4614