The definition of the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary remains a significant global challenge. This study presents a revised biostratigraphic framework for the Tithonian-Berriasian transition in the Vaca Muerta Formation (Neuquen Basin, Argentina), based on ammonite high-resolution data from the Las Loicas and Las Alcantarillas sections. New ammonite identifications enhance the correlation of the J/K boundary beds of the Neuquen Basin with other mid-to-lower latitude regions. Seven ammonite assemblage zones are recorded, spanning the lower Tithonian Virgatosphinctes andesensis to the upper Berriasian Argentiniceras noduliferum zones. The latter is reinterpreted as upper Berriasian (Boissieri Zone, Paramimounum Subzone), at approximately 139.55 f 0.18 Ma in the Las Loicas Section. Previously obtained ages of 140.338 f 0.083 Ma and 139.956 f 0.063 Ma therefore indicate upper lower Berriasian beds of the Substeueroceras koeneni Zone. Integration of the biostratigraphy, numerical U/Pb ages, and high-resolution Gamma Ray Spectrometry data from both sections enables their correlation despite unresolved discrepancies in calcareous nannofossil zonation. Our results provide valuable data for evaluating alternative proposals for the J/K boundary placing, favouring a relocation into the upper Tithonian, between the Windhauseniceras internispinosum/lower "Corongoceras alternans" zones, and close to an age of 143.715 f 0.43 Ma. (c) 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
The intensive use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides has increased crop productivity but also contributed to soil degradation and biodiversity loss, highlighting the need for more sustainable agricultural strategies. Among emerging solutions, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly members of the Bacillota phylum, are gaining attention as effective bioinoculants that enhance plant growth and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, introduced strains do not function in isolation. They enter complex microbial communities, shaped by plant type and developmental stage, influenced by soil properties and environmental conditions. While the positive effects of PGPR on plant performance are well documented, their impact on indigenous rhizosphere microbiota remains less studied. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how Bacillota-based inoculants influence native microbial communities in cereals, vegetables, orchard crops, and fiber plants. Most studies report shifts toward plant-beneficial taxa and reduced abundance of potential pathogens following Bacillota application. Frequently enriched genera include Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Lysobacter, Sphingomonas, Streptomyces, Azotobacter, Arthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Bradyrhizobium, Devosia, Flavobacterium, Klebsiella, Herbaspirillum, and Rhodanobacter. These changes are often associated with improved plant growth and yield, and stress resilience. However, responses strongly depend on strain, plant and methodological approach. We summarize commonly applied approaches used to assess these interactions. Despite technological advances, limitations remain, such as single time-point sampling, simplified experimental systems, and insufficient integration of inoculant persistence with community analyses. Standardized, multi-site experimental frameworks, with multiple sampling terms are needed to improve predictability and ensure the safe implementation of PGPR-based solutions in sustainable agriculture.
Myocardial dysfunction is a major determinant of mortality after cardiac arrest, yet the molecular events driving post-resuscitation injury remain incompletely understood. Nitric oxide (NO) has been proposed as a cardioprotective adjunct during extracorporeal life support (ECLS), but its mechanistic impact on myocardial recovery is unclear. We investigated whether NO supplementation during ECLS modulates oxidative stress, metabolic pathways, and apoptotic signaling in the post–cardiac arrest heart. Male Sprague Dawley rats underwent hypothermic cardiac arrest followed by ECLS resuscitation with or without NO supplementation (20 ppm). Myocardial tissue was analyzed using bulk RNA sequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, oxidative stress assays (MDA, 3-nitrotyrosine, total oxidant/antioxidant status), and TUNEL staining to characterize pathway-level alterations. NO supplementation markedly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis (46
The review organizes current knowledge on the biofunctions, life-history strategies, and environmental responses of Chloroflexota in agricultural soils. Members of this phylum play key roles in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling through a high degree of metabolic versatility, including photosynthesis, redox reactions, and the degradation of complex organic compounds such as cellulose and lignin. Chloroflexota contribute to major soil processes, including nitrification, denitrification, and nitrogen fixation. In agricultural soils, the predominant classes are Anaerolineae and Ktedonobacteria, each exhibiting distinct ecological strategies. Anaerolineae members, such as Leptolinea, Bellilinea, and Anaerolinea, are often associated with nutrient-enriched conditions, suggesting copiotrophic or competitor- and ruderal-like traits. In contrast, Ktedonobacteria show negative responses to increased soil carbon and nitrogen, suggesting that its members are oligotrophic. Despite these trends, responses to soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and pH vary substantially across studies, likely due to functional heterogeneity within the phylum and insufficient taxonomic resolution in metataxonomic datasets. Emerging evidence from metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) reveals that Chloroflexota harbor genes involved in carbon fixation, nitrogen transformations, and phosphorus solubilization, highlighting their previously underestimated ecological significance. However, most Chloroflexota remain uncultured, and available genomic data are still limited. Future research integrating high-resolution taxonomic profiling, metagenomics, and cultivation-based approaches is needed to clarify the ecological roles and life-history strategies of Chloroflexota members. Such advances may ultimately establish this phylum as an important microbial indicator of soil fertility and environmental change in agricultural soils.
Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) is an amphiploid cereal combining the high yield of wheat and the stress tolerance of rye. It is widely cultivated in Europe, primarily for forage and fodder. One of the most environmentally-friendly methods of increasing crop productivity is the use of the so-called plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) - beneficial microorganisms that offer a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilization by enhancing plant growth and nutrient acquisition. This study evaluated the effects of a bacterial consortium, composed of Paenibacillus sp. Z15 and Pseudomonas sp. KR227 and possessing PGPB traits, on triticale growth and its rhizosphere bacterial community. Field experiments were conducted under randomized block design, and rhizosphere samples were collected three weeks after the inoculation and at harvest. Biometric measurements, soil physicochemical properties, and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing (V3–V4 region) were performed. The consortium significantly increased shoot biomass (1719.25 ± 176.52 g vs. 1408 ± 40.31 g in control) and spike mass (987.25 ± 109.61 g vs. 803 ± 10.42 g) and markedly enhanced root biomass at harvest (17.48 g vs. 9.62 g). No significant changes were observed in soil physicochemical parameters or alpha and beta diversity indices. Statistical analyses suggested a decrease in the relative abundance of Acidobacteriota, particularly the Vicinamibacteria class and genus RB41 (Pyrinomonadaceae). These compositional shifts were potentially mediated by secondary metabolites, without compromising overall community diversity. The results highlight the growth-promoting potential of the PP consortium in triticale and suggest that PGPB might modulate native rhizobacterial communities, warranting further research into their ecological impacts.
