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Objectives: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) can involve different anatomic subunits with peculiar surgical and prognostic implications. Despite conflicting outcomes for the same stage of disease, the current staging system considers different lesions in a single cluster. The aim of this study was to critically discuss clinical and pathologic staging of primary and recurrent advanced LSCC in order to define current staging pitfalls that impede a precise and tailored treatment strategy. Methods: Thirty patients who underwent total laryngectomy in the past 3 years for primary and recurrent advanced squamous cell LSCC were analyzed, comparing endoscopic, imaging, and pathologic findings. Involvement of the different laryngeal subunits, vocal-fold motility, and spreading pattern of the tumor were blindly analyzed. The diagnostic accuracy and differences between clinicoradiologic and pathologic findings were studied with standard statistical analysis. Results: Discordant staging was performed in 10% of patients, and thyroid and arytenoid cartilage were the major diagnostic pitfalls. Microscopic arytenoid involvement was significantly more present in case of vocal-fold fixation (P = .028). Upstaging was influenced by paraglottic and pre-epiglottic space cancer involvement, posterior commissure, subglottic region, arytenoid cartilage, and penetration of thyroid cartilage; on the contrary, involvement of the inner cortex or extralaryngeal spread tended to be down-staged. Radiation-failed tumors less frequently involved the posterior third of the paraglottic space (P = .022) and showed a significantly worse pattern of invasion (P < .001). Conclusions: Even with the most recent technologies, 1 in 10 patients with advanced LSCC in this case series was differently staged on clinical examination, with cartilage involvement representing the main diagnostic pitfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with bacteroids in root nodules. Following fixation in pea (Pisum sativum L.) nodules, nitrogen is reduced to amino acids that are exported via the nodule xylem to the shoot, and in the phloem to roots in support of growth. However, the mechanisms involved in amino acid movement towards the nodule vasculature, and their importance for nodule function and plant nutrition, were unknown. We found that in pea nodules the apoplasmic pathway is an essential route for amino acid partitioning from infected cells to the vascular bundles, and that amino acid permease PsAAP6 is a key player in nitrogen retrieval from the apoplasm into inner cortex cells for nodule export. Using an miRNA interference (miR) approach, it was demonstrated that PsAAP6 function in nodules, and probably in roots, and affects both shoot and root nitrogen supply, which were strongly decreased in PsAAP6 -miR plants. Further, reduced transporter function resulted in increased nodule levels of ammonium, asparagine, and other amino acids. Surprisingly, nitrogen fixation and nodule metabolism were up-regulated in PsAAP6 -miR plants, indicating that under shoot nitrogen deficiency, or when plant nitrogen demand is high, systemic signaling leads to an increase in nodule activity, independent of the nodule nitrogen status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To measure normal renal stiffness in adults, taking into account regional variation, hydration, and urinary status. Methods: Thirty-six healthy volunteers were examined by tomoelastography based on MR elastography at four frequencies, from 40 to 70 Hz and multifrequency shear wave speed recovery. Regional wave speeds were derived for the medulla, cortex (inner cortex and outer cortex), and renal pelvis, and examined for age-related effects. Subgroups were repeatedly examined for reproducibility, amount of prior water drinking, and urinary status. Variations in renal perfusion were simulated ex vivo using a porcine kidney subjected to venous water inflow at different pressures. Results: Shear wave speed (stiffness) of renal parenchyma was 2.46 ± 0.12 m/s (inner cortex: 2.91 ± 0.17 m/s; outer cortex: 2.52 ± 0.11 m/s; medulla: 2.15 ± 0.08 m/s) without side differences and a tendency toward softening with age (P = 0.028). Corresponding intraclass correlation for reproducibility coefficients were 0.78 (inner cortex: 0.80; outer cortex: 0.81; medulla: 0.80). Water drinking resulted in slightly higher values in inner cortex and lower values in medulla (both P = 0.039), which was consistent with the results in perfused specimens. A full bladder led to higher renal pelvis stiffness (P = 0.004), whereas renal parenchyma remained uninfluenced. Stiffness of the porcine renal cortex increased with venous inflow pressure, whereas medulla stiffness decreased.ConclusionsTomoelastography provides full field of view maps of renal stiffness with highly detailed resolution and sensitivity to physiological effects related to age and fluid–solid tissue interactions. These basic data could be used to compare pathological conditions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology / Shuisheng Shengwu Xuebao is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology / Shuisheng Shengwu Xuebao is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is defined as an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the production of abnormal hemoglobin S and is correlated with high morbidity and mortality. The clinical consequences of SCD include pain crisis, acute chest syndrome, and strokes. Spontaneous epidural hematoma is a rare manifestation in sicklers with few cases reported in the literature.[6] The pathophysiology is not completely understood. However, a few explanations have been reported over the years that include vaso-occlusion of the bone resulting in bone infarction, microfracture due to rapid expansion of hematopoiesis of the inner cortex, and sludging of the sickle cells in the diploic veins—all result in leaking of blood in the epidural or in the subgalea space. Patient Concerns: A 14-year-old boy known to have SCD (Hb SS) presented to the Security Forces Hospital with a history of diffuse headache associated with nausea that started 12 h prior to presentation. Diagnosis: Computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral frontal epidural hematoma and subgaleal space. Intervention: A multidisciplinary team was created (hematology, neurology, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology) and a plan was formulated as follows: Continuous monitoring of the patient's neuro vital signs and transfuse the patient with blood and platelets in addition with Levetiracetam. Outcomes: The patient was discharged after 9 days of hospital admission. He has remained symptom-free post-transfusion. Post-discharge CT scan showed a reduction in the hematoma size. Conclusion: A high index of suspicion is needed for a prompt diagnosis and treatment of this rare complication of SCD. The management strategy of EDH depends on the level of consciousness of the patient upon presentation. Surgical approach with craniotomy and evacuation or conservative management have been used with full recovery of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Washington State University's apple breeding program (WABP) was initiated in 1994 to select new apple cultivars with improved eating quality, appearance, and storability that are suitable for production in the main growing regions of the state. Fruit quality is phenotyped using various instrumental measures, such as penetrometers (texture), titrator (acidity), and refractometer (soluble solids concentration; SSC), as well as sensory assessment. The selection regime of WABP occurs in three sequential phases: phase one (P1)—single, unreplicated seedlings at one site, phase two (P2)—replicated selections at three geographically diverse sites, and phase three (P3)—highly replicated elite selections at one to two grower sites. Most of the data collection of WABP occurs in P2. Knowledge of trends/changes associated with advancing selections is essential for understanding the selection criteria and progress of WABP throughout the changing compositions of advancing and culling selections. For each post-harvest trait, P2 data from harvest years 2005 to 2019 were split across sites, and between selections and reference cultivars (e.g., Cripps Pink, Gala, and Honeycrisp). Means of instrumental crispness (Cn) and inner cortex firmness for the advancing selections increased gradually over this period and were significantly higher than those for cultivars. Means of outer cortex firmness measurements were stable for selections but significantly higher than those for cultivars. The average fruit acidity of selections increased marginally over this period and was higher than that of the cultivars. Meanwhile, the average fruit SSCs of selections and cultivars were statistically indistinguishable. These 15-year trends indicate that WABP has been selecting apples with improved eating quality and storability through increased crispness and inner cortex firmness, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to determine a practical correlation between disulfide bond oxidation and the thermal response of chemically bleached hair fibers. Bleaching processes, and the alkaline environment under which they are applied, cause scission of native covalent cystine cross-links in virgin hair fibers to form cysteine-sulfenic, cysteine-sulfinic, and cysteine-sulfonic (cysteic) acids in the cuticle, cortex, and, to a lesser extent, in the medulla. To further our understanding of hair bleaching kinetics, results from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) chemical imaging, FTIR-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), and Raman spectroscopic measurements were correlated with results from high pressure differential scanning calorimetry (HPDSC), dry differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic vapor sorption (DVS), and modulated thermogravimetric analysis (MTGA). Spectroscopic results were used to calculate an equivalent damage factor (EDF), which was used to index bleaching damage to the cuticular and cortical compartments of the hair fiber. Spectrofluorescence and colorimetry measurements were performed on bleached whole fiber hair tresses. Fluorescence measurements provided a means to monitor changes in the tryptophan and kynurenine levels, and colorimetry measurements were conducted to quantify the overall color change (ΔE) of hair at various bleaching intervals. FTIR imaging showed that cysteic acid levels in the fibers increased with increasing bleaching time and that the spatial distribution of cysteic acid builds from the outer cortex to the inner cortex, which further validates that bleaching is a diffusion-controlled process. FTIRATR studies with whole fiber hair tresses and 3-μm cross-sections showed that the cuticular cysteic acid concentration changes abruptly, whereas conversion of cortical cystine to cysteic acid is diffusion limited. Raman spectroscopy perfectly complemented FTIR-ATR and FTIR imaging, in which case Raman was used to directly follow changes in cystine (509 cm−1) as a function of bleaching time, whereas FTIR spectroscopy monitored increases in cysteic acid concentration (1040 cm−1). The cortical EDF values for Raman and FTIR spectroscopic techniques correlated linearly (R² = 0.93–0.99), whereas the association between whole tress and cortical EDF results was poor (R² = 0.61–0.73). For the series of bleached fibers, changes in the denaturation temperature (TD) from HPDSC analyses obeyed Fick’s laws of diffusion (R² = 0.99), where the diffusion constant was estimated to be 1.1 × 10−8 cm²min−1. Using the peak in TD, the model-free Ozawa method was applied to approximate changes in the activation energy of intermediate filament denaturation as a function of increasing bleaching time. After 90 min of bleaching, the HPDSC activation energies plateaued at 180 ± 8 kJ/mol against increasing cysteic acid concentration. Dry DSC results showed that conversion of cystine to cysteic acid increased the cortical mobility temperature, advocating that ionic and hydrogen-bonded networks stabilized components of the dry cortex during excessive heating. The MTGA pyrolysis onset temperatures ranged from 237°C to 248°C for virgin and 240 min bleached hair tresses, respectively, where the onsets positively and linearly correlated with increases in cysteic acid concentration (R² = 0.95); however, the activation energy for pyrolysis of dry fibers showed a curvilinear correlation with Raman EDF, with a peak activation energy (554 ± 9 kJ/mol) corresponding to 60–90 min bleaching times. To establish connections between water management properties and cystine oxidation, linear trends in denaturation temperature against the normalized Raman cystine band at 509 cm−1 demonstrated that decreased cross-link density is directly connected to greater steady-state moisture regains (R² = 0.94). For hair tresses, low EDF correlated with high tryptophan levels; however, with increased bleaching, tryptophan and cystine levels rapidly decreased. As expected, longer bleaching times produced increased differences in color, as indexed by ΔE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its abundance in the Permian fossil record of South Africa, little is known about the life history of Anteosaurus. Here we examine the bone microstructure of multiple skeletal elements of Anteosaurus from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin. The bone histology of Anteosaurus magnificus reveals that the cortex is composed of highly vascularized, uninterrupted fibrolamellar bone tissue surrounding the inner spongy medullary region. However, the histology of two ribs and a previously described femur of another Anteosaurus taxon revealed an interrupted growth pattern with lines of arrested growth and peripheral rest lines occurring in the compacta, indicating periodic pauses in growth possibly linked to the slowing down of growth during maturity. Given that the fibula of the same individual has well-vascularised fibrolamellar bone tissue without any growth marks in the cortex; this suggests variation in skeletal growth. Based on our histological results, three growth dynamic stages are deduced for the genus Anteosaurus: (i) the earliest growth stage is represented by the predominance of highly vascularized, uninterrupted fibrolamellar bone tissue in the inner cortex, which suggests rapid periosteal bone deposition during early ontogeny; (ii) the next stage of growth shows periodic interruptions in the bone deposition as indicated by the deposition of lines of arrested growth; (iii) the third stage shows the development of lamellar bone tissue with rest lines in the peripheral part of the cortex suggesting a slowing down of growth prior to death. Most of the skeletal elements are characterized by thick bone walls, extensive secondary reconstruction and the complete infilling of the medullary cavity. However, the radius and a previously studied femur have open medullary cavities with struts of bony trabeculae. Based on histologic structures and comparisons with extant taxa, it is likely that Anteosaurus may have been more terrestrial as its osteology point towards terrestriality, but it may have occasionally inhabited ephemeral pools like modern semi-aquatic Hippopotamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of pre-harvest calcium (Ca) application on apple fruit ascorbic acid (AsA) concentration and mineral contents in the cultivars 'Braeburn', 'Fräulein', 'Pinova', 'Topaz' and 'Elstar', and core browning (CB) susceptibility in 'Braeburn' and 'Fräulein' during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage (1 °C, 1 kPa O 2 plus ≤ 1 kPa CO 2). Approximately eight pre-harvest Ca applications were applied during the growing season for 'Braeburn' and 'Fräulein' cultivars and one application in "spring" for 'Pinova', 'Topaz' and 'Elstar'. In addition, data from five consecutive harvest seasons was used to assess the relationship among AsA, mineral content, and CB for 'Braeburn'. Results showed that the impact of pre-harvest Ca was variable among cultivars; fruit Ca concentration was increased and the K/Ca ratio was reduced only in 'Fräulein' fruit, and AsA was increased only in 'Braeburn' fruit, especially in the inner cortex tissue where CB occurs. For 'Pinova', 'Elstar' and 'Topaz', Ca concentration was slightly higher in untreated fruit compared to Ca-treated fruit (p < 0.07). AsA increased after storage, remaining higher in 'Braeburn' fruit treated with Ca, especially in the outer cortex tissue. Pre-harvest Ca reduced CB in 'Fräulein', but CB incidences in 'Braeburn' were too severe (> 84%) and unaffected by Ca application. Analysis of the data from five consecutive harvest seasons showed that 'Braeburn' CB incidence related positively with Ca (r = 0.97, p < 0.05) and negatively with the AsA/Ca ratio (r = −0.71, p > 0.05). Our results suggest that the positive effect of pre-harvest Ca application in reducing CB incidence in 'Braeburn' apple, as reported by previous studies on 'Braeburn' apple, may be associated with increased AsA concentration, possibly due to higher synthesis and/or reduced degradation, rather than due to higher total fruit Ca concentration. • Pre-harvest calcium application did not increase fruit calcium in 'Braeburn'. • Ca spray increased ascorbic acid concentration in the inner cortex of 'Braeburn'. • Ca-treated fruit had a higher ascorbic acid concentration at the end of storage. • For 'Fräulein' apple, core browning was positively correlated with the K/Ca ratio. • High Ca levels were associated with high core browning incidence in 'Braeburn'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relation between hypertensive glomerular damage and arteriolar diameter was examined in a microvascular cast study in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. The blood pressure and urinary protein excretion increased progressively in the DOCA rats. In controls afferent arteriolar diameters increased during the course of the experiment, and efferent arteriolar diameters remained unchanged. In the DOCA rats, however, afferent arteriolar diameters did not change significantly, while efferent arteriolar diameters increased. Histological studies showed severe arteriolosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis in the DOCA rats. The results show that these arteriolar changes might contribute to the reduction of glomerular capillary pressure in the development of DOCA-salt hypertension. However, they are not sufficient to protect glomeruli from hypertensive damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation of cortical microtubules against transverse cell walls was examined in Azolla root primordia at different stages of development. All transverse walls in the zone of formative divisions, where the rate of increase in girth of the root is maximal and contributed to by all cell layers, show circumferential orientation of their associated microtubules with respect to the shape of the root as a whole. In the zone of proliferative divisions, expansion of inner cortex cells remains predominantly radial and they retain the same microtubule orientation. However, in the endodermal cells which bound the stele and alter very little in radial dimension, circumferential orientation gives way to radial orientation. In none of these zones or cell types is the orientation of cortical microtubules against transverse walls 'random'. Individual cells in the root can deploy their microtubules in specific, and different, orientations on different cell faces. The hypothesis that, in Azolla, nucleation of microtubules occurs along selected cell edges receives further support from the observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of legume nodules to regulate their permeability to gas diffusion has been attributed to physiological control over the size and distribution of gas-filled intercellular spaces within the nodule cortex. To examine the size and distribution of intercellular spaces and to determine whether they were filled with gas (high diffusion permeability) or liquid (low diffusion permeability), whole nodules were frozen in liquid nitrogen slush (-210°C), and then either cryo-fractured or cryo-planed before being examined by cold-stage scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cryo-planed tissue was found to have many advantages over cryo-fractured nodules in providing images which were easier to interpret and quantify. Intercellular spaces throughout the nodule were examined in both tangential and medial planed faces. Since no differences were observed between views in either the size or shape of the open intercellular spaces, it was concluded that the intercellular spaces of nodules were not radially oriented as assumed in many mathematical models of gas diffusion. The inner cortex region in the nodules had the smallest intercellular spaces compared to other zones, and less than 10% of the intercellular spaces were occluded with any type of material in the central zone regions. Vacuum infiltration of nodules with salt solutions and subsequent cryo-planing for SEM examination showed that open and water-filled intercellular spaces could be differentiated. The potential is discussed for using this method to study the mechanism of diffusion barrier regulation in legume nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell redifferentiation, division, and elongation are recurrent processes, which occur during gall development, and are dependent on the cellulose microfibrils reorientation. We hypothesized that changes in the microfibrils orientation from non-galled tissues to galled ones occur and determine the final gall shape. This determination is caused by a new tissue zonation, its hyperplasia, and relative cell hypertrophy. The impact of the insect's activity on these patterns of cell development was herein tested in Baccharopelma dracunculifoliae- Baccharis dracunculifolia system. In this system, the microfibrils are oriented perpendicularly to the longest cell axis in elongated cells and randomly in isodiametric ones, either in non-galled or in galled tissues. The isodiametric cells of the abaxial epidermis in non-galled tissues divided and elongated periclinally, forming the outer gall epidermis. The anticlinally elongated cells of the abaxial palisade layer and the isodiametric cells of the spongy parenchyma originated the gall outer cortex with hypertrophied and periclinally elongated cells. The anticlinally elongated cells of the adaxial palisade layer originated the inner cortex with hypertrophied and periclinally elongated cells in young and mature galls and isodiametric cells in senescent galls. The isodiametric cells of the adaxial epidermis elongated periclinally in the inner gall epidermis. The current investigation demonstrates the role of cellulose microfibril reorientation for gall development. Once many factors other than this reorientation act on gall development, it should be interesting to check the possible relationship of the new cell elongation patterns with the pectic composition of the cell walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The status of Proneusticosaurus silesiacus from the Lower Muschelkalk (lower Anisian) of Poland is controversially discussed. Its femur was histologically sampled to learn more about its taxonomic affinities and life style. It shows a reduced central medullary cavity surrounded by a narrow medullary region and followed by a thick compact cortex, displaying strong osteosclerosis. The tissue type can be summarized as lamellar-zonal. The inner third of the cortex consists of well vascularized parallel-fibred bone and is interpreted as a phase of juvenile growth, whereas the middle and outer cortex is made of highly organized parallel-fibred to lamellar bone. Except for the inner cortex and local accumulations of longitudinally primary osteons in the middle cortex, the femur is widely avascular. The cortex of P. silesiacus is regularly stratified by rest lines. Altogether seven annual growth cycles are counted. The very low growth rate of P. silesiacus, as deduced from tissue type, makes taxonomical affinities to Nothosaurus spp. or basal pistosauroids (i.e., humeri of aff. Cymatosaurus sp.) very unlikely. Proneusticosaurus silesiacus femoral histology does also not match any of the here studied femora of Eosauropterygia indet. Proneusticosaurus silesiacus shares similar low growth rates, the osteosclerotic femur, as well as pachyostotic vertebrae and ribs with the pachypleurosaurs Dactylosaurus gracilis and Neusticosaurus spp. and with the nothosaur Lariosaurus sp. These features are, however, most likely convergent and reflect the degree of secondary aquatic adaptation in shallow marine inhabitants. The high organized and low vascularized tissue, the implied low growth rate, the plesiomorphic femur morphology, and the strongly inclined zygapophyses of the vertebrae (contra roughly horizontal zygapophyses in other Eosauropterygia), makes P. silesiacus unique and evidence that this genus represents a valid genus within early Eosauropterygia. Proneusticosaurus silesiacus might represent one of the most basal members of Eosauropterygia so far known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Magyar Állatorvosok Lapja is the property of Herman Otto Intezet Nonprofit Kft. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Premise of research. Fossil assemblages of the Battery Point Formation are among the most diverse occurrences of Early Devonian permineralized plants worldwide. The plant fossils host microbial, putative fungal, and fungal fossils that have not been surveyed previously. Here we provide a first synopsis of the morphological diversity of these fossils. Methodology. The fossils originate from the southern shore of Gaspé Bay (Quebec, Canada), where Emsian (400–395 Ma) layers deposited in fluvial to coastal environments host allochthonous fossil plant assemblages. Fossils were studied in serial anatomical sections produced with the cellulose acetate peel technique. Pivotal results. The fossils comprise spores, hyphae, and cellular aggregates found within zosterophyll, trimerophyte, and rhyniophyte axes. The spores include large types showing characters of extant glomeromycetes, small spores with wrinkly walls suggestive of algal cysts, and a variety of globose spores that occupy inter- and intracellular positions. The hyphae comprise septate and aseptate forms, some similar to Carboniferous plant endophytes, others associated with structures with potential blastocladiomycete affinities. Putative cellular aggregates, including elongated, spherical, and moniliform types, have morphologies suggestive of asexual fungal structures, prokaryotes, or protist colonies; some are distributed in concentric patterns by morphological type within a rhyniophyte axis. Miscellaneous structures interpreted as putative sexual reproductive structures, as well as animal eggs and egg cases and one suggestive of a larval case, are also present. Conclusions. The rich and diverse fossil assemblages of the Rhynie chert have been the only source of information on Early Devonian plant-fungal and plant-microbial interactions, until now. The new diverse fossils documented in the Battery Point Formation reemphasize the importance of permineralized fossils for uncovering plant-microorganism interactions, open a new window on the history of these interactions deep in the fossil record, and broaden the spectrum of plant-associated microorganisms known from the Early Devonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology / Shuisheng Shengwu Xuebao is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The imaging characteristics of sacral sacralalar-iliac (S2AI) screw trajectory in adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS) patients will be determined.Methods: S2AI screw trajectories were mapped on three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) reconstructions of 40 ADS patients. The starting point, placement plane, screw template, and a circle centered at the lowest point of the ilium inner cortex were set on these images. A tangent line from the starting point to the outer diameter of the circle was selected as the axis of the screw trajectory. The related parameters in different populations were analyzed and compared.Results: The trajectory length of S2AI screws in ADS patients was 12.00 ± 0.99 cm, the lateral angle was 41.24 ± 3.92°, the caudal angle was 27.73 ± 6.45°, the distance from the axis of the screw trajectory to the iliosciatic notch was 1.05 ± 0.81 cm, the distance from the axis of the screw trajectory to the upper edge of the acetabulum was 1.85 ± 0.33 cm, and the iliac width was 2.12 ± 1.65 cm. Compared with females, the lateral angle of male ADS patients was decreased, but the trajectory length was increased (P < 0.05). Compared to patients without ADS in previous studies, the lateral angle of male patients was larger, the lateral angle of female patients was increased, and the caudal angle was decreased (P < 0.05).Conclusions: There is an ideal trajectory of S2AI screws in ADS patients. A different direction should be noticed in the placement of S2AI screws, especially in female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the Osmundaceae, Plenasium xiei sp. nov., is herein described from the Cretaceous of Northeast China. The specimens examined here represent the earliest unequivocal record of the extant genus Plenasium in Eurasia based on fossil rhizomes. The rhizome consists of a central stem with a mantle of petiole bases and adventitious roots. The stem contains an ectophloic‐dictyoxylic siphonostele and a two‐layered cortex. The C‐shaped leaf trace bears two protoxylem bundles at the point of separation from the stele. The pith is heterogeneous. The parenchymatous inner cortex is thinner than the sclerenchymatous outer cortex. Lobed sclerenchyma bands occur at the adaxial sides of the stem xylem strands, in the concavity of the leaf trace, and along the adaxial side of the vascular bundles of the petiole base. In distal petiole portions, the sclerenchyma band splits into several groups in the transverse view. Sclerenchyma rings are heterogeneous with an abaxial sclerenchymatous arc of thick‐walled fibers. Numerous sclerenchyma strands of thick‐walled fibers appear in the petiolar inner cortex and the stipular wing. These fossils provide unambiguous evidence for the existence of subgenus Plenasium of modern Plenasium by at least the Late Cretaceous, demonstrating the longevity of this extant subgenus. Altogether the leaf and rhizome fossil records of Plenasium indicate that this genus was widely distributed across North America and Eurasia from the Early Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic, followed by a range restriction to Eurasia in the Late Cenozoic. Extant Plenasium species are only known from East and Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes enter into a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia, leading to nodule development. Two main types of nodules have been widely studied, indeterminate and determinate, which differ in the location of the first cell division in the root cortex, and persistency of the nodule meristem. Here, we compared the control of auxin transport, content, and response during the early stages of indeterminate and determinate nodule development in the model legumes Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus, respectively, to investigate whether differences in auxin transport control could explain the differences in the location of cortical cell divisions. While auxin responses were activated in dividing cortical cells during nodulation of both nodule types, auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) content at the nodule initiation site was transiently increased in M. truncatula, but transiently reduced in L. japonicus. Root acropetal auxin transport was reduced in M. truncatula at the very start of nodule initiation, in contrast to a prolonged increase in acropetal auxin transport in L. japonicus. The auxin transport inhibitors 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid and 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) only induced pseudonodules in legume species forming indeterminate nodules, but failed to elicit such structures in a range of species forming determinate nodules. The development of these pseudonodules in M. truncatula exhibited increased auxin responses in a small primordium formed from the pericycle, endodermis, and inner cortex, similar to rhizobia-induced nodule primordia. In contrast, a diffuse cortical auxin response and no associated cortical cell divisions were found in L. japonicus. Collectively, we hypothesize that a step of acropetal auxin transport inhibition is unique to the process of indeterminate nodule development, leading to auxin responses in pericycle, endodermis, and inner cortex cells, while increased auxin responses in outer cortex cells likely require a different mechanism during the formation of determinate nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: An anatomically preserved fossil fern sporeling has been discovered in a Lower Cretaceous marine concretion from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, providing an opportunity to characterize rhizome growth from an extinct species. Methods: The specimen was studied from serial transverse sections prepared by the cellulose acetate peel technique. Results: The rhizome ranges from ~0.7 to 1.1 mm in diameter, has a sclerenchymatous pith, a stele that attains a dictyoxylic architecture, and sclerenchymatous outer cortex, features that are characteristic of osmundaceous rhizomes. Cauline xylem forms a medullated protostele or solenostele at some levels, but is dissected into discrete xylem bundles at others. Fronds diverge in a helical phyllotaxis, range up to 1.1 mm in greatest dimension, and have a C‐shaped trace and outer cortex of sclerotic cells. Inside the sclerenchyma of the petioles are two lateral sclerotic strands and a sclerotic bundle adaxial to the trace. Together, these characters reveal the occurrence of a new species, Todea minutacaulis and provide evidence for developmental changes that occur in the rhizome as the sporeling increased in size. Conclusions: Small size of the specimen, medullated protostelic‐dictyoxylic solenostelar vascular architecture, and incompletely sclerified cells apically reveal that osmundaceous sporeling development has remained constant since at least the Early Cretaceous. Together with Todea tidwellii and Osmunda vancouverensis that also are present in the Apple Bay flora, this sporeling documents the occurrence of a multispecies assemblage of osmundaceous ferns and demonstrates that the genus Todea was diversifying rapidly by the Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We analyze the oldest fossil occurrences of wound‐response periderm to characterize the development of wound responses in early tracheophytes. The origin of periderm production by a cambium (phellogen), an innovation with key roles in protection of inner plant tissues, is poorly explored; understanding periderm development in early tracheophytes can illuminate key aspects of this process.Anatomy of wound‐response tissues is characterized in serial sections in a new Early Devonian (Emsian; c. 400 Ma) euphyllophyte from Quebec (Canada) – Nebuloxyla mikmaqiana sp. nov. – and compared to previously described euphyllophyte periderm from the same fossil locality to reconstruct periderm development.Characterizing development in these oldest periderm occurrences allows us to propose a model for the development of wound‐response periderm in early tracheophytes: by phellogen activity that is poorly coordinated laterally but bifacial, producing secondary tissues initially outwardly and subsequently inwardly.The earliest occurrences of wound periderm pre‐date the oldest known periderm produced systemically as a regular ontogenetic stage (canonical periderm), suggesting that periderm evolved initially as a wound‐response mechanism. We hypothesize that canonical periderm evolved by exaptation of this wound sealing mechanism, whose deployment was triggered by tangential tensional stresses induced in the superficial tissues by vascular cambial growth from within. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although root nodules are essential for biological nitrogen fixation in legumes, the cell types and molecular regulatory mechanisms contributing to nodule development and nitrogen fixation in determinate nodule legumes, such as soybean (Glycine max), remain incompletely understood. Here, we generated a single‐nucleus resolution transcriptomic atlas of soybean roots and nodules at 14 days post inoculation (dpi) and annotated 17 major cell types, including six that are specific to nodules. We identified the specific cell types responsible for each step in the ureides synthesis pathway, which enables spatial compartmentalization of biochemical reactions during soybean nitrogen fixation. By utilizing RNA velocity analysis, we reconstructed the differentiation dynamics of soybean nodules, which differs from those of indeterminate nodules in Medicago truncatula. Moreover, we identified several putative regulators of soybean nodulation and two of these genes, GmbHLH93 and GmSCL1, were as‐yet uncharacterized in soybean. Overexpression of each gene in soybean hairy root systems validated their respective roles in nodulation. Notably, enrichment for cytokinin‐related genes in soybean nodules led to identification of the cytokinin receptor, GmCRE1, as a prominent component of the nodulation pathway. GmCRE1 knockout in soybean resulted in a striking nodule phenotype with decreased nitrogen fixation zone and depletion of leghemoglobins, accompanied by downregulation of nodule‐specific gene expression, as well as almost complete abrogation of biological nitrogen fixation. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive perspective of the cellular landscape during soybean nodulation, shedding light on the underlying metabolic and developmental mechanisms of soybean nodule formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proposed that in the absence of blood supply, the ocular lens operates an internal microcirculation system that delivers nutrients to internalized fiber cells faster and more efficiently than would occur by passive diffusion alone. To visualize the extracellular space solute fluxes potentially generated by this system, bovine lenses were organ cultured in artificial aqueous humor (AAH) for 4 h in the presence or absence of two gadolinium-based contrast agents, ionic Gd3+, or a chelated form of Gd3+, Gd-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd- DTPA; mol mass = 590 Da). Contrast reagent penetration into the lens core was monitored in real time using inversion recovery-spin echo (IR-SE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while steady-state accumulation of [Gd-DTPA]-2 was also determined by calculating T1 values. After incubation, lenses were fixed and cryosectioned, and sections were labeled with the membrane marker wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Sections were imaged by confocal microscopy using standard and reflectance imaging modalities to visualize the fluorescent WGA label and gadolinium reagents, respectively. Real-time IR-SE MRI showed rapid penetration of Gd3+ into the outer cortex of the lens and a subsequent bloom of signal in the core. These two areas of signal were separated by an area in the inner cortex that limited entry of Gd3+. Similar results were obtained for Gd-DTPA, but the penetration of the larger negatively charged molecule into the core could only be detected by calculating T1 values. The presence of Gd-DTPA in the extracellular space of the outer cortex and core, but its apparent absence from the inner cortex was confirmed using reflectance imaging of equatorial sections. In axial sections, Gd-DTPA was associated with the sutures, suggesting these structures provide a pathway from the surface, across the inner cortex barrier to the lens core. Our studies have revealed inner and outer boundaries of a zone within which a narrowing of the extracellular space restricts solute diffusion and acts to direct fluxes into the lens core via the sutures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The utility of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx or hypopharynx in the setting of thyroid or cricoid cartilage invasion (TCCI) is controversial. A retrospective review of our experience was performed. Methods: Our institutional database of patients with SCC of the head and neck treated with radiotherapy (90% received concurrent systemic therapy) between 1995 and 2009 was queried. We identified 87 patients with T3-4 laryngeal or T4 hypopharyngeal cancer for whom initial head and neck imaging was available for review. Imaging of all patients was reviewed by a single radiologist specializing in neuroradiology. The presence and extent of TCCI was determined and used for stratification. Results: Median follow-up was 34 months. TCCI was found in 25 (29%) patients, eight limited to the inner cortex and another 17 involving both cortices. Local control (LC) was not significantly affected by TCCI limited to the inner cortex. However, TCCI involving both cortices was correlated with diminished LC at 2 years compared to the group of patients with no or minor invasion (55% vs. 81%, p=0.045). However, TCCI involving both cortices was not associated with significantly reduced rates of survival with a functional larynx, or overall survival (OS). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the rate of LC of T3-4 laryngeal or T4 hypopharyngeal SCC treated with definitive RT is not affected by TCCI of the inner cortex. Although decreased LC was significantly associated with TCCI involving both cortices, this factor did not appear to result in reduced rates of survival with a functional larynx or OS. Therefore, organ preservation may remain an option in these patients [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the structural events associated with vacuole biogenesis in root tip cells of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) seedlings preserved by high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution techniques. Our micrographs demonstrate that the lytic vacuoles (LVs) of root tip cells are derived from protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) by cell type-specific sets of transformation events. Analysis of the vacuole transformation pathways has been aided by the phytin-dependent black osmium staining of PSV luminal contents. In epidermal and outer cortex cells, the central LVs are formed by a process involving PSV fusion, storage protein degradation, and the gradual replacement of the PSV marker protein α-tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) with the LV marker protein γ-TIP. In contrast, in the inner cortex and vascular cylinder cells, the transformation events are more complex. During mobilization of the stored molecules, the PSV membranes collapse osmotically upon themselves, thereby squeezing the vacuolar contents into the remaining bulging vacuolar regions. The collapsed PSV membranes then differentiate into two domains: (1) vacuole "reinflation" domains that produce pre-LVs, and (2) multilamellar autophagosomal domains that are later engulfed by the pre-LVs. The multilamellar autophagosomal domains appear to originate from concentric sheets of PSV membranes that create compartments within which the cytoplasm begins to break down. Engulfment of the multilamellar autophagic vacuoles by the pre-LVs gives rise to the mature LVs. During pre-LV formation, the PSV marker α-TIP disappears and is replaced by the LV marker 7-TIP. These findings demonstrate that the central LVs of root cells arise from PSVs via cell type-specific transformation pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A marattialean trunk of Psaronius laowujiensis sp. nov. is described from the Upper Permian of the Xuanwei Formation, Panxian County, Guizhou Province, South China. The specimen most likely represents the lower part of the trunk, because the preserved thickness of the root mantel is somewhat larger than the diameter of the stem. Meristeles of the stem are arranged in approximately five tangential stelar cycles but not in radial files. Inner meristeles are in small number, ∼12-13, and loosely arranged. Leaf traces diverge helically and are organized in a 2/5 phyllotaxy. The leaf base vascular configuration consists of three strands that include a large U-shaped, centrifugal strand, a small centripetal strand, and an inverted ϙ-shaped internal strand. A vascular bundle sheath one or two cell layers thick surrounds each meristele. Within the centripetal concavity of each peripheral cauline bundle there are anchor-shaped sclerenchymatous strands. Ground tissue appears to consist of aerenchymatous parenchyma, in which secretory cavities are dispersed. Bound roots mostly possess seven to nine protoxylem poles. The vascular bundle sheath is one or two cell layers thick. The inner cortex consists of aerenchymatous parenchyma. A detailed comparison of the present specimen with known species of Psaronius from the Permian of South China is made. Our specimen is similar to Psaronius wangii in many aspects, but the two can be clearly distinguished by the structure of the ground tissue of the stem and the leaf base vascular configuration, which leads to the erection of a new species, P. laowujiensis, for this specimen. Certain important characters in species from the Permian of South China are discussed. The tree- or anchor-shaped sclerenchymatous configuration within the centripetal concavity of the peripheral cauline bundles is unique to species from the South China Permian. The permanent vascular bundle sheath surrounding the meristeles of the stem and the stele of the root is another remarkable feature of those species. The analogous tissue, termed "inner cortex" by certain authors, is also present in some Psaronius from the Euramerican and North China floras, but in those cases it is thinner walled and not as remarkable as the vascular bundle sheath in the species from South China. The leaf base vascular configuration of the species from the Permian in South China is more diverse than those from other places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  A morphological and anatomical study of the root systems of the palm species Brahea armata S. Watson, Chamaerops humilis L., Phoenix canariensis Chabaud and Phoenix dactylifera L. has been carried out to determine possible mycorrhizal colonization sites. Furthermore, the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) anatomical types formed by the four palm species in association with Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe have been examined. The presence of a continuous sclerenchymatic ring in the outer cortex and aerenchyma in the inner cortex that are anatomical indicators of mycorrhizal nonsusceptibility in all four palm species is observed. The root systems of B. armata and C. humilis present only one group of third-order roots, while the third-order roots of P. canariensis and P. dactylifera may be divided into five different groups: short thick roots, mycorrhizal thickened roots, fine short roots, fine long roots, and pneumatorhizas. Third-order and some second-order roots of B. armata and C. humilis are susceptible to colonization by AM fungi, while only the mycorrhizal thickened roots form mycorrhizas with arbuscules in the Phoenix species. The root system of the Phoenix species also presents AM colonization in fine roots with only intraradical hyphae and spores, but without arbuscules, and pseudomantles of spores anchored in the pneumatorings of the second-order roots, which are described for the first time. The mycorrhizas formed by the four palm species are of an intermediate type, between the Arum and the Paris types, and are characterized by intercalary arbusculate coils and not only by intracellular but also by intercellular fungal growth. Our study suggests that a different degree of adaptation may exist among palm mycorrhizas toward the slow growth of palms and low spore numbers in the soil where they grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is equipped with a set of physiological and morphological adaptations suited to a fossorial lifestyle. These allow wombats to engage in efficient scratch-digging and maintaining a low basal metabolic rate while living underground. While bone microstructure has been described for several subterranean animals, wombat bone histology has received very little attention to date. Here, we present preliminary insights into bone histology in modern adult V. ursinus (Mt Fairy, New South Wales) and Pleistocene fossil Vombatus sp. (Bakers Swamp, New South Wales) midshaft humeri. The modern sample was well preserved, allowing us to identify varying bone tissue types (woven, parallel-fibred, lamellar). The sample showed vascularity composed of primary and secondary osteons, and simple longitudinal and radial vessels. We also observed evidence for Haversian remodelling (i.e. localised replacement of pre-existing bone) and coarse compact cancellous bone within the inner cortex of the diaphysis. The fossil histology was poorly preserved, but likely showed bone matrix organisation similar to the modern specimen. We use these preliminary data to discuss hypotheses for wombat forelimb biomechanical and physiological microscopic adaptation to a burrow environment. We encourage future intraskeletal examination of microstructure in wombat populations to better inform their ecological adaptations and behaviour in palaeontological contexts. The common wombat has unique biological and behavioural adaptations that support growth and life in the burrow. Using bone histology, we preliminarily investigated how these adaptations impact the development and microstructure of the wombat forelimb. Comparing modern and fossil bones of Vombatus, we suggest that wombats may have bone microstructural features that reflect lifestyle and growth in the burrow. Future research should test these results on more samples to improve reconstructions of wombat behaviour in the fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spanish Journal of Palaeontology is the property of Socieadad Espanola de Paleontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recent advances in neonatal care have improved the survival rate of those born premature. But prenatal conditions, premature birth and clinical interventions can lead to transient and permanent problems in these fragile patients. Premature birth (<36 gestational weeks) occurs during critical renal development and maturation. Some consequences have been observed but the exact pathophysiology is still not entirely known. This experimental animal study aims to investigate the effect of premature birth on postnatal nephrogenesis in premature neonatal rabbits compared to term rabbits of the same corrected age. We analyzed renal morphology, glomerular maturity and functional parameters (proteinuria and protein/creatinine ratio) in three cohorts of rabbit pups: preterm (G28), preterm at day 7 of life (G28+7) and term at day 4 of life (G31+4). We found no significant differences in kidney volume and weight, and relative kidney volume between the cohorts. Nephrogenic zone width increased significantly over time when comparing G31 + 4 to G28. The renal corpuscle surface area, in the inner cortex and outer cortex, tended to decrease significantly after birth in both preterm and term groups. With regard to glomerular maturity, we found that the kidneys in the preterm cohorts were still in an immature state (presence of vesicles and capillary loop stage). Importantly, significant differences in proteinuria and protein/creatinine ratio were found. G28 + 7 showed increased proteinuria (p = 0.019) and an increased protein/creatinine ratio (p = 0.023) in comparison to G31 +4. In conclusion, these results suggest that the preterm rabbit kidney tends to linger in the immature glomerular stages and shows signs of a reduced renal functionality compared to the kidney born at term, which could in time lead to short- and long-term health consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three endemic species of Gelidium have been described from the remote Tristan da Cunha archipelago. A recent barcode survey of Tristan da Cunha red algae in combination with the clarification of vouchers for previously sequenced specimens has prompted a molecular and morphological reassessment of these species. Analyses of rbcL and COI-5P data indicated that all sequenced Tristan da Cunha specimens represented a single taxon, and furthermore that this genetic group was conspecific with Gelidium micropterum from southern Africa. Morphologically the Tristan da Cunha specimens represented either Gelidium concinnum or Gelidium regulare, and there was a grade of character states between both of these species, as well as G. micropterum. Based on these results the synonymy of G. concinnum and G. regulare under G. micropterum is proposed and an expanded description of G. micropterum provided. None of the studied Tristan da Cunha specimens clearly fit the description of the third endemic species, Gelidium inflexum, and its status could not be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil trunks and rhizomes of Osmundaceae provide important information about its evolutionary history. Due to limited records of the Mesozoic trunks and rhizomes in the Eurasia of the Northern Hemisphere, our understanding on the fossil diversity of the Osmundaceae is hindered. Two new species of the Osmundaceae trunks, Osmundacaulis asiatica sp. nov. and Osmundacaulis sinica sp. nov. representing the first discovery of the Mesozoic tree fern genus Osmundacaulis in Eurasia, are described from Wudalianchi and Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, which enriches the plant diversity of the Osmundaceae in the Eurasia, and provides vital evidence for studying the distribution, radiation and evolution of the genus during the Cretaceous. The fossil records suggest that Osmundacaulis species may have evolved from a common ancestor, which first appeared in the Australian portion of Pangaea, and then spread to ancient northern North America and ancient East Asia. Since then, they developed into different species through their own evolutionary lines. The Chinese species have a special local feature that the outer cortex is thicker than the inner cortex, in contrast with reported Osmundacaulis species having thinner outer cortex and thicker inner cortex. Long-term geographic isolation may have led to the radiation of diverse Osmundacaulis species and the appearance of region-specific features, such as the thick outer cortex and the thin inner cortex of the Chinese species. Among all reported Osmundacaulis species, the two new species found in China, O. nerii from the Jurassic of Australia and the O. lemonii from the Jurassic of the USA, have special groups of mucilage-sacs inside sclerenchyma ring of petiole base. Mucilage sacs probably originated independently among taxonomic groups, representing convergent adaptations to similar habitats, rather than indicating genetic inheritance from a common ancestor. Image 1 • New Mesozoic species represent the first discovery of Osmunacaulis in Eurasia. • The diversity of the Osmundaceae in Eurasia greater than previously supposed. • Osmundacaulis species in the Northern Hemisphere evolved from Australia. • The mucilage sacs of Osmundacaulis developed in response to specific environmental pressures. • Long-term geographic isolation led to the appearance of diverse Osmundacaulis species and region-specific features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the ability of four objectively defined, cortical maturation features-surface area, gyrification index, sulcal depth and curvature-from structural MRI at term-equivalent age (TEA) to independently predict cognitive and language development at 2 years corrected age in very preterm (VPT) infants.Design: Population-based, prospective cohort study. Structural brain MRI was performed at term, between 40 and 44 weeks postmenstrual age and processed using the developing Human Connectome Project pipeline.Setting: Multicentre study comprising four regional level III neonatal intensive care units in the Columbus, Ohio region.Patients: 110 VPT infants (gestational age (GA) ≤ 31 weeks).Main Outcome Measures: Cognitive and language scores at 2 years corrected age on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition.Results: Of the 94 VPT infants with high-quality T2-weighted MRI scans, 75 infants (80%) returned for Bayley-III testing. Cortical surface area was positively correlated with cognitive and language scores in nearly every brain region. Curvature of the inner cortex was negatively correlated with Bayley scores in the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. In multivariable regression models, adjusting for GA, sex, socioeconomic status, and injury score on MRI, regional measures of surface area and curvature independently explained more than one-third of the variance in cognitive and language scores at 2 years corrected age in our cohort.Conclusions: We identified increased cortical curvature at TEA as a new prognostic biomarker of adverse neurodevelopment in very premature infants. When combined with cortical surface area, it enhanced prediction of cognitive and language development. Larger studies are needed to externally validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kafkas Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi is the property of University of Kafkas, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present investigation was conducted on the histomorphological, histo-chemical and scanning electron microscopical observation on the lymph node of Pati duck of Assam at different stages of development. Structure of the cervical and lumber lymph node of Pati duck revealed the same structure in histomorphological observation. The lymph node was surrounded by a thin connective tissue capsule. The trabeculae which were arisen from the capsule divided the lymph node into number of irregular compartments. The trabeculae became distinct with the advancement of age. The parenchymatus part of these lymph node consisted of inner cortex and outer medulla along the cortical and medullary sinuses. The cortex of lymph node was occupied by numerous follicles with different shape. These lymphoid follicles were surrounded by very thin layer of capsule. The medulla of these lymph node consisted of medullary sinuses and medullary cords. The medullary sinuses were larger compared to the cortical sinuses. The medulla was loosely arranged in week 4th of age of Pati duck whereas in week 16th, 24th and 42nd of age, it became compact. Histochemicaly, the lymphatic nodule of lymph node showed intense reaction for acid phosphatase at week 42nd of age of Pati duck whereas lymphatic nodule of lymph node showed strong reaction for adenosine tri-phosphatase. In scanning electron microscopy, the lymph node of Pati duck were surrounded by very thin capsule and it contained numerous connective fibers. Medulla of the lymph node was peripherally located whereas cortex was situated centrally. The lymph node contained connective tissue fibers where lymphocytes were attached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arsenic toxicity induces a range of metabolic responses in plants, including DNA methylation. The focus of this paper was on the relationship between As-induced stress and plant senescence in the hyperaccumulator Pteris cretica var. Albo-lineata (Pc-Al). We assume difference in physiological parameters and level of DNA methylation in young and old fronds as symptoms of As toxicity. Results: The As accumulation of Pc-Al fronds, grown in pots of haplic chernozem contaminated with 100 mg As kg− 1 for 122 days, decreased with age. Content of As was higher in young than old fronds for variants with 100 mg As kg− 1 (2800 and 2000 mg As kg− 1 dry matter, respectively). The highest As content was determined in old fronds of Pc-Al grown in pots with 250 mg As kg− 1. The increase with age was confirmed for determined nutrients – Cu, Mg, Mn, S and Zn. A significant elevation of all analysed nutrients was showed in old fronds. Arsenic accumulation affected DNA methylation status in fronds, but content of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) decreased only in old fronds of Pc-Al (from 25 to 12%). Determined photosynthetic processes showed a decrease of fluorescence, photosynthetic rate and chlorophylls of As treatments in young and old fronds. Water potential was decreased by As in both fronds. Thinning of the sclerenchymatous inner cortex and a reduction in average tracheid metaxylem in the vascular cylinder was showed in roots of As treatment. Irrespective to fronds age, physiological parameters positively correlated with a 5mC while negatively with direct As toxicity. Opposite results were found for contents of Cu, Mg, Mn, S and Zn. Conclusions: The results of this paper point to changes in the metabolism of the hyperaccumulator plant Pc-Al, upon low and high exposure to As contamination. The significant impact of As on DNA methylation was found in old fronds. Irrespective to fronds age, significant correlations were confirmed for 5mC and As toxicity. Our analysis of the very low water potential values and lignification of cell walls in roots showed that transports of assimilated metabolites and water between roots and fronds were reduced. As was showed by our results, epigenetic changes could affect studied parameters of the As hyperaccumulator plant Pc-Al, especially in old fronds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two genotypes of Senecio coronatus (Thunb.) Harv. (Asteraceae) growing on ultramafic outcrops were identified previously: a Ni hyperaccumulator and a non-hyperaccumulator. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cytology of the roots of both genotypes, their Ni content and tissue distribution, and to ascertain whether there was a cytological basis for the differential uptake of Ni. Light and fluorescence microscopy together with histochemical methods were used to study root cytology. X-ray microanalysis by means of a nuclear microprobe—particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and proton backscattering (BS) techniques—was utilized to determine the concentration and distribution of Ni and other elements. Average concentration of Ni and distribution in roots differed significantly between hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating genotypes. Ni amount in the hyperaccumulating genotype was ca. 60 times higher in the older part of the root (1,760 μg g−1) and ca. 10 times higher (314 μg g−1) in the younger root hair region in comparison with the equivalent parts of the non-accumulating genotype where Ni amounts were 30 μg g−1. Ni distribution pattern was also different in both cases. Cytological differences were observed in the inner cortical region and exodermis of the roots. Distinct groups of specialized cells with an organelle-rich cytoplasm that produced copious numbers of spherical bodies occurred in the inner cortical region of the hyperaccumulator. Such distinct cell groups were absent from the inner cortex of the non-hyperaccumulator. Cortical cells here had a thin parietal cytoplasmic layer and produced fewer spherical bodies. In both genotypes the spherical structures were extruded from the cytoplasm into air spaces between the cells where they coalesced to form amorphous deposits, significantly larger and more abundant in the hyperaccumulator. Histochemical tests identified these deposits as a mixture of lipids, alkaloids and terpenoids. Specialized cells present in the inner cortex of the hyperaccumulating genotype demonstrated significant relative Ni depletion in comparison with the adjacent inner cortex and phloem. Casparian bands were identified in exodermal cell walls of both genotypes but the bands fluoresced more intensely in the non-accumulator suggesting differences in chemical composition and probably also a more efficient apoplastic barrier. This feature was correlated with the observed Ni distribution pattern. The highest Ni enrichment in the hyperaccumulating genotype occurred in the outer cortex; 20 times more than in the adjacent epidermis/exodermis in older portions of roots and 3 times more than in the epidermis/exodermis in younger root hair regions. In contrast, in the non-hyperaccumulating genotype, a higher concentration of nickel was found in the epidermis/exodermis compared to the outer cortex. The Ni ratio between the outer cortex and epidermis/exodermis was about 0.4 in the non-hyperaccumulator. Different cytological features exhibited by the genotypes may represent adaptive responses to the presence of high concentrations of Ni in the soil and subsequent differential uptake of Ni. Basic characteristics and elemental content of soil collected from the close vicinity of roots of two S. coronatus genotypes are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptation of the cortical collecting duct (CCD) to metabolic acidosis requires the polymerization and deposition in the extracellular matrix of the novel protein hensin. HCO3--secreting β-intercalated cells remove apical Cl-:HCO3- exchangers and may reverse functional polarity to secrete protons. Using intercalated cells in culture, we found that galectin-3 facilitated hensin polymerization, thereby causing their differentiation into the H+-secreting cell phenotype. We examined the expression of galectin-3 in the rabbit kidney and its relationship to hensin during metabolic acidosis. in control kidneys, galectin-3 was expressed in the cortical and medullary collecting ducts. In the outer cortex 26 ± 3% of CCD cells expressed galectin-3 compared with 64 ± 3% of the cells of the inner cortex. In the CCD, galectin-3 was rarely expressed in β-intercalated cells, being primarily present in α-intercalated and principal cells. During metabolic acidosis, the intensity of cellular staining for galectin-3 increased and more cells began to express it; the percentage of CCD cells expressing galectin-3 increased from 26 ± 3 to 66 ± 3% in the outer cortex and from 64 ± 3 to 78 ± 4% in the inner cortex. This was particularly evident in β-intercalated cells where expression was found in only 8 ± 2% in control animals but in 75 ± 2% during metabolic acidosis in the outer cortex and similarly for the inner cortex (26 ± 6 to 90 ± 7%). Importantly, both galectin-3 and hensin were found in the extracellular matrix of microdissected CCDs; and during metabolic acidosis, many more cells exhibited this extracellular colocalization. Thus galectin-3 may play several important roles in the CCD, including mediating the adaptation of β-intercalated cells during metabolic acidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of ageing and determining the fire history of grasstrees, based on colour bands running along the stem, has been developed. As part of our evaluation of the technique, we examined the structural and chemical basis of the colour differences. Exposed ends of the leaf bases are cream, brown and black, with the inner cortex, especially in the black leaf bases, being darker than the outer cortex. There was no structural difference between the three leaf base types. Tannin concentration increased from cream to brown to black leaf bases, and from the inner to outer cortex, and remained quite stable over many years. Both water‐soluble and insoluble pigments contribute to the darkness of the black leaf bases. A hydrophobic naphthoquinone was present in the conducting tissues of the vascular bundles, and related naphthalene‐derivatives were present in the surrounding tissues. We conclude that the colour differences between the leaf bases have a chemical basis that can be linked to environmental changes: tannin cells to phenological effects, and naphthalene‐derivatives in the vascular core to the passage of fire. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Transport of water is critical for maintaining the transparency of the avascular lens, and the lens is known to express at least five distinctly different water channels from the Aquaporin (AQP) family of proteins. In this study we report on the identification of a sixth lens AQP, AQP3 an aquaglyceroporin, which in addition to water also transports glycerol and H 2 O 2. AQP3 was identified at the transcript level and protein levels using RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, in the mouse, rat, bovine and human lens, showing that its expression is conserved in the mammalian lens. Western blotting showed AQP3 in the lens exists as 25 kDa non-glycosylated and 37 kDa glycosylated monomeric forms in all lens species. To identify the regions in the lens where AQP3 is expressed Western blotting was repeated using epithelial, outer cortical and inner cortical/core fractions isolated from the mouse lens. AQP3 was found in all lens regions, with the highest signal of non-glycosylated AQP3 being found in the epithelium. While in the inner cortex/core region AQP3 signal was not only lower but was predominately from the glycosylated form of AQP3. Immunolabelling of lens sections with AQP3 antibodies confirmed that AQP3 is found in all regions of the adult mouse, and also revealed that the subcellular distribution of AQP3 changes as a function of fiber cell differentiation. In epithelial and peripheral fiber cells of the outer cortex AQP3 labelling was predominately associated with membrane vesicles in the cytoplasm, but in the deeper regions of the lens AQP3 labelling was associated with the plasma membranes of fiber cells located in the inner cortex and core of the lens. To determine how this adult pattern of AQP3 subcellular distribution was established, immunolabelling for AQP3 was performed on embryonic and postnatal lenses. AQP3 expression was first detected on embryonic day (E) 11 in the membranes of primary fiber cells that have started to elongate and fill the lumen of the lens vesicle, while later at E16 the AQP3 labelling in the primary fiber cells had shifted to a predominately cytoplasmic location. In the following postnatal (P) stages of lens growth at P3 and P6, AQP3 labelling remained cytoplasmic across all regions of the lens and it was not until P15 when the pattern of localisation of AQP3 changed to an adult distribution with cytoplasmic labelling detected in the outer cortex and membrane localisation detected in the inner cortex and core of the lens. Comparison of the AQP3 labelling pattern to those obtained previously for AQP0 and AQP5 showed that the subcellular distribution was more similar to AQP5 than AQP0, but there were still significant differences that suggest AQP3 may have unique roles in the maintenance of lens transparency. • Aquaporin (AQP) 3 was identified as a sixth lens AQP at the transcript and protein levels in the mammalian lens. • AQP3 protein expression changes as a function of fiber cells differentiation and lens embryonic and postnatal growth. • AQP3 expression is more like AQP5 than AQP0 but spatial differences between AQP3 and AQP5 suggest they have unique functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mice, the contraction of the ciliary muscle via the administration of pilocarpine reduces the zonular tension applied to the lens and activates the TRPV1-mediated arm of a dual feedback system that regulates the lens' hydrostatic pressure gradient. In the rat lens, this pilocarpine-induced reduction in zonular tension also causes the water channel AQP5 to be removed from the membranes of fiber cells located in the anterior influx and equatorial efflux zones. Here, we determined whether this pilocarpine-induced membrane trafficking of AQP5 is also regulated by the activation of TRPV1. Using microelectrode-based methods to measure surface pressure, we found that pilocarpine also increased pressure in the rat lenses via the activation of TRPV1, while pilocarpine-induced removal of AQP5 from the membrane observed using immunolabelling was abolished by pre-incubation of the lenses with a TRPV1 inhibitor. In contrast, mimicking the actions of pilocarpine by blocking TRPV4 and then activating TRPV1 resulted in sustained increase in pressure and the removal of AQP5 from the anterior influx and equatorial efflux zones. These results show that the removal of AQP5 in response to a decrease in zonular tension is mediated by TRPV1 and suggest that regional changes to PH2O contribute to lens hydrostatic pressure gradient regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Podocyte depletion plays a major role in the development and progression of glomerulosclerosis. Many kidney diseases are more common in older age and often coexist with hypertension. We hypothesized that podocyte depletion develops in association with older age and is exacerbated by hypertension. Kidneys from 19 adult Caucasian American males without overt renal disease were collected at autopsy in Mississippi. Demographic data were obtained from medical and autopsy records. Subjects were categorized by age and hypertension as potential independent and additive contributors to podocyte depletion. Design-based stereology was used to estimate individual glomerular volume and total podocyte number per glomerulus, which allowed the calculation of podocyte density (number per volume). Podocyte depletion was defined as a reduction in podocyte number (absolute depletion) or podocyte density (relative depletion). The cortical location of glomeruli (outer or inner cortex) and presence of parietal podocytes were also recorded. Older age was an independent contributor to both absolute and relative podocyte depletion, featuring glomerular hypertrophy, podocyte loss, and thus reduced podocyte density. Hypertension was an independent contributor to relative podocyte depletion by exacerbating glomerular hypertrophy, mostly in glomeruli from the inner cortex. However, hypertension was not associated with podocyte loss. Absolute and relative podocyte depletion were exacerbated by the combination of older age and hypertension. The proportion of glomeruli with parietal podocytes increased with age but not with hypertension alone. These findings demonstrate that older age and hypertension are independent and additive contributors to podocyte depletion in white American men without kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the structural properties of the cadaver bone-screw interface for cementless intramedullary screw fixation in the context of total elbow arthroplasty. The intramedullary canals of seven humerus and seven ulna specimens from fresh-frozen cadavers were drilled using custom drill bits until the inner cortex was reached and then hand tapped for the corresponding thread size. Titanium screws were advanced into the tapped holes until securely seated. The bones were potted and then mounted on a uniaxial material testing machine. A tensile load was applied, and end-of-test elongation, failure load, energy absorbed, and stiffness were determined. End-of-test load and elongation were defined as the elongation and load experienced by the structure at 3,000 N or failure. Each specimen was inspected for evidence of pullout, loosening, or visible fractures. The end-of-test load and elongation for the humerus specimens were 2721 ± 738 N and 3.0 ± 0.9 mm, respectively. The ulna specimens reached 92% of the humerus specimens' end-of-test load at 2,514 ± 678 N and 120% of their end-of-test elongation (3.6 ± 0.6 mm). The stiffness of the humerus specimens was 1,077 ± 336 N/mm, which was 1.3 times greater than the stiffness of the ulna specimens (790 ± 211 N/mm). Lastly, the energy absorbed by the humerus samples was 3.6 ± 1.6 J, which was 92% of the energy absorbed by the ulna samples at 3.9 ± 1.1 J. One humerus and three ulnas failed before the end-of-test load of 3,000 N. Two failures were caused by screw pullout and two by bone fracture. Our findings demonstrate that intramedullary screw fixation is successful in withstanding forces that are greater than required for osseointegration. Uncemented fixation may be beneficial in elbow arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]