Search

Hardwoods are complex heterogeneous and orthotropic structures that have evolved to the present day, adapting to successive climate episodes to prosper on Earth. Attributing a specific functionality to individual hardwood elements is difficult because of their interconnection in this heterogeneous three-dimensional network. However, tree physiology research is helping to enhance knowledge in this field. This work is a short review of the possible functionalities of hardwood elements, in some cases supported by experimentation and in others by comparative anatomy. It is intended for students or researchers starting out in the world of hardwood anatomy to aid their understanding of the functionality of hardwood elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowers of Rhododendron have unique poricidal dehiscence anther, but the formation of the dehiscence pore and the mechanism of pollen releasing are not fully known. The purpose of this research was to study the anther development of Rhododendon × pulchrum through microdissection and paraffin section to find out how the dehiscence pore develops and what tissues are involved in its development. The results were as follows: (1) The tissue forming the apical pore and the main body of the anther diverged from the very beginning of the stamen development. The dehiscence pore is formed by breaking down of parenchyma tissue, which is derived from the apical meristem of stamen primordium. The body part of the anther comes from the archesporial cells and they develop into regular pollen sacs with multi-layered anther walls. (2) The anther wall is fully differentiated at the stages from microspore mother cell to microspore tetrad, with 6-7 layers of cells, including 1 layer of epidermis, 2-3 layers of endothecia, 1-2 layers of middle layers and 1 layer of tapetum. The middle layers soon break down after completion of microspore tetrads and the tapetum disappears before the pollen tetrads are fully mature. The epidermis and 2-3 layers of endothecia remain to the end. (3) Unlike those of longitudinal dehiscent anthers, the endothecia of Rhododendon× pulchrum are not fibrous at maturation. Instead, they are persistent and somewhat elastic through accumulation of polysaccharide granules in cells. (4) The four microspores produced by one microspore mother cell do not separate from each other and the pollens are released as tetrads, with viscous threads between pollens and among tetrads. The authors assume that the thickened multi-layer endothecia reduced the inner volume of the pollen sacs, therefore the pollen tetrads at the top are “squeezed out” from the dehiscence pore, and the viscous threads allow the pollen tetrads to be pulled out in clusters by pollinators.

There is an urgent need to stimulate agricultural output in many tropical and subtropical countries of the world to combat hunger and malnutrition. The starchy crop cassava (Manihot esculenta), growing even under sub-optimal conditions, is a key staple food in these regions, providing millions of people with food. Cassava biotechnology is an important technique benefiting agricultural progress, but successful implementation of many biotechnological concepts depends on the availability of the right spatiotemporal expression tools. Yet, well-characterized cassava promoters are scarce in the public domain. In this study, we investigate the promoter activity and tissue specificity of 24 different promoter elements in stably transformed cassava plants. We show that many of the investigated promoters, especially from other species, have surprisingly low activity and/or tissue specificity, but feature several promoter sequences that can drive tissue-specific expression in either autotrophic-, transport- or storage tissues. We especially highlight pAtCAB1, pMePsbR, and pSlRBCS2 as strong and specific source promoters, pAtSUC2, pMeSWEET1-like, and pMeSUS1 as valuable tools for phloem and phloem parenchyma expression, and pStB33, pMeGPT, pStGBSS1, as well as pStPatatin Class I, as strong and specific promoters for heterotrophic storage tissues. We hope that the provided information and sequences prove valuable to the cassava community by contributing to the successful implementation of biotechnological concepts aimed at the improvement of cassava nutritional value and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowers of Rhododendron have unique poricidal dehiscence anther, but the formation of the dehiscence pore and the mechanism of pollen releasing are not fully known. The purpose of this research was to study the anther development of Rhododendon × pulchrum through microdissection and paraffin section to find out how the dehiscence pore develops and what tissues are involved in its development. The results were as follows: (1) The tissue forming the apical pore and the main body of the anther diverged from the very beginning of the stamen development. The dehiscence pore is formed by breaking down of parenchyma tissue, which is derived from the apical meristem of stamen primordium. The body part of the anther comes from the archesporial cells and they develop into regular pollen sacs with multi-layered anther walls. (2) The anther wall is fully differentiated at the stages from microspore mother cell to microspore tetrad, with 6-7 layers of cells, including 1 layer of epidermis, 2-3 layers of endothecia, 1-2 layers of middle layers and 1 layer of tapetum. The middle layers soon break down after completion of microspore tetrads and the tapetum disappears before the pollen tetrads are fully mature. The epidermis and 2-3 layers of endothecia remain to the end. (3) Unlike those of longitudinal dehiscent anthers, the endothecia of Rhododendon× pulchrum are not fibrous at maturation. Instead, they are persistent and somewhat elastic through accumulation of polysaccharide granules in cells. (4) The four microspores produced by one microspore mother cell do not separate from each other and the pollens are released as tetrads, with viscous threads between pollens and among tetrads. The authors assume that the thickened multi-layer endothecia reduced the inner volume of the pollen sacs, therefore the pollen tetrads at the top are “squeezed out” from the dehiscence pore, and the viscous threads allow the pollen tetrads to be pulled out in clusters by pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES While segmentectomy is considered a viable option for small peripheral non-small-cell lung cancer, its efficacy for central lesions remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the oncological outcomes of segmentectomy for central lesions compared to peripheral ones. METHODS We retrospectively examined 338 clinical stage IA non-small-cell lung cancer patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical segmentectomy at our institution from January 2013 to December 2021. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on intrapulmonary tumour location: inner two-thirds (central group, n  =   82) and outer one-third (peripheral group, n  =   256). RESULTS The gender, body mass index, performance score, smoking, comorbidities and preoperative pulmonary function were similar in both groups. On computed tomography images, tumour diameter and consolidation-to-tumour ratio were comparable between the groups. The central group had significantly greater tumour-to-pleura distances [mm, 23 (18–27) vs 11 (8–14); P < 0.001], shorter margin distances [mm, 20 (15–20) vs 20 (20–20); P < 0.001] and larger resected lung volumes based on subsegment count [4 (3–6) vs 3 (3–5); P = 0.004] than the peripheral group. Surgery duration, bleeding, hospitalization or drainage period, mortality, readmission and pathological stage were equivalent between the groups. The central group showed significantly more postoperative pleural effusions (5% vs 1%; P = 0.03) than the peripheral group, with no adverse impact on postoperative pulmonary functions. During the follow-up period, local-only recurrence rates were 0% and 8% in the respective groups (Gray test P = 0.07), and total recurrence rates were 6% and 11% (Gray test P = 0.70), with no significant differences. Moreover, no significant inter-group difference in overall survival rates was observed (82% vs 93%; P = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS Segmentectomy may be a promising therapeutic option for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer located in the inner two-thirds of the parenchyma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung parenchyma segmentation is important for increasing the efficiency of identifying lung nodules in computed tomography (CT) images. Conventionally, the two processes are carried out separately. This research recommends the integration of lung parenchyma segmentation and nodule identification approach by employing a deep learning (DL) algorithm. This is achieved by collecting a set of CT scan images of human lungs from a dataset by the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM). The collected data are then preprocessed using two techniques—image resizing and noise removal. The noise removal is done using the median filter. The preprocessed data are then segmented using two different techniques. It includes watershed and Recurrent Residual U-Net (R2U-NET). Three parameters, namely the dice, specificity and mean intersection-over-union (Mean IOU), are used as the performance parameters. After analyzing the difference between both the segmentation methods, it is found that the R2U-Net has better results than the watershed. Thus, the images segmented using R2U-Net are used to identify the nodule presence. The classifiers used in this study are the deep belief network (DBN) and stacked autoencoder (SAE). Three different parameters are analyzed to test the algorithm. In the end, it is found that the SAE can produce a better result than the DBN algorithm. The final accuracy of the SAE algorithm is 96.25%. The model developed in this study can accurately segment the lung parenchyma and detect the presence of nodules from CT images which makes the work easier for medical professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress prevailing in natural habitats affect plant growth and development. Different species modify their structural and functional traits to combat these abiotic stresses while growing in stressful environments. Cenchrus species, i.e., Cenchrus pennisetiformis, C. setiger, and C. prieurii are widely distributed grasses found growing all over the world. Samples from natural populations were collected from different ecological regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa that were exposed to aridity, salinity, and cold, while one site was designated as normal control. In the present study, structural and functional modifications of three Cenchrus species under abiotic stresses were evaluated. It was expected that each Cenchrus species may evolve different strategies to cope with multiple abiotic stresses. All Cenchrus species responded differently whether growing in normal environment or stressful conditions. The most remarkable feature for survival in C. pennisetiformis under cold stress was increased inflorescence and increased stem and root lignification. C. prieurii showed better tolerance to saline and cold environments. C. setiger showed better development of leaf sheath anatomical traits. The structural and functional modifications in Cenchrus species such as development of mechanical tissues provided structural support, while dermal and parenchymatous tissues increased water storage capacity and minimized water loss. An increase in the concentration of organic osmolytes and ionic content aids turgor pressure maintenance and ionic content crucial for plant growth and development. It was concluded that structural and functional alterations in all Cenchrus species were very specific and critical for survival under different environmental stresses. The ecological fitness of these species relied on maintenance of growth and biomass production, and the development of mechanical, vascular, dermal and parenchyma tissues under stressful environmental conditions. Moreover, accumulation of beneficial ions (K+ and Ca2+) and organic osmolytes were critical in turgor maintenance, hence survival of Cenchrus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardwoods are complex heterogeneous and orthotropic structures that have evolved to the present day, adapting to successive climate episodes to prosper on Earth. Attributing a specific functionality to individual hardwood elements is difficult because of their interconnection in this heterogeneous three-dimensional network. However, tree physiology research is helping to enhance knowledge in this field. This work is a short review of the possible functionalities of hardwood elements, in some cases supported by experimentation and in others by comparative anatomy. It is intended for students or researchers starting out in the world of hardwood anatomy to aid their understanding of the functionality of hardwood elements.

Summary: Wood performs several functions to ensure tree survival and carbon allocation to a finite stem volume leads to trade‐offs among cell types. It is not known to what extent these trade‐offs modify functional trade‐offs and if they are consistent across climates and evolutionary lineages.Twelve wood traits were measured in stems and coarse roots across 60 adult angiosperm tree species from temperate, Mediterranean and tropical climates.Regardless of climate, clear trade‐offs occurred among cellular fractions, but did not translate into specific functional trade‐offs. Wood density was negatively related to hydraulic conductivity (Kth) in stems and roots, but was not linked to nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), implying a functional trade‐off between mechanical integrity and transport but not with storage. NSC storage capacity was positively associated with Kth in stems and negatively in roots, reflecting a potential role for NSC in the maintenance of hydraulic integrity in stems but not in roots. Results of phylogenetic analyses suggest that evolutionary histories cannot explain covariations among traits.Trade‐offs occur among cellular fractions, without necessarily modifying trade‐offs in function. However, functional trade‐offs are driven by coordinated changes among xylem cell types depending on the dominant role of each cell type in stems and roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress prevailing in natural habitats affect plant growth and development. Different species modify their structural and functional traits to combat these abiotic stresses while growing in stressful environments. Cenchrus species, i.e., Cenchrus pennisetiformis, C. setiger, and C. prieurii are widely distributed grasses found growing all over the world. Samples from natural populations were collected from different ecological regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa that were exposed to aridity, salinity, and cold, while one site was designated as normal control. In the present study, structural and functional modifications of three Cenchrus species under abiotic stresses were evaluated. It was expected that each Cenchrus species may evolve different strategies to cope with multiple abiotic stresses. All Cenchrus species responded differently whether growing in normal environment or stressful conditions. The most remarkable feature for survival in C. pennisetiformis under cold stress was increased inflorescence and increased stem and root lignification. C. prieurii showed better tolerance to saline and cold environments. C. setiger showed better development of leaf sheath anatomical traits. The structural and functional modifications in Cenchrus species such as development of mechanical tissues provided structural support, while dermal and parenchymatous tissues increased water storage capacity and minimized water loss. An increase in the concentration of organic osmolytes and ionic content aids turgor pressure maintenance and ionic content crucial for plant growth and development. It was concluded that structural and functional alterations in all Cenchrus species were very specific and critical for survival under different environmental stresses. The ecological fitness of these species relied on maintenance of growth and biomass production, and the development of mechanical, vascular, dermal and parenchyma tissues under stressful environmental conditions. Moreover, accumulation of beneficial ions (K+ and Ca2+) and organic osmolytes were critical in turgor maintenance, hence survival of Cenchrus spp.

IntroductionThe automatic segmentation of brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid-filled spaces such as the ventricular system is the first step for quantitative and qualitative analysis of brain CT data. For clinical practice and especially for diagnostics, it is crucial that such a method is robust to anatomical variability and pathological changes such as (hemorrhagic or neoplastic) lesions and chronic defects. This study investigates the increase in overall robustness of a deep learning algorithm that is gained by adding hemorrhage training data to an otherwise normal training cohort.MethodsA 2D U-Net is trained on subjects with normal appearing brain anatomy. In a second experiment the training data includes additional subjects with brain hemorrhage on image data of the RSNA Brain CT Hemorrhage Challenge with custom reference segmentations. The resulting networks are evaluated on normal and hemorrhage test casesseparately, and on an independent test set of patients with brain tumors of the publicly available GLIS-RT dataset.ResultsAdding data with hemorrhage to the training set significantly improves the segmentation performance over an algorithm trained exclusively on normally appearing data, not only in the hemorrhage test set but also in the tumor test set. The performance on normally appearing data is stable. Overall, the improved algorithm achieves median Dice scores of 0.98 (parenchyma), 0.91 (left ventricle), 0.90 (right ventricle), 0.81 (third ventricle), and 0.80 (fourth ventricle) on the hemorrhage test set. On the tumor test set, the median Dice scores are 0.96 (parenchyma), 0.90 (left ventricle), 0.90 (right ventricle), 0.75 (third ventricle), and 0.73 (fourth ventricle).ConclusionTraining on an extended data set that includes pathologies is crucial and significantly increases the overall robustness of a segmentation algorithm for brain parenchyma and ventricular system in CT data, also for anomalies completely unseen during training. Extension of the training set to include other diseases may further improve the generalizability of the algorithm.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling has been associated with chronic lung diseases. However, information about specific ageassociated differences in lung ECM is currently limited. In this study, we aimed to identify and localize age-associated ECM differences in human lungs using comprehensive transcriptomic, proteomic, and immunohistochemical analyses. Our previously identified age-associated gene expression signature of the lung was re-analyzed limiting it to an aging signature based on 270 control patients (37-80 years) and focused on the Matrisome core geneset using geneset enrichment analysis. To validate the age-associated transcriptomic differences on protein level, we compared the age-associated ECM genes (false discovery rate, FDR < 0.05) with a profile of age-associated proteins identified from a lung tissue proteomics dataset from nine control patients (49-76 years) (FDR < 0.05). Extensive immunohistochemical analysis was used to localize and semi-quantify the age-associated ECM differences in lung tissues from 62 control patients (18-82 years). Comparative analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data identified seven ECM proteins with higher expression with age at both gene and protein levels: COL1A1, COL6A1, COL6A2, COL14A1, FBLN2, LTBP4, and LUM. With immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated higher protein levels with age for COL6A2 in whole tissue, parenchyma, airway wall, and blood vessel, for COL14A1 and LUM in bronchial epithelium, and COL1A1 in lung parenchyma. Our study revealed that higher age is associated with lung ECM remodeling, with specific differences occurring in defined regions within the lung. These differences may affect lung structure and physiology with aging and as such may increase susceptibility to developing chronic lung diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Allelopathy is recognised as a potential technology to control weeds, and could also be a suitable approach for enhancement of crop yield. Aims: The study was conducted to investigate the allelopathic role of Averrhoa carambola leaf extract on growth, anatomical and physiological features of three wheat lines, namely 3094, 7076 and A2011. Methods: Three dilutions i.e. 0% (control), 15% and 30% of the leaf aqueous extract were applied at 15 day intervals (total five applications) on wheat lines until maturity. Key results: All wheat lines showed differential behaviour to allelochemicals of A. carambola leaf extract. Increased root area was accompanied by a high proportion of storage parenchyma tissues and enlarged vascular bundles in line 3094. Disintegration of root cortical parenchyma and complete transformation of chlorenchyma into sclerenchyma in stem was recorded in all wheat lines, particularly at the highest concentration of leaf extract. Line 7076 showed very different behaviour, as it possessed a proportionally enlarged root cortex, enlarged stem vascular bundles and increased leaf thickness, primarily at the highest concentration of leaf extract. Line A2011 was relatively more sensitive, indicating a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in root and stem area and deformed leaves. Conclusions: A low concentration (15%) of leaf extract promoted growth and development, whereas a higher concentration caused significant reduction in growth and anatomical attributes. Implications: A lower dose of Averrhoa leaf extract promoted growth and development in all wheat lines, and hence can be used as a growth promoter. A higher concentration is important for eradicating unwanted plants. Wheat lines were treated with allelochemicals extracted from A. carambola. A low treatment concentration led to increased root area, accompanied by a high proportion of storage parenchyma tissues, and enlarged vascular bundles. Using a high extract concentration, root cortical parenchyma collapsed while stem chlorenchyma was transformed to sclerenchyma. Line 7076 responded differently, as it possessed an enlarged root cortical proportion, enlarged stem vascular bundles and increased leaf thickness. A low concentration (15%) of leaf extract promoted growth, whereas a higher concentration (30%) caused significant reduction in morpho-anatomical traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RETRACTED ARTICLEThe problems of classification and anatomy of small glands located in the walls of organs of the digestive, respiratory, and urogenital systems. Shows the imperfection of the terminology used in describing the glands suggested to use terms related to their design. New data on the patterns of pre- and postnatal morphogenesis, design, structure and function relationships, general and regional specificity of the structural and functional organization of various glands of organ and system accessories.

Due to changes in the climate and the existence of a wide range of Asparagus officinalis L. cultivars, it is necessary to identify their suitability for cultivation in Poland and investigate their susceptibility to infection by the most common pathogens. The identification of the species composition of fungi of the Fusarium genus found in green spears of edible A. officinalis cultivars and the factors contributing to their occurrence will enable the effective protection of these crops. The study was conducted on seven A. officinalis cultivars bred in different countries, which were dioecious cultivars with male and female specimens: 'Ariane' (Germany), 'Cipres' (France), 'Eposs' (Germany), as well as cultivars with male specimens only: 'Andreas' (France), 'Gynlim', 'Grolim' (Netherlands), and 'Hannibal' (Germany). The analysis of the composition of the fungi isolated from the green A. officinalis spears showed that most of the isolates belonged to the Fusarium genus (F. culmorum Wm.G. Sm., F. equiseti (Corda) Sacc., F. oxysporum Schltdl., F. proliferatum (Matsush.) Nirenberg ex Gerlach & Nirenberg, F. solani (Mart.) Sacc., and F. fujikuroi Nirenberg). Other fungal species (Alternaria, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Stemphylium) were rarely isolated. The majority of the Fusarium genus isolates came from the spears of the 'Ariane' and 'Eposs' cultivars showing disease symptoms and from the spears of the 'Grolim' cultivar without showing disease symptoms. The fungi of the Fusarium genus colonised both the spears with and without disease symptoms, but there were always more isolates on the ones with disease symptoms. Fungi of the Fusarium genus occurred more often in the epidermis than in the parenchyma. F. oxysporum was the dominant fungus in the A. officinalis spears under analysis. The number of fungi isolates of the Fusarium genus collected from the green A. officinalis spears tended to increase at the consecutive harvest dates, which means that the spears harvested at the latest date (late June) were the most heavily colonised by fungi. All of the fungi isolates of the Fusarium genus collected from the spears exhibited pathogenicity against A. officinalis plants.

Savine juniper is a rare plant growing in the mountain-steppe belt of Mongolia, the upper part of which is harvested in large quantities of raw materials for traditional medicine and cosmetics, religious rituals, sterilization, and trade. For that reason, the range and resources of the species are reduced significantly. Currently, when the ecological balance is disturbed, the species has a weak ability to naturally regenerate. According, to this species must determine the results of anatomical structure and biochemical study of vegetative and reproductive organs for protection in nature, to ensure proper use and to standardize identifying raw materials. Therefore, we determined that it consists of the following main parts: cuticle, epidermis, palisade and spongy mesophyll tissue, excretory canal, and vascular bundle for determining the anatomical structure of needle-like leaf (needle). Anomocytic stomata are found only on the adaxial epidermis of the needle. However, the excretory canal is situated on the bottom side of the vascular bundle in the needle, it is characterized by being in between spongy tissue in the superficial triangle ledge section of the stem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a corrigendum for an article titled "A promoter toolbox for tissue-specific expression supporting translational research in cassava (Manihot esculenta)." The corrigendum addresses errors in the figure legends of the original article, specifically in Figure 2 and Figure S2. The corrected legends are provided, and the authors state that these errors do not affect the scientific conclusions of the article. The document also includes contact information for the corresponding author and copyright information. [Extracted from the article]

There is an urgent need to stimulate agricultural output in many tropical and subtropical countries of the world to combat hunger and malnutrition. The starchy crop cassava (Manihot esculenta), growing even under sub-optimal conditions, is a key staple food in these regions, providing millions of people with food. Cassava biotechnology is an important technique benefiting agricultural progress, but successful implementation of many biotechnological concepts depends on the availability of the right spatiotemporal expression tools. Yet, well-characterized cassava promoters are scarce in the public domain. In this study, we investigate the promoter activity and tissue specificity of 24 different promoter elements in stably transformed cassava plants. We show that many of the investigated promoters, especially from other species, have surprisingly low activity and/or tissue specificity, but feature several promoter sequences that can drive tissue-specific expression in either autotrophic-, transport- or storage tissues. We especially highlight pAtCAB1, pMePsbR, and pSlRBCS2 as strong and specific source promoters, pAtSUC2, pMeSWEET1-like, and pMeSUS1 as valuable tools for phloem and phloem parenchyma expression, and pStB33, pMeGPT, pStGBSS1, as well as pStPatatin Class I, as strong and specific promoters for heterotrophic storage tissues. We hope that the provided information and sequences prove valuable to the cassava community by contributing to the successful implementation of biotechnological concepts aimed at the improvement of cassava nutritional value and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the histological micro-structure of tendril vasculature in cucurbitaceous taxa. In this research, the tendril anatomy of 17 taxa of Cucurbitaceae categorized into seven genera, including Cucumis (five species), Cucurbita and Luffa (three species each), Citrullus and Momordica (two species each) while Lagenaria and Praecitrullus (one species each), collected from different areas of the Thal desert were examined via microscopic imaging to explore its taxonomic significance. Tendril transverse sections were cut with a Shandon Microtome to prepare slides. The distinctive characteristics of taxonomic value (qualitative and quantitative) include tendril and vascular bundle shape, variation in the number of vascular bundles, tendril diameter length, layers of sclerenchyma, and shape of collenchyma and epidermal cells. Tendril shapes observed are irregular, slightly oval-shaped, slightly C shaped, angular (4-angled, 6-angled, or polygonal), and star shaped. Quantitative measurements were taken to analyze the data statistically using SPSS software. Cucurbita pepo had a maximum tendril diameter length of 656.1 µm and a minimum in Momordica balsamina of 123.05 µm. The highest number of vascular bundles (12) were noticed in Luffa acutangula var.amara. Angular type was prominent in collenchyma, and irregular shape was dominant in sclerenchyma cells. A maximum of seven to nine sclerenchyma layers were present in Lagenaria siceraria and a minimum of two or three layers in Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis, Cucumis melo var. flexuosus, and Cucumis melo var.cantalupensis. Epidermis cells also show great variations with a rectangular shape being dominant. Statistical UPGMA dendrogram clustering of tendril vasculature traits shows that histological sections studied with microscopic techniques can be used to identify species and will play a vital role in future taxonomic and phylogenic linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron nanomaterials are widely present in the environment and their concentrations are increasing day by day. In many applications, iron nanomaterials are included, but the minimum and maximum concentrations that are not harmful to plants are not yet known. Effect of F3O4(NPs) on Peganum harmala plants for the purpose of showing anatomical responses as effective biomarkers for increasing the concentration of nanomaterials in the ecosystem. Electron microscopy to determine the effect of different doses of F3O4(NPs) ranging from (0-600 mg / L) were used. The cross-sections of leaves were compared in terms of epidermis, parenchyma cells, vascular cylinder, especially xylem and phloem vessels. Epidermal variations were studied stomata, guard cells and normal cells of the epidermis. The laboratories of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Pollution at the College of Science, University of Kufa for the year 2022 were used to conduct experiments. The anatomical results of the studied plants showed that the largest effect was on the epidermis of the plants, especially on the stomata system, where the stomata were closed and decreased in number, while the vascular system was less affected by the variation in the concentration of F3O4(NPs) compared to the rest anatomical indicators. The severity effect was proportional to the increase in concentration. The results indicate that an insufficient supply of F3O4(NPs) (150 mg / L) can be a plant growth stimulator and the results can be used in practical applications to increase production and improve crops as a fertilizer. Whereas, treatments with high concentrations inhibit antioxidants, causing a deficiency of growth activity in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeobotanical evidence for the exploitation of vegetatively propagated underground storage organs (USOs) in the tropical regions of Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific is currently limited. Although there have been several key studies of archaeological parenchyma published in the past two decades, systematic application of identification methods for vegetatively propagated crop species utilising charred, desiccated or waterlogged remains of parenchymatous tissue is not undertaken on a regular basis. Here, microCT imaging technology is used to compile a three‐dimensional virtual reference collection of parenchymatous tissues for five key USO species known to have been extensively cultivated by people in these regions. The five species are Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea esculenta, Colocasia esculenta, Alocasia macrorrhiza and Ipomoea batatas. These reference samples are used to illustrate the character of the virtual, microCT derived reference collection, and they also capture inter‐species differentiation and intra‐species morphological variation characteristic of many tuberous root crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces several archaeobotanical papers published in the same issue of Archaeology in Oceania and presents strongly argued reasons why archaeobotany should become an important subdiscipline within archaeological research in the Indo‐Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to changes in the climate and the existence of a wide range of Asparagus officinalis L. cultivars, it is necessary to identify their suitability for cultivation in Poland and investigate their susceptibility to infection by the most common pathogens. The identification of the species composition of fungi of the Fusarium genus found in green spears of edible A. officinalis cultivars and the factors contributing to their occurrence will enable the effective protec)tion of these crops. The study was conducted on seven A. officinalis cultivars bred in different countries, which were dioecious cultivars with male and female specimens: ‘Ariane’ (Germany), ‘Cipres’ (France), ‘Eposs’ (Germany), as well as cultivars with male specimens only: ‘Andreas’ (France), ‘Gynlim’, ‘Grolim’ (Netherlands), and ‘Hannibal’ (Germany). The analysis of the composition of the fungi isolated from the green A. officinalis spears showed that most of the isolates belonged to the Fusarium genus (F. culmorum Wm.G. Sm., F. equiseti (Corda) Sacc., F. oxysporum Schltdl., F. proliferatum (Matsush.) Nirenberg ex Gerlach & Nirenberg, F. solani (Mart.) Sacc., and F. fujikuroi Nirenberg). Other fungal species (Alternaria, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Stemphylium) were rarely isolated. The majority of the Fusarium genus isolates came from the spears of the ‘Ariane’ and ‘Eposs’ cultivars showing disease symptoms and from the spears of the ‘Grolim’ cultivar without showing disease symptoms. The fungi of the Fusarium genus colonised both the spears with and without disease symptoms, but there were always more isolates on the ones with disease symptoms. Fungi of the Fusarium genus occurred more often in the epidermis than in the parenchyma. F. oxysporum was the dominant fungus in the A. officinalis spears under analysis. The number of fungi isolates of the Fusarium genus collected from the green A. officinalis spears tended to increase at the consecutive harvest dates, which means that the spears harvested at the latest date (late June) were the most heavily colonised by fungi. All of the fungi isolates of the Fusarium genus collected from the spears exhibited pathogenicity against A. officinalis plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives Carbon fixed during photosynthesis is exported from leaves towards sink organs as non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), that are a key energy source for metabolic processes in trees. In xylem, NSC are mostly stored as soluble sugars and starch in radial and axial parenchyma. The multi-functional nature of xylem means that cells possess several functions, including water transport, storage and mechanical support. Little is known about how NSC impacts xylem multi-functionality, nor how NSC vary among species and climates. We collected leaves, stem and root xylem from tree species growing in three climates and estimated NSC in each organ. We also measured xylem traits linked to hydraulic and mechanical functioning. Data description The paper describes functional traits in leaves, stems and roots, including NSC, carbon, nitrogen, specific leaf area, stem and root wood density and xylem traits. Data are provided for up to 90 angiosperm species from temperate, Mediterranean and tropical climates. These data are useful for understanding the trade-offs in resource allocation from a whole-plant perspective, and to better quantify xylem structure and function related to water transportation, mechanical support and storage. Data will also give researchers keys to understanding the ability of trees to adjust to a changing climate.

There is an urgent need to stimulate agricultural output in many tropical and subtropical countries of the world to combat hunger and malnutrition. The starchy crop cassava (Manihot esculenta), growing even under sub-optimal conditions, is a key staple food in these regions, providing millions of people with food. Cassava biotechnology is an important technique benefiting agricultural progress, but successful implementation of many biotechnological concepts depends on the availability of the right spatiotemporal expression tools. Yet, well-characterized cassava promoters are scarce in the public domain. In this study, we investigate the promoter activity and tissue specificity of 24 different promoter elements in stably transformed cassava plants. We show that many of the investigated promoters, especially from other species, have surprisingly low activity and/or tissue specificity, but feature several promoter sequences that can drive tissue-specific expression in either autotrophic-, transport- or storage tissues. We especially highlight pAtCAB1, pMePsbR, and pSlRBCS2 as strong and specific source promoters, pAtSUC2, pMeSWEET1-like, and pMeSUS1 as valuable tools for phloem and phloem parenchyma expression, and pStB33, pMeGPT, pStGBSS1, as well as pStPatatin Class I, as strong and specific promoters for heterotrophic storage tissues. We hope that the provided information and sequences prove valuable to the cassava community by contributing to the successful implementation of biotechnological concepts aimed at the improvement of cassava nutritional value and productivity.

The previous studies have described the extraction of plant parenchyma by computer image processing technology, and the purpose of this paper is to verify the effectiveness of the algorithm., this paper implements the algorithm by using Matlab language, and designs several groups of experiments. The experimental results show that: when denoising, using 9*9 as a template to perform median filtering on the image has a better effect, and block binarization facilitates the extraction of axial parenchyma; when processing mathematical morphology, using 3*3 Axial parenchyma and vessel morphology can be successfully extracted from cross-sectional images of broad-leaved wood after dilation of the image by cross-shaped structuring elements and erosion of images by disc-shaped structuring elements with radii ranging from 1 to 10 When calculating the area threshold of the closed area, the area threshold is determined by using 8 domains to mark the area of the closed area and using the area histogram, so that the axial parenchyma can be better separated from the catheter. At present, the method has been experimented in 10 different tree species, all of which have achieved good results. This also fully proves the effectiveness of the artificial intelligence algorithm. The implementation of the algorithm also lays the foundation for future research on intelligent wood recognition based on axial thin-walled tissue morphology; it provides a shortcut to measure the content of axial thin-walled tissue in different tree species; and it is a prelude to the development of an image-based wood recognition system for axial thin-walled tissue.

Brain slice culture (BSC) is a well-known three-dimensional model of the brain. In this study, we use organotypic slices for studying neuro-lymphatic physiology, to directly test the longstanding assumption that the brain is not a hospitable milieu for typical lymphatic vessels. An additional objective is to model fluid egress through brain perivascular space systems and to visualize potential cellular interactions among cells in the leptomeninges including alterations of cellular geometry and number of processes. Immortalized lymphatic rat cell lines were used to seed organotypic brain slices. The brain slice model was characterized by monitoring morphologies, growth rates, degree of apoptosis, and transport properties of brain slices with or without a lymphatic component. The model was then challenged with fibroblast co-cultures, as a control cell that is not normally found in the brain. Immortalized lymphatic cells penetrated the brain slices within 2–4 days. Typical cell morphology is spindly with bipolar and tripolar forms well represented. Significantly more indigo carmine marker passed through lymphatic seeded BSCs compared to arachnoid BSCs. Significantly more indigo carmine passed through brain slices co-cultured with fibroblast compared to lymphatic and arachnoid BSCs alone. We have developed an organotypic model in which lymphatic cells are able to interact with parenchymal cells in the cerebrum. Their presence appears to alter the small molecule transport ability of whole-brain slices. Lymphatic cells decreased dye transport in BSCs, possibly by altering the perivascular space. Given their direct contact with the CSF, they may affect convectional and diffusional processes. Our model shows that a decrease in lymphatic cell growth may reduce the brain slice's transport capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Xylem is a crucial tissue for plant survival, performing the functions of water transport, mechanical support and storage. Functional trade-offs are a result of the different assemblages of xylem cell types within a certain wood volume. We assessed how the volume allocated to different xylem cell types can be associated with wood functional trade-offs (hydraulics, mechanical and storage) in species from the Cerrado, the Brazilian savanna. We also assessed the xylem anatomical characters linked to wood density across species. Methods We analysed cross-sections of branches collected from 75 woody species belonging to 42 angiosperm families from the Cerrado. We estimated the wood volume fraction allocated to different cell types and performed measurements of vessel diameter and wood density. Key Results The largest volume of wood is allocated to fibres (0.47), followed by parenchyma (0.33) and vessels (0.20). Wood density is positively correlated to cell wall (fibre and vessel wall), and negatively to the fractions of fibre lumen and gelatinous fibres. We observed a trade-off between hydraulics (vessel diameter) and mechanics (cell wall fraction), and between mechanics and storage (parenchyma fraction). The expected positive functional relationships between hydraulics (vessel diameter) and water and carbohydrate storage (parenchyma and fibre lumen fractions) were not detected, though larger vessels are linked to a larger wood volume allocated to gelatinous fibres. Conclusions Woody species from the Cerrado show evidence of functional trade-offs between water transport, mechanical support and storage. Gelatinous fibres might be potentially linked to water storage and release by their positive relationship to increased vessel diameter, thus replacing the functional role of parenchyma and fibre lumen cells. Species can profit from the increased mechanical strength under tension provided by the presence of gelatinous fibres, avoiding expensive investments in high wood density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of high-throughput sequencing and population genomics has enabled researchers to investigate selection pressure at hypervariable genomic loci encoding pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) molecules like lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Xanthomonas is a model and a major group of phytopathogenic bacteria that infect hosts in tissue-specific manner. Our in-depth population-based genomic investigation revealed the emergence of major lineages in two Xanthomonas pathogens that infect xylem of rice and sugarcane is associated with the acquisition and later large-scale replacement by distinct type of LPS cassettes. In the population of the rice xylem pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and sugarcane pathogens Xanthomonas sacchari (Xsac) and Xanthomonas vasicola (Xvv), the BXO8 type of LPS cassette is replaced by a BXO1 type of cassette in Xoo and by Xvv type LPS cassette in Xsac and Xvv. These findings suggest a wave of parallel evolution at an LPS locus mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events during its adaptation and emergence. Aside from xylem pathogens, two closely related lineages of Xoo that infect parenchyma of rice and Leersia hexandra grass have acquired an LPS cassette from Xanthomonas pathogens that infect parenchyma of citrus, walnut, and strawberries, indicating yet another instance of parallel evolution mediated by HGT at an LPS locus. Our targeted and megapopulation-based genome dynamic studies revealed the acquisition and dominance of specific types of LPS cassettes in adaptation and success of a major group of phytopathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms regulating the tree trunk radial growth can be studied in original experiments. One technique for studying cambium activity (the meristem involved in radial growth) under conditions of an increased photoassimilate level is trunk girdling. We girdled the trunks of 17- to 22-year-old silver birch plants (Betula pendula Roth var. pendula) during the active growth period and collected xylem and phloem samples at two height levels (1 cm and 35 cm) above girdle, 10, 20, and 30 days after girdling. We investigated the changes that occurred at the anatomical level, as well as the activities of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes and antioxidant-system enzymes and the expression of genes that encode proteins involved in sucrose and auxin transport and metabolism. A moderate increase in photoassimilates (35 cm above the girdle) resulted in a change in the ratio of phloem to xylem increments and an increase in the proportion of parenchyma in the conducting tissues. The increase of photoassimilates above the level at which they can be used in the processes of normal tissue growth and development (1 cm above the girdle) led to xylogenesis suppression and the stimulation of phloem formation, a significant increase in the parenchyma proportion in the conducting tissues, and formation of large sclereid complexes. The differentiation of parenchyma and sclereid cells coincided with biochemical and molecular markers of abnormal conducting tissue formation in Karelian birch, which are also characterized by high proportions of parenchyma and sclereid near the cambium. The results obtained are important in understanding the cambium responses to the photoassimilate distribution changes and estimating tree productivity and survival under changing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the hygroscopic behavior of bamboo, at the cellular scale, the hygroscopicity of fibers and parenchyma cells was investigated using Dynamic vapor sorption, and the hygroscopic process was analyzed using mathematical models and dynamic data testing. In addition, the subcellular scale physical properties of bamboo were also studied, and the relationship between cellular physical properties and bamboo hygroscopicity was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the size of the microfibril aggregates at the transverse end of the fiber cells was uniform, the average elastic modulus of the cell wall was 22.47 ± 1.86 GPa, and the distribution of mechanical values was stable. There were differences in the aggregate size of the parenchyma cell wall layer, and the average elastic modulus of the cell wall was 17.28 ± 1.23 GPa. The hygroscopicity of fiber is lower than that of parenchyma cells. When relative humidity (RH) was 90%, the moisture content of parenchyma cells was 16.12%, which was 1.87% higher than that of fiber cells. The multi-layer moisture contents of the fiber and parenchyma cells calculated by the model were 10.91 and 12.25% when RH was 90%. In addition, dynamic adsorption showed that the parenchyma cells had a shorter sorption equilibrium time than fiber cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper characterizes Erythrina fusca Lour. in terms of anatomical, morphological and chemical properties to evaluate its efficacy as a pulping raw material. It is characterized with 47.0% α-cellulose and 28.8% lignin content with a fibre length of 1.11 mm. The vessels (pores) are distinct and form porous semi-rings, with a row of larger pores at the beginning of the growth layer, which facilitate penetration of chemicals during the cooking phase of pulping. Kraft pulping of E. fusca was carried out by varying cooking temperature, time and alkali charge. At optimum condition of 14% active alkali for 2 h of cooking at 170°C, pulp yield was 40% with kappa number of 26.6. The papermaking properties were also evaluated and showed tensile index of 52.4 N m g−1 with tear index of6.8 mN m2 g−1 at oSR of 57. This species can be used as a raw material for writing and printing grade pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNAs, 21–23 nucleotides in length which are known to regulate biological processes that greatly impact immune system activity. The aim of the study was to compare the miRNA expression in non-infected (H) mammary gland parenchyma samples with that of glands infected with coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) or coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) using next-generation sequencing. The miRNA profile of the parenchyma was found to change during mastitis, with its profile depending on the type of pathogen. Comparing the CoPS and H groups, 256 known and 260 potentially new miRNAs were identified, including 32 that were differentially expressed (p ≤ 0.05), of which 27 were upregulated and 5 downregulated. Comparing the CoNS and H groups, 242 known and 171 new unique miRNAs were identified: 10 were upregulated (p ≤ 0.05), and 2 downregulated (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, comparing CoPS with H and CoNS with H, 5 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were identified; in both comparisons, differentially-expressed miRNAs were associated with the bacterial invasion of epithelial cells and focal adhesion pathways. Four gene ontology terms were identified in each comparison, with 2 being common to both immune system processes and signal transduction. Our results indicate that miRNAs, especially miR-99 and miR-182, play an essential role in the epigenetic regulation of a range of cellular processes, including immunological systems bacterial growth in dendritic cells and disease pathogenesis (miR-99), DNA repair and tumor progression (miR-182).

We investigated three dynamic glucose‐enhanced (DGE) MRI methods for sensitively monitoring glucose uptake and clearance in both brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at clinical field strength (3 T). By comparing three sequences, namely, Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG), on‐resonance variable delay multipulse (onVDMP), and on‐resonance spin‐lock (onSL), a high‐sensitivity DGE MRI scheme with truncated multilinear singular value decomposition (MLSVD) denoising was proposed. The CPMG method showed the highest sensitivity in detecting the parenchymal DGE signal among the three methods, while both onVDMP and onSL were more robust for CSF DGE imaging. Here, onVDMP was applied for CSF imaging, as it displayed the best stability of the DGE results in this study. The truncated MLSVD denoising method was incorporated to further improve the sensitivity. The proposed DGE MRI scheme was examined in mouse brain with 50%/25%/12.5% w/w D‐glucose injections. The results showed that this combination could detect DGE signal changes from the brain parenchyma and CSF with as low as a 12.5% w/w D‐glucose injection. The proposed DGE MRI schemes could sensitively detect the glucose signal change from brain parenchyma and CSF after D‐glucose injection at a clinically relevant concentration, demonstrating high potential for clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Lignan impregnation of the reaction zone wood protects against oxidative degradation by fungi. Traumatic resin canals may play roles in the underlying signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds. Tree defense against xylem pathogens involves both constitutive and induced phenylpropanoids and terpenoids. The induced defenses include compartmentalization of compromised wood with a reaction zone (RZ) characterized by polyphenol deposition, whereas the role of terpenoids has remained poorly understood. To further elucidate the tree–pathogen interaction, we profiled spatial patterns in lignan (low-molecular-weight polyphenols) and terpenoid content in Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees showing heartwood colonization by the pathogenic white-rot fungus Heterobasidion parviporum. There was pronounced variation in the amount and composition of lignans between different xylem tissue zones of diseased and healthy trees. Intact RZ at basal stem regions, where colonization is the oldest, showed the highest level and diversity of these compounds. The antioxidant properties of lignans obviously hinder oxidative degradation of wood: RZ with lignans removed by extraction showed significantly higher mass loss than unextracted RZ when subjected to Fenton degradation. The reduced diversity and amount of lignans in pathogen-compromised RZ and decaying heartwood in comparison to intact RZ and healthy heartwood suggest that α-conindendrin isomer is an intermediate metabolite in lignan decomposition by H. parviporum. Diterpenes and diterpene alcohols constituted above 90% of the terpenes detected in sapwood of healthy and diseased trees. A significant finding was that traumatic resin canals, predominated by monoterpenes, were commonly associated with RZ. The findings clarify the roles and fate of lignan during wood decay and raise questions about the potential roles of terpenoids in signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds upon wood compartmentalization against decay fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited outgrowth development of bovine mammary epithelial stem cells transplanted into de-epithelialized mouse fat pads restricts advanced studies on this productive organ's development and renewal. We challenged the mouse–bovine incompatibility by implanting parenchymal adjacent or distant bovine stromal layers (close and far stroma, respectively) into the mouse fat pad to serve as an endogenous niche for transplanted stem cells. The close stroma better supported stem cell take rate and outgrowth development. The diameter of these open duct-like structures represented and occasionally exceeded that of the endogenous ducts and appeared 8.3-fold wider than the capsule-like structures developed in the mouse fat pad after similar cell transplantation. RNA-Seq revealed lower complement activity in this layer, associated with secretion of specific laminins and WNT proteins favoring epithelial outgrowth development. The close stroma appeared genetically more similar to the parenchyma than to the far stroma due to epithelial characteristics, mainly of fibroblasts, including expression of epithelial markers, milk protein genes, and functional mammary claudins. Gene markers and activators of the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition were highly enriched in the epithelial gene cluster and may contribute to the acquired epithelial properties of this stromal layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aim was to determine the expression of genes potentially related to chronic mastitis at the mRNA and protein levels, viz. chemokine C–C motif receptor 1 (CCR1), C–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), C–C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), interleukin 18 (IL-18), in bovine mammary gland parenchyma. The study examines the differences in expression of selected genes between cows with chronic mastitis caused by coagulase-positive (CoPS) or coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and those with healthy udders (H). Samples were collected from the udder quarters from 40 Polish Holstein–Friesian cows; 54 of these samples were chosen for analysis based on microbiological analysis of milk taken two days before slaughter. They were categorized into three groups: CoPS (N = 27), CoNS (N = 14) and H (N = 13). The RNA expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR and protein concentration by ELISA. No differences in the mRNA levels of seven genes (TNFα, IL-18, CCR1, IL-1β, CCL2, IL-8, IL-6) and four proteins (TNFα, IL-18, CCR1, IL-1β) were identified between the CoPS and H groups. Higher transcript levels of CXCL5 (p ≤ 0.05) gene were noted in CoPS than in H. Compared to H, higher concentrations of IL-8 and CXCL5 (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in CoPS (0.05 < p < 0.1) and CCL2 (0.05 < p < 0.1) in CoNS, while lower levels of Il-6 were found in CoPS. This may suggest that during chronic mastitis the organism stops producing pro-inflammatory cytokines, probably to protect the host tissues against their damage during prolonged infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervessel pit membranes are recognized as key structures for influencing water flow/embolism resistance. The mechanisms remain largely unclear owing to difficulties in examining them intact in nature. This study investigates ethanol-extractable pit membrane incrustations (PMIs), which were previously reported in certain angiosperms and may affect their water conduction. The presence of PMIs was determined for 40 angiosperms by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Candidate components of PMIs were determined by chemical analyses of wood extracts, and their distributions in the xylem were examined by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Cryo-TOF-SIMS and cryo-FE-SEM were also performed to clarify the native distribution of PMIs. PMIs were observed in 11 species. Some of them were categorized as fat trees, which are known to store abundant lipids. Tilia japonica sapwood displaying PMIs contained large amounts of lipids, which were distributed in the dried xylem tissue, consistent with the distribution of the PMIs. In the frozen samples of T. japonica , however, the distributions were restricted to the parenchyma. In conclusion, PMIs consist of an artifactual coating of lipids originated from the parenchyma in dried samples at room temperature. Researchers performing surface analyses of plant cell walls should take strong precautions against such self-coating by these intrinsic chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the species composition of fungi of the Fusarium genus found on white Asparagus officinalis spears, depending on the presence or absence of disease symptoms, age of the plantation, date of harvest and the place from which samples were collected for mycological analysis. Additionally, the pathogenicity of selected Fusarium spp. isolates was determined. A. officinalis L. was cultivated for white spears. The research was conducted on the German dioecious cultivar 'Eposs'. Samples of A. officinalis spears for tests were collected from two plantations. Six species of fungi of the Fusarium genus were identified in the asparagus spears: F. culmorum, F. equiseti, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, and F. fujikuroi. Among the Fusarium species colonizing Asparagus officinalis the greatest threat is F. oxysporum. Always there are more isolates in the spears with the symptoms, in epidermis. The late harvest date favors the development of fusariosis. This means that the spears harvested at the latest date (late June) are the most heavily colonised by fungi. The isolates of fungi of the Fusarium genus collected from the spears exhibit pathogenicity against A. officinalis plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is established that in geese, are constantly registered only cervicothoracic lymph nodes. The cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese are local accumulations of lymphoid tissue in the wall of the lymphatic vessels, which are taking away lymph from the head and neck. The cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese are not the same shape, most of them have a conical shape. Parameters of absolute, relative weights, and size of the cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese depend on the weight and sizes of their body. The cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese are formed by a connective tissue stroma, parenchyma, and sinus. Connective tissue stroma is represented by a capsule, which is a continuation of the adventitia and media of lymphatic vessels and trabeculae. Connective tissue stroma is formed by loose fibrous connective tissue, which has blood vessels and myocytes. Sinus is a continuation of the lymphatic vessel lumen and its wall – a continuation of its intima. The area, occupied by a connective tissue stroma, parenchyma, and sinus in the nodes of investigated birds, varies. The largest area occupies the parenchyma of the cervicothoracic lymph nodes, which like the parenchyma of lymph nodes in mammals, is formed by lymphoid tissue. In the parenchyma, there is unclearly allocated the cortical and cerebral substances. The cortical substance is located on the periphery and the cerebral substance – around the sinus. The area of the cortical substance dominates over a cerebral substance. The cortical substance is formed by the diffuse lymphoid tissue and lymphoid nodules (mainly secondary), and the cerebral substance – only by the diffuse lymphoid tissue. Lymphoid nodules are spherical in shape, surrounded by delicate shells, and depending on the diameter, is divided into three groups: large, medium, and small. The basis of the lymphoid tissues in the parenchyma is reticular tissues, which consists of reticular fibers. The architectonics of its fibers varies in the different components of the lymphoid tissue. They are placed tightly, intertwined, and form the confined units of various shapes and small sizes. The cellular composition of the parenchyma of the cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese is extremely diverse. It is reticulocytes, lymphocytes, immunoblasts, macrophages, monocytes, plasma cells, mast cells, and myoid cells. The content of these cells is not the same. The presence of lymphocytes, immunoblasts, macrophages, and plasma cells in the parenchyma of the cervicothoracic lymph nodes of geese convinces in their functioning as peripheral organs of immunogenesis

Acute pancreatitis is an episode of cellular injury and inflammation of the pancreas parenchyma triggered by autodigestion of pancreatic parenchyma by abnormally activated pancreatic enzymes, its manifestations ranges from mild, moderate-severe and severe pancreatitis. Most episode of acute pancreatitis resolved completely while some develop recurrent acute pancreatitis and in turn progressing to chronic pancreatitis and its sequelae. While many etiologies known may cause acute pancreatitis, current theories propose three mechanism that may be involved in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis i.e. duct obstruction, direct acinar injury and defective intracellular transport. Recommendations from current guidelines are very useful to treat acute pancreatitis, few groundbreaking changes from the previously dated guidelines on treating acute pancreatitis are also made, providing us dated evidence-based approach to treat acute pancreatitis. Judicious and aggressive treatment are needed to minimize the damaged area of involved pancreatic parenchyma. Holistic prevention is needed to minimize the incidence of acute pancreatitis, pushing down the numbers of recurrent acute pancreatitis and ultimately may decrease the incidence of chronic pancreatitis and its sequelae.