Branch Sections Research Articles

Age and growth of a habitat-forming deep-sea coral Solenosmilia variabilis in the New Zealand region: implications for fisheries management

ABSTRACT One of the most widespread and abundant habitat forming deep-sea corals in the South Pacific region is Solenosmilia variabilis. The age of this species was assessed using radiocarbon content (14C) on long dead, recently dead, and live branch sections of coral reef matrix sampled from the New Zealand region. Conventional 14C colony ages (yrs BP), for the living, recently dead, and long dead samples, ranged from 803 to 1186 years (Graveyard Knolls, Chatham Rise), and 907 to 11, 694 years (Louisville Seamount Chain east of New Zealand). Overall calendar ages, ranged from 84 to 292 years, and similar linear and step-wise growth rate data were obtained. Linear growth ranged from 0.2 to 1.3 mm/yr. From a conservative estimate of matrix height of ∼20 cm, it could take hundreds of years (∼150–660) of growth for a colony of S. variabilis to attain this height, and around ∼2000 years to build a colony diameter of 1 metre. Defining the age, growth and recovery timeframes of deep-sea coral can inform risk assessments of the level of susceptibility to trawling activity and their potential to recover, as well as provide options for the considered management of deep-sea habitats.

A broadband Millimeter-Wave rectenna using substrate Integrated Waveguide

In this paper, a circularly polarized rectenna is proposed for microwave energy transmission, which is composed of a broadband Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) antenna and a rectifier circuit. A dielectric resonator is loaded on the SIW antenna, enhancing the impedance bandwidth. Circular polarization is achieved by chamfering the diagonal of the rectangular patch. Two sections of microstrip branches are employed for good impedance matching over the broadband operation. Measured results show that the proposed rectenna has a good impedance performance (|S11| < −10 dB) and high RF-DC conversion efficiency (>50 %) over a relative bandwidth of 22.9 % (29–36.5 GHz). The maximum conversion efficiency of 67.5 % is realized at the input power of 18 dBm.

Idealized branch sections and hydrodynamic analysis characterize rainfall partitioning

AbstractWater flow on plant canopies determines the partitioning of intercepted rainfall between stemflow and throughflow, yet understanding of these flow processes remains minimally developed. Plant canopies may concentrate intercepted water into rivulets that flow beneath branches. If the rivulets remain attached to branches until they encounter the main tree trunk, they form stemflow. If the rivulets detach from branches, however, they form ‘pour points’, regions of concentrated throughfall. Here, rivulet flow below uniform cylinders was studied experimentally. Experimental observations were interpreted using hydrodynamic theory to predict the likelihood of a rivulet detaching based on a critical rivulet height (). Predictions of rivulet detachment were explored for a simplified case where water is introduced at known flow rates at a discrete point above a uniform, cylindrical ‘branch’. Where the branch was straight, the percentage of trials forming a rivulet, or the rivulet formation rate, increased with increasing branch inclination angle to the horizontal axis. Rivulet formation rates did not vary with flow rate. However, the volume of water collected at the end of the branch, analogous to stemflow, decreased with a higher flow rates due to the formation of flow instabilities. Rivulets forming on straight branches did not detach. Instead, the rivulet stream accelerated and reduced in height as it flowed along the cylinder. Rivulets formed on curved branches detached only when the branch axis after the curve approached the horizontal. Future theoretical and experimental studies can extend this work to improve understanding of more complex surfaces and branch architectures to mechanistically understand canopy interception.

RISK ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC ORGANISED CRIME IN UKRAINE

The subject of the study is the methodological foundations and applied approaches to assessing the impact of organised crime on economic relations in the country. Methodology. The study uses two key approaches to the criminological analysis of organised crime: statistical (based on state statistics) and sociological (risk assessment based on expert surveys). The purpose of the article is to compare analytical approaches and results of data analysis on the activities of organised crime in the economic sphere in Ukraine. The activity of organised crime in the economic sphere in Ukraine has been analysed on the basis of state statistics and sociological surveys conducted in recent years under various research projects. With a focus on the comparative interest of these two criminological approaches, the authors highlights the problem of identifying manifestations of organised economic crime not as individual non-systemic cases, but as a criminal phenomenon of a systemic nature which permeates various areas of economic activity. At the same time, it was found that the state statistics do not objectively reflect the problems of organised crime in the country, and that they are levelling the real state. Among the various sociological methods of criminological analysis, the authors focused on the risk-oriented approach to the assessment of crime, considering the risk of the spread of organised crime in the economic sphere on the basis of an expert assessment of the probability and consequences of the spread of these threats. This approach and its results point to critical gaps in criminological research based on state statistics and suggest promising approaches for future research. Conclusion. The risk-oriented approach points to systemic manifestations of the phenomenon of organised crime and the high risk of organised crime groups in the economy of Ukraine. Using a unique empirical base formed by research projects, significant threats to the country's economy and high-risk threats in the form of various manifestations of organised crime were identified: according to law enforcement agencies – 62.30%; in the system of hybrid threats – 41.38%-44.74%; in the field of forestry – 55.67%; in the field of fiscal security, in the section of individual branches of the economy, the most significant level of risk is in the range of 60-70%.

Problems of Dating Spread on Radiocarbon Calibration Curve Plateaus: The 1620–1540 BC Example and the Dating of the Therasia Olive Shrub Samples and Thera Volcanic Eruption

AbstractDetermining calendar ages for radiocarbon dates, or ordered sequences of radiocarbon dates, that intersect with a plateau on the radiocarbon calibration curve can be problematic since, without additional prior constraints, the calendar age ranges determined will tend to spread across the plateau, yielding wide and less than useful calendar age probability densities and age ranges. Where possible, modeling analysis should seek to identify informative priors that act to restrict the otherwise poorly controlled spread of probability across plateaus. Such additional information may be available, among other sources, from the stratigraphy, the context, or the samples themselves. The recent dating of ordered sequences of radiocarbon dates on sections of branches of the same olive (Olea europaea) shrub from Therasia (southern Aegean) associated with the Minoan eruption of the Thera (Santorini) volcano (Pearson et al. 2023), which intersect with the plateau in the radiocarbon calibration curve ca. 1620–1540 BC, offers an example of the problem. A re-analysis adding some plausible informative priors offers a substantially better defined likely dating range and different conclusions. Instead of finding an inconclusive probability range “encompassing the late 17th and entire 16th century BC” followed by arguments for “indications of increased probabilities for a mid-16th century BC date for the eruption,” a re-analysis incorporating appropriate informative priors identifies the likely date range as falling between the late 17th to early 16th centuries BC.

PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY AND VEGETATIVE PERFORMANCE OF SWEET POTATO CULTIVARS [morning glory potatoes (L.) Lam] IN TIMOR-LESTE: A CASE STUDY IN HERA, DILI (2024).

Introduction: An exploratory study is written on the phenotypic characterization and vegetative performance of several sweet potato cultivars [Morning glory potatoes (L.) Lam] prospected in Timor-Leste. In three municipal markets of Dili, in 2016, 25 cultivars were collected that manifested differences in morphological characteristics observed; These 25 cultivars were propagated in nurseries for 1 month, and 9 did not survive. The remaining 16 were planted on a plot of land in Hera, Dili, in separate rows of 1.5 m, each row associated with a cultivar, with the propagules within the row separated by 1 m and relating to 8 replicates (clones) per cultivar, in a simple experimental design; the propagules consisted essentially of tubers, or, in its absence, sections of branches of about 20 cm. Research Methodology: Morphological characterization data were obtained by direct observation method, performed once a month for three months. For biometric measurement purposes, with only 12 cultivars surviving, the 20 largest branches (20x12 repetition = 240 branches) per cultivar were selected for three consecutive months, measuring branch lengths and others; Longitudinal surf was evaluated after one month in the nursery while lateral break was estimated after two months in the field. Results: A total of 20 forms or parameters were used in the morphoagronomic characterization of the cultivars, carried out and/or reconfirmed throughout the process in the 16 cultivars mentioned above. The biometric measurements, in a total of 10 types, refer to 12 cultivars, in which there were several sequential measurements in time, while the evaluation of the total production of tuberous units, in number and weight, only occurred at the end of the experiment. In the similarity matrix for the 16 cultivars evaluated, it can be seen that there are affinities and differences in a very marked amplitude. Discussion: It can be concluded, in general, that the tendency of production of tuberous units varies inversely with the growth of main branches, thus there is competition between the growth of the main branches. In addition, there is evidence of a positive or increasing linear relationship between the average weight of ‖ and the weight of the largest tubes in each variety, which can be considered relevant (R2 41%) it can be expected that, in the general tendency, a total of 10 grams in the averageweight of the "tu terciles" will be translated into a total ofabout 18 grams in the weight of the largest. Conclusion: In the 16 cultivars coded on a case-by-case basis, it was possible to make an association with technical designations of varieties used in the germplasm conservation center in Triloc a and in the Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Timor-Leste in Dari Sula of the Municipality of Baucau, and also in the scientific literature, the key point in realization of study cited by (Maria C.G &amp; Tilman CB., 2024).

Chemical properties, crystallinity, and fiber biometry of Jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) wood for pulp raw material: the effect of age and position

Abstract Jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) is a promising plant species with straight, visually pleasing trunks that can be harvested at a young age as a resource for pulp and paper production due to the rapid growth rate possessed. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the chemical composition and fiber biometry of 3, 6, and 9-year-old Jabon wood, determining their suitability as a pulp and paper raw material. Samples were collected from both stem and branch sections and analyzed according to the Tappi standard. Fiber cell maceration was conducted to enable the precise measurement of fiber dimensions and derivatives. The results showed high cellulose, holocellulose, and lignin content in Jabon wood, with low to moderate levels of extractives and ash. Additionally, the crystallinity index (CrI) increased with age, particularly from 3 to 9 years old. The branch of the plant, with Grade II fiber derivative quality, had lower CrI compared to the stem, while the inner stem showed a lesser value than the outer part. In conclusion, 3-year-old Jabon wood is a potential raw material for pulp and paper production.

Exploration of Shallow Structural Characteristics in the Xinyi Segment of the Anqiu-Juxian Fault of Tan-Lu Fault Zone

The Anqiu-Juxian fault is the most active branch of the Tan-Lu fault zone. As most of the Xinyi segment of the fault is buried, there is little research on such important issues as its shallow structure and spatial distribution. In this paper, the shallow structural characteristics of the Xinyi segment of the Anqiu-Juxian fault are comprehensively studied by the shallow seismic exploration. The results of this study show that: (1) The Anqiu-Juxian fault runs through the entire Xinyi area, with its strike being approximately NNE5°∽15°. (2) The Xinyi segment of the fault follows a single branching–double branching–single branching pattern from north to south. In the single branch section, the fault is characterized by strike-slip thrust, while in the double-branch section, the east and west branches of the Anqiu-Juxian fault are both strike-slip normal faults. The results of this study, for the first time, comprehensively provided seismological evidence of the shallow structure of the Xinyi section of the Anqiu-Juxian fault and basic data for the planning and construction of Xinyi urban.…

Disability Athlete Achievement Coaching Management

The study aims to analyse the management of disability achievements and the factors that support or hinder the development of disability athletes at NPC Makassar City. The achievements made by individuals with disabilities in the field of sports are indeed intriguing to study and examine. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, utilising various data gathering approaches, including observation, interviews, and recording. The research participants included the Head of NPC Makassar City, the Athlete Empowerment Section, the Sports Branch Section, and the Paralympic Athletes. The process of athlete screening is a collaborative effort between SLB sports teachers and the NPC team. The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) monitors the athlete's condition, workplace, and family in order to assess the athlete's progress and achievements. The study's findings suggest that the National Performance Committee (NPC) has the potential to enhance organisational strengthening by means of coordination meetings, facilitating organisations, and executing coaching programmes funded by the regional vernment. The progression of accomplishments among athletes with disabilities NPC assesses SLB for potential athletes and focuses on improving facilities and infrastructure to facilitate achievement coaching, enabling athletes with disabilities to attain success.

Wood age, rootstocks and cultivars drive the formation of productivity and fruit size in sweet cherry

To maintain the high yields and fruit quality necessary for profitability of sweet cherry production, it is important to consider precision crop load and canopy management techniques during limb renewal. The effects of branch section age, rootstock, and cultivar on spur and flower density and fruit quality have been discussed in previous studies, but most of them focus on a limited range of fruiting wood ages and scion-rootstock combinations. This study aims to analyse the processes of sweet cherry productivity and fruit size formation on a wide range of wood age to determine the limit after which branch preservation is not sustainable, and to evaluate the influence of rootstocks and cultivars on these parameters. The results indicate that wood age is one of the main drivers of productivity formation in cherry. The highest flower density was observed on 3-year-old branch sections – 324 flowers per linear m, due to high spur density, number of reproductive buds per spur and flowers per bud. Productivity on 2-year-old wood was also good (256 flowers per linear m), while a sharp decline in flower density was noted on 4- and 5-year-old wood. The largest fruits were formed on young branch sections, with a significant decline in fruit weight and diameter on 4- and 5-year-old sections. Rootstock vigour had a bigger effect on floral organ induction on 1-year-old shoots, than on spurs. Based on the results, it is advisable to regularly renew lateral branches older than 3 years to maintain high yield efficiency and fruit quality.

Volatiles of fungal cultivars act as cues for host-selection in the fungus-farming ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus.

Many wood-boring insects use aggregation pheromones during mass colonization of host trees. Bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are a model system, but much less is known about the role of semiochemicals during host selection by ambrosia beetles. As an ecological clade within the bark beetles, ambrosia beetles are obligately dependent on fungal mutualists for their sole source of nutrition. Mass colonization of trees growing in horticultural settings by exotic ambrosia beetles can occur, but aggregation cues have remained enigmatic. To elucidate this mechanism, we first characterized the fungal associates of the exotic, mass-aggregating ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus in Southern Germany. Still-air olfactometer bioassays documented the attraction of X. germanus to its primary nutritional mutualist Ambrosiella grosmanniae and to a lesser extent another common fungal isolate (Acremonium sp.). During two-choice bioassays, X. germanus was preferentially attracted to branch sections (i.e., bolts) that were either pre-colonized by conspecifics or pre-inoculated with A. grosmanniae. Subsequent analyses identified microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) that could potentially function as aggregation pheromones for X. germanus. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for fungal volatiles as attractive cues during host selection by X. germanus. Adaptive benefits of responding to fungal cues associated with an infestation of conspecifics could be a function of locating a suitable substrate for cultivating fungal symbionts and/or increasing the likelihood of mating opportunities with the flightless males. However, this requires solutions for evolutionary conflict arising due to potential mixing of vertically transmitted and horizontally acquired symbiont strains, which are discussed.

Modeling and Complex Analysis of the Topology Parameters of Ventilation Networks When Ensuring Fire Safety While Developing Coal and Gas Deposits

Underground mining, including underground coal mining, is accompanied by accidents and fire hazards that pose a threat to the life safety of miners. The fire hazard increases with an increase in the mining depth. Currently, most accidents in coal mines are mine fires. The cost of eliminating mine fires is 80–95% of the cost of eliminating all accidents occurring at mining enterprises. Therefore, the problem of developing a new methodology for modeling the ventilation network parameters of the mine to increase the reliability of controlling the aerogas mode at the excavation site is very relevant. The comprehensive analysis and assessment of gas-dynamic processes in coalmines under study were carried out using the methods of probability theory and mathematical statistics. Spatial data were processed using spline interpolation in “gnuplot”. As a result, a generalized expression for the transfer functions of coalmine objects, taking into account delays, was developed, including the description of dynamic properties of mining sites under various operating modes. The principal possibility of using a graphical method for estimating additional parameters of the sections of the ventilation system branches has been proved due to the alignment of their profiles at an equivalent distance relative to an arbitrary analogue. The improved method of spatial modeling was used to determine the gas-dynamic characteristics through additive gas-dynamic processes. The studies have been carried out and the method for managing the process of changing connections between devices (controllers–switches) of the technical system was developed in order to obtain greater reliability for safe mining. In subsequent studies, there is an issue of more detailed clarification of the peculiarities concerning the interrelations between the studied parameters in several projections of the response space.

First report of thousand cankers disease caused by the fungus Geosmithia morbida and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis on Juglans regia in France

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) of walnut trees is a disease complex involving the ascomycete fungus Geosmithia morbida and its insect vector, the walnut twig beetle Pityophthorus juglandis. The disease is named after the large number of cankers that appear on the tree, caused by the wounds made by P. juglandis when it feeds and builds galleries under the bark and the parasitic behaviour of the fungus growing in the tissue surrounding the galleries. Several Juglans species may be affected. High mortality of walnut trees caused by TCD has been observed in the USA since the mid-1990's, mainly on Juglans nigra planted in urban areas. In 2013, TCD was reported for the first time in Italy, in the region of Veneto, on a small number of Juglans nigra of different ages (Montecchio & Faccoli, 2014). As part of a national survey organised by the French plant protection organization, pheromone traps for P. juglandis have been installed in some urban areas where Juglans spp. are present. In August and September 2022, scolytids were trapped in parks in the cities of Bron and Lyon (region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 45°43'17.6“N 4°54'00.3”E, and 45°46'33.7“N 4°51'09.0”E respectively), and sent to the laboratory for identification. The morphological characters matched the features of Pityophthorus juglandis according to Bright (1981) (Fig. 1) and the identity was confirmed by sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. The barcode region was amplified using the primer cocktail from Germain et al. (2013). The 658-bp long amplicon was sequenced (GenBank Accession No. OP975730) and BLAST analysis showed 100% identity with P. juglandis (KF725084), confirming identification. Following this finding, an active survey was triggered on walnut trees around these traps, looking for symptoms of TCD. Foliar wilt, twig and branch diebacks, small brown bark cankers on the branch and trunk (Fig. 2), sometimes with a cracked appearance (Fig. 3), as well as exit holes were observed on several Juglans regia trees of different ages. Removal of the bark around the cankers disclosed a brown discolouration of the phloem and the presence of bark beetle galleries (Fig. 4) where some P. juglandis were collected. Sections of branch or bark showing cankers were sampled and sent to the laboratory for analysis. After surface sterilisation with 70% ethanol (v/v), pieces of diseased tissues around the necrotic margins of the cankers were cut and plated onto malt extract agar (MEA) medium supplemented with 100 ppm chloramphenicol, and incubated at 22°C in the dark. After five to seven days, whitish to beige and flat-growing colonies were observed. After subculturing on MEA in the same conditions, the culture was slow growing, lobate, plane, white to yellowish (Fig. 5). All the features observed matched the description of Geosmithia morbida in culture made by Kolařic et al. (2011), such as the roughened penicillate conidiophores bearing narrowly cylindrical to ellipsoid conidia, 4–5 μm long, sometimes organized in persistent chains. Total DNA was extracted from two cultures and tested positive in real-time PCR with the G. morbida-specific assay developed by Rizzo et al. (2020). In addition, the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region was amplified for the two cultures using ITS5 and ITS4 primers. The 584-bp long amplicon was sequenced (OP930845 and OP930846) and BLAST analysis showed 100% identity with G. morbida (FN434082). Since this first finding, the presence of both the insect and fungus was also confirmed on J. nigra in the same area. An intensive survey is underway to determine the extent of the disease. To our knowledge, this is the second report of P. juglandis and G. morbida in Europe and the first in France, where eradication measures have been put in place. Their potential spread may endanger the existence of walnut trees and the associated economy in the whole continent. The mycology research unit of the ANSES Plant Health Laboratory (LSV) is supported by a grant managed by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the French government's “Investing for the Future” (PIA) programme (ANR-11-LABX-0002-01, Laboratory of Excellence-ARBRE). We would like to thank Massimo Faccoli (University of Padua) for exchanges on Pityphthorus juglandis identity and the situation of thousand cankers disease in Europe.

BIoecology of Oncideres cervina Thomson (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae).

Cerambycidae beetles limit production and establishment of forest and fruit trees. Oncideres cervina Thomson, 1868 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is one of the most important species. The objective was to record O. cervina girdling branches of Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) for the first time, check the number of oviposition incisions (Noi) as a function of the diameter of branch sections, period of emergence, and describe the larval-pupal chamber. Individuals of O. cervina were observed, for the first time, in P. americana orchards in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The middle section of branches (40-60 cm interval) had higher number of incisions. Girdled branches with a diameter of 40-50 mm had higher number of them. Adults emerged from November through January. Larval-pupal boreholes had diameters between 9 and 11 mm, and average tunnel length was 28 mm, with a mean volume of consumed wood of 4.3 mL. This information is useful for establishing integrated pest management practices against O. cervina in P. americana since this crop has a high added value and can be significantly compromised by attack by Cerambycidae beetles.

IEEE PELS Uttar Pradesh Section Chapter Arranges IEEE Seminar

On 17 September 2022, the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) Uttar Pradesh Section Chapter hosted a seminar along with the IEEE Bansal Institute of Engineering and Technology (BIET) Student Branch and IEEE Uttar Pradesh Section with the theme “About IEEE and Membership Benefits.”

Branching pattern of flexible trees for environmental load mitigation

Wind-induced stress is the primary mechanical cause of tree failures. Among different factors, the branching mechanism plays a central role in the stress distribution and stability of trees in windstorms. A recent study showed that Leonardo da Vinci’s original observation, stating that the total cross section of branches conserved across branching nodes is the optimal configuration for resisting wind-induced damage in rigid trees, is correct. However, the breaking risk and the optimal branching pattern of trees are also a function of their reconfiguration capabilities and the processes they employ to mitigate high wind-induced stress hotspots. In this study, using a numerical model of rigid and flexible branched trees, we explore the role of flexibility and branching patterns of trees in their reconfiguration and stress mitigation capabilities. We identify the robust optimal branching mechanism for an extensive range of tree flexibility. Our results show that the probability of a tree breaking at each branching level from the stem to terminal foliage strongly depends on the cross section changes in the branching nodes, the overall tree geometry, and the level of tree flexibility. Three response categories have been identified: the stress concentration in the main trunk, the uniform stress level through the tree’s height, and substantial stress localization in the terminal branches. The reconfigurability of the tree determines the dominant response mode. The results suggest a very similar optimal branching law for both flexible and rigid trees wherein uniform stress distribution occurs throughout the tree’s height. An exception is the very flexible branched plants in which the optimal branching pattern deviates from this prediction and is strongly affected by the reconfigurability of the tree.

Sampling approaches of the Hindustan citrus mite (Schizotetranychus hindustanicus) in Brazilian citrus orchards and climatic factors affecting its population dynamics.

The Hindustan citrus mite, Schizotetranychus hindustanicus (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an invasive pest in South America and constitutes a threat to Brazilian citriculture. This study aimed to determine the contribution of weather variables to the seasonal abundance of S. hindustanicus and the best sampling scheme (sampling variable and unit) for this mite. Populations of S. hindustanicus were monitored monthly in an orange orchard for 31 months in Roraima state, Brazil. Eggs, mobile stages, and the symptoms caused by S. hindustanicus were sampled in different combinations of canopy quadrants, vertical tree strata, and branch sections. The optimal sampling variable and sampling unit for S. hindustanicus scouting were determined according to fidelity and precision criteria. Rainfall and high air temperature were the main factors reducing S. hindustanicus populations. The most suitable variable for S. hindustanicus sampling was egg count. The optimal sampling unit was a leaf collected in the central section of branches located in the middle tree stratum. In addition, the sample should be taken from the southwest quadrant. Collectively, this study adds to the understanding of S. hindustanicus population dynamics and provides a sampling scheme for better management of this pest.

Authentication of Harpullia arborea (Blanco) Radlk. - a traditional medicinal plant from India using microscopic techniques

Harpullia arborea (Blanco) Radlk., Sapindaceae, known as “black doll’s eyes” or “tulip tree” is a rainforest tree distributed in the tropical forests of peninsular India. Out of the 26 species of the genus, H. arborea is therapeutically more studied and widely used in folk and ayurvedic medicine. In this work, anatomical study of the leaves and stem of H. arborea was performed to provide a microscopical diagnosis for its characterization due to its increasing use in folk and ayurvedic medicine and its differentiation from other species with the same popular name. Standard light and scanning electron microscopy procedures were carried out using paradermal sections of leaf surfaces and transverse sections of lamina, midrib, and petiole. Stem preparations include longitudinal, radial and transverse sections of tertiary branches. The leaf epidermis with stellate non-glandular trichomes, cyclocytic stomata, mucilaginous cells and mesophyll without secretory sclereids, and the stem with confluent axial parenchyma, biseriate xylem rays, and the presence of rhomboidal prismatic crystals in the axial cells are the diagnostic microscopic features of the species. This structural characterization of the stem and leaf allows the identification of H.arborea, allowing certification of the authenticity of raw material.

The anatomy of the foramina and efferent nerve fibers from the pterygopalatine ganglion in posterolateral nasal wall.

BackgroundThe advance of endoscopic surgery has enabled selective section of the postganglionic nerve branches from pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG) as a modification of the vidian neurectomy. Recent microanatomic studies have suggested that the nasal mucosa is also innervated by multiple efferent rami associated with the sphenopalatine artery (SPA) in the procedure “posterior nasal neurectomy.” This anatomic cadaveric study aims to identify all postganglionic nerve fibers in the lateral nasal wall which should inform future surgical procedures aimed at interrupting these nerve fibers.MethodsTwo cadaver heads, with a total of three individual sides, were dissected. All neurovascular structures penetrating the vertical plate of palatine bone were carefully identified following meticulous removal of the overlying mucosa layers. The efferent nerve fibers were identified and dissected back to their origin—the PPG or greater palatine nerve.ResultsSeveral foramina with efferent PPG nerves were identified on the vertical plate of the palatine bone and medial pterygoid plate. The superior, middle, and inferior turbinates (IT) were innervated by efferent nerves from the PPG via the anterior region of the SPA. The IT was innervated from nerves originating from behind the SPA through bony foramina. The lateral wall of inferior meatus was innervated by efferent nerves that originated from greater palatine nerve and pharyngeal nerve.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the anatomical positions of the postganglionic nerves that innervate the lateral nasal wall. These nerves are located anterior to the SPA as well as posterior to the SPA, where they penetrate the palatine bone.Level of evidence: NA.

Relationship between the initial number of carried Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and its transmission by Monochamus carolinensis with reference to virulence

Summary The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the causative agent of pine wilt disease and is transmitted by cerambycid adults of the genus Monochamus. It is believed to have been introduced into Japan from North America in the 1900s and since then it has been devastating the native pine forests. By contrast, the epidemics of the disease have never occurred in pine forests native to North America in the original habitats, indicating no expression of virulence. To determine the evolutionary change in the transmission traits of PWN, the temporal pattern of PWN transmission to fresh branch sections of Pinus sylvestris was studied using 38 Monochamus carolinensis adults in Illinois, USA, and compared with previous studies on the PWN-M. alternatus and B. mucronatus-M. saltuarius systems in Japan. A great difference was observed in the initial nematode load among vectors irrespective of the three systems. The maximal numbers of PWN transmitted (5 days)−1 by individual vectors were greater and the efficiencies of nematode transmission and invasion were higher for the Japanese PWN-M. alternatus system than for the North American PWN-M. carolinensis system in two heavy classes of initial load of over 1000 nematodes. The proportion of PWN transmitted to healthy pine trees by reproductively immature female vectors was small (2.5-11.5%) in the three nematode-vector systems in most cases. The evolutionary changes in the transmission traits and the control of the range expansion of the PWN were discussed in relation to the expression of virulence.