Common Morphological Features Research Articles

Meander Morphologic Characteristics in an Alluvial Channel

Meander bends are one of the most common morphological features of rivers. Their formation is the result of interactions between bank erosion and several other river characteristics, such as the bed topography resulting from bank erosion, sinuosity, channel flow, and riffle-pool sequencing. Many studies have emphasized proportional relationships between channel widths and different aspects of meander morphology, such as wavelength, curvature of the radius, and belt width. These relationships have been studied for bankfull level width in high-order channels. It is not clear how such relationships vary in low-order headwater streams. This research addresses those gaps in low-order streams of which little is known. Field surveys were conducted in nine meander bends of a low-order alluvial channel in Virginia. The results suggest that in a low-order channel, the ratios of width with wavelength, the radius of curvature, and belt width are mostly similar between the meanders’ beginning and tail endpoints. The stream also has similar meander morphologic characteristics and ratios as anticipated from the literature on high-order streams.

Pestalotiopsis phyllostachydis sp. nov. from Guangdong, China

Pestalotiopsis phyllostachydis sp. nov. is introduced during a study of the diversity of bambusicolous fungi in Guangdong Province, China. The new species exhibits similar conidial morphology, pigmentation, and dimensions to its relatives; however, it can be distinguished by the length of its apical and basal appendages. The identification is corroborated by a phylogenetic analysis incorporating combined ITS, tef1-α and tub2 sequence data. A refined description and illustration of P. phyllostachydis are provided, accompanied by a morphological comparison of this new taxon and its closely related taxa compiled in a table. In addition, the common morphological characteristics utilized for interspecific identification are discussed incidentally.

Phylogenetic analysis of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) based on two novel molecular markers, implicated in the nitrogenase biosynthesis.

The characterization of cyanobacteria communities remains challenging, as taxonomy of several cyanobacterial genera is still unresolved, especially within Nostocales taxa. Nostocales cyanobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation; nitrogenase genes are grouped into operons and are located in the same genetic locus. Structural nitrogenase genes (nifH, nifK and nifD) as well as 16SrRNA have been shown to be adequate genetic markers for distinguishing cyanobacterial genera. However, there is no available information regarding the phylogeny of regulatory genes of the nitrogenase cluster. Aiming to provide a more accurate overview of the evolution of nitrogen fixation, this study analyzed for the first time nifE and nifN genes, which regulate the production of nitrogenase, alongside nifH. Specific primers were designed to amplify nifE and nifN genes, previously not available in literature and phylogenetic analysis was carried out in 13 and 14 TAU-MAC culture collection strains, respectively, of ten Nostocales genera along with other sequences retrieved from cyanobacteria genomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these genes seem to follow a common evolutionary pattern with nitrogenase structural genes and 16S rRNA. The classification of cyanobacteria based on these molecular markers seems to distinguish Nostocales strains with common morphological, ecological, and physiological characteristics.

Common Kyushu-Ryukyuan substratum in maritime vocabulary: A preliminary analysis

This paper constitutes a preliminary linguistic test of the hypothesis which postulates that shared Kyushu-Ryukyuan lexicon related to maritime knowledge provides evidence for a Kyushu-Ryukyuan subgrouping within the Japonic cladogram. The paper introduces Kyushu-Ryukyuan cognates and potential shared lexical innovations in seafaring vocabulary, cardinal directions and navigation, and marine fauna, all of which suggest a shared Kyushu-Ryukyuan navigation culture, as well as common maritime subsistence and lifestyle patterns. The case is reinforced by several promising cases of common morphological features between Kyushu and Ryukyuan. The overall conclusion is that the compared linguistic data does support the Kyushu-Ryukyuan clade. Finally, we identify a mismatch between lexical and morphological evidence concerning lower-unit classification of the South Japonic node. We observe that while shared innovative vocabulary allows to postulate Proto-Satsugū-Ryukyuan within Kyushu-Ryukyuan as the most direct mainland ancestor of Ryukyuan languages – the predecessor pre-Proto-Ryukyuan language that was still spoken in Kyushu in the first millennium AD – shared grammatical features do not suggest any particular subdivision of Kyushu-Ryukyuan.

The neuroendocrine system of Ciona intestinalis Type A, a deuterostome invertebrate and the closest relative of vertebrates

Deuterostome invertebrates, including echinoderms, hemichordates, cephalochordates, and urochordates, exhibit common and species-specific morphological, developmental, physiological, and behavioral characteristics that are regulated by neuroendocrine and nervous systems. Over the past 15 years, omics, genetic, and/or physiological studies on deuterostome invertebrates have identified low-molecular-weight transmitters, neuropeptides and their cognate receptors, and have clarified their various biological functions. In particular, there has been increasing interest on the neuroendocrine and nervous systems of Ciona intestinalis Type A, which belongs to the subphylum Urochordata and occupies the critical phylogenetic position as the closest relative of vertebrates. During the developmental stage, gamma-aminobutylic acid, D-serine, and gonadotropin-releasing hormones regulate metamorphosis of Ciona. In adults, the neuropeptidergic mechanisms underlying ovarian follicle growth, oocyte maturation, and ovulation have been elucidated. This review article provides the most recent and fundamental knowledge of the neuroendocrine and nervous systems of Ciona, and their evolutionary aspects.

Description of Patients with HIV and Multicentric Castleman's Disease at the National Institute of Cancerology- Mexico: A 9-Year Experience

Castleman disease is a diverse group of lymphoproliferative disorders with four variants sharing common morphological features on lymph node biopsy but having different etiologies, presentations, treatments, and outcomes. It is classified into unicentric and multicentric variants (MCD), the latter being a systemic disease with multiple lymphadenopathy, where the most common pathological finding is changes in plasma cell type. Based on etiopathogenic characteristics, it can be divided into Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (HHV8)-associated, idiopathic, and those related to an overlap with POEMS syndrome. This disease can occur in both HIV-positive individuals and immunocompromised individuals due to other causes. Here, we report our experience with a cohort of HIV-associated MCD cases from 2014 to 2022. A total of 21 patients diagnosed with HIV and HHV8-associated MCD were observed at INCAN during the study period. The majority were men (95%), with a median age of 33y (range, 25 to 54y). The main histologic MCD type was plasma cells (52%), followed by the mixed variant (28%) and the hyaline vascular type (19%). Almost half of the patients were newly diagnosed with HIV (43%), and half of them had a CD4 cell count below 200 cells/mm3 at the time of MCD diagnosis (48%). Only 38% of known HIV patients were taking combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) at the moment of MCD diagnosis. The vast majority (95.2%) were HHV-8 positive by immunohistochemistry, and 66.7% were associated with Kaposi sarcoma. About 52.4% of cases had another active opportunistic infection documented. The most frequently associated infection was syphilis (33.3%), EBV coinfection (23.8%), hepatitis B (14.3%), hepatitis C (4.8%), and CMV viremia (4.8%). 90% of patients developed B symptoms, 71% had fever, 100% had palpable adenopathy, 71% developed hepatosplenomegaly, and 19% had pleural effusion at presentation. In blood analysis, elevated LDH was present in 42.9%, hypoalbuminemia in 71.4%, thrombocytopenia (<100,000) in 35%, anemia (Hb < 8g/dl) in 20%, and renal failure (GFR <30 ml/min/1.73m2) in 10% of cases. The treatment for Kaposi sarcoma at entry was a bleomycin and vincristine-based regimen in 52% of patients, with a median of 2 cycles (range 1-7). Five patients (23%) achieved a complete response without requiring additional treatment. Three patients (14%) with MCD attack criteria resolved systemic symptoms only with cART. Unfortunately, 14% of patients died before receiving treatment, and 38% were managed with “wait and watch” because they did not meet the criteria for MCD attack. The remaining 47% received treatment, with the most common regimens being R-Dox (20%), RCHOP (30%), CHOP (30%), Dox-liposomal (10%), and R-Etoposide (10%), with a median of 4 cycles (range 1-7). Eight patients (38%) received ganciclovir maintenance treatment until reaching negative HHV8 viral load. During the 9 years of follow-up, a total of 5 patients (23.8%) died, with 80% of them experiencing disease progression. The overall survival at 24 months was 77% (figure 1) , and the median survival was not reached at the time of evaluation. In conclusion, our patients with HIV-associated MCD demonstrated similarities to global epidemiological data, with a predominant male population and onset between the fourth and fifth decade of life. The most common histology was the plasmacytic cell subtype, and B symptoms were frequently observed. Hepatosplenomegaly was more prevalent than previously described, anemia and thrombocytopenia appeared to be more common hematological manifestations than reported. Due to a significant percentage of patients having uncontrolled HIV at diagnosis, and unknown KS at the same time of the diagnosis, further research is needed to establish a direct association with MCD and HIV pathophysiology in which clinical manifestations of the disease are diverse an lack specificity, and the prognosis varies greatly. Additionally, concomitant infections may play a role as activators of systemic inflammation and require active screening for MCD in patients with these characteristics. While Kaposi sarcoma treatment was effective in controlling both diseases in some cases, additional management may be necessary, with promising results seen with different treatments. Early intervention for cytokine release syndrome is essential to improve patient outcomes. 1.Blood 2020 Apr16;135(16):1353-64. 2.Nat Rev Dis 2021 Nov 25;7(1):84

The use of Clinicopathological, immunohistochemistry and molecular detection in the diagnosis of fumarate hydratase-deficient uterine leiomyomas

BackgroundFumarate hydratase-deficient uterine leiomyomas (FH-dUL) are rare, accounting for only 0.4–1.6% of uterine leiomyomas. FH germline mutation gene is associated with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome (HLRCC). MethodsIn this study, we aim to investigate Clinicopathological features and FH mutation in FH-dUL. We performed a retrospective analysis of 300 cases of uterine leiomyoma, diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2021, within the archives of the Department of Pathology at Peking University People's Hospital. In our review of the immunohistochemical(IHC) staining was performed on 300 uSMTs to detect FH deficiency. ResultsWe identified 21cases (21/300,7%) of FH-dUL. Nineteen cases (6.33%) displayed negative FH. Twenty-one cases (7%) displayed 2SC diffuse plasma and nuclear staining. The most common FH-d morphological features included staghorn vasculature ( 100%,21/21), alveolar-pattern oedema (71.43%, 15/21), scattered bizarre nuclei (23.81%, 5/21), eosinophilic cytoplasmic (rhabdoid) inclusions (47.62%, 10/21), significant eosinophilic nucleolus with peri-nucleolus hollowing (23.81%, 5/21), ovoid nuclei sometimes arranged in chains (9.52%, 2/21). DNA sequencing for the 21 cases was performed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). 6 cases were detected significant variations for the FH gene, 11 cases were detected FH gene mutation forvariants of uncertain significance (VUS), and 2 cases were detected a TP53 gene mutation. No related mutations were detected in the other two cases. ConclusionsFH-dUL is rare. The combination of predictive Clinicopathological evaluation,FH and 2SC IHC test, and molecular test were helpful for the screening of FH-dUL from uSMTs,or even the screening of HLRCC.

Германо-славянские лексические параллели – имитативы ‘lecken’ – ‘лизать’: этимология, диахрония, современное состояние

The aim of the study is to identify common phonetic and morphological features and differences, as well as their possible determinants in the system of imitative naming of Germanic and Slavic lexical fields using the example of the correlates ‘lecken’ – ‘лизать’ (lick). The paper also pays attention to semantic changes in the lexical units under consideration as an important stage of the presented linguistic reconstruction. The scientific novelty of the study lies in taking a multi-aspect approach, involving research materials in the field of phraseology, dialectology and onomastics, in order to clarify and expand the currently available linguistic data on the formation and development of lexical parallels in distantly related languages; in revising not only the new features that the Germanic and Slavic lexical systems have acquired, but also those which have been lost in the process of linguistic ontogenesis, starting from the single Indo-European foundation. The studied correlates were considered from the diachronic perspective in the context of the similarity/difference of the presented phonetic transitions, morphological transformations and semantic shifts. As a result of the analysis, the vectors of formation of these lexical parallels from the common Indo-European archetype in the Germanic and Slavic language backgrounds were determined applying certain postulates of the theory of imitative words.

Grey matter heterotopia subtypes show specific morpho-electric signatures and network dynamics.

Grey matter heterotopia (GMH) are neurodevelopmental disorders associated with abnormal cortical function and epilepsy. Subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) and periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH) are two well-recognized GMH subtypes in which neurons are misplaced, either forming nodules lining the ventricles in PVNH, or forming bands in the white matter in SBH. Although both PVNH and SBH are commonly associated with epilepsy, it is unclear whether these two GMH subtypes differ in terms of pathological consequences or, on the contrary, share common altered mechanisms. Here, we studied two robust preclinical models of SBH and PVNH, and performed a systematic comparative assessment of the physiological and morphological diversity of heterotopia neurons, as well as the dynamics of epileptiform activity and input connectivity. We uncovered a complex set of altered properties, including both common and distinct physiological and morphological features across heterotopia subtypes, and associated with specific dynamics of epileptiform activity. Taken together, these results suggest that pro-epileptic circuits in GMH are, at least in part, composed of neurons with distinct, subtype-specific, physiological and morphological properties depending on the heterotopia subtype. Our work supports the notion that GMH represent a complex set of disorders, associating both shared and diverging pathological consequences, and contributing to forming epileptogenic networks with specific properties. A deeper understanding of these properties may help to refine current GMH classification schemes by identifying morpho-electric signatures of GMH subtypes, to potentially inform new treatment strategies.

On the use of collections with unreliably determined sex and age characteristics in model train-ing for sex determination by traits of the standard craniometric program

The study is concerned with the feasibility of applying machine-learning methods to determine the sex from craniometric features when working with materials from archaeological excavations. A specific feature of such materials is subjectively estimated sex and age characteristics of individuals. The main object of the analysis was a sample measured by V.P. Alekseev and comprised of 258 crania (137 male and 121 female) characterising Russian population of the European part of Russia in the 17th–18th cc. As a test sample, a group of crania of the Russians with documented sex and age, registered within several collections of the Kunstkamera’s repository, also measured by V.P. Alekseev, was used. The series includes 89 male and 10 female skulls, which came to the museum from the Military Medical Academy in 1911–1914 by the effort of the Russian anatomist K.Z. Yatsuta. The models were trained, validated, and tested using four different methods, including discriminant analysis, lo-gistic regression, random forest, and support vector machine. Thirty-three craniometric traits were included in the analysis, from which a group of five features with the highest differentiating ability (Nos. by Martin) — 1, 40, 43, 45, 75(1) — was chosen. When both sets of traits were used for the models commensurable performance indica-tors were obtained. According to the results of the cross-validation, in 85–88 % of cases, on average, all four models accurately predicted the sex estimates given by V.P. Alekseev. When the models were applied to the test sample, the proportion of accurate classifications did not change and stood at 87–88 %. At the same time, the machine-learning methods did not reveal any noticeable advantages in the level of the classification accuracy over the linear discriminant analysis. In general, the efficiency of the obtained models corresponds to the average value of the indicators calculated from the materials of 80 publications (86 %). It is likely that the crania, whose sex cannot be correctly classified neither by the models nor by visual assessment, constitute overlapping sets, which have some common morphological features assimilating them to individuals of the opposite sex. Applica-tion of the models to the skulls of the test sample, re-measured by the author, revealed some deterioration of the model performance indicators in all four cases. The decrease in the proportion of accurate classifications is caused mainly by discrepancies in the estimation of the nasal protrusion angle, as well as subjective errors in the size estimation under insufficient preservation of the crania and partial atrophy of the alveolar process.

Root-knot nematode assessment: species identification, distribution, and new host records in Portugal.

Considered one of the most devastating plant parasitic nematodes worldwide, Meloidogyne spp. (commonly known as the root-knot nematodes (RKNs)) are obligate sedentary endoparasites that establish in the roots, causing hyperplasia and hypertrophy of surrounding cells, triggering the formation of galls. These galls will affect root development and physiology, leading to substantial yield losses. During 2017-2022, an extensive survey of Meloidogyne species was undertaken in Portugal (mainland and islands). A total of 1,071 samples were collected by the National Plant Protection Organization (DGAV) and private farmers from different regions of the country and were analysed at the Laboratory of Nematology (NemaINIAV). Samples in which the presence of Meloidogyne sp. was detected were used to perform bioassays to obtain females and juveniles for further studies. Since the accurate identification of RKNs is an important aspect of crop management, morphological and biochemical characterisation was performed. The most common morphological features were observed, showing consistency with previous descriptions of the genus. The biochemical identification using the esterase (EST) phenotype revealed the phenotypes of Meloidogyne arenaria, M enterolobi, M. hispanica, M. hapla, M. incognita, M javanica, and M. luci. Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica were found to be the most prevalent species in the different regions followed by M. arenaria and M. hapla. This is the first distribution report performed in Portugal on RKNs, contributing to the development of management strategies and to updated information on the status of these pests in Europe.

Recurrent Tumor Suppressor Alterations in Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma

Primary pericardial mesotheliomas are extremely rare, accounting for <1% of all mesotheliomas, and their molecular genetic features and predisposing factors remain to be determined. Here, we report the clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic findings of 3 pericardial mesotheliomas without pleural involvement. Three cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2022 were included in the study and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS); corresponding nonneoplastic tissue was sequenced in all cases. Two patients were female and 1 was male, aged between 66 and 75 years. Two patients each had prior asbestos exposure and were smokers. Histologic subtypes were epithelioid in 2 cases and biphasic in 1 case. Immunohistochemical staining identified expression of cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and calretinin in all cases, D2-40 in 2 cases, and WT1 in 1 case. Staining for tumor suppressors revealed loss of p16, MTAP, and Merlin (NF2) expression in 2 cases and loss of BAP1 and p53 in 1 case. Abnormal cytoplasmic BAP1 expression was observed in an additional case. Protein expression abnormalities correlated with NGS results, which showed concurrent complete genomic inactivation of CDKN2A/p16, CDKN2B, MTAP, and NF2 in 2 mesotheliomas and of BAP1 and TP53 in 1 mesothelioma each, respectively. In addition, 1 patient harbored a pathogenic BRCA1 germline mutation, which resulted in biallelic inactivation in the mesothelioma. All mesotheliomas were mismatch repair proficient and showed several chromosomal gains and losses. All patients died from disease. Our study demonstrates that pericardial mesotheliomas share common morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic features with pleural mesothelioma, including recurrent genomic inactivation of canonical tumor suppressors. Our study adds new insights into the genetic landscape of primary pericardial mesothelioma and highlights BRCA1 loss as a potential contributing factor in a subset of cases, thereby contributing to refined precision diagnostics for this rare cancer.

Photoplethysmography upon cold stress-impact of measurement site and acquisition mode.

Photoplethysmography (PPG) allows various statements about the physiological state. It supports multiple recording setups, i.e., application to various body sites and different acquisition modes, rendering the technique a versatile tool for various situations. Owing to anatomical, physiological and metrological factors, PPG signals differ with the actual setup. Research on such differences can deepen the understanding of prevailing physiological mechanisms and path the way towards improved or novel methods for PPG analysis. The presented work systematically investigates the impact of the cold pressor test (CPT), i.e., a painful stimulus, on the morphology of PPG signals considering different recording setups. Our investigation compares contact PPG recorded at the finger, contact PPG recorded at the earlobe and imaging PPG (iPPG), i.e., non-contact PPG, recorded at the face. The study bases on own experimental data from 39 healthy volunteers. We derived for each recording setup four common morphological PPG features from three intervals around CPT. For the same intervals, we derived blood pressure and heart rate as reference. To assess differences between the intervals, we used repeated measures ANOVA together with paired t-tests for each feature and we calculated Hedges' g to quantify effect sizes. Our analyses show a distinct impact of CPT. As expected, blood pressure shows a highly significant and persistent increase. Independently of the recording setup, all PPG features show significant changes upon CPT as well. However, there are marked differences between recording setups. Effect sizes generally differ with the finger PPG showing the strongest response. Moreover, one feature (pulse width at half amplitude) shows an inverse behavior in finger PPG and head PPG (earlobe PPG and iPPG). In addition, iPPG features behave partially different from contact PPG features as they tend to return to baseline values while contact PPG features remain altered. Our findings underline the importance of recording setup and physiological as well as metrological differences that relate to the setups. The actual setup must be considered in order to properly interpret features and use PPG. The existence of differences between recording setups and a deepened knowledge on such differences might open up novel diagnostic methods in the future.

Effects of the ridge‐and‐runnel system on macrofaunal spatial distribution on a macrotidal sandy beach in the Brazilian Amazon coast

AbstractRidge‐and‐runnel systems are common morphological features across the intertidal zone of dissipative macrotidal beaches. However, these systems have often been overlooked by macrofaunal zonation studies. The present study investigated the effects of this system on the spatial distribution of the macrofaunal community on an Amazonian macrotidal sandy beach. Samples (macrobenthos and sediments) were collected at seven equidistant levels (50 m apart) from the high tide water mark to the swash zone, in two different areas: (1) with and (2) without ridge‐and‐runnel systems. The results showed a significant increase in macrofaunal abundance and richness in area with runnels, associated with muddier sediment and higher organic content. The macrofauna in the runnels, both in upper‐intertidal and lower‐intertidal zones, had higher density and richness than that in the sandbars. There was no difference between tidal levels in area 2, although we observed an increasing tendency of abundance and richness towards the low tide line. Taxonomic composition and trophic groups also differed between areas, with predominance of species that are typical of sandy‐mud substrate and higher participation of nonselective deposit feeders in area 1. Predatory species typical of sandy substrates prevailed in area 2. These findings add knowledge to sandy beach ecology and indicate the importance of including aspects of habitat complexity in both across‐ and alongshore macrofaunal distribution studies.

Characteristics of coronary artery ectasia and accompanying plaques: an optical coherence tomography study

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) in adults is often caused by atherosclerotic plaques. CAE can affect atherosclerotic plaques through hemodynamic changes. However, no study has evaluated the characteristics of CAE with atherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, we aimed to disclose the characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques in patients with CAE using optical coherence tomography (OCT). We evaluated patients with CAE, confirmed by coronary angiography, who underwent pre-intervention OCT between April 2015 and April 2021. Each millimeter of the OCT images was analyzed to assess the characteristics of CAEs, plaque phenotypes, and plaque vulnerability. A total of 286 patients (344 coronary vessels) met our criteria, 82.87% of whom were men. Right coronary artery lesions were the most common, comprising 44.48% (n = 153) of the total. We found 329 CAE vessels with plaques, accounting for 95.64% of the coronary vessels. After grouping CAEs and plaques by their relative positions, we found that the length of plaques within CAE lesions was longer than that of plaques in other sites (P < 0.001). Plaques within CAE lesions had greater maximum lipid angles and lipid indexes (P = 0.007, P = 0.004, respectively) than those on other sites. This study revealed the most common vascular and morphological characteristics of CAE. While the accompanying plaques were not affected by the location or morphology of the CAE vessels, they were affected by their position relative to the CAE lesion.

The morphological diversity of pollen in the genus Gossypium

BackgroundPlant pollen has diverse morphological characteristics that can be consistently passed down from generation to generation. Information on pollen morphology is thus immensely important for plant classification and identification. In the genus Gossypium, however, in-depth research on pollen morphology is lacking, with only few reports on limited cotton species. To evaluate the diversity of pollen in Gossypium, we therefore conducted a comprehensive analysis of the pollen morphology of 33 cotton species and varieties using scanning electron microscopy.ResultsThe 33 analyzed cotton samples exhibited common pollen morphological features, including spherical shapes, radial symmetry, echination, panporation, and operculation, while the pollen size, spine shape, spine density and length showed distinctive features. Pollen size varied significantly among species, with diameters ranging from 62.43 μm in G. harknessii to 103.41 μm in G. barbadense. The exine had an echinate sculptural texture, and spines were mostly conical or sharply conical but occasionally rod-like. Spine density varied from 173 in G. incanum to 54 in G. gossypioides, while spine length ranged from 3.53 μm in G. herbaceum to 9.47 μm in G. barbadense. In addition, the 33 cotton species and varieties were grouped at a genetic distance of 3.83 into three clusters. Cluster I comprised five allotetraploid AD-genome cotton species, four D-genome species, and one K-genome species. Cluster II included 13 diploid species from A, B, D, E, and G genomes, whereas Cluster III only consisted one E-genome species G. incanum.ConclusionsAlthough pollen characteristics alone are not enough to resolve taxonomic and systematic relationships within the genus Gossypium, our results add to knowledge on palynomorphology and contribute to phenological information on these taxa. Our findings should aid future systematic and phylogenetic studies of the Gossypium genus.

Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal four new species of Thelephora (Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) from subtropical China, closely related to T. ganbajun.

The genus of Thelephora is a group of cosmopolitan ectomycorrhizal fungi with basidiocarps of morphological diversity that has an extremely scarce species reported from the forest ecosystem in China. In this study, phylogenetic analyses of Thelephora species from subtropical China were carried out based on multiple loci including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), and the small subunit of mitochondrial rRNA gene (mtSSU). Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were used to construct the phylogenetic tree. The phylogenetic positions of four new species, Th. aquila, Th. glaucoflora, Th. nebula, and Th. pseudoganbajun, were revealed based on morphological and molecular evidence. Molecular analyses demonstrated that the four new species were closely related to Th. ganbajun and formed a clade with robust support in the phylogenetic tree. Regarding morphology, they share some common morphological characteristics, including flabelliform to imbricate pilei, generative hyphae more or less covered by crystals, and subglobose to irregularly lobed basidiospores (5-8 × 4-7 μm) with tuberculate ornamentation. These new species are described and illustrated and are compared to similar morphological or phylogenetically related species. A key to the new and allied species from China is provided.

Mapping hyperspectral NIR images using supervised self-organizing maps: Discrimination of weedy rice seeds

Weedy rice is one of the most problematic weeds in rice-growing regions, particularly in Southeast Asia. Unlike other types of weeds, it is extremely difficult to distinguish weedy rice from cultivated rice directly from paddy seeds as they exhibit common morphological features. As such weed management can be a difficult, time-consuming, and inaccurate process that is often carried out manually. This study offers a novel classification approach based on an artificial neural network (ANN), utilizing self-organizing maps (SOMs), to directly discriminate weedy rice using the near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique. The physical attributes, thermal behavior, and chemical profiles of the weedy and cultivated rice were thoroughly investigated by a range of analytical techniques, including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). For direct sample analysis by HSI, a global self-organizing map was generated with optimized parameters (scaling value and map size). The color indices (Red, Green, Blue values) of the sample image were defined to obtain a color ratio that can be used to classify unknown samples. The optimal threshold for classification was carefully determined using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Performance metrics (sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, and misclassification error) were used to evaluate the performance of the model. Classification accuracies of 98% (Weedy vs PL2) and 88% (Weedy vs RD49) were obtained with balanced sensitivity and specificity. The classification was assessed from the whole sample image, which was completely independent of the selected region of interest. As far as we know, this is the first instance where SOMs have been utilized to appraise seed quality by means of authentic HSI images.

Cystic lesions and bursae around the knee: do they matter in knee osteoarthritis?

The cause of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and knee pain associated with OA is not well understood. Periarticular cystic lesions and bursae around the knee are among the most common morphologic features identified on MRI in the setting of OA. Despite widespread association of these lesions with knee OA and their inclusion in semiquantitative MRI scoring assessment systems for knee OA, the role that these lesions play in the development of knee pain and OA remains uncertain. In this discussion, we review the cystic lesions and bursae most commonly associated with OA of the knee, examine their relation and role in whole organ imaging assessments of OA, and present the literature investigating the associations of periarticular cysts and cyst-like lesions with knee pain and OA.

Development and Validation of CT-Based Radiomics Signature for Overall Survival Prediction in Multi-organ Cancer.

The malignant tumors in nature share some common morphological characteristics. Radiomics is not only images but also data; we think that a probability exists in a set of radiomics signatures extracted from CT scan images of one cancer tumor in one specific organ also be utilized for overall survival prediction in different types of cancers in different organs. The retrospective study enrolled four data sets of cancer patients in three different organs (420, 157, 137, and 191 patients for lung 1 training, lung 2 testing, and two external validation set: kidney and head and neck, respectively). In the training set, radiomics features were obtained from CT scan images, and essential features were chosen by LASSO algorithm. Univariable and multivariable analyses were then conducted to find a radiomics signature via Cox proportional hazard regression. The Kaplan-Meier curve was performed based on the risk score. The integrated time-dependent area under the ROC curve (iAUC) was calculated for each predictive model. In the training set, Kaplan-Meier curve classified patients as high or low-risk groups (p-value < 0.001; log-rank test). The risk score of radiomics signature was locked and independently evaluated in the testing set, and two external validation sets showed significant differences (p-value < 0.05; log-rank test). A combined model (radiomics + clinical) showed improved iAUC in lung 1, lung 2, head and neck, and kidney data set are 0.621 (95% CI 0.588, 0.654), 0.736 (95% CI 0.654, 0.819), 0.732 (95% CI 0.655, 0.809), and 0.834 (95% CI 0.722, 0.946), respectively. We believe that CT-based radiomics signatures for predicting overall survival in various cancer sites may exist.