Organ Growth Research Articles

Reproductive tract morphometry of Hyla rabbits fed diet containing graded levels of watermelon rind and wheat offal as absorbent

The evaluation of breeding and fertility potential of animals demands understanding of basic morphometric characteristics of their reproductive organs which, among other factors, may be affected by nutrition. This study was conducted to assess the effects of feeding graded levels of watermelon rind and wheat offal as absorbent on morphometric characteristics of the reproductive organs of Hyla rabbits. Forty-five Hyla rabbits of both sexes (15 bucks and 30 does) with nine animals per treatment (3 bucks and 6 does in each treatment) in a completely randomized design were randomly assigned to the dietary treatment containing 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % of watermelon rind and wheat offal. The data collected included weight and length of the reproductive tract of the rabbits. The morphometric characteristics of reproductive tract of the rabbits were not significantly affected by the dietary treatment, however, there were significant effect (p > 0.05) of the dietary treatment on the weight of the left oviduct, paired oviduct, and the paired ovary of the rabbits. The experimental diets significantly affected (p < 0.05) penis length and width, the right spermatic cord and the length of the right scrotal. The diets had no significant effect (p<0.05) on the weight of reproductive tracts of buck except on the paired spermatic cord. The experimental diets can be a good alternative for the highly competitive and costly grains in the diet of Hyla rabbits without any adverse effect on the growth of reproductive organs and consequently on the fertility and other activities related to reproduction of Hyla rabbits. Keywords: morphology, rabbits, reproduction, watermelon rind, wheat offal

Enhancing the volatile organic compound and biomass production by three biocontrol potential bacteria in corn steep liquor growth medium and development of cell freeze-drying process.

This study investigates the traits of three plant growth-promoting (PGP) and antagonistic bacteria, Pseudomonas protegens MP12, Bacillus sp. 3R4, and Bacillus sp. T22, to assess their potential application as biocontrol agents by using the ecofriendly and low-cost substrate Corn Steep Liquor (CSL) medium. Analyses of antagonism through volatile organic compounds (VOCs) production, biofilm formation, and growth performance were carried out. Dual antagonism assay showed that all strains displayed significant antagonistic activity against Botrytis cinerea through VOCs. Gas chromatography demonstrated that strains in the CSL exhibited higher VOCs production than Nutrient medium. Moreover, enhanced biofilm formation analysed by Calgary Biofilm Device, growth and biomass were noted in CSL cultures. Pseudomonas protegens MP12, which showed higher cell concentration and biomass yield, was selected for freeze-drying treatments. Storage cell viability assays evidenced that it can be effectively preserved for nearly 7 months at 4°C. The results here obtained showed that CLS medium enhance VOCs production, biofilm formation, growth and biomass of the antagonistic bacteria of the three strains. Eventually, the more effective strain P. protegens MP12 can be stored for nearly 7 months at 4°C.

Division Zone Activity Determines the Potential of Drought-Stressed Maize Leaves to Resume Growth after Rehydration.

Drought is one of the most devastating causes of yield losses in crops like maize, and the anticipated increases in severity and duration of drought spells due to climate change pose an imminent threat to agricultural productivity. To understand the drought response, phenotypic and molecular studies are typically performed at a given time point after drought onset, representing a steady-state adaptation response. Because growth is a dynamic process, we monitored the drought response with high temporal resolution and examined cellular and transcriptomic changes after rehydration at 4 and 6 days after leaf four appearance. These data showed that division zone activity is a determinant for full organ growth recovery upon rehydration. Moreover, a prolonged maintenance of cell division by the ectopic expression of PLASTOCHRON1 extends the ability to resume growth after rehydration. The transcriptome analysis indicated that GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORS (GRFs) affect leaf growth by impacting cell division duration, which was confirmed by a prolonged recovery potential of the GRF1-overexpression line after rehydration. Finally, we used a multiplex genome editing approach to evaluate the most promising differentially expressed genes from the transcriptome study and as such narrowed down the gene space from 40 to seven genes for future functional characterization.

Continuous Viscoelasticity Measurement of Cell Spheroids via Microfluidic Electrical Aspiration.

Measurement of viscoelastic characteristics of cells cultured in three-dimensional (3D) is critical to study many biological processes including tissue and organ growth. In this article, we present a unique electrical aspiration method to measure the viscoelastic properties of cell spheroids. A microfluidic sensor was created to demonstrate this method. Unlike the traditional optical aspiration method, the aspiration of the cell spheroids is monitored via monitoring the dynamic electrical resistance change of a symmetrical microfluidic aspiration channel. We first used the microfluidic device to measure the viscoelastic properties of two types of biological tissues derived from calfskin and porcine left ventricular myocardium. The equilibrium elastic modulus and creep time constants were measured to be 148.1 ± 24.1 kPa and 76.7 ± 3.5 s and 64.5 ± 7.7 kPa and 31.4 ± 2.7 s respectively, which matched well with reported data. The test validated the principle of the electrical aspiration method. Next, we applied the method for measuring cell spheroids made of human mesenchymal stem cells at different culture stages. The equilibrium elastic modulus and apparent viscosity decreased with increasing culture time. Compared to optical aspiration methods, this microfluidic electrical aspiration method has no reliance on transparent materials and image processing, which thus allows simple setup, fast data acquisition and analysis. The use of a symmetric aspiration channel and the linear half-space model enable measurements of a large number of viscoelastic properties via a single measurement with higher accuracy. This method will enable high throughput, continuous viscoelastic measurement of cell spheroids as well as other 3D cell culture models in flow conditions without the need for any optical measurements.

DYRK1A interacts with the tuberous sclerosis complex and promotes mTORC1 activity.

DYRK1A, a ubiquitously expressed kinase, is linked to the dominant intellectual developmental disorder, microcephaly, and Down syndrome in humans. It regulates numerous cellular processes such as cell cycle, vesicle trafficking, and microtubule assembly. DYRK1A is a critical regulator of organ growth; however, how it regulates organ growth is not fully understood. Here, we show that the knockdown of DYRK1A in mammalian cells results in reduced cell size, which depends on mTORC1. Using proteomic approaches, we found that DYRK1A interacts with the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) proteins, namely TSC1 and TSC2, which negatively regulate mTORC1 activation. Furthermore, we show that DYRK1A phosphorylates TSC2 at T1462, a modification known to inhibit TSC activity and promote mTORC1 activity. We also found that the reduced cell growth upon knockdown of DYRK1A can be rescued by overexpression of RHEB, an activator of mTORC1. Our findings suggest that DYRK1A inhibits TSC complex activity through inhibitory phosphorylation on TSC2, thereby promoting mTORC1 activity. Furthermore, using the Drosophila neuromuscular junction as a model, we show that the mnb, the fly homologs of DYRK1A, is rescued by RHEB overexpression, suggesting a conserved role of DYRK1A in TORC1 regulation.

A Human-Centered Shelter Design for People on the Move in the Al-Sahel Region

This article addresses the development of a human-centered shelter design tailored to meet the specific needs of refugees in the Al-Sahel Region. It focuses on five essential aspects of humanitarian-centered design. The goal is to create a livable unit that accommodates the three distinct phases of an emergency, transitional, and durable situation. We have adopted a non-linear design approach to develop the refugee shelter unit. We engage in discussions with team experts following each data collection phase. The conceptual design of the shelter unit is intended to align with the refugee settlement’s natural growth while maintaining a degree of control over its evolution. We have outlined a spatial configuration for a residential unit designed for three to six individuals and various patio options. Additionally, we have devised plans for an education and healthcare facility, all designed with the same structure to bring a more organized approach to the organic growth of the camp. The design proposal adopts a process-oriented approach, incorporating refugees indirectly in the design and construction of their shelters. While we do not assert that the framework of a ‘refugee camp’ can be sustainable, our goal is to show that its planning, in the absence of alternatives, should adhere to sustainability criteria.

The Miskolc Method: Modelling the Evolution of a Natural City with Recursive Algorithms Using Simulated Morphogenesis

This article explores the application of procedural design methods in urban morphology, drawing inspiration from the innovative work of the Architectural Workshop of Miskolc in Hungary during the late 20th century. This study presents a generative approach termed “Simulated Morphogenesis” (or the “Miskolc Method”), which models organic city growth by analysing historical urban tissues and applying recursive algorithms to simulate natural urban development. The method leverages advanced generative tools, such as Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper, to model the step-by-step growth of Central European cities, with a particular focus on Miskolc. By incorporating controlled randomness into the algorithmic processes, the method captures the complexity of organic urban growth while maintaining structured development. The Miskolc Method emphasizes the importance of continuity and context, allowing for the “healing” of urban fabric discontinuities or the generation of new urban structures. This article demonstrates how this approach, while rooted in geometrical analysis, offers a valuable foundation for preliminary urban planning. The findings are relevant for understanding the morphogenesis of cities and provide a flexible framework applicable to various urban contexts globally.

The sale of failed banks: The importance of their branch networks and of the acquirers’ financial strength

This paper investigates the pricing of insolvent banks in the U.S. that are sold under the purchase and assumption resolution method of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). We consider quarterly data for 444 acquisitions of insolvent U.S. banks between 2009 and 2016. We find that acquirers not only pay higher prices for insolvent banks with larger core deposits, as has been highlighted by the literature (and is consistent with the FDIC’s beliefs), but also for those banks with larger branch networks that are less dispersed geographically. When the acquirers bid (separately) for the assets of the insolvent banks, they place a positive value on the number of branches of the insolvent bank, but appear to be insensitive to geographic dispersion. Acquirers also pay more for banks with a national charter. The results additionally show that failed banks are most likely to be acquired by relatively large and highly capitalized banks whose organic growth is not affected in the years following the acquisition. Overall, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the implications of the purchase and assumption resolution method for the FDIC and for the banking industry.

Global transcription and metabolic profiles of five tissues in pepper fruits

Studying the regulatory mechanisms in different tissues of pepper is crucial for understanding organ formation, growth, and development. However, relevant studies are far from sufficient. In the current study, the stipe, calyx, pericarp, placenta, and seed of ripe pepper were sampled, and metabolites were determined by the untargeted metabolomics method. Transcriptome sequencing was performed by Illumina NovaSeq 6000, and then a high-throughput data set was built. The results showed that a total of 4879 annotated metabolites were detected in 15 samples of the five tissues under positive and negative ion mode. A total of 110.66 Gb of clean data was obtained by transcriptome sequencing, the clean data of each sample reached 6.21 Gb, and a total of 35 336 annotated expression genes were obtained. Furthermore, validate the accuracy of the data by combining principal component analysis and other methods. In summary, this study provides valuable information for the genetic improvement and breeding of peppers, and it holds potential application value, particularly in enhancing the quality and nutritional value of pepper fruits.

Global modeling of aerosol nucleation with a semi-explicit chemical mechanism for highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs)

Abstract. New particle formation (NPF) involving organic compounds has been identified as an important process affecting aerosol particle number concentrations in the global atmosphere. Laboratory studies have shown that highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) can make a substantial contribution to NPF, but there is a lack of global model studies of NPF with detailed HOM chemistry. Here, we incorporate a state-of-the-art biogenic HOM chemistry scheme with 96 chemical reactions to a global chemistry–climate model and quantify the contribution to global aerosols through HOM-driven NPF. The updated model captures the frequency of NPF events observed at continental surface sites (normalized mean bias changes from −96 % to −15 %) and shows reasonable agreement with measured rates of NPF and sub-20 nm particle growth. Sensitivity simulations show that compared to turning off the organic nucleation rate, turning off organic initial growth results in a more substantial decrease in aerosol number concentrations. Globally, organics contribute around 45 % of the annual mean vertically integrated nucleation rate (at 1.7 nm) and 25 % of the vertically averaged growth rate. The inclusion of HOM-related processes leads to a 39 % increase in the global annual mean aerosol number burden and a 33 % increase in cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) burden at 0.5 % supersaturation compared to a simulation with only inorganic nucleation. Our work predicts a greater contribution of organic nucleation to NPF than previous studies due to the semi-explicit HOM mechanism and an updated inorganic NPF scheme. The large contribution of biogenic HOMs to NPF on a global scale could make aerosol sensitive to changes in biogenic emissions.

Effect of Kappapycus alvarezii seaweed liquid extract on growth, yield and chemical constituents of Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens l’ Herit. ex Aiton)

The application of seaweed-based fertilizers is an important renewable resource and gaining considerable attention in the present scenario of agriculture and horticulture as organic nutrient input and growth promoters. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of seaweed liquid extract on growth, yield, and chemical constituents of the important aromatic plant geranium. The experiments were conducted in the CSIR-CIMAP, Research Center, Bengaluru (Karnataka, India) during the Rabi season of 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. The results of pooled data over two years revealed that application of Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed liquid extract (KSWE) along with RDF at a concentration of 15% significantly improved the plant height (71.37 ± 0.69 cm), plant canopy (68.24 ± 1.60 cm), herb yield (42.71 ± 2.45 t ha−1year−1) and oil recovery (0.36 ± 0.02%) as compared over RDF. An account of 23.14% and 23.87% increase in herbage and essential oil yield was recorded over RDF. The functional relationship between herb and oil yield of geranium with different concentrations of seaweed extract applied at different crop stages was strongly correlated (r 2=0.97 and r 2=0.91, respectively). The chemical profile of essential oil reveals that higher amounts of linalool (7.5%) isomenthone (6.65%), geranial (1.29%), geranyl formate (3.81%), and the highest citronellol to geraniol (C:G ratio) ratio of 2.14 was noticed in the treatment which receives 15% KSWE along with RDF. The study clearly exhibits the notable benefits in the performance of geranium with the application of 15% of aqueous seaweed extract from Kappaphyscus alvarezii both in quantitative and qualitative terms.

Dachsous and Fat coordinately repress the Dachs-Dlish-Approximated complex to control growth.

Two protocadherins, Dachsous and Fat, regulate organ growth in Drosophila via the Hippo pathway. Dachsous and Fat bind heterotypically to regulate the abundance and subcellular localization of a "core complex" consisting of Dachs, Dlish, and Approximated. This complex localizes to the junctional cortex where it represses Warts. Dachsous is believed to promote growth by recruiting and stabilizing this complex, while Fat represses growth by promoting its degradation. Here, we examine the functional relationships between the intracellular domains of Dachsous and Fat and the core complex. While Dachsous promotes the accumulation of core complex proteins in puncta, it is not required for their assembly. Indeed, the core complex accumulates maximally in the absence of both Dachsous and Fat. Furthermore, Dachsous represses growth in the absence of Fat by removing the core complex from the junctional cortex. Fat similarly recruits core complex components but promotes their degradation. Our findings reveal that Dachsous and Fat coordinately constrain tissue growth by repressing the core complex.

Macroanatomy, Histomorphometry, and Androgen Receptor Expression in the Epididymis of Kacang Goats Aged 4, 8, and 12 Months

The epididymis is a crucial component of the goat's reproductive structure. The epididymis is responsible for the transportation, concentration, and maturation of sperm. This study aimed to examine the differences in the structure of macro and microanatomy, tissue composition, and the existence of androgen receptors in the epididymis of Kacang goats aged 4, 8, and 12 months. The assessment of macroscopic organ growth was done immediately after sampling, whereas microscopic measurements were carried out following histological preparations using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical (IHC) procedures. The results on the macroscopic anatomy of the epididymis indicated a significant association between age with the width of the caput dexter and sinister and the circumference of the right cauda. However, no significant relationship was found between age with the corpus length and the left cauda's circumference. Significant variations were observed in the diameter and concentration of the agglutinated spermatozoa in the lumen during histomorphometry of the epididymis in three age groups of Kacang goats. There were no statistically significant variations in the expression of androgen receptors among the three age groups. This study showed that the correlation coefficient test reveals a positive relationship between age and the caput width and corpus length dimensions, indicating that these measurements tend to grow as age increases. On the other hand, the diameter of the agglutinated spermatozoa in the epididymal lumen exhibits significant variations between the ages of 4 months, with the ages of 8 months and 12 months, suggesting that the sperm becomes fully matured by the age of 8 months.

Influence of Organic Growth Promoters on Quality and Yield of Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Influence of Organic Growth Promoters on Quality and Yield of Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Haploidy-linked cell proliferation defects limit larval growth in zebrafish.

Haploid larvae in non-mammalian vertebrates are lethal, with characteristic organ growth retardation collectively called 'haploid syndrome'. In contrast to mammals, whose haploid intolerance is attributed to imprinting misregulation, the cellular principle of haploidy-linked defects in non-mammalian vertebrates remains unknown. Here, we investigated cellular defects that disrupt the ontogeny of gynogenetic haploid zebrafish larvae. Unlike diploid control larvae, haploid larvae manifested unscheduled cell death at the organogenesis stage, attributed to haploidy-linked p53 upregulation. Moreover, we found that haploid larvae specifically suffered the gradual aggravation of mitotic spindle monopolarization during 1-3 days post-fertilization, causing spindle assembly checkpoint-mediated mitotic arrest throughout the entire body. High-resolution imaging revealed that this mitotic defect accompanied the haploidy-linked centrosome loss occurring concomitantly with the gradual decrease in larval cell size. Either resolution of mitotic arrest or depletion of p53 partially improved organ growth in haploid larvae. Based on these results, we propose that haploidy-linked mitotic defects and cell death are parts of critical cellular causes shared among vertebrates that limit the larval growth in the haploid state, contributing to an evolutionary constraint on allowable ploidy status in the vertebrate life cycle.

A rare pathology that mimics lung cancer: IgG4-related vasculitis.

Immunoglobulin-G4 (IgG4)-related disease is essentially a fibro-inflammatory disease that can affect any organ simultaneously or at different times. The disease usually presents with organ growth that mimics a tumour and can affect the lacrimal glands, major salivary glands, pancreas, bile ducts, retroperitoneal area, lungs, kidneys, aorta, meninges and thyroid gland. The immunopathogenesis behind this new disease has not yet been elucidated. Histopathological distinguishing features of the disease include dense lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates dominated by IgG4 positive plasma cells, storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis. The likelihood of developing with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4-RD) is a recently identified rare systemic fibroinflammatory disease with an estimated incidence of less than 1 in 100,000 people worldwide. We present our case, which was diagnosed with IGG4-related vasculitis by lung fine needle aspiration biopsy, which is very rare in the literature.

Biomechanical considerations of chemical structure and biosafety of current ceramic biomaterials for dentistry: review and outlook of the current state of the art.

Biomaterial refers to any material, non-pharmaceutical or combination of substances of synthetic or natural origin used for any period independently or as part of a system for the purpose of healing, assisting the growth or replacement of tissues, organs or functions of the body. It is an unsustainable material that interacts with biological systems. Before being produced a biomaterial goes through a sequence of steps, which includes: 1) the definition of the problem that the material will be called to solve (treatment, replacement of the instrument, aesthetic reasons); 2) design of the device, composition and control of materials (mechanical properties, toxicity, biological response, corrosion resistance, interaction with proteins, cells and tissues), manufacture, sterilization and standardization; 3) control of the device (in experimental animals, in vitro) clinical studies, studies; and 4) monitor its long-term use in vivo, in vitro and in patients. Research for ceramic materials is evolving and because they can be porous or glassy, they find applications in medicine and biotechnology, as they can be used as fillers, covering materials and scaffolds. Therefore, ceramic biomaterials are widely used not only in the field of orthopedic and maxillofacial surgery but also in dentistry as for dental prostheses. Materials monitoring technologies allow us to monitor the three-dimensional development in space, as well as imperfections or micro-cracks in the ceramic.

Self-Adhesive and Self-Sustainable Bioelectronic Patch for Physiological Feedback Electronic Modulation of Soft Organs.

Bionic electrical stimulation (Bio-ES) aims to achieve personalized therapy and proprioceptive adaptation by mimicking natural neural signatures of the body, while current Bio-ES devices are reliant on complex sensing and computational simulation systems, thus often limited by the low-fidelity of simulated electrical signals, and failure of interface information interaction due to the mechanical mismatch between soft tissues and rigid electrodes. Here, the study presents a flexible and ultrathin self-sustainable bioelectronic patch (Bio-patch), which can self-adhere to the lesion area of organs and generate bionic electrical signals synchronized vagal nerve envelope in situ to implement Bio-ES. It allows adaptive adjustment of intensity, frequency, and waveform of the Bio-ES to fully meet personalized needs of tissue regeneration based on real-time feedback from the vagal neural controlled organs. With this foundation, the Bio-patch can effectively intervene with excessive fibrosis and microvascular stasis during the natural healing process by regulating the polarization time of macrophages, promoting the reconstruction of the tissue-engineered structure, and accelerating the repair of damaged liver and kidney. This work develops a practical approach to realize biomimetic electronic modulation of the growth and development of soft organs only using a multifunctional Bio-patch, which establishes a new paradigm for precise bioelectronic medicine.

Surat’s sustainable future: analyzing compact urban development and population density trends

Rapid urbanization is a challenge for the cities of developing countries like India. The share of an urban area is rapidly increasing in dynamically growing cities. Due to this, the land use is altered, causing sprawl and unplanned development. The consumption of resources is greater, and the impact on the surroundings is negative. The compact city concept is always more efficient and cost effective compared to unplanned organic growth. The compact city optimizes available land resources with its maximum possible capacity in accordance with other available natural resources. The primary study objective is to assess the growth trend of Surat city using satellite images, geographic information system techniques, and census data for the last few years. The analysis considers population density for different city wards from 1991 to 2020. Based on the land use land cover change carried out using the maximum likelihood method from the satellite images, the rate of spreading out, its direction, and causes are also found. In this study, population density is a crucial attribute of the compact city concept. The study shows that wardwise density is increasing in a specific direction and making that portion of the city a dense, compact development. This is observed in ward numbers 48, 42, and 35 in the east, north, and southeast directions from Central Business District, respectively. The average population density in persons per sq. km is continuously increasing from 5006 to 20329 at city level which also shows the compact city development for Surat. The governing authorities must incorporate the compact city concept into the planning policy for sustainable urban development. By this, policymakers can understand housing needs to promote affordable housing, invest in infrastructure development and public services, and identify areas where sustainable transportation options, such as public transit, walking, or cycling, need improvement.

Effects of Heat Stress on Growth Performance, Physiological Responses, and Carcass Traits in Broilers

High environmental temperatures lead to metabolic changes, body weight reduction, and high mortality in chickens, affecting poultry production worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat stress, assessed by the temperature–humidity index (THI), on the growth performance, physiological response, carcasses, and hematological traits of broilers. A total of 200 broilers (between 17 and 31 days old) were kept in thermoneutral conditions (21 °C; 60% relative humidity, RH) for 3 days during the adaptation period, followed by 14 days of exposure to the experimental treatments. The broilers were randomly assigned to 4 groups of equal size and raised in a temperature–humidity controlled chamber with THI ranging from 67 (21 °C; RH 60%) to 84 (33 °C; RH 60%). In boilers subjected to severe heat stress (THI 84), feed intake (-30%) and body weight gain (-51%) were decreased (P<0.05) in comparison with the performance parameters of broilers under thermoneutral conditions (THI 67). Moreover, under heat stress, the respiration rate and rectal temperature significantly increased (P<0.05), whereas blood parameters showed reduced levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and electrolytes (K+, Na+). Regarding carcass traits, differences were observed in broilers exposed to severe heat stress, particularly in the reduction of the bursa of Fabricius as an immune organ growth index (P<0.05). This study shows that severe heat stress, as revealed by the high THI levels, alters the physiological reactions and metabolic processes of broiler chickens, leading to negative effects on their growth.