Morphological Features Research Articles

Surfactant‐Free, Simple Hydrothermal Synthesis of Morphologically Porous, Three‐Dimensional SnS2 Nanomaterial as Long term Stable Electrode for Supercapacitor Application

AbstractTin disulfide (SnS2) is a prominent candidate in the class of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), whose multiple electrical and electrochemical applications have recently steered much attention to energy storage devices like batteries and supercapacitors. Previous studies on the material came under the efforts to improve its applications by doping, creating composites, and other heterogeneous structures, which are complicated and less economical. Thus, pristine SnS2, utilizing its morphological features in conjunction with a suitable synthesis method, was investigated to improve efficiency and reduce cost without confusing processes or structural iterations. In this work, SnS2 is synthesized in its bare form using the hydrothermal method to investigate its potential supercapacitor application. The synthesis route followed a cost‐efficient and simple protocol, and the material shows a porous morphology favoring electrode–electrolyte interaction desirable for supercapacitors. A comprehensive study on the structural, morphological, and surface features done by XRD, FESEM, EDX, XPS, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis confirmed the formation of SnS2 and interior structure. Supercapacitor analysis by CV, GCD, EIS, and cyclic stability tests reveal an intermittent energy storage mechanism, with a capacitance of 109.6 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and high cyclic retention of 106% at 5 A g−1 after 7000 cycles.

Integrative studies shed light on the pseudocryptic genus Crassohymena n. gen. (Protozoa, Ciliophora)

The morphology, morphogenesis, molecular phylogeny, and the resting cyst morphology of the freshwater ciliate, Crassohymena primicirrata (Berger and Foissner, 1987) n. gen., n. comb., found in samples collected from South Korea, were investigated. The Korean two populations observed are identical to each other and are highly similar to the type population showing only few and minor differences in the size and arrangement of cortical granules and the length of dorsal kinety 4. The new genus Crassohymena n. gen. is established and characterized by a number of morphological and ontogenetic features: the thick undulating membranes comprising three or four rows of kinetosomes and in Cyrtohymena pattern; the anteriorly distinctly displaced transverse cirri; the posteriorly set-off cirrus V/3; the opisthe's anlagen IV–VI originate from cirri IV/2, V/4, and V/3, respectively; the proter's anlagen IV–VI originate from cirrus IV/3; and the enormous anlage I in each daughter cell. Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rRNA gene sequences show that Crassohymena primicirrata n. gen., n. comb. is separated from all other morphologically most similar taxa and forms an adelphotaxon to the clade containing sequences of the families Neokeronopsidae and Spirofilidae, and the two oxytrichid genera Australocirrus and Notohymena.

A molecular and immunohistochemical study of 37 cases of ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor.

This study provides an analysis of 37 ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCT), focusing on their morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features. The cohort was comprised of 9 well-differentiated, 25 moderately differentiated, and 3 poorly differentiated tumors. The immunohistochemical analysis was performed with 28 markers, including diagnostic markers and markers with possible predictive significance. The results showed high expression of sex cord markers (FOXL2, SF1, inhibin A, CD99, calretinin, ER, PR, AR), and variable expression of other markers such as CKAE1/3 (83%), CAIX (14%), and MUC4 (1%). Loss of PTEN expression was present in 14% of cases, and CTLA4 expression was seen in 43% of cases. All tumors were MMR proficient and HER2 and PD-L1 negative. The molecular analysis showed DICER1 mutations in 54.5% of cases, and a FOXL2 mutation in 6% of tumors. In addition, we detected 2 cases with TERT promoter mutation. RNA NGS sequencing identified significant differences in mRNA expression between DICER1MUT and DICER1WT tumors. The DICER1WT tumors showed increased expression of PRKCA, HNF1A, LDLR, and MAP2K5. On the contrary, the DICER1MUT cases showed increased expression of CDK6, NOTCH2, and FGFR2. The results of our study show that SLCTs exhibit distinct molecular features based on their degree of differentiation. We have confirmed that DICER1 mutations are characteristic of moderately and poorly differentiated SLCTs, while well-differentiated SLCTs may represent a distinct entity. DICER1MUT and DICER1WT tumors showed different mRNA expression profiles. The FOXL2 mutation is less common in these tumors and is mutually exclusive with the DICER1 mutation.

Two New Species of Desmoscolex (Nematoda: Desmoscolecidae) from Subtidal Benthic Habitats in Korea, with a Comparative Analysis of Cephalic Setae Variability

This study describes two new species of the subgenus Desmoscolex (Nematoda: Desmoscolecidae) from subtidal benthic habitats in Korea, located in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. Both species are distinguished by the absence of cephalic setae—a rare feature previously documented in only three species within this subgenus: Desmoscolex (Desmoscolex) rostratus Timm, 1970; D. (D.) asetosus Decraemer, 1975; and D. (D.) obscurus Bussau, 1993. The new species exhibit distinct morphological features. Desmoscolex (D.) lanceosetatus sp. nov. is characterized by an asymmetrical, dorsally curved head; large amphidial fovea that extend to the posterior margin of the first main ring; and lance-shaped subdorsal setae. In females, the absence of subventral setae on the 14th ring deviates from the typical arrangement of 17 main rings. Desmoscolex (D.) rotundicephalus sp. nov. is identified by its globular head, oval amphidial fovea, and tapering subdorsal setae with an open tip. In females, the absence of subventral setae on the 14th ring further differentiates it from closely related species. This paper provides detailed morphological descriptions supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential interference contrast (DIC) images. Additionally, it includes a comprehensive morphological comparison with previously described species, species diagnoses, and a pictorial key for identification.

Clinical and morphological features of corneal lymphoma in 26 horses (27 eyes).

Little information describing the biologic behaviour and therapies for corneal lymphoma exist. To characterise histologically confirmed equine corneal lymphoma considering breed, age or sex predisposition, histologic and immunologic features, therapies and outcomes. Retrospective case series. A multicentre retrospective medical record review was used to identify horses that presented with corneal disease confirmed morphologically as corneal lymphoma from 2012 to 2022. Mean age at diagnosis was 10.5 years. Males represented 18/26 cases. Warmblood (14) and Thoroughbred (6) breeds were most commonly represented. 25/26 had unilateral ocular involvement. No cases had evidence of multicentric lymphoma. Most eyes (77.7%) had a history of suspected immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) or eosinophilic keratitis. Morphological diagnosis confirming lymphoma was available for all cases. B-cell lymphoma was diagnosed in 19/24 eyes for which immunohistochemistry was performed, with intermediate to large B-cell lymphoma being most common. Fifteen of 27 eyes received at least one form of adjunctive therapy following keratectomy. Four eyes, which did not receive adjunctive therapy following keratectomy, experienced recurrence. No horses treated with adjunctive therapy following keratectomy experienced recurrence. Malignant transformation of IMMK to lymphoma was morphologically documented in one eye and suspected in three others based on recurrence of clinical signs. All globes were retained and visualised at the last follow-up. Incomplete medical records, owner subjectivity concerning onset of disease and cases being lost to follow-up. Malignant transformation of IMMK to corneal lymphoma likely occurs in horses. Lymphoma should be a differential for nonulcerative keratitis in horses. Keratectomy and histopathology may be considered in progressive or refractory cases of IMMK to rule out neoplastic disease. Recurrence of corneal lymphoma is unlikely following excision and adjunctive therapy. Cases with large corneal surface area or deep stromal involvement may have a likelihood for recurrence.

Improved LSTM-Squeeze Net Architecture for brain activity detection using EEG with improved feature set

Brain activity recognition (BAR) has emerged as most intriguing fields of research in recent days. It poses the ability to transform an extensive number of appliances, together with ICU surveillance, appliance control for the disabled and aged, and the detection of neural diseases. EEG data are the most common representation of brain activity, as they capture the voltage variations of neurons in the brain using non-invasive electrodes implanted on the scalp. Deep learning models play a major role in recognizing brain activity. This work uses EEG inputs to present a new hybrid model-based BAR. Adaptive least mean square (ALMS) is first used to filter the input signal for EEG signals. Next, improved CSP features, morphological features, temporal domain features, and wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) features are extracted. Appropriate characteristics are chosen following feature extraction using Improved Mutual Information (IMI). Then, using an enhanced LSTM (ILSTM)-Squeeze net model, brain actions are detected or recognized. The highest accuracy at LP = 90 is around 0.961. In contrast, the precisions of 0.7385, 0.667, 0.7516, 0.771, 0.686, 0.7124, and 0.7189 were obtained by Dense Net, Mobile Net, Squeeze Net, Res Net, ANN, LSTM, and RNN. The evaluation done proves the efficiency of the proposed model over the other conventional models.

Tamm-Horsfall protein augments neutrophil NETosis during urinary tract infection.

Urinary neutrophils are a hallmark of urinary tract infection (UTI), yet the mechanisms governing their activation, function, and efficacy in controlling infection remain incompletely understood. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP), the most abundant protein in urine, uses terminal sialic acids to bind an inhibitory receptor and dampen neutrophil inflammatory responses. We hypothesized that neutrophil modulation is an integral part of THP-mediated host protection. In a UTI model, THP-deficient mice showed elevated urinary tract bacterial burdens, increased neutrophil recruitment, and more severe tissue histopathological changes compared to WT mice. Furthermore, THP-deficient mice displayed impaired urinary NETosis during UTI. To investigate the impact of THP on NETosis, we coupled in vitro fluorescence-based NET assays, proteomic analyses, and standard and imaging flow cytometry with peripheral human neutrophils. We found that THP increases proteins involved in respiratory chain, neutrophil granules, and chromatin remodeling pathways, enhances NETosis in an ROS-dependent manner, and drives NET-associated morphologic features including nuclear decondensation. These effects were observed only in the presence of a NETosis stimulus and could not be solely replicated with equivalent levels of sialic acid alone. We conclude that THP is a critical regulator of NETosis in the urinary tract, playing a key role in host defense against UTI.

Vibrational Markers of a Model Circulating Metastatic Cells LLC-R9

Metastasis in oncological diseases remains one of the main reasons for negative prognosis regarding treatment. Any new data on the biophysical and biochemical characteristics of circulating metastatic cells will help to develop a concept for antimetastatic therapy. In this study, we found a number of differences in the spectroscopic and morphological features of circulating metastatic cells. FT-IR and Raman spectra cultivated by adhesive and de-adhesive methods (with the latter used as a model for metastatic cells) have shown spectroscopic features, namely in FT-IR spectra in the region of CH stretching vibrations, which are associated with structural rearrangements in the cell membrane, as well as changes in the intensity and position of the PO2− group vibration bands correlated with proliferative activity. The spectral features in the regions of OH stretching and Amide I vibrations as well as other spectral markers of the metastatic cells grown under different cultivation conditions were derived. Raman spectra showed a redistribution of the amino acid Tyr/Trp (tryptophan to tyrosine) ratio and in Tyr doublet intensity in the region of 500–900 cm−1, as well as varying glycogen levels in different cells. The spectroscopic markers are in accordance with biochemical data. CARS and confocal optical microscopy were applied to determine the state of the cells and the F-actin expression level, which turned out to be higher for adhesive cells in comparison with de-adhesive cells. The shape and the morphological properties of the cells differ drastically. The correlation of vibrational markers with biochemical data and the cytofluorometric method was discussed.

DTAUE: A multi-input multi-branch decoupled semi-supervised 3D network based on threshold adaptive uncertainty estimation for echocardiography segmentation

Echocardiography is a non-invasive examination method based on sound waves to generate images of the heart. Segmentation of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) is crucial for evaluating cardiac function. However, due to the limitations in ultrasound imaging angles and the high prevalence of noise in ultrasound data, automatic and accurate segmentation of the left and right ventricles is a challenging task. In this paper, we present a decoupled semi-supervised 3D echocardiography segmentation network based on threshold adaptive uncertainty estimation. To minimize the impact of missing targets caused by blind zones on segmentation accuracy, pixel-wise segmentation maps and target skeleton maps are jointly predicted by decoupled semi-supervised 3D network (DTAUE) so that our network is more effective to perceive the morphological features of segmented targets. And quantifying the uncertainty inherent to a model’s prediction is a promising endeavor to address the lack of reliability and overconfidence in the model. Previous uncertainty estimation methods set a uniform threshold for all training samples. However, this leads to the loss of edge detail information. Different from the existing methods, in our work, we propose a method of adaptive threshold uncertainty estimation to set different confidence threshold for different targets. Experiments on our self-collected 3D echocardiographic dataset and two publicly available datasets show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art semi-supervised learning methods. DTAUE would potentially serve as a new tool for diagnosing and monitoring various heart conditions.

Clinical guideline for non-invasive imaging techniques in diagnosing adult cardiomyopathies (2024 edition)

Cardiomyopathies encompass a spectrum of disorders characterized by alterations in cardiac structure, function, histology, and the conduction system due to myocardial cell injury, with significant variability in clinical presentation and prognosis. Despite overlapping morphological features among different types of cardiomyopathies, phenotypic similarities limit the precision of diagnosis and consequently affect the development of therapeutic strategies and prognosis assessment. Diagnosis begins with the screening of myocardial morphology and function abnormalities, primarily relying on multimodal non-invasive imaging techniques such as echocardiography, CT scans, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. These techniques comprehensively summarize the structural, functional, and tissue characteristics of various cardiomyopathies, highlighting differences among them. In view of the unique needs and current situation in this field in China, an expert group has jointly developed the"Clinical guideline for non-invasive imaging techniques in diagnosing adult cardiomyopathies (2024 edition)."These guidelines integrate the latest evidence, and systematically introduce the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiomyopathy, the application of non-invasive imaging techniques, and the analysis of features of cardiomyopathies, thereby to enhance the precise diagnosis of cardiomyopathy and aid in offering information for therapeutic decision-making, aiming to provide reasonable recommendations for clinicians in China.

ROLE OF H3K27me3 AND Ki67 LABELLING INDEX IN ASSESSING THE BIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF MENINGIOMAS

Meningiomas are non-malignant neoplasms primarily originating from arachnoid cells and are classified into three grades [1, 2, and 3] based on histological features according to the WHO classification. However, this classification system is imperfect especially for grade 1 and 2 meningiomas as many grade 1 tumors recur. Meningiomas are hence a histologically diverse class of tumors exhibiting more unpredictable behaviour. Therefore, more improved classification is required, possibly using novel and more dependable biomarkers. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of the H3K27me3 and Ki67 labelling index in assessing the biological behaviour of meningiomas. The study was conceived, with the primary objective of examining the expression of H3k27me3 and Ki67 labelling index in grade 1/2 meningiomas with atypical features to ascertain if this potentially impacts patient prognosis. Upon obtaining clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC), the authors studied 81 cases of meningiomas including 11 recurrent cases. The study used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the Ki67 index and H3K27me3 immunohistochemistry. The Ki67 labelling Index was determined by counting the positively stained MIB-1 cells and categorizing them into <5%, 5-10% and > 10%. The H3k27me3 staining was evaluated by finding the product of the tumor cells showing positive staining and the intensity of staining. Based on the product of the two, the cases were subdivided into Negative [0], Low [1-4] and high expression [5-9] of H3K27me3. The results showed that presence of atypical morphological features including necrosis and prominent nucleoli in grade 1 meningioma and low expression of H3K27me3 was significantly associated with higher grade, recurrence, and shorter progression-free survival (Kaplan Meier curves showed higher negative slope). The study also found that a higher Ki67 labelling Index was associated with recurrence and poor prognosis. This suggest that the H3K27me3 and Ki67 labelling Index can be useful prognostic markers in meningiomas, particularly in challenging grade 1 and 2 cases and recurrent meningiomas. The study highlights the importance of the H3K27me3 and Ki67 Labelling Index in assessing the biological behaviour of meningiomas. The findings provide valuable insights into the prognosis and treatment of meningiomas, emphasizing the need for further research to validate these markers and develop targeted therapeutic strategies.

Discovery of a new moss-associated diatom species, Humidophila caribaea (Bacillariophyceae: Diadesmidaceae), from terrestrial habitats of the Monts Caraïbes, Guadeloupe

During the investigation of diatom diversity of terrestrial moss samples collected on Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, French West Indies, a new species of the genus Humidophila (Lange-Bertalot &amp; Werum) Lowe et al. was observed. The species occurred in only one sample collected from tropical, mesophytic forests in the Monts Caraïbes and could not be identified based on the literature data. Based on the set of morphological features the species is described herein as Humidophila caribaea sp. nov. The species is characterized by the small valve size, typical for the Humidophila genus, but it has a unique morphology of the areolae with small silica warts in their lumen. Additionally, a comparison with most similar taxa known worldwide, as well as ecological notes are provided.

DNA barcoding and distribution of Osteobrama peninsularis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in India

Osteobrama peninsularis has been reported in southern Indian drainages, particularly in the Krishna River drainage. This study provides new findings of O. peninsularis in two distant locations: the Kangsabati River (Suvarnarekha River drainage) in West Bengal and Wyra Lake (Godavari River drainage) in Telangana. This marks the first record of O. peninsularis in eastern India, specifically in West Bengal. The species can be distinguished from other Osteobrama members by its 28–31 branched anal-fin rays and 55–60 lateral line scales, along with other unique morphological features. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase C subunit I gene sequences from specimens collected in Suvarnarekha and Godavari River drainages cluster together in the phylogenetic analysis, indicating that the clade of O. peninsularis is distinct and maintains significant genetic distance from its congeners.

Higher density of CD4+ T cell infiltration predicts severe renal lesions and renal function decline in patients with diabetic nephropathy

BackgroundMore evidence have shown that the combination of immune and inflammatory mechanism was critical in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the relationship between CD4+ T cells and the development of DN is still unclear. Therefore, this study will focus on this issue from the perspective of clinicopathology.MethodsFrom September 2019 to December 2022, a total of 112 adult patients with DN were enrolled in the study. According to the density of CD4+ T cell infiltration based on immunostaining, the patients were divided into high-CD4 group (56 patients) and low-CD4 group (56 patients). Another 25 diabetic patients with minimal change disease (non-diabetic nephropathy, NDN) was reviewed as control group in clinical and molecular analysis. The clinical parameters, morphological features, and molecular characteristics were compared. The predictive value of CD4+ T cells for DN prognosis was also investigated.ResultsDN patients in the high-CD4 group suffered from higher proteinuria and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level than those in the low-CD4 group and NDN patients. Renal biopsy in the high-CD4 group presented with more severe glomerular lesions, higher density of interstitial inflammation, and more severe tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis than in the low-CD4 group. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that the density of CD4+ T cell infiltration could independently predict the severity of tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis. In addition, more severe mitochondrial damage of renal tubular epithelial cells and a more obvious expression of Bcl6, IL-6, STAT3, and TGFβ1 were observed in DN patients of the high-CD4 group, indicating the possible mechanism of CD4+ T cells involving the progression of DN. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that a higher intensity of interstitial CD4+ T cell deposition remained as an independent predictor of the double endpoint with doubling of baseline serum creatinine or end-stage renal disease.ConclusionThe high density of CD4+ T cell infiltration was associated with renal function decline and severity of renal lesions and predicted poor renal survival for DN patients.

Morphological and Molecular-Biological Features of Lewis Lung Carcinoma Progression in Mice with Different Resistance to Hypoxia.

In adult male mice with high (HR) and low (LR) resistance to hypoxia, on days 21 and 28 after subcutaneous injection of Lewis lung carcinoma cells, a morphological and morphometric study of the primary tumor nodes and metastases in the lungs was carried out. Peripheral blood parameters and subpopulation composition of blood cells, the expression of genes responsible for the development of inflammation (Nfkb, Il1b, Il6, Tnfa, Il10, and Tgfb) and the response to hypoxia (Hif1a) in the liver were also assessed. The tumors were detected in 84.6% HR and 91.7% LR mice. The mitotic index of tumor cells in the subcutaneous nodes of HR animals was statistically significantly higher. The metastases area on days 21 and 28 did not differ. In animals of both groups, an increase in the absolute number of leukocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes, a decrease in the hemoglobin content and the absolute number of erythrocytes in the peripheral blood were detected on day 28 of the experiment. Only in LR animals, an increase in the absolute number of CD11b+ monocytes was found on day 28 of the experiment in comparison with the control group. The expression of Hif1a, Nfkb, Tnfa, and Tgfb genes in the liver of LR animals was higher than in HR mice, which attested to more pronounced systemic inflammatory response. These data should be taken into account when developing new approaches for the treatment of neoplastic disorders.

Morphological changes of endometrial tissue in women with infertility who suffered from coronavirus disease anamnesis

The objective: to determine the morphological changes in endometrial samples in women with infertility and post-COVID syndrome.Materials and methods. 80 women with infertility and a history of post-COVID syndrome were examined, as well as 40 women with infertility without having experienced COVID-19.In all patients, endometrial samples were collected in the middle proliferative and middle secretory phases (in different menstrual cycles) by pipel biopsy or during office hysteroscopy, followed by histological and immunohistochemical examination. Antibodies to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), SARS-CoV-2, CD138, CD56 were used for immunotyping.Results. In women with infertility and a history of post-COVID syndrome plasma cells (р = 0.027), lymphohistiocytic infiltration (р = 0.003), areas of fibrotic stroma (р=0.031) are more often detected during the study of endometrial samples in the middle proliferative phase, and in biosamples of the middle secretory phase – weakly developed stroma (p = 0.033), plasma cells (p = 0.029). When conducting an immunohistochemical study in both cohorts an increase in ACE2 protein expression was found in the middle secretory phase.In the mucous membrane of the uterus in both proliferative and secretory phase, in patients of both cohorts the expression of the CD138 immunomarker was detected, but in the middle secretory phase the signs of the expression of endometrial granulocytes were more often found in women who were diagnosed with infertility and a history of post-CIVOD syndrome (p=0.032). No expression of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 was observed in the endometrial samples of patients who had coronavirus disease.Conclusions. In women with infertility and post-COVID syndrome the main morphological features in the selected endometrial samples were the presence of plasma cells in both phases of the menstrual cycle, lymphohistiocytic infiltration of the stroma, areas of fibrosis of the stromal component in the middle proliferative phase, impaired decidualization and expression of endometrial granulocytes in the middle secretory phase, and as well as the lack of expression of the SARS-CoV-2 immunomarker.

Automatic identification of clinically important Aspergillus species by artificial intelligence-based image recognition: proof-of-concept study.

While morphological examination is the most widely used for Aspergillus identification in clinical laboratories, PCR-sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS are emerging technologies in more financially-competent laboratories. However, mycological expertise, molecular biologists and/or expensive equipment are needed for these. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI), especially image recognition, is being increasingly employed in medicine for fast and automated disease diagnosis. We explored the potential utility of AI in identifying Aspergillus species. In this proof-of-concept study, using 2,813, 2,814 and 1,240 images from four clinically important Aspergillus species for training, validation and testing, respectively; the performances and accuracies of automatic Aspergillus identification using colonial images by three different convolutional neural networks were evaluated. Results demonstrated that ResNet-18 outperformed Inception-v3 and DenseNet-121 and is the best algorithm of choice because it made the fewest misidentifications (n = 8) and possessed the highest testing accuracy (99.35%). Images showing more unique morphological features were more accurately identified. AI-based image recognition using colonial images is a promising technology for Aspergillus identification. Given its short turn-around-time, minimal demand of expertise, low reagent/equipment costs and user-friendliness, it has the potential to serve as a routine laboratory diagnostic tool after the database is further expanded.

Two in one: A case study of two rhizocephalan species invading the nervous tissue of one host

AbstractCertain parasites can manipulate their hosts to enhance their own fitness and transmission success. Rhizocephalan barnacles are a notable example, inducing significant changes in their crustacean host's morphology, physiology, and behaviour. Until recently, it was believed that the spider crab Scyra aff. ferox is parasitized by a single species Sacculina pilosella in the Sea of Japan. However, previous molecular studies have revealed a complex of unrelated species, Sacculina pugettiae (fam. Sacculinidae) and Parasacculina pilosella (fam. Polyascidae). These rhizocephalans can even parasitize one host specimen simultaneously. Here, we investigated the interaction of S. pugettiae and P. pilosella with the nervous system of their common host. Species were identified based on receptacle morphology, with further validation through 18S gene phylogenetic analysis. The parasites interacted differently with the host nervous system: S. pugettiae had goblet‐shaped organs in the ganglion periphery, while P. pilosella lacked these structures, instead possessing numerous neuropil rootlets. In case of simultaneous infection, both goblet‐shaped organs and neuropil rootlets were present. Histochemistry revealed the presence of muscular rosettes in the rootlets of both species, suggesting a similar organization of the muscular system despite phylogenetic differences. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of host cell projections enveloping the rootlets. This study provides insights into the morphological features of rhizocephalan‐decapod interaction and highlights differences in their interaction with host nervous tissue between families. Our results also confirmed the loss of the goblet‐shaped organs in Polyascidae.

3D-GloBFP: the first global three-dimensional building footprint dataset

Abstract. Understanding urban vertical structures, particularly building heights, is essential for examining the intricate interaction between humans and their environment. Such datasets are indispensable for a variety of applications, including climate modeling, energy consumption analysis, and socioeconomic activities. Despite the importance of this information, previous studies have primarily focused on estimating building heights regionally at the grid scale, often resulting in datasets with limited coverage or spatial resolution. This limitation hampers comprehensive global analysis and the ability to generate actionable insights at finer scales. In this study, we developed a global building height map at the building footprint scale by leveraging Earth Observation (EO) datasets and advanced machine learning techniques. Our approach integrated multisource remote-sensing features and building morphology features to develop height estimation models using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) regression method across diverse global regions. This methodology allowed us to estimate the heights of individual buildings worldwide, culminating in the creation of the three-dimensional (3D) Global Building Footprints (3D-GloBFP) dataset for the year 2020. Our evaluation results show that the height estimation models perform exceptionally well at a global scale, with R2 values ranging from 0.66 to 0.96 and root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) ranging from 1.9 to 14.6 m across 33 subregions. Comparisons with other datasets demonstrate that 3D-GloBFP closely matches the distribution and spatial pattern of reference heights. Our derived 3D global building footprint map shows a distinct spatial pattern of building heights across regions, countries, and cities, with building heights gradually decreasing from the city center to the surrounding rural areas. Furthermore, our findings indicate disparities in built-up infrastructure (i.e., building volume) across different countries and cities. China is the country with the most intensive total built-up infrastructure (5.28×1011 m3, accounting for 23.9 % of the global total), followed by the USA (3.90×1011 m3, accounting for 17.6 % of the global total). Shanghai has the largest volume of built-up infrastructure (2.1×1010 m3) of all representative cities. The derived building-footprint-scale height map (3D-GloBFP) reveals the significant heterogeneity in urban built-up environments, providing valuable insights for studies on urban socioeconomic dynamics and climatology. The 3D-GloBFP dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11319912 (Building height of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania in 3D-GloBFP; Che et al., 2024c), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11397014 (Building height of Asia in 3D-GloBFP; Che et al., 2024a), and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11391076 (Building height of Europe in 3D-GloBFP; Che et al., 2024b).

Molecular phylogeny and morphology of the genus Fuscoporia (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) and reveal three new species of the F.ferrea group.

Fuscoporia is a polypore genus of Hymenochaetaceae that causes wood decay, although some species in the genus have medicinal values. Phylogenetic analyses of concatenated ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-nLSU sequence data and morphological features identified three new species, F.eucalypticola, F.resupinata and F.subtropica from Australia, China and Malaysia, and these new species derived from the Fuscoporiaferrea group. These three species are illustrated and described. A key to resupinate species of Fuscoporia without mycelial setae in the world is provided.