Number Of Cotyledons Research Articles

Opportunities for the Early Diagnosis and Selection of Scots Pine with Potential Resistance to Root and Butt Rot Disease

Pine stands affected by root and butt rot (Heterobasidion annosum s.l.) contain pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) that can survive for a long time without showing external symptoms of the disease (‘conditionally resistant’ refers to trees that survive without symptoms despite infection). The establishment of stands from the seeds of such trees can significantly increase the effectiveness of artificial afforestation. Since the growth and development of pine trees is determined to a certain extent by the number of cotyledons after seed germination, this article examines this trait in the progeny of trees that are potentially resistant and those that have already been attacked by root pathogens. The number of cotyledons and the resilience of trees is fascinating and not generally known. Presumably, the number of cotyledons can be linked to disease resistance based on increased vigour. Biologically, a larger area for carbon assimilation leads to better photosynthetic efficiency and the production of more assimilates (sugars) necessary to trigger defence processes in the event of infection. From an ecological point of view, this can give tree populations in areas potentially threatened by root system diseases a chance of survival. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential of using the number of cotyledons and other seedling characteristics to predict the resistance of trees to root and butt rot disease. The collected data show that the seedlings from the group of diseased trees exhibited lower growth rates and vigour. However, the seedlings from the group of potentially resistant trees are similar to the control, meaning the trees that show no disease symptoms because they have not come into contact with the pathogen. Our observations suggest that monitoring germinating cotyledons could serve as an early diagnostic tool to identify disease-resistant pines, although further research is needed.

The effect of pre-partum shearing of Corriedale ewes on placental and lamb development and neonatal behaviour.

To evaluate the effects of early and late pre-partum shearing of Corriedale ewes carrying single fetuses on placental and lamb development and neonatal lamb behaviour. At 70 days of gestation, 37 multiparous Corriedale ewes with known gestation dates were randomly allocated into three groups: S70 (n = 12) and S110 (n = 12), shorn at Day 70 and 110 of gestation, and US (n = 13), that were not shorn pre-partum. Gestation length, lambing duration, placental expulsion time, placental weight, number and weight of cotyledons, and placental efficiency (lamb weight/placental weight) were determined. At birth, body temperature, weight, morphometric measurements, ponderal index (lamb weight/lamb crown-rump length) and behaviour were recorded, with weight remeasured 72 hours later. Four male lambs per group were slaughtered immediately after parturition, and organ weight and perirenal brown fat weight and energy content recorded. Pre-partum shearing, regardless of timing, increased total dried placental weight per ewe. Pre-partum shearing at Day 70 of gestation increased the number and mean weight of the > 2 to ≤ 3-cm cotyledons, while pre-partum shearing at Day 110 of gestation increased only the weight of these cotyledons. At birth and at 72 hours, lambs from ewes shorn either at 70 days of gestation (birth: 5.5 (95% CI = 4.6-6.4) kg, p = 0.001; 72 hours: 6.4 (95% CI = 6.1-6.8) kg, p = 0.002) or at 110 days of gestation (birth: 5.4 (95% CI = 4.4-6.4) kg, p = 0.001; 72 hours: 6.5 (95% CI = 5.9-7.1) kg, p = 0.001) were heavier than lambs from unshorn ewes (birth: 4.0 (95% CI = 3.3-4.8) kg; 72 hours: 4.8 (95% CI = 3.5-6.1) kg). Lambs born to S70 and S110 ewes suckled sooner (31.5 (95% CI = 14.5-48.5) minutes, p = 0.001; and 39.3 (95% CI = 23.7-55.0) minutes, p = 0.001 respectively), than lambs born to the US group (70.3 (95% CI = 38.6-102.1) minutes). There was no evidence for an effect of pre-partum shearing on gestation length, parturition length, time of placental expulsion, placental efficiency, weight and energy of perirenal brown fat, and lamb temperature at birth. Shearing ewes pre-partum may lead to placental changes affecting lamb development and behaviour and associated with higher survival. The findings suggest pre-partum shearing may improve lamb survival, farm profitability and sustainability.

A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Placental Characteristics in Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension and Sickle Cell Anaemia.

Placental health plays a critical role in pregnancy outcomes as it serves as the interface between the mother and fetus. High-risk pregnancies, such as those complicated by pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and sickle cell anaemia (SCA), are associated with significant alterations in placental morphology and histopathology, potentially leading to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. While previous studies have explored placental changes associated with either PIH or SCA, nobody has comparatively analysed these conditions to understand their unique and overlapping effects on placental pathology. This study aimed to compare and contrast the morphological and histopathological changes in the placenta associated with high-risk pregnancies likePIH and SCA. A comparative analysis was conducted using data fromstudies at two different tertiary care centres. The study populations included 100 pregnant women diagnosed with PIH and 56 pregnant women with SCA, alongside a matched control groupof 100 healthy pregnant women for the PIH group and 56 healthy pregnant women for the SCA group. Inclusion criteria were restricted to singleton pregnancies in women aged 18 to 35 years with gestational ages ranging from 28 to 40 weeks. Following delivery, placental specimens were collected, and various parameters such as weight, volume, surface area, number of cotyledons, and umbilical cord attachment were meticulously measured. Histopathological examinations were conducted to identify specific pathological features like infarcts, calcifications, syncytial knots, and fibrin deposition. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. The study revealed significant differences in placental parameters between the PIH and SCA groups compared to their respective controls. Placental weight, volume, and surface area were significantly reduced in both the PIH and SCA groups, with more pronounced reductions observed in PIH (p < 0.001). The umbilical cord attachment was predominantly marginal in the PIH group (75%), compared to a central attachment in the SCA group (70%), suggesting different patterns of placental development. Histopathological analysis demonstrated a higher incidence of infarcts (65% vs. 30%), calcifications (80% vs. 45%), syncytial knots (90% vs. 50%), and fibrin deposition (70% vs. 35%) in the PIH group compared to the SCA group, indicating more severe placental pathology in PIH. This study offered a comprehensive comparison of placental changes in pregnancies affected by PIH and SCA. It identified both structural abnormalities in terms of placental weight, volume, and surface area and distinctive pathological features like infarctions, calcifications, syncytial knot formation, and fibrin deposits in the placenta. When compared to control groups, these findings strongly suggest that placental dysfunction is a key contributor to the adverse outcomes associated with these high-risk pregnancies.

Study of Number of Cotyledons of Placenta in Different Gestational Age Groups of Healthy Pregnant Mother of Bangladesh

&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Introduction&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;: The placenta has drawn attention as an important indicator of intrauterine condition of fetus and maternal diseases. The study of number of cotyledons of placenta in different gestational age groups of healthy pregnant mother of Bangladesh is cross sectional descriptive study. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Aim of the study&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;: The aim of the study was to study the variation of number of cotyledons of placenta in deferent state of gestational ages of healthy pregnant mother. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Methods&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;: This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, from January 2018 to December 2018. This study was performed on 80 human placentae. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Result&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;: The mean (± SD) number of cotyledon of the placenta was 18.56 (±2.15) in group A, 21.21 (±3.11) in group B and 23.75 (±3.45) in group C. The mean number of cotyledon of the placenta was maximum in group C (23.75) and was minimum in group A (18.56). It was also observed that the mean number of cotyledon of the placenta increased with gestational age. The mean difference of the number of placental cotyledons between groups A and C was statistically moderately significant (p &amp;lt; 0.05) but between A and B and B and C was statistically non-significant (p &amp;gt; 0.05). &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Conclusion&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;: The placental examination becomes important as it will help in understanding the specific etiologies of adverse outcome. This study has shown that the mean number of cotyledon of the placenta increased with gestational age.

Comparative fruit morphology of nine Psittacanthus Mart. (Santalales: Loranthaceae) mistletoe species occurring in Mexico

The genus Psittacanthus is distributed from Mexico to Argentina and contains c. 110 species. The large, lipid-rich, one-seeded fruits of Psittacanthus species frequently depend on frugivorous birds for seed dispersal; however, fruit morphology of Psittacanthus (Loranthaceae) mistletoes remain poorly studied. In this study we describe the fruit morphology of nine Psittacanthus species. Fruits were collected from the study sites in which mistletoe plants were inhabiting contrasting habitats and host tree species. The morphological characteristics of fruits by species were described and compared with the use of inclusion and staining techniques and light microscopy. Our results show that fruit size varies among species, with P. macrantherus having the largest fruits. Most fruits have an ellipsoid to ovoid shape, color of fruits transits from green when immature to red or purple before ripening to blackish or purplish black, with color variations observed in different species, and the cupular pedicel length varying among species. Fruit sections indicate the following parts: exocarp, viscin layer, seed coat and a dicotylar to polycotylar embryo, with P. schiedeanus having the highest cotyledon count. No endosperm is present in the studied species. Our results provide valuable information for further species comparisons regarding the lack of endosperm and polycotylar embryo. Additionally, interspecific variation in cotyledon number and seed coat highlights distinct processes, including the potential effects of environmental differences.

Effects of prepartum shearing on metabolic and placental parameters of ewes: Impact on productive parameters of their lambs

Prepartum shearing has been associated with increased lamb survival under pastoral conditions. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of early and late prepartum shearing in gestating Corriedale ewes on the metabolic profile and placental parameters of the ewes and how these changes affect the productive parameters of their lambs. On day 70 of gestation, 37 ewes carrying a single foetus were randomly divided into three groups: ewes sheared at day 70 of gestation (early, PS70, n = 12), sheared at day 110 of gestation (late, PS110, n = 12), and ewes unsheared at prepartum (US, n = 13, control group). Energy metabolism (glycaemia, insulin, NEFA, and BHB) and placental parameters (placental weight, number, and characteristics of cotyledons, and placental efficiency) were evaluated in the ewes. Live weight, morphometric measurements, and body composition were determined in the lambs. Prepartum shearing performed on different days (early and late) caused changes in energy metabolism, leading to a decrease in serum insulin and an increase in NEFA and BHB blood values. Early prepartum shearing increased placental weight and the number and weight of the 2–3 cm-cotyledons, while late prepartum shearing increased placental weight and placental efficiency and only changed the weight of the 2–3 cm-cotyledons. Prepartum shearing on both days caused an increase in lamb birth weight. Therefore, prepartum shearing caused changes in the metabolic profile and placenta of the ewes, which resulted in increased weight and development of lambs at birth.

PINOID-centered genetic interactions mediate auxin action in cotyledon formation.

Auxin plays a key role in plant growth and development through auxin local synthesis, polar transport, and auxin signaling. Many previous reports on Arabidopsis have found that various types of auxin-related genes are involved in the development of the cotyledon, including the number, symmetry, and morphology of the cotyledon. However, the molecular mechanism by which auxin is involved in cotyledon formation remains to be elucidated. PID, which encodes a serine/threonine kinase localized to the plasma membrane, has been found to phosphorylate the PIN1 protein and regulate its polar distribution in the cell. The loss of function of pid resulted in an abnormal number of cotyledons and defects in inflorescence. It was interesting that the pid mutant interacted synergistically with various types of mutant to generate the severe developmental defect without cotyledon. PID and these genes were indicated to be strongly correlated with cotyledon formation. In this review, PID-centered genetic interactions, related gene functions, and corresponding possible pathways are discussed, providing a perspective that PID and its co-regulators control cotyledon formation through multiple pathways.

Polycotyly: How Little Do We Know?

Polycotyly, an interesting characteristic of seed-bearing dicotyledonous plants with more than two cotyledons, represents one of the least explored plant characters for utilization, even though cotyledon number was used to classify flowering plants in 1682. Gymnosperm and angiosperm species are generally known to have one or two cotyledons, but scattered reports exist on irregular cotyledon numbers in many plant species, and little is known about the extent of polycotyly in plant taxa. Here, we attempt to update the documentation of reports on polycotyly in plant species and highlight some lines of research for a better understanding of polycotyly. This effort revealed 342 angiosperm species of 237 genera in 80 (out of 416) families and 160 gymnosperm species of 26 genera in 6 (out of 12) families with reported or cited polycotyly. The most advanced research included the molecular-based inference of the phylogeny of flowering plants, showing a significant departure from the cotyledon-based classification of angiosperm plants, and the application of genetic cotyledon mutants as tools to clone and characterize the genes regulating cotyledon development. However, there were no reports on breeding lines with a 100% frequency of polycotyly. Research is needed to discover plant species with polycotyly and to explore the nature, development, genetics, evolution, and potential use of polycotyly.

Deep learning for automated segmentation and counting of hypocotyl and cotyledon regions in mature Pinus radiata D. Don. somatic embryo images.

In commercial forestry and large-scale plant propagation, the utilization of artificial intelligence techniques for automated somatic embryo analysis has emerged as a highly valuable tool. Notably, image segmentation plays a key role in the automated assessment of mature somatic embryos. However, to date, the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for segmentation of mature somatic embryos remains unexplored. In this study, we present a novel application of CNNs for delineating mature somatic conifer embryos from background and residual proliferating embryogenic tissue and differentiating various morphological regions within the embryos. A semantic segmentation CNN was trained to assign pixels to cotyledon, hypocotyl, and background regions, while an instance segmentation network was trained to detect individual cotyledons for automated counting. The main dataset comprised 275 high-resolution microscopic images of mature Pinus radiata somatic embryos, with 42 images reserved for testing and validation sets. The evaluation of different segmentation methods revealed that semantic segmentation achieved the highest performance averaged across classes, achieving F1 scores of 0.929 and 0.932, with IoU scores of 0.867 and 0.872 for the cotyledon and hypocotyl regions respectively. The instance segmentation approach demonstrated proficiency in accurate detection and counting of the number of cotyledons, as indicated by a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.79 and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.60. The findings highlight the efficacy of neural network-based methods in accurately segmenting somatic embryos and delineating individual morphological parts, providing additional information compared to previous segmentation techniques. This opens avenues for further analysis, including quantification of morphological characteristics in each region, enabling the identification of features of desirable embryos in large-scale production systems. These advancements contribute to the improvement of automated somatic embryogenesis systems, facilitating efficient and reliable plant propagation for commercial forestry applications.

Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes

Seasonal variations significantly impact lambs’ birth weight and post-natal growth of lambs, yet the underlying physiological mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study examined the effects of mating season on lamb birth weight, placental characteristics, maternal concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in plasma, and placental mRNA expression levels of IGFs in Akkaraman ewes reared under extensive conditions. Ewes were mated in the breeding season (September; n = 35) and out-of-breeding season (April; n = 27). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of all ewes using a vacutainer in sterile heparin tubes every month from mating to parturition. Post-lambing, both dam and lamb weights were recorded, and placental characteristics were documented within 12 hours of parturition in both seasons. The number and weight of cotyledons were higher (P&lt;0.05) in ewes mated during the breeding season than those mated during the out-of-breeding season. Also, ewes mated during the breeding season demonstrated thicker large cotyledons (P&lt;0.05). Although placental and cotyledonal efficiencies were similar in both mating seasons, volumetric cotyledon efficiency was higher (P&lt;0.05) in ewes mated during the out-of-breeding season than in those bred during the breeding season. Additionally, ewes mated in the breeding season exhibited higher plasma concentration of IGF-I at three months of gestation than ewes mated in the out-of-breeding season (123.8 ± 9.8 vs. 99.3 ± 11.4 ng/ml, respectively; P&lt;0.05). Although the mating season did not affect the IGF-I gene’s placental mRNA expression levels, the IGF-II gene’s expression level was notably higher (P&lt;0.05; fold change: 2.84) in ewes mated during the breeding season. The results suggest that mating season influences placental characteristics, maternal plasma IGF-I concentrations, and IGF-II gene expression levels of cotyledons due to alterations in cotyledon numbers and size on the surface of the placenta.

Effects of late gestational nutrient restriction on uterine artery blood flow, placental size, and cotyledonary mRNA expression in primiparous beef females.

Fall-calving primiparous beef females [body weight (BW): 451 ± 28 (SD) kg; body condition score (BCS): 5.4 ± 0.7] were individually-fed either 100% (control; CON; n = 13) or 70% (nutrient restricted; NR; n = 13) of metabolizable energy and metabolizable protein requirements for maintenance, pregnancy, and growth from day 160 of gestation to parturition. Doppler ultrasonography of both uterine arteries was conducted pre-treatment and every 21 d from days 181 to 265 of gestation. Expelled placentas were collected, and ipsilateral cotyledonary tissue was sampled to assess relative messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression. Placentas were separated into ipsilateral and contralateral sides, dissected (cotyledonary vs. intercotyledonary), and dried. Data were analyzed with nutritional plane, treatment initiation date, and calf sex (when P < 0.25) as fixed effects. Uterine blood flow included day and nutritional plane × day as repeated measures. We previously reported that post-calving, NR dams weighed 64 kg less and were 2.0 BCS lower than CON, but calf birth weight was not affected. Maternal heart rate was less (P < 0.001) for NR dams than CON after nutritional planes began. Nutritional plane did not affect (P ≥ 0.20) uterine artery hemodynamics, but all variables were affected (P ≤ 0.04) by day. Contralateral cotyledonary and placental weight were less (P ≤ 0.04) and contralateral intercotyledonary weight and number of cotyledons tended to be less (P ≤ 0.10) for NR dams than CON, but ipsilateral and whole placental weights were not affected (P ≥ 0.13). Ipsilateral placental weight as a percentage of total placental weight was greater (P = 0.03) for NR dams than CON. Whole placental cotyledonary: intercotyledonary weight was less (P = 0.01) for NR dams than CON. Placental efficiency was not affected (P = 0.89) by nutritional plane. Cotyledonary relative mRNA expression of GLUT3 and SNAT2 was greater (P ≤ 0.05) and relative expression of GLUT1, GLUT4, and NOS3 tended to be greater (P ≤ 0.07) for NR dams than CON. Nutritional plane did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) relative mRNA expression of GLUT5, 4F2hc, CAT1, LAT1, LAT2, VEGFA, FLT1, KDR, GUCY1B3, and PAG2. Despite less contralateral placental growth, beef heifers experiencing late gestational nutrient restriction maintained uterine artery blood flow and total placental mass and had 4 nutrient transporters and 1 angiogenic factor upregulated in cotyledons, all of which likely contributed to conserving fetal growth.

Altitudinal Genetic Variation of Pinus oocarpa Seedling Emergence in the Southern Mountains, Oaxaca, Mexico

Pinus oocarpa is the most important conifer for resin production in Mexico, so superior resin trees were selected in the Southern Mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. The objective was to determine the variation and differences among provenances and among trees according to the parameters of seedling emergence and the number of cotyledons, and their relationship with elevation and climatic variables. The seedling emergence of four replicates of 20 seeds from 80 trees was counted daily. For the emergence parameters, provenance contributed 42.02% to the total variance, tree 29.19% and error 28.79%. Only tree (11.71%) and error (88.29%) contributed to the total variance of the cotyledon number. The effect of provenance (p ≤ 0.0006) and tree (p ≤ 0.0001) was significant for all variables evaluated. Higher-elevation provenances and trees had higher emergence values. The emergence parameters were positively associated with tree elevation. Climatic variables related to precipitation and temperature were negatively related to the emergence parameters. The results allow for the selection of phenotypes without emergence problems to establish seed orchards.

Determination of the effect of pre-mating weight and placental characteristics on birth weight in Karayaka sheep.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the pre-mating weight and placental characteristics on birth weight. Data were collected from 62 Karayaka ewes and 70 Karayaka lambs. The placental characteristics considered were placental weight, placental area and the number of cotyledons. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used for statistical comparison and the determination of relationships between variables.In addition, correlation coefficients between live weights and placental characteristics were determined. The average birth weight (BW), pre-mating weight (PMW), placental weight (PW), placental area (PA) and cotyledon number (CN) values were 4.37 0.70 kg, 50.22 5.63 kg, 362.51 118.42 g, 994.18 312.76 cm and 56.93 8.06, respectively. BW had positive correlations with PMW (0.147), birth type (BT) (0.643), PW (0.604), PA (0.323) and CN (0.161) ( 0.05). BW had negative correlations with maternal age (MA) () ( 0.05). PMW had positive correlations with maternal age (MA) (0.237) ( 0.05). PMW had negative correlations with S (sex) (), PW (), PA () and CN () ( 0.05).

290 Ewe Undernutrition Alters Cotyledon Development and Function

Abstract Undernutrition is common for animals maintained in a range setting, particularly during periods of drought, and during gestation can be detrimental to offspring development. The placenta is a known mediator for maternal-fetal nutrient exchange, and developmental impacts to the placenta during times of nutritional stress contribute to poor offspring outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of maternal nutrient restriction on the development and function of placental cotyledons. Targhee ewes were allocated into two dietary treatment groups for the entirety of gestation. The control group (CON; n = 10) was fed to meet 100% of NRC requirements and the nutrient restricted group (NR; n = 11) was fed to meet 60% of NRC requirements, to mimic the nutritional stress experienced by range ewes during drought. At the time of lambing total placental weight, total cotyledon number, and lamb birth weight were recorded. Cotyledons (n = 3 / placenta) were removed from multiple locations, weighed, and processed for RNA-sequencing. Total placental weight, total cotyledon number, and lamb birth weight were not affected by maternal diet restriction (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Average cotyledon weight was greater in the CON group compared with the NR group (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways (KEGG) analyses were performed to identify biological pathways involved in placental function and nutrient transfer. Cotyledons from NR singletons vs CON singletons expressed 470 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; P &amp;lt; 0.05; 187 up-regulated, 283 down-regulated). Gene ontology terms represented by DEGs include hormone activity (P = 0.0003) and antigen processing and presentation (P = 0.0004). KEGG pathways of interest include pyruvate metabolism, estrogen signaling, extracellular matrix receptor interaction, and antigen processing and presentation. There were also 426 DEGs (P &amp;lt; 0.05; 195 up-regulated, 231 down-regulated) in cotyledons of NR twins vs CON twins. Represented GO categories include heme binding (P = 0.003) and oxidoreductase activity (P = 0.03). These data show that prolonged nutrient restriction alters cotyledon development and gene expression indicating modifications in placental function. These changes in placental function likely mediate poor offspring developmental outcomes observed following gestational under nutrition.

Nondestructive detection of key phenotypes for the canopy of the watermelon plug seedlings based on deep learning

Nondestructive measurement technology of phenotype can provide substantial phenotypic data support for applications such as seedling breeding, management, and quality testing. The current method of measuring seedling phenotypes mainly relies on manual measurement which is inefficient, subjective and destroys samples. Therefore, the paper proposes a nondestructive measurement method for the canopy phenotype of the watermelon plug seedlings based on deep learning. The Azure Kinect was used to shoot canopy color images, depth images, and RGB-D images of the watermelon plug seedlings. The Mask-RCNN network was used to classify, segment, and count the canopy leaves of the watermelon plug seedlings. To reduce the error of leaf area measurement caused by mutual occlusion of leaves, the leaves were repaired by CycleGAN, and the depth images were restored by image processing. Then, the Delaunay triangulation was adopted to measure the leaf area in the leaf point cloud. The YOLOX target detection network was used to identify the growing point position of each seedling on the plug tray. Then the depth differences between the growing point and the upper surface of the plug tray were calculated to obtain plant height. The experiment results show that the nondestructive measurement algorithm proposed in this paper achieves good measurement performance for the watermelon plug seedlings from the 1 true-leaf to 3 true-leaf stages. The average relative error of measurement is 2.33% for the number of true leaves, 4.59% for the number of cotyledons, 8.37% for the leaf area, and 3.27% for the plant height. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm in this paper provides an effective solution for the nondestructive measurement of the canopy phenotype of the plug seedlings.

Size regulation of the lateral organ initiation zone and its role in determining cotyledon number in conifers.

Unlike monocots and dicots, many conifers, particularly Pinaceae, form three or more cotyledons. These are arranged in a whorl, or ring, at a particular distance from the embryo tip, with cotyledons evenly spaced within the ring. The number of cotyledons, nc, varies substantially within species, both in clonal cultures and in seed embryos. nc variability reflects embryo size variability, with larger diameter embryos having higher nc. Correcting for growth during embryo development, we extract values for the whorl radius at each nc. This radius, corresponding to the spatial pattern of cotyledon differentiation factors, varies over three-fold for the naturally observed range of nc. The current work focuses on factors in the patterning mechanism that could produce such a broad variability in whorl radius. Molecularly, work in Arabidopsis has shown that the initiation zone for leaf primordia occurs at a minimum between inhibitor zones of HD-ZIP III at the shoot apical meristem (SAM) tip and KANADI (KAN) encircling this farther from the tip. PIN1-auxin dynamics within this uninhibited ring form auxin maxima, specifying primordia initiation sites. A similar mechanism is indicated in conifer embryos by effects on cotyledon formation with overexpression of HD-ZIP III inhibitors and by interference with PIN1-auxin patterning. We develop a mathematical model for HD-ZIP III/KAN spatial localization and use this to characterize the molecular regulation that could generate (a) the three-fold whorl radius variation (and associated nc variability) observed in conifer cotyledon development, and (b) the HD-ZIP III and KAN shifts induced experimentally in conifer embryos and in Arabidopsis. This quantitative framework indicates the sensitivity of mechanism components for positioning lateral organs closer to or farther from the tip. Positional shifting is most readily driven by changes to the extent of upstream (meristematic) patterning and changes in HD-ZIP III/KAN mutual inhibition, and less efficiently driven by changes in upstream dosage or the activation of HD-ZIP III. Sharper expression boundaries can also be more resistant to shifting than shallower expression boundaries. The strong variability seen in conifer nc (commonly from 2 to 10) may reflect a freer variation in regulatory interactions, whereas monocot (nc = 1) and dicot (nc = 2) development may require tighter control of such variation. These results provide direction for future quantitative experiments on the positional control of lateral organ initiation, and consequently on plant phyllotaxy and architecture.

Histo-Morphogical Study of Full- Term Placenta in Selected Normotensive And Pre-eclamptic Women in Bangladesh

Pre–Eclampsia is a disorder in 2nd half of pregnancy, characterized by a combination of hypertension, proteinuria, and edema, secondary to decreased placental perfusion. Clinical studies suggest histo-morphological changes in the placenta of pre-eclamptic women compared to normotensive pregnant women. This study aimed to compare the histo- morphological changes of the placenta in selected pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnant women. Methods: Two hundred twenty pregnant women were selected with inclusion and exclusion criteria from 3 different medical colleges and divided into two groups. A study group comprised 110 pre-eclamptic women, and a control group comprised 110 normotensive pregnant women. After delivery, tissue samples were collected from the placenta and prepared for histopathological studies by hematoxylin and eosin stain. The mean number of areas of syncytial knot formation, the mean number of areas of cytotrophoblast cell proliferation, the mean number of areas of fibrinoid necrosis, and the mean number of areas of hyalinized villi of pre-eclamptic and normal pregnant women were evaluated. We evaluated the morphology by weight, diameters, number of cotyledons, and placental infarcts. Results: The mean number of areas of syncytial knot formation, cytotrophoblastic cell proliferation, fibrinoid necrosis, and hyalinised villi were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group. The mean weights, diameters, and the number of cotyledons were considerably lower in the study group compared to the control group. Moreover, the number of infarcted areas was significantly higher in the placentas of pre-eclamptic women. Conclusion: There are histomorphologic changes in the placenta of pre-eclamptic women. J Dhaka Med Coll. 2022; 31(1) : 37-45

Climate Change Impacts on Seed Production and Quality: Current Knowledge, Implications, and Mitigation Strategies

Climate change is real and inevitable, incessantly threatening the terrestrial ecosystem and global food security. Although the impacts of climate change on crop yield and the environment have received much attention in recent years, there are few studies on its implications for the production of high-quality seeds that provide the basic input for food production. Seeds are the primary planting material for crop cultivation and carry most new agricultural technologies to the field. Climatic abnormalities occurring at harvest and during the post-harvest stages may not always severely impact seed yield but can reduce the morphological, physiological and biochemical quality, ultimately reducing the field performance and planting value of the seed lot. In our preliminary data mining that considered the first 30 species appearing in the search results, seed setting, seed yield and seed quality parameters under temperature, CO2 and drought stresses showed differential response patterns depending on the cotyledon number (monocots vs. dicots), breeding system (self- vs. cross-pollinated), life cycle (annual vs. perennial) and maturity time (seed setting in cooler vs. hotter months). The relative proportions of the 30 species showed that germination and seedling vigour are adversely affected more in dicots and self-pollinated annual species that set seeds in hotter months. Together, these impacts can potentially reduce the quantity and quality of seeds produced. Immediate attention and action are required to understand and mitigate the detrimental impacts of climate change on the production and supply of high-quality seeds. This review summarises the current knowledge on this aspect, predicts the future implications and suggests some potential mitigation strategies in the context of projected population growth, climate change and seed requirement at the global level.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE STRUCTURAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE PLACENTAE OF HYPERTENSIVE AND NORMOTENSIVE MOTHERS AND A CORRELATION OF THESE FINDINGS WITH THE BIRTH WEIGHTS OF THEIR BABIES.

Background: The placenta being the main organ directly involved with fetal development in the womb. Being a crucial organ responsible for the pregnancy and fetal nutrition it has generated keen interest and research to understand the placental morphology. This work aims in delivering the structural changes observed in placenta of mothers with hypertension and to do a comparative analysis with respect to the new born birth weight with the normotensive mothers. Objective: To identify &amp; investigate pathological changes of the placenta in cases of pregnancy-related high blood pressure &amp; to nd out correlation of such changes with neonatal birth weight as compared to that in normotensive mothers and also observation of changes in placental tissue specimens of hypertensive mothers. The study also compared fetoplacental (FP) ratios in both groups. Materials and Methods: This study was done on 50 placentae. 25 mothers with normal pregnancies and 25 mothers with hypertension due to pregnancy were selected from obstetrics and gynecology patients at the Medical College, Kolkata. All samples were then examined for structural and histological changes. The neonatal birth weights were also recorded with the help of weighing scale. Results: In our analysis, 25 (50%) patients were hypertensive (group A) and 25 (50%) were normotensive (group B). Morphometric parameters considered in these two patient groups are placental weight, placental volume, central placental thickness, and cotyledon number. Mean differences for each of these parameters were compared and found to be statistically signicant. Fetal weight was also measured in each case, the F-P ratio was observed, and the mean F-P ratio in Group A and Group B was also compared

Histological and Morphological Study of the Placenta in Gestational: Pregestational Diabetic, and Normal Women’s

This study was aimed at comparing the morphometric and histological features of the placenta in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM), and non-diabetic normal pregnant women. Twenty-four placentas were obtained from non-diabetic pregnant women (control group), ten from women with GDM, and ten from PGDM women. Segments from the central part of the placenta were taken and processed for paraffin blocks, sectioned, and stained with H&amp;E, Masson trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff. The results of morphometric measurement revealed that the mean weight and diameter of GDM and PGDM placentae were significantly higher than in the control; placental thickness was a significant increase in PGDM; the number of cotyledons and fetal weights showed no significant difference in all these groups; the fetoplacental ratio was significantly higher in the PGDM; discoidal placenta shape, followed by irregular, oval, and kidney as the most common shapes recorded in these groups; the central umbilical cord insertion was most common in all three groups; followed by noncentral (eccentric) and marginal insertions. Diabetes caused several histopathological changes in the placenta, including an increase in the number of different sizes of villi with a decrease in the intervillous spaces, an increase in the: number of big syncytial knots, and fibrinoid necrosis; chronogenesis in the intervillous spaces and villous capillary congestion. Diabetic groups showed the presence of dense collagen fibers within the villous stroma (villous stromal fibrosis) and around fetal blood capillaries. GDM showed a mild thickening of the basement membrane (BM) of chorionic villi and a mild increase in the collagen in the villous stroma. While PGDM showed a moderate increase in the BM of syncytiotrophoblast and villous stroma and mild thickening of the BM of capillary blood vessels. In conclusion, both GDM and PGDM caused adverse effects on the histological and morphometrical features of the placenta. Keywords: Placenta; Diabetes Mellitus; Morphometric analysis; Histopathology, Masson trichrome stain; Periodic acid shift reaction. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/13-6-03 Publication date: April 30 th 2023