Variable Morphological Features Research Articles

Polyporus miscanthi (Polyporaceae, Basidiomycota), a new polypore on Miscanthus (Poaceae) from Guangxi, South China

Polyporus is a widespread genus with highly variable morphological features and intricate phylogenetic relationships. Polyporus miscanthi, collected from Guangxi Autonomous Region, South China, is presented as a new species based on both morphological and phylogenetic analyses. It is characterized by annual, solitary, eccentrically stipitate basidiomata with irregularly circular, depressed center or infundibuliform pilei, yellowish to buff pileal surface with radially aligned stripes, white to cream pores, 4–5 per mm, a mouse gray to black stipe, cylindrical basidiospores measuring 9–11 × 3.5–4.5 μm, and growth on rotten Miscanthus. We present the new species with illustrated macro- and micro morphological description and comparison with morphologically similar or phylogenetically related species. Additionally, we provide a key to the known species of Polyporus in China.

Phenotype “Explosion” in Hercinothrips femoralis (O. M. Reuter 1891) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae): A Particular Phenomenon for Successful Introduction of Economic Species

Intraspecific trait variability, produced by genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity within species, allows the optimization of individual’s fitness in different conditions, ultimately enhancing survival and reproduction. We investigated variability in morphological traits of invasive thrips species Hercinothrips femoralis (O. M. Reuter, 1891) during simulated introduction and establishment in a novel environment. Six generations of this species were reared in laboratory for eight months. The initial phase of introduction was simulated by the transfer of thrips generations to environments with different environmental conditions varying in temperature and humidity. The statistical evaluation of seven measured morphological attributes (e.g., body length, wing length) was performed to analyse the morphological variability. Species phenotypic “explosion” in several morphological characters (especially total body length) was observed during the initial phase of introduction in generations brought from the primary site into novel environments with different conditions. Probable phenotypic specialization was observed during the generations following introduction under the same ecological conditions. Furthermore, the most variable morphological features were specified. This study goes beyond the taxonomic level, because its results and main idea can be applied to any invasive species.

Cuticle chemistry of the Cheirolepidiaceae Frenelopsis teixeirae from the Lower Cretaceous of Portugal. A case of study using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy

A Cheirolepidiaceae Frenelopsis teixeirae from the Lower Cretaceous of the Santa Susana Formation, near Torres Vedras locality (Estremadura region, western Portugal), is analyzed by means of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) mode at both micro and macro scales. This analytical technique (ATR-FTIR spectroscopy), which requires minimal sample preparation and a small amount of material, is used to evaluate the chemical composition of the F. teixeirae cuticles. For this, functional groups (i.e., specific groupings of atoms within molecules), that compose the complex chemical structure making up the F. teixeirae cuticles, are detected, analyzed, and interpreted from the resulting spectra. The Frenelopsis material comprises compressions of eighteen leafy axes with very well-preserved cuticles. Previously reported chemical information derived from transmission FTIR spectra of the foliar cuticle of the podocarp Squamastrobus tigrensis from the Lower Cretaceous of Argentina is used for comparison in order to assess the existence of a distinctive spectroscopic pattern for this Portuguese taxon. Semi-quantitative data derived from FTIR spectra of both fossil taxa were statistically analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The F. teixeirae cuticles have a lower contribution of C=O stretch and a lower degree of biopolymeric matrix cross-linking (higher CHal/C=O ratio) than those of S. tigrensis. Despite the existing differences between both conifers, spectroscopic patterns characterizing each fossil taxon are not fully distinctive from a chemotaxonomic perspective. This is mainly related to the relatively variable morphological cuticular features (e.g., trichomes) and to the biomacropolymeric chemistry among the leaves of each fossil taxon.

Multilineage Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (PitNETs) Expressing PIT1 and SF1.

PitNETs are usually restricted in their cytodifferentiation to only one of 3 lineages dictated by expression of the pituitary transcription factors (TFs) PIT1, TPIT, or SF1. Tumors that show lineage infidelity and express multiple TFs are rare. We searched the pathology files of 4 institutions for PitNETs with coexpression of PIT1 and SF1. We identified 38 tumors in 21 women and 17 men, average age 53 (range 21-79) years. They represented 1.3 to 2.5% of PitNETs at each center. Acromegaly was the presentation in 26 patients; 2 had central hyperthyroidism associated with growth hormone (GH) excess and one had significantly elevated prolactin (PRL). The remainder had mass lesions with visual deficits, hypopituitarism, and/or headaches. Tumor size ranged from 0.9 to 5cm; all 7 lesions smaller than 1cm were associated with acromegaly. Larger lesions frequently invaded the cavernous sinuses. Four cases represented a second attempt at surgical resection. PIT1 was usually diffusely positive but 5 cases had variable (patchy or focal) staining. SF1 reactivity was variable in intensity but diffuse in all but 2 cases. GATA3 data, available in 14 cases, identified diffuse positivity in 5 and focal staining in 1. GH was expressed in all but 5 tumors, PRL and thyrotropin (TSH) were expressed in 14 and 13, respectively, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in 11 of 18, and luteinizing hormone (LH) in 4 of 17. Keratin staining patterns were diffuse perinuclear/membranous in 27, variable perinuclear in 4, and negative in 3; scattered fibrous bodies were seen in 5 and diffuse fibrous bodies in 1. Ki67 labeling index ranged from < 1 to 7.9%. In 3 cases, these tumors represented one of multiple synchronous PitNETs; a separate corticotroph tumor was seen in 2 patients and one patient had 2 additional discrete lesions, a sparsely granulated lactotroph, and a pure gonadotroph tumor comprising a triple tumor. PitNETs expressing PIT1 and SF1 represent multilineage PitNETs. These rare tumors have variable clinical and morphological features, most often presenting as large tumors with GH excess and occasionally as one of multiple synchronous PitNETs of distinct lineages.

Histomorphological Analysis of Ovarian Neoplasms According to the 2020 WHO Classification of Ovarian Tumors: A Distribution Pattern in a Tertiary Care Center.

In 2018, ovarian carcinoma ranked as the eighth most common cancer diagnosed and the leading cause of cancer death in women. High-grade serous carcinoma is the most common histological type seen among malignant cases. A diverse group of neoplasms is seen in the ovary with variable clinical, morphological, and histological features, so assessing the nature of ovarian neoplasms further assists in the treatment of the disease. This study was conducted to assess the different histopathological variants of ovarian neoplasms according to the latest 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of ovarian tumors. Further analysis of the frequency, age, clinical features in patients, and distribution of various ovarian tumors is assessed. A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Pathology at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Patna. The data of the patients from the past three years, from February 2020 to February 2023, were retrieved and assessed. Gross and microscopic findings, including clinical details of patients with ovarian masses, were analyzed from the previous records. A total of 110 cases of ovarian neoplasms on histopathology were analyzed. The age range was 11-70 years. The types of specimens received were those of total abdominal hysterectomy, salphingoopherectomy, and unilateral or bilateral ovarian cystectomy. The most common presentation was an abdominal mass, followed by pain in the abdomen.The majority ofthe tumors were benign (69%), malignancy was observed in 24.5% of cases, and borderline tumors were seen in 5.4% of cases. Epithelial tumors were the commonest tumors, accounting for 70%, followed by germ cell tumors (21%). Serous cystadenoma was the commonest benign tumor, followed by mature teratoma and serous cystadenocarcinoma. High-grade serous cystadenocarcinoma was the commonest malignant ovarian tumor (9%), followed by low-grade serous cystadenocarcinoma (4.5%) and metastatic carcinoma of the ovary. Krukenberg tumor was seen in two cases, and a very rare case of sclerosing stromal tumor was seen in one of the cases. Ovarian neoplasms usually present with a variety of clinicomorphological and histological features. The most common neoplasm observed in the ovary is surface epithelial tumors, which are benign lesions that commonly affect reproductive age groups. Newer advancements like immunohistochemistry(IHC) and genetic studies have made the diagnosis easier and more precise. However, in institutes with limited resources, a histopathological study is still the gold standard in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of these tumors.

Photocatalytic Degradation and Adsorptive Removal of Emerging Organic Pesticides Using Metal Oxide and Their Composites: Recent Trends and Future Perspectives

For applications involving water cleanup, metal oxide nanoparticles are exceptionally successful. They are useful for the adsorption and photocatalytic destruction of organic pollutants due to their distinctive qualities, which include their wide surface/volume area, high number of active sites, porous structure, stability, recovery, and low toxicity. Metal oxide nanomaterials have drawn a lot of attention from researchers in the past ten years because of their various production pathways, simplicity in surface modification, abundance, and inexpensive cost. A wide range of metal oxides, such as iron oxides, MgO, TiO2, ZnO, WO3, CuO, Cu2O, metal oxides composites, and graphene–metal oxides composites, with variable structural, crystalline, and morphological features, are reviewed, emphasizing the recent development, challenges, and opportunities for adsorptive removal and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants such as dyes, pesticides, phenolic compounds, and so on. In-depth study of the photocatalytic mechanism of metal oxides, their composites, and photocatalytically important characteristics is also covered in this paper. Metal oxides are particularly effective photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants due to their high photodegradation efficiency, economically sound methods for producing photo-catalytic materials, and precise band-gap engineering. Due to their detrimental effects on human health, pesticides—one of the highly hazardous organic pollutants—play a significant part in environmental contamination. Depending on where they come from and who they are targeting, they are categorized in various ways. Researchers focusing on metal oxides and their composites for the adsorptive and photocatalytic degradation of pesticides would find the review to be a beneficial resource. Detailed information on many pesticides, difficulties associated with pesticides, environmental concentration, and the necessity of degradation has been presented.

Root and canal morphology of mandibular second molars in an Egyptian subpopulation: a cone-beam computed tomography study

BackgroundThis study was using Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to examine the anatomical variations in mandibular second molars in an Egyptian sub-population.MethodsA total of 350 CBCT images (215 females and 135 males, aged 15–65 years) of mandibular second molars were evaluated. Samples were evaluated in terms of: number of roots, number of root canals, roots’ cross section as well as prevalence and configurations of C-shaped canals. Statistical analysis was done to highlight differences between different categories and their prevalence among genders (significance level was set at p < 0.05). Data were presented as frequency and percentage values and were analyzed using chi square test followed by pairwise comparisons utilizing multiple Fisher’s exact tests with Bonferroni correction. The significance level was set at p < 0.05 within all tests.ResultsOf the 350 mandibular second molars evaluated, 87.2% were non-C-shaped while 12.8% were C-shaped with no gender-based statistically significant differences (χ2 = 0.19, p = 0.656). Most samples had three root canals (80%) followed by two (16%), then one (3.2%), and finally four (0.8%) root canals. Among the non-C-shaped molars, presence of two roots was most common (83.4%) followed by presence of a single root (16.2%), and only one sample (0.2%) had three roots, and this had no correlation with gender (χ2 = 1.86, p = 0.431). In the mesial roots Type IV Vertucci was the most common configuration found (68.8%), while Type I was the most prevalent in the distal roots (91.8%). The long oval configuration was the most commonly found cross section in mesial roots while “oval” was the most prevalent in distal roots.ConclusionEgyptian sub-population shows highly variable morphological features in mandibular second molars, hence, CBCT is highly recommended on case-to-case conditions.

Peronosclerospora neglecta sp. nov.—a widespread and overlooked threat to corn (maize) production in the tropics

Downy mildew is a serious threat to corn (maize) production in the tropics and subtropics. Corn is native to Central America, and was introduced into South-East Asia by the Spanish colonisers in the 1700s. Corn is evolutionarily naïve to downy mildews of the genus Peronosclerospora. Consequently, corn monocultures are particularly susceptible to a variety of Peronosclerospora species, which spread to the crop from local grasses. Globally, corn is one of the most important crops for both humans and livestock. Several downy mildews of corn have been identified as potential threats to global food security, and trade with corn seeds is strictly regulated to avoid spreading the pathogens. Despite their importance, little is known about the biodiversity of graminicolous downy mildews, because their identification has often relied on variable morphological features, such as conidial dimensions. DNA barcodes for most species have become available only recently. During surveys for downy mildews on corn in Indonesia, a previously unrecognised species of Peronosclerospora was found and investigated using a combination of morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The new species, introduced here as Peronosclerospora neglecta, is widely distributed in South-East Asia from Thailand to eastern Indonesia. The impact of this downy mildew can be severe, with complete crop losses in heavily affected fields. Given the aggressiveness of the species, close surveillance is warranted to restrict its further spread.

Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma: morpho-molecular updates and considerations

Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma is a heterogenous primary malignant epithelial tumor of the liver with variable morphological and immunophenotypical features. Although the biology of this tumor has been described in the literature, changes in classification and its heterogeneity imply difficulties in collecting reliable homogenous groups to compare. The article aims to review available data on morphology and immunohistochemistry for practicing pathologists integrated with original data from our referral Center.

ФЕНОТИПИЧЕСКИЕ И ГЕНОТИПИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ ДИКОРАСТУЩИХ ФОРМ ВИНОГРАДА КУБАНИ

The article presents the results of scientific research consisting in finding wild-growing forms of the genus Vitis L. and studying their ecological-biological, phenotypic and genotypic features. The purpose of the work is to attract particularly valuable samples for economically useful traits to selection as new donors of resistance to various abiotic and biotic stress factors. The research was carried out on the territory of the state nature Reserve “Utrish” of Krasnodar Territory in 2021 using traditional and modern methods: route reconnaissance (expedition), geobotanical, ampelographic, analytical. It was found that the shape (openness), cobwebby pubescence and the degree of anthocyanin coloration of the tip of the young shoot in the studied populations of wild grapes are among the most variable morphological features. According to the method [15], the shape of the tip of the young shoot varies in this case from slightly open to completely open. The cobwebby pubescence of the crown of a young shoot in wild grape plants along a wide gap varies from medium (3 points) to thick (4 points). The discovered and described wild-growing forms of grapes Sh1-Sh5 go through all phases of development in full – from budding to grape ripening. At the time of the research, the samples Sh1-Sh5 visually had no damage from the phytopathogenic microflora. This is confirmed by laboratory studies. As a result of microbiological analysis, single saprophytic bacteria were found. Colonies of fungi and bacteria similar in phenotype to pathogenic ones were not found. At the same time, Sh1-Sh5 samples can be asymptomatic sources of viruses that can cause significant economic losses. Determination of the presence of 7 economically important viral pathogens of grapes in samples Sh1-Sh5 showed that samples Sh1, Sh2, Sh3, Sh5 are free of viral diseases. According to the results of the studies, the GPGV virus (Grapevine Pinot gris virus trichovirus) was detected only in the Sh4 sample.

CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF BREAST CARCINOMA WITH DIFFERENT MOLECULAR SUBTYPES IN MOROCCAN WOMEN, DATA ABOUT 1040 CASES

Background: Breast cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. It's the most common cause of death from cancer in women, it considers a heterogeneous disease, shows variable morphological and biological features, they have different clinical behavior, and prognoses, and respond to therapy differently despite similarities in histological types, grade, and stage. The classication aims for an accurate diagnosis and prediction of behavior, however, histological classication isn't enough in this era of personalized medicine, this results in « overtreatment » of many patients, so, molecular proling allows tumors to be dened by the expression pattern or genomic alteration of thousands of genes. A Methods: retrospective, descriptive and analytic study was performed among 1040 women with invasive breast carcinoma, which was diagnosed in the department of surgical pathology at University Hospital Center of Hassan 2 of Fez in Morocco, during a period ranging from 2012 to 2019. The prevalence of different molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma was estimated, in addition, clinicopathological features such as age, tumor size, tumor grade, lymph node involvement, hormonal receptors prole, and HER2 status have been compared. The mean age of diagnosis was Results: 49.5 years (DS12,5 years, 17-88 years), among these, 637 (55%) were under 50 years. NOS invasive breast carcinoma was the histological type the most common in 1030 (89%), with an SBR II in 60% of cases. The Mean tumor size was 2.8cm. Axillary lymph nodes (LN) were metastatic in 60% of cases. 76% of cases showed positive staining for estrogen receptors, 75,5% for progesterone receptors, and 18,5% for HER2/neu. Luminal A subtype was found in 22% of patients while Luminal B was present in 62,5% of patients, HER2 enriched in 5%, and triple-negative (TN) in 10,5 % of cases. There is signicant difference between the 4 subclasses by age (P=0.02), SBR grading (p&lt;0,0001), tumor size (p=0,05), lymph node metastasis (0,0001). There are more young women in HER2 enriched and luminal B subtypes than in luminal A and TN subtypes, while the rate of older women is increased in luminal A subtypes. The proportion of patients with histological grade III in the TN subtype and HER2 subtype, is signicantly increased (P&lt;0.0001) while grade I is signicantly increased in the luminal A subtype. LN metastasis in the luminal B and Her2 cancers are more signicant than in luminal A and TN. Disease-free survival (DFS) among older women above 50 years is signicantly greater among young women under 40 years ( p=0,021). Regarding SBR grading, and DFS, we found that survival was signicantly highest for patients with grade I, followed by those with grade II and then grade III (P&lt;0.0001). According to molecular subtypes, we noted that DFS was signicantly highest for patients with luminal-A subtype, followed by those with luminal B subtype, then HER2 and TN cancers (P&lt;0.0001). The Conclusion: present study shows the particularities of women breast carcinoma in our countryo, through our results, we found that BC is diagnosed at a younger age, a decade earlier than in developed countries, and we found a predominance of luminal B subtype in contrary with others studies suggesting that there are clinico-biological differences, as well as disparities in the expression proling in our population. This highlights the importance of early screening and the need to improve women's awareness of breast cancer in our region and additional research is needed to understand these results in hopes of adopting more effective therapies.

Implementation Variants of the Lineal Path Function Applied to Hardened Cement Paste Microstructure

The microstructure of hardened cement pastes comprises of a heterogeneous agglomeration of distinct quasihomogeneous domains with variable physical, chemical, and morphological features, denoted here as material phases. Accurate material characterization rests on a precise description and quantification of underlying principal phases, focusing, in particular, on their volumetric proportions and spatial configuration within the microstructure, as these affect, to a large extent, the macroscopic properties of the composite material. A realistic cement paste microstructure used in this study was obtained from micro-computed X-ray tomography, following the application of suitable segmentation filters, highlighting and isolating the sought phase – anhydrous cement grains – for statistical analysis. The present paper then compares and assesses several implementations of a lineal path function, all applied to quantifying the phase connectedness and short-range order characteristics of the grains. The main emphasis rests on assessing the accuracy and evaluation speed of the implemented algorithms.

Repetitively burst-spiking neurons in reeler mice show conserved but also highly variable morphological features of layer Vb-fated "thick-tufted" pyramidal cells.

Reelin is a large extracellular glycoprotein that is secreted by Cajal-Retzius cells during embryonic development to regulate neuronal migration and cell proliferation but it also seems to regulate ion channel distribution and synaptic vesicle release properties of excitatory neurons well into adulthood. Mouse mutants with a compromised reelin signaling cascade show a highly disorganized neocortex but the basic connectional features of the displaced excitatory principal cells seem to be relatively intact. Very little is known, however, about the intrinsic electrophysiological and morphological properties of individual cells in the reeler cortex. Repetitive burst-spiking (RB) is a unique property of large, thick-tufted pyramidal cells of wild-type layer Vb exclusively, which project to several subcortical targets. In addition, they are known to possess sparse but far-reaching intracortical recurrent collaterals. Here, we compared the electrophysiological properties and morphological features of neurons in the reeler primary somatosensory cortex with those of wild-type controls. Whereas in wild-type mice, RB pyramidal cells were only detected in layer Vb, and the vast majority of reeler RB pyramidal cells were found in the superficial third of the cortical depth. There were no obvious differences in the intrinsic electrophysiological properties and basic morphological features (such as soma size or the number of dendrites) were also well preserved. However, the spatial orientation of the entire dendritic tree was highly variable in the reeler neocortex, whereas it was completely stereotyped in wild-type mice. It seems that basic quantitative features of layer Vb-fated RB pyramidal cells are well conserved in the highly disorganized mutant neocortex, whereas qualitative morphological features vary, possibly to properly orient toward the appropriate input pathways, which are known to show an atypical oblique path through the reeler cortex. The oblique dendritic orientation thus presumably reflects a re-orientation of dendritic input domains toward spatially highly disorganized afferent projections.

Histomorphological spectrum of ovarian tumors - A tertiary care center experience

Background: Ovarian tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with variable clinical, morphological, and histological features. Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death in females. Aims and Objectives: (1) To study and characterize the ovarian tumors based on gross and histopathological features. (2) To study prevalence and age distribution of various ovarian tumors. (3) To study the clinical features in patients with ovarian tumors. (4)To compare the frequency of benign and malignant neoplasms of the ovary with other studies. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study conducted in Upgraded Department of Pathology, Modern Government maternity hospital, and Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana from March 2018 to February 2021. A total of 200 ovarian tumors were studied. Results: Out of 200 ovarian tumors, 132 were benign, seven were borderline and 61 were malignant. The surface epithelial tumors were the most common tumors accounting for 159cases (79.5%), germ cell tumors were seen in 27 cases (13.5%), sex-cord stromal tumors formed 10 cases (5%), and metastasis in 4 cases (2%). Conclusion: Ovary is a common site of tumors in the female genital tract and usually presents with a variety of clinocomorphological and histological features. Benign are the most common, of these surface epithelial tumors are the commonest, affects mainly reproductive age group.

Endemic Papilionoideae of the Caatinga: a contribution to the palynological knowledge of Leguminosae

Papilionoideae is the most diverse subfamily of Leguminosae, representing approximately 39 % of its species. Although it is particularly species rich and diverse in the Caatinga, the main phytophysiognomy of the semiarid Northeast Region of Brazil, little is known about the pollen morphology of the species that occur there. This study analyzes and describes the pollen morphology of the 27 species of Papilionoideae endemic to the Caatinga. Pollen grains were acetolyzed, mounted on permanent slides, measured, described and photomicrographed using light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM, respectively). The main variable morphological features were pollen grain size, shape, amb, apertural type and exine ornamentation under LM (microreticulate, reticulate, psilate or finely scabrate) and SEM (microreticulate, reticulate, rugulate, granulate, fossulate and perforate). High intergeneric morphological heterogeneity was observed while morphological variation within each genus was subtle. Nonetheless, size, endoaperture shape, fastigium presence/absence and exine ornamentation were found to be important characteristics for the identification of some species.

Vorinostat (SAHA) and Breast Cancer: An Overview.

Simple SummaryBreast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignancy diagnosed in 2020 worldwide. Despite significant advances in BC therapy, its pathogenesis is still not fully understood, and effective therapy is one of the most important challenges in current oncology. The article presents the state of the knowledge on vorinostat (SAHA) in the therapy of various histological subtypes of BC, individually or in polytherapy with other active compounds, in in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials settings.Vorinostat (SAHA), an inhibitor of class I and II of histone deacetylases, is the first histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI) approved for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in 2006. HDIs are promising anticancer agents that inhibit the proliferation of many types of cancer cells including breast carcinoma (BC). BC is a heterogeneous disease with variable biological behavior, morphological features, and response to therapy. Although significant progress in the treatment of BC has been made, high toxicity to normal cells, serious side effects, and the occurrence of multi-drug resistance limit the effective therapy of BC patients. Therefore, new active agents which improve the effectiveness of currently used regimens are highly needed. This manuscript analyzes preclinical and clinical trials data of SAHA, applied individually or in combination with other anticancer agents, considering different histological subtypes of BC.

The complete chloroplast genome of Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus (Rosaceae)

Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus is an economically important herb in the cold temperate regions of East Asia, and displays highly variable morphological features. Completed chloroplast genome of A. dioicus var. kamtschaticus isolated in Korea is 157,859 bp long with four subregions: 85,972 bp of large single copy and 19,185 bp of small single-copy regions separated by 26,351 bp of inverted repeat regions. The genome includes 131 genes (86 protein-coding genes, eight rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs). Phylogenetic analyses show that our chloroplast genome was clustered with two partial chloroplast genomes of A. dioicus.

Rare case of gastric inflammatory fibroid polyp located at the fornix of the stomach and mimicking gastric cancer: a case report

BackgroundGastric inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) is a rare polypoid lesion of the stomach that is characterized pathologically by the presence of spindle cells, a prominent network of blood vessels, and inflammatory infiltration of eosinophils. IFP is mainly located in the gastric antrum and is usually semi-pedunculated and covered with normal mucosa. There have been several reports of large IFPs with ulceration on the surface, at the apex, but no report of the IFP with ulceration at the fornix of the stomach. We report a case of IFP with ulceration that was suggested to be gastric cancer and was resected for diagnostic treatment.Case presentationA 79-year-old woman presented to our hospital. During mass screening for cancer, stomach fluoroscopy revealed an abnormal shadow. Endoscopy showed an ulcerated tumor at the fornix of stomach; hence, gastric cancer was suggested because of the polypoid lesion with irregular ridges and ulceration. Pathological diagnosis of gastric biopsy specimens revealed an inflammation of the gastric mucosa, and specific findings for gastric cancer were not obtained. Because we could not exclude gastric malignancies such as cancer or gastrointestinal stromal tumor, we performed a partial resection of the stomach with a 2-cm margin using the laparoscopic-assisted method. Pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed that the tumor was present in the submucosal layer and consisted of collagen fiber containing inflammatory cell infiltration of mainly eosinophils. A prominent network of blood vessels was also found in the specimens. Immunohistochemical staining revealed mild positivity for CD34, and α-SMA and was negative for c-kit, DOG-1, s-100, desmin, ALK, and IgG4. The lesion was thus diagnosed as an IFP. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient is currently asymptomatic and has shown no recurrence.ConclusionIFPs have variable locational, morphological, histological, pathological, and immunohistochemical features. We reported that the gastric IFP was located at the fornix of the stomach and was similar in morphology to gastric cancer. This case is clinically significant to avoid over-surgery.

Using an image segmentation and support vector machine method for identifying two locust species and instars

Locusts are agricultural pests around the world. To cognize how locust distribution density and community structure are related to the hydrothermal and vegetation growth conditions of their habitats and thereby providing rapid and accurate warning of locust invasions, it is important to develop efficient and accurate techniques for acquiring locust information. In this paper, by analyzing the differences between the morphological features of Locusta migratoria manilensis and Oedaleus decorus asiaticus, we proposed a semi-automatic locust species and instar information detection model based on locust image segmentation, locust feature variable extraction and support vector machine (SVM) classification. And we subsequently examined its applicability and accuracy based on sample image data acquired in the field. Locust image segmentation experiment showed that the proposed GrabCut-based interactive segmentation method can be used to rapidly extract images of various locust body parts and exhibits excellent operability. In a locust feature variable extraction experiment, the textural, color and morphological features of various locust body parts were calculated. Based on the results, eight feature variables were selected to identify locust species and instars using outlier detection, variable function calculation and principal component analysis. An SVM-based locust classification experiment achieved a semi-automatic detection accuracy of 96.16% when a polynomial kernel function with a penalty factor parameter c of 2 040 and a gamma parameter g of 0.5 was used. The proposed detection model exhibits advantages such as high applicability and accuracy when it is used to identify locust instars of L. migratoria manilensis and O. decorus asiaticus, and it can also be used to identify other species of locusts.

Variability of Morphological Characteristics of Hedysarum grandiflorum (Fabaceae, Dicotyledones) in Various Ecological Conditions of the Southern Volga Upland

In recent decades the interest to the study of Hedysarum has increased. Researchers touched upon the classical issues of morphology and variability of external features of Hedysarum grandiflorum and other species of Hedysarum (to clarify morphology, to more accurately separate existing species, to describe the morphology of new species, including rare ones) providing almost no detailed descriptions. The paper provides information about the morphology of external features of H. grandiflorum in the Southern Volga Upland. The study was conducted in 2007–2018. We have studied 23 H. grandiflorum cenopopulations in habitats with various environmental conditions, where more than 600 counting sites were laid, and concluded that the morphological features of H. grandiflorum are rather variable and the values of morphometric parameters are higher in the northeastern part of the study area. The well-being of the population is achieved due to some heterogeneity in the size of individual plants and by means of suppressing the growth and size of separate cenopopulations. The decrease in the parameters of signs is often associated with a higher anthropogenic load. Dimensional indicators of individuals from the cenopopulations of the species studied depend on the thickness of soil, which decreases from fescue-feather grass to petrophyte steppes. Cluster analysis has allowed us to divide the cenopopulations into southern, northern and northeastern ones, and those with anthropogenic impact. The least variable and most informative morphological features of H. grandiflorum (in the descending order of importance) are: the length of the standard, the diameter of the caudex, the plant height, the number of foliole pairs, the number of inflorescences, the number of leaves, the length of the unpaired foliole, the number of flowers on the inflorescence, the length of leaves and the width of the unpaired foliole. In the overwhelming majority of the plants encountered, all the petals of the corolla were of uniform light yellow color, turning into a white tint to the edges of the petals. In some cenopopulations, the corolla can be colored differently and unevenly, especially at the keel. Approximately 0.3% of individuals of the corolla petals and/or the lower part of the keel and/or veins are light blue or light pink, less than 0.07% has a light magenta or even light purple tint of the veins of the carina, edges of the petals or the whole corolla. Similar individuals are found in other regions. Many scientists noted this peculiarity a long time ago and had already described this phenomenon as a color variation (for example, H. grandiflorum var. violaceum) or less often, as a subspecies (for example, H. grandiflorum ssp. argenteum). Individuals with recessive coloring of the corolla from the area of study are called intraspecific color variations.