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Keywords: locally advanced lung cancer, volumetric image verification, tumour registration, adaptive radiotherapy
Published in DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Views: 724; Downloads: 126
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Abstract: Climate change threatens the role of European forests as a long-term carbon sink. Assisted migration aims to increase the resilience of forest tree populations to climate change, using species-specific climatic limits and local adaptations through transferring seed provenances. We modelled assisted migration scenarios for seven main European tree species and analysed the effects of species and seed provenance selection, accounting for environmental and genetic variations, on the annual above-ground carbon sink of regrowing juvenile forests. To increase forest resilience, coniferous trees need to be replaced by deciduous species over large parts of their distribution. If local seed provenances are used, this would result in a decrease of the current carbon sink (40 TgC yr−1) by 34–41% by 2061–2080. However, if seed provenances adapted to future climates are used, current sinks could be maintained or even increased to 48–60 TgC yr−1.
Keywords: forest resilience, forest, Europe, carbon sink, climate change, assisted migration, transferring seed provenances
Published in DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Views: 265; Downloads: 216
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Abstract: The genetic platforms of Deinococcus species remain the only systems in which massive ionizing radiation (IR)-induced genome damage can be investigated in vivo at exposures commensurate with cellular survival. We report the whole genome sequence of the extremely IR-resistant rod-shaped bacterium Deinococcus ficus KS 0460 and its phenotypic characterization. Deinococcus ficus KS 0460 has been studied since 1987, first under the name Deinobacter grandis, then Deinococcus grandis. The D. ficus KS 0460 genome consists of a 4.019 Mbp sequence (69.7% GC content and 3894 predicted genes) divided into six genome partitions, five of which are confirmed to be circular. Circularity was determined manually by mate pair linkage. Approximately 76% of the predicted proteins contained identifiable Pfam domains and 72% were assigned to COGs. Of all D. ficus KS 0460 proteins, 79% and 70% had homologues in Deinococcus radiodurans ATCC BAA-816 and Deinococcus geothermalis DSM 11300, respectively. The most striking differences between D. ficus KS 0460 and D. radiodurans BAA-816 identified by the comparison of the KEGG pathways were as follows: (i) D. ficus lacks nine enzymes of purine degradation present in D. radiodurans, and (ii) D. ficus contains eight enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate and nitrite reductases, that D. radiodurans lacks. Moreover, genes previously considered to be important to IR resistance are missing in D. ficus KS 0460, namely, for the Mn-transporter nramp, and proteins DdrF, DdrJ and DdrK, all of which are also missing in Deinococcus deserti. Otherwise, D. ficus KS 0460 exemplifies the Deinococcus lineage.
Keywords: Deinococcus-Thermus, Deinococcaceae, Deinococcus ficus, radiation-resistant, rod-shaped, phenotype characterization, genome analysis, phylogenetic analysis
Published in DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Views: 270; Downloads: 198
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Abstract: Jasmine (Jasminum sambac L.) is an ornamental crop grown in South and Southeast Asia for its flowers for garlands, tea and essential oil production. However, certain fungal foliar and floral diseases significantly reduce its yield. In this study, Colletotrichum sp.-like (cylindrical conidia) and Fusarium sp.- like (lunate conidia) isolates causing leaf spot disease were characterized based on the ingression process and fungal germination in planta. Four-day single-spore cultures in PDA of isolating C1 (Colletotrichum sp.-like) and F2 (Fusarium sp.-like) were obtained. Suspensions of 108 conidia mL-1 were made and sprayed onto young leaves of jasmine. Specimen collection was done at 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after inoculation (hai). Formalin-acetic acid was used to clear the tissues and fungal structures are selectively stained using lactophenol-acid fuschin. Average ingression sites (IS) were counted for each time point under 50X magnification, then IS per leaf area (cm2) was calculated. Fungal isolates remain at the surface of the leaf until 36 h. IS of C1 and F2 almost doubled at 48 hai. However, ingression sites declined at 72 hai for both pathogens, which either imply a progression of sub surface colonization or unsuccessful penetration. Leaf yellowing and a few spots were observed at 48 hai for F2 and at 60 hai for C1. More severe necrotic leaf spots with yellow halo (severity rating of 5) were seen in plants inoculated with Fusarium sp.-like isolated than in those inoculated with Colletotrichum sp.-like isolated. Lastly, at 48 to 60 hai, it was evident that the pathogen started to seek for stomata, which seemed to be the preferred penetration site for both fungal pathogens.
Published in DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Views: 246; Downloads: 134
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Abstract: Purpose To identify the protein profiles in vitreous associated with retinal fibrosis, angiogenesis, and neurite formation in epiretinal fibrovascular membranes (FVMs) in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods Vitreous samples of 5 non-diabetic control patients with vitreous debris and 7 patients with PDR membranes were screened for 507 preselected proteins using the semi-quantitative RayBio® L-series 507 antibody array. From this array, 60 proteins were selected for a custom quantitative antibody array (Raybiotech, Human Quantibody® array), analyzing 7 control patients, 8 PDR patients with FVMs, and 5 PDR patients without FVMs. Additionally, mRNA levels of proteins of interest were measured in 10 PDR membranes and 11 idiopathic membranes and in retinal tissues and cells to identify possible sources of protein production. Results Of the 507 proteins screened, 21 were found to be significantly elevated in PDR patients, including neurogenic and angiogenic factors such as neuregulin 1 (NRG1), nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), placental growth factor (PlGF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) concentrations were strongly correlated to the degree of fibrosis and the presence of FVMs in patients with PDR. Protein correlation analysis showed PDGF to be extensively co-regulated with other proteins, including thrombospondin-1 and Ang2. mRNA levels of glial-derived and brain/derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF and BDNF) were elevated in PDR membranes. These results were validated in a second study of 52 vitreous samples of 32 PDR patients and 20 control patients. Conclusions This exploratory study reveals protein networks that potentially contribute to neurite outgrowth, angiogenesis and fibrosis in the formation of fibrovascular membranes in PDR. We identified a possible role of Ang2 in fibrosis and the formation of FVMs, and of the neurotrophic factors NRG1, PDGF and GDNF in neurite growth that occurs in all FVMs in PDR.
Published in DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Views: 251; Downloads: 227
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