A Comprehensive Comparison of Flower Morphology in the Genus Camellia, with a Focus on the Section Camellia

departmental bulletin pape

Phylogeography of Juniperus Species (Cupressaceae) with a Disjunct Distribution in the Island Areas of Japan

departmental bulletin pape

Evolution of the Genus Camellia Based on the Biological Interaction and the Historical Background

departmental bulletin pape

Safety of Silk-elastin Sponges in Patients with Chronic Skin Ulcers: A Phase I/II, Single-center, Open-label, Single-arm Clinical Trial

Background: Although traditional wound dressings such as collagen scaffolds promote granulation tissue formation, the efficacy of these dressings in chronic wounds is limited because of high susceptibility to bacterial growth. Biomaterials that can be applied to chronic wounds should have an anti-bacterial function. We previously reported that administering a silk-elastin solution that forms moisturizing hydrogels to wound surfaces of diabetic mice reduced bacterial growth and promoted granulation tissue formation compared with control or carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels. We hypothesized that silk-elastin promotes wound healing in human chronic wounds by suppressing bacterial growth. Methods: An open-label, clinical case series was conducted with a prospective, single-arm design at Kyoto University Hospital in Kyoto, Japan. In this study, 6 patients with chronic skin ulcers of any origin (2 < ulcer area (cm2) < 25) on their lower extremities were included; patients with critical ischemia were excluded. Silk-elastin sponges were applied and covered with a polyurethane film without changing the dressing for 14 days. Inflammation triggered treatment discontinuation due to fear of infection. The primary study endpoint was adverse events, including inflammation and infection. Results: Poor hydrogel formation, possibly due to continuous exudation, was observed. No serious adverse events were noted. Two patients discontinued treatment on day 6 and day 7, respectively, due to inflammation, but they were not infected. The other 4 patients completed the 14-day silk-elastin sponge treatment without infection. Conclusion: Silk-elastin sponge is safe for chronic skin ulcers, and its ability to promote wound healing should be determined by confirmatory clinical trials

Toju_AmNat_MS52288

The data used for the statistical analysis of each figure/table are shown in each excel sheet

Data from: Climatic gradients of arms race coevolution

No description availabl

New taxa of Rhododendron tschonoskii alliance (Ericaceae) from East Asia

Volume: 134Start Page: 97-11

Resilient Plant–Bird Interactions in a Volcanic Island Ecosystem: Pollination of Japanese Camellia Mediated by the Japanese White-Eye

<div><p>Observations of interspecies interactions during volcanic activity provide important opportunities to study how organisms respond to environmental devastation. Japanese camellia (<i>Camellia japonica</i> L.) and its main avian pollinator, the Japanese White-eye (<i>Zosterops japonica</i>), offer an excellent example of such an interaction as key members of the biotic community on Miyake-jima, which erupted in 2000 and continues to emit volcanic gases. Both species exhibit higher resistance to volcanic damage than other species. We examined the effects of volcanic activity on this plant–pollinator system by estimating pollen flow and the genetic diversity of the next generation. The results showed that despite a decrease in <i>Camellia</i> flowers, the partitioning of allelic richness among mother-tree pollen pools and seeds decreased while the migration rate of pollen from outside the study plot and the pollen donor diversity within a fruit increased as the index of volcanic damage increased. In areas with low food (flower) density due to volcanic damage, <i>Z. japonica</i> ranged over larger areas to satisfy its energy needs rather than moving to areas with higher food density. Consequently, the genetic diversity of the seeds (the next plant generation) increased with the index of volcanic damage. The results were consistent with previously published data on the movement of <i>Z. japonica</i> based on radio tracking and the genetic diversity of <i>Camellia</i> pollen adhering to pollinators. Overall, our results indicated that compensation mechanisms ensured better pollination after volcanic disturbance.</p></div