Wounding triggers MIRO-1 dependent mitochondrial fragmentation that accelerates epidermal wound closure through oxidative signaling.

Organisms respond to tissue damage through the upregulation of protective responses which restore tissue structure and metabolic function. Mitochondria are key sources of intracellular oxidative metabolic signals that maintain cellular homeostasis. Here we report that tissue and cellular wounding triggers rapid and reversible mitochondrial fragmentation. Elevated mitochondrial fragmentation either in fzo-1 fusion-defective mutants or after acute drug treatment accelerates actin-based wound closure. Wounding triggered mitochondrial fragmentation is independent of the GTPase DRP-1 but acts via the mitochondrial Rho GTPase MIRO-1 and cytosolic Ca2+. The fragmented mitochondria and accelerated wound closure of fzo-1 mutants are dependent on MIRO-1 function. Genetic and transcriptomic analyzes show that enhanced mitochondrial fragmentation accelerates wound closure via the upregulation of mtROS and Cytochrome P450. Our results reveal how mitochondrial dynamics respond to cellular and tissue injury and promote tissue repair

Nutrient Resorption and Stoichiometric Characteristics of Wuyi Rock Tea Cultivars

Nutrient resorption is an important strategy for plants to retain critical nutrients from senesced leaves and plays important roles in nutrient cycling and ecosystem productivity. As a main economic crop and soil and water conservation species, Wuyi Rock tea has been widely planted in Fujian Province, China. However, foliar nutrient resorptions of Wuyi Rock tea cultivars have not been well quantified. In this study, three Wuyi Rock tea cultivars (Wuyi Jingui, Wuyi Rougui, and Wuyi Shuixian) were selected in the Wuyishan National Soil and Water Conservation, Science and Technology Demonstration Park. Resorption efficiencies of nitrogen (NRE), phosphorus (PRE), and potassium (KRE) along with their stoichiometric characteristics were determined. PRE of the three tea cultivars was significantly higher than KRE and NRE, indicating that tea cultivars were P limited due to low P availability for the tea growth. With the exception of Wuyi Rougui, leaf N and P contents of the other two cultivars (Wuyi Jingui and Wuyi Shuixian) had strong homeostasis under the changing soil environments. Leaf thickness and specific leaf area were positively and significantly correlated with KRE, and total chlorophyll concentration was positively correlated with NRE, indicating that leaf functional traits can be used as indicators for nutrient resorption status. Wuyi Rock tea cultivars had strong adaptabilities to the environments and had high carbon sequestration capabilities; thus, they and could be introduced into nutrient-poor mountainous areas for both economic benefits and soil and water conservation

Knowledge-based planning in robotic intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery treatments

PURPOSE: To develop a knowledge-based planning (KBP) model that predicts dosimetric indices and facilitates planning in CyberKnife intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy (SRS/SRT). METHODS: Forty CyberKnife SRS/SRT plans were retrospectively used to build a linear KBP model which correlated the equivalent radius of the PTV (req_PTV ) and the equivalent radius of volume that receives a set of prescription dose (req_Vi , where Vi = V10% , V20% ... V120% ). To evaluate the model\u27s predictability, a fourfold cross-validation was performed for dosimetric indices such as gradient measure (GM) and brain V50% . The accuracy of the prediction was quantified by the mean and the standard deviation of the difference between planned and predicted values, (i.e., DeltaGM = GMpred - GMclin and fractional DeltaV50% = (V50%pred - V50%clin )/V50%clin ) and a coefficient of determination, R(2) . Then, the KBP model was incorporated into the planning for another 22 clinical cases. The training plans and the KBP test plans were compared in terms of the new conformity index (nCI) as well as the planning efficiency. RESULTS: Our KBP model showed desirable predictability. For the 40 training plans, the average prediction error from cross-validation was only 0.36 +/- 0.06 mm for DeltaGM, and 0.12 +/- 0.08 for DeltaV50% . The R(2) for the linear fit between req_PTV and req_vi was 0.985 +/- 0.019 for isodose volumes ranging from V10% to V120% ; particularly, R(2) = 0.995 for V50% and R(2) = 0.997 for V100% . Compared to the training plans, our KBP test plan nCI was improved from 1.31 +/- 0.15 to 1.15 +/- 0.08 (P \u3c 0.0001). The efficient automatic generation of the optimization constraints by using our model requested no or little planner\u27s intervention. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a linear KBP based on PTV volumes that accurately predicts CyberKnife SRS/SRT planning dosimetric indices and greatly helps achieve superior plan quality and planning efficiency

Behavioral mechanism of transfer and dispersal of Propylaea japonica in cotton adjacent to sorghum fields

Increasing crop biodiversity, such as by adjacent managed crops, is recognized as an effective biological control measure. However, few studies have focused on the mechanisms involved in how adjacent managed crops increase natural enemy populations, leading to reduced pest numbers. This study investigated the hypothesis that cotton grown adjacent to sorghum would positively influence the feeding and oviposition preferences of the ladybug Propylaea japonica, which predates cotton aphids, leading to enhanced pest control. The populations of Aphis gossypii were significantly lower and those of P. japonica were significantly higher in cotton grown adjacent to sorghum compared with monoculture cotton fields. Regardless of diet on which the larva of P. japonica were reared (Melanaphis sacchari, A. gossypii, and 50% M. sacchari + 50% A. gossypii), the adults always consumed significantly more M. sacchari compared with A. gossypii. P. japonica also showed significantly higher feeding and oviposition preferences for host plants bearing aphids to only host plants. P. japonica fed M. sacchari preferred to lay eggs on cotton, whereas those fed A. gossypii preferred to lay eggs on sorghum. These results suggest that the habitat of natural enemies can be expanded by influencing their feeding and oviposition preferences to achieve pest control in adjacent cropping systems. This research, which incorporates field and laboratory studies, suggests an approach for the successful conservation and biological control of cotton aphids using adjacent managed cotton and sorghum crops

IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF PINE NEEDLE ESSENTIAL OIL FROM DIFFERENT HABITATS AND SPECIES OF CHINA BY GC-MS AND GC METHOD

Background: Fresh pine needles, which evergreen, renewable and can be collected at any time, have abundant essential oil. The pine needle essential oil possess various biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective properties etc., and can be widely used as medicine or medical raw materials, fragrances etc. So in order to make full use of pine needle plant resources, especially essential oil, the identification and quantification of essential oil were investigated. Materials and Methods: GC-MS was used to identified compounds in pine needle essential oil of Pinus massoniana Lamb. from Zhejiang, and GC method was developed for determining 5 compounds (namely α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, bornyl acetate, β-caryophyllene) in pine needle essential oil from different habitats of Pinus massoniana Lamb. and different species (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc., Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv., Abies holophylla Maxim.). Hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) was used to evaluate homogeneity of pine needles in China. Results: 42 compounds(monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) were identified by GC-MS, which accounted for 99.62% of total essential oil, particularly contained α-and β-pinene (45.23%). Quantification results showed content of bornyl acetate were the lowest, while content of α-pinene, β-pinene were all high except Sichuan, among them α-pinene were higher than β-pinene except for Shandong and Jiangsu, and total content of essential oil in Guangxi is the highest, Jiangsu was the lowest within Pinus massoniana from different habitats. Within pine needle from different species, the highest total content was Pinus koraiensis, the lowest was Pinus sylvestris, Interestingly, the highest content of bornyl acetate was Abies holophylla. By HCA, samples were sorted into two clusters, Abies holophylla and the other, that is Abies holophylla is different from Pinus massoniana, Pinus koraiensis and Pinus sylvestris. Pinus massoniana from Sichuan is different from other Pinus, in which limonene was the highest in all samples. Conclusions: Compounds of pine needle essential oil vary greatly between genus, while smaller between species, so composition differences among pine needle essential oil was related with genus and species. Abies holophylla is different from other pinus species, and Pinus massoniana from Sichuan is different from other habitats. Pine needle essential oil contains abundant α-and β-pinene, which can be used as an alternative raw materials source of pinene. And Abies holophylla and Pinus massoniana from Sichuan can become bornyl acetate and limonene alternative source of raw materials

History and Overview of Proton Therapy

The use of proton therapy in oncology is not a new idea. The unique physical properties of protons and potential advantages in radiation therapy were initially recognized in the 1940s. Since the first patients were treated in the 1950s, technology and clinical applications have evolved as evidenced by the increasing number of proton therapy centers and patients being treated throughout the world. This chapter will review the history of proton therapy providing a detailed overview of the cyclotron and synchrotron techniques used and how they have advanced with time

Curative efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes against white grubs in honeysuckle fields

Root-feeding white grubs are one of the most serious pests of honeysuckle trees (Lonicera japonica) in China, directly damaging their roots and facilitating infection by soil pathogens. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are considered as potential control agents against soil-dwelling insect pests. This study aimed to identify effective EPN species against white grubs through bioassay and field experiments. Among the EPN species screened against Holotrichia oblita under laboratory conditions, Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis indica had low virulence, while S. longicaudum, S. glaseri, and H. bacteriophora applied at a rate of 400 IJs/larva caused a higher corrected mortality (80.00 ± 5.77%), which screened them as good candidates for future applications. The field experiments showed that both S. longicaudum and H. bacteriophora were approximately as effective in reducing white grubs as the insecticide phoxim, whereas S. glaseri caused a significantly lower reduction compared with these two EPNs and phoxim. Plant mortalities obtained from S. longicaudum, H. bacteriophora and the insecticide treatment plots were significantly lower than those observed in the water-treated control plots. All EPNs examined could establish well in the treated honeysuckle fields for 42 d, confirmed by Tenebrio molitar larvae baiting technique. Our findings suggest that EPNs could provide curative efficacy against white grubs and significantly reduce plant death in honeysuckle fields

Radiation Injury and Emergency Medicine

The discovery of radiation has led to many advances. Guidelines have been created to minimize radiation exposure and treatment management following both unintentional and intentional exposure. The effects of radiation exposure on specific tissues varies. Tragic consequences can result, ranging from severe, acute injury to long- lasting effects that present years after the initial exposure. In this chapter we provide observations that demonstrate the importance of understanding guidelines to minimize radioactive exposure and the expectations and treatment management following exposure. For the safety and well-being of patients, health care professionals need to remain well-informed to minimize the risks of this tool

The Future of Proton Therapy

Proton therapy is increasing in utilization worldwide at a rapid rate. With process improvements in costs, footprints, and continued advances in the delivery of care, including intensity modulation and image guidance, proton therapy may evolve into standard treatment with photon radiation therapy. This chapter reviews process improvements in proton therapy and the application in modern care

A Study on Optimal Strategy in Relative Radiometric Calibration for Optical Sensors

Based on the analysis of three main factors involved in the relative radiometric calibration for optical sensors, namely: the number of radiance level; the number of measurements at each level; and the radiance level grouping method, an optimal strategy is presented in this paper for relative radiometric calibration. First, the maximization to the possible extent of either the number of the radiance level or the number of measurements at each level can improve the precision of the calibration results, where the recommended number of measurements is no less than 20. Second, when the number of the radiance level is divisible by four, dividing all the levels evenly into four groups by intensity gradient order and conducting averages for each group could achieve calibration results with the highest precision, which is higher than the result of no grouping or any other grouping method with the mean square error being 2 2 M n / I T (where M n is the mean square error of noise in the calibration data, I is the number of the radiance level, and T is the number of measurements for each level. In this case, the first two factors had an equivalent effect and showed their strongest effect on the precision. Third, when the calibration data were not evenly divided, the number of measurements demonstrated a stronger effect than the number of the radiance level. These cognitions are helping to achieve more precise relative radiometric calibration of optical sensors