Search Results (201)

Soil salinity in wheat represents a severe threat to global productivity, requiring a deep understanding of physiological adaptation mechanisms to ensure food security in the context of continuous agricultural land degradation. The study aim was to assess the impact of a salinity gradient (0–75 mM NaCl) on the dynamics of stomatal opening and chlorophyll content of the varieties Glosa, Taisa, Boema and Granny. The methodology integrated four joint classes, of which two were from detailed physiological parameters, stomatal features and chlorophyll content, and two morphological characteristics, growth visual indices and biomass allocation. All data was corroborated into an original hierarchical synthesis model presented in a multi-layered sunburst plot. The most relevant results indicate that the concentration of 45 mM NaCl represents the osmotic adjustment threshold, where the active accumulation of ions decreases the internal osmotic potential, facilitating an influx of water that maximizes guard cell turgor and, implicitly, stomatal width. Maximal physiological parameters and biomass ranked the variety Granny first, followed by Taisa. Despite stomatal increases, Boema ranked third and Glosa showed overall decreased development and the lowest plant biomass. These findings validate the use of interconnected effects analysis as a screening tool for identifying the salinity responses of wheat varieties. Full article

Plant pathogens are a major cause of crop yield loss, making disease resistance breeding crucial for crop improvement. Plants have evolved innate immune systems, mediated by immune-related genes such as nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NLR), pattern-recognition receptors (PRR) and susceptibility genes, which are essential resources for breeding disease-resistant plants. To identify immunity genes, extensive genetic approaches that examine the association between resistance phenotypes and genomic regions have been applied with great success. While genetic methods remain important for identifying immunity genes, novel strategies that rely on functional rather than genetic association with disease resistance offer unique advantages. For example, mutagenesis with R gene enrichment sequencing (MutRenSeq) enabled the identification of wheat resistance genes Sr22 and Sr45 by comparing the NLRomes of resistant and susceptible lines while single-cell RNA sequencing resolved cell-type-specific responses to pathogen infection and revealed ZmChit7, especially in maize epidermal and guard cells. These approaches reach beyond existing natural variation, can accelerate experimental timelines, reduce the experimental scale, and provide mechanistic insights into pathogen resistance. This review discusses emerging techniques that generate focused candidate immunity gene lists or accelerate their validation, as both are required to identify causal variants for resistance breeding. We consider advances in RenSeq-derived methods, spatial omics, proximity labelling, computational prediction, Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) screens, and cell death assays. These approaches are reshaping resistance breeding pipelines beyond association-based discovery. By discussing the strengths and limitations of these emerging methods and their combinations, we outline current opportunities and future directions to help plant pathologists to more effectively identify and validate plant immunity genes. Full article

In the current context of climate change, special attention should be paid to assuring the security of food and fruits. Lemon trees struggle to keep their physiological traits stable in the context of all the cumulated challenges originating from climate stress. Therefore, our aim was to assess two seed priming methods’ long-term effects on some physiological parameters of young lemon trees. The relative chlorophyll content reveals that hydropriming shows 26% increases from E1 to E6, similar to the control, while osmopriming has a 31% higher value at the beginning and after three years. Leaf stomatal density has 80% lower values due to osmopriming compared to the control, while hydropriming show 15% lower values. Leaf area development was slightly similar between treatments, with more leaves being developed after hydropriming treatments. Guard cell width has similar values for priming, with both being with 40% higher than that of the control. Lemon trees grown after osmotic stress have the highest mass percentages of magnesium and potassium in the leaves. Hydropriming promotes calcium oxalate accumulation and a high mass percentage of phosphorus. The percentage allocation of carbon as dry matter is 32% for osmopriming, significantly higher than for the other treatments. The quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport is the only significant photosynthetic parameter for osmoprimed lemon young trees. Physiological techniques successfully enhanced the overall growth of three-year-old lemon trees, especially osmopriming treatment. Full article

This work advances a 6G-ready, micro-granular SDN fabric that unifies high-performance edge data planes with intent-driven, multi-domain orchestration and cloud offloading. First, edge and cell-site whiteboxes are upgraded with Smart Network Interface Cards and embedded AI accelerators, enabling line-rate processing of data flows and on-box learning/inference directly in the data plane. This pushes functions such as traffic classification, telemetry, and anomaly mitigation to the point of ingress, reducing latency and backhaul load. Second, an SDN controller, i.e., ETSI TeraFlowSDN, is extended to deliver multi-domain SDN orchestration with native lifecycle management (LCM) for whitebox Network Operating Systems—covering onboarding, configuration-drift control, rolling upgrades/rollbacks, and policy-guarded compliance—so operators can reliably manage heterogeneous edge fleets at scale. Third, the SDN controller incorporates a new NFV-O client that seamlessly offloads network services—such as ML pipelines or NOS components—to telco clouds via an NFV orchestrator (e.g., ETSI Open Source MANO), enabling elastic placement and scale-out across the edge–cloud continuum. Together, these contributions deliver an open, programmable platform that couples in-situ acceleration with closed-loop, intent-based orchestration and elastic cloud resources, targeting demonstrable gains in end-to-end latency, throughput, operational agility, and energy efficiency for emerging 6G services. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Kidney transplant recipients have a 2–4-fold higher cancer risk than the general population. The sequential occurrence of multiple myeloma (MM) and native-kidney renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare and creates competing priorities between anti-myeloma efficacy and allograft preservation. Case Presentation: A 54-year-old woman with a 2020 living-donor kidney transplant presented in 2024 with bone pain and shoulder swelling. Low-dose whole-body CT showed multiple punched-out osteolytic lesions. Work-up revealed IgG-κ M-protein 38.5 g/L and 25% clonal plasma cells; cytogenetics showed a complex karyotype (R-ISS III). First-line bortezomib/cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone (VCd) was given while maintaining tacrolimus plus low-dose steroid. After four cycles, she achieved very good partial response (M-protein 42.3 to 5.6 g/L) with stable graft function. Follow-up imaging detected a large exophytic mass in the native right kidney; nephrectomy confirmed papillary RCC, type II. Later, the myeloma progressed with epidural extension causing cord compression. Second-line daratumumab/carfilzomib/dexamethasone (DKd) and palliative spine radiotherapy were initiated. The course was complicated by opportunistic infection and pancytopenia, and the patient died in January 2025. Conclusions: Vigilant post-transplant cancer surveillance—including native-kidney RCC—tailored immunosuppression, and multidisciplinary coordination are critical. VCd with tacrolimus may be feasible when graft preservation is prioritized; however, relapsed high-risk MM on DKd carries substantial infectious risk and a guarded prognosis. Full article

Polyploidization is a rapid breeding strategy for producing new varieties with superior agronomic traits. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), an important fiber crop, exhibits high adaptability to diverse stress conditions. However, comprehensive studies on polyploid induction, screening, and genetic identification in kenaf remain unreported. This study first established an optimal tetraploid induction system for diploid kenaf seeds using colchicine. The results showed that a 4-h treatment with 0.3% colchicine yielded the highest tetraploid induction rate of 37.59%. Compared with diploids, tetraploid plants displayed distinct phenotypic and physiological characteristics: dwarfism with shortened internodal distance, increased stem thickness, larger and thicker leaves with deeper green color and serration, as well as enlarged flowers, capsules, and seeds. Physiologically, tetraploid leaves featured increased chloroplast numbers in guard cells, reduced stomatal density, and larger pollen grains, elevated chlorophyll content. Further analyses revealed that tetraploid kenaf had elevated contents of various trace elements, enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, prolonged growth duration, and superior agronomic traits with higher biomass (54.54% higher fresh weight, 79.17% higher dry weight). These findings confirm the effectiveness of colchicine-induced polyploidization in kenaf, and the obtained tetraploid germplasm provides valuable resources for accelerating the breeding of elite kenaf varieties with improved yield and quality. Full article

Pediatric tumors such as neuroblastoma are characterized by a genome-wide ‘transcriptional burden’, surmising the involvement of multiple alterations of gene expression. Search for master regulators of transcription whose inactivation is lethal for tumor cells identified the non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein (NONO), a member of the Drosophila Behavior/Human Splicing family known for the ability to form complexes with macromolecules. NONO emerges as an essential mechanism in normal neurogenesis as well as in tumor biology. In particular, NONO interactions with RNAs, largely with long non-coding MYCN transcripts, have been attributed to the aggressiveness of neuroblastoma. Broadening its significance beyond MYCN regulation, NONO guards a subset of transcription factors that comprise a core regulatory circuit, a self-sustained loop that maintains transcription. As a component of protein–protein complexes, NONO has been implicated in the control of cell cycle progression, double-strand DNA repair, and, generally, in cell survival. Altogether, the pro-oncogenic roles of NONO justify the need for its inactivation as a therapeutic strategy. However, considering NONO as a therapeutic target, its druggability is a challenge. Recent advances in the inactivation of NONO and downstream signaling with small molecular weight compounds make promising the development of pharmacological antagonists of NONO pathway(s) for neuroblastoma treatment. Full article

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja is a rare and multifunctional tree species endemic to China. This study aimed to establish a feasible method for polyploid induction in C. paliurus with colchicine treatment, and the obtained polyploid plants were identified and characterized. In this study, natural diploid and tetraploid C. paliurus seedlings were treated with different concentrations and durations of colchicine to induce polyploidization. The results indicated that a colchicine concentration of 0.4% for 4 d was the most suitable induction protocol, respectively. Compared with diploid and tetraploid control plants, the induced polyploid plants were shorter and thinner. The number of compound leaves in induced polyploids were fewer, and the compound leaf areas became smaller. The stomatal density of induced polyploids decreased, but the stomata became larger and wider, with an increased number of chloroplasts in the guard cells. The induced polyploids exhibited higher levels of carotenoid, and the contents of soluble sugar, soluble starch, and soluble protein were higher than those of controls. The polyploid plants exhibited an increase in the contents of growth-inhibiting hormones (JA) and a decrease in those of growth-promoting hormones (IAA, GA₃, BR). In summary, the induced polyploids with a dwarfing effect would provide superior germplasm resources for leaf-harvesting plantation. As C. paliurus is endemic to China, our results have a rather local effect. Overall, the established polyploid induction method of C. paliurus will provide technical support for creating superior C. paliurus germplasm resources and subsequent plant breeding research. Full article

Diploid Vaccinium fuscatum is a wild blueberry species with a low chilling requirement, an evergreen growth habit, and soil adaptability to southeast US growing regions. Regardless of its potential to improve the abiotic and biotic resilience of cultivated blueberries, this species has rarely been used for blueberry breeding. One hurdle is the ploidy barrier between diploid V. fuscatum and tetraploid cultivated highbush blueberries. To overcome the ploidy barrier, vegetative shoots micro-propagated from one genotype of V. fuscatum, selected because it grew vigorously in vitro and two southern highbush cultivars, ‘Emerald’ and ‘Rebel,’ were treated with colchicine. While shoot regeneration was severely repressed in ‘Emerald’ and ‘Rebel,’ shoot production from the V. fuscatum clone was not compromised at either 500 µM or 5000 µM colchicine concentrations. Due to the high number of shoots produced in vitro via the V. fuscatum clone shoots of this clone that had an enlarged stem diameter in vitro were subjected to flow cytometer analysis to screen for induced polyploidy. Sixteen synthetic tetraploid V. fuscatum, one synthetic octoploid ‘Emerald,’ and three synthetic octoploid ‘Rebel’ were identified. Growth rates of the polyploid-induced mutants were reduced compared to their respective wildtype controls. The leaf width and length of synthetic tetraploid V. fuscatum and synthetic octoploid ‘Emerald’ was increased compared to the wildtypes, whereas the leaf width and length of synthetic octoploid ‘Rebel’ were reduced compared to the wildtype controls. Significant increases in stem thickness and stomata guard cell length were found in the polyploidy-induced mutant lines compared to the wildtypes. In the meantime, stomata density was reduced in the mutant lines. These morphological changes may improve drought tolerance and photosynthesis in these mutant lines. Synthetic tetraploid V. fuscatum can be used for interspecific hybridization with highbush blueberries to expand the genetic base of cultivated blueberries. Full article

Stomata, highly specialized structures that evolved on the aerial surfaces of plants, play a crucial role in regulating hydration, mitigating the effects of abiotic stress. Stomatal lineage development involves a series of coordinated events, such as initiation, stem cell proliferation, and cell fate determination, ultimately leading to the differentiation of guard cells. While core transcriptional regulators and signaling pathways controlling stomatal cell division and fate determination have been characterized over the past twenty years, the molecular mechanisms linking stomatal development to dynamic environmental cues remain poorly understood. Therefore, stomatal development is considered an active and compelling frontier in plant biology research. On the one hand, this review aims to provide an understanding of the molecular networks governing stomatal ontogenesis, which relies on the activation and function of the transcription factors SPEECHLESS (SPCH), MUTE, and FAMA; the EPF–TMM and ERECTA receptor systems; and downstream MAPK signaling. On the other hand, it synthesizes current discoveries of how hormonal signaling pathways regulate stomatal development in response to environmental changes. As the climate crisis intensifies, the understanding of the complex interplay between stress stimuli and key factors regulating stomatal development may reveal key mechanisms that enhance plant resilience under adverse environmental conditions. Full article

Epicardial mesothelial cells (EMCs), which form the epicardium, play a crucial role in cardiac homeostasis and repair. Upon damage, EMCs reactivate embryonic development programs, contributing to wound healing, progenitor cell amplification, and regulation of lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis, and fibrosis. However, the mechanisms governing EMC activation and subsequent regulation remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a pleiotropic regulator of various cellular functions, could modulate EMC activity. To verify this hypothesis, we developed HGF-overexpressing mesenchymal stromal cell sheets (HGF-MSC CSs) and evaluated their effects on EMCs in vitro and in vivo. This study has revealed, for the first time, that EMCs express the c-Met (HGF receptor) on their surface and that both recombinant HGF and HGF-MSC CSs secretome cause c-Met phosphorylation, triggering downstream intracellular signaling. Our findings demonstrate that the HGF-MSC CSs secretome promotes cell survival under hypoxic conditions by modulating the level of autophagy. At the same time, HGF-MSC CSs stimulate EMC proliferation, promoting their amplification in the damage zone. These data demonstrate that HGF-MSC CSs can be considered a promising regulator of epicardial cell activity involved in heart repair after ischemic damage. Full article

Polyploidy in plants can enhance stress resistance and secondary metabolite production, offering potential benefits for Clausena lansium (L.) Skeel, a medicinally valuable species. However, systematic studies of polyploidy-induced morphological, anatomical, and metabolic changes in this species are lacking. This study aimed to induce and characterize polyploid C. lansium lines, assess ploidy-dependent variations, and evaluate their impact on bioactive metabolite accumulation. Three cultivars were hybridized, treated with colchicine, and bred, yielding 13 stable polyploid lines confirmed by flow cytometry and chromosome counting. The polyploids exhibited distinct traits, including larger pollen grains, altered leaf margins, increased leaflet numbers, enlarged guard cells with reduced stomatal density, and thicker leaf tissues. Metabolomic analysis revealed that tetraploids accumulated significantly higher levels of flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids compared to diploids, while triploids showed moderate increases. These findings demonstrate that polyploidization, particularly tetraploidy, enhances C. lansium’s medicinal potential by boosting pharmacologically active compounds. The study expands germplasm resources and supports the development of high-quality cultivars for pharmaceutical applications. Full article

Longshan Lilium lancifolium is a well-known medicinal and edible lily and has been registered as a geographical indicator in China. Polyploidization confers many advantages in lily production; however, characteristics of Longshan L. lancifolium improved by polyploidization have not been reported. Here, polyploidization was induced in regenerated Longshan L. lancifolium shoots using colchicine, and the mutant plantlets were characterized by morphological observation, flow cytometry, and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker technology. The optimal medium for inducing shoot regeneration was Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 0.2 mg/L of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.4 mg/L of thidiazuron (TDZ). The greatest mutation induction effect was obtained after soaking the regenerated shoots in 0.10% colchicine for 48 h, for an 80.00% frequency of morphological variants. Forty-one mutant plantlets were subjected to flow cytometry, identifying one homozygous polyploid, ‘JD-12’, and one chimeric polyploid, ‘JD-37’. Additionally, 68 chromosomes were found in the ‘JD-12’ root tip cells. Compared with the control, both the tissue-cultured and field-generated ‘JD-12’ plantlets presented a slight decrease in plant height, a darker green leaf color, a rougher leaf surface, and a larger bulblet diameter; furthermore, the upper epidermal and guard cells of ‘JD-12’ were much larger with a significantly lower stomatal density. The ISSR marker detection indicated a genetic variation rate of 6.10% in ‘JD-12’. These results provide a basis for lily polyploidization breeding and the cultivation of superior Longshan L. lancifolium via shoot regeneration. Full article

This study investigated the effects of oryzalin treatments on the induction of polyploids and variants, as well as their subsequent morphological and physiological characteristics, in Lysimachia xiangxiensis, a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Primulaceae family that is known for its ornamental value. A total of 52 of the 162 treated stem segments survived after treatments and further developed into plantlets, and significant morphological changes in leaf color and growth status were observed. Using flow cytometry and chromosome counting, plants are categorized into the three variant types (VT1, VT2, and VT3), that is, VT1 and VT2 were diploid aneuploids, while VT3 was triploid. The optimized polyploid induction scheme involved treatment with 0.001% oryzalin for 4 days, resulting in an induction rate of up to 100%. Higher concentrations and longer exposure durations resulted in lower survival and polyploid induction rates of all stem segments during the above-mentioned processing. Observation of morphological features indicated that triploid VT3 vines were longer, with larger and thicker leaves and more guard cells, but lower stomatal density, compared with diploid aneuploids or the wild type. Polyploids outperformed other types in terms of chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO₂ concentration, but had a lower flavonoid content. The results demonstrate that oryzalin can effectively induce polyploidy and variants in L. xiangxiensis, resulting in beneficial changes in morphology and physiological characteristics; this should provide valuable insight into the improvement of excellent varieties in plants. Full article

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with rising incidence and an unclear etiology. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have recently emerged as key regulators of mucosal immunity and tissue homeostasis and are increasingly implicated in IBD. Unlike adaptive lymphocytes, ILCs do not require antigen recognition and clonal expansion to respond rapidly to environmental cues and shape immune responses. In a healthy gut, ILCs maintain intestinal homeostasis by guarding the epithelial barrier, protecting against pathogens, and mounting proper responses to external insults. However, their altered differentiation, proliferation, recruitment, activation, and interaction with other host cells, microbiota, and environmental stimuli may contribute to IBD. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding murine and human ILCs in the context of intestinal inflammation and IBD. A deeper understanding of ILC-mediated immune mechanisms may offer novel therapeutic strategies for restoring intestinal homeostasis and improving personalized management of IBD. Full article