Forest ecosystems face increasing drought exposure due to climate change, necessitating accurate measurements of vegetation water content to assess drought stress and tree mortality risks. While Frequency Domain Reflectometry offers a viable method for monitoring stem water content by measuring dielectric permittivity, challenges arise from uncertainties in sensor calibration linked to wood properties and species variability, impeding its wider usage. We sampled tropical forest trees and palms in eastern Amazônia, to evaluate how sensor output differences are controlled by wood density, temperature and taxonomic identity. Three individuals per species were felled and cut into segments (total n = 262), within a diverse dataset comprising five dicotyledonous tree-and three monocotyledonous palm species on a wide range of wood densities. Water content was estimated gravimetrically for each segment using a temporally explicit wet-up/dry-down approach, and the relationship with the dielectric permittivity was examined. Woody tissue density had no significant impact on the calibration, but species identity and temperature significantly affected sensor readings. The temperature artefact was quantitatively important at large temperature differences which may have led to significant bias of daily and seasonal water content dynamics in previous studies. We established the first tropical tree and palm calibration equation that performed well for estimating water content. Notably, we demonstrated that the sensitivity remained consistent across species, enabling the creation of a simplified one-slope calibration for accurate, species-independent measurements of relative water content. Our one-slope calibration serves as a general, and species-independent standard calibration for assessing relative water content in woody tissue, offering a valuable tool for quantifying drought responses and stress in trees and forest ecosystems.

The genus Oenocarpus Martius, 1823 (Arecaceae) includes five species commonly used in Amazonia, especially for their fruits. Little is known about the cytogenetic characteristics and DNA amounts of these species, except for O.bataua (Martius, 1823). This study characterized and compared the types of interphase nuclei, the chromosome sets, and estimated the nuclear DNA amounts of Oenocarpusbacaba (Martius, 1823), O.bataua, O.distichus (Martius, 1823), O.mapora (H. Karsten, 1857) and O.minor (Martius, 1823). Standard cytogenetic analyses and estimates of the nuclear DNA amount by flow cytometry were carried out. These are the first reports of chromosome numbers and DNA amounts, except for O.bataua, as is the description of the chromatin distribution in interphase nuclei and karyotype for all species. All species presented 2n = 36, confirming the previous report for O.bataua. Differences between karyotype formulas and the positioning of secondary constrictions were observed. There were no significant differences for the nuclear DNA amounts among species. The constancy in chromosome number and variations in karyotype formulas suggest the occurrence of chromosome rearrangement as an important mechanism in Oenocarpus speciation.

暂无摘要。

Aquagenic syringeal keratoderma (ASK), rare in males, is characterized by the rapid onset of edematous palmar wrinkling with small white papules after brief contact with water or sweat. A 24-year-old atopic male presented with a 2-week subacute history of bilateral palmar edema with whitish-colored papules after exposure to water, 3 months after having had COVID-19 infection treated with a full course of ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (PAXLOVIDTM). He had received 3 COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer, New York, NY) about 12 months prior. Workup was negative. Initial spontaneous near-resolution 2 months after onset was temporary, with recurrence 1 month later. Treatment with 12% topical aluminum chloride was ineffective. Botulinum toxin injection to both palms led to resolution of symptoms that has been sustained for 7 months. The association between atopy and ASK remains weak. We present a case of new-onset ASK in an adult male 3 months following COVID-19 infection without a history of excessive handwashing. Our patient may have had a predisposition to recurrent ASK due to his history of atopy including atopic dermatitis and food allergy anaphylaxis combined with prior COVID-19 infection. It is possible that ASK is a novel manifestation of post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PASC) infection or long COVID.

Palmoplantar (PP) psoriasis is considered one of the most hard-to-treat areas with important impact on patients\' quality of life, and few data are available about the efficacy of dimethylfumarate (DMF) on these areas. In our noninterventional multicentre retrospective cohort study of patients with PP psoriasis treated with DMF, effectiveness was evaluated as mean pp Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (ppPASI) reduction and as proportion of patients that reach ppPASI 75 at 4, 12, 24 and 48 weeks. The reduction in ppPASI was 23.5% at w4, 49.7% at w12, 69.1% at w24 and 81.1% at w48. pp Investigator\'s Global Assessment (ppIGA) 0/1 was reached by 5 patients (10.64%) at w4, 10 patients (23.8%) at w12, 11 patients (40.7%) at w24 and 12 patients (60%) at w48 confirming that DMF could represent an effective therapy in patients affected by PP psoriasis. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated although only 24 patients made it to 24 weeks of therapy and 28 patients completed the observation period at 48 weeks. None of the patients reported adverse events requiring discontinuation of the drug. However, this discontinuation rate is in line with clinical trials and real-world evidence.

Studies argue that knowledge about motives for physical activity participation can inform activities, initiatives and interventions to promote physical activity. However, most of these studies are based on small sample sizes and only include participants within a few selected types of PA. Further, they have not examined the consistency of individuals\' motives across different activity types. As a result, this article examines RQ1: the most prevalent motives, RQ2: the association of motives with activity type and social background characteristics, and RQ3: the consistency of motives across different activity types.
We utilised data from a survey of physical activity participation among 163,000 adult Danes (aged 15 + years). In the survey, the participants were asked about their participation in thirteen activity types and about their motives for practising the activity types they reported to do at least weekly. The motive items were operationalised based on the eight dimensions in the Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS). We conducted analyses of mean values and standard deviations as well as multilevel regression analyses.
We identified large differences in the importance of different motives for physical activity participation. The three most important motives were psychological condition (M = 4.54), physical condition (M = 4.48) and enjoyment (M = 4.36). We also found significant associations between motives and activity types in particular, but also between motives and social background characteristics (gender, age and educational level). For instance, we found that compared to running, physical condition was a much less important motive in outdoor activities (b = -3.01), activities on water (b = -2.44) and street sports (b = -2.38). Finally, our analysis showed how individuals\' motives are not consistent across different activity types.
Our study contributes to the literature on motives for physical activity participation by using a large sample of individuals and by differentiating motives according to a wide range of activity types. The results underline the need to study motives in relation to activity types, as there are large differences in the prevalence of different motives. Our findings suggest that motives are not consistent across activity types, but rather they develop in an interplay between the individual and the activity type practised.

Species are seen as the fundamental unit of biotic diversity, and thus their delimitation is crucial for defining measures for diversity assessments and studying evolution. Differences between species have traditionally been associated with variation in morphology. And yet, the discovery of cryptic diversity suggests that the evolution of distinct lineages does not necessarily involve morphological differences. Here, we analyze 1,684,987 variant sites and over 4,000 genes for more than 400 samples to show how a tropical montane plant lineage (Geonoma undata species complex) is composed of numerous unrecognized genetic groups that are not morphologically distinct. We find that 11 to 14 clades do not correspond to the three currently recognized species. Most clades are genetically different and geographic distance and topography are the most important factors determining this genetic divergence. The genetic structure of this lineage does not match its morphological variation. Instead, this species complex constitutes the first example of a hyper-cryptic plant radiation in tropical mountains.

The involvement of palms and soles is variable among disease entities belonging to autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD). We present our own clinical-laboratory experience concerning presentations of skin lesions on palms and soles in the pemphigus diseases group, pemphigoid diseases group, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA), and lichen planus pemphigoides (LPP) and discuss the pertinent literature.
Lesions on palms and soles were assessed retrospectively on the basis of just photographic archives from the beginning of 2014 to March 2023. We comparatively evaluated 462 Slavic patients with AIBD.
Palmoplantar involvement was observed in only 21 patients with AIBD (12 females and 9 males). There was no statistically significant difference between palmoplantar involvement in the pemphigus diseases group compared to the pemphigoid diseases group and no statistically significant difference between the pemphigus diseases group compared to the subepithelial AIBD.
Nevertheless, particularly in LPP and EBA, and occasionally in pemphigus diseases and pemphigoid diseases groups of AIBD, localization on palms and soles may be diagnostically important at the clinical level.

Palmoplantar psoriasis (PP) represents a localized type of disease. While controversy over its\' classification exists, a hyperkeratotic type, a pustular type and palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) have been recognized. PP management is regularly supported by biologic agents. Our study aimed to review and synthesize available data regarding the efficacy of approved biologics for PP and PPP.
A literature search was conducted in PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, and ClinicalTrilas.gov. Utilizing random-effects inverse-variance frequentist network meta-analyses (NMAs), we ranked interventions. The proportion of participants with cleared skin was the primary outcome. Fifty and 75% improvement in palmoplantar psoriasis area severity index (PPASI) were also explored (PPASI50, PPASI75).
In total, 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the efficacy of on-label adalimumab, bimekizumab, etanercept, guselkumab, infliximab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab were included. Data for PP were synthesized. Every biologic agent examined, except from infliximab, outperformed placebo. On-label secukinumab exhibited the highest probability of inducing complete resolution. Ixekizumab and infliximab ranked best on inducing PPASI50 and PPASI75. Our review supports that guselkumab is effective for PPP.
Secukinumab, ixekizumab and infliximab are effective for PP. Research is warranted to produce evidence about the efficacy of biologics in PP and PPP.

Ganoderma butt rot is a lethal disease of palms (Arecaceae) prevalent in palm-growing regions in the US that infects at least 58 species of palms (Elliott and Broschat 2001). Early symptoms appear as wilting of older fronds in the lower part of the canopy, and as disease progresses, wilting advances to younger leaves higher in the canopy towards the unopened spear leaf eventually killing the palm. A characteristic sign of the disease is the appearance of fruiting bodies (basidiomata) at the base of the palm trunk close to soil line. Ganoderma butt rot disease was detected on clustering palm species, areca palms, with 9 (82%) clusters showing Ganoderma basidiocarps and dead stumps, and mortality was observed in 5 (45%) clusters. A sterile scalpel was used to transfer the context tissue from Ganoderma basidiomata to full-strength potato dextrose agar selective media supplemented with streptomycin (100 mg/l), lactic acid (2 ml/l) and benomyl (4 mg/l). The pure culture for isolate GAN-33 was grown at 28°C in complete darkness for 10 days. The fungal colony was ivory white in color that grew radially as a dense mycelial mat without any sporulation. To establish the identity of the fungus, DNA was extracted using the Qiagen DNeasy PowerSoil kit (Cat. #12888). Three barcoding genes, nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1α (tef1α) were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al 1990), bRPB2-6f/bRPB2-b7.1R (Matheny et al 2007) and EF1-983F/EF1-2212R (Matheny et al 2007), respectively. The sequences were deposited in GenBank, accession numbers KX853442, KX853466 and KX853491 for ITS, rpb2 and tef1α, respectively (Elliott et al 2018). Comparison to the NCBI nucleotide sequence database identified isolate GAN-33 as Ganoderma zonatum based on 100, 99 and 99% similarity to ITS, rpb2 and tef1α sequences, respectively. Pathogenicity of G. zonatum isolate GAN-33 was determined on 1-year old seedlings of areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) and pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii). Ganoderma zonatum inoculum was prepared by transferring two-week old cultures to autoclaved wheat berries and allowed to colonize for two weeks. Seedlings were gently removed from the pot and the roots were trimmed before placing them back in the pot ensuring that the roots were in contact with the G. zonatum colonized wheat berries. The inoculated and control seedlings were maintained in a growth chamber at 28°C 60% RH (daytime) and 24°C 50% RH (night time), 12h:8h light:dark period, and watered twice a week. Initial wilting symptoms started appearing approximately one month after inoculation and mortality was observed for a total of four seedlings at three months after inoculation i.e., 2 out of 3 G. zonatum inoculated seedlings died for both areca and robellini palms, whereas the non-inoculated areca and robellini palm control seedlings remained healthy and alive. The pathogen was re-isolated from inoculated roots, and its identity was confirmed by colony morphology and PCR using G. zonatum specific primers (Chakrabarti et al 2022). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report establishing G. zonatum as the pathogen responsible for Ganoderma butt rot of palms.