Cover Image An infl orescence of Clerodendrum izuinsulare (left) and C. trichotomum (right). Photos by Natsuki Aihara in Niijima Island (left) and by Takashi Miyake in Izu Peninsula (right), Japan. Miyake et al., doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12287
A Orobanche boninsimae and its visitors, Japanese white-eyes (Zosterops japonicus). Photo by Akihiro Nishimura at Chichijima Island, the Bonin Islands, Japan. Nishimura & Takayama (2023) “First record of potential bird pollination in the holoparasitic genus Orobanche L.” Plant Species Biology, 6–17 https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12389
Leptocereus santamarinae. In Herradura beach in Las Tunas Province. Photo by Duniel Barrios. Flores et al. https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1442-1984.12334 (right) Echinocereus enneacanthus (Cactaceae). Spring of 2020, Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, Southern Chihuahuan Desert, Durango, Mexico. Photo by José Antonio Aranda-Pineda. Aranda-Pineda et al. https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1442-1984.12329 (left)
Cover Image The pistillate-phase flowers of Artabotrys (Annonaceae): A. blumei (left) and A. brachypetalus (right). Photos by Junhao Chen, taken in Hong Kong and South Africa, respectively (DOI: 10.1111/1442-1984.12273 ).
Cover Image Tulipa pumila. This photo was taken by Sandro Pratesi at Doccino at the municipality of Riparbella, province of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy (DOI: 10.1111/1442-1984.12267 ).
Cover Image Cyrtopodium paludicolum. This photo was taken by Dr. João C. F. Cardoso, on the Panga Ecological Station, Uberlândia City, Minas-Gerais state, Brazil.
Cover Image Left: Isodon shikokianus var. occidentalis (Photo by I. Dohzono, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan) Right: Isodon umbrosus var. leucanthus f. kameba (Photo by I. Dohzono, Okutama, Tokyo Metropolitan area, Japan)
Beautiful underwater view of an edible brown alga, Sargassum fusiforme (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) at the rocky shore in Sakurajima, Kagoshima, Japan (Photo by Ryuta Terada). Characteristic responses of the PSII photochemical efficiency on desiccation and salinity gradients in S. fusiforme are reported by Yonemori et al. in this issue.
Left: Isodon shikokianus and Bombus diversus Right: Isodon shikokianus and Bombus honshuensis Both Photos by Ikumi Dohzono at Mt. Hyonosen, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Ogishima, M., Hoshino, Y., Horie, S., Yamashiro, T., Maki, M., Suzuki, K., & Dohzono, I. (2022). Secondary contact and adaptation to local pollinator assemblages mediate geographical variation in corolla length in Isodon shikokianus. Plant Species Biology, 222–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12370
Cover Image Left: Close‐up photograph of a hairy plant of Arabidopsis halleri subsp. gemmifera. Right: Larva of Phaedon brassicae feeding on a glabrous plant. Photographs by Yasuhiro Sato. Locality: Taka‐cho, Hyogo, Japan
Human calcitonin (hCT) is a 32-residue peptide hormone that is produced in the thyroid where it regulates blood calcium levels and promotes bone formation. While hCT was previously used to treat bone disorders, this has ceased because hCT has been shown to aggregate when elevated levels of the peptide are either produced naturally or injected, and the resulting amyloid fibrils toxic. Deguo Du and his team report the effects of cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate and 3β-[N- (dimethylaminoethane) carbamoyl]- cholesterol (DC-cholesterol) on oxidised hCT, revealing an inhibitory effect of DC-cholesterol on amyloidogenesis. The results provide mechanistic information on the interactions at play and may aid the design of steroid-based structures for inhibiting hCT aggregation. (DOI: 10.1002/bip.23343)
Top-left: Viburnum opulus in Iwaya, Aomori, Japan. Top-center: Viburnum plicatum in Kibune, Kyoto, Japan. Top-right: Viburnum dilatatum in Iwakura, Kyoto, Japan. Bottom-left: Viburnum sieboldii in Mt. Nabejiri, Shiga, Japan. Bottom-center: Viburnum erosum in Kurama, Kyoto, Japan. Bottom-right: Viburnum phlebotrichum in Aburazaka, Fukui, Japan. Photos by Akira Armando Wong Sato Wong Sato & Kato (2021) Decorative sterile flowers in nine Japanese species of Viburnum (Adoxaceae) and their infl uence on pollinator visits. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12347
Cover Image Telipogon peruvianus is a highly restricted Neotropical orchid species, endemic to the southern Peruvian Andes. It is only known from two localities, which are affected by anthropogenic disturbance. The present study investigated whether the restricted distribution of T. peruvianus has led to low genetic diversity and inbreeding, thus threatening its survival. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12291
A false‐colored and merged image of fresh, ex vivo rat kidney acquired using an excitation‐scanning hyperspectral imaging system. The spectral image was acquired using excitation wavelengths from 360 to 550 nm. Colors represent principal components extracted from a spectral image cube featuring no added labels or markers. Further details can be found in the article by Peter F. Favreau, Joshua A. Deal, Bradley Harris, et al. ( e201900183 ).
CRISPR-Cas9 system with PEG-mediated transfection was efficient for genome editing in Ulva prolifera. U. prolifera (left) and male gametes (middle). Wild type (upper right) and the genome-edited strain (lower right) cultured in 2-FA selection medium, and each mutation site on the APT gene. See Ichihara et al. in this issue.
We report on an attempt to increase the therapeutic effect of photodynamic therapy using a lipid nanoparticle (LNP). The findings indicate that the internal structure of the LNPs change depending on the amount of photosensitizer in the particle. The photoactivity and cell-killing effect of photosensitizer also changed with increasing amount of cargo, suggesting that the internal structure of the LNP is an important factor that affect the therapeutic effect. Further details can be found in the article by Fumika Kubota, Satrialdi, Yuta Takano, Masatoshi Maeki, Manabu Tokeshi, Hideyoshi Harashima, and Yuma Yamada ( e202200119 ).
Left: Justicia betonica inflorescence showing completely opened bilabiate flowers. Photo by Prakash Karmakar Top-right: Potter wasp (Anterhynchium abdominale) collecting nectar. By Mrinmoy Midday Bottom-center: Black and White Cuckoo bee (Thyreus) searching for nectar. By P. Karmakar Bottom-right: Sweet bee (Halictus acrocephalus) gathering pollen. By M. Midday The photographs are taken adjacent to the Vidyasagar University Campus, West Bengal, India. Karmakar P et al. (2022) Floral biology, breeding system and pollination ecology of Justicia betonica L. (Acanthaceae): an assessment of its low reproductive success in West Bengal, India. Plant Species Biology, 278–293. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12380
