The present work investigates primarily the morphology evolution of the body-centered-cubic (BCC)/B2 phases in AlxNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with increasing Al content, which has been neglected so far. There exist two types of microscopic morphologies of BCC and B2 phases in this HEA series: one is the weave-like morphology induced by the spinodal decomposition, and the other is the microstructure of a spherical disordered BCC precipitation on the ordered B2 matrix that appears in HEAs with a much higher Al content. The shape of coherent precipitates is found to be closely related to the lattice misfit between BCC and B2 phases, which is sensitive to Al. The mechanical properties, including the compressive yielding strength and microhardness of the AlxNiCoFeCr HEAs, are also discussed in light of the concept of the valence electron concentration (VEC).

The thorough description of the peculiarities of additively manufactured structures represents a current challenge for aspiring freeform fabrication methods, such as the selective laser melting (SLM). All of which have an immense advantage in the fast fabrication (no special tooling or moulds required), the geometrical flexibility in the design of components, and their efficiency when only low quantities are required. However, designs demand the precise knowledge of the material properties, which in case of additively manufactured structures are anisotropic and, under certain circumstances, in addition of an inhomogeneous nature. Furthermore, these characteristics are highly dependent on the fabrication settings. Within this study, the anisotropic tensile properties of selective laser melted stainless steel (1.4404, 316L) are investigated: The Young’s modulus ranged from 148 GPa to 227 GPa, the ultimate tensile strength from 512 MPa to 699 MPa and the breaking elongation ranged, respectively, from 12% to 43%. The results were compared to related studies, in order to classify the influence of the fabrication settings. Furthermore, the influence of the chosen raw material was addressed by comparing deviations on the directional dependencies reasoned by differing microstructural developments during manufacture. Stainless steel was found to possess its maximum strength at a 45° layer versus loading offset, which is precisely where AlSi10Mg was previously reported to be at its weakest.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a primary energy food for Asian population. One of the most constraints in rice production is soil salinity because of the rice is very susceptible to salt. Meanwhile, many agricultural land in Asia are in the saline area. It is important to identify and develop salt-tolerant rice varieties that can adapt in Asian climate. By combining morphological, physiological, and biochemical assessments for screening the salt tolerant of 116 Asian rice cultivars was able to classify into tolerant, moderate, and sensitive rice cultivars under salinity stress condition, and also for understanding the salt tolerance mechanisms. The rice cultivars which belong to salt-tolerant including Pokkali from India, TCCP 266 from Philippines, IR 45427 also from Philippines, and Namyang 7 from Korea. Whereas, salt-sensitive rice varieties like IR29 from Philippines, IR58 also from Philippines, Daegudo from Korea, and Guweoldo also from Korea. The salt-tolerant varieties showed signs of tolerance, including lower percent reduction of percentage germination, root length, root fresh weight, shoot length, plant biomass, and chlorophyll content. In order to maintain the cellular osmotic balance under saline condition, the salt-tolerant ones exhibited less membrane damage, lower Na/K ratio, high proline and sugar accumulation, lower malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Pokkali from India, TCCP 266 from Philippines, IR 45427 also from Philippines, and Namyang 7 from Korea are recommended as valuable germplasm resource for Asian rice breeding program in saline agricultural area.

This paper investigates existing mathematical morphology based techniques applied for performing malaria parasites detection and identification in both Giemsa and Leishman stained blood smears images. Malaria is an epidemic health disease and a rapid, accurate diagnosis is necessary for proper intervention. Generally, pathologists visually examine blood stained slides for malaria diagnosis; this kind of visual inspection is subjective, errorprone and time consuming. In order to cope with such issues, computer-aided methods have been increasingly evolved for abnormal erythrocyte and/or parasites detection, segmentation and semi/fully automated classification. The aim of this paper is to present a review of recent mathematical morphology based methods for malaria parasite detection.

The present study investigates the failure mechanisms of industrial fiber materials, using a custom designed fiber cutting performance test bench. The fracture morphologies of single PA6 fibers are examined by scanning electron microscopy. The analysis reveals that fiber cutting can be distinguished according to four distinct stages of fiber failure represented by shearing, cutting, brittle fracture, and tensile failure, which are the result of different mechanisms active during the processes of crack initiation, extension and fracture. The results of fractographic analysis are further verified by an analysis of the blade assembly speed with respect to time over the entire fracture failure process based on high-speed camera data. The results of fractographic analysis and blade assembly speed are fully consistent.

The historical residential area of Kōm ad–Dikka in Alexandria has experienced subsequent morphological transformation since the ancient era until present. Each historical period had a physical impact on the city’s urban structure that in turn struggled to survive its successive one with its different urban conception. However, the sinuous streets of this area, which probably date back to the late Egyptian Medieval period, are characterized as the only surviving organic fabric intra–muros that was not altered during the Egyptian Modern period. This paper elaborately investigated the chronological history of the historical residential area since the ancient era until the mid—twentieth century. Based on in–depth investigation of historical maps and memoirs, it revealed the possible reasons behind its extant sinuous urban form and postulated reconstructions of its urban morphology through sequential phases.

Although the vegetative stage of indoor cannabis production can be relatively short in duration, there is a high energy demand due to higher light intensities (LI) than the clonal propagation stage and longer photoperiods than the flowering stage (i.e., 16 – 24 hours vs. 12 hours). While electric lighting is a major component of both energy consumption and overall production costs, there is a lack of scientific information to guide cultivators in selecting a LI that corresponds to their vegetative stage production strategies. To determine the vegetative plant responses to LI, clonal plants of ‘Gelato’ were grown for 21 days with canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) ranging between 135 and 1430 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 on a 16-hour photoperiod (i.e., daily light integrals of ≈ 8 to 80 mol·m^-2·d^-1). Plant height and growth index responded quadratically; the number of nodes, stem thickness, and aboveground dry weight increased asymptotically; and internode length and water content of aboveground tissues decreased linearly with increasing LI. Foliar attributes had varying responses to LI. Chlorophyll content index increased asymptotically, leaf size decreased linearly and specific leaf weight increased linearly with increasing LI. Generally, PPFD levels of ≈ 900 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 produced compact, robust plants that are commercially relevant, while PPFD levels of ≈ 600 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 promoted plant morphology with more open architecture – to increase airflow and reduce the potential foliar pests in compact (i.e., indica-dominant) genotypes.

Within the genus Macrolophus (Heteroptera: Miridae), the species M. costalis (Fieber), M. melanotoma (Costa) and M. pygmaeus (Rambur) are present in the Mediterranean region on a wide variety of plant species. While M. costalis can easily be separated from the other two by the black tip at the scutellum, M. pygmaeus and M. melanotoma are cryptic species, extremely similar to one another in external traits, which have resulted in misidentifications. M. pygmaeus is an efficient biological control agent, both in greenhouse and field crops. The misidentification of these cryptic species could limit the effectiveness of biological control programs. Although morphology of the left paramere of the male genitalia has been used as a character for identification of these two cryptic species, there is controversy on the reliability of this character as a taxonomic tool for these species. Using geometric morphometric techniques, which are a powerful approach in detecting slight shape variations, the left parameres from these three Macrolophus species were compared. The paramere of M. costalis was larger and had a different shape than that of M. melanotoma and M. pygmaeus; however, no differences in size or shape were found between the left paramere of M. melanotoma and that of M. pygmaeus. Therefore, our results confirm that this character is too similar and it cannot be used to discriminate between these two cryptic species.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active type of microwave remote sensing. Using the microwave imaging system, remote sensing monitoring of the land and global ocean can be done in any weather conditions around the clock. Detection of SAR image targets is one of the main needs of radar image interpretation applications. In this paper, an improved two-parameter CFAR algorithm based on Rayleigh distribution and morphological processing is proposed to perform ship detection and recognition in high resolution SAR images. Through simulation experiments, comprehensive study of the two algorithms for high resolution SAR image target detection is achieved. Finally, the results of ship detection experiments are compared and analyzed, and the effects of detection are evaluated according to the Rayleigh distribution model and algorithms.

Viruses with spindle or lemon-shaped virions are rare in the world of viruses, but are common in viruses of archaeal extremophiles, possibly due to the extreme conditions in which they thrive. However, the structural and genetic basis for the unique spindle shape is unknown. The best-studied spindle-shaped virus, SSV1, is composed mostly of the major capsid protein VP1. Similar to many other viruses, proteolytic cleavage of VP1 is thought to be critical for virion formation. Unlike half of the genes in SSV1, including the minor capsid protein gene vp3, the vp1 gene does not tolerate deletion or transposon insertion. In order determine the role of the vp1 gene and its proteolysis for virus function, we developed techniques for site-directed mutagenesis of the SSV1 genome and complemented deletion mutants with vp1 genes from other SSVs. By analyzing these mutants we demonstrate that the N-terminus of the VP1 protein is required, but the N-terminus, or entire SSV1 VP1 protein, can be exchanged with VP1s from other SSVs. However, the conserved glutamate at the cleavage site is not essential for infectivity. Interestingly, viruses containing point mutations at this position generate mostly abnormal virions.

A very high-resolution DSM covering an area of 400km² over the Athens Metropolitan Area has been produced using Pleiades 1B 0,5m panchromatic tri-stereo images. Applied Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry tools have been used resulted in a 1x1m DSM over the study area. DSM accuracy has been evaluated by comparison with measured elevations with D-GPS and a reference DSM provided by the National Cadaster & Mapping Agency S.A. In addition, different combinations of stereo images have been prepared for further exploitation of the quality of the produced DSM by stereo vs. tri-stereo images. Results show that the produced by the tri-stereo images DSM has an RMSE of 1.17m in elevation (z), which is among the best reported in the relevant literature. Stereo based DSMs from the same sensor have worst performance to this end. Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) based DSMs over urban areas provide the best cost-effective approach in comparison to airborne-based datasets due to high spatial coverage, lower cost and high temporal coverage. Pleiades-based high-quality DSM products can serve the domains of urban planning/climate, hydrological modelling and natural hazards, as major input for simulation models and morphological analysis at local scale.

We report the synthesis and characterization of Poly Methyl-Meth-Acrylate (PMMA)/Poly vinylalcohol (PVA) polymeric blend doped with different concentrations of Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs). The (PMMA-PVA)/CuO nanocomposite hybrid thin films (wt. % = 0%, 2%, 4%, 8%, and 16%) of CuO NPs are deposited on glass substrates via dip-coating technique. The transmittance (T%), reflectance (R%), the absorption coefficient (α), the optical constants [refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k)], optical dielectric functions [ɛ',ɛ''] are investigated and interpreted. Tauc, Urbach, Spitzer-Fan, and Drude models are employed to calculate the optical bandgap energy (Eg) and the optoelectronic parameters of the nanocomposite thin films. The refractive index and optical bandgap energy of of (PMMA-PVA) polymeric thin film are found to be (1.5 to 1.85) and 4.101 eV, respectively. Incorporation of specific concentrations of CuO-NPs in (PMMA-PVA) polymeric thin films leads to a noticeable decrease in the optical bandgap energy and to an increase of the refractive index. Moreover, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) transmittance spectra are measured and analyzed for undoped and doped polymeric thin films to pinpoint the major vibrational modes in the spectral range (500 and 4000 cm-1), as well as, the nature of network bonding in both systems. Thermal stability of thin films is investigated by performing thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA thermograms confirm that both doped polymeric thin films are thermally stable at temperatures below 110°C which enables them to be attractive for a wide range of optical and optoelectronic applications. Our results indicate that optical, vibrational and thermal properties of both polymeric thin films can be tuned for specific applications by the appropriate corporation of particular concentrations of CuO-NPs.

As a special class of “green” elastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) have been widely used in industries due to the combination of the excellent resilience of conventional elastomers and the easy recyclability of thermoplastics. Here, the morphology evolution of TPVs based on polyamide 6/ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (PA6/EPDM) blends was investigated by varying the content of the curing agent, phenolic resin (PF). With the incorporation of 6 wt% PF, the gel content of the EPDM phase reaches a high value of 49.6wt% and a typical sea-island structure is formed with EPDM domain in a micro-nano size. The dynamic rheology behaviors of TPVs showed that with the curing degree of EPDM phase increasing, a denser network of EPDM particles is formed in PA6 matrix. Also, a lower crystal degree and crystal peak temperature are observed, indicating that the presence of a growth restriction of PA6 crystal plate induced by a thinner plastic layer between the adjacent EPDM particles. However, the crystal form of PA6 is not changed with the increasing curing degree of the EPDM phase. This study provides an effective strategy to realize a new kind of TPVs, which can be easily introduced into industrial applications.

Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanostructures including nanorods are currently considered as a pioneer research of interest world-wide due to their excellent application potentials in various applied fields especially for the improvement of energy harvesting photovoltaic solar cells (PSC). We report on the growth and morphological properties of zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown on the surface of plain zinc (non-etched and chemically etched) plates by using a simple, economical, and environment-friendly technique. We apply hot water treatment (HWT) technique to grow the ZnO nanorods and varies the process parameters, such as temperature and the process time duration. The morphological, and elemental analysis confirm the agglomeration of multiple ZnO nanorods with its proper stoichiometry. The obtained nanostructures for different temperatures with different time duration showed the variation in uniformity, density, thickness and nanonorods size. The ZnO nanorods produced on the etched zinc surface were found thicker and uniform as compared to those grown on the non-etched zinc surface. This chemically etched Zinc plates preparation can be an easy solution to grow ZnO nanorods with high density and uniformity suitable for PSC applications such as to enhance the energy conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) solar cells towards the future sustainable green earth.

Dispersal represents a key life-history trait with several implications for the fitness of organisms, population dynamics and resilience, local adaptation, meta-population dynamics, range shifting and biological invasions. Plastic and evolutionary changes of dispersal traits have been intensively studied over the past decades in entomology, in particular in wing-dimorphic insects for which literature reviews are available. Importantly, dispersal polymorphism also exists in wing-monomorphic and wingless insects, and except for butterflies, fewer syntheses are available. In this perspective, by integrating the very last research in the fast moving field of insect dispersal ecology, this review article provides an overview of our current knowledge of dispersal polymorphism in insects. After having provided a definition of the main terms characterising insects’ movements, some of the most often used experimental methodologies for the separation of dispersers and residents in wing-monomorphic and wingless insects are presented. The existing knowledge on the morphological and life-history trait differences between resident and disperser phenotypes is then synthetized. The fourth part examines the effects of range expansion on dispersal traits and performance, in particular for insects from range edges and invasion fronts. Finally, some research perspectives are proposed in the last part of the review.

Efficiently targeted cancer therapy without causing detrimental side effects is necessary for alleviating patient care and improving survival rates. This paper presents observations of morphological changes in H1299 human lung cancer cells following W-band MMW irradiation (75 – 105 GHz) at a non-thermal power density of 0.2 mW/cm², investigated over 14 days of subsequent physiological incubation following exposure. Microscopic analyses of physical parameters measured indicate MMW irradiation induces significant morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis and senescence. The Immediate short-term responses translate into long-term effects, retained over the duration of the experiment(s); reminiscent of the phenomenon of Accelerated Cellular Senescence (ACS) achieving terminal tumorigenic cell growth. Further, results were observed to be treatment-specific in energy (dose) dependent manner and were achieved without the use of chemotherapeutic agents, ionizing radiation or thermal ablation employed in conventional methods; thereby overcoming associated side effects. Adaptation of the experimental parameters of this study for clinical oncology concomitant with current developmental trends of non-invasive medical endoscopy alleviates MMW therapy as an effective treatment procedure for human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The surface chemistry and the morphology of SnO2 nanowires, deposited by Vapour Phase Deposition (VPD) method on Au-covered silicon substrate, were studied before and after subsequent air exposure. For this purpose, surface-sensitive methods including X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy (TDS) and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were applied. The studies presented within this paper allowed to determine the surface non-stoichiometry combined with the presence of carbon contaminations, in a good correlation with the surface morphology. The relative concentrations of the main components [O]/[Sn]; [C]/[Sn]; [Au]/[Sn] together with the O – Sn; O – Si bondings were analyzed. The results of TDS remained in a good agreement with the observations from XPS. Moreover, conclusions obtained for SnO2 nanostructures deposited with the use of Au catalyst were compared to the previous obtained for Ag-assisted tin dioxide nanowires. The information obtained within this studies are of great importance for the potential application of SnO2 nanowires deposited on Au covered Si substrate in the field of novel chemical nanosensor devices, since the results can provide an interpretation of how aging effects influence gas sensor dynamic characteristics.

Mn-doped CeO2 and CeO2 with the same morphology (nanofiber and nanocube) were synthesized through hydrothermal method respectively. When applied to benzene oxidation, the catalytic properties of Mn-doped CeO2 were higher than those of CeO2, which was related with the concentration of O vacancy. Compared to CeO2 with the same morphology, more oxygen vacancies were formed on the surface of Mn-doped CeO2, due to Mn ion replacing Ce ion. The lattice replacement was analyzed through XRD, Raman, electron energy loss spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance technology. The formation energies of oxygen vacancy on the different exposed crystal planes [(110) and (100)] for Mn-doped CeO2 were calculated by applying the density functional theory (DFT). The data showed that the oxygen vacancy was easier to be formed on the (110) plane. The factors influencing catalytic behavior were elaborated, which indicated that surface oxygen vacancy played an important part in catalytic reaction.

Grounded on urban morphology studies, the research tries to overcome the analysis of the permanents elements of the city seeking for a transitional paradigm in urban morphology, aiming at grasping the dynamics in urban evolution and providing operative tools for urban regeneration design in an adaptive approach. A combination of four actions of urban analysis is here suggested to highlight urban dynamics: a. Sorting the transitional steps of urban morphologies (within rapid market processes), b. Underlining rules and Processes characterizing urban coding in transition, c. Mapping urban assemblages in the adaptive city and d. Reading and representing urban permutation phenomenon. The results of this multifaced and multidimensional set of analytical tools allow to outline a new design thinking paradigm moving towards a parametric approach to urban design of cities in transition broadening the extent of urban regeneration process and supporting urban policies in the framework community based approach.

The order Mucorales, the largest in number of species within the Mucoromycotina, comprises typically fast-growing saprotrophic fungi. During a study of the fungal diversity of undiscovered taxa in Korea, two mucoralean strains, CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4, were isolated from specific habitats including freshwater and fecal samples, respectively, in Korea. The strains were analyzed both for morphology and phylogeny based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of 28S ribosomal DNA regions. On the basis of their morphological characteristics and sequence analyses, isolates CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4 were confirmed to be Gilbertella persicaria and Pilobolus crystallinus, respectively.To the best of our knowledge, there are no published literature records of these two genera in Korea.

Domestication had a dramatic influence on the cultural evolution of human histories, and on the biological evolution of domesticated species. Domestic dogs occurred earlier in the Americas than other domesticated animals. Older records in the continent come from North America, dated 11,000-8,400 ybp, and in the Andes from 5,600-5,000 ybp. In order to present an overview of human-dog interaction in the Americas, and to identify gaps in knowledge of this subject, we reviewed 178 publications on zooarchaeological record of burials, genetics, morphology, and ethnological information of American dogs, revisiting the history and interactions across the continent. There is no evidence of an in-situ dog initial domestication. Pre-Columbian diversity in North America includes at least three varieties, whereas in South America six varieties were documented. Historical descriptions of phenotypes (e.g. humped dog) may represent an expression associated with mutations. We find that archaeological, historical, and ethnographic records reveal non-traditional uses and hybridizations with other canids. For example, the Coast Salish people exploited woolly dogs for manufacturing blankets. Dog acquisition by some Amazonian cultures began towards the end of the nineteenth century. Overall more than 41 dog breeds originated in the Americas and are currently recognized by kennel clubs. The main gap in knowledge points to the relationships between American breeds, local hybridizations, migratory routes of dogs following Indigenous peoples’ social networks, historical-cultural contexts, and quantification of morphological diversity. North and Central American dogs have been more intensively studied than those from the Amazon regions or Patagonia. We find that the history of domestication in the Americas is far from simple and integrative studies are needed.

The spectacular radiation of insects has produced a stunning diversity of phenotypes. During the last 250 years, research on insect systematics has generated hundreds of terms for naming and comparing those phenotypes. In its current form, this terminological diversity is presented in natural language and lacks formalization, which prohibits computer-assisted comparison using semantic web technologies. Here we propose a Model for Describing Insect Anatomical Structures (MoDIAS) which incorporates structural properties and positional relationships for standardized, consistent, and reproducible descriptions of insect phenotypes. We applied the MoDIAS framework in creating the ontology for the Anatomy of the Insect Skeleto-Muscular system (AISM). The AISM is the first general insect ontology that aims to cover all taxa by providing generalized, fully logical, and queryable, definitions for each term. It was built using the Ontology Development Kit (ODK), which maximizes interoperability with Uberon (Uberon multi-species anatomy ontology) and other basic ontologies, enhancing the integration of insect anatomy into the broader biological sciences. A template system for adding new terms, extending and linking the AISM to additional anatomical, phenotypic, genetic, and chemical ontologies is also introduced. The AISM is proposed as the backbone for taxon-specific insect ontologies and has potential applications spanning systematic biology and biodiversity informatics, allowing users to (1) use controlled vocabularies and create semi-automated computer-parsable insect morphological descriptions; (2) integrate insect morphology into broader fields of research, including ontology-informed phylogenetic methods, logical homology hypothesis testing, evo-devo studies, and genotype to phenotype mapping; and (3) automate the extraction of morphological data from the literature, enabling the generation of large-scale phenomic data, by facilitating the production and testing of informatic tools able to extract, link, annotate, and process morphological data. This system will allow for clear and semantically interoperable integration of insect phenotypes in biodiversity studies.

This work examines the impact of the nozzle-substrate distance (NSD) on the structural, optical and electrical properties of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films. The films were grown by spray pyrolysis with the chemical formulation of “Streaming Process for Electroless and Electrochemical Deposition technology” (SPEED) technique. The characterization technique such as XRD, SEM, UV-spectrophotometry and Hall Effect measurement were employed for studying the structural, optical and electrical properties of the FTO films at various NSD. The NSD was varied from 25-32cm amid the experiment. All FTO films are polycrystalline, tetragonal crystal structure with strong orientation along the (211) reflection. SEM properties study demonstrated slight reliance on NSD and have uniform films which are a disciple to substrate at NSD of 27 and 30 cm, however, crumbled at 25cm and 32cm NSD. They likewise displayed a mud-look like morphology and smooth white appearance. The average optical transmittance of all films is over 80% in the noticeable at UV range. The band gap investigation demonstrates the average value of 3.5eV and the resistivity was found to diminish with increasing NSD at 30 cm. Both mobility and carrier concentration of the FTO films follow a similar trend. The average figure of merit of 4.98 was obtained which is an improvement based on our previous results. The FTO samples grown at 27 and 30 cm NSD in this work are best FTO samples and hence could serve as a promising candidate in dye sensitized solar cells. Therfore, graphene has been employed in different concentrations in our ongoing FTO optimization research so as to further improve on the FTO’s figure of merit.

Fossils constitute the principal repository of data that allow for independent tests of hypotheses of biological evolution derived from observations of the extant biota. Traditionally, transformational series of structure, consisting of sequences of fossils of the same lineage through time, have been employed to reconstruct and interpret morphological evolution. More recently, a move toward an updated paradigm was fueled by the deliberate integration of developmental thinking in the inclusion of fossils in reconstruction of morphological evolution. The vehicle for this is provided by structural fingerprints – recognizable morphological and anatomical structures generated by (and reflective of) the deployment of specific genes and regulatory pathways during development. Furthermore, because the regulation of plant development is both modular and hierarchical in nature, combining structural fingerprints recognized in the fossil record with our understanding of the developmental regulation of those structures produces a powerful tool for understanding plant evolution. This is particularly true when the systematic distribution of specific developmental regulatory mechanisms and modules is viewed within an evolutionary (paleo-evo-devo) framework. Here, we discuss several advances in understanding the processes and patterns of evolution, achieved by tracking structural fingerprints with their underlying regulatory modules across lineages, living and fossil: the role of polar auxin regulation in the cellular patterning of secondary xylem and the parallel evolution of arborescence in lycophytes and seed plants; the morphology and life history of early polysporangiophytes and tracheophytes; the role of modularity in the parallel evolution of leaves in euphyllophytes; leaf meristematic activity and the parallel evolution of venation patterns among euphyllophytes; mosaic deployment of regulatory modules and the diverse modes of secondary growth of euphyllophytes; modularity and hierarchy in developmental regulation and the evolution of equisetophyte reproductive morphology. More generally, inclusion of plant fossils in the evo-devo paradigm has informed discussions on the evolution of growth patterns and growth responses, sporophyte body plans and their homology, sequences of character evolution, and the evolution of reproductive systems.

The genus Aphanommata in the Old World is reviewed. Aphanommata kuscheli sp. nov. from São Nicolau and A. strakai sp. nov. from Fogo (both Cape Verde islands) are described. Aphanommata euphorbiarum (Wollaston, 1867) from Santo Antão in the Cape Verde islands is redescribed and its lectotype is designated. All three Aphanommata species from the Cape Verde islands as well as A. filum (Mulsant & Rey, 1859) from Old World are diagnosed, illustrated, and keyed. Mature larva of A. kuscheli sp. nov. is described, larval morphology is discussed and the current state of knowledge about immature stages of Cossoninae is summarized. Vertical and inter-insular distributional pattern of Cape Verde Aphanommata and Pselactus is reviewed and discussed.

The phylogenetic relationships among the Peninsular Malaysian orchid genus Coelogyne were studied by morphological characteristics and by sequencing the internal transcribed region (ITS) from the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). Coelogyne is a large genus of about 200 species distributed in pantropical areas from the Himalayas, Sri Lanka, India, Southern China and throughout South East Asia to Papua New Guinea. The widely accepted previous classification system was exclusively based on floral morphology. There were very few molecular systematic studies of Coelogyne done in Peninsular Malaysia thus far. In this study, 59 Coelogyne taxa were collected from throughout Peninsular Malaysia and 57 of them were identified to the species level. To study the phylogeny of this genus, morphological characters were utilized together with molecular evidences to generate the systematic hypotheses. Cluster analysis was performed using both the vegetative and floral characters. The results showed that three sections of Peninsular Malaysian Coelogyne, namely Longifoliae, Speciosae and Fuliginosae were sister groups which were more closely related by forming one clade than they were with the other sections. Another clade consisted of four other sections, namely Flaccidae, Coelogynae, Tomentosae and Verrucosae. Molecular phylogenies obtained by using the Neighbour Joining method revealed the close relationship between the sections Tomentosae and Verrucosae, whereas usage of the Maximum Likelihood method demonstrated that three sections namely Longifoliae, Speciosae and Fuliginosae were sister groups since they formed a single clade.

Layer-wise 3D surface morphology information is critical for the quality monitoring and control of additive manufacturing (AM) processes. However, most of the existing 3D scan technologies are either contact or time consuming, which are not capable of obtaining the 3D surface morphology data in a real-time manner during the process. Therefore, the objective of this study is to achieve real-time 3D surface data acquisition in AM, which is achieved by a supervised deep learning-based image analysis approach. The key idea of this proposed method is to capture the correlation between 2D image and 3D point cloud, and then quantify this relationship by using a deep learning algorithm, namely, convolutional neural network (CNN). To validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method, both simulation and real-world case studies were performed. The results demonstrate that this method has strong potential to be applied for real-time surface morphology measurement in AM, as well as other advanced manufacturing processes.

Plasma treatment of soft polymers is the promising technique to improve biomedical properties. The response to the deformation of such materials is not yet clear. Soft elastic polyurethane treated with plasma immersion ion implantation is subjected to fatigue uniaxial loading (50000 cycles, frequency – 1 Hz, strain amplitude – 10, 20, 40%). The influence of the strain amplitude and the plasma treatment regime on damage character is discussed. Surface defects are studied in unloaded and stretched states of the material. As a result of fatigue loading, transverse cracks (with closed overlapping edges as well as with open edges deeply propagating into the polymer) and longitudinal folds which are break and bend inward, appear on the surface. Hard edges of cracks cut the soft polymer which is squeezed from the bulk to the surface.

The function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can be impaired by the alternation of the extra- and intracellular environment such as disruption of calcium homeostasis, expression of mutated proteins and oxidative stress. In response to disruptions to ER homeostasis, eukaryotic cells activate canonical branches of signal transduction cascades, collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR attempts to recover the protein folding capacity and avoid irreversible cellular damage. Additionally, the UPR has been shown to play unique physiological roles in the regulation of diverse cellular events, including cell differentiation and development and lipid biosynthesis. Recent studies have indicated that these important cellular events are also regulated by contact and communication among organelles. These reports suggest strong involvement among the UPR, organelle communication and regulation of cellular homeostasis. However, the precise mechanisms for the formation of contact sites and the regulation of its dynamics by UPR remain unresolved. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of how the UPR regulates morphological changes to the ER and the formation of contact sites between the ER and other organelles. We also review how UPR-dependent connections between the ER and other organelles affect cellular and physiological functions.

Environmental conditions, such as temperature, carbon dioxide, and nutrient availability, are altered by urban conditions at regional scales with potential for impact on tree leaf structure. Our goal was to compare leaf morphological characteristics driven by physiological acclimation in red maple (Acer rubrum L.) trees in deciduous forests embedded in a small (Newark, DE) and a large (Philadelphia, PA) city. The study was conducted in six urban forests on eighteen mature red maple trees in a long-term urban forest network. We hypothesized that red maples in Philadelphia forests compared to Newark forests will have a thicker upper epidermal layer, spongy palisade and mesophyll layer, longer and wider stomates, and lower stomate density. Additionally, we hypothesized that red maples in Philadelphia forests compared to Newark forests will have lower leaf water content and specific leaf area, and greater leaf thickness, fresh leaf weight, dry leaf weight, and leaf dry matter content. Our results for stomate length and stomate width supported our predictions; red maple leaves had longer and wider stomates in Philadelphia forests than in Newark forests. The increased stomate size in red maple trees suggests potential altered gas exchange behavior and mutual abiotic stress mitigation responses in red maple to greater urbanization impacts in Philadelphia forests. This supports previous findings of possible physiological and biochemical acclimation of red maple trees to urban conditions. Furthermore, the findings from this study suggest red maple trees may be a good biomonitor of regional scale impacts in urban environments.

To resist hydrodynamic forces, two main underwater attachment strategies have evolved multiple times in aquatic animals: glue-like “bioadhesive secretions” and pressure-driven “suction attachment”. In this review, we use a multi-level approach to highlight convergence in underwater attachment mechanisms across four different length-scales (organism, organ, microscopic and molecular). At the organism level, the ability to attach may serve a variety of functions, the most important being: (i) positional maintenance, (ii) locomotion, (iii) feeding, (iv) building, and (v) defense. Aquatic species that use bioadhesive secretions have been identified in 28 metazoan phyla out of the 34 currently described, while suction organs have a more restricted distribution and have been identified in five phyla. Although biological adhesives are highly diverse, it is possible to categorize them into four main types according to the time scale of operation: permanent, temporary, transitory, and instantaneous adhesion. At the organ level some common principles have evolved independently in different biological lineages: for example, animals with single-unit attachment organs can be distinguished from those with multi-unit organs. Fundamental design elements can also be recognized for both types of attachment mechanisms. Suction attachment systems comprise a circular or elliptical attachment disc, a sealing rim to prevent leakage and a mechanism to lower the internal pressure. Bioadhesive-producing organs, on the other hand, usually contain a glandular tissue associated with connective tissues or other types of load-bearing support structures and muscles that facilitate locomotion or mechanical detachment. At the microscopic level, similar designs and organizations appear once again to have emerged independently in different phylogenetic lineages. Independent of the taxon and type of adhesion, there are species in which the biosynthesis, packaging and release of adhesive secretions takes place at the level of a single type of secretory cell, whereas in others these secretions are produced by two or more secretory cell types. Duo-gland adhesive systems involved in temporary adhesion present an additional level of complexity as they also exhibit de-adhesive secretory cells. Yet, strikingly similar cellular organizations have been reported in highly disparate species. In the case of biological suction organs, regions of the organ that contact the substratum are highly textured with stiff microstructures. Although clearly non-homologous in different animals, these microstructures are thought to enhance friction on rough surfaces. At the molecular level, proteins are the main organic constituent of adhesive secretions in aquatic animals. We compared the global amino acid compositions of bioadhesives using principal component analysis to show that homologous adhesives from phylogenetically related species cluster together, and there is little overlap between taxonomic groups. However, several non-permanent adhesives are grouped together even though they belong to disparate phyla, indicating convergence in amino acid composition. We also investigated relatedness among individual adhesive proteins using a sequence similarity-based clustering analysis. While many proteins appear taxon-specific, some have clear sequence homologies based on shared protein domains between phylogenetically distant organisms. However, it is highly probable that these domains, which are also present in many non-adhesive proteins, were convergently acquired from ancestral proteins with unrelated general functions. We herein present morphological, structural, and molecular convergences between different attachment mechanisms in aquatic animals that likely arose in response to shared functional and selective pressures.

Membrane distillation techniques appear as one of the most promise alternative to guarantee the availability of potable water in time of scarce of this essential resource. For membrane preparation, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is preferred due to the easier synthesis procedures with respect to other fluorine based polymers. In this work, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) at different weight percent (wt.%), embedded in PVDF membranes supported on non-woven polyester fabric (NWPET) were prepared by the phase-inversion method, and characterized by spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR, Raman) and electron microscopy techniques (SEM). The PVDF deposited onto the NWPET was highly composed by its polar -phase (F()= 53 %) which was determined from the ATR-FTIR spectrum. The F() value was kept constant, in the whole range of CuONPs studied (2-10 wt.%) as was determined from the ATR-FTIR spectrum. The absence of signals corresponding to CuONPs in the ATR-FTIR spectra and the appearance of peaks at 297, 360 and 630 cm-1 in the Raman spectra of the membranes suggested that the CuONPs are preferably located in the inner of the membrane but not on its surface. The membrane morphologies were characterized by SEM. From the obtained SEM micrographs, a decrease and increase in the amount of micropores and nanopores, respectively, near to the surface and intercalated in the finger-like layer were observed. As result of the CuONPs addition, the nanopores in the sponge-like layer decrease in size. The values of water contact angle (WCA) measurements showed a trend to decrease from 94° to 80° upon the addition of CuONPs (2-10 wt.%) indicating a diminish in the hydrophobicity degree of the membranes. Apparently, the increase in the amount of nanopores near to the surface decreased the membrane roughness becoming less hydrophobic.

This paper presents a research carried out in the city of Chillan, a medium size city located on the southern limit of the Chilean Mediterranean domain, at 36º 36`s south latitude. Chillán provides a good representative example of warm summers in central and southern Chilean cities. Five public spaces were selected, representing different typologies and relating to different urban background conditions. Users in these public spaces were observed, counted and photographed five times a day (12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 hours, local time) during a heat wave event in the summer of 2016, while meteorological parameters were established at different points within the public space. The variables evaluated were impervious surfaces, Skyview factor, H/W, azimuth, shadow and radiation. Local public environmental management should pay attention to the complex relations between urban climate, public spaces and thermal comfort since they affect the quality of life of the most vulnerable sectors of the population. This is particularly important given the increasing episodes of high temperatures and intense heat waves occurred in the city of Chillán in recent summers, which are related to urban heat islands and climate change.

10% copper substituted (BiCUVOX/Bi₂V_0.9Cu_0.1O_5.5−δ) and 5% copper/titanium double-substituted bismuth vanadate (BiCUTIVOX/Bi₂V_0.9(Cu_0.05Ti_0.05)O_5.5−δ) platelets were formed by molten salt synthesis (MSS) using a eutectic KCl/NaCl salt mixture. The product was phase pure within the limits of X-ray diffraction. The size and form of the platelets could be controlled by changing the heating temperature and time. The crystallite growth rate at a synthesis temperature of 650 °C, and activation energy for grain growth were determined for BICUTIVOX, which experienced inhibited growth compared to BICUVOX. Quasi-equilibrium, multi-foil shapes consisting of lobes around the perimeter of the platelets were observed and explained in the context of relative two-dimensional nucleation and edge growth rates.

Electro-spun ultra-fine fibers exhibit two significant properties: a high surface-to-volume ratio and a relatively defect-free molecular structure. Due to the high surface-to-volume ratio, electro-spun materials are well suited for activities requiring increased physical contact, such as providing a site for a chemical reaction or filtration of small-sized physical materials. However, electrospinning has many shortcomings, including difficulties in producing inorganic nanofibers and a limited number or variety of polymers used in the process. The fabrication of nanofiber bundles via electrospinning is explored in this analytical study, as well as the relationship between extrinsic electrospinning parameters and the relative abundance of various fiber morphologies. Numerous variables could impact the fabrication of nanofibers, resulting in a variety of morphologies; therefore, adequate ambient conditions and selecting the appropriate solvent for achieving a homogenous polymer solution and uniform electro-spun materials are examined. Finally, common polymers suitable for electrospinning and the promising applications of ultra-fine fibers achieved via electrospinning are studied in this paper.

A basic pattern in the body plan architecture of many animals, plants and some molecular and cellular systems is five-part units. This pattern has been understood as a result of genetic blueprints in development and as a widely conserved evolutionary character. Despite some efforts, a definitive explanation of the abundance of pentagonal symmetry at so many levels of complexity is still missing. Based on both, a computational platform and a statistical spatial organization argument, we show that five-fold morphology is substantially different from other abundant symmetries like three-fold, four-fold and six-fold symmetries in terms of spatial interacting elements. We develop a measuring system to determine levels of spatial organization in 2D polygons (homogeneous or heterogeneous partition of defined areas) based in principles of regularity in a morphospace. We found that spatial organization of five-fold symmetry is statistically higher than all other symmetries studied here (three to ten-fold symmetries) in terms of spatial homogeneity. The significance of our findings is based on the statistical constancy of geometrical constraints derived from spatial organization of shapes, beyond the material or complexity level of the many different systems where pentagonal symmetry occurs.

The Anthropocene has created a new cartography where various discursive levels are intertwined. It unites two fields of knowledge: geology and anthropology. In the 19th century, Romanticism challenged the separation between natural sciences and spirit sciences. With the Anthropocene a geological era is established, but with an epistemological dimension: environmental catastrophes are not a passive "object", they become an agent of social and political change. Images of the world (Weltbild) turn nature into an animated whole that challenges the dual vision: observer and observed. There is no nature without "observer", nor geology without anthropology. The Anthropocene modifies the foundations of our view of the world where we had excluded life. This is how concepts such as symbiogenesis, homeostasis, etc., which make visible and try to explain phenomena that are otherwise inexplicable. The Naturwissenschaft by J.W. Goethe is a point of support, with all these ideas that develop in the 20th century and anticipate the Anthropocene term of the 21th century. While the concepts of "belief" and "science" continue to be sharpened, rehabilitating "old quarrels" around anthropology, cosmology, theology, etc. The dignity of man is at stake.

An improved anti-noise morphology vision navigation algorithm is proposed for intelligent tractor tillage in a complex agricultural field environment. Firstly, the two key steps, Guided Filtering and improved anti-noise morphology navigation line extraction, were addressed in detail. Then the experiments were carried out in order to verify the effectiveness and advancement of the presented algorithm. Finally, the optimal template and its application condition were studied for improving the image processing speed. The comparison experiment results show that the YCbCr color space has minimum time consumption, 0.094 s, compared with HSV, HIS and 2R-G-B color spaces. The Guided Filtering method can enhance the new & old soil boundary effectively than any other methods such as Tarel, Multi-scale Retinex, Wavelet-based Retinex and Homomorphic Filtering, meanwhile, has the fastest processing speed of 0.113 s. The extracted soil boundary line of the improved anti-noise morphology algorithm has best precision and speed compared with other operators such as Sobel, Roberts, Prewitt and Log. After comparing different size of image template, the optimal template with the size of 140×260 pixels can meet high precision vision navigation while the course deviation angle is not more than 7.5°. The maximum tractor speed of the optimal template and global template are 51.41 km/h and 27.47 km/h respectively which can meet real-time vision navigation requirement of the smart tractor tillage operation in the field. The experimental vision navigation results demonstrated the feasibility of the autonomous vision navigation for tractor tillage operation in the field using the new & old soil boundary line extracted by the proposed improved anti-noise morphology algorithm which has broad application prospect.

The function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can be impaired by the alternation of the extra- and intracellular environment such as disruption of calcium homeostasis, expression of mutated proteins and oxidative stress. In response to disruptions to ER homeostasis, eukaryotic cells activate canonical branches of signal transduction cascades, collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR attempts to recover the protein folding capacity and avoid irreversible cellular damage. Additionally, the UPR has been shown to play unique physiological roles in the regulation of diverse cellular events, including cell differentiation and development and lipid biosynthesis. Recent studies have indicated that these important cellular events are also regulated by contact and communication among organelles. These reports suggest strong involvement among the UPR, organelle communication and regulation of cellular homeostasis. However, the precise mechanisms for the formation of contact sites and the regulation of its dynamics by UPR remain unresolved. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of how the UPR regulates morphological changes to the ER and the formation of contact sites between the ER and other organelles. We also review how UPR-dependent connections between the ER and other organelles affect cellular and physiological functions.

Testing in animals is mandatory in drug testing and the gold standard for evaluation of toxicity. This situation is expected to change in the future because the 3Rs principle, which stands for replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in science, is reinforced by many countries. On the other hand, technologies for alternatives to animals experiments have increased. The necessity to develop and use of alternatives is influenced by the complexity of the research topic and also by the fact, to which extent the currently used animal models can mimic human physiology and/or exposure. Rodent lung morphology and physiology differs markedly for that of humans and inhalation exposure of the animals are challenging. In vitro and in silico methods can assess important aspects of the in vivo action, namely particle deposition, dissolution, action at and permeation across the respiratory barrier and pharmacokinetics. Out of the numerous homemade in vitro and in silico models some are available commercially or open access. This review discusses limitations of animal models and exposure systems and proposes a panel of in vitro and in silico techniques that, in the future, may replace animal experimentation in inhalation testing.

The Anthropocene has created a new cartography. Various disciplines and discourses overlap each other. Two fields of knowledge: geology and anthropology are unified in one single concept. The Axial Age separated everyday practices from an unbiased and objective view of the world. Romanticism, in the nineteenth century, challenged the separation between the natural sciences and the sciences of the spirit. Paul J. Crutzen and Eugene Stoermer had two distinct parts; a first establishes "a period of time" the second an "epistemic tool". This paper is intended to illustrate the epistemological dimension of the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene defines the present geological epoch as dominated by humans. Eduard Suess, Antonio Stopani, Teilhard de Chardin, Vladimir Vernadsky etc., a century ago, anticipated the concept of Anthropocene. "Noösphere" is a term from the "world of thought". The hypothesis of an earth as a living organism, which is inspired by J.W. Goethe's "Naturwissenschaft", allows two disciplines to be inte-grated into one term: geology and anthropology. We have atmospheric phenomena that are in-compressible without presupposing life. The Anthropocene modifies the foundations of our vi-sion of the world. In the Gaia Hypothesis we find the same roots as in the Anthropocene concept: Goethe, Vernadky, etc. The concepts of symbiogenesis, homeostasis, etc., allow us to formulate new questions. This paper analyzes the reconfiguration of relations between the earth and all its inhabitants. It is, for the social sciences, a challenge: a metamorphosis of our vision of the world is taking place.

Structural and morphological properties of the hydronium-potassium jarosite microstructures were investigated in this work, and their electrical properties were evaluated. All microstructures were synthesized at a reasonable temperature of 343 K with a reduced reaction time of 3 hours. Increase in the pH from 0.8 to 2.1 decreased the particle sized from 3 µm to 200 nm and increasing the aging time from 0, 3 to 7 days resulted in semispherical, spherical and euhedreal jarosite structures, respectively. A Rietveld analysis also was done, finding that increasing pH, the amount of hydronium substitution by potassium in the cationic site also increases, having a 77.72 % of hydronium jarosite (JH) plus 22.29 % potassium jarosite (JK) at pH 0.8; 82.44 % (JH) and 17.56 % (JK) at pH 1.1, and 89.98 % (JH) plus 10.02 % (JK) at pH 2.1. The results obtained in this work show that the obtained hydronium potassium jarosite microstructures with reduced particle size and euhedreal morphology can be used as anode materials for improving the life time of lithium ion batteries, due that during the analysis of the voltage obtained using electrodes made with this particles and graphite, this ranged from 0.89 to 1.36 V.

The purpose of this study was to see how dietary supplementation with phenylpyruvate affected broiler chicken growth, slaughter performance, gut health microbiota, and immunity. A total of 288 day old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to one of four groups (6 replicates each with 12 chicken). NC (basal diet), PC (basal diet plus antibiotic virginiamycin 15ppm), LCP and HCP (basal diet plus phenylpyruvate 1kg/t and 2kg/t, respectively). Results showed that PC had higher ADFI during the first 21 days, and better FCR than the NC, the LCP and HCP also improved broilers’ FCR 0.001 and 0.037% in relation to NC respectively. HCP has a higher all-eviscerated ratio than NC and less abdominal fat than LCP. HCP has increased villus length and crypt depth in the ileum compared to the NC. Bursa was lower in HCP and thymus was lower in LCP and PC. In contrast HCP have lower pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1, as well as lower TLR4. The phenylpyruvate improved family Selenomonadaceae, genus Megamonas Bacteroides species that are known for beneficial effects like for maintenance of the cell surface structure, regulating aromatic amino acids and C. jejuni-suppressive treatment respectively. Finally, phenylpyruvate feed supplement can be utilized to improve growth performance and positively modulate gut microbiota, however this is less efficient than antibiotics in improving growth performance, although more efficient in improving productive performance and gut morphology. Moreover, high dose of phenylpyruvate is more effective than low dose

We investigate molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions of micrometers-thick In0.52Al0.48As designed for waveguide of InGaAs/InAlAs/InP quantum cascade lasers. Effect of growth temperature and V/III ratio on the surface morphology and defect structure were studied. The growth conditions which were developed for the growth of cascaded In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As active region, e.g. growth temperature of TG=520°C and V/III ratio of 12, turned out to be not optimum for the growth of thick In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layers. It has been observed that after exceeding ~1µm thickness the quality of In0.52Al0.48As layers deteriorates. The in-situ optical reflectometry showed increasing surface roughness caused by defect forming, which was further confirmed by High Resolution X-Ray reciprocal space mapping, optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The presented optimization of growth conditions of In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layer led to the growth of defect free material, with good optical quality. This has been achieved by decreasing the growth temperature to TG=480 °C with appropriate increasing V/III ratio. At the same time the growth conditions of the cascade active region of the laser were left unchanged. The lasers grown using new recipe have shown lower threshold currents and improved slope efficiency. We relate this performance improvement to reduction of the electron scattering on the interface roughness and decreased waveguide absorption losses.

This paper presents a script that classify spatial patterns of residential urban growth using a morpho-structural approach. The script performs a combination of variography analysis and morphological closings over buildings possessing a residential function in 2002 and 2017 within a region located in southern France named Centre-Var. The different bounding regions then allow classifying new residential buildings into different categories according to their degrees of clustering/scattering and to their locations regarding existing urban areas. Preliminary results show that this protocol is able to provide useful insights regarding the degree of contribution of each new residential building to different patterns of urban growth (clustered infill, scattered infill, clustered edge-expansion, scattered edge-expansion, clustered leapfrog and scattered leapfrog). Open-access to the script and to the test region data is provided.

Residential coal combustion is one of the most significant sources of carbonaceous aerosols in the Highveld region of South Africa, significantly affecting the local and regional climate. In this study, we investigated single coal-burning particles emitted when using different fire-ignition techniques (top-lit up-draft vs bottom-lit up-draft) and air ventilation rates (defined by the number of air holes above and below the fire grate) in selected informal braziers. Aerosol samples were collected on nucleopore filters at the Sustainable Energy Technology and Research Centre Laboratory, University of Johannesburg. Individual particles (~700) were investigated using a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Two distinct forms of spherical organic particles (SOPs) were identified, one less oxidized than the other. The particles were further classified into "electronically" dark and bright. EDS analysis showed that 70% of the dark spherical organic particles had higher (~60%) relative oxygen content than in the bright SOPs. We quantified the morphology of spherical organic particles and classified them into four categories: ~50% are bare single particles; ~35% particles are aggregated and form diffusion accretion chains; 10% have inclusions, and 5% are deformed due to impaction on filter material during sampling. We conclude that there are two distinct kinds of coal burning spherical organic particles and that dark SOPs are less volatile than bright SOPs. We also show that these spherical organic particles are similar in nature and characteristics to tar balls observed in biomass combustion and that they have the potential to absorb sunlight thereby affecting the earth’s radiative budget and climate. This study provides insights into the mixing states, morphology, and possible formation mechanisms of these organic particles from residential coal combustion in informal stoves.

An improved anti-noise morphology vision navigation algorithm is proposed for intelligent tractor tillage in a complex agricultural field environment. At first the two key steps, Guided Filtering and improved anti-noise morphology navigation line extraction were addressed in detail. Then the experiments were carried out in order to verify the effectiveness and advancement of the presented algorithm. Finally, the optimal template and it’s application condition were studied for improving the image processing speed. The comparison experiment results show that the YCbCr color space has minimum time consumption of 0.094 s in comparison with HSV, HIS and 2R-G-B color spaces. The Guided Filtering method can effectively distinguish the boundary between the new and old soil than other competing vanilla methods such as Tarel, Multi-scale Retinex, Wavelet-based Retinex and Homomorphic Filtering inspite of having the fastest processing speed of 0.113 s. The extracted soil boundary line of the improved anti-noise morphology algorithm has best precision and speed compared with other operators such as Sobel, Roberts, Prewitt and Log. After comparing different size of image template, the optimal template with the size of 140×260 pixels can meet high precision vision navigation while the course deviation angle is not more than 7.5°. The maximum tractor speed of the optimal template and global template are 51.41 km/h and 27.47 km/h respectively which can meet real-time vision navigation requirement of the smart tractor tillage operation in the field. The experimental vision navigation results demonstrated the feasibility of the autonomous vision navigation for tractor tillage operation in the field using the new and old soil boundary line extracted by the proposed improved anti-noise morphology algorithm which has broad application prospect.

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a well-described modulator of socio-emotional traits, such as anxiety, stress, social behavior, and pair-bonding, however, when dysregulated, it is associated with adverse psychiatric traits, like various aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we identify the transcription factor MEF2A as the common link between OT and cellular changes symptomatic for ASD, encompassing neuronal morphology, connectivity, and mitochondrial function. We provide evidence for MEF2A as the decisive factor defining the cellular response to OT: while OT induces neurite retraction in MEF2A expressing neurons, OT causes neurite outgrowth in absence of MEF2A. A CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout of MEF2A and retransfection of an active version or permanently inactive mutant, respectively, validated our findings. We also identified the phosphatase calcineurin as the main upstream regulator of OT-induced MEF2A signaling. Further, MEF2A signaling dampens mitochondrial functioning in neurons, as MEF2A knockout cells show increased maximal cellular respiration, spare-respiratory capacity, and total cellular ATP. In summary, we reveal a central role for OT-induced MEF2A as major regulator of cellular morphology as well as neuronal connectivity and mitochondrial functioning, with broad implications for a potential treatment of disorders based on morphological alterations or mitochondrial dysfunction.

Automated machine classifications of galaxies are necessary because the size of upcoming surveys will overwhelm human volunteers. We improve upon existing machine classification methods by adding the output of SpArcFiRe to the inputs of a machine learning model. We use the human classifications from Galaxy Zoo 1 (GZ1) to train a random forest of decision trees to reproduce the human vote distributions of the Spiral class. We prefer the random forest model over other black box models like neural networks because it allows us to trace post hoc the precise reasoning behind the classification of each galaxy. We find that, across a sample of 470,000 Sloan galaxies that are large enough that details could be seen if they were there, the combination of SpArcFiRe outputs with existing SDSS features provides a better machine classification than either one alone on comparison to Galaxy Zoo 1. We suggest that adding SpArcFiRe outputs as features to any machine learning algorithm will likely improve its performance.

Dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the surface of titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and titanium alloy modified by titania nanotube layer (Ti6Al4V/TNT) substrates were produced by chemical vapor deposition method (CVD) using novel precursor of the formula [Ag₅(O₂CC₂F₅)₅(H₂O)₃]. The structure and volatile properties of this compound were determined using single crystal X-ray diffractometry, variable temperature IR spectrophotometry (VT IR), and electron inducted mass spectrometry (EI MS). The morphology and the structure of the produced Ti6Al4V/AgNPs, and Ti6Al4V/TNT/AgNPs composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Moreover, measurements of hardness, Young’s modulus, adhesion, and surface free energy have been carried out. The ability to release silver ions from the surface of produced nanocomposite materials immersed in PBS solution has been estimated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS). The wettability and the surface free energy of samples were estimated on the base of contact angle studies with the use of water and diiodomethane. Among the studied surface-modified titanium alloy implants, the best nano-mechanical properties were noticed for the Ti6Al4V/TNT15/AgNPs composite. The location of silver nanoparticles inside of titania nanotubes caused their lowest release rate, which may indicate on suitable properties above mentioned type of the composite for the construction of implants with a long term of antimicrobial activity.

Plants are affected by soil environments to the same extent they affect soil functioning through interactions between environmental and genetic factors. Here, five plant species (broad bean, pea, cabbage, fennel, and olive) grown under controlled pot conditions were tested for their ability to differently stimulate the degradation of standard litter. Litter, soil C and N contents and soil microbial abundance were measured. The architecture and morphological traits of roots systems were also evaluated by using specific open-source software (SmartRoot). Soil chemical and microbiological characteristics were significantly influenced by the plant species. Variations in soil C/N dynamics were correlated with the diversity of root traits among species. Early-stage decomposition of the standard litter changed on the basis of the plant species. The results indicated that key soil processes are governed by interactions between plant roots, soil C and N, and the microbial metabolism that stimulate decomposition reactions. This, in turn, can have marked effects on soil chemical and microbiological fertility, both fundamental for sustaining crops, and can promote the development of new approaches for optimizing soil C and N cycling, managing nutrient transport, and sustaining and improving net primary production.

Presently, nano-crystallization is widely accepted for increasing the solubility and biological barrier permeability of poorly soluble drugs. It improves the bioavailability of therapeutic agents, increasing the effectiveness for treating diseased conditions, and could be safely administered by oral, parenteral, or transdermal routes. Drug nanocrystals are drug particles coated with a thin polymer layer to enhance their stability and could be decorated with ligands for active targeting. In addition, nanocrystals, due to their morphological properties, improve cell internalization. Therefore, passive targeting by high cellular uptake and retention in the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) may be expected. Drug nanocrystals are formulated by either top-down or bottom-up methods and could be scaled up for industrial manufacturing. In the past few decades, nanocrystal formulation has been increasingly studied to overcome the limitations of BCS Class II and IV chemotherapeutic agents. The study of cytotoxic effects of drug formulation on cell lines gives an insight for estimating its in-vivo biodistribution. This review highlights the role of morphology, stabilizer, and ligand conjugation on drug targeting and cellular uptake in cancer cells, as well as a brief discussion on nanocrystal production.

As an emerging discipline, Design Morphology, with the advantage of "Form Study", has been integrated with many disciplines, and gradually formed its collaborative innovation paradigm. The inclusion of "Ecology" into Design Morphology is expected to promote the research of Design Morphology with the help of the systematic thinking and methods of ecology. The ecosystem of Design Morphology includes the natural ecosystem and the quasi-ecosystem closely related to human beings, and also put forward the concept of "Form Community" for the first time in the design field. In fact, this is exactly the research scope of Design Morphology. Advocating the ecological view of Design Morphology, can not only help to design researchers improve their values and world view, with new thinking and method to engage in "Form Study", but also contribute to the theoretical construction and thinking expansion of Design Morphology, and play a positive role in promoting interdisciplinary collaborative innovation led by Design Morphology. In addition, it can be used to evaluate the overall research and future development trend of Design Morphology, and provide the new research ideas and approaches for the development of design.

Plants are continually exposed to multiple stresses, which co-occur in nature and the net effects are frequently more non-additive (i.e., synergistic or antagonistic) suggesting ‘unique’ responses respect to that of the individual stress. Further, plant stress responses are not uniforms showing a high spatial and temporal variability among and along the different organs. In this respect, the present work investigated the morphological responses of different root types (seminal, seminal lateral, primary, primary lateral) of maize plants exposed to single (drought and heat) and combined stress (drought + heat). Data were evaluated by a specific root image analysis system (WinRHIZO) and analyzed by uni- and multi-variate statistical analysis. The results indicated that primary root and their laterals were the types more sensitive to the single and combined stresses while the seminal laterals specifically responded to the combined only. Further, antagonistic and synergistic effects were observed for the specific traits in the primary and their laterals and in the seminal lateral roots in response to the combined stress. These results suggested that maize root system modified specific root types and traits to face with different stressful environmental conditions highlighting that the adaptation strategy to the combined stress may be different from that of the individual ones. The knowledge of “unique or shared” responses of plant to multiple stress can be utilized to develop varieties with broad spectrum stress tolerance.

Films prepared from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymers produced by Aneurinibacillus sp. H1 using an automatic film applicator were homogeneous and had a defined thickness, which allowed a detailed study of physicochemical properties. Their properties were compared with a poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) homopolymer film prepared by the same procedure, which proved to be significantly more crystalline by DSC and XRD. Structural differences between samples had a major impact on their properties. With increasing 4-hydroxybutyrate content, the ductility and release rate of the model hydrophilic active ingredient increased significantly. Other observed properties, such as the release of the hydrophobic active substance, the contact angle with water and ethylene glycol, or the surface morphology and roughness, were also affected by the composition. The identified properties predetermine these copolymers for wide use in areas such as biomedicine or smart biodegradable packaging for food or cosmetics. The big advantage is the possibility of fine-tuning properties simply by changing the fermentation conditions.

Urban vitality, understood as a key factor for the achievement of cities’ sustainability, shows a strong relationship with urban morphology. The city theorist Jane Jacobs suggested morphologi-cal aspects to promote vital cities already in the 1960s, which remain valid in the present. How-ever, few studies in the Andean region quantitatively exemplify this. This paper aims to test the measurement of urban vitality in a neighborhood of Quito, Ecuador, called La Mariscal, inte-grating Jacobs’ approach. In particular, three urban vitality indexes are evaluated with the appli-cation of GIS software using cadastral data obtained from the municipality and field data col-lection. Results show that the context-based previous knowledge and the scale of analysis are es-sential factors in the configuration of dimensions, indicators, and spatial representation of any urban vitality index. In the study area land use mixture, contact opportunity, and accessibility dimensions are fundamental. Regarding indicators, the incorporation of the informal small-scale commerce, the quality of sidewalks, the street slope, and the good-conditioned street furniture is recommended. Finally, a hybrid representation (raster and vectorial) is suggested to precisely measure urban vitality at a block scale. Altogether, by providing a comparative approach, we in-tend to bring a useful framework for researchers and planners to study urban vitality in Andean cities.

Seventy-two clavarioid specimens from Johannes Rick's collection at PACA and BPI were revised. Eleven taxa are presented. Illustrations of the microstructures are provided for nine taxa. The description of Scytinopogon robustus includes information from recently collected specimens and SEM photographs of the basidiospores. A new combination, Clavulina ridleyi, is proposed.

This draft aims at opening a discussion about the adequacy of non-stratal, non-derivational models of phonology, such as Declarative Phonology, to give appropriate accounts of any kind of phonological variation of morphemes. Refuting the assumption that all variants of one single morpheme correspond to a unique underlying form consecutively respecified through ordered adjustments of phonological shape, Declarative Phonology seems able to integrate explanations of both suppletive and non-suppletive alternation. A rough application of this model to suppletive alternation in Portuguese will be sketched out.

The novel coronavirus has presented specimen-access challenges to geoscientific researchers, including paleobiologists interested in fossil ammonoids. Ammonoid sutures are geometric patterns formed by the intersection of the septa and the shell wall, and have long been a diagnostic tool for ammonite researchers for such applications as species identification, taxonomic relationships, ontogenetic change, functional and evolutionary morphology, and other aspects of ammonoid paleobiology. Without access to specimens in museum and institutional collections, researchers must rely on previously published illustrations and photographs of ammonoid sutures. However, many of these illustrations were published decades ago without an index of scale. Suture tracings lacking a scale bar are not usable by researchers interested in applying the quantitativeness of fractal geometry to the interpretation of septal complexity. Additonally, distortion of the marginal elements of suture geometry occurs due to shell curvature near the venter and umbilicus. The revised approach described here eliminates the problem of missing scale information in fractal analysis of ammonite sutures, making use of just the lateral lobe and adjacent saddle. Our revised method’s non-requirement of a full hemisuture also facilitates comparisons among sutures within an ontogenetic sequence, or sutures from multiple ammonite taxa.

Ampelography, the botanical discipline dedicated to the identification and classification of grapevine cultivars, was grounded on the description of morphological characters and more recently is based on the application of DNA polymorphisms. New methods of image analysis may help to optimize morphological approaches in ampelography. The objective of this study was the classification of representative cultivars of Vitis vinifera conserved in the Spanish collection of IMIDRA according to seed shape. Thirty eight cultivars representing the diversity of this collection were analyzed. A consensus seed silhouette was defined for each cultivar representing the geometric figure that better adjusted to their seed shape. All the cultivars tested were classified in ten morphological groups, each corresponding to a new model. The models are geometric figures defined by equations and similarity to each model is evaluated by quantification of percent of the area shared by the two figures, the seed and the model (J index). The comparison of seed images with geometric models is a rapid and convenient method to classify cultivars. A large proportion of the collection may be classified according to the new models described and the method permits to find new models according to seed shape in other cultivars.

Along with environmental pollutions, urban planning has been connected to public health. The research indicates that the quality of built environments plays an important role in reducing mental disorders and overall health. The structure and shape of the city are considered as one of the factors influencing happiness and health in urban communities and the type of the daily activities of citizens. The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in the main structure of the city via urban design in a way that the main form and morphology of the city can encourage citizens to move around and have physical activity within the city. Functional, physical, cultural-social, and perceptual-visual features are regarded as the most important and effective criteria in increasing physical activities in urban spaces based on literature review. The environmental quality of urban spaces and their role in the physical activities of citizens in urban spaces were assessed by using the questionnaire tool and analytical network process (ANP) of structural equation modeling. Further, the space syntax method was utilized to evaluate the role of the spatial integration of urban spaces on improving physical activities. Based on the results, the consideration of functional diversity, spatial flexibility and integration, security, and the aesthetic and visual quality of urban spaces plays an important role in improving the physical health of citizens in urban spaces. Further, more physical activities, including motivation for walking and consequently, the sense of public health and happiness, were observed in the streets having higher linkage and space syntax indexes with their surrounding texture.

The structure of wound dressing materials presents one of the most relevant characteristics for effective skin tissue repair. Electrospinning is a common technique used to produce polymeric fibres that can mimic fibrillar disposition of skin extracellular matrix, favouring cell migration, and thus regeneration of the damaged tissue. Moreover, beads, also known as by-products of electrospinning, have potential as reservoirs for sustained drug release. Processing parameters, such as molecular weight and viscosity of the polymer solution, can affect the desirable morphologies of electrospun films. Thereby, this work had the purpose of producing and characterized electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) mats loaded with propolis, a popular extract in traditional medicine with potential for skin repair aid. Films with different morphologies were obtained depending on the storage period of the solution prior to the lectrospinning, probably due to the PCL hydrolysis. FTIR analyses of the extract confirmed propolis composition. GPC and viscosity analyses demonstrated that the decrease in molar mass over the storage period was responsible for nanostructure diversity. Propolis acts as a lubricant agent, affecting the spun solutions' viscosity and the thermal properties and hydrophilicity of the films. All films are within the value range of the water vapour transpiration rate of the commercial products. The presence of beads did not affect the propolis release pattern. However, "in vitro" wound healing assay showed that propolis-loaded films composed by beaded fibres increased the cell migration process. Thus, it can be inferred that these films presented the potential for wound dressing application.

Experimental evolution was utilized to produce 5 magnetite nanoparticle-resistant (FeNP1-5) populations of Escherichia coli. The control populations were not exposed to magnetite nanoparticles. The 24-hour growth of these replicates was evaluated in the presence of increasing concentrations magnetite NPs as well as other ionic metals (gallium III, iron II, iron III, silver I) and antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, sulfanilamide, tetracycline). Scanning electron microscope was utilized to determine cell size and shape in response to magnetite nanoparticle selection. Whole genome sequencing was carried out to determine if any genomic changes that resulted from magnetite nanoparticle resistance. After 25 days of selection magnetite resistance was evident in the FeNP treatment. The FeNP populations also showed a highly significantly (p < 0.0001) greater 24-growth as measured by optical density in metals (Fe (II), Fe (III), Ga (III), Ag and Cu II); as well as antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, sulfanilamide, and tetracycline). The FeNP resistant populations also showed a significantly greater cell length compared to controls (p < 0.001). Genomic analysis of FeNP identified both polymorphisms and hard selective sweeps in the RNA polymerase genes rpoA, rpoB, and rpoC. Collectively, our results show that E. coli can rapidly evolve resistance to magnetite nanoparticles and that this result is correlated resistances to other metals and antibiotics. There were also changes in cell morphology resulting from adaptation to magnetite NPs. Thus, the various applications of magnetite nanoparticles could result in unanticipated changes in resistance to both metal and antibiotics.

This paper presents the current lexical, morphological, syntactic and rule-based machine translation work for Erzya and Moksha that can and should be used in the development of a roadmap for Mordvin linguistic research. We seek to illustrate and outline initial problem types to be encountered in the construction of an Apertium-based shallow-transfer machine translation system for the Mordvin language forms. We indicate reference points within Mordvin Studies and other parts of Uralic studies, as a point of departure for outlining a linguistic studies with a means for measuring its own progress and developing a roadmap for further studies.

In recent years, the biomimetic potential of lignified or partially lignified fruit pericarps has moved into focus. For the transfer of functional principles into biomimetic applications, a profound understanding of the structural composition of the role models is important. The aim of this study was to qualitatively analyse and visualize the functional morphology of the coconut endocarp on several hierarchical levels, and to use these findings for a more precise evaluation of the toughening mechanisms in the endocarp. Eight hierarchical levels of the ripe coconut fruit were identified using different imaging techniques, including light and scanning electron microscopy as well as micro-computer-tomography. These range from the organ level of the fruit (H0) to the molecular composition (H7) of the endocarp components. A special focus was laid on the hierarchical levels of the endocarp (H3-H6). This investigation confirmed that all hierarchical levels influence the crack development in different ways and thus contribute to the pronounced fracture toughness of the coconut endocarp. By providing relevant morphological parameters at each hierarchical level with the associated toughening mechanisms, this lays the basis for transferring those properties into biomimetic technical applications.

Pit craters, and pit crater chains, are now recognised as being an important part of the surface morphology and structure of many planetary bodies, and are particularly remarkable on Mars. Pit craters do not possess the elevated rims, ejecta deposits, or other features that are typically associated with impact craters. They are thought to arise from the drainage/collapse of a relatively weak surficial material into an open (or widening) void in a much stronger material below. The creation of such voids has been suggested to be due to extensional fracturing/dilational faulting, shallow dike intrusion, lava tube collapse amongst other hypotheses. These craters have a very distinctive expression, often presenting funnel, cone, or bowl-shaped geometries. Analogue models of pit crater formation provide a map-view picture of their initiation and evolution but give little insight into their internal structure or geometry, but produce pits that typically have steep, nearly conical cross sections. Numerical modelling studies of their formation have been limited and have produced some quite interesting, but nonetheless puzzling, results whereby the simulated pit craters had generally convex (steepening downward) slope profiles with no distinct rim; quite unlike many of those observed on Earth or on Mars. To address these issues, I present here a high-resolution, 2D discrete element model of weak cover (regolith) collapse into either a static or a widening underlying void. I use frictional and frictional-cohesive discrete elements to represent a range of probable cover rheologies. Under Martian gravitational conditions, frictional-cohesive and frictional materials produce cone, bowl and scoop-shaped pit craters. For a given cover thickness, the specific crater shape depends on the amount of underlying void space created for drainage. When void space is small relative to cover thickness, craters have bowl or scoop-shaped geometries. In contrast, when void space is large relative to cover thickness, craters have cone-shaped geometries with essentially planar (nearing angle of repose) slope profiles. Frictional-cohesive materials exhibit more distinct rims than simple frictional materials and thus may reveal some stratigraphic layering on the pit crater walls. In the limit, when drainage from the overlying cover is insufficient to fill the underlying void, ´skylights´ into the deeper structure are created. Implications of these results for the interpretation of pit craters on Earth, Mars, other planets and moons are discussed.

Mitochondrial dysregulation is implicated in numerous neurological disorders. Mitochondrial dynamics, including biogenesis, fusion and fission, are essential components of mitostasis which is modulated by complex regulatory mechanisms. Although expression studies are often used to investigate mitochondrial dynamics, these studies may be limited by the interdependent and temporal nature of mitostasis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cryogenic preparation methods provide a direct approach to examine mitochondrial ultrastructure in neurons. We investigated the utility of TEM to visualize mitochondrial morphological changes in SH-SY5Y cells treated with propionic acid (PPA). We examined whether morphological alterations were associated with differences in membrane potential or expression of biogenesis, fusion and fission genes. PPA induced a significant decrease in mitochondrial area (p<0.01 5mM), Feret's diameter and perimeter (p<0.05 5mM), and in area2 (p<0.05 3mM, p<0.01 5mM) – consistent with a shift towards fission. Morphological changes were not associated with significant differences in mitochondrial membrane potential. However, we observed decreased gene expression of NRF1 (p<0.01), TFAM (p<0.05), and STOML2 (p<0.0001). These data support a disruption of the balance in dynamics to preserve function under stress. This demonstrates the utility of TEM to provide insight into mitochondrial dynamics and function which can inform targeted mechanistic investigations into neuropathology.

Background: The Hengduan Mountains are one of the most species–rich mountainous areas in the world. The origin and evolution of such a remarkable biodiversity are likely to be associated with geological or climatic dynamics, as well as taxon-specific biotic processes (e.g., hybridization, polyploidization, etc.). Here, we investigate the mechanisms fostering the diversification of the endemic Himalopsyche martynovi complex, a poorly known group of aquatic insects. Methods: We used multiple allelic datasets generated from 691 AHE loci to reconstruct species and RaxML phylogenetic trees. We selected the most reliable phylogenetic tree to perform network and gene flow analyses. Results: Phylogenetic reconstructions and network analysis identified three clades, including H. epikur, H. martynovi sensu stricto and H. cf. martynovi. Himalopsyche martynovi sensu stricto and H. cf. martynovi present an intermediate morphology between H. epikur and H. viteceki, the closest known relative to the H. martynovi–complex. The gene flow analysis revealed extensive gene flow among these lineages. Conclusion: Our results suggest that H. viteceki and H. epikur are likely to have contributed to the evolution of H. martynovi sensu stricto and H. cf. martynovi via gene flow, and thus, our study provides insights in the diversification process of a lesser–known ecological group, and hints at the potential role of gene flow in the emergence of biological novelty in the Hengduan Mountains.

The transition to reproduction is a crucial step in the life cycle of any organism. In Arabidopsis thaliana the establishment of reproductive growth can be divided into two phases: Firstly, cauline leaves with axillary meristems are formed and internode elongation begins. Secondly, lateral meristems develop into flowers with defined organs. Floral shoots are usually determinate and suppress the development of lateral shoots. Here, we describe a transposon insertion mutant in the Nossen accession with defects in floral development and growth. Most strikingly is the outgrowth of stems from the axillary bracts of the primary flower carrying secondary flowers. Therefore, we named this mutant flower-in-flower (fif). However, the transposon insertion in the annotated gene is not the cause for the fif phenotype. By means of classical and genome sequencing-based mapping, the mutation responsible for the fif phenotype was found to be in the LEAFY gene. The mutation, a G-to-A exchange in the second exon of LEAFY, creates a novel lfy allele and results in a cysteine-to-tyrosine exchange in the α1-helix of LEAFY´s DNA-binding domain. This exchange abolishes target DNA-binding, whereas subcellular localization and homomerization are not affected. To explain the strong fif phenotype against this molecular findings, several hypotheses are discussed.

Daphne wolongensis described on the basis of a few known individuals was investigated in the wild, in Baoxing Valey, Sechuan. Its status of valid species was verified morphologically and genetically. Three newly found populations were compared to the closely related species Daphne retusa, D. tangutica, D. longilobata, D. acutiloba, D. sureil, to clones available in cultivation and selected cultivars. The high bootstrap values indicate a good level of genetic differentiation between each of the studied species. The hypothesis whether D. wolongensis is a hybridogenous species was rejected, it is a well-defined independent species. Based on morphological and genetic data, it seems likely that another species, D. limprichtii can be a mountain form of D. tangutica. Variability of populations in Wolong gives a good opportunity to select genotypes with a higher or better performance of combination of traits. From 51samples collected in Wolong it was possible to select the top ten different types as genetic resources for breeding. Daphne wolongensis, in the visited sites of Wolong area, occupies less than 1 km2. Together with isolated finds, the number of found individuals is less than 500 and the area is not larger than 10 km2, thus it falls to the IUCN category of “Critically Endangered” plants.

Canga vegetation has high ecological importance in the Serra dos Carajás, southeastern Amazonia, but it coexists with the potential threat of large-scale iron ore mining. Considering Convolvulaceae, this canga environment has only 17 species, and 15 of these species had their pollen grains described in detail in this present work, aiming to contribute to the taxonomic knowledge of critically endangered plants, including Ipomoea cavalcantei. Pollen grains were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy, and the morphological parameters obtained were statistically analyzed using principal component analysis. Therefore, Aniseia cernua was described for the first time in the literature. In general, the echinae morphology were the main differentiating character among the Ipomoea species and was the basis for the proposed pollen key. The family Convolvulaceae in Carajás is eurypalynous, and the genus Ipomoea may be classified as stenopalynous. The set of morphological characters statically treated and correlated was effective for the separation of Ipomoea.

Polyploidy induction is recognized as one of the major evolutionary processes presenting remark-able morphological, physiological, and genetic variations in plants. Soybean (Glycine max L.), also known as soja bean or soya bean, is an annual leguminous crop of the pea family (Fabaceae) that shares a paleopolypoidy history, dating back to approximately 56.5 million years ago with other leguminous crops such as cowpea and other Glycine specific polyploids. This crop has been documented as one of the polyploid complex species among legumes whose gene evolution and result-ant adaptive growth characteristics, following induced polyploidization has not been fully explored. Furthermore, there are no successfully established in vivo or in vitro based polyploidy in-duction protocols that have been reported so far, particularly, with the intention to develop mutant plants showing strong resistance to abiotic salinity stress. This review, therefore, describes the role of synthetic polyploid plant production in soybean for the mitigation against high soil salt stress levels, and how this evolving approach could be used to further enhance nutritional, pharmaceutical and economic industrial value of soybeans, including addressing challenges involved during the polyploidization process.

Comparison of the influence of conditioning temperature of microspheres made of medical grade poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and polylactide with 4wt.% of D-lactide content (PLA), on its thermal and structural properties is presented. The microspheres were fabricated by solid-in-oil-in-water method for application in additive manufacturing. The microspheres were annealed below glass transition temperature (Tg), above Tg but below onset of cold crystallization, and at two temperatures selected from the range of cold crystallization corresponding to crystallization of α’ and α form of poly(L-lactide) respectively, i.e., at 40°C, 70°C, 90°C and 120°C, in order to verify the influence of conditioning temperatures on sinterability of microspheres set as sintering window (SW). Based on differential scanning calorimetry measurements SW of microspheres were evaluated with consideration of existence of cold crystallization and reorganization of crystal polymorph. The results indicate that the conditioning temperature influence on availability and range of SW that depending on the D-lactide presence. We postulate the need for an individual approach for polylactide powders in determining the SW as a temperature range free of any thermal events. Moreover, other core powder characteristic, such as residual solvent content, morphology, particle size distribution, powder flowability and thermal conductivity, as a key property for successful laser sintering, are characterized. The microspheres are close to sphere and the size of microspheres are below 100 µm. Residual solvents content decreases with the increase of annealing temperature. The thermal conductivity is 0.073 W/mK and 0.064 W/mK for PLA and PLLA microspheres, respectively, and it depends on the spherical shape of the microspheres. Furthermore, the WAXD studies prove that an increase in the conditioning temperature causes a slight increase in crystallinity degree for PLLA microspheres and clear increase in crystallization for PLA microspheres.

A fundamental question in biology is how cell shapes are genetically encoded and enzymatically generated. Prevalent shapes among walled bacteria include spheres and rods. These shapes are chiefly determined by the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall. Bacterial division results in two daughter cells, whose shapes are predetermined by the mother. This makes it difficult to explore the origin of cell shapes in healthy bacteria. In this review, we argue that the Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus is an ideal model for understanding PG assembly and bacterial morphogenesis because it forms rods and spheres at different life stages. Rod-shaped vegetative cells of M. xanthus can thoroughly degrade their PG and form spherical spores. As these spores germinate, cells rebuild their PG and reestablish rod shape without preexisting templates. Such a unique sphere-to-rod transition provides a rare opportunity to visualize de novo PG assembly and rod-like morphogenesis in a well-established model organism.

Transitional vertebra has been reported along of the spine in many researches focused especially on carnivores. The current study had the objectives to identify the presence of transitional lumbosacral and sacrocaudal vertebra in domestic mammals, to realize a comparative analysis of the localization and conformation of this abnormal condition. For this purpose the researches included animals belonging to next species: cow – 29 specimens, sheep – 32 specimens, horse – 31 specimens, pig – 26 specimens, rabbit – 33 specimens, dog – 89 specimens and cat – 57 specimens. The most of the animals, respectively their spine were analysed post mortem, after the dissection performed in the anatomy laboratory, except the dogs and 48 cats that were examined radiologically. The investigations revealed the presence of transitional vertebra in all species as follow: in cows – 3 cases (8,7%), all being about the lumbarization of first sacral vertebra (S1); in sheep – 3 cases (9,37%), two lumbarization cases of S1 and one caudalisation of S4 (the last sacral vertebra); in horses – 4 cases (12,9%), all about the sacralisation of Cd1 (first caudal vertebra); in pigs – 3 cases (11,53%), two lumbarisation cases of S1 and one sacralisation of Cd1; in rabbits – 3 cases (9,09%), a lumbar supernumerary vertebra (L8) and two cases of caudalisation of S4; in dogs – 4 cases (4,49%), a lumbar supernumerary vertebra (L8) and 3 cases of sacralisation of last lumbar vertebra (L7 or L8); in cats – 3 cases (5,26%), two sacralisation cases of last lumbar vertebra and one caudalisation of last sacral vertebra (S3). A strong lumbarization process was observed in ruminants (especially in cows), then in pigs, the sacralisation being prevalent in carnivores. The sacrocaudal transitional vertebrae was predominant in horses, but occurred as an ossification process especially in old animals.

The contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the pathophysiology of cerebral aneurysms in monozygotic twins is under-reported and presents ambiguous arguments. The morphology and hemodynamics of neurovascular arteries in a pair of monozygotic twins (MTs) were investigated to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Four arterial models were reconstructed for the twin A-right brain and left brain, twin B-left brain, and B-left brain without anterior cerebral arteries based on preclinical scanned information. Subsequently, the dimensions, configurations and outlined curves of the three-perspective geometries were compared between the MTs. Adopting an in-vitro validated numerical cerebral aneurysm model, hemodynamic patterns were investigated and compared in the MT models, respectively. Morphological comparisons of the MTs show the size and shape of cerebral arteries exist significant differences, despite of the expected genetic similarities. These differences can be attributed to variations during embryological development and external environmental influences. Qualitatively and generally, numerical results indicate the MTs have some hemodynamic similarities (e.g., time-averaged pressure (TAP) distributions (~13400 Pa), and oscillatory shear index (0~0.49), but present significant differences in specific local arteries due to morphological variances. Specifically, the difference in the volumetric blood flow rate in corresponding arteries between the MTs is from 16% (smallest) in anterior choroidal artery (AChA) to 221% (largest) in the ophthalmic artery (OphA), varying with specific compared arteries. Also, the registered hemodynamic indicators, such as the maximum time-averaged wall shear stress (TWSS) (53.6 Pa vs. 37.8 Pa), and different local OSI distributions were observed between the MTs. The findings revealed that morphological variations in MTs could be generated by embryological and environmental factors, thus assuming they share the identical morphology in cardiovascular and neurovascular systems may lead to significant misevaluations in hemodynamics quantifications and further lesions.

This work shows a correlation between light reflectance, absorption, and morphologies of series of (1-x) BM–x PT, (x = 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12, 0.16, 0.24) ceramics composite. The (1-x) BM–x PT showed features of a black mirror with a low optical energy gap. The measured Vis-NIR diffused reflectance enabled the calculation of the energy gap using the modified Kubelka-Munk function. The estimated energy gap was lower than 1.5 eV related to low reflectance in the Vis-NIR range. Moreover, obtained histograms of grains, using scanning electron microscope, enabled the correlation between grains size and amount of lead titanate. We deduced from the ceramics surface morphology that marked porosity also induced reflectivity of low magnitude. We correlated the magnitude of the energy gap with phases of the BM-PT composite and with the electrical conductivity activation energy reported in the literature. Our results findings opened prospect studied materials for optical applications.

Background: This study investigated the biological effects on circulating monocytes after challenge with SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein. Methods: Whole blood collected form seven ostensibly healthy healthcare workers was incubated for 15 min with 2 and 20 ng/mL recombinant spike protein of Ancestral, Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants. Samples were analyzed with Sysmex XN and DI-60 analyzers. Results: Cellular complexity (i.e., presence of granules, vacuoles and other cytoplasmic inclusions) increased in all samples challenged with the recombinant spike protein of Ancestral, Alpha and Delta variants, but not in those containing Omicron. The cellular content of nucleic acids was constantly decreased in most samples, achieving statistical significance in those containing 20 ng/mL of Alpha and Delta recombinant spike proteins. The heterogeneity of monocyte volumes significantly increased in all samples, achieving statistical significance in those containing 20 ng/mL of recombinant spike protein of Ancestral, Alpha and Delta variants. The monocyte morphological abnormalities after spike protein challenge included dysmorphia, granulation, intense vacuolization, platelet phagocytosis, development of aberrant nuclei and cytoplasmic extrusions. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein triggers important monocyte morphological abnormalities, more evident in cells challenged with spike protein of the more clinically severe Alpha and Delta variants.

There is remarkable morphologic and genetic heterogeneity in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In a small percentage of cases of AML, increased eosinophils and/or basophils are present in the bone marrow and sometimes in the peripheral blood. This is often a puzzling diagnostic situation but also an important finding that requires special investigation. Unique chromosomal rearrangements have been correlated with an increased number of eosinophils and basophils in AML. Identification of the underlying genetic lesion that promotes eosinophilia and basophilia can dramatically change both the prognosis and the treatment of the patient. Thus clinicians must be vigilant in searching for the cause of eosinophilia and/or basophilia in patients with AML, since the different causes may lead to different treatments and survival outcomes. In this article we examine the significance of increased eosinophils and/or basophils in the context of AML, provide guidance that simplifies the differential diagnosis, and prognostic and therapeutic information about specific subtypes of AML associated with eosinophilia and/or basophilia. Evidence supporting personalized (molecularly targeted) therapy for these patients is also presented.

The global production of macadamia nuts has witnessed a significant increase, resulting in the accumulation of large quantities of discarded nutshells. These nutshells possess remarkable hardness and toughness, comparable to aluminum. Incorporating natural fillers to enhance the properties of composite materials for various applications, including light duty, structural, and semi-structural purposes, is a common practice. Given their inherent hardness and toughness, macadamia nutshells present an intriguing choice as fillers, provided that the manufacturing conditions are economically viable. With the urgent need to shift towards natural fillers and reduce reliance on synthetics, exploring macadamia nutshells as components of natural fiber composites becomes imperative. This review aims to comprehensively examine the existing body of knowledge on macadamia nutshells and their bio-synthetic polymer composites, highlighting key research findings, achievements, and identifying knowledge gaps. Furthermore, the article will outline prospective areas of focus for future research endeavors in this domain, aligning with the universal goal of minimizing synthetic materials.

The two main chronic obstructive diseases are asthma – affecting 1-18% of adult population – and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalent in up to 6% of adults. In both cases the treatment depends on diseases’ severity. In management of these conditions, spirometry and complete blood count are two major monitoring tests. Our aim was to compare blood morphology results and spirometry values between patients in groups of different treatment intensity in asthma and COPD. By measuring that, we expected to study whether asthma/COPD patients have a need of stepping-up their treatment steps. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients admitted in 2013-2019 to an outpatient pulmonology clinic in Łódź (Poland). Spirometry values, complete blood count and information on pharmacological treatment were obtained from archival data. Patients were assigned with disease severity according to present GINA/GOLD recommendations. The study included 125 patients – 47 with COPD (22 females) and 78 with asthma (57 females). Results Among patients with asthma, a positive correlation in white blood cell count (WBC) (r=0,236, p=0.038) and ascending GINA treatment steps was found. Significant negative correlations were shown between ascending GINA treatment steps and FEV1, FEV1%, FVC%, MEF50, MEF50, PEF%. In COPD patients, positive correlations between ascending GOLD treatment groups and white blood cell count, neutrophil count, basophil percentage, platelet count (r=0.346; 0.309; 0.321; 0.401 respectively) were found. Negative correlations were shown between ascending GOLD treatment groups and FEV1, FEV1%, FVC, FVC%, MEF50, MEF50%, PEF, PEF% (r=-0.732; -0.575; -0.705; -0.498; -0.632; -0.558; -0.688; -0.597 respectively). Conclusions Negative correlations between ascending GINA and GOLD treatment steps and spirometry values may suggest that asthma and COPD patients may benefit from stepping-up the treatment steps earlier. Potential advantages of that more intensive treatment needs to be examined in the future

This paper investigates urban microclimate in relation to the typical major streets and mobility layout in Turin, i.e. boulevards with lateral minor roads, called “controviali”, an almost unique urban mobility layout. The aim is to examine the possibility of intervention in relation to the type and scope of mobility for microclimate mitigation and climate adaptation purposes. To this, this paper evaluates to which extent urban morphology and mobility features contribute to determining microclimatic conditions, to finally identify site-specific prioritised strategies to cope with its mitigation. This research is structured in two phases. The first phase is dedicated to urban-scale analysis of the streets with “controviali”, resulting in the creation of a database containing their properties and typology, to finally derive six clusters of boulevards. The second phase involves the selection of one representative case study per cluster and simulation of their microclimate conditions, performed by the software ENVI-met. The results are discussed in relation to the parameters proven in the prior literature review to have a major impact on the microclimate. The assessment of the results indicated which elements affect the climatic conditions the most, allowing for the proposal of different prioritised mitigation strategies in the conclusion.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films have been widely used in transparent optoelectronic devices owing to their excellent optical properties also is used in photocatalysis, cosmetics, and many other biomedical applications. However, a lack of studies was published on microstructure and adherence comparison of the TiO2 deposited on both AISI substrates. In this work, TiO2 thin films were deposited onto AISI 304 and AISI 316L stainless steel (SS) substrates via atomic layer deposition. Its heterostructure, morphology, and adhesion were compared in both substrates looking for synergistic and multifunctional properties. Raman spectroscopy mapping and X-ray diffraction using the Rietveld refinement method showed that the films are composed of anatase and rutile phases in different percentages. Scratching tests were used to analyze the film adher-ence and friction between a diamond tip and TiO2 film, showing well adhered in both substrates.

Nuclear vacuoles are specific structures present on the head of the human sperm of fertile and non-fertile men. Human sperm head vacuoles have been previously studied using motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) and their origin related to ab-normal morphology, abnormal chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. How-ever, other evidences argued that human sperm vacuoles are physiological structures and consequently, to date, the nature and origin of the nuclear vacuoles remains to be elucidat-ed. Here, we aim to define the incidence, position, morphology, and molecular content of the human sperm vacuoles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immuno-cytochemistry techniques. Results showed that ~50% of the analyzed human sperm cells (n = 1908; 17 normozoospermic human donors) contained vacuoles mainly located (80%) in the anterior head region. A significant positive correlation was also found between the sperm vacuole and nucleus areas. Furthermore, it was confirmed that nuclear vacuoles were invaginations of nuclear envelope containing cytoskeletal proteins and a cytoplas-mic enzyme, discarding a nuclear or acrosomal origin. According to our findings, these human sperm head vacuoles are cellular structures which take the origin from nuclear invaginations and contain perinuclear theca (PT) components, allowing to define a new term of ‘nuclear invaginations’ rather than ‘nuclear vacuoles.

Anabantidae is a large and diverse group of fish cultured both under aquaculture conditions and as hobbyists. These fish share a common structural feature in the form of an additional respiratory organ. Despite the enormous availability of these fish worldwide, little is known to date about their feeding preferences in husbandry and their influence on homeostasis under both industrial and domestic conditions. This study describes, for the first time, the structure of the digestive tracts of two Anabantoidei fishes: African bushfish (Ctenopoma acutirostre) and paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis). The overall structure of the digestive tract and its histological structure were analyzed and compared in both fish species. In conclusion, it was shown that physiological predispositions indicate a predominance of omnivorous fish traits in the M. opercularis, in contrast to the C. acutirostre, which has several morphological traits indicating a greater adaptation to carnivory, particularly ichthyophagy. The results obtained will allow further research to be conducted in the future to optimize the nutrition and feeding of these fish and to develop appropriate dietary recommendations.

The concept of gray-zone lymphoma (GZL) has been progressively refined since its in-troduction in the literature in 1998. For several years, it was applied to a rather broad spectrum of conditions, posing the problem of the differential diagnosis between any type of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, with special reference to primary mediasti-nal forms (PMBL). Officially recognized as a provisional entity in the 4th and revised 4th editions of the WHO Classification of Tumour of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues with the term “B-cell lymphoma unclassifiable with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lym-phoma and classical Hodgkin lymphoma”, it was limited to tumours, which showed either morphologic features reminiscent of classical HL (CHL) but carrying a complete B-cell pheno-type or conversely provided with a PMBL morphology but revealing CHL phenotypic charac-teristics. The definition of GZL has been further revised in the recently published International Lymphoma Classification and 5th Edition of the WHO Classification of Haemato-lymphoid Tu-mours, which have limited it to mediastinal neoplasms based on emerging molecular evidences. The aim of this review is to critically discuss the issue of GZL, also in the light of the suboptimal response to current therapies.

In contrast to the traditional fillers, clay, in particular, natural smectite clay represents an environmentally significant alternative to improve the properties of polymers. Compared to con-ventional nanofillers, smectite clay can effectively enhance the physical and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites with a relatively small amount of addition (< 5 wt%). The present study focuses on investigating the reinforcing efficiency of different amounts (up to 5 wt%) of a natural Brazilian smectite clay on the mechanical and thermal properties of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) nanocomposites. Natural Brazilian clay modified by addition of quaternary salt and sodium carbonate (MBClay) was infused into the PBT polymer by melt extrusion, using a twin-screw extruder. It was found that the best properties for PBT were obtained at 3.7 wt% of modified BClay. Tensile strength at break exhibited an increase of about 60 %, flexural strength increased by 24 % and flexural modulus increased by 17 %. In addition, an increase in the crystallinity percentage of PBT/BClay nanocomposite was confirmed by DSC and XRD analysis, and a gain of about 45 % in HDT was successfully achieved due to incorporation of 3.7 wt% of MBClay.

Regional heterogeneity of microglia was first described a century ago by Pio del Rio Hortega. Currently, new hints on microglia heterogeneity across central nervous system (CNS) regions are still being unraveled by high-throughput techniques. It remains unclear whether these spatial specificities translate into different microglial behaviors in vitro. We cultured microglia isolated from the cortex and spinal cord and analyzed the effect of the CNS spatial source on in vitro behavior by applying the same experimental protocol and culture conditions. We analyzed microglial cell numbers, function, and morphology and found a distinctive in vitro phenotype. We found that microglia were present in higher numbers in spinal cord-derived glial cultures, presenting different expression of inflammatory genes and a lower phagocytosis rate under basal conditions or after activation with LPS and IFN-. Morphologically, cortical microglial cells are more complex and present longer ramifications, which were also observed in vivo in CX3CR1+/GFP transgenic reporter mice. Collectively, our data demonstrated that microglial behavior in vitro is defined according to specific spatial characteristics acquired in the tissue. Thus, our study highlights the importance of microglia as a source of CNS for in vitro studies.

This work demonstrated the potential of CNC as a substitute for PEG as an additive in ultrafiltration membrane fabrication. Two sets of modified membranes were fabricated using the phase inversion technique with polyethersulfone (PES) as the base polymer, and 1-N-methyl-2 pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent. The first set was fabricated with 0.075 wt% CNC, while the second set was fabricated with 2 wt% PEG. All membranes were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, and contact angle measurements. The SEM images were analyzed for surface characteristics using WSxM 5.0 Develop 9.1 software. The membranes were tested, characterized, and compared for their performance in treating both synthetic turbid water and real restaurant Both membranes exhibited improved hydrophilicity, morphology, pore structure, and roughness. Both membranes also exhibited similar water flux for real and synthetic polluted water. However, the membrane prepared with CNC gave the higher turbidity removal and COD removal when raw restaurant water was treated. The membrane compared well with the UF membrane containing 2 wt% PEG in terms of morphology and performance when synthetic turbid water and raw restaurant water were treated.

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) based on conducting polymers have attracted significant attention in the field of biosensors. PEDOT:PSS and polyaniline (PANI) are representative conducting polymers used for OECTs. While there are many studies on PEDOT:PSS, there are not so many reports on PANI-based OECTs, and a detailed study to compare these two polymers has been desired. In this study, we investigated the fabrication conditions to produce the best performance in the OECTs using the above-mentioned two types of conducting polymers. Two main parameters were film thickness and film surface roughness. For PEDOT:PSS, the optimal conditions for fabricating thin films were a spin-coating rate of 3000 rpm and DI water immersion time of 18 hours. For PANI, the optimal conditions were a spin-coating rate of 3000 rpm and DI water immersion time of 5 seconds, and adding dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) was found to provide better OECT performances. The OECT performances based on PEDOT:PSS were superior to those based on PANI in terms of conductivity and transconductance, but PANI showed excellence in terms of film thickness and surface smoothness, leading to the good reproducibility of OECT performances.

The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is a vulnerable specie from Central and South America and is considered extinct in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Uruguay. Therefore, studies describing the reproductive characteristics of this species are pivotal for its conservation. Thus, this study aimed to provide a morphological description of their female reproductive tissues. We collected tissue samples from six female giant anteaters, and performed gross, morphological, and histochemical analyses. Five adult and one young subjects were enrolled in the study. In the ovary, classifications were made according to the follicle and oocyte sizes: primordial, primary, secondary, early antral, or antral. Typical follicles with a single oocyte surrounded by a simple or stratified layer of cubic epithelium, atretic follicles, corpora lutea, corpora albicans, and ovarian cysts were also observed. No ovarian lesions were observed. By contrast, endometritis, metritis, mucometra, and endometrial cysts were identified in the uterus. Uterine alterations in these subjects were frequent and could affect reproduction.

The North African E. pinnata is not known as a traditional medicinal plant but modern research has revealed its extracts richness in anti-oxidants and components of medicinal value. Despite its wide distribution and medicinal value, the species remains taxonomically and phytochemically un-derstudied, especially in Algeria. Here we compare three ecotypes of E. pinnata from the humid, sub-humid and semi-arid areas. The comparison was carried out using classical techniques of multivariate plant morphology, pollen grains size and shape, chromosome numbers, pollen fer-tility, anti-oxidant and antibacterial activities. Significant differences were revealed for all criteria except pollen fertility and antibacterial activity. The semi-arid ecotype showed to be a remote group in relation to the two others except for pollen size where the remote group was the sub-humid ecotype. Pollen size appeared positively correlated with karyotype length. The results (mg GAE/g EXT) of the antioxidant activity tests of the “humid”, “sub-humid” and the “semi-arid” plant groups are as follows, respectively; TPC: 50.79±0.51, 52.04±1.05 and 56.89±0.46; DPPH: 71.18±2.24, 86.39±3.02 and 95.67±2.02; RP: 11.09±1.24, 17.21±0.75 and 25.88±0.26. The inhibition area diameter in the antibacterial activity test varied from 9.25±1.06 mm (Semi-arid plants vs Pseudo-monas aeruginosa) to 12.00±1.41 mm (Sub-humid plants vs Escherichia coli).

This study aims to investigate the effect of banana stem fibers (BSFs) treatment with liquid smoke on changes in the micro-mechanics properties of BSFs, the tensile strength of single fibers, mor-phology, crystalline properties, and functional groups. The research used four model specimen variations, namely fiber without treatment and immersion in liquid smoke for 1, 2, and 3 hours. The BSFs with treatment was dried in an oven with a temperature of 40ºC for 30 minutes. Several tests were conducted, including a tensile test of single fiber capacity of 50N standard ASTM 3379-02, SEM observation, XRD, and FTIR test. The results showed that the highest increase in fiber strength was P2J, which was 264.21 MPa, and the lowest was TP fiber at 148.54 MPa. Fibers treatment with liquid smoke can form strong C-C elemental bonds caused by the H2O degradation process in BSFs, hence carbon atoms (C) are dense, and in conditions of excessive H2O degradation, the fiber strength will become brittle and the liquid smoke can increase the tensile strength of the fiber. The morphology of the fiber changed where the untreated fiber was covered with lignin, while the treated fiber had an elongated rectangular line pattern, porous, and the lignin was eroded. Crystalline properties in the X-ray diffractogram pattern differ between untreated and treated fibers. At an angle of 2ϴ, the lowest diffraction peak is around 160 in untreated wool, and the highest is 230 in treated fiber. The functional group of the fiber has changed where there is a difference in the wave crest between untreated and treatment fiber. The longer immersion time, the element of Carbon (C) will increase. In conclusion, treating BSFs with liquid smoke can change the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties, hence becoming a choice of composite reinforcement material in the future which is lightweight and environmentally friendly.

We have recently introduced the possibility of performing operando small-angle X-ray scattering measurements using a novel industrially relevant injection moulding system for plastics. We show that useful time-resolving measurements can be performed with a time-cycle of 1s and we highlight the possible steps to reduce this to 0.5s. We show how we can use the transmission measurements to provide a time-marker when plastic first enters the mould cavity in the region probed by the incident X-ray beam. We show the opportunities provided by this experimental stage mounted on the NCD-SWEET beamline at ALBA to probe the reproducibility of the injection moulding system on different scales. The design of the equipment allows the development of the structure and the morphology to be evaluated in different parts of mould cavity and we evaluate any differences in a rectangular mould cavity. We identify future prospects for this equipment in terms of novel mould heating and cooling systems and the opportunities for quantitatively evaluating radical approaches to injection moulding technology.

The subgenus Ochthomantis is an obligate forest and stream-dwelling group of Mantellid frogs, endemic to Madagascar, with six species currently recognized. However, this group suffers from ongoing taxonomic confusion due to low numbers of examined specimens, and failure to con-sider morphological variation from development and sexual dimorphism. Here we examined the morphology of 637 adult sexed specimens, collected by us in the field, and from other Mu-seum collections. We also sequenced the 16S mtDNA gene for each lineage, to determine con-gruence between morphological and molecular data sets, and to help delimit species. Our results demonstrate that the subgenus Ochthomantis includes 11 valid species: five already recognized; M. catalai and M. poissoni that we resurrect from synonymy, and four new species which we de-scribe here. Because Mantidactylus majori groups with other Mantidactylus, we do not consider it a member of the subgenus Ochthomantis. All species have restricted distributions and elevational ranges in the humid forests of Madagascar. This study demonstrates the utility of studying cryp-tic species using both diagnostic morphological characters and molecular data. It is hoped that discovery of this new cryptic biodiversity will initiate conservation activities for those species with the most restricted distributions.

Astrocytes are morphological intricate cells and actively modulate the function of the brain. Through the numerous fine processes, astrocytes contact with neurons, blood vessels and other glia cells. Emerging evidence have shown that astrocytes exhibit brain-regional diversity in the morphology, transcriptome, calcium signaling and functions. However, little is known about the brain regional heterogeneity of astrocyte-astrocyte structural interaction. So far, the visualization and characterization of the morphological features for the adjacent astrocytes with high resolution has been difficult, and as a result, it is still well accepted that astrocytes in the adult brain share non-overlapped territory. In contrast, by using an approach that combines sparse viral labeling with dual-fluorescent dyes, which allows for efficient and specific labeling of adjacent astrocytes, thus enabling a comprehensive visualization of their fine processes and the degree of their territorial overlap. Our study in the hypothalamic regions revealed a marked spatial overlap among adjacent astrocytes. Additionally, we revealed the heterogeneity of astrocyte-neuron ratio across brain regions, and conducted an assessment of the photostability and labeling efficiency of fluorescent dyes used for labeling adjacent astrocytes. Our study here provides new insights for studying the morphological heterogeneity of astrocytes across the central nervous system.

The current methods for lightning risk warnings that are based on atmospheric electric field (AEF) data have a tendency to rely on single features, which results in low robustness and efficiency. Additionally, there is a lack of research on cancelling warning signals, contributing to the high false alarm rate (FAR) of these methods. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a lightning risk warning method that incorporates enhanced empirical Wavelet transform-Adaptive Savitzky Gorey filter (EEWT-ASG) and one-dimensional morphology, using time-frequency domain features obtained through the Wavelet transform (WT). The proposed method achieved a probability of detection (POD) of 77.11%, miss alarm rate (MAR) of 22.89%, FAR of 40.19%, and critical success index (CSI) of 0.51, as evaluated on 83 lightning processes. This method can issue a warning signal up to 22 minutes in advance for lightning processes.

The taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of several southern African perennial taxa related to Frankenia repens are discussed. In particular, F. nodiflora Lam., a misunderstood species described from the Cape region and synonymised to F. pulverulenta, is restored for plants endemic to salt-pans and riverbeds in the coastal lowlands across the Cape plains (Western Cape Province, South Africa). Further, a revision of morphologically close plants, usually identified as F. pulverulenta or F. repens, also occurring in similar saline ecosystems of the inland western South Africa revealed the existence of two distinct new entities not matching any described taxa of the genus. Molecular analyses of nuclear ribosomal (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region) DNA sequence data together with morphological divergence allow recognition of those taxa at species rank, within an independent lineage close to F. repens. In consequence, two new species are described in the so-called “F. repens group”: F. nummularia from the Nama-Karoo Biome (Western Cape and Northern Cape Provinces), and F. namaquana from the Succulent Karoo Biome (Northern Cape Province). Full morphological description and type designation are reported for each accepted species, as well as data on ecology, habitat, distribution and taxonomic relationships to other close relatives are given. Further, an identification key is presented to facilitate recognition of the southern African taxa of Frankenia.

Optimizing input parameters not only improves production efficiency and processing quality but also plays a crucial role in the development of green manufacturing engineering practices. The aim of the present study is to conduct a comparative evaluation at cutting performance and machinability process during the turning of AISI 4340 steel under different cooling conditions. The study analyses cutting operations during turning using dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), and nano-MQL. As control parameters in the experiments, three different cooling types, cutting speed (100, 150, 200 m/min), and feed rate (0.1, 0.15, 0.20 mm/rev) levels were applied. The experiment results present that the optimal output values are found as Vb=0.15 mm, Ra=0.81µm, 88.1 dB for sound intensity, and I=4.18 A for current. Moreover, variance analysis (ANOVA) was performed to determine the effects of input parameters on response values. Under dry, MQL, and nano-MQL processing conditions, parameters affecting tool wear, surface roughness, current by the motor shaft, and sound level were examined in detail, along with the chip morphology. The responses obtained were optimized according to the Taguchi S/N method. As a result of optimization, it was concluded that the optimum values for cutting conditions (A3B1C1) were nano-MQL cooling and V=100 m/min, f=0.1 mm/rev cutting. Last but not least, it was observed that there was a 13% improvement in tool wear, 7% in current, 9% in surface roughness, and 8% in sound intensity compared to the standard conditions. In conclusion, it was determined that nano-MQL and the lowest level of cutting and feed rate values provided the optimum results.

. Gut microbiome reflects healthy and predicts possible disease in hosts. A holistic view of this community is needed, focused on identification species, and on the dissection of how species interact with their host and with each other, regardless of whether their presence is beneficial, inconsequential, or detrimental. Distribution of gut-associated eukaryotes within and across NHPs is likely driven by host behavior and ecology. To ascertain the existence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in the gut of wild and captive non-human primates (NHPs), 01 sample stools were collected and submitted to culture-dependent and microscopy examination and DNA sequencing. FLAs were detected in 45.4% (46/101) of fecal samples analysed and their morphological characteristics matching those of Acanthamoeba spp, Vermamoeba spp, and fan-shaped amoebae of the family Vannellidae. Sequence analysis of the PCR- products revealed that the suspected amoebae are highly homologous (99% identity and 100% query coverage) with Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and Vermamoeba vermiformis amoebae. The results showed a great diversity of FLAs in the NHP microbiome, which may pose a potential risk to the health of NHPs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report the presence of FLAs in NHPs naturally infected. However, it is not known whether gut-borne FLA are exploiting a viable ecological niche, or whether they are simply transient residents in the gut.