•The turning function provides a new method for geometric morphometry and a new perspective for the study of pottery morphology.•This study is the first to publish the results of classifying the ...pottery unearthed at the Gansu-Ganguya site.•The method of obtaining pottery model by photogrammetry is introduced in detail.
Geometric morphometry is a method used to analyse the morphological characteristics of research objects and has many applications in biological analysis. With the development of 3D digital technology, geometric morphometry is widely used on 3D models. The pottery samples were obtained from the Ganguya site (1850 and 1500 BCE) in Gansu Province. Three-dimensional models of the pottery were obtained by photogrammetry, and the outline curves of the pottery were extracted. The outline curves were converted into angles by a turning function, and four characteristic indices were extracted according to the features of the angle function curve. Two principal components were extracted, and the samples were divided into three categories by the K-means clustering algorithm. The characteristics and differences of the three categories were analysed. The turning function provides a new method for generating an outline in geometric morphometry and a new perspective for the study of pottery morphology.
•Beef protein S-nitrosylation level was promoted by GSNO and restrained by l-NAME.•Apoptosis-related morphological changes were retarded by protein S-nitrosylation.•The apoptotic nuclei counts were ...decreased by GSNO and increased by l-NAME.•Protein S-nitrosylation negatively regulated caspase activity and activation.
This study was the first attempt to explore the effect of protein S-nitrosylation on the progress of apoptosis in postmortem beef semimembranosus muscle (SM). Five beef SM were incubated with S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO, nitric oxide donor), control, or Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor). Results suggest that compared to the control, more chromatin condensation, nucleusfragmentation, apoptoticbody formation, and mitochondrialswelling were observed in the l-NAME group while these apoptosis-related morphological changes were retarded in the GSNO group. Notably, there were fewer apoptotic nuclei in the GSNO group and more apoptotic nuclei in the l-NAME group compared to the control (P < 0.05). Additionally, caspase-3 and -9 activities and caspase-3 activation were greatly decreased by GSNO treatment and increased by l-NAME treatment (P < 0.05). The morphological and biochemical results indicate that protein S-nitrosylation could play a negative regulatory role in beef apoptosis during postmortem aging.
Natural deep eutectic solvents have gained popularity due to their environmentally benign, recyclable, and reusable properties. They can be used many times without losingtheir effectiveness. ...Therefore, natural deep eutectic solvents used as effective reagent for lignocellulosic biomass pre-treatment for lignin removal. In this work, the natural deep eutectic solvents (i.e., Lactic Acid: Choline Chloride) is used to treat the kenaf fibre biomass with a molar ratio of 2:1 and then microcrystalline cellulose was obtained through acid hydrolysis. The analytical analysis of kenaf microcrystalline cellulose was investigated through Infrared fourier transform spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, particle size distribution analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis result showed that the maximum proportion of lignin and partial hemicellulose from kenaf fibre were removed during natural deep eutectic solvents pre-treatment. Kenaf microcrystalline cellulose X-ray diffraction results revealed higher crystallinity at 78° compared to other peaks. The thermal analysis shows the kenaf microcrystalline cellulose thermal stability , making it suitable material for more desirable application in many areas. We concluded from obtained results that microcrystalline cellulose extracted with natural deep eutectic solvent pre-treated kenaf fibre can be used in various cellulosic material development in the future for the food packaging, tissue culture, paper, automotive, biomedical, and pharmaceutical applications.
•KF-MCC was successfully obtained using the sustainable NADES approach.•Maximum decomposition temperature of all samples occurred at 500.68 °C, 514.83 °C.•KF-MCC's XRD results revealed higher crystallinity at 78° compared to other peaks.
Macroautophagy/autophagy is the process by which cells degrade their cytoplasmic proteins or organelles in vacuoles to maintain cellular homeostasis under severe environmental conditions. In the ...yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, autophagy-related (Atg) proteins essential for autophagosome formation accumulate near the vacuole to form the dot-shaped phagophore assembly site/pre-autophagosomal structure (PAS). The PAS then generates the phagophore/isolation membrane (PG), which expands to become a closed double-membrane autophagosome. Hereinafter, we refer to the PAS, PG, and autophagosome as autophagy-related structures (ARSs). During autophagosome formation, Atg2 is responsible for tethering the ARS to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via ER exit sites (ERESs), and for transferring phospholipids from the ER to ARSs. Therefore, ARS and the ER are spatially close in the presence of Atg2 but are separated in its absence. Because the contact of an ARS with the ER must be established at the earliest stage of autophagosome formation, it is important to know whether the ARS is tethered to the ER. In this study, we developed a rapid and objective method to estimate tethering of the ARS to the ER by measuring the distance between the ARS and ERES under fluorescence microscopy, and found that tethering of the ARS to the ER was lost without Atg1. This method might be useful to predict the tethering activity of Atg2.
Abbreviation: ARS, autophagy-related structure; Dautas, automated measurement of the
d
istance between autophagy-related structures and ER exit sites
a
nalysis
s
ystem; ERES, endoplasmic reticulum exit site; PAS, phagophore assembly site/pre-autophagosomal structure; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PG, phagophore/isolation membrane; prApe1, precursor of vacuolar aminopeptidase I; Qautas,
q
uantitative
aut
ophagy-related structure
a
nalysis
s
ystem; SD/CA; synthetic dextrose plus casamino acid medium; WT, wild-type
Traditional breeding programmes have been limited to the selection and introduction of genotypes with promising agronomic characteristics, but studies focused on genetic diversity in the low hills of ...the North West(NW) Himalayas have not been conducted, which is very important for the identification of potential parents for breeding programmes in guava. In the present study, six best performing guava cultivars/hybrids were characterised using morphological descriptors and SCoT markers. Broad phenotypic variability among the guava cultivars/hybrids was detected using morphological descriptors. A set of 36 SCoT markers were used for polymorphism, out of which 31(86.1%) markers showed polymorphism, indicating high genetic variability in the guava cultivars/hybrids. During the analysis, 291 polymorphic amplicons were obtained, ranging from four to 19, with an average of 9.4 amplicons per primer and average polymorphic information content of 0.47.The UPGMA classified hybrids and cultivars into two groups. Based on morphological and molecular performance, L-49(Sardar) was ranked as the most promising cultivar for the low hills of NW Himalayan conditions. Morphological descriptors along with SCoT markers proved efficient in detecting the levels of genetic variability among the collections maintained in the field. These results can be used as an additional source of exploitation in guava breeding programmes.
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•Nanoparticle-blended polymer coating films are designed based on interface layer effect.•The optimal film can be identified using wettability, roughness, and aggregation.•Formation ...of polymeric canopies is the actual cause of the improved wettability.•The canopic formation also likely increases the surface aggregation.
Dewetting of polymer thin film coated on a solid substrate at higher temperature than the glass transition is one of the major problems restricting its functionality. While nanoparticle inclusion is considered as a simple but effective solution, influence of directly measurable film characteristics on polymer chain dynamics has been a crucial topic. Here, using dynamic atomic force microscopy (DAFM)-based nano mechanical analysis, we present a systematic investigation of inorganic nanoparticle-filled polymeric nanofilms designed for heat-resistant coating based on pinning effect of the interfacial nanoparticle layer by varying concentrations of the zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofiller and the polystyrene (PS) polymer. Performing morphological analysis from dewetting hole occurrence and surface roughness together with size and distribution of the protruding surface aggregates, not only dewetting and non-dewetting films are distinguished, but also the optimal film can be identified. Dewetting suppression mechanism has been proposed on the basis of height profiles of individual dewetting holes, relative interfacing energies, and relation between local stiffness and polymeric chain crowding, suggesting effect from polymeric canopies incorporated with the nanoparticles. This work sheds more light on improving the thermal-proof coating and provides a general protocol for film grading and dewetting inspection at the nanoscale.
Sustainability integration in the processes of managing and delivering projects is essential to ensure the sustainability of the projects and that of the assets created. This research synthesises ...over two decades of published research on sustainability integration in management of construction projects (SIMCP). A three stage research process is used for searching and shortlisting, systematically reviewing, and Morphological Analysis (MA) of 130 selected journal articles. The use of MA here, perhaps the first such attempt in sustainable construction literature, has enabled compact tabular-visual representation of the large body of knowledge on SIMCP by categorising it under 7 dimensions, viz., Motivations, Stakeholder Orientation, Organizational Context, Temporal Orientation, Benefits, Barriers, and Risks, and 31 variants. MA has confirmed significant future research scope and revealed at least 236 specific research gaps. The study has significant implications for practitioners and academicians. While the former can use it to understand the state-of-the-art in SIMCP, the latter can utilize the identified gaps to decide their future lines of academic and intellectual inquiries.
•Morphological Analysis (MA) of literature on sustainability integration in the management of construction projects (SIMCP).•A MA framework consisting of 7 dimensions and 31 variants of SIMCP has been developed from the literature.•The framework provides a compact tabular-visual representation of the state-of-the-art on the subject.•Using the framework at least 236 specific research gaps have been identified for further theory building.
The morphological analysis of olive leaves, fruits and endocarps may represent an efficient tool for the characterization and discrimination of cultivars and the establishment of relationships among ...them. In recent years, much attention has been focused on the application of molecular markers, due to their high diagnostic efficiency and independence from environmental and phenological variables.
In this study, we present a semi-automatic methodology of detecting various morphological parameters. With the aid of computing and image analysis tools, we created semi-automatic algorithms applying intuitive mathematical descriptors that quantify many fruit, leaf and endocarp morphological features. In particular, we examined quantitative and qualitative characters such as size, shape, symmetry, contour roughness and presence of additional structures such as nipple, petiole, endocarp surface roughness, etc..
We illustrate the performance and the applicability of our approach on Greek olive cultivars; on sets of images from fruits, leaves and endocarps. In addition, the proposed methodology was also applied for the description of other crop species morphologies such as tomato, grapevine and pear. This allows us to describe crop morphologies efficiently and robustly in a semi-automated way.
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