Morphology Behavior Research Articles

Effects of temperature experienced across life stages on morphology and flight behavior of painted lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui)

BackgroundWith ongoing anthropogenic climate change, there is increasing interest in how organisms are affected by higher temperatures, including how animals respond behaviorally to increasing temperatures. Movement behavior is especially relevant, as the ability of a species to shift its range is implicitly dependent upon movement capacity and motivation. Temperature may influence movement behavior of ectotherms both directly, through an increase in body temperature, and indirectly, through temperature-dependent effects on physiological and morphological traits.MethodsWe investigated the influence of ambient temperature during two life stages, larval and adult, on body size and movement behavior of the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). We reared painted ladies to emergence at either a “low” (24 °C) or “high” (28 °C) temperature. At eclosion, we assessed flight behavior in an arena test. We used a full factorial experimental design in which half of the adults that emerged from each rearing treatment were tested at either the “low” or “high” temperature. We measured adult body size, including wingspan, and determined flight speed, distance, and duration from video recordings.ResultsAdult butterflies that experienced the higher temperature during development were larger. We documented an interaction of rearing x testing temperature on flight behavior: unexpectedly, the fastest butterflies were those who experienced a change in temperature, whether an increase or decrease, between rearing and testing. Individuals that experienced matching thermal environments flew more slowly, but for more time and covering more distance. We found no influence of body size per se on flight.ConclusionsWe conclude that the potential role of “matching” thermal environments across life stages has been underinvestigated with regard to how organisms may respond to warming conditions.

Structural and morphological behavior of Al-based hybrid composites reinforced by SiC and WS2 inorganic material

Abstract Aluminum-based composites exhibit significant potential in automotive engineering, especially in engine components, with potential to improve efficiency and lifespan. The potential and usability of developing high-performance aluminum-based hybrid composites with silicon carbide and tungsten disulfide for automotive applications were investigated in the present study. This study investigates a novel aluminum-based hybrid composite, incorporating 10 wt.% SiC and varying WS2 concentrations (0–12 wt.%). WS2 addition reduces friction, enhancing engine efficiency and lifespan. The structural and morphological features with mechanical behavior of the hybrid composites manufactured via powder metallurgy were examined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis reveals the phase identification with topographical features. Microstructural analysis reveals uniform SiC distribution and WS2 clustering at aluminum grain boundaries. Microhardness increases from 52.86 ± 1.264 HV to 71.12 ± 2.175 HV with increase in WS2 (1–9 wt.%). Wear decreases from 70.56 to 8.48 μm, indicating better lubrication. After 120 h, corrosion rates drop from 0.041 to 0.013 mm a−1 with WS2 (up to 9 wt.%). The research findings suggest that with addition of WS2 and SiC improves corrosion resistance and hardness, minimizing wear.

Linear and Nonlinear Rheological Investigations of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) H-Aggregated Gel Networks.

Owing to its facile synthesis and low cost, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has been extensively investigated in the field of organic electronics. Well-defined packing of P3HT chains and getting controlled morphologies, which solely depend on the polarity of the solvent, remain challenging. Herein, the aggregation behaviors of P3HT in organic solvents having different solvent polarities have been investigated to achieve different orderings of P3HT chains (H-type or J-type). The aggregation in the solution phase and the subsequent structural as well as morphological behaviors of P3HT chains have been investigated by absorption, X-ray powder diffraction, and topological studies, respectively. It has been noticed from absorption studies that P3HT forms H-type aggregates in anisole, phenetole, etc., whereas it produces J-type aggregates in toluene. More surprisingly, H-type aggregations of P3HT chains at low concentrations (CP3HT = 0.001 g/cm3) eventually lead to the formation of the gel network that ceases the flow of the solvents. Contrary to expectations, J-type aggregation in toluene does not produce the gel network at the said concentration. Further, to reveal the viscoelastic and microstructural properties, P3HT gel networks have been thoroughly investigated by small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) and large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) with varying concentrations, solvents, and molecular weights of P3HT. With quantitative analysis, the nonlinear rheological characteristics of higher harmonics, strain-stiffening ratio, shear-thinning ratio, dissipation ratio, intracycle transient moduli, and derivative of transient moduli have been evaluated for P3HT networks, which significantly provide the rheological information for the understanding of conducting polymer networks.

Development of engineering coating based on alumina nanoparticles incorporated into a Ni-Co alloy matrix: Effect of current density and alumina bath loading on microstructure and electrochemical corrosion behavior

The construction of electrodeposited coatings (EDCs) with enhanced microstructural characteristics and superior electrochemical corrosion behavior is of enduring concern for the industrial applications. In this study, alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles were incorporated into a Ni-Co alloy matrix to improve its morphological and electrochemical behaviors. The primary objective was to assess the impact of varying electrodeposition current densities (20, 40, and 60 mA/m2) and different contents of alumina (3, 5, and 7 g/L) on the properties of a ternary Ni-Co-Al2O3 composite coating. EDX analysis was employed to investigate the effects of deposition current density and alumina bath loading on cobalt/nickel (Co/Ni) ratio and alumina content in the coatings. The results revealed that both the Co/Ni ratio and alumina content in the coatings increased with increasing current density and bath loading, but only up to certain thresholds (40 mA/m2 and 5 g/L). XRD analysis was conducted to assess the phase composition, crystal structure, crystallite size values, and preferred orientation of the fabricated EDCs. The mechanical properties of the deposited coatings were also evaluated using Vickers microhardness testing. The electrochemical corrosion behavior of the as-prepared EDCs was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization (Tafel) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The 40 mA/cm2 and 5 g/L samples exhibited lower corrosion current density (jcorr), higher charge transfer resistance (Rct), and lower double layer capacitance (CPEdl) values, suggesting that the increased cobalt and alumina particles in the coatings improved the corrosion resistance. Consequently, the optimal current density and alumina bath content for achieving the most favorable properties were found to be 40 mA/m2 and 5 g/L, respectively.

The mechanical properties of aged PA-12 FS3300PA powder: influence of layer thickness, sintering orientations, and laser power

Abstract This research investigates the influence of layer thickness, laser power, and sintering orientation on the mechanical properties of aged Polyamide-12 (PA-12) FS3300PA using the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing method. Specimens were sintered with three different layer thicknesses, laser powers, and sintering orientations using SLS. The study also aimed to examine the resulting powder morphology, mechanical properties, and tensile fracture behaviors of the aged (more than eight continuously sintering cycles) and virgin FS3300PA powders. The specimens divided into ten groups: nine groups of aged powder and one group of virgin powder as a benchmark. The nine groups of aged powder were sintered with three different layer thicknesses (0.07 mm, 0.12 mm, and 0.15 mm), laser powers (65 W, 70 W, and 75 W), and orientations (YZY 0°, YZY 90°, and XYY 0°). The selections of these laser power and layer thickness values for the sintering setting are due to machine and material parameter limitation. The results from these parameters then compared with those of the virgin powder, which sintered using the parameters provided by the manufacturer, in terms of powder morphology, mechanical properties, and tensile fracture behaviours. Observation made using scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that there were not many changes in shape, size, and distribution between the virgin and aged powder, but slightly larger sizes and the presence of cracks found in the aged powder. The tensile strength, elongation at break value, and Young’s modulus all shared a similar trend, increasing with higher laser power but decreasing with increased layer thickness. Regarding the fracture morphologies, the number of pores and dimples decreased with increased laser power but increased with thicker layer thickness. There was also the occurrence of un-molten powder, especially in specimens sintered at the YZY 90° orientation with lower laser power and thicker layer thickness.

Construction of a Tungsten Trioxide Modified Smart-Polymers as a NIR-Responsive Platform for Photo-Thermal Therapy on Hepatocellular Cancer

Cancer remains a predominant contributor to both mortality and morbidity on a global scale, with over 10 million new cases diagnosed annually. The aim of this work was to prepare and evaluate erlotinib hydrochloride loaded tungsten trioxide modified with smart polymers for their anticancer potential. The morphology, crystallinity, chemical bonding, and thermal behavior of the nanoadsorbent were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses. The optimization of the drug on the synthesized adsorbent was investigated utilizing response surface methodology-central composite design. The maximum sorption efficiency of 90.18% was achieved at the initial drug concentration of 32.82 mg L-1, a pH of 8.17, a temperature of 32.93 °C, and a contact time of 16.08 min. The drug sorption process follows the Langmuir isotherm and it displays pseudo-first-order kinetics. The nanocarrier showed a significant release profile for 6 h with a maximum release percentage of 99.81% in simulated cancer fluid at high temperatures. The nanocarrier showed low drug release without near-infrared laser irradiation and a rapid release rate over 15 min of near-infrared laser irradiation. The drug release properties fit the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, with a diffusion exponent indicative of both diffusion and erosion release mechanisms. In-vitro cytotoxicity of the nanocarrier in normal cells indicated that it had no significant cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of the nanocarrier in Hep-G2 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay, and the data showed that the nanocarrier has excellent cytotoxic activity (75.45%).

Ecological and Biological Insights into Cuscuta planiflora: A Fundamental study exploring its Morphology and Parasitic Behavior on Rhanterium epapposum

Ecological and Biological Insights into Cuscuta planiflora: A Fundamental study exploring its Morphology and Parasitic Behavior on Rhanterium epapposum

Structural color heart-on-a-chip for evaluating the myocardial protection effects of traditional Chinese medicine

Many Chinese medicines have shown protective effects on the heart, while their specific effects and modes of action are still lacking of intuitive studies. In this paper, we propose a structural color heart-on-a-chip from layer assembly for evaluating the myocardial protection effects of traditional Chinese medicine. The structural color scaffolds are imparted with a striped microstructure on one side for inducing the alignment of cardiomyocytes, and an inverse opal nanostructure on the other side for optical sensing. Because the scaffold could generate obvious color changes upon cardiomyocyte contraction, its integration into a microfluidic chip provides a simple screening platform to study the pre-protective effects of Chinese medicine against cardiac injury. We have demonstrated that with the induction of doxorubicin, the injured cardiomyocytes presented abnormal morphology, disappeared sarcomere and depressed beating behaviors that could be reflected by reduced structural color changes. On the contrary, traditional Chinese medicine pre-protection can increase the vitality of cardiomyocytes, reduce reactive oxygen species production, and improve the contractile function of cardiomyocytes, which is highly consistent with the known conclusion. These results indicated that our structural color heart-on-a-chip with real-time visualization characteristics could provide an ideal platform for traditional Chinese medicine development and drug screening.

Development of polymeric composite scaffolds for defective bone repair and regeneration

Bones are vital components of the body that provide soft internal organs and tissues with structure, motion, and safety. Damage to bones can make life challenging. In repairing and regenerating damaged bone, polymeric composite materials significantly contribute to bone tissue engineering. In this article, we described developing porous scaffolds using the freeze-drying process from sodium alginate (SA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and graphene oxide (GO) incorporated with zinc (Zn). These scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and universal testing machine (UTM) to investigate their structural analysis, surface morphology, and mechanical behavior, respectively. These scaffolds also exhibited less swelling in phosphate buffer saline (34.73–64.27%) than in aqueous media (42.36–75.92%) with controlled degradation. These scaffolds have potential biomineralization activities, hemocompatibility, and antibacterial activities, which were increased by increasing the Zn amount. All the scaffolds have biocompatibility as they have shown cell viability with mature cell morphology against preosteoblast and HEK-293 cell lines under standard in vitro conditions. The enhanced biological activities of the scaffolds were found by increasing the Zn amount. Thus, newly designed polymeric composite scaffolds would be promising materials to repair and regenerate fractured bone tissue.

A review on the impact of volumetric energy density on morphological and mechanical behavior in laser powder bed fusion steel alloys

A review on the impact of volumetric energy density on morphological and mechanical behavior in laser powder bed fusion steel alloys

Implications of incorporating CrFeNiTiZn high-entropy alloy on the tribomechanical and microstructure morphology behaviour of A356 composites processed by friction stir processing

Abstract This study investigated the impact of incorporating a CrFeNiTiZn High Entropy Alloy (HEA) into the A356 aluminum matrix through the friction stir processing (FSP) technique. The CrFeNiTiZn HEA, renowned for its compositional complexity and high-performance potential, was incorporated into the A356 alloy with different weight percent combinations to enhance its mechanical and tribological characteristics. The results revealed a refined microstructure characterized by solid solution phases and potential intermetallic compound formation due to the HEA addition for A356/2 %Cr2 %Fe2 %Ni2 %Ti2 %Zn composition. Strong interfacial bond strength was also observed among the matrix and reinforcement particles for the A356/2 %Cr2 %Fe2 %Ni2 %Ti2 %Zn composition. The number of grains was found to be about 1820.34 (average grain size is 686 µm) for A356/2 %Cr2 %Fe2 %Ni2 %Ti2 %Zn processed composite with FSP per square inch at 500 magnifications. The A356/2 %Cr2 %Fe2 %Ni2 %Ti2 %Zn composite exhibited improved tensile strength (35.70 %) and hardness (63.33 %) after the addition of 2 %Cr2 %Fe2 %Ni2 %Ti2 %Zn into A356 alloy, attributed to the strengthening effect of HEA particles. Furthermore, wear resistance is notably enhanced, likely due to the synergistic effects of the HEA’s inherent hardness and the modified microstructure.

Facile synthesis of CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure for asymmetric supercapacitor

The abundant active sites, high theoretical capacitance, and cost-effective synthesis of transition metal oxides@sulfides (TMOs@TMSs) have made them a highly desirable choice as active electrode materials for supercapacitors. This study demonstrated the successful fabrication of a CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure electrode using a simple and economical co-precipitation method The morphology, physicochemical properties, and electrochemical behavior of this electrode were subsequently studied. The synthesized CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure was characterized using Infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms and atomic force microscopy. The electrochemical performance was studied using cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements with a 6 Molar KOH aqueous electrolytic solution. Results from powder X-ray diffraction pattern and energy dispersive X-ray revealed the formation of CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure. Furthermore, SEM images showed the formation of more spherical structures in nanoheterostructure. The results of optical measurements of thin films were analyzed, which showed an increase in the energy gap (Eg) of CuCo2O4 nanoparticles when combined with cadmium sulfide (CdS). Additionally, the intensity of photoluminescence of the CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure was lower compared to the pure nanoparticles. Moreover, the newly synthesized CuCo2O4@CdS nanoheterostructure showed a specific capacitance of 257.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 via a three-electrode galvanostatic charge-discharge system, respectively. In the asymmetric device, the supercapacitor yielded an optimum energy density and power density of 19.6 Wh kg−1 and 700 W kg−1 at 1 A g−1 current density, respectively. Although the capacitance retention was maintained at nearly 85.2 % after 4000 cycles at a current density of 3 A g−1.

Effect of recycling and bio‐filler addition on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological behavior of the injection molded flax/PLA green composite

Effect of recycling and bio‐filler addition on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological behavior of the injection molded flax/<scp>PLA</scp> green composite

Classification of pediatric soft and bone sarcomas using DNA methylation-based profiling

Pediatric sarcomas present heterogeneous morphology, genetics and clinical behavior posing a challenge for an accurate diagnosis. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that coordinates chromatin structure and regulates gene expression, determining cell type and function. DNA methylation-based tumor profiling classifier for sarcomas (known as sarcoma classifier) from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum) was applied to 122 pediatric sarcomas referred to a reference pediatric oncology hospital. The classifiers reported 88.5% of agreement between histopathological and molecular classification confirming the initial diagnosis of all osteosarcomas and Ewing sarcomas. The Ewing-like sarcomas were reclassified into sarcomas with BCOR or CIC alterations, later confirmed by orthogonal diagnostic techniques. Regarding the CNAs profile, osteosarcomas had several chromosomal gains and losses as well as chromothripsis, whereas Ewing sarcomas had few large events, such as amplifications of chromosomes 8 and 12. The molecular classification together with clinical and histopathological assessment could improve the diagnosis of pediatric sarcomas although there are limitations to deal with more rare classes. This study provides an increase in the number of sarcomas evaluated for DNA methylation profiling in the pediatric population.

Effect of trehalose dehydration on crystal morphology and food caking during post-treatment

Morphological changes of trehalose crystals during drying and reprocessing lead to a series of post-processing problems, which result in a significant investment in production costs. In this work, the mechanism of drying temperature on the morphology and caking behavior of trehalose was investigated. When the drying temperature was too high (≥393.15 K), a large number of pores, cracks and burrs appeared on the surface of crystals. These lead to crystal fragmentation during agitated drying process. The dehydration kinetics showed that the rearrangement of the new structure after dehydration and the change of the dehydration mechanism were the reasons for the morphological changes of trehalose crystals. Caking experiments showed that the dried product exhibited higher hygroscopicity and tendency to caking. Compared with trehalose dihydrate, the product flowability decreased by 30.0 %, critical caking period decreased by 82.1 %, and caking strength increased by 13 times after high-temperature drying (413.15 K).

The diversity of evolution behavior between stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric AlTM intermetallics in Mg melt

In this study, Al-5Ti, Al-18Si-5Ti, Al-12Si-2Sc and Al-12Si-1Sc-1Zr alloys, containing the Al3Ti, Ti7Al5Si12, AlSi2Sc2 and AlSi2(Sc, Zr)2 particles, respectively, were introduced into a Mg melt to understand the morphological and structural evolution behaviors of AlTM intermetallic compounds. Deposition layers at the bottom of the Mg melt were obtained due to the particle settlement. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction were employed to analyze the phase morphologies and structures of the AlTM intermetallic compounds in the deposition layers. A morphological transformation, characterized by the cracking of particles into fine clusters, was observed in all these AlTM intermetallic compounds, which is promoted by the inward diffusion of Mg atoms. The phase structures of the final particles remained Al3Ti and AlSi2Sc2 when Al-5Ti and Al-12Si-2Sc alloys were introduced into the Mg melt, indicating no structural evolution. However, structural evolutions were detected from Ti7Al5Si12 to Ti5Si4 and from AlSi2(Sc, Zr)2 to SiScZr when they were introduced in the Mg melt. It is hypothesized that the crystal structure, whether stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric, is closely related to the structural evolution behavior of AlTM intermetallic compounds. This work may provide new insights into phase control by introducing one type of metal matrix master alloy into another metal melt.

Integrin Subtypes and Lamellipodia Mediate Spatial Sensing of RGD Ligands during Cell Adhesion.

Understanding how the spatial distribution of adhesive ligands regulates cell behavior is crucial for designing biomaterials. This study investigates how precisely controlled ligand spacing affects cell spreading and integrin subtype engagement. Using engineered polyacrylamide hydrogels with gold nanoparticle arrays, we explored the impact of RGD ligand spacings (30 and 150 nm) on human mesenchymal stromal cells. Cells exhibited distinct morphological behaviors: smaller spacings promoted larger spreading areas, while larger spacings resulted in elongated shapes with reduced spreading. Mechanistically, we found that the α5β1 integrin, not the αvβ3 integrin, played a central role in mediating these responses, alongside lamellipodia formation. Our findings provide critical insights into the spatial sensing of ligands, highlighting the influence of ligand spacing on cellular mechanotransduction and integrin-specific responses. This work advances the understanding of cell-material interactions and offers potential strategies for designing biomaterials to guide cell behavior in tissue engineering.

Enhancing the Assembly Properties of Bottom-Up Coarse-Grained Phospholipids.

A plethora of key biological events occur at the cellular membrane where the large spatiotemporal scales necessitate dimensionality reduction or coarse-graining approaches over conventional all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. Constructing coarse-grained descriptions of membranes systematically from statistical mechanical principles has largely remained challenging due to the necessity of capturing amphipathic self-assembling behavior in coarse-grained models. We show that bottom-up coarse-grained lipid models can possess metastable morphological behavior and that this potential metastability has ramifications for accurate development and training. We in turn develop a training algorithm which evades metastability issues by linking model training to self-assembling behavior, and demonstrate its robustness via construction of solvent-free coarse-grained models of various phospholipid membranes, including lipid species such as phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylserines, sphingolipids, and cholesterol. The resulting coarse-grained lipid models are orders of magnitude faster than their atomistic counterparts while retaining structural fidelity and constitute a promising direction for the development of coarse-grained models of realistic cell membranes.

Characterization and morphological development of oil palm transformed-callus on modified culture media

Genome editing through cisgenesis develops into scientific breakthroughs in accelerating oil palm breeding programs. However, one remaining problem is the low success of transformed-calli regeneration, while its scientific explanation is still underexplored. This study aimed to characterize and regenerate transformed-calli using various amino acids and antioxidants. Transformed callus that did not regenerate (un-regenerated transformed callus or UTC) after the transformation process was taken, then T-DNA integration was detected using the NPTII gene. Furthermore, the UTC was divided into four types based on morphological characteristics. The four types of UTCs were regenerated on media enriched with glutamine (for Type-1 callus), cysteine and putrescine (for Type-2 callus), and a combination of cysteine and ascorbic acid (for Type-3 and Type-4 callus). The research results obtained NPTII successfully amplified with a band size of 700bp. The results showed that on Type-1 callus, enrichment media with 10 mg L-1 L-glutamine could induce the formation of new nodular structures on UTC Type-1. On Type-2, media enriched with 5 mg L-1 L-cysteine + 20 mg L-1 putrescine increased the density of callus structures. Media enriched with 25 mg L-1 ascorbic acid + 25 mg L-1 L-cysteine could prevent the spread of brown callus on Type-3 callus, while Type-4 callus did not show any response and became dry. Our new findings will facilitate the basic research and unregenerated transformed callus and morphological callus development behavior in oil palm.

Killer whales in the Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic off the Southeastern United States

Killer whales occur in the Gulf of Mexico (GoMex) and the North Atlantic, including off the southeastern United States (SEUS). Data from cetacean surveys during 1990 – 2021 and other sources were combined to assess killer whale biology, including spatial and temporal distribution, social structure, genetics, morphology, acoustics, and predatory behavior. GoMex records occurred predominantly in oceanic waters (&amp;gt;200 m) during spring and summer. SEUS records occurred primarily in winter and spring off the North Carolina region along the shelf-edge and deeper waters, and off the east coast of Florida. Photo-identification analysis of GoMex killer whales resulted in 49 individuals sighted up to seven times with sighting histories up to 26 years, and social analysis provided evidence of long-term relationships up to 16 years. The GoMex genetic samples revealed two mtDNA haplotypes, one of which does not match any outside the GoMex. Most GoMex whales had wide non-faint saddle patches and many had cookiecutter shark scars while no scars were noted on SEUS whales. Three groups recorded in the GoMex made few calls, but a group harassing sperm whales produced many. Cetaceans and tuna are known prey in the GoMex and SEUS, respectively. Directed studies of killer whales in the GoMex areas would be difficult to implement as this species is very rare. It is therefore important to pursue ongoing efforts to collect behavioral, acoustic and any biological samples that will contribute to improve our understanding of the biology and ecology of killer whales in tropical and subtropical regions.