Small Size Research Articles

Identifying Potential Critical Angel Shark Areas in Türkiye, Eastern Mediterranean Based on New Records of Squatina spp. Identified through Fisher Engagement

This study presents new records of three Critically Endangered angel shark species (Family: Squatinidae) occurring in the Eastern Mediterranean—Smoothback Angelshark S. oculata Bonaye, 1840, Sawback Angelshark S. aculeata Cuvier, 1829, and Angelshark S. squatina (Linnaeus, 1758). The supporting data serves to highlight three potential Critical Angel Shark Areas (CASAs) in Türkiye: Fethiye Bay, Çanakkale Strait (i.e., Dardanelles), and Antalya Bay. These data also demonstrate that female S. oculata may mature at a smaller size than prior published estimates of length at first maturity. This new dataset provides details of 23 S. squatina specimens, 52 S. oculata specimens, and 5 S. aculeata specimens, totalling 80 recent angel shark specimens found in Turkish waters mostly sent to us from small-scale fishers who had incidentally caught angel sharks. Also presented are four capture-induced parturition events in Turkish waters onboard fishing vessels, thus providing details on internal yolk sacs, reproductive habitats, and indications of spawning season. Our dataset presented here spans from 2018 to 2023 and suggests that mature adults of S. squatina and S. oculata still occur in Turkish waters, in Fethiye Bay and Çanakkale, respectively. Due to elevated chances of fishers encountering Critically Endangered angel sharks in Türkiye, we suggest that fishers are trained in handling and safe-release methods, to ensure reduced incidents of capture-induced parturition, and improved post-release survival. This study demonstrates that bottom set nets set by small-scale fishers pose less risk to mortality for angel sharks as they are almost always encountered alive after a usual 12 h soak time, suggesting that bottom trawling in critical habitats should be better regulated (or phased out) to help improve national angel shark conservation initiatives.

A novel approach for nanobubble generation toward biomedical applications

The stability of free-standing nanobubbles is a long-standing controversial problem due to the Laplace pressure catastrophe at the nanoscale. In most industrial circumstances, a large quantity of surfactants is required as stabilisers or emulsifiers to generate stable bubbles or foams. However, when surfactants exceed a certain level, they can adversely affect living organisms and pose environmental risks. Towards biomedical use, we investigated nanobubble generation through a mini-extruder in amino acid solutions. Herein, we considered glycine (having two acid dissociation constants, i.e. pKa values) and lysine (having three pKa values) as two model amino acids, conducting experiments with various concentrations (0.1 M, 0.5 M and 1 M), along with different pH values (above, equal to, and below the isoelectric points of each amino acids; 5.97 for glycine and 9.74 for lysine). Our results showcased the proof of concept that amino acids can stabilise nanobubbles in bulk for a few days. We achieved remarkable products of nanobubbles via nanopores by extrusion, with reproducible size distribution and stability. We also compared the extrusion protocol with the commonly used ultrasound method. It turned out that extrusion generated samples with smaller sizes and higher concentrations than sonication. This study provides a reliable protocol for generating small-scale nanobubbles for biomedical use, showing great potential in drug delivery for medical treatment.

Pressure and atomic size effects of IV cation on mechanical and electronic properties of Zn-IV-N2 (IV[dbnd]Si, Ge and Sn): First principles calculation

Zn-IV-N2 compounds, incorporating Si, Ge, and Sn, have emerged as pivotal materials for their mechanical and electronic properties, influencing optoelectronic devices and photovoltaic applications. Employing density functional theory (DFT), we comprehensively investigate the structural, elastic, mechanical, and electronic characteristics of ZnIVN2 (IVSi, Ge, Sn) under ambient and pressure conditions up to 20 GPa. Our findings suggest that a larger atomic size of the group IV cation can be more easily compressed than a smaller size. The mechanical stability criteria and the phonon dispersion show mechanical and dynamic stability in both ambient pressure and under high pressure up to 20 GPa. The ZnSiN2 and ZnGeN2 exhibit linear increments in bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), and Young's modulus (E) under pressure, while ZnSnN2 experiences a decrease in G and E. Notably, the energy gap of ZnSiN2, ZnGeN2, and ZnSnN2 (4.62 eV indirect, 2.82 eV, 1.16 eV, respectively) increases with pressure due to higher N s orbital energy, approaching the UV region. In the valence band, a hybridization of N p and Si/Ge/Sn p orbitals is observed, offering opportunities to tailor the band gap for optimal applications in optoelectronic devices. Preferentially adjusting group-IV elements over group-II elements is recommended for optimizing band gap modulation. The correlation between larger atomic size and decreased band gap energy highlights the potential to fine-tune material properties through controlled variations in group-IV elements.

Review of Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor for Nanoscale Regime

Background: The need for high performance, small size, low delay, low power consumption, and long battery backup of portable systems is increasing with the advancement of technology. Many features of portable systems can be improved using scaling methods. In the scaling process, reducing the size of devices causes serious difficulties, including the short channel effect (SCE) and leakage current, which degenerates the characteristics of the systems. Objective: In this review paper, a trending carbon nanotube field effect transistor (CNTFET) technology is discussed in detail. CNTFET can replace the conventional metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) technology to overcome the SCE problems in the nanoscale regime and also meet the requirements of portable systems. Methods: The CNTFET is an extremely good nanoscale technology due to its one-dimension band structure, high transconductance, high electron mobility, superior control over channel formation, and better threshold voltage. This technology is used to construct high-performance and low-power circuits by replacing the MOSFET technology. CNTFET in comparison to MOSFET takes the carbon nanotube (CNT) as a channel region. Results: The value of threshold voltage in CNTFET changes with the diameter of CNT. The threshold voltage of the devices controls many parameters at the circuit-level design. Hence, the detailed operation and the characteristics of CNTFET devices are presented in this review paper. The existing CNTFET-based ternary full adder (TFA) circuits are also described in this review paper for the performance evaluation of different parameters. Conclusion: CNTFET technology is the possible solution for the SCE in the nanoscale regime and is capable to design efficient logic circuits. The circuits using the CNTFET technology can provide better performance and various advantages, including fast speed, small area, and low power consumption, in comparison to the MOSFET circuits. Thus, CNTFET technology is the best choice for circuit designs at the nanoscale.

Stable SnAgCu solder joints reinforced by nickel-coated carbon fiber for electronic packaging

Today’s 3D electronic packaging is characterized by smaller size and higher functional density, which generally require multiple reflow cycles. However, due to the Ostwald ripening process of the interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC), the solder joint’s strength would decrease as the number of reflow cycles increases. To address this, we developed a novel composite solder by incorporating nickel-coated carbon fiber (Ni@CF) into the Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder connection. The study showed that Ni@CF effectively enhanced the stability and reliability of solder joints during multiple reflow processes. Compared with Ni@CF-free equivalents, Ni@CFs promoted the nucleation of interfacial IMC during the solid–liquid reaction and inhibited Ostwald ripening, leading to a refinement of the interfacial IMC grains. As a result, the interface was strengthened, and the shift of shear fracture to the brittle interface seen in the SAC305 solder joint with multiple reflows did not occur in the composite solder joint. Furthermore, carbon fiber strengthened the solder matrix through the load transfer and shear-off mechanisms, depending on its inclination angle with the shear plane. Consequently, the Ni@CFs-reinforced solder joints maintained a shear strength of over 42 MPa throughout ten reflow cycles, while the pristine SAC305 solder joint exhibited decreased shear strength to 33 MPa. This study provides new insights into composite solder joints’ stability and reinforcement characteristics when subjected to multiple reflows.

Improved mechanical properties of Al-xMg-yZn-Cu alloys via optimized Mg/Zn ratio and thermomechanical processing

Three Al-xMg-yZn-1Cu alloys with equal total alloying element contents but different Mg/Zn ratios have been prepared in this work, i.e., Al-6Mg-1Zn-1Cu, Al-5Mg-2Zn-1Cu and Al-4Mg-3Zn-1Cu alloys. The influences of Mg/Zn ratios on microstructure and mechanical properties of heat-treated Al-xMg-yZn-1Cu alloys have been systematically studied. The results show that Al-xMg-yZn-1Cu alloys with higher Zn contents exhibit the faster aging response as Zn atom features the largest diffusion coefficient. Additionally, rod shaped and ellipsoidal T´ precipitates are observed in the Al-6Mg-1Zn-1Cu alloy. While in Al-4Mg-3Zn-1Cu alloy under TMT-2 process, T´ precipitates mainly exist in an ellipsoidal shape, with a higher number density (∼1.79 × 1023 m-3) and smaller size (∼4.1 nm) compared to the Al-6Mg-1Zn-1Cu alloy. The optimized thermomechanical treatment (80 °C/5 h + rolling + 130 °C/x h) could effectively improve the yield strength of Al-5Mg-2Zn-1Cu and Al-4Mg-3Zn-1Cu alloys, with values increasing from ∼419 MPa and ∼441 MPa to ∼454 MPa and ∼470 MPa, respectively. In contrast, the Al-6Mg-1Zn-1Cu alloy exhibit almost no increment in yield strength after the same thermomechanical treatment. This could mainly be attributed to the higher density of T´ precipitates in alloys with higher Zn contents, resulting from the higher nucleation rate of T´ precipitates caused by high contents of Zn atoms featuring fast diffusion rates, with the assistance of dislocations introduced by rolling. This work provides theoretical supports for the development and production of age-hardenable Al-xMg-yZn-1Cu alloys.

A novel approach for nanobubble generation toward biomedical applications

The stability of free-standing nanobubbles is a long-standing controversial problem due to the Laplace pressure catastrophe at the nanoscale. In most industrial circumstances, a large quantity of surfactants is required as stabilisers or emulsifiers to generate stable bubbles or foams. However, when surfactants exceed a certain level, they can adversely affect living organisms and pose environmental risks. Towards biomedical use, we investigated nanobubble generation through a mini-extruder in amino acid solutions. Herein, we considered glycine (having two pKa values) and lysine (having three pKa values) as two model amino acids, conducting experiments with various concentrations (0.1M, 0.5M and 1M), along with different pH values (above, equal to, and below the isoelectric points of each amino acids; 5.97 for glycine and 9.74 for lysine). Our results showcased the proof of concept that amino acids can stabilise nanobubbles in bulk for a few days. We achieved remarkable products of nanobubbles via nanopores by extrusion, with reproducible size distribution and stability. We also compared the extrusion protocol with the commonly used ultrasound method. It turned out that extrusion generated samples with smaller sizes and higher concentrations than sonication. This study provides a reliable protocol for generating small-scale nanobubbles for biomedical use, showing great potential in drug delivery for medical treatment.

Research on the Training and Application Methods of a Lightweight Agricultural Domain-Specific Large Language Model Supporting Mandarin Chinese and Uyghur

In the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP), the lack of support for minority languages, especially Uyghur, the scarcity of Uyghur language corpora in the agricultural domain, and the lightweight nature of large language models remain prominent issues. This study proposes a method for constructing a bilingual (Uyghur and Chinese) lightweight specialized large language model for the agricultural domain. By utilizing a mixed training approach of Uyghur and Chinese, we extracted Chinese corpus text from agricultural-themed books in PDF format using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, converted the Chinese text corpus into a Uyghur corpus using a rapid translation API, and constructed a bilingual mixed vocabulary. We applied the parameterized Transformer model algorithm to train the model for the agricultural domain in both Chinese and Uyghur. Furthermore, we introduced a context detection and fail-safe mechanism for the generated text. The constructed model possesses the ability to support bilingual reasoning in Uyghur and Chinese in the agricultural domain, with higher accuracy and a smaller size that requires less hardware. It (our work) addresses issues such as the scarcity of Uyghur corpora in the agricultural domain, mixed word segmentation and word vector modeling in Uyghur for widespread agricultural languages, model lightweighting and deployment, and the fragmentation of non-relevant texts during knowledge extraction from small-scale corpora. The lightweight design of the model reduces hardware requirements, facilitating deployment in resource-constrained environments. This advancement promotes agricultural intelligence, aids in the development of specific applications and minority languages (such as agriculture and Uyghur), and contributes to rural revitalization.

Exploring the Theranostic Applications and Prospects of Nanobubbles.

Anticancer medications as well as additional therapeutic compounds, have poor clinical effectiveness due to their diverse distribution, non-selectivity for malignant cells, and undesirable off-target side effects. As a result, ultrasound-based targeted delivery of therapeutic compounds carried in sophisticated nanocarriers has grown in favor of cancer therapy and control. Nanobubbles are nanoscale bubbles that exhibit unique physiochemical properties in both their inner core and outer shell. Manufacturing nanobubbles primarily aims to enhance therapeutic agents' bioavailability, stability, and targeted delivery. The small size of nanobubbles allows for their extravasation from blood vessels into surrounding tissues and site-specific release through ultrasound targeting. Ultrasound technology is widely utilized for therapy due to its speed, safety, and cost-effectiveness, and micro/nanobubbles, as ultrasound contrast agents, have numerous potential applications in disease treatment. Thus, combining ultrasound applications with NBs has recently demonstrated increased localization of anticancer molecules in tumor tissues with triggered release behavior. Consequently, an effective therapeutic concentration of drugs/genes is achieved in target tumor tissues with ultimately increased therapeutic efficacy and minimal side effects on other non-cancerous tissues. This paper provides a brief overview of the production processes for nanobubbles, along with their key characteristics and potential therapeutic uses.

Nanoemulsion of Amber rice bran oil (Oryza sativa L.), characterization and properties

Nanoemulsion of Amber rice bran oil (Oryza sativa L.), characterization and properties

A group theory based topology optimization scheme for the design of inhomogeneous waveguides with dihedral group symmetries

In this paper, we introduce a novel topology optimization scheme dedicated to designing waveguides with inhomogeneities holding rotation and reflection symmetries. To fully exploit the symmetry features of the guide, we build the scheme by first developing a new computational algorithm that combines the Finite Element Method (FEM) with the group representation theory (GRT), i.e., the GRT – FEM algorithm. This combination allows the decomposition of the eigenvalue problem in a classic FEM to orthogonal (decoupled) subproblems. The subproblems are of much smaller sizes and can be treated in parallel, which therefore leads to an improved solver efficiency by an order of magnitude. For a targeted mode profile, the involvement of the GRT does not only enable a pre-selection of the subproblems that are to be optimized, which further improves the computational speed, but also completely avoids potential mode degeneracies, which adversely affects the convergence of the optimization. To validate, the GRT – FEM algorithm is first tested against the results from a full FEM simulation for a guide with inhomogeneities with six-fold rotation and reflection symmetries. Then, as an illustration, the entire scheme is applied to achieve a desired eigenmode with a targeted propagation constant. The proposed scheme does not only provide an efficient design tool for exploiting interesting wave phenomena in waveguiding structures possessing rotation and reflection symmetries, but also lays down a theoretical foundation for systematically integrating symmetries with classic Computational Electromagnetics (CEM) algorithms.

Diversity of Tropical Cyclones Rapid Intensification

AbstractThe study investigates the rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northwestern Pacific. We found that rapid changes in the maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are not always concurrent. RI cases can be categorized into three types: (a) RIv, only Vmax strengthens rapidly; (b) RIp, only Pmin decreases rapidly; (c) RIpv, rapid changes in Vmax and Pmin occur concurrently. At the onset of RI, RIv‐type TCs exhibit the weakest intensity and the smallest size, with deep convection concentrated in the inner‐core region; RIp‐type TCs are characterized by the strongest cyclone intensity and the largest outer‐core size, with strong convection covering the inner‐ and outer‐core regions; RIpv‐type TCs show moderate intensity, size, and convection distribution. For RIpv, significant strengthening of wind profile is concentrated in the inner‐core region, while for RIp it is more prominent in the outer‐core.

Cl alloying improves thermal stability and increases luminescence in iodine-rich inorganic perovskites.

The inorganic perovskite CsPbI3 shows promising photophysical properties for a range of potential optoelectronic applications but is metastable at room temperature. To address this, Br can be alloyed into the X-site to create compositions such as CsPbI2Br that are stable at room temperature but have bandgaps >1.9 eV - severely limiting solar applications. Herein, in an effort to achieve phase stable films with bandgaps <1.85 eV, we investigate alloying chlorine into iodine-rich triple-halide CsPb(I0.8Br0.2-x Cl x )3 with 0 < x < 0.1. We show that partial substitution of iodine with bromine and chlorine provides a path to maintain broadband terrestrial absorption while improving upon the perovskite phase stability due to chlorine's smaller size and larger ionization potential than bromine. At moderate Cl loading up to ≈5%, X-ray diffraction reveals an increasingly smaller orthorhombic unit cell, suggesting chlorine incorporation into the lattice. Most notably, this Cl incorporation is accompanied by a significant enhancement over Cl-free controls in the duration of black-phase stability of up to 7× at elevated temperatures. Additionally, we observe up to 5× increased steady state photoluminescence intensity (PL), along with a small blue-shift. In contrast, at high loading (≈10%), Cl accumulates in a second phase that is visible at grain boundaries via synchrotron fluorescence microscopy and negatively impacts the perovskite phase stability. Thus, replacing small fractions of bromine for chlorine in the iodine-rich inorganic perovskite lattice results in distinct improvement thermal stability and optoelectronic quality while minimally impacting the bandgap.

Comparative Effect of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Potential of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Aqueous Extract of Nepeta nepetella through Different Precursor Concentrations.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis caused by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Accordingly, bacteria have developed mechanisms to resist antibiotics. This crisis endangers public health systems and medical procedures, underscoring the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. This study focuses on the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) using aqueous extracts from Nepeta nepetella subps. amethystine leaves and stems, employing different zinc sulfate concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 M). NP characterization included transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), along with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ZnO NPs, prepared at varying concentrations of zinc sulfate, for their capacity to inhibit both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as their antioxidant potential using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. SEM and TEM results showed predominantly spherical NPs. The smallest size (18.5 ± 1.3 nm for leaves and 18.1 ± 1.3 nm for stems) occurred with the 0.5 M precursor concentration. These NPs also exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at 10 µg/mL, as well as the highest antioxidant activity, with an IC50 (the concentration of NPs that scavenge 50% of the initial DPPH radicals) of 62 ± 0.8 (µg/mL) for the leaves and 35 ± 0.6 (µg/mL) for the stems. NPs and precursor concentrations were modeled to assess their impact on bacteria using a 2D polynomial equation. Response surface plots identified optimal concentration conditions for antibacterial effectiveness against each species, promising in combating antibiotic resistance.

Characterization of nasal aerodynamics and air conditioning ability using CFD and its application to improve the empty nose syndrome (ENS) submucosal floor implant surgery–Part II virtual surgery

BackgroundInformative virtual surgeries provide useful insights for surgical options to patients. In the case of evaluating surgical treatments for the empty nose syndrome (ENS), reliable CFD virtual surgery is a predictive tool for symptom improvement. MethodsFive submucosal implant surgeries with two different implant volumes and three different implant sites were performed on the diseased side of an ENS patient. In each case, a post-surgery nasal cavity was created based on ENS patient's computed tomography images. The airflow and air-conditioning abilities of these nasal surgery models were computed to examine the effects of implant size and site on the surgical outcomes. Significant findingsThe largest improvements were achieved with the larger submucosal implant size at the lateral site. Airflow was redistributed into the inferior and superior meatuses, enhancing air interactions with the nasal mucus. The increased wall shear stress enhanced mucus secretion and sensation of airflow. The reduced vortex size alleviated the paradoxical nasal obstruction feeling. The results suggested that larger implant sizes and the lateral implant site would be advisable for submucosal implant surgeries on ENS patients. Inferior implant with a smaller size being a second advisable approach in terms of heating and humidification efficiencies.

Fabrication of lignocellulose/liquid metal-based conductive eutectic hydrogel composite for strain sensors

High conductive and freeze-resistant hydrogels with adhesion function are ideal candidates for soft electronic devices. However, it remains a challenge to design appropriate conductive nanofillers to endow hydrogels with all these characteristics. Liquid metal (LM) exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity and convenient processability, rendering it a highly promising contender. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were employed as the interfacial stabilizer in synthesizing stable CNFs encapsulated LM solutions. Then the lignin was further coated on the surface of CNFs-LM (LCL) to prepare lignin-coated hybrid hydrogels. The obtained LCL displayed outstanding water-dispersible stability and were promising conductive nanofillers for hydrogels. During the fabrication of poly N-(hydroxymethyl) acrylamide (PHA) hydrogels, the LM was dispersed into LM particles with smaller sizes, leading to highly conductive LCL-PHA hydrogels (0.38 S·m−1). The prepared LCL-PHA hydrogels exhibited exceptional mechanical properties, including a strain at a break of 134.6 %, stress at a break of 22.7 Kpa, and a toughness of 16.3 KJ·m−3. Additionally, the LCL-PHA hydrogels demonstrated favorable electrical conductivity and adhesion. Notably, even after being subjected to freezing at −20 °C for 24 h, they remained suitable for effective real-time monitoring of all types of human activities, demonstrating superior environmental stability.

Chitosan-coated nanoliposome: An approach for simultaneous encapsulation of caffeine and roselle-anthocyanin in beverages

The objective of the present research was to develop chitosan-coated nanoliposomes using a modified heating method as a delivery system for simultaneous encapsulation of caffeine and roselle anthocyanin to fortify beverage. Response surface methodology was used to ascertain the optimized formulation, aiming to maximize the encapsulation efficiency, minimize the particle size, and maximize the zeta potential. The liposomes fabricated under the optimized conditions (lecithin to cholesterol ratio of 13 and wall to core ratio of 2.16) showed encapsulation efficiency values of 66.73 % for caffeine and 97.03 % for anthocyanin, with a size of 268.1 nm and a zeta potential of −39.11 mV. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds between the polar sites of lecithin and the loaded core compounds. Thermal analysis suggested the successful encapsulation of the caffeine and anthocyanin. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy images confirmed a uniform spherical shape with a smooth surface. Fortifying the model beverage with the liposome and the chitosan-coated nanoliposome revealed higher values of encapsulation efficiency of anthocyanin (70.33 ± 3.11 %), caffeine (86.37 ± 2.17 %) and smaller size (280.5 ± 0.74 nm) of the chitosan-coated nanoliposomes at the end of 60the days. A hedonic sensory test of the fortified beverage with chitosan-coated nanoliposomes confirmed an improvement in the organoleptic properties of the beverage by masking its bitterness (receiving three more sensory scores in perceiving the bitterness intensity). Overall, our study indicates that the high potential of the chitosan-coated nanoliposomes for the simultaneous loading of the caffeine and anthocyanin, as well as their possible application in food and beverage formulations.

An interesting phenomenon in oil palm: anatomical, morphophysiological, and biochemical observations from aerial roots on the trunk

Abstract Roots are plant organs that function for nutrient and water absorption and support plant upright. Oil palm has distinctive roots due to the growth of primer roots that grow in two directions, namely vertical and horizontal. The growth of oil palm roots is highly dependent on the source of energy accumulated at the base of the stem. The availability of assimilate will determine the rate of root formation. The results of observations in the field, there is a phenomenon of root growth on oil palm stems. In general, there are four root growth phenomena, namely aerial roots which are the roots of plants affected by Ganoderma disease, roots that grow in the middle of the stem, the base of the stem, and at the end of the stem of the oil palm plant. This phenomenon has not been studied comprehensively. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of identifying the anatomical, morphophysiological, and plant biochemical observations of normal and aerial roots in oil palm trunks. The results showed differences in anatomical, morphology, and biochemical between roots growing underground and aerial roots. There are anatomical differences between the actual and aerial roots, namely the number of meta xylem is 19 pieces with a larger size in the underground roots, while the aerial roots are only 15 with a smaller size. The similarities between the two roots are included in the scalariform group. Aerial roots have the same types of roots as normal, namely primary, secondary, and tertiary roots. Based on the biochemical analysis, Palm5 has 3 times higher than reducing sugar percentage on Palm7.

Physical constraints during Snowball Earth drive the evolution of multicellularity.

Molecular and fossil evidence suggests that complex eukaryotic multicellularity evolved during the late Neoproterozoic era, coincident with Snowball Earth glaciations, where ice sheets covered most of the globe. During this period, environmental conditions-such as seawater temperature and the availability of photosynthetically active light in the oceans-likely changed dramatically. Such changes would have had significant effects on both resource availability and optimal phenotypes. Here, we construct and apply mechanistic models to explore (i) how environmental changes during Snowball Earth and biophysical constraints generated selective pressures, and (ii) how these pressures may have had differential effects on organisms with different forms of biological organization. By testing a series of alternative-and commonly debated-hypotheses, we demonstrate how multicellularity was likely acquired differently in eukaryotes and prokaryotes owing to selective differences on their size due to the biophysical and metabolic regimes they inhabit: decreasing temperatures and resource availability instigated by the onset of glaciations generated selective pressures towards smaller sizes in organisms in the diffusive regime and towards larger sizes in motile heterotrophs. These results suggest that changing environmental conditions during Snowball Earth glaciations gave multicellular eukaryotes an evolutionary advantage, paving the way for the complex multicellular lineages that followed.

Examining disparities in the receipt of curative treatment for hepatocellular cancer (HCC): A multicenter retrospective study from 2016-2023.

1582 Background: Prior studies suggested disparities in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) treatment and outcomes based on region, race, and socioeconomic status. After the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, including Michigan’s Medicaid Expansion in 2014, there’s increased interest in how these changes affect HCC care. The study examines factors influencing curative treatment receipt and existing disparities, as a step toward intervention strategies. Methods: This is a retrospective study of HCC patients at 6 community-based (4 university-affiliated) hospitals, in Michigan from Jan 2016-Sep 2023. Patients without imaging or histologic confirmation were excluded. Factors associated with receiving curative treatment were determined using both univariate and multivariable logistic regressions. Analysis was done using SPSS 28, with a p-value&lt;0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results: Of 680 HCC patients screened, 347 were analyzed. The mean age was 70 years, and 71% were male. 78.3% were White and 16.9% Black. 53.9% had private insurance and 35% had government insurance. Primary HCC etiologies were alcohol and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; 74.4% had cirrhosis. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages varied: A (10.6%), B (28.2%), C (36.4%), and D (24.8%). 59.4% underwent curative treatment (4.6% resection, 30.3% liver-directed, 13.3% systemic, 10.1% combination), while 38.3% had best supportive care. Univariate analysis identified many factors associated with receipt of curative treatment, including race (White&gt;Black), insurance (private&gt;government), earlier BCLC stages, ECOG 0/1/2, Child-Pugh A, lower MELD-Na score (mean=12), &lt;400 alpha-fetoprotein levels, and better liver function (Bilirubin, INR, albumin). Tumor characteristics, such as smaller size, absence of metastasis, and absence of portal vein thrombosis, were also associated with receipt of curative treatment. Overall, the one-year survival rate was 64% for those who had curative treatment and 35% for best supportive care. All with p-value&lt;0.05. Multivariable analysis showed Black patients (OR: 0.21, CI: 0.051-0.881) with larger tumors (OR:0.89, CI: 0.783-1.00) and lower albumin levels (OR:3.81, CI: 1.649-8.805) at presentation were less likely to receive curative treatment than White. Black patients were also diagnosed at a younger age (66.7 vs. 71.0 years, p=0.01), more advanced BCLC stages C/D (74% vs. 57%, p=0.04) on presentation, and HCV coinfection (58% vs. 32%, p&lt;0.001) than White. Median survival for Black and White were 757 days and 823 days, respectively (p=0.89). Conclusions: Black patients with larger tumors and low albumin are less likely to receive curative treatment than White. HCV coinfection in the Black population suggests a focus area for early intervention. Further investigation of HCC disparities across various settings is warranted.