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Tungsten oxide‐mica composites were prepared by adding different amounts of commercial mica (alumina silicate) in order to provide high luster to electrochromic coatings. The mechanical stability was sustained for up to 50 weight % mica for application in aqueous medium. The electrochemical properties, coloration, and luster were investigated. The luster of the composites increased roughly linearly with increased mica content and was retained after coloration. The addition of 10 weight % mica was found to be optimal with respect to the compromise between electrochromic coloration and pearlescent luster. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report on the preparation and characterization of WO 3 ‐mica inorganic composites with high luster in both bleached and colored states.

The newly developed ceramic-nucleus pearls employ ceramic materials for cultivation, differentiating from the traditional seashell-based nuclei. This innovation yields a product that resembles Akoya pearls but exhibits superior luster. In this manuscript, Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to thoroughly analyze the mother oyster of these ceramic-nucleus pearls. The test results suggest that these ceramic pearls may originate from the same mother oyster species as Akoya pearls, making them difficult to distinguish through visual observation. Nonetheless, the presence of abnormal characteristic peaks of Zr in EDXRF testing and additional weak emission centers observed at excitation/emission ( E x / E m ) wavelengths of 292/346 nm in the 3D fluorescence spectra provide crucial evidence for differentiating between the two types of pearls. Furthermore, SEM analysis demonstrated that the nucleus and aragonite layer of the ceramic pearls are tightly bonded, with the aragonite layer that is distributed evenly and regularly. This structural feature may contribute significantly to the enhanced luster observed in ceramic pearls. The advent of ceramic-nucleus pearls opens new possibilities for improving the luster of cultured pearls, potentially revolutionizing the industry.

Gigantism-very large body size-is an ecologically important trait associated with competitive superiority. Although it has been studied in particular cases, the general conditions for the evolution and maintenance of gigantism remain obscure. I compiled sizes and dates for the largest species in 3 terrestrial and 7 marine trophic and habitat categories of animals from throughout the Phanerozoic. The largest species (global giants) in all categories are of post-Paleozoic age. Gigantism at this level appeared tens to hundreds of millions of years after mass extinctions and long after the origins of clades in which it evolved. Marine gigantism correlates with high planktic or seafloor productivity, but on land the correspondence between productivity and gigantism is weak at best. All global giants are aerobically active animals, not gentle giants with low metabolic demands. Oxygen concentration in the atmosphere correlates with gigantism in the Paleozoic but not thereafter, likely because of the elaboration of efficient gas-exchange systems in clades containing giants. Although temperature and habitat size are important in the evolution of very large size in some cases, the most important (and rare) enabling circumstance is a highly developed ecological infrastructure in which essential resources are abundant and effectively recycled and reused, permitting activity levels to increase and setting the stage for gigantic animals to evolve. Gigantism as a hallmark of competitive superiority appears to have lost its luster on land after the Mesozoic in favor of alternative means of achieving dominance, especially including social organization and coordinated food-gathering.

Mungbean [ Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek var. radiata ] is an important legume crop for South East Asia. Smallholder farmers rely on this crop to diversify income streams and enrich soils through N-fixation. To produce new varieties that stabilize mungbean productivity under biotic and abiotic stresses, breeders need to take advantage of genomic tools. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) are an effective strategy to associate agronomic traits with underlying genes. A key factor to avoid false associations in GWAS is a thorough understanding of the population structure. In this study, we analyzed the population structure of the World Vegetable Center’s (WorldVeg) mungbean mini core collection and performed a GWAS to identify loci associated with seed coat luster (SCL) utilizing SNP markers. The mini core collection consisted of 297 most genetically diverse accessions selected from 6700 global accessions held by the WorldVeg genebank. Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) produced a total of 24,870 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers. After filtering, 5288 highly polymorphic SNPs were used for analysis. Population structure analysis predicted four sub-populations based on the non-parametric Wilcoxon test. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was found to decline to half of the maximal r 2 value at approximately 350 kb; and a pilot GWAS study investigating seed coat luster (SCL) revealed two loci in chromosome 5 significantly associated with SCL.

Tungsten oxide‐mica composites were prepared by adding different amounts of commercial mica (alumina silicate) in order to provide high luster to electrochromic coatings. The mechanical stability was sustained for up to 50 weight % mica for application in aqueous medium. The electrochemical properties, coloration, and luster were investigated. The luster of the composites increased roughly linearly with increased mica content and was retained after coloration. The addition of 10 weight % mica was found to be optimal with respect to the compromise between electrochromic coloration and pearlescent luster. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report on the preparation and characterization of WO3‐mica inorganic composites with high luster in both bleached and colored states. WO3 composites containing mica (alumina silicate), coated with a thin layer of titania, provides electrochromic coatings with pearlescent appearance and high luster in both the colored and bleached states.

Gloss perception, a crucial visual ability, poses computational challenges for human and machine vision when estimating surface glossiness. The Dichoptic Color Difference Threshold (DCDT) is a quantitative metric to assess the minimal discernible color variation in binocular luster perception. In this study, we investigated the relationship between binocular luster and color hue, color difference, and luminance factors by quantifying and measuring DCDTs under binocular equivalent luminance conditions. Additionally, we fitted a quadratic logarithmic function model to describe the association between binocular luster and luminance factors. The experiments and data analysis presented in this article demonstrate that luminance significantly influences binocular luster. These research findings provide robust support for luster reproduction in three-dimensional system design.

The effect of sodium lignosulfonate (LS) treatment on nylon fabric for enhancing its ultraviolet protection ability has been studied. Various concentrations of LS were applied on nylon fabric using the exhaust method and the treatment was optimized using Box–Behnken response surface design. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) is achieved, as high as 62.13 with one such LS-treated nylon fabric. The LS-treated nylon fabrics were characterized using FTIR, FESEM, Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) instruments. The UPF and color-strength (K/S) values are significantly increased with an increase in the concentration of LS without any loss of tensile properties and thermal stability. The LS treatment has excellent wash fastness.

Hair luster is a key attribute of healthy hair and a crucial aspect of cosmetic appeal, reflecting the overall health and vitality of hair. Despite its significance, the advancement of therapeutic strategies for hair luster enhancement have been limited due to the absence of an effective experimental model. This study aimed to establish a novel animal model to assess hair gloss, employing ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on C57BL/6 mice. Specifically, UVB irradiation was meticulously applied to the shaved skin of these mice, simulating conditions that typically lead to hair luster loss in humans. The regrowth and characteristics of the hair were evaluated using a dual approach: an Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) scale for subjective assessment and an image-based pixel-count method for objective quantification. These methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the changes in hair quality post-irradiation. To explore the potential reversibility of hair luster changes, oral minoxidil was administered, a treatment known for its effects on hair growth and texture. Further, to gain insights into the underlying biological mechanisms, bulk RNA transcriptomic analysis of skin tissue was conducted. This analysis revealed significant alterations in the expression of keratin-associated protein (KRTAP) genes, suggesting modifications in hair keratin crosslinking due to UV exposure. These changes are crucial in understanding the molecular dynamics affecting hair luster. The development of this new mouse model is a significant advancement in hair care research. It not only facilitates the evaluation of hair luster in a controlled setting but also opens avenues for the research and development of innovative therapeutic strategies. This model holds promise for the formulation of more effective hair care products and treatments, potentially revolutionizing the approach towards managing and enhancing hair luster.