OBJECTIVE: Sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) is one of the most important economic crops abundantly found in Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia. The robustness of the palm triggered the Sarawak government\'s selection as one of the state\'s commodity crops, with the opening of several sago palm plantations. However, stunted (non-trunking) palms were reported in several sago palm plantations despite attaining a maturity period of more than ten years after cultivation. Research targeting this problem has been conducted in various fields, yet information on molecular mechanisms is still scarce. This study aimed to determine the genes responsible for sago palm\'s normal phenotype (trunking) by attaining leaf transcriptomes from samples of all trunking sago palms from different sago palm plantations.
METHODS: The conventional CTAB method was employed in the present investigation to extract total RNA from leaf tissues. Transcriptome sequencing was conducted on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Differential expression analysis was performed using the DESeq2 package. A total of 6,119 differentially expressed genes, comprising 4,384 downregulated and 1,735 upregulated genes, were expressed in all three sago palm datasets. The datasets provide insights into the commonly expressed genes among trunking sago palms.

Large language models (LLMs) have significantly impacted various fields with their ability to understand and generate human-like text. This study explores the potential benefits and limitations of integrating LLMs, such as ChatGPT, into haematology practices. Utilizing systematic review methodologies, we analysed studies published after 1 December 2022, from databases like PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, and assessing each for bias with the QUADAS-2 tool. We reviewed 10 studies that applied LLMs in various haematology contexts. These models demonstrated proficiency in specific tasks, such as achieving 76% diagnostic accuracy for haemoglobinopathies. However, the research highlighted inconsistencies in performance and reference accuracy, indicating variability in reliability across different uses. Additionally, the limited scope of these studies and constraints on datasets could potentially limit the generalizability of our findings. The findings suggest that, while LLMs provide notable advantages in enhancing diagnostic processes and educational resources within haematology, their integration into clinical practice requires careful consideration. Before implementing them in haematology, rigorous testing and specific adaptation are essential. This involves validating their accuracy and reliability across different scenarios. Given the field\'s complexity, it is also critical to continuously monitor these models and adapt them responsively.

We monitored leaf production in seedlings, trunkless juvenile, immature, and mature male and female plants of the dioecious palm, Lodoicea maldivica, and studied how internode length changed with trunk height. The fieldwork was conducted in closed forest on Praslin Island and degraded forest on Curieuse Island. Data on numbers of leaves produced and rates of leaf production were used to estimate plant age. On Praslin, the interval between successive leaves increased from 0.47/0.52 years in male/female plants to 4.2 years in seedlings, and on Curieuse from 0.41/0.49 to 2.3 years. Estimated leaf lifespan was 6.4-6.8 years in mature palms and much longer in seedlings and juveniles. On Praslin, internode length increased from the base of the trunk to a mean of 14 cm at leaf 21, before declining to 2.75 cm above leaf 100. Mean internode length of the smaller palms on Curieuse was 1.9 cm and varied little with height. Plants at the same development stage varied widely in age. On Praslin, median time to maturity was 77 (range: 32-209) and on Curieuse 83 (31-191) years. The tallest palms on Praslin (28.4 m trunk height) and Curieuse (8 m) were estimated at 442 and 232 years old, respectively. The ageing method was used to interpret height data of different populations. All showed a marked decline in regeneration in the 19th or early 20th centuries, probably caused by fires. We conclude that slow growth makes this species very vulnerable to disturbance, especially from fire.

Hybridization has significant evolutionary consequences across the Tree of Life. The process of hybridization has played a major role in plant evolution and has contributed to species richness and trait variation. Since morphological traits are partially a product of their environment, there may be a link between hybridization and ecology. Plant hybrid species richness is noted to be higher in harsh environments, and we explore this hypothesis with a keystone tropical plant lineage, palms (Arecaceae). Leveraging a recent literature review of naturally occurring palm hybrids, we developed a method to calculate hybrid frequency, and then tested if there is phylogenetic signal of hybrids using a phylogeny of all palms. Further, we used phylogenetic comparative methods to examine the interaction between hybrid frequency and presence in dry environments, on islands, and the species richness of genera. Phylogenetic generalized least squares models had stronger support than models of random association, indicating phylogenetic signal for the presence of hybrids in dry and island environments. However, all p-values were >.05 and therefore the correlation was poor between hybridization and the trait frequencies examined. Presence in particular environments are not strongly correlated to hybrid frequency, but phylogenetic signal suggests a role in its distribution in different habitats. Hybridization in palms is not evenly distributed across subfamilies, tribes, subtribes yet plays an important role in palm diversity, nonetheless. Increasing our understanding hybridization in this economically and culturally important plant family is essential, particularly since rates are projected to increase with climate change, reconfiguring the dynamics and distribution of biodiversity.

The ability of Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze and respond to freely written text is causing increasing excitement in the field of psychiatry; the application of such models presents unique opportunities and challenges for psychiatric applications. This review article seeks to offer a comprehensive overview of LLMs in psychiatry, their model architecture, potential use cases, and clinical considerations. LLM frameworks such as ChatGPT/GPT-4 are trained on huge amounts of text data that are sometimes fine-tuned for specific tasks. This opens up a wide range of possible psychiatric applications, such as accurately predicting individual patient risk factors for specific disorders, engaging in therapeutic intervention, and analyzing therapeutic material, to name a few. However, adoption in the psychiatric setting presents many challenges, including inherent limitations and biases in LLMs, concerns about explainability and privacy, and the potential damage resulting from produced misinformation. This review covers potential opportunities and limitations and highlights potential considerations when these models are applied in a real-world psychiatric context.

This study investigated the potential of a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) to mimic palm shortening functionality in cake. The combined functional properties of linseed meal and beta-glucan led to stable semi-solid emulsion-gels (20-31 μm oil droplet size, 105-115 Pa.s viscosity and 60-65 Pa yield stress). PALM-ALT contained 25 and 88% less total and saturated fat than palm shortening, whilst PALM-ALT cakes contained 26 and 75% less total and saturated fat than the palm-based control. PALM-ALT cakes matched the flavour profile of the palm-based control, while rapeseed oil cakes tasted more sour and less sweet than the control (p < 0.05). PALM-ALT cakes proved less hard and more cohesive than the control (p < 0.05), with 100% of the consumer panel preferring PALM-ALT formulations. This study demonstrated the unique potential of PALM-ALT as healthier, sustainable and competitive alternative to palm shortening.

Chamaerops humilis L. is clumping palm of the family Arecaceae with promising health-promoting effects. Parts of this species are utilized as food and employed in folk medicine to treat several disorders. This study investigated the phytochemical constituents of C. humilis leaves and their antioxidant and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activities in vitro and in vivo in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The chemical structure of the isolated phytochemicals was determined using data obtained from UV, MS, IR, and 1H-, 13C-NMR spectroscopic tools as well as comparison with authentic markers. Eleven compounds, including tricin 7-O-β-rutinoside, vicenin, tricin, astragalin, borassoside D, pregnane-3,5,6,16-tetrol, oleanolic acid, β-sitosterol and campesterol were isolated from C. humilis ethanolic extract (CHEE). CHEE and the butanol, n-hexane, and dichloromethane fractions exhibited in vitro radical scavenging and XO inhibitory efficacies. The computational findings revealed the tendency of the isolated compounds towards the active site of XO. In vivo, CHEE ameliorated liver function markers and prevented tissue injury induced by APAP in rats. CHEE suppressed hepatic XO, decreased serum uric acid and liver malondialdehyde (MDA), and enhanced reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase in APAP-treated rats. CHEE ameliorated serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-1β in APAP-treated rats. Thus, C. humilis is rich in beneficial phytochemicals that possess binding affinity towards XO. C. humilis exhibited potent in vitro antioxidant and XO inhibitory activities, and prevented APAP hepatotoxicity by attenuating tissue injury, oxidative stress and inflammation.

The 20-year revolution in optical fluorescence microscopy, supported by the optimization of both spatial resolution and timely acquisition, allows the visualization of nanoscaled objects in cell biology. Currently, the use of a recent generation of super-resolution fluorescence microscope coupled with improved fluorescent probes gives the possibility to study the replicative cycle of viruses in living cells, at the single-virus particle or protein level. Here, we highlight the protocol for visualizing HIV-1 Gag assembly at the host T-cell plasma membrane using super-resolution light microscopy. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF-M) coupled with single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) enables the detection and characterization of the assembly of viral proteins at the plasma membrane of infected host cells at the single protein level. Here, we describe the TIRF equipment, the T-cell culture for HIV-1, the sample preparation for single-molecule localization microscopies such as PALM and STORM, acquisition protocols, and Gag assembling cluster analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Palm fossils are often used as evidence for warm and wet palaeoenvironments, reflecting the affinities of most modern palms. However, several extant palm lineages tolerate cool and/or arid climates, making a clear understanding of the taxonomic composition of ancient palm communities important for reliable palaeoenvironmental inference. However, taxonomically identifiable palm fossils are rare and often confined to specific facies. Although the resolution of taxonomic information they provide remains unclear, phytoliths (microscopic silica bodies) provide a possible solution because of their high preservation potential under conditions where other plant fossils are scarce. We thus evaluate the taxonomic and palaeoenvironmental utility of palm phytoliths.
METHODS: We quantified phytolith morphology of 97 modern palm and other monocot species. Using this dataset, we tested the ability of five common discriminant methods to identify nine major palm clades. We then compiled a dataset of species\' climate preferences and tested if they were correlated with phytolith morphology using a phylogenetic comparative approach. Finally, we reconstructed palm communities and palaeoenvironmental conditions at six fossil sites.
RESULTS: Best-performing models correctly identified phytoliths to their clade of origin only 59 % of the time. Although palms were generally distinguished from non-palms, few palm clades were highly distinct, and phytolith morphology was weakly correlated with species\' environmental preferences. Reconstructions at all fossil sites suggested that palm communities were dominated by Trachycarpeae and Areceae, with warm, equable climates and high, potentially seasonal rainfall. However, fossil site reconstructions had high uncertainty and often conflicted with other climate proxies.
CONCLUSIONS: While phytolith morphology provides some distinction among palm clades, caution is warranted. Unlike prior spatially restricted studies, our geographically and phylogenetically broad study indicates phytolith morphology may not reliably differentiate most palm taxa in deep time. Nevertheless, it reveals distinct clades, including some likely to be palaeoenvironmentally informative.

UNASSIGNED: Magnetic resonance imaging of peripheral nerves in the wrist and palm is challenging due to the small size, tortuous course, complex surrounding tissues, and accompanying blood vessels. The occurrence of carpal palmar lesions leads to edema, swelling, and mass effect, which may further interfere with the display and identification of nerves.
UNASSIGNED: To evaluate whether contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance neurography (ceMRN) improves the visualization of the morphology and pathology of the median, ulnar nerves, and their small branches in the wrist and palm.
UNASSIGNED: An observational study.
UNASSIGNED: In total 57 subjects, including 36 volunteers and 21 patients with carpal palmar lesions, were enrolled and underwent ceMRN and non-contrast MRN (ncMRN) examination at 3.0 Tesla. The degree of vascular suppression, nerve visualization, diagnostic confidence, and lesion conspicuity was qualitatively assessed by two radiologists. Kappa statistics were obtained for inter-reader agreement. The signal-to-noise ratio, contrast ratio (CR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the median nerve were measured. The subjective ratings and quantitative measurements were compared between ncMRN and ceMRN.
UNASSIGNED: The inter-reader agreement was excellent (k > 0.8) for all qualitative assessments and visualization assessment of each nerve segment. Compared with ncMRN, ceMRN significantly improved vascular suppression in volunteers and patients (both p < 0.001). The ceMRN significantly enhanced nerve visualization of each segment (all p < 0.05) and diagnostic confidence in volunteers and patients (both p < 0.05). The ceMRN improved lesion conspicuity (p = 0.003) in patients. Quantitatively, ceMRN had significantly higher CRs of nerve versus subcutaneous fat, bone marrow, and vessels and CNR of nerve versus vessel than ncMRN (all p < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: The ceMRN significantly improves the visualization of peripheral nerves and pathology in the wrist and palm by robustly suppressing the signals of fat, bone marrow, and especially vessels in volunteers and patients.
Study on the improvement of magnetic resonance imaging and lesion display of small nerves in the wrist and palm using contrast agents Why was the study done? Because the nerves and branches in the wrist and palm are numerous, small, tortuous, and surrounded by muscles, fat, bones, blood vessels and other tissues, it is difficult to show their complete shape with conventional magnetic resonance imaging. Hand lesions often lead to swelling, edema and masses, which interfere with the display of nerves. Therefore, it is difficult to directly diagnose the relationship between the lesions and nerves in clinical practice. What did the researchers do? The research team used contrast agent plus three-dimensional high-resolution magnetic resonance sequence to display the nerves of volunteers and patients with hand lesions, and used subjective and objective evaluation methods to compare the display effect of the sequence on the nerves before and after the use of contrast agent. What did the researchers find? The imaging method of contrast agent plus three-dimensional high-resolution magnetic resonance sequence can reduce the interference of fat, blood vessels, etc. on nerve display, improve the display effect of each nerve segment of the wrist and palm, increase readers’ confidence in identifying nerves, and improve the detection of lesions. What do the findings mean? This study verified the feasibility and advantages of using contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging of nerves in the wrist and palm. It provides a new method for clinical and imaging diagnosis of hand lesions, which can simultaneously display the morphological characteristics of nerves and lesions, reducing the difficulty of clinical diagnosis and improving the efficiency of imaging diagnosis.