bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-vitro-Aktivität von Johanniskraut und seinen
Inhaltsstoffen gegen das neuartige Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Jenett-Siems Kristina
Published: November 2022

Im Zuge der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie sind Forscher weltweit bemüht, effektive
und kostengünstige Therapiemöglichkeiten zu entwickeln. Von
einer deutschen Forschergruppe wurde in diesem Zusammenhang ein Extrakt aus
Johanniskraut (Hypericum perforatum) sowie verschiedene darin enthaltenen
Reinsubstanzen auf eine mögliche Aktivität gegen das neuartige
Coronavirus hin untersucht. Zunächst wurde die prinzipielle
Effektivität in einem vereinfachten Virusmodell gezeigt,
anschließend wurden weitere Versuche an mehreren Virusvarianten
durchgeführt. Insbesondere für das Hypericin konnten in diesen
In-vitro-Untersuchungen bemerkenswert niedrige IC50-Werte ermittelt
werden.
Laurus nobilis L., der Echte Lorbeer,
Authors: Noack Mona , Melzig Matthias F.
Published: November 2022

Laurus nobilis L., Echter Lorbeer, ist eine immergrüne Pflanze, die
zur Familie der Lauraceaen gehört. Die Blätter und Früchte
werden seit Jahrhunderten in der Volksmedizin eingesetzt, z. B. bei
Magenbeschwerden, Entzündungen, Stoffwechselkrankheiten, Infektionen oder
als Insektizid. In den letzten Jahren werden Drogen und Inhaltsstoffe dieser
Arzneipflanze vermehrt pharmakologisch untersucht, insbesondere wegen der
Wirksamkeit bei chronisch entzündlichen und metabolischen
Störungen.
Ein funktionierendes Netzwerk – 6. International Fascia
Research Congress
Authors: Börner Doris
Published: November 2022

Nachdem er COVID-bedingt im letzten Jahr online abgehalten wurde, fand der 6.
Internationale Kongress der Fascia Research Society in diesem Jahr vom
10.–14. September 2022 in Montreal statt. Mehr als 400 Teilnehmer haben
sich zu diesem Event in den Räumen des Sheraton Hotels in der Innenstadt
von Montreal zusammengefunden. Wie bereits in den Jahren zuvor, trafen sich
etablierte Experten aus der ganzen Welt und stellten in Vorträgen,
Workshops und Posterpräsentationen ihre Arbeit vor.
Kompression des N. ischiadicus beim Hund – Welche Rolle
spielt der M. piriformis?
Authors: Hohmann Mima
Published: November 2022

Wenn man in der Veterinärmedizin von Ischialgie spricht, denkt man meist
zuerst an eine Läsion oder Entzündung des N. ischiadicus
– seltener an eine Kompression des Nervs. Doch gerade diese wird in der
Praxis häufig gesehen. Verantwortlich hierfür ist oft eine
Störung des M. piriformis. Was gilt es hierbei zu beachten und welche
Behandlungsoptionen gibt es?
The Performance and Reception of Race-Based Athletic Activism: Toward a Critical, Dramaturgical Theory of Sport
Authors: Hartmann Douglas , Manning Alex , Green Kyle
Published: November 2022

The emergence of an unprecedented wave of race-based athletic activism in the last decade presents the opportunity to formulate a more critical, cultural theory of the significance and socio-political function of sport in contemporary life. We begin by centering athlete agency and highlighting the distinctive performative, communicative, and symbolic opportunities that sport affords. However, athletic activism and social messaging are also structured—and their impacts shaped—by a range of contextual factors and institutional forces as well as sport’s own unique cultural status and ideological claims. We catalog these constraints to capture the larger cultural field of sport as a site of racial commentary and contestation. Situating this multifaceted field of protest and response in its larger social, cultural, and media contexts leads us to argue that sport presents a vehicle not only for the performance of protest (as existing theory might have it), but for the representation and dramatization of social contestation, struggle, and change more generally. The lessons and broader implications of this synthesis are discussed in the conclusion.
Liquid/air dynamic behaviors and regulation mechanisms for bioinspired surface
Authors: Zhang Liwen , Wang Yan , Wang Zelinlan , Liu Guang , Guo Yurun , Liu Xiaolin , Zhang Deyuan , Jiang Lei , Chen Huawei
Published: November 2022

Liquid/air accurate regulation has attracted growing attention in recent years for its diverse potential applications in bio-medicines, heat management, green energy, etc. Natural surfaces evolved innumerable hierarchical structures with exceptional functions to govern or regulate the liquid dynamic behaviors for their vital living, which have gradually been discovered as inspirations for creative design, such as fog harvesting, water fast transporting, and strong wet attachment. This review summarizes the current progress of bioinspired liquid/air regulations and their underlying mechanisms, including fast liquid/air spreading, liquid/air directional transport, and the interfacial liquid/air bridge acting forces. A fundamental understanding of both liquid/air dynamic behaviors on liquid–air–solid interfaces and their effects on the surface function has been increased with awareness of the importance of coupling effects from surface structures and material properties. The design principles and fabrication methods for bioinspired surface structure with unique liquid/air regulation are concluded, and several significant applications for electronics heat dissipation and biomedical devices are also presented. Finally, we provide new insights and future perspectives for the liquid/air regulation-based bioinspired functional materials.
Unraveling the fundamentals of pulsed laser-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials in liquids: Applications in energy and the environment
Authors: Theerthagiri Jayaraman , Karuppasamy K. , Min Ahreum , Govindarajan Durai , Kumari M. L. Aruna , Muthusamy Govarthanan , Kheawhom Soorathep , Kim Hyun-Seok , Choi Myong Yong
Published: November 2022

Nanomaterials with high purity and functionality are in high demand for diverse applications in the energy and environmental domains, making them an intensively researched issue. The production of novel electro- and photoactive nanomaterials has been profoundly influenced by synthetic routes that make possible the development of surface and crystalline-tuned advanced materials. The significant size and textural tailored properties of materials synthesized through laser interaction with matter have emerged as a promising synthetic technique. The high-power pulsed laser-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials in liquids provides many degrees of parameter control (i.e., pulsed laser power, wavelength, reaction time duration, laser pulse repetition rate, and solvent) and numerous advantages over traditional physical and chemical synthetic methods, such as high purity, no byproducts, simple, nontoxic, and no need for surfactants and reducing agents. We first focused on the fundamental insights into the mechanism of pulsed laser techniques in depth in this paper, taking into account various experimental conditions to accelerate hypotheses that are appropriate for the production of efficient nanomaterials. We focused on the advancement of electro- and photoactive nanomaterials using pulsed laser synthetic technologies, which allowed us to reveal detailed mechanistic and textural properties as well as effective applications in energy and environmental processes. Finally, the challenges and possible future prospects for the emerging field of pulsed laser-based nanomaterials are concisely proposed.
Generation and manipulation of multi-twisted beams via azimuthal shift factors
Authors: Hu Juntao , Lan Yanping , Fan Haihao , Ye Wenni , Zeng Peiqi , Qian Yixian , Li Xinzhong
Published: November 2022

We develop the effective experimental approach to generate multi-twisted beams (MTBs) with twisted intensity lobes by superimposing helical phases consisting of multiple independent sub-phases with different azimuthal shift factors. The MTBs' energy flows and propagation properties are also investigated, indicating that such beams exhibit twisted properties. The azimuthal shift factor determines the twisted intensity distributions, and the number of twisted lobes depends on the sub-phase number. The bright lobes of a MTB possess the shapes of thin spiral lines, and the intensity pattern depends on the topological charge. Diverse MTBs can be generated by flexibly manipulating the azimuthal shift factors and the sub-phase number. Also, various mirror-symmetrical twisted beams are constructed using the matrix flip scheme, further enriching the light structures of MTBs. Numerical simulation and experimental results are consistent. Furthermore, the capture and guide of microspheres via the MTBs are experimentally executed and demonstrate the feasibility and practicability of our generated MTBs. The various MTBs will likely give rise to potential applications in fabricating chiral nanostructures and manipulating microparticles.
Quasiclassical approaches to the generalized quantum master equation
Authors: Amati Graziano , Saller Maximilian A. C. , Kelly Aaron , Richardson Jeremy O.
Published: November 2022

The formalism of the generalized quantum master equation (GQME) is an effective tool to simultaneously increase the accuracy and the efficiency of quasiclassical trajectory methods in the simulation of nonadiabatic quantum dynamics. The GQME expresses correlation functions in terms of a non-Markovian equation of motion, involving memory kernels that are typically fast-decaying and can therefore be computed by short-time quasiclassical trajectories. In this paper, we study the approximate solution of the GQME, obtained by calculating the kernels with two methods: Ehrenfest mean-field theory and spin-mapping. We test the approaches on a range of spin–boson models with increasing energy bias between the two electronic levels and place a particular focus on the long-time limits of the populations. We find that the accuracy of the predictions of the GQME depends strongly on the specific technique used to calculate the kernels. In particular, spin-mapping outperforms Ehrenfest for all the systems studied. The problem of unphysical negative electronic populations affecting spin-mapping is resolved by coupling the method with the master equation. Conversely, Ehrenfest in conjunction with the GQME can predict negative populations, despite the fact that the populations calculated from direct dynamics are positive definite.
Deep coarse-grained potentials via relative entropy minimization
Authors: Thaler Stephan , Stupp Maximilian , Zavadlav Julija
Published: November 2022

Neural network (NN) potentials are a natural choice for coarse-grained (CG) models. Their many-body capacity allows highly accurate approximations of the potential of mean force, promising CG simulations of unprecedented accuracy. CG NN potentials trained bottom-up via force matching (FM), however, suffer from finite data effects: They rely on prior potentials for physically sound predictions outside the training data domain, and the corresponding free energy surface is sensitive to errors in the transition regions. The standard alternative to FM for classical potentials is relative entropy (RE) minimization, which has not yet been applied to NN potentials. In this work, we demonstrate, for benchmark problems of liquid water and alanine dipeptide, that RE training is more data efficient, due to accessing the CG distribution during training, resulting in improved free energy surfaces and reduced sensitivity to prior potentials. In addition, RE learns to correct time integration errors, allowing larger time steps in CG molecular dynamics simulation, while maintaining accuracy. Thus, our findings support the use of training objectives beyond FM, as a promising direction for improving CG NN potential’s accuracy and reliability.
Emergence of considerable thermoelectric effect due to the addition of an underlayer in Pt/Co/Pt stack and its application in detecting field free magnetization switching
Authors: Posti Raghvendra , Kumar Abhishek , Tiwari Dhananjay , Roy Debangsu
Published: November 2022

Application of sufficient lateral current to a heavy metal (HM) can switch the perpendicular magnetization orientation of an adjacent ferromagnetic layer through spin–orbit torques (SOTs). The choice of the HM and its arrangement plays a major role for the SOT induced magnetization switching in magnetic heterostructures. Generally, thin Ta is used as an underlayer to the HM layer for better adhesion and smoothness of the HM layer. Here, we show that Ta addition to the asymmetric stack Pt/Co/Pt gives rise to several compelling effects, viz., thermoelectric effects [particularly, anomalous Nernst effect (ANE)], and enhanced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy which was negligible in a Pt/Co/Pt stack. For this Ta/Pt/Co/Pt stack, the antidamping-SOT values are evaluated after carefully removing the contribution from the ANE and it is found to match the AD-SOT of the Pt/Co/Pt stack. We have observed current-induced field-free magnetization switching Ta/Pt/Co/Pt stack with Co thickness gradient. Furthermore, we have utilized the thermoelectric effects to develop a technique to detect the field-free magnetization switching. This technique detects the second harmonic ANE signal as a reading mechanism. Using ANE symmetry with the applied current, the switching can be detected in a single current sweep which was corroborated to the conventional DC Hall method.
Robust low-temperature (350 °C) ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 fabricated using anhydrous H2O2 as the ALD oxidant
Authors: Jung Yong Chan , Kim Jin-Hyun , Hernandez-Arriaga Heber , Mohan Jaidah , Hwang Su Min , Le Dan N. , Sahota Akshay , Kim Harrison Sejoon , Kim Kihyun , Choi Rino , Nam Chang-Yong , Alvarez Daniel , Spiegelman Jeffrey , Kim Si Joon , Kim Jiyoung
Published: November 2022

In this Letter, the robust ferroelectric properties of low-temperature (350 °C) Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) films are investigated. We demonstrate that the lower crystallization temperature of HZO films originates from a densified film deposition with an anhydrous H2O2 oxidant in the atomic layer deposition process. As a consequence of this densification, H2O2-based HZO films showed completely crystallinity with fewer defects at a lower annealing temperature of 350 °C. This reduction in the crystallization temperature additionally suppresses the oxidation of TiN electrodes, thereby improving device reliability. The low-temperature crystallization process produces an H2O2-based HZO capacitor with a high remanent polarization (Pr), reduced leakage current, high breakdown voltage, and better endurance. Furthermore, while an O3-based HZO capacitor requires wake-up cycling to achieve stable Pr, the H2O2-based HZO capacitor demonstrates a significantly reduced wake-up nature. Anhydrous H2O2 oxidant enables the fabrication of a more reliable ferroelectric HZO device using a low process thermal budget (350 °C).
Global model on oscillation discharge characteristics during deep oscillation magnetron sputtering of Cr target
Authors: Gao J. Y. , Ferreira F. , Lei M. K.
Published: November 2022

A time-dependent global model is developed for deep oscillation magnetron sputtering (DOMS) with a Cr target to characterize the plasma using the working Ar gas at a pressure of 0.8 Pa. An input of the global model is the target voltage and current waveforms at charging voltages from 260 to 400 V. The plasma densities vary synchronously with the oscillations of target power. During the on-time of a micropulse, the gas atoms are ionized first to ignite the plasma and subsequently the metal ions follow to sustain the discharge. During the off-time, the gas ions dominate the afterglow. The DOMS possesses a characteristic of alternating gas/metal discharge in the time domain. The peak values of plasma densities increase linearly with charging voltages, which is mainly attributed to the higher Cr+ ion density. The discharge transits from gas dominated to metal dominated at high charging voltage. The working gas rarefaction in DOMS discharge is enhanced at higher charging voltages. At charging voltages higher than 360 V, the metal self-sputtering comes into the runaway regime temporarily as indicated by the self-sputtering parameters exceeding unity, generating the dense and metal-rich plasma. The metal self-sputtering is promoted by gas rarefaction. The electrons tend to ionize the metal atoms after the gas atoms are depleted. The decreased grain size and elevated nano-hardness of the Cr thin films are explained by structure transition from zone I to zone T due to the efficient metal ion bombardment to the growing thin films as the charging voltage increases.
Measurement of single nanoparticle anisotropy by laser induced optical alignment and Rayleigh scattering for determining particle morphology
Authors: Rademacher Markus , Gosling Jonathan , Pontin Antonio , Toroš Marko , Mulder Jence T. , Houtepen Arjan J. , Barker P. F.
Published: November 2022

We demonstrate the measurement of nanoparticle anisotropy by angularly resolved Rayleigh scattering of single optical levitated particles that are oriented in space via the trapping light in vacuum. This technique is applied to a range of particle geometries from perfect spherical nanodroplets to octahedral nanocrystals. We show that this method can resolve shape differences down to a few nanometers and be applied in both low-damping environments, as demonstrated here, and in traditional overdamped fluids used in optical tweezers.
Spin–orbit couplings within spin-conserving and spin-flipping time-dependent density functional theory: Implementation and benchmark calculations
Authors: Kotaru Saikiran , Pokhilko Pavel , Krylov Anna I.
Published: November 2022

We present a new implementation for computing spin–orbit couplings (SOCs) within a time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) framework in the standard spin-conserving formulation as well in the spin–flip variant (SF-TD-DFT). This approach employs the Breit–Pauli Hamiltonian and Wigner–Eckart’s theorem applied to the reduced one-particle transition density matrices, together with the spin–orbit mean-field treatment of the two-electron contributions. We use a state-interaction procedure and compute the SOC matrix elements using zero-order non-relativistic states. Benchmark calculations using several closed-shell organic molecules, diradicals, and a single-molecule magnet illustrate the efficiency of the SOC protocol. The results for organic molecules (described by standard TD-DFT) show that SOCs are insensitive to the choice of the functional or basis sets, as long as the states of the same characters are compared. In contrast, the SF-TD-DFT results for small diradicals (CH2, NH2+, SiH2, and PH2+) show strong functional dependence. The spin-reversal energy barrier in a Fe(III) single-molecule magnet computed using non-collinear SF-TD-DFT (PBE0, ωPBEh/cc-pVDZ) agrees well with the experimental estimate.
Three stages of Marangoni-driven film spreading for miscible fluids
Authors: Jia Feifei , Wang Tianyou , Peng Xiaoyun , Sun Kai
Published: November 2022

The Marangoni-driven film spreading in the fully miscible droplet–reservoir system was experimentally studied. Three stages of film spreading were identified over a relatively long time, with the power-law exponent n (R ∼ tn, R is film radius, t is time) nonmonotonically transitioning from 3/4, to 1/4, and back to 3/4. The variation of the Marangoni stress was found to be responsible for the three-stage power-law relationships, with the tangential stretching effect of the expanding liquid–air interface governing stages I and III and the normal diffusion effect dominating stage II. This work presents a unified interpretation of the inconsistent power-law relationships reported from previous studies on Marangoni-driven film spreading for miscible fluids.
Phylogeny of the asexual lineage Murrayidae (Macrobiotoidea, Eutardigrada) with the description of
Authors: Guidetti Roberto , Giovannini Ilaria , Del Papa Valeria , Ekrem Torbjørn , Nelson Diane R. , Rebecchi Lorena , Cesari Michele
Published: November 2022

The peculiar family Murrayidae, comprising the genera Murrayon, Dactylobiotus and Macroversum, contains relatively rare species living in hydrophilic and freshwater habitats on all continents, and contains two of the six exclusively freshwater tardigrade genera. This family probably represents an example of the evolution and persistence of an asexual lineage that differentiated into several taxa without sexual reproduction. Analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes (18S, 28S, ITS2 and cox1), and the increase of five taxa to the phylogenetic analyses of Murrayidae led us to infer that Murrayon is polyphyletic, being composed of two ‘species groups’ that also find morphological supports: the ‘dianeae group’ characterised by peculiar egg processes (rod-shaped and covered with a cuticular layer), animals with large, evident epicuticular pillars and small claws; and the ‘pullari group’ characterised by conical egg processes, animals with very small epicuticular pillars, and proportionally larger and longer claws. This latter group is a sister group to Dactylobiotus. Murrayon hastatus is the only species within the genus that has an uncertain position with eggs of the ‘dianeae group’ and animals of the ‘pullari group’. We propose the erection of Paramurrayon gen. nov. (for the ‘dianeae group’ of species), the emendation of Murrayon, and new taxonomic keys for both genera. Possible scenarios of the evolution of taxa within Murrayidae are hypothesised based on synapomorphic characters. Paramurrayon meieri sp. nov. from Norway is described with an integrative approach. Photographs of type material of Murrayon stellatus, Murrayon nocentiniae, Murrayon ovoglabellus and Macroversum mirum are shown for the first time, together with descriptions of new characters. Murrayon hibernicus is considered as nomen dubium and Murrayon hyperoncus is transferred to Macrobiotus pending further analyses. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4689BE4C-0757-40B3-8AA0-5AF28904E83F
Cancer screening in prisons: lessons for health providers
Authors: Hesse Sarah , Williamson Kim , Bonney Deborah , Finley Marie , Meehan Tom
Published: November 2022

Background Lifestyle factors place those who experience incarceration at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from a range of preventable diseases, including cancer. Methods Two nurses were employed for a period of 6 months to facilitate bowel and breast cancer screening of prisoners across four correctional centres in Queensland. We identify factors impacting on cancer screening in prisons and document the outcomes for those screened. Results Both screening programs produced a positivity rate of ~17% in those screened, with 23 individuals returning a positive faecal occult blood test and five women requiring further investigations following breast screening. At 3 months postscreening, all of the positive cases had been referred for further investigations. It is likely that the screening programs were instrumental in preventing morbidity (and mortality) in the subgroup with positive test results. Conclusions Cancer screening within the prison environment presents a number of challenges. Intervention at the individual and systems level is required to ensure prisoners can access a standard of care equal to that provided in the community.
A qualitative exploration of obtaining informed consent in medical consultations with Burma-born women
Authors: Power Anna , Tuteja Amita , Mascarenhas Lester , Temple-Smith Meredith
Published: November 2022

Background Conciliatory attitudes, respect for medical professionals and avoidance of being direct can make health consultations with Burma-born patients difficult to navigate. Coupled with linguistic barriers, this may make the sensitive nature of many women’s health consultations challenging. Little is known about current practices for obtaining informed consent in this context. The objectives of this study were to explore current practices, barriers and strategies to obtaining informed consent in medical consultations with women born in Burma. Methods Purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit health practitioners (n = 15, 2 male, 13 female) of different ages, years of professional experience, and country of origin, from clinics in Victoria that see a high volume of Burma-born patients. Thirty to sixty minute semi-structured interviews were conducted with four general practitioners, eight nurses and three interpreters, and de-identified audio recordings were transcribed for inductive thematic analysis. Results Five key themes were generated: (1) cultural cognisance; (2) influence of community; (3) skilful navigation of communication; (4) favourable consultation attributes; and (5) individual tailoring of consent conversations. Differing cultural expectations, and linguistic and educational barriers, were highlighted as challenges to obtaining informed consent, whereas thoughtful utilisation of non-verbal communication, and intentional customisation of consent conversations were identified as facilitators. Conclusion The findings of this study provide practical ways to optimise the informed consent process within the Australian primary healthcare context, and reinforce that accepted Western-based practices for obtaining informed consent are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ process.
Livestock depredation by wild carnivores in the highlands of Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia
Authors: Deneke Yigrem , Megaze Aberham , Tekalign Wondimagegnheu , Dobamo Taye , Leirs Herwig
Published: November 2022

Context Livestock depredation is a major medium- and large-carnivore conservation challenge around the globe, causing a substantial economic loss to small-scale agricultural communities in the Wolaita Highlands, southern Ethiopia, and often leading to retaliatory killing. In the Wolaita Highlands, southern Ethiopia, livestock depredation rates are increasing because of conversion of wild habitats into grazing lands. Various studies have examined the interactions between humans and carnivores in time and space and the prey preference of carnivores with regard to livestock type. Aim This study aimed to assess livestock depredation by large carnivores in time, space, season and prey preference by carnivores and economic losses by farmers with regard to livestock depredation in the highlands of Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. Methods In total, 384 herders who are heads of households were interviewed and an information-theoretic approach was used to analyse the factors influencing self-reported livestock losses to spotted hyena, leopards and jackal. Key results The economic loss associated with livestock depredation by spotted hyena, leopard and jackal amounted to an average loss of US$33.3 per herder and year. We found that spotted hyena had a preference for sheep, goat and donkey; leopard for goat and sheep; and jackal for goat and poultry. Livestock depredations by the three carnivores were mainly during the night-time and more severe during the dry season. Conclusion The number of livestock owned by a household, night-time, dry season and the availability and preferences of the type of livestock by carnivores had the strongest influence on livestock losses. Implications To mitigate wild carnivore conflicts in the highlands of Wolaita, southern Ethiopia, we make recommendations that the farmers should be trained and equipped in order to build a better wild-carnivore management strategies and to scale up their mitigating strategies.
Evidence for adaptive morphological plasticity in the Caribbean coral,
Acropora cervicornis
Authors: Million Wyatt C. , Ruggeri Maria , O’Donnell Sibelle , Bartels Erich , Conn Trinity , Krediet Cory J. , Kenkel Carly D.
Published: November 2022

Genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) indicate that variation in organismal traits cannot be explained by fixed effects of genetics or site-specific plastic responses alone. For tropical coral reefs experiencing dramatic environmental change, identifying the contributions of genotype, environment, and GxE on coral performance will be vital for both predicting persistence and developing restoration strategies. We quantified the impacts of G, E, and GxE on the morphology and survival of the endangered coral,
Acropora cervicornis
, through an in situ transplant experiment exposing common garden (nursery)-raised clones of ten genotypes to nine reef sites in the Florida Keys. By fate-tracking outplants over one year with colony-level 3D photogrammetry, we uncovered significant GxE on coral size, shape, and survivorship, indicating that no universal winner exists in terms of colony performance. Rather than differences in mean trait values, we found that individual-level morphological plasticity is adaptive in that the most plastic individuals also exhibited the fastest growth and highest survival. This indicates that adaptive morphological plasticity may continue to evolve, influencing the success of
A. cervicornis
and resulting reef communities in a changing climate. As focal reefs are active restoration sites, the knowledge that variation in phenotype is an important predictor of performance can be directly applied to restoration planning. Taken together, these results establish
A. cervicornis
as a system for studying the ecoevolutionary dynamics of phenotypic plasticity that also can inform genetic- and environment-based strategies for coral restoration.
Integrative analysis reveals structural basis for transcription activation of Nurr1 and Nurr1-RXRα heterodimer
Authors: Zhao Mohan , Wang Na , Guo Yaoting , Li Jingwen , Yin Yue , Dong Yan , Zhu Jiabin , Peng Chao , Xu Tingting , Liu Jinsong
Published: November 2022

Orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 plays important roles in the progression of various diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, neuroinflammation, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. It can recognize DNA as a monomer or heterodimer with retinoid X receptor α (RXRα). But the molecular mechanism of its transcriptional activity regulation is still largely unknown. Here we obtained a crystal structure of monomer Nurr1 (DNA- and ligand-binding domains, DBD and LBD) bound to NGFI-B response element. The structure exhibited two different forms with distinct DBD orientations, unveiling the conformational flexibility of nuclear receptor monomer. We then generated an integrative model of Nurr1-RXRα heterodimer. In the context of heterodimer, the structural flexibility of Nurr1 would contribute to its transcriptional activity modulation. We demonstrated that the DNA sequence may specifically modulate the transcriptional activity of Nurr1 in the absence of RXRα agonist, but the modulation can be superseded when the agonist binds to RXRα. Together, we propose a set of signaling pathways for the constitutive transcriptional activation of Nurr1 and provide molecular mechanisms for therapeutic discovery targeting Nurr1 and Nurr1-RXRα heterodimer.
Advancing convergence research: Renewable energy solutions for off-grid communities
Authors: Moran Emilio F. , Lopez Maria Claudia , Mourão Rachel , Brown Erik , McCright Aaron M. , Walgren Judith , Bortoleto Ana Paula , Mayer Adam , Johansen Igor Cavallini , Ramos Karina Ninni , Castro-Diaz Laura , Garcia Maria Alejandra , Lembi Rafael Cavalcanti , Mueller Norbert
Published: November 2022

Millions of people across the world live off-grid not by choice but because they live in rural areas, have low income, and have no political clout. Delivering sustainable energy solutions to such a substantial amount of the world’s population requires more than a technological fix; it requires leveraging the knowledge of underserved populations working together with a transdisciplinary team to find holistically derived solutions. Our original research has resulted in an innovative Convergence Framework integrating the fields of engineering, social sciences, and communication, and is based on working together with communities and other stakeholders to address the challenges posed by delivering clean energy solutions. In this paper, we discuss the evolution of this Framework and illustrate how this Framework is being operationalized in our on-going research project, cocreating hybrid renewable energy systems for off-grid communities in the Brazilian Amazon. The research shows how this Framework can address clean energy transitions, strengthen emerging industries at local level, and foster Global North–South scholarly collaborations. We do so by the integration of social science and engineering and by focusing on community engagement, energy justice, and governance for underserved communities. Further, this solution-driven Framework leads to the emergence of unique approaches that advance scientific knowledge, while at the same time addressing community needs.
The human pathobiont
Malassezia furfur
secreted protease Mfsap1 regulates cell dispersal and exacerbates skin inflammation
Authors: Goh Joleen P. Z. , Ruchti Fiorella , Poh Si En , Koh Winston L. C. , Tan Kiat Yi , Lim Yan Ting , Thng Steven T. G. , Sobota Radoslaw M. , Hoon Shawn S. , Liu Chenxi , O’Donoghue Anthony J. , LeibundGut-Landmann Salomé , Oon Hazel H. , Li Hao , Dawson Thomas L.
Published: November 2022

Malassezia
form the dominant eukaryotic microbial community on the human skin. The
Malassezia
genus possesses a repertoire of secretory hydrolytic enzymes involved in protein and lipid metabolism which alter the external cutaneous environment. The exact role of most
Malassezia
secreted enzymes, including those in interaction with the epithelial surface, is not well characterized. In this study, we compared the expression level of secreted proteases, lipases, phospholipases, and sphingomyelinases of
Malassezia globosa
in healthy subjects and seborrheic dermatitis or atopic dermatitis patients. We observed upregulated gene expression of the previously characterized secretory aspartyl protease
MGSAP1
in both diseased groups, in lesional and non-lesional skin sites, as compared to healthy subjects. To explore the functional roles of
MGSAP1
in skin disease, we generated a knockout mutant of the homologous protease
MFSAP1
in the genetically tractable
Malassezia furfur
. We observed the loss of
MFSAP1
resulted in dramatic changes in the cell adhesion and dispersal in both culture and a human 3D reconstituted epidermis model. In a murine model of
Malassezia
colonization, we further demonstrated Mfsap1 contributes to inflammation as observed by reduced edema and inflammatory cell infiltration with the knockout mutant versus wildtype. Taken together, we show that this dominant secretory
Malassezia
aspartyl protease has an important role in enabling a planktonic cellular state that can potentially aid in colonization and additionally as a virulence factor in barrier-compromised skin, further highlighting the importance of considering the contextual relevance when evaluating the functions of secreted microbial enzymes.
Quantum coherent energy transport in the Fenna–Matthews–Olson complex at low temperature
Authors: Duan Hong-Guang , Jha Ajay , Chen Lipeng , Tiwari Vandana , Cogdell Richard J. , Ashraf Khuram , Prokhorenko Valentyn I. , Thorwart Michael , Miller R. J. Dwayne
Published: November 2022

In the primary step of natural light harvesting, the solar photon energy is captured in a photoexcited electron–hole pair, or an exciton, in chlorophyll. Its conversion to chemical potential occurs in the special pair reaction center, which is reached by downhill ultrafast excited-state energy transport through a network of chromophores. Being inherently quantum, transport could in principle occur via a matter wave, with vast implications for efficiency. How long a matter wave remains coherent is determined by the intensity by which the exciton is disturbed by the noisy biological environment. The stronger this is, the stronger the electronic coupling between chromophores must be to overcome the fluctuations and phase shifts. The current consensus is that under physiological conditions, quantum coherence vanishes on the 10-fs time scale, rendering it irrelevant for the observed picosecond transfer. Yet, at low-enough temperature, quantum coherence should in principle be present. Here, we reveal the onset of longer-lived electronic coherence at extremely low temperatures of ∼20 K. Using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, we determine the exciton coherence times in the Fenna–Matthew–Olson complex over an extensive temperature range. At 20 K, coherence persists out to 200 fs (close to the antenna) and marginally up to 500 fs at the reaction center. It decays markedly faster with modest increases in temperature to become irrelevant above 150 K. At low temperature, the fragile electronic coherence can be separated from the robust vibrational coherence, using a rigorous theoretical analysis. We believe that by this generic principle, light harvesting becomes robust against otherwise fragile quantum effects.
A reinforcement-based mechanism for discontinuous learning
Authors: Reddy Gautam
Published: November 2022

Problem-solving and reasoning involve mental exploration and navigation in sparse relational spaces. A physical analogue is spatial navigation in structured environments such as a network of burrows. Recent experiments with mice navigating a labyrinth show a sharp discontinuity during learning, corresponding to a distinct moment of “sudden insight” when mice figure out long, direct paths to the goal. This discontinuity is seemingly at odds with reinforcement learning (RL), which involves a gradual build-up of a value signal during learning. Here, we show that biologically plausible RL rules combined with persistent exploration generically exhibit discontinuous learning. In tree-like structured environments, positive feedback from learning on behavior generates a “reinforcement wave” with a steep profile. The discontinuity occurs when the wave reaches the starting point. By examining the nonlinear dynamics of reinforcement propagation, we establish a quantitative relationship between the learning rule, the agent’s exploration biases, and learning speed. Predictions explain existing data and motivate specific experiments to isolate the phenomenon. Additionally, we characterize the exact learning dynamics of various RL rules for a complex sequential task.
Sex pheromone communication in an insect parasitoid,
Campoletis chlorideae
Uchida
Authors: Guo Hao , Mo Bao-Tong , Li Guo-Cheng , Li Zi-Lin , Huang Ling-Qiao , Sun Ya-Lan , Dong Jun-Feng , Smith Dean P. , Wang Chen-Zhu
Published: November 2022

Sex pheromones are pivotal for insect reproduction. However, the mechanism of sex pheromone communication remains enigmatic in hymenopteran parasitoids. Here we have identified the sex pheromone and elucidated the olfactory basis of sex pheromone communication in
Campoletis chlorideae
(Ichneumonidae), a solitary larval endoparasitoid of over 30 lepidopteran pests. Using coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection, we identified two female-derived pheromone components, tetradecanal (14:Ald) and 2-heptadecanone (2-Hep) (1:4.6), eliciting strong antennal responses from males but weak responses from females. We observed that males but not females were attracted to both single components and the blend. The hexane-washed female cadavers failed to arouse males, and replenishing 14:Ald and 2-Hep could partially restore the sexual attraction of males. We further expressed six
C. chlorideae
male-biased odorant receptors in
Drosophila
T1 neurons and found that CchlOR18 and CchlOR47 were selectively tuned to 14:Ald and 2-Hep, respectively. To verify the biological significance of this data, we knocked down CchlOR18 and CchlOR47 individually or together in vivo and show that the attraction of
C. chlorideae
to their respective ligands was abolished. Moreover, the parasitoids defective in either of the receptors were less likely to court and copulate. Finally, we show that the sex pheromone and (
Z
)-jasmone, a potent female attractant, can synergistically affect behaviors of virgin males and virgin females and ultimately increase the parasitic efficiency of
C. chlorideae
. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of sex pheromone communication in
C. chlorideae
that may permit manipulation of parasitoid behavior for pest control.
Motivation and investment
Authors: Machin Elizabeth , Ament Jennifer , Pérez-Vidal Carmen
Published: November 2022

The purpose of the present study is to offer insights into how Spanish undergraduates, who were mid-way through an English-medium programme at a university in Catalonia, articulate their past decision to study an academic subject in English. Economics students (34 in total) completed an oral elicitation task and the monologues yielded were analysed using thematic analysis. Three dominant themes emerged: (1) The right fit for me; (2) To practise my English; and (3) English comes with benefits. Each of these themes is presented as a composite description of the students’ ideas about their past choice from the temporal position of the here-and-now, and explored through distinct but complementary social psychological and sociological lenses. The present study finds threads running through the students’ narratives of a near effortlessness to choose to learn in this way, as well as an understanding of the capital value of English. For some, their sole stated motive was to develop and preserve this linguistic asset.
VO or OV
Authors: Broekhuis Hans
Published: November 2022

This article sketches a new analysis of the diachronic development found in many West Germanic languages from a hybrid VO-OV order to a rigid OV or VO order. The discussion departs from the discussions in Struik & Van Kemenade (2020/2022) andStruik & Schoenmakers (to appear)on the diachronic development of English/Dutch, which focus on the role of object shift and information structure. My interpretation of their data will be based on an earlier analysis of the Germanic OV and VO languages in Broekhuis (2008: § 2.4;2011). The main conclusions are the following. First, the change from the historical hybrid VO-OV systems to the rigid OV and VO systems of the present-day languages is due to changing the “setting” [±V‑to‑v] to the more categorical ones [−V-to-v] or [+V-to-v]. Second, the role of object shift in the diachronic development is modest; it is not involved in the development of the OV-languages at all and involves only the (partial) loss of object shift in the VO-languages (contra Struik et al.). Third, the encoding of the information-structuralnew-givendistinction remains constant in that the interpretation of (un)scrambled nominal objects does not change over time (contra Struik & Schoenmakers).
Análisis semántico y pragmático del dequeísmo en El Habla de Monterrey-PRESEEA
Authors: Uribe Martínez Liz Maleni
Published: November 2022

Abstracta

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo general definir y caracterizar las diversas funciones del dequeísmo en el habla de Monterrey. Para ello se analizan a profundidad los usos del dequeísmo en el corpus El Habla de Monterrey-PRESEEA, compuesto por 108 conversaciones semi-dirigidas de hombres y mujeres mayores de 20 años y de distintos niveles de instrucción. Los resultados del estudio han permitido distinguir que el dequeísmo se emplea en su mayoría por jóvenes, con dos valores semánticos: creador de espacio mental y ejemplificador. Además, la función de creador de espacio mental puede operar como un citativo. Finalmente, los resultados revelan la presencia de un valor pragmático atenuador, aunque con una frecuencia baja.
Readers during the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Kukkonen Karin , Østby Ylva
Published: November 2022

This study investigates reading literature during the Covid-19 pandemic in Norway. In three surveys conducted
across 2020 (combined N = 489), readers were asked about their reading habits, motivations for reading and
emotional states after reading. Our results showed that Norwegian readers read more during the pandemic. However, only a minority
reported changing their reasons for reading and their reading habits because of the pandemic. For these readers, a feeling of
safety and distraction from the ongoing pandemic seemed to be of higher importance. Readers overall experienced that reading
allows them to achieve the emotional state they desire, indicating the role reading plays in emotion regulation during the
pandemic. We compare these results across gender and age differences. We conclude that reading appears to work as a cultural
strategy that helps coping with the pandemic situation.
Self-care strategies of professional community interpreters
Authors: Korpal Paweł , Mellinger Christopher D.
Published: November 2022

Previous studies on affective dimensions of interpreting suggest that the emotionally-charged conversations or complex topics encountered by interpreters in community settings may be stressful and emotionally taxing, leaving interpreters prone to vicarious trauma and retraumatization. The assumed psychological risk associated with these conditions may point to the importance of self-care in community interpreting practice and its role in building interpreters’ resilience. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 20 professional community interpreters, this article aims to identify self-care strategies adopted in community interpreting. By using Posluns & Gall’s (2020) framework, we focus on six main self-care domains, i.e., awareness, balance, flexibility, physical health, social support, and spirituality. The study documents how community interpreters utilize self-care practice to mitigate stress inherent in the profession.
Influence of Al on microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviour of Nb–9Ti–8C alloys
Authors: Wei Wenqing , Yang Jinghong , Ye Chaochao , Zhang Shuzhi , Zhang Hao
Published: November 2022

Nb–9Ti–8C– xAl (at.-%) alloys with Al content of 0, 5%, 10% and 15% were prepared using the vacuum arc-melting method, and microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviour were investigated. Nb–9Ti–8C–(0, 5)Al alloys are composed of body-centred cubic (bcc) Nb solid solution (Nbss), face-centred cubic (fcc) (Nb, Ti)C and close-packed hexagonal Nb2C phases. As Al content increases, besides Nbss and (Nb, Ti)C, Nb3Al phase precipitates. After heat treatment at 1100°C for 24 h, Nb2C phase disappears gradually and massive Nb3Al phase precipitates. Nbss and internal Nb3Al phase exhibit lamellar structure. Al addition favours the enhancement of compressive strength ( σ 0.2 and σ max), Nb3Al precipitation can significantly improve the strength of Nb–9Ti–8C alloy, but reduce its toughness. With test temperature increases, the strength decreases obviously.