bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formulation and characterization of environmentally benign chicken feather-based wood preservatives
Authors: Xia Yan , Mohamed Abdulahi , Zhou Yonghui , Zhang Chen , Deng Shuduan , Luo Bei , Wen Jialong , Fan Mizi
Published: September 2023

This paper develops chicken feather protein-based wood preservatives (CFP-WP). The treatability, leachability and chemical structure of the CFP-WP were analyzed. The crystallinity, thermal properties, micromorphology and decay resistance against fungi of the treated wood samples were investigated to examine their efficacy. The production cost of CFP-WP was also assessed. The results showed that CFP-WP (Cu, B and small molecular amino acids) was able to penetrate into wood cell walls and the active ingredients of preservatives interacted with wood constituents were well fixed onto wood blocks, evidenced by SEM–EDS observation, NMR, FTIR, XRD and TGA/DTG analysis. The morphology analysis elucidated that CFP-WP effectively protected wood against decay fungi. Decay experiments verified that the new preservative prolonged the wood service life, reducing the mass loss up to 10.88% from 51.02% compared to the untreated wood. Further, the production cost of CFP-WP (approx. 130–140 €/tonne) is nearly 30% lower than the commercial price of conventional market preservatives, such as ACQ (approx. 210 €/tonne). The excellent functionalities of this CFP-WP eco-friendly formulation present a great potential to be used as an environmentally benign wood preservative.
The GlyT1-inhibitor Org 24598 facilitates the alcohol deprivation abolishing and dopamine elevating effects of bupropion + varenicline in rats
Authors: Olsson Yasmin , Lidö Helga , Ademar Karin , Cadeddu Davide , Ericson Mia , Söderpalm Bo
Published: September 2023

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a relapsing brain disorder that involves perturbations of brain dopamine (DA) systems, and combined treatment with varenicline + bupropion produces additive effects on accumbal DA output and abolishes the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) in rats. Also, direct and indirect glycine receptor (GlyR) agonists raise basal DA, attenuate alcohol-induced DA release in the nucleus Accumbens (nAc) and reduce alcohol consumption in rats. This study in rats examines whether the GlyT1-inhibitor Org 24598, an indirect GlyR agonist, enhances the ADE-reducing and DA elevating action of the combined administration of varenicline + bupropion in lower doses than previously applied. Effects on voluntary alcohol consumption, the ADE and extracellular levels of glycine and DA in nAc were examined following treatment with Org 24598 6 and 9 mg/kg i.p., bupropion 3.75 mg/kg i.p. and varenicline 1.5 mg/kg s.c., in monotherapy or combined, using a two-bottle, free-choice alcohol consumption paradigm with an ADE paradigm, and in vivo microdialysis in male Wistar rats. Notably, all treatment regimens appeared to abolish the ADE but only the effect produced by the triple combination (Org24598 + varenicline + bupropion) was significant compared to vehicle. Hence, addition of Org 24598 may enhance the ADE-reducing action of varenicline + bupropion and appears to allow for a dose reduction of bupropion. Treatment with Org 24598 raised accumbal glycine levels but did not significantly alter DA output in monotherapy. Varenicline + bupropion produced a substantial elevation in accumbal DA output that was slightly enhanced following addition of Org 24598. Conceivably, the blockade of the ADE is achieved by the triple combination enhancing accumbal DA transmission in complementary ways, thereby alleviating a hypothesized hypodopaminergia and negative reinforcement to drink. Ultimately, combining an indirect or direct GlyR agonist with varenicline + bupropion may constitute a new pharmacological treatment principle for AUD, although further refinement in dosing and evaluation of other glycinergic compounds are warranted.
Incorporation of copper in LaCoO3: modulating thermoelectric power factor for low- and mid-temperature thermoelectric applications
Authors: U Deepika Shanubhogue , Rao Ashok , Mukherjee Bodhoday , Okram Gunadhor Singh , Davis Nithya , Ashok Anuradha M. , Poornesh P.
Published: September 2023

In the present work, LaCoO3/ x wt% Cu (x = 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) samples were prepared using solid-state reaction method followed by conventional sintering. We have performed electrical and thermoelectric (TE) measurements on these samples both at low (100–310 K) as well as in mid (310–790 K) temperature range. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed that the pristine LaCoO3 sample crystallized in a distorted rhombohedral structure with the space group $$R\stackrel{-}{3}c$$

R

3
-

c

. Interestingly, the addition of Cu resulted in two distinct phases viz. rhombohedral LaCoO3 and monoclinic CuO. Throughout the entire temperature range, the electrical resistivity of the samples decreased with temperature, which depicts the semiconducting behavior of the prepared samples. Furthermore, there is a crossover from negative to positive Seebeck coefficient for the pristine sample at 275 K, but all the copper-incorporated samples exhibited a positive Seebeck coefficient indicating holes as the majority charge carriers. It is found that, the sample with x = 10% exhibited the maximum power factor of about 99 µW/m K2 at 400 K, which is significantly higher than the pristine sample at the same temperature.
Are transport networks in low-income countries prepared for climate change? Barriers to preparing for climate change in Africa and South Asia
Authors: Greenham Sarah , Workman Robin , McPherson Kevin , Ferranti Emma , Fisher Rachel , Mills Stephen , Street Roger , Dora John , Quinn Andrew , Roberts Clive
Published: September 2023

Climate change, through extreme weather events and slow onset climatic changes, disrupts the operation of transport networks, and those in low-income countries (LICs) across Africa and South Asia are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This paper explores the barriers that LICs face across Africa and South Asia regarding preparedness of transport infrastructure to climate change, with the intent of addressing the knowledge gaps and consequential needs of LICs to support the delivery of more climate-resilient transport. Literature on climate change adaptation and transport resilience among LICs is reviewed to identify the broad challenges and barriers regarding climate change adaptation. Semi-structured interviews with 13 transport stakeholders across Africa and South Asia were also conducted to understand the challenges specific to the transport sector in the regions. Several barriers were identified, including a lack of data and knowledge on climate change impacts, design and prioritisation of remedial actions, budgeting and planning for climate change, and identifying and engaging with stakeholders. Findings from this paper and the wider research project it comprises inform policy guidance that calls for greater national and international coordination to develop practical, relevant and usable data, tools, advice and support for some of the most at-risk transport networks to climate change in the world.
A design approach for building a digital platform to augment human abilities based on a more-than-human perspective
Authors: Kimura Risa , Nakajima Tatsuo
Published: September 2023

To acquire information from the real world and respond appropriately to life's circumstances, vision is indispensable for humans. However, due to its ubiquitous nature, we often perceive the world unconsciously, thereby overlooking the opportunity to contemplate the significance of sight. Seeing goes beyond being a mere method of gathering information; it is an act of uncovering new perspectives and engaging in profound exploration. Theories on creative problem-solving strongly advocate for the advantages of adopting multiple viewpoints. By generating a multitude of alternatives through information gleaned from diverse perspectives, we enhance our ability to expand the range of choices available to us, thus facilitating more effective problem-solving. In this paper, we present Posthuman CollectiveEyes, a digital platform that enriches the human act of visual perception by integrating diverse viewpoints such as collective human, augmented human, and nonhuman viewpoints, and constructs posthuman viewpoints from the diverse viewpoints. In the design of Posthuman CollectiveEyes, we adopt the more-than-human perspective, widely employed in the social sciences to analyze the impact of technology on human actions and decision-making in organizations and societies. This perspective enables us to uncover knowledge that conventional human-centered approaches cannot capture, as the objective of Posthuman CollectiveEyes is to expand human cognitive capabilities through enhanced visual perception. The novel contribution of our approach lies in demonstrating that the design of innovative digital platforms aimed at enhancing human abilities necessitates a fresh design approach that incorporates the more-than-human perspective.
Corrosion Behaviour of Fe-Based and Ni-Based Alloys in Wet CO2 Gas with and without Chloride Deposits at 750 °C
Authors: Cai Yuchen , Zhang Zhe , Zhang Jianqiang , Gleeson Brian , Young David J.
Published: September 2023

Corrosion behaviours of Fe–25Cr, Fe–25Cr–2Mn–1Si, Fe–25Cr–20Ni, 310SS, Ni–25Cr, and Ni–25Cr–2Mn–1Si (all in wt%) with and without NaCl–KCl deposits in Ar–60%CO2–20%H2O gas at 750 °C were studied. Without salt deposits, Fe–25Cr performed protectively, while Fe–25Cr–20Ni and Ni–25Cr underwent breakaway oxidation with multilayered scales formed. Adding alloy elements Si + Mn increased the corrosion resistance of all alloys by forming additional Mn-rich oxides and silica. Surface deposits of NaCl–KCl accelerated corrosion, forming porous Fe-rich oxide nodules for Fe–25Cr and thick, porous scales and internal oxidation zones for all other alloys. The protective effect of Si + Mn alloying disappeared in the presence of chlorides. Limited intergranular carbides were observed for all alloys in the gas-only condition. The extent of carburisation increased with the presence of chloride deposits for all Fe-based alloys, but remained unchanged for Ni-based alloys. Corrosion of these alloys at 750 °C is compared with that at 650 °C. The effect of chlorides in volatilising metals at 750 °C is discussed.
An analysis of conceptual ambiguities in the debate on the format of concepts
Authors: Raia Renato
Published: September 2023

There is a debate in philosophy and cognitive science over whether concepts – the building blocks of thought—are couched in a perceptual modality or are amodally represented. The empirical evidence so far collected seems not to have adjudicated this question yet, as reinterpretation of the same set of evidence by both supporters of modalism and amodalism have been provided. I offer a critique of such reinterpretations, arguing that they ultimately derive from theoretical problems in the definition of a modal representation. In particular, I will review three criteria which have been offered to distinguish amodal concepts from modal ones: the isomorphism criterion, the neural location criterion, and the input specificity criterion. I will explain how these criteria often lack theoretical clarity, making it possible in most cases to propose a parsimonious explanation of the same set of data from both an amodalist and a modalist perspective. As a result, it becomes impossible to empirically discriminate between the two interpretations. My conclusion is that the main problem with the discussed criteria is that they frame the question on the format of concept as an either/or debate, by overlooking more interesting empirical questions.
“Nimble Sociality and Belonging”: an Ethnography of Migrants’ Responses to Bans on Associational Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bhanye Johannes
Published: September 2023

Within the past few years, pandemics like HIV/AIDS, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 have become common worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out recently, profoundly impacted the world. As part of containing this pandemic, lockdowns which put a moratorium on human mobility and associational life became a dominant measure. Yet these mobilities and associational life are the lifeblood of migrants and diaspora belonging. This paper examines the impacts of bans on associational life on migrants and, further, what migrants did to continue living in the absence of these associations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper is based on a case study of Lydiate informal settlement in Zimbabwe, where Malawian migrants have established an ethnic enclave to shield themselves from the precarity and injustices of foreign lands. Through convivial and digital ethnographic fieldwork, the paper revealed that bans on associational life disrupted community engagements and binding religious associational life, increased targeted violence and “othering,” and perpetuated stigma and discrimination and loss of ties with family and fictive kin. However, migrants restructured their associational life by adopting agile and new forms of belonging to get by, including relocating religious shrines to more secretive places or conducting religious ceremonies in the dark, drinking beer within the perimeter of the settlement, using of WhatsApp and instant messaging and WhatsApp groups for important community updates, and collective resistance. I termed these strategies “nimble forms of sociality and belonging,” meaning there are lithe mechanisms that migrants employ to further their sociality even when they are restricted.
Quaternary Ammonium Salts of Cationic Lipopeptides with Lysine Residues — Synthesis, Antimicrobial, Hemolytic and Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Sikora Karol , Jędrzejczak Jakub , Bauer Marta , Neubauer Damian , Jaśkiewicz Maciej , Szaryńska Magdalena
Published: September 2023

Ultrashort cationic lipopeptides (USCLs) and quaternary ammonium salts constitute two groups of cationic surfactants with high antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to investigate the influence of quaternization of the amino group of the lysine side chain in USCLs on their antimicrobial, hemolytic and cytotoxic activities. To do this, two series of lipopeptides were synthesized, USLCs and their quaternized analogues containing trimethylated lysine residues — qUSCLs (quaternized ultrashort cationic lipopeptides). Quaternization was performed on a resin during a standard solid-phase peptide synthesis with CH3I as the methylating agent. According to our knowledge, this is the first study presenting on-resin peptide quaternization. The lipopeptides were tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella aerogenes) bacteria and Candida glabrata yeast-like fungus. Most of the compounds proved to be active antimicrobial agents with enhanced activity against Gram-positive strains and fungi and a lower against Gram-negative species. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of lipopeptides was increasing with an increase in hydrophobicity but qUSCLs exhibited usually a poorer antimicrobial activity than their parent molecules. Furthermore, the toxicity against red blood cells and human keratinocytes was assessed. It’s worth emphasizing that qUSCLs were less toxic than the parent molecules of comparative hydrophobicity. The results of the study proved that qUSCLs can offer a higher selectivity to pathogens over human cells than that of USCLs. Last but not least, quaternization of the peptides could increase their solubility and therefore their bioavailability and utility.
Communication between plant roots and the soil microbiome; involvement in plant growth and development
Authors: Molefe Rebaona R. , Amoo Adenike E. , Babalola Olubukola O.
Published: September 2023

Root-associated microbial communities have strong influences on the health and development of plants. Through the secretion of root exudates, the soil microbiome is impacted by plants, thereby steering plant-soil reactions. Considering the importance of root exudates in the establishment of symbiotic associations in the rhizosphere, it is quite clear that understanding the interaction between plant roots and the soil microbiome may prove beneficial. Here, we review the interaction between plant root exudates and microbial communities in the soil. The influence of these bioactive molecules on the structure and function of soil microbes is also considered. We additionally, deliberate on how plants determine the soil microbiome and how they extract nutrients from endophytes for the augmentation of their growth and development. A good perspective of the communication between plant roots and the soil microbiome could lead to increased crop production, thereby limiting the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Hybrid quantum ResNet for car classification and its hyperparameter optimization
Authors: Sagingalieva Asel , Kordzanganeh Mo , Kurkin Andrii , Melnikov Artem , Kuhmistrov Daniil , Perelshtein Michael , Melnikov Alexey , Skolik Andrea , Dollen David Von
Published: September 2023

Image recognition is one of the primary applications of machine learning algorithms. Nevertheless, machine learning models used in modern image recognition systems consist of millions of parameters that usually require significant computational time to be adjusted. Moreover, adjustment of model hyperparameters leads to additional overhead. Because of this, new developments in machine learning models and hyperparameter optimization techniques are required. This paper presents a quantum-inspired hyperparameter optimization technique and a hybrid quantum-classical machine learning model for supervised learning. We benchmark our hyperparameter optimization method over standard black-box objective functions and observe performance improvements in the form of reduced expected run times and fitness in response to the growth in the size of the search space. We test our approaches in a car image classification task and demonstrate a full-scale implementation of the hybrid quantum ResNet model with the tensor train hyperparameter optimization. Our tests show a qualitative and quantitative advantage over the corresponding standard classical tabular grid search approach used with a deep neural network ResNet34. A classification accuracy of 0.97 was obtained by the hybrid model after 18 iterations, whereas the classical model achieved an accuracy of 0.92 after 75 iterations.
Agronomic Comparison of Mechanochemically Synthesized Zinc Borate and Other Boron Sources Granulated with Macronutrient Fertilizers
Authors: Zheng Bo , Degryse Fien , Andelkovic Ivan B. , Baird Roslyn , McLaughlin Mike John
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient required throughout the growth cycle of plants so effectively supplying crops with B using fertilizers is challenging. The purpose of this study was to assess the agronomic effectiveness of mechanochemically synthesized zinc borate as a slow release B source and compare it to commonly used B sources after incorporation with different macronutrient carriers.

Methods

Zinc borate synthesized using a green mechanochemical method as well as commercial B sources (borax, colemanite, and commercial zinc borate) were incorporated with various macronutrient fertilizers (monoammonium phosphate – MAP, muriate of potash – MOP and urea). The fertilizers were evaluated by a) assessing the solubility behaviour of these products; and b) comparing potential leaching losses, plant growth, and plant uptake through a greenhouse study.

Results

The mechanochemically synthesized zinc borate, commercial zinc borate, and colemanite had similar dissolution rates when MAP was the carrier, but both zinc borates dissolved more B than colemanite when MOP and urea were the carriers. In the pot trial, high losses of B in leachates resulted in low B uptake by plants fertilized with soluble sodium tetraborate. All the slow-release B sources showed less B leaching and greater B uptake compared to the soluble B treatment, but more B was leached for the mechanochemically synthesized than for the commercial zinc borate.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that mechanochemically synthesized zinc borate could be effective in matching plant demand for B and reducing leaching losses in high rainfall environments, particularly with urea as the carrier, while providing the benefit of lower waste stream production compared to commercial zinc borate sources.
Multiscale dynamics in streamwise-rotating channel turbulence
Authors: Hu Running , Li Xinliang , Yu Changping
Published: September 2023

In this paper the multiscale dynamics of streamwise-rotating channel turbulence is studied through direct numerical simulations. Using the generalized Kolmogorov equation, we find that as rotation becomes stronger, the turbulence in the buffer layer is obviously reduced by the intense spatial turbulent convection. On the contrary, in other layers, the turbulence is strengthened mainly by the modified production peak, the intense spatial turbulent convection and the suppressed forward energy cascades. It is also discovered that under a system rotation, small- and large-scale inclined structures have different angles with the streamwise direction, and the difference is strengthened with increasing rotation rates. The multiscale inclined structures are further confirmed quantitatively through a newly defined angle based on the velocity vector. Through the budget balance of Reynolds stresses and the hairpin vortex model, it is discovered that the Coriolis force and the pressure–velocity correlation are responsible for sustaining the inclined structures. The Coriolis force directly decreases the inclination angles but indirectly induces inclined structures in a more predominant way. The pressure–velocity correlation term is related to the strain rate tensor. Finally, the anisotropic generalized Kolmogorov equation is used to validate the above findings and reveals that the multiscale behaviours of the inclined structures are mainly induced by the mean spanwise velocity gradients.
Influence of initial plume shape on miscible porous media flows under density and viscosity contrasts
Authors: Bonazzi Alessandra , Jha Birendra , de Barros Felipe P.J.
Published: September 2023

The effect of the initial condition upon the transport dynamics of miscible flowing fluids in a porous medium is investigated under viscosity and density contrasts. Such flows have attracted significant attention due to their importance in many fields of science and engineering, such as

$\mathrm {CO}_2$

sequestration and aquifer remediation. Using high-resolution two-dimensional numerical simulations, we illustrate the impact of viscosity and density contrasts on the temporal evolution of the spreading and mixing quantities. We show that such impact depends on the initial shape of the source distribution where the solute is injected and on the intensity of the horizontal background flux. We find that rates of mixing are dependent on whether the solute is more or less viscous than the ambient fluid, a result usually not taken into consideration in studies on gravity fingering. At higher background flux, the effects due to horizontal viscous fingering dominate over gravitational fingering. Our computational analysis also suggests a non-trivial relationship between mixing and the length of the plume's interface under fingering instabilities. Finally, we show how a stratified permeability field can interact with these sources of instabilities and affect the transport behaviour of the plume.
Suffrage and the Secret Ballot in Eighteenth-Century London Parishes
Authors: Miller Jonah
Published: September 2023

This article argues that pre-nineteenth-century elections at a sub-national level have an important place in the history of ‘modern’ voting practices. It does this through a discussion of unusually well-documented election disputes in eighteenth-century London parishes. Previously neglected records of litigation in the ecclesiastical courts reveal that parish elections in this period generated arguments which did not take place at a parliamentary level until the following century: arguments over votes for women, votes for religious minorities, and the secret ballot. Customary electoral rules came under increasing pressure in the early eighteenth century as London’s population grew and changed in character. In some parishes, this produced a narrowing of the traditional ratepayer franchise, allowing only male Anglican ratepayers a vote in parish elections. Elsewhere, groups or individual residents successfully pushed for a more inclusive franchise which allowed ratepaying women, Dissenters, and Jews a voice in parochial politics. Similarly mixed practices emerged with regard to electoral procedure: residents who feared the overbearing influence of their neighbours pressed for a secret ballot, while others insisted on the merits of an open poll. These cases illustrate the importance of small-scale local institutions as key sites of innovation in the history of electoral reform.
WHEN LIBERTY PRESUPPOSES ORDER: F. A. HAYEK’S CONTEXTUAL ORDOLIBERALISM
Authors: Kolev Stefan
Published: September 2023

This paper embeds the early political economy of Friedrich August von Hayek in the intellectual milieu of German ordoliberalism. The urgency during the 1930s and 1940s to stabilize the disintegrating societal orders is identified as a crucial driver behind the parallelisms between Hayek and the ordoliberals. Their shared theoretical position is that in such moments, liberty can thrive sustainably only after a framework of general and stable rules has been established. Hayek’s proximity to ordoliberalism was most explicitly discernible inThe Road to Serfdomand at the founding meeting of the Mont Pèlerin Society in 1947, culminating in the shared politico-economic vision of the competitive order. The contextual nature of Hayek’s ordoliberalism surfaced in the years afterThe Constitution of Libertywhen his focus shifted, along with the postwar intellectual and institutional stabilization of the West: from how stable orders enable liberty, to how liberty enables the evolution of orders.
Comparison of neutron contamination in small photon fields of secondary collimator jaws and circular cones
Authors: Banaee Nooshin , Goodarzi Kiarash , Hosseinzadeh Elham
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

Advanced treatment modalities involve applying small fields which might be shaped by collimators or circular cones. In these techniques, high-energy photons produce unwanted neutrons. Therefore, it is necessary to know neutron parameters in these techniques.

Materials and methods:

Different parts of Varian linac were simulated by MCNPX, and different neutron parameters were calculated. The results were then compared to photoneutron production in the same nominal fields created by circular cones.

Results:

Maximum neutron fluence for 1 × 1, 2 × 2, 3 × 3 cm2 field sizes was 165, 40.4, 19.78 (cm–2.Gy-1 × 106), respectively. The maximum values of neutron equivalent doses were 17.1, 4.65, 2.44 (mSv/Gy of photon dose) for 1 × 1, 2 × 2, 3 × 3 cm2 field size, respectively, and maximum neutron absorbed doses reached 903, 253, 131 (µGy/Gy photon dose) for 1 × 1, 2 × 2, 3 × 3 cm2 field sizes, respectively.

Conclusion:

Comparing the results with those in the presence of circular cones showed that circular cones reduce photoneutron production for the same nominal field sizes.
Multistate screening of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) sensitivity to glufosinate, dicamba and 2,4-D in the United States
Authors: Singh Daljit , Tyre Andrew , Perez-Jones Alejandro , Krebel Jenny , Willis John , Herrmann Jeffrey , Klingaman Tracy , Head Graham , Aradhya Chandrashekar
Published: September 2023

Herbicide resistance in Palmer amaranth and waterhemp is on the rise and poses a great concern to growers in the United States. A multistate screening was conducted for these two weed species in the United States to assess their sensitivity to glufosinate, dicamba, and 2,4-D. The screening was designed to understand the weed sensitivity landscape and emerging trends in resistance evolution by testing each herbicide at its respective label rate and at half the label rate. A total of 303 weed seed accessions from 21 states representing 162 Palmer amaranth and 141 waterhemp seeds were collected from grower fields in 2019 and screened in greenhouse conditions. Statistical power of different sample sizes and probability of survivors in each accession were estimated for each species and herbicide treatment. Overall, the efficacy of glufosinate, dicamba, and 2,4-D against all these accessions was excellent, with greater than 90% average injury. The variability in herbicide injury, if any, was greater with half the label rate of 2,4-D in some Palmer amaranth accessions, while waterhemp accessions had exhibited variable sensitivity with half the label rate of dicamba and glufosinate. The study highlights the value of monitoring weeds for herbicide sensitivity across broader landscape and the importance of glufosinate, dicamba, and 2,4-D herbicides in managing troublesome weeds as part of a diversified weed control program integrated with other chemical, mechanical and cultural practices.
Modeling Cosmogenic Nuclides in Transiently Evolving Topography and Chemically Weathering Soils
Authors: Reed Miles M. , Ferrier Ken L. , Perron J. Taylor
Published: September 2023

Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) are widely employed to infer denudation rates in mountainous landscapes. The calculation of an inferred denudation rate (Dinf) from TCN concentrations is typically performed under the assumptions that denudation rates were steady during TCN accumulation and that soil chemical weathering negligibly impacted soil mineral abundances. In many landscapes, however, denudation rates were not steady and soil composition was significantly impacted by chemical weathering, which complicates interpretation of TCN concentrations. We present a landscape evolution model that computes transient changes in topography, soil thickness, soil mineralogy, and soil TCN concentrations. We used this model to investigate TCN responses in transient landscapes by imposing idealized perturbations in tectonically (rock uplift rate) and climatically sensitive parameters (soil production efficiency, hillslope transport efficiency, and mineral dissolution rate) on initially steady‐state landscapes. These experiments revealed key insights about TCN responses in transient landscapes. (a) Accounting for soil chemical erosion is necessary to accurately calculate Dinf. (b) Responses of Dinf to tectonic perturbations differ from those to climatic perturbations, suggesting that spatial and temporal patterns in Dinf are signatures of perturbation type and magnitude. (c) If soil chemical erosion is accounted for, basin‐averaged Dinf inferred from TCN in stream sediment closely tracks actual basin‐averaged denudation rate, showing that Dinf is a reasonable proxy for actual denudation rate, even in many transient landscapes. (d) Response times of Dinf to perturbations increase with hillslope length, implying that response times should be sensitive to the climatic, biological, and lithologic processes that control hillslope length.
Mapping the spatial transcriptomic signature of the hippocampus during memory consolidation
Authors: Vanrobaeys Yann , Mukherjee Utsav , Langmack Lucy , Beyer Stacy E. , Bahl Ethan , Lin Li-Chun , Michaelson Jacob J. , Abel Ted , Chatterjee Snehajyoti
Published: September 2023

Memory consolidation involves discrete patterns of transcriptional events in the hippocampus. Despite the emergence of single-cell transcriptomic profiling techniques, mapping the transcriptomic signature across subregions of the hippocampus has remained challenging. Here, we utilized unbiased spatial sequencing to delineate transcriptome-wide gene expression changes across subregions of the dorsal hippocampus of male mice following learning. We find that each subregion of the hippocampus exhibits distinct yet overlapping transcriptomic signatures. The CA1 region exhibited increased expression of genes related to transcriptional regulation, while the DG showed upregulation of genes associated with protein folding. Importantly, our approach enabled us to define the transcriptomic signature of learning within two less-defined hippocampal subregions, CA1 stratum radiatum, and oriens. We demonstrated that CA1 subregion-specific expression of a transcription factor subfamily has a critical functional role in the consolidation of long-term memory. This work demonstrates the power of spatial molecular approaches to reveal simultaneous transcriptional events across the hippocampus during memory consolidation.
Reactivation of a somatic errantivirus and germline invasion in Drosophila ovaries
Authors: Yoth Marianne , Maupetit-Méhouas Stéphanie , Akkouche Abdou , Gueguen Nathalie , Bertin Benjamin , Jensen Silke , Brasset Emilie
Published: September 2023

Most Drosophila transposable elements are LTR retrotransposons, some of which belong to the genus Errantivirus and share structural and functional characteristics with vertebrate endogenous retroviruses. Like endogenous retroviruses, it is unclear whether errantiviruses retain some infectivity and transposition capacity. We created conditions where control of the Drosophila ZAM errantivirus through the piRNA pathway was abolished leading to its de novo reactivation in somatic gonadal cells. After reactivation, ZAM invaded the oocytes and severe fertility defects were observed. While ZAM expression persists in the somatic gonadal cells, the germline then set up its own adaptive genomic immune response by producing piRNAs against the constantly invading errantivirus, restricting invasion. Our results suggest that although errantiviruses are continuously repressed by the piRNA pathway, they may retain their ability to infect the germline and transpose, thus allowing them to efficiently invade the germline if they are expressed.
ecolo-zip: A global, rich and granular characterization of biogeophysical ecology for 1.5 million postal codes
Authors: Willinger David , Götz Friedrich M. , Stieger Stefan
Published: September 2023

The inescapable fact that human life is perpetually embedded in a tangible biogeophysical environment – and the consequences that this has for individuals and societies – have long fascinated scholars of all backgrounds. Technological progress and the advent of big data have spurred ever-more precise attempts to quantify our biogeophysical environments. However, many such datasets lack spatial granularity, global coverage, content depth, or accessibility. Here, we introduce ecolo-zip, a novel geospatial dataset that provides a granular-yet-global, parsimonious-yet-rich ecological characterization of over 1.5 million postal codes across 94 countries and regions. Combining two large-scale satellite image resources (ASTER; SRTM, ICC = 0.999) and a customized geospatial sampling model, we provide high-resolution indicators of physical topography (elevation, mountainousness, distance to sea), vegetation (normalized difference vegetation index), and climate (surface temperature). With this resource – featuring methodological details, visualizations, and application suggestions – we hope to contribute towards understanding the multi-faceted interactions between humans and their environments.
Lower levels of the neuroprotective tryptophan metabolite, kynurenic acid, in users of estrogen contraceptives
Authors: Bjørke-Monsen Anne-Lise , Varsi Kristin , Sakkestad Sunniva Todnem , Ulvik Arve , Ebbing Cathrine , Ueland Per Magne
Published: September 2023

Changes in kynurenine metabolites are reported in users of estrogen containing contraception. We have assessed kynurenines, vitamin B6, vitamin B2 and the inflammation markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and neopterin, in healthy, never-pregnant women between 18 and 40 years (n = 123) and related this to their use of hormonal contraception. The population included 58 women, who did not use hormonal contraceptives (non-users), 51 users of estrogen-containing contraceptives (EC-users), and 14 users of progestin only contraceptives (PC-users). EC-users had significantly lower plasma kynurenic acid (KA) and higher xanthurenic acid (XA) levels compared to non-users. Serum CRP was significantly higher and negatively associated with both vitamin B6 and B2 status in EC-user compared to non-users. No significant differences in any parameters were seen between PC-users and non-users (p > 0.1). The low KA and high XA concentration in users of estrogen containing contraception resemble the biochemical profile observed in vitamin B6 deficiency. The hormonal effect may result from interference with the coenzyme function of vitamin B6 and B2 for particular enzymes in the kynurenine metabolism. KA has been suggested to be neuroprotective and the significantly reduced concentration in EC-users may be of importance in the observed increased risk of mood disorders among users of oral contraceptives.
Amide proton transfer imaging-arterial spin labeling mismatch: a new imaging biomarker for pilocytic astrocytoma
Authors: Rajendran Adhithyan , Natesan Chidambaranathan , Jawahar Prashanth , Patil Sushama , Chilukuri Srinivas , Ghosh Siddhartha , Kumar Roopesh , Jalali Rakesh
Published: September 2023

We describe the potential utility of Amide Proton Transfer weighted (APTw) Magnetic Resonance Imaging and arterial spin labeling (ASL) in characterizing pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), a type of brain tumor that can be challenging to accurately diagnose and treat. The study included 50 patients with solid or predominantly solid intra-cranial and intra-axial tumors, with 25 patients diagnosed with PA and 25 patients diagnosed with other types of tumors. The study found that the APTw imaging-arterial spin labeling (ASL) mismatch is a new imaging biomarker that could be used to differentiate PA from other types of tumors with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The results suggest that APTw imaging and ASL may be useful in characterizing PA, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment planning for this type of brain tumor.
Data mining techniques in psychotherapy: applications for studying therapeutic alliance
Authors: Mosavi Nasim Sadat , Ribeiro Eugénia , Sampaio Adriana , Santos Manuel Filipe
Published: September 2023

Therapeutic Alliance (TA) has been consistently reported as a robust predictor of therapy outcomes and is one of the most investigated therapy relational factors. Research on therapists' and clients’ contributions to the alliance development and the alliance-outcome relationship had shown mixed results. The relation of the therapist’s and client’s biological markers with the alliance is an important and under-investigated topic. Taking advantage of data mining techniques, this exploratory study aimed to investigate the role of different therapist and client factors, including heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA), in relation to TA. Twenty-two dyads with 6 therapists and 22 clients participated in the study. The Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) was used to evaluate the client’s and therapist's perception of the alliance at the end of each session and through the therapy processes. The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) was used to explore patterns that may contribute to TA. Machine Learning (ML) models have been employed to provide insights into the predictors and correlates of TA. Our results showed that Linear Regression (LR) was the best technique for predicting the therapist’s TA, with client “Diagnostic” and therapy “Termination” being identified as significant predictors of the therapist’s TA. In addition, for clients’ TA, the Random Forest (RF) was shown to have the best performance. The therapist’s TA and therapy “Outcome” were observed as the most influential predictors for the client’s TA. In addition, while the Heart Rate (therapist) was negatively associated with the therapist’s TA, EDA in the client was a physiological indicator related to the client’s TA. Overall, these findings can assist in identifying key factors that therapists should focus on to enhance the quality of therapeutic alliance. Results are discussed in terms of their consistency with empirical literature, innovative and interdisciplinary research on the therapeutic alliance field, and, in particular, the use of the Data Mining approach in a psychotherapy context.
Concepts of Methane Activation
Authors: Schlögl R.
Published: September 2023

Methane is a highly abundant resource for energy applications. Presently we use most of it for generating heat whereas a smaller amount is used as a chemical feedstock for hydrogen through steam reforming and an even smaller amount is used as a carbon source. The chemical activation of methane is a difficult challenge due to both the inertness of the molecule and the reactivity of any activation product. This contribution gives an account of current trends of research and critically reviews the insights gained from the vast body of research documented also in other chapters of the present monograph.
Environmental Omics: A New Era to Study Ammonia-oxidizing Bacteria and Their Application in Bioremediation in the 21st Century
Authors: Patel Hiren K. , Sheladiya Priyanka D. , Shah Maulin P.
Published: September 2023

Heterogeneous local areas with an expansive natural dispersion host ammonia oxidizing microbes (AOBs), central members in the worldwide biogeochemical cycles. AOBs are significant members of the microbial population of the earth, including in marine environments and industrial applications, and assume a focal part in the nitrogen cycle. They are responsible for ammonia oxidation to nitrite, the initial phase in nitrification. While AOBs are normal and imperative in natural cycles and modern industrial applications, there are no investigations of the physiological reaction at the protein level of various AOB organisms when there are intermittent variations in the levels of ammonia. Because of the impact of the abuse of horticultural manures on the N cycle and the creation of the ozone-depleting substance N2O during nitrification, understanding the conduct and physiology of AOBs is of extensive importance. On the other hand, based on practical data, microorganisms have additionally been utilized in clinical waste diagnostics for the production of biogas and in wastewater treatment plants. Using microbes, the worldwide carbon and nitrogen cycles work. Proteomics gives information on microbial variety, metabolic energy, and natural movement as a solid and productive strategy for learning. The interaction of microorganisms with the environment can be examined using Proteomics. Studies show information on the quality guidelines, protein interactions, and mRNA and protein responses against ecological variables or natural pressures with the expansion of information from high-throughput sequencing. Protein storage, obtaining proof of excess protein differentiation, and providing organised and useful comments are particularly challenging.
Ammonium-ion energy storage devices for real-life deployment: storage mechanism, electrode design and system integration
Authors: Sun Ying , Yin Bosi , Yang Jinzhang , Ding Yaxi , Li Mudi , Li Hui , Li Jiazhuo , Jia Baohua , Zhang Siwen , Ma Tianyi
Published: September 2023

This review will pave the way to next-generation ammonium ion storage systems from fundamental science breakthroughs, practical prototypes and eventually to real-life deployment and commercialization.
Design of functional binders for high-specific-energy lithium-ion batteries: from molecular structure to electrode properties
Authors: Qin Tian , Yang Haoyi , Li Quan , Yu Xiqian , Li Hong
Published: September 2023

This review systematically summarizes the research progress of functional binders in lithium-ion batteries and elucidates the main functions of advanced binders to deal with the challenges of high-specific-energy electrodes.
Ultra-light-weight microwave X-band EMI shielding or RAM material made from sustainable pyrolysed cork templates
Authors: Pullar Robert C. , Novais Rui M. , Caetano Ana. P. F. , Krishnakumar K. A. , Surendran Kuzhichalil P.
Published: September 2023

Pyrolysed solid cork as un ultra light-weight MW absorber material in the X-band-extremely high SSE of −640 to −1235 dB g−1 cm3.
Natural epoxyquinoids: isolation, biological activity and synthesis. An update
Authors: Shcherbinin Vitaly A. , Nasibullina Ekaterina R. , Mendogralo Elena Y. , Uchuskin Maxim G.
Published: September 2023

This review provides an updated outlook on the isolation of epoxyquinoids and an examination of their biological profile. Total, enantioselective synthesis, and the development of shorter approaches to construction of epoxyquinoids are addressed.
Relative stereochemical determination of the C61–C83 fragment of symbiodinolide using a stereodivergent synthetic approach
Authors: Takamura Hiroyoshi , Hattori Kosuke , Ohashi Takumi , Otsu Taichi , Kadota Isao
Published: September 2023

Stereodivergent synthesis of the C61–C74 and C69–C83 fragments of symbiodinolide elucidated the relative configuration of its C61–C83 fragment.
Site occupation and upconversion process enabled multicolor emission in a Gd3GaO6:Bi3+,Er3+ phosphor for quad-mode anti-counterfeiting
Authors: Li Zhijun , Lyu Zeyu , Luo Pengcheng , Wei Shuai , Zhuo Chengyu , Sun Dashuai , Shen Sida , You Hongpeng
Published: September 2023

Enabled by the site occupation dependent emission of Bi3+ and the upconversion process dependent emission of Er3+, quad-mode anti-counterfeiting with four distinguishable images is achieved with only the Gd3GaO6:Bi3+,Er3+ phosphor.
Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical lithium-ion storage properties of sulfonylcalix[4]quinone
Authors: Zhang Meng , Lin Yilin , Huang Weiwei
Published: September 2023

Sulfonylcalix[4]quinone bearing four sulfonyl-bridged groups was designed and synthesized for the first time and can compensate for the vacancy in preparation and electrochemical applications of thiacalix[n]quinone compounds.
Mechanochemical one-pot synthesis of heterostructured pentlandite-carbon composites for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Tetzlaff David , Rensch Tilo , Messing Leonard , Banke Petra , Grätz Sven , Siegmund Daniel , Borchardt Lars , Apfel Ulf-Peter
Published: September 2023

Utilizing carbon sources as milling additives for the direct mechanochemical one-pot synthesis of Fe3Co3Ni3S8/carbon (Pn/C) materials, employing elemental reaction mixtures to adjust overall physicochemical properties.
Ion density-enhanced electrostatic precipitation using high voltage nanosecond pulses
Authors: Zhang Boxin , Aravind Indu , Yang Sisi , Weng Sizhe , Zhao Bofan , Johnson Grace , Brown Lucas , Olfert Jason , Jung Heejung , Cronin Stephen B.
Published: September 2023

This study evaluates the beneficial effects of discharging nanosecond pulse transient plasma (NPTP) in a coaxial electrostatic precipitator for capturing nanoscale soot particles (∼50 nm) produced by an ethylene flame.