bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent progress of solid-state lithium batteries in China
Authors: Wu Dengxu , Chen Liquan , Li Hong , Wu Fan
Published: September 2022

Different from traditional lithium-ion battery, the solid-state lithium batteries (SSLBs) using solid electrolytes (SEs) have attracted much attention for their potential of high safety, high energy density, good rate performance, and wide operating temperature range in recent years. In China, the SSLB-relevant fundamental research and industrialization exploration are progressing rapidly. In this perspective, we present a timely overview of the recent research and development of SSLBs in China in the past 1 year, covering the latest achievements of SSLBs which used sulfide SEs, oxide SEs, solid polymer electrolytes, and halide SEs, respectively. Moreover, the government policies and the latest company industrialization process relative to SSLBs are comprehensively summarized.
Environmental Statics and Dynamics
Authors: Vallero Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

This chapter introduces statics and dynamics, applying them to environmental and engineering systems. Environmental mechanics and forces are discussed regarding both natural and human-designed systems. Fundamental concepts of physics, such as scalar and vector quantities, mechanics and kinetics, and forces are discussed.
Physics of Ecosystems
Authors: Vallero Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses physical principles as they apply to ecosystems. It includes explanations of terms and concepts from thermodynamics and fluid dynamics to habitats and ecological subsystems. Both abiotic and biotic processes are discussed.
Water Pollution Physics
Authors: Vallero Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

This chapter applies the laws, theories, and principles of physics to contaminants dissolved or suspended in water. Water pollution occurs throughout the hydrologic cycle, including in surface waters, aquifers, sediment, water vapor, and in the biosphere. Thermodynamics and fluid dynamics in the hydrosphere are discussed.
Air Pollution Physics
Authors: Vallero Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses how physical principles apply to air pollutants. Air pollution monitoring and modeling rely heavily on applied physics, including the development and use of meteorological and pollutant transport models.
Environmental Health Physics
Authors: Vallero Daniel A.
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses the principles of physics from the perspective of public health. Toxicokinetics is explored more deeply, building from the final chapter in Methods and Calculations in Environmental Physics.
Nonlinear Trapping Potentials and Nonlinearity Management
Authors: Malomed Boris A.
Published: September 2022

The trapping potentials considered in Chap. 5 provide a traditional method for maintaining and stabilizing localized states, which, by itself, applies independently of the presence of nonlinearity in the system. Nonlinear potentials, induced by spatial modulation of the local strength of the cubic or other nonlinearity, offer a completely different method for the creation of self-trapped states (quasi-solitons). A highly efficient implementation of the latter method was proposed by Borovkova et al. [Opt. Lett. 36, 3088–3090 (2011a)] and Borovkova et al. [Phys. Rev. E 84, 035602(R) (2011b)], in the form of the self-repulsive cubic term with the coefficient growing fast enough from the center to periphery, as per Eqs. (2.27) and (2.30) or (2.31) (see Chap. 2). This scheme offers options for the creation of various localized states that would not exist or would be unstable without the use of nonlinear potentials. These are 2D and 3D vortex states with high values of the winding number, vortex gyroscopes, hopfions (vortex tori with intrinsic twist of the toroidal core), and hybrid modes in the form of vortex–antivortex pairs supported by an effective nonlinear potential with a peanut-like shape. Additionally considered are 2D solutions in the form of localized dark modes, which feature a confined spatial profile with a divergent integral norm. Although experimental realization of the scheme has not yet been reported, many possibilities of its use have been explored theoretically, as summarized in this chapter. In particular, an essential asset of the theoretical work in this direction is that, while it is chiefly based on numerical methods, many important results may be obtained in an analytical form, approximately or exactly. The chapter also reports a summary of results for the nonlnearity management, with the cubic nonlinearity periodically switching between self-attraction and repulsion.
Stabilization of Multidimensional Solitons by Spin–Orbit Coupling (SOC)
Authors: Malomed Boris A.
Published: September 2022

The possibility of using spinorbit coupling (SOC) for the stabilization of 2D solitons in two-component BEC was first predicted by Sakaguchi et al. [Phys. Rev. E 89, 032920 (2014)]. Then, a possibility to create metastable 3D solitons in the same setting was reported by Zhang et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 253902 (2015)]. Many interesting theoretical results were predicted in subsequent works, although they have not yet been realized in the experiment. In this chapter, the theoretical predictions are summarized, following, in particular, review articles by Sakaguchi and Malomed [Phys. Rev. A 97, 013607 (2018)] and by Malomed [Europhys. Lett. 122, 36001 (2018)]. Basic results included in the chapter represent absolutely stable 2D two-component solitons (ground states) of the semi-vortex (SV) and mixed-mode (MM) types, supported by the SOC in the Rashba and combined Rashba–Dresselhaus forms, as well as mobility of such solitons and collisions between them. The SVs are compound states with zero vorticity in one component and vorticity S = ±1 in the other, while MMs mix the zero-vorticity terms and ones with S = ±1 in both components. Also considered are effects of the Zeeman splitting (ZS) between the components—in particular, stable 2D gap solitons of the SV type, produced by the interplay of the ZS and SOC, while the kinetic-energy terms may be neglected. Finally, it is demonstrated that the SOC maintains three-dimensional metastable solitons, of both the SV and MM types, in two-component BEC with the attractive intrinsic nonlinearity.
Emulation of the Spin—Orbit Coupling (SOC) in Optical Systems
Authors: Malomed Boris A.
Published: September 2022

The similarity between GP equations, which provide MF (mean-field) models of the BEC dynamics and NLS equations in optics, suggests that many phenomena from the BEC realm may be emulated in optics, including spin-orbit coupling (SOC) [Bliokh et al. Nat. Photonics 9, 796808 (2015)]. In particular, it is possible to simulate SOC for matter waves in 2D systems by means of the light propagation in dual-core planar optical waveguides (couplers), with amplitudes of the electromagnetic waves in the two cores emulating two components of the spinor wave function in the SOC BEC. Each core carries the intrinsic Kerr (cubic) self-focusing nonlinearity. The similarity helps to elaborate optical setups which are capable to support stable 2D optical solitons in the spatiotemporal domain [Kartashov et al., Opt. Lett. 40, 10451048 (2015); Sakaguchi and Malomed, New J. Phys. 18, 105005 (2016)], in spite of the presence of the critical collapse in the same systems. The chapter also includes the presentation of findings for 1D solitons in the model of an optical coupler with the quintic intrinsic self-focusing, and in a PT-symmetric extension of the latter model, which includes mutually balanced gain and loss terms in the two cores of the coupler. In the latter model, the SOC emulation provides for stabilization of solitons of the Townes-soliton type, similar to what is found for 2D solitons in the case of the cubic self-focusing. This chapter is presented as a brief one, with the aim to produce characteristic examples of the SOC emulation in optics.
Experiments: Quantum Droplets (QDs) in the BEC with Contact and Dipole–Dipole Interactions (DDIs)
Authors: Malomed Boris A.
Published: September 2022

The unique achievement of the work on multidimensional (quasi-) solitons in the form of quantum droplets (QDs) is the creation of such stable objects in real experiments and, in addition, the observation of collisions between the stable QDs. This chapter, first, offers a brief summary of the results for QDs produced by the experimental work with binary BECs in the ultracold gas of potassium atoms, which was performed by Cabrera et al. (2016), Cheiney et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 135301 (2018)], Semeghi et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 235301 (2018)], and Ferioli et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 090401 (2019)]. Then, the results of D’Errico et al. [Phys. Rev. Res. 1, 033155 (2019)] that demonstrate the creation of QDs with an essentially longer lifetime and a possibility to channel stable motion of these droplets in a waveguide are summarized too. Finally, the chapter includes a brief outline of earlier experiments that had produced robust QDs in single-component dipolar BECs in atomic gases of dysprosium [Kadau et al., Nature 530, 194–197 (2016); Schmitt et al., Nature 539, 259–262 (2016); Ferrier-Barbut et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 116 215301 (2016); Ferrier-Barbut et al., Phys. Rev. A 97, 011604 (2018); Böttcher et al., 2019] and erbium [Chomaz et al., Phys. Rev. X 6, 041039 (2016)]. Generating droplets in this setting is possible using attraction provided by the long-range dipole–dipole interaction and stabilizing repulsion induced by the contact interaction, including the Lee–Huang–Yang term. The presentation in this chapter partly follows the review of the topic recently presented by Luo et al. [Front. Phys. 16, 32501 (2021)].
Multidimensional Dissipative Solitons and Solitary Vortices
Authors: Malomed Boris A.
Published: September 2022

Unlike other chapters of the book, which deal with conservative (or nearly conservative) settings, this chapter addresses multidimensional dissipative solitons (DSs), i.e., self-trapped states in nonlinear media with losses and compensating gain. In this case, the existence of solitons requires to maintain two distinct balances: between nonlinear self-attraction of waves and spreading of the wave fields under the action of diffraction and GVD, and balance between the losses and gain. Due to the interplay of these conditions, DSs exist, unlike solitons in conservative and PT-symmetric media, not in continuous families, but as isolated solutions. Similar to the case of conservative systems, the main issue is the stability of multidimensional DSs, especially the ones with embedded vorticity. First, stable 2D DSs are found in the framework of the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation with the CQ (cubic-quintic) nonlinearity, which combines linear loss, cubic gain, and quintic loss (the linear loss is necessary to stabilize zero background around DSs). In addition to fundamental (zero-vorticity) solitons, stable spiral solitons are found, with vorticities S = 1 and 2. Stable 2D solitons are also produced in a system built of two linearly-coupled cores, with linear gain acting in one core and linear loss, which plays the stabilizing role, in the other. In this case, the inclusion of the cubic loss (without quintic terms) is sufficient for the creation of stable fundamental and vortical DSs in the dual-core coupler. In addition to truly localized states, weakly localized ones are presented too, in the single-component model with nonlinear losses, which does not include explicit gain. In that case, the losses are compensated by the influx of power from the reservoir provided by the weakly localized structure of the solution. Other classes of 2D models which are considered in this chapter make use of spatially modulated losses or gain to predict many species of robust DSs, including those featuring complex peridically recurring metamorphoses. Stable fundamental and vortical solitons are also produced by models including a trapping or spatially periodic potential. In the latter case, the consideration addresses gap dissipative solitons as well. 2D dissipative models including spin–orbit coupling and solitons of the semi-vortex solitons in them are considered too. Stable three-dimensional fundamental and vortical DSs reported in the chapter are stabilized by the CQ nonlinearity and/or external potentials. Collisions between 3D DSs are considered at the end of the chapter.
Regional patterns of continuing decline of the eastern quoll†
Authors: Cunningham Calum X. , Aandahl Zach , Jones Menna E. , Hamer Rowena , Johnson Christopher N.
Published: September 2022

Like many other Australian mammals, eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) were widespread in the south-east of mainland Australia but went extinct there during the 20th century. The species remained abundant in Tasmania until it rapidly declined from 2001 to 2003, coinciding with a period of unsuitable weather. We provide an updated analysis of eastern quoll population trends in Tasmania using a time series of annual spotlight counts (1985–2019) collected across most of the species’ range. Eastern quolls were widespread and abundant in Tasmania until the early 2000s. In addition to the previously documented severe decline in the early 2000s in the east and northeast, we present new evidence of an earlier decline in the north (mid-1990s) and a more recent decline in the south (~2009). Declines have continued unabated during the last decade, resulting in a ~67% decline since the late 1990s in the area with high quoll abundance. Although the major decline in the early 2000s coincided with unfavourable weather, the continuing and more recent declines suggest other undetermined causes are also involved. We can no longer assume the presence of eastern quolls in Tasmania ensures the species’ long-term survival, highlighting the urgent need to conserve the remaining populations in Tasmania.
Expression and characterisation of
Authors: Ferder Ianina C. , Espeche Lucía D. , Bruque Carlos D. , Parborell Fernanda , Tesone Marta , Dain Liliana
Published: September 2022

Context The FMR1 gene consists of 17 exons and codes for the FMRP protein. FMR1 is involved in four genetic disorders depending on the CGG repeats length in its 5′UTR: the full mutation is responsible for the Fragile X syndrome while the premutation is associated with the Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Fragile X-associated Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (FXPOI) and Fragile X-associated neuropsychiatric disorders. FMR1 presents multiple isoforms resulting from skipping of exons 12 and 14 and the use of alternative splice sites in exons 15 and 17. Aims To investigate the expression of Fmr1 splicing variants during folliculogenesis in the rat. Methods We used preantral, early antral and preovulatory follicles to isolate RNA and characterise, by fluorescent PCR followed by sequencing, all the isoforms present in the different follicular stages. Key results We identified two isoforms resulting from splicing of exon 12, six isoforms resulting from splicing of exon 14 and 15 and one isoform for exon 17. Conclusions The expression levels of the isoforms vary within each follicular stage but not between different stages of folliculogenesis. Importantly, we identify for the first time in rat, an isoform that contains exon 12 and two isoforms, one that includes and one that excludes exon 14 and use the third acceptor site in exon 15. Implications Characterisation of the different FMR1 variants expressed during folliculogenesis will help to understand the potential distinct cellular roles of each of them and the possible implication in the development of FXPOI.
Sensitivity analysis of soil parameters in the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM)
Authors: Vogeler Iris , Sharp Joanna , Cichota Rogerio , Lilburne Linda
Published: September 2022

Context The performance of process-based agroecosystem simulation models is highly sensitive to the numerous input parameters, many associated with high variability and uncertainty. Aims Our aims were to: (1) test the accuracy of the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) model regarding the prediction of soil water storage and movement in a pasture system with a free draining pumice soil based on site-specific soil hydraulic properties; (2) identify sensitive soil hydraulic properties on model outputs; and (3) identify the influence of uncertainty in the description of soil properties on various model outputs. Methods We carried out a sensitivity analysis (SA) to identify sensitive soil hydraulic parameters. We set up APSIM to simulate a pasture system on a free-draining pumice soil in New Zealand. The model was first established with site-specific soil hydraulic properties and outputs were compared with measured soil moisture status and drainage. Next, the model’s sensitivity to the soil hydraulic parameters was assessed for various outputs linked to production and environmental outcomes. Key results Varying the various hydraulic parameters affected soil moisture status, but it had generally little effect on drainage, N leaching, and pasture production in this system. Conclusions The results suggest that for well-drained soils in a high precipitation zone with no water limitation, the model has low sensitivity to soil hydraulic parameters. Further analysis is required for different soils and for drier conditions. Implications For well-drained soils and under non-limiting water conditions the use of general data from databases, rather than site specific measurement of hydraulic properties is justified.
Rapid formation of uniformly layered materials by coupling reaction–diffusion processes with mechanical responsiveness
Authors: van Campenhout Christiaan T. , ten Napel Daniël N. , van Hecke Martin , Noorduin Willem L.
Published: September 2022

Straightforward manufacturing pathways toward large-scale, uniformly layered composites may enable the next generation of materials with advanced optical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Reaction–diffusion systems are attractive candidates to this aim, but while layered composites theoretically could spontaneously arise from reaction–diffusion, in practice randomly oriented patches separated by defects form, yielding nonuniformly patterned materials. A propagating reaction front can prevent such nonuniform patterning, as is the case for Liesegang processes, in which diffusion drives a reaction front to produce layered precipitation patterns. However, while diffusion is crucial to control patterning, it slows down transport of reactants to the front and results in a steady increase of the band spacing as the front advances. Here, we circumvent these diffusive limitations by embedding the Liesegang process in mechanically responsive hydrogels. The coupling between a moving reaction front and hydrogel contraction induces the formation of a self-regulated transport channel that ballistically carries reactants toward the area where patterning occurs. This ensures rapid and uniform patterning. Specifically, large-scale (

>

5-cm) uniform banding patterns are produced with tunable band distance (
d
= 60 to 160 µm) of silver dichromate crystals inside responsive gelatin–alginate hydrogels. The generality and applicability of our mechanoreaction–diffusion strategy are demonstrated by forming patterns of precipitates in significantly smaller microscopic banding patterns (
d
= 10 to 30 µm) that act as self-organized diffraction gratings. By circumventing the inherent limitations of diffusion, our strategy unlocks the potential of reaction–diffusion processes for the manufacturing of uniformly layered materials.
Scavenger receptor-targeted plaque delivery of microRNA-coated nanoparticles for alleviating atherosclerosis
Authors: Bai Qianqian , Xiao Yu , Hong Huiling , Cao Xiaoyun , Zhang Lei , Han Ruifang , Lee Leo Kit Cheung , Xue Evelyn Y. , Tian Xiao Yu , Choi Chung Hang Jonathan
Published: September 2022

Atherosclerosis treatments by gene regulation are garnering attention, yet delivery of gene cargoes to atherosclerotic plaques remains inefficient. Here, we demonstrate that assembly of therapeutic oligonucleotides into a three-dimensional spherical nucleic acid nanostructure improves their systemic delivery to the plaque and the treatment of atherosclerosis. This noncationic nanoparticle contains a shell of microRNA-146a oligonucleotides, which regulate the NF-κB pathway, for achieving transfection-free cellular entry. Upon an intravenous injection into apolipoprotein E knockout mice fed with a high-cholesterol diet, this nanoparticle naturally targets class A scavenger receptor on plaque macrophages and endothelial cells, contributing to elevated delivery to the plaques (∼1.2% of the injected dose). Repeated injections of the nanoparticle modulate genes related to immune response and vascular inflammation, leading to reduced and stabilized plaques but without inducing severe toxicity. Our nanoparticle offers a safe and effective treatment of atherosclerosis and reveals the promise of nucleic acid nanotechnology for cardiovascular disease.
Threading single proteins through pores to compare their energy landscapes
Authors: Tripathi Prabhat , Firouzbakht Arash , Gruebele Martin , Wanunu Meni
Published: September 2022

Translocation of proteins is correlated with structural fluctuations that access conformational states higher in free energy than the folded state. We use electric fields at the solid-state nanopore to control the relative free energy and occupancy of different protein conformational states at the single-molecule level. The change in occupancy of different protein conformations as a function of electric field gives rise to shifts in the measured distributions of ionic current blockades and residence times. We probe the statistics of the ionic current blockades and residence times for three mutants of the

λ

-repressor family in order to determine the number of accessible conformational states of each mutant and evaluate the ruggedness of their free energy landscapes. Translocation becomes faster at higher electric fields when additional flexible conformations are available for threading through the pore. At the same time, folding rates are not correlated with ease of translocation; a slow-folding mutant with a low-lying intermediate state translocates faster than a faster-folding two-state mutant. Such behavior allows us to distinguish among protein mutants by selecting for the degree of current blockade and residence time at the pore. Based on these findings, we present a simple free energy model that explains the complementary relationship between folding equilibrium constants and translocation rates.
Mafba and Mafbb regulate microglial colonization of zebrafish brain via controlling chemotaxis receptor expression
Authors: Lou Liang , Yu Tao , Dai Yimei , Zhao Shizheng , Feng Shachuan , Xu Jin , Wen Zilong
Published: September 2022

Microglia are the central nervous system (CNS)–resident macrophages involved in neural inflammation, neurogenesis, and neural activity regulation. Previous studies have shown that naturally occurring neuronal apoptosis plays a critical role in regulating microglial colonization of the brain in zebrafish. However, the molecular signaling cascades underlying neuronal apoptosis-mediated microglial colonization and the regulation of these cascades remain undefined. Here, we show that basic leucine zipper (b-Zip) transcription factors, Mafba and Mafbb, two zebrafish orthologs of mammalian MAFB, are key regulators in neuronal apoptosis-mediated microglial colonization of the brain in zebrafish. We document that the loss of Mafba and Mafbb function perturbs microglial colonization of the brain. We further demonstrate that Mafba and Mafbb act cell-autonomously and cooperatively to orchestrate microglial colonization, at least in part, by regulating the expression of G protein–coupled receptor 34a (Gpr34a), which directs peripheral macrophage recruitment into the brain through sensing the lysophosphatidylserine (lysoPS) released by the apoptotic neurons. Our study reveals that Mafba and Mafbb regulate neuronal apoptosis-mediated microglial colonization of the brain in zebrafish via the lysoPS-Gpr34a pathway.
The impact of extreme heat on workplace harassment and discrimination
Authors: Narayan Ayushi
Published: September 2022

I study the impact of extreme heat on the incidence of harassment and discrimination using data on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) charges brought forward by US Postal Service (USPS) workers. I analyze more than 800,000 EEO charges filed between FYs 2004 and 2019. I find that heat stress experienced on days when maximum temperatures exceed 90 °F increases EEO incidents by roughly 5% relative to days when temperatures are between 60 °F and 70 °F. The uncovered effect is widespread across the USPS and appears to be driven by changes in the number of incidents rather than in their reporting.
Resolving the amine-promoted hydrolysis mechanism of N
2
O
5
under tropospheric conditions
Authors: Zhou Chuan , Li Bai , Zhang Jingyan , Henkelman Graeme , Francisco Joseph S. , Li Lei
Published: September 2022

Hydrolysis of N
2
O
5
under tropospheric conditions plays a critical role in assessing the fate of O
3
, OH, and NO
x
in the atmosphere. However, its removal mechanism has not been fully understood, and little is known about the role of entropy. Herein, we propose a removal path of N
2
O
5
on the water clusters/droplet with the existence of amine, which entails a low free-energy barrier of 4.46 and 3.76 kcal/mol on a water trimer and droplet, respectively, at room temperature. The free-energy barrier exhibits strong temperature dependence; a barrierless hydrolysis process of N
2
O
5
at low temperature (≤150 K) is observed. By coupling constrained ab initio molecular dynamics (constrained AIMD) simulations with thermodynamic integration methods, we quantitively evaluated the entropic contributions to the free energy and compared NH
3
-, methylamine (MA)-, and dimethylamine (DMA)-promoted hydrolysis of N
2
O
5
on water clusters and droplet. Our results demonstrate that methylation of NH
3
stabilizes the product state and promotes hydrolysis of N
2
O
5
by reducing the free-energy barriers. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of the internal coordinate distribution of the reaction center and the relative position of surrounding species reveals that the significant entropic contribution primarily results from the ensemble effect of configurations observed in the AIMD simulations. Such an ensemble effect becomes more significant with more water molecules included. Lowering the temperature effectively minimizes the entropic contribution, making the hydrolysis more exothermic and barrierless. This study sheds light on the importance of the promoting effect of amines and the entropic effect on gas-phase hydrolysis reactions, which may have far-reaching implications in atmospheric chemistry.
Brain dysfunction during warming is linked to oxygen limitation in larval zebrafish
Authors: Andreassen Anna H. , Hall Petter , Khatibzadeh Pouya , Jutfelt Fredrik , Kermen Florence
Published: September 2022

Understanding the physiological mechanisms that limit animal thermal tolerance is crucial in predicting how animals will respond to increasingly severe heat waves. Despite their importance for understanding climate change impacts, these mechanisms underlying the upper thermal tolerance limits of animals are largely unknown. It has been hypothesized that the upper thermal tolerance in fish is limited by the thermal tolerance of the brain and is ultimately caused by a global brain depolarization. In this study, we developed methods for measuring the upper thermal limit (CT
max
) in larval zebrafish (
Danio rerio
) with simultaneous recordings of brain activity using GCaMP6s calcium imaging in both free-swimming and agar-embedded fish. We discovered that during warming, CT
max
precedes, and is therefore not caused by, a global brain depolarization. Instead, the CT
max
coincides with a decline in spontaneous neural activity and a loss of neural response to visual stimuli. By manipulating water oxygen levels both up and down, we found that oxygen availability during heating affects locomotor-related neural activity, the neural response to visual stimuli, and CT
max
. Our results suggest that the mechanism limiting the upper thermal tolerance in zebrafish larvae is insufficient oxygen availability causing impaired brain function.
Plant
N
-glycan breakdown by human gut
Bacteroides
Authors: Crouch Lucy I. , Urbanowicz Paulina A. , Baslé Arnaud , Cai Zhi-Peng , Liu Li , Voglmeir Josef , Melo Diaz Javier M. , Benedict Samuel T. , Spencer Daniel I. R. , Bolam David N.
Published: September 2022

The major nutrients available to the human colonic microbiota are complex glycans derived from the diet. To degrade this highly variable mix of sugar structures, gut microbes have acquired a huge array of different carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), predominantly glycoside hydrolases, many of which have specificities that can be exploited for a range of different applications. Plant
N
-glycans are prevalent on proteins produced by plants and thus components of the diet, but the breakdown of these complex molecules by the gut microbiota has not been explored. Plant
N
-glycans are also well characterized allergens in pollen and some plant-based foods, and when plants are used in heterologous protein production for medical applications, the
N
-glycans present can pose a risk to therapeutic function and stability. Here we use a novel genome association approach for enzyme discovery to identify a breakdown pathway for plant complex
N
-glycans encoded by a gut
Bacteroides
species and biochemically characterize five CAZymes involved, including structures of the PNGase and GH92 α-mannosidase. These enzymes provide a toolbox for the modification of plant
N
-glycans for a range of potential applications. Furthermore, the keystone PNGase also has activity against insect-type
N
-glycans, which we discuss from the perspective of insects as a nutrient source.
Evolutionary divergence of duplicated genomes in newly described allotetraploid cottons
Authors: Peng Renhai , Xu Yanchao , Tian Shilin , Unver Turgay , Liu Zhen , Zhou Zhongli , Cai Xiaoyan , Wang Kunbo , Wei Yangyang , Liu Yuling , Wang Heng , Hu Guanjing , Zhang Zhongren , Grover Corrinne E. , Hou Yuqing , Wang Yuhong , Li Pengtao , Wang Tao , Lu Quanwei , Wang Yuanyuan , Conover Justin L. , Ghazal Hassan , Wang Qinglian , Zhang Baohong , Van Montagu Marc , Van de Peer Yves , Wendel Jonathan F. , Liu Fang
Published: September 2022

Allotetraploid cotton (
Gossypium
) species represents a model system for the study of plant polyploidy, molecular evolution, and domestication. Here, chromosome-scale genome sequences were obtained and assembled for two recently described wild species of tetraploid cotton,
Gossypium ekmanianum
[(AD)
6
,
Ge
] and
Gossypium stephensii
[(AD)
7
,
Gs
], and one early form of domesticated
Gossypium hirsutum
, race
punctatum
[(AD)
1
,
Ghp
]. Based on phylogenomic analysis, we provide a dated whole-genome level perspective for the evolution of the tetraploid
Gossypium
clade and resolved the evolutionary relationships of
Gs
,
Ge
, and domesticated
G. hirsutum
. We describe genomic structural variation that arose during
Gossypium
evolution and describe its correlates—including phenotypic differentiation, genetic isolation, and genetic convergence—that contributed to cotton biodiversity and cotton domestication. Presence/absence variation is prominent in causing cotton genomic structural variations. A presence/absence variation-derived gene encoding a phosphopeptide-binding protein is implicated in increasing fiber length during cotton domestication. The relatively unimproved
Ghp
offers the potential for gene discovery related to adaptation to environmental challenges. Expanded gene families enoyl-CoA δ isomerase 3 and RAP2-7 may have contributed to abiotic stress tolerance, possibly by targeting plant hormone-associated biochemical pathways. Our results generate a genomic context for a better understanding of cotton evolution and for agriculture.
The alternative lengthening of telomeres mechanism jeopardizes telomere integrity if not properly restricted
Authors: Silva Bruno , Arora Rajika , Azzalin Claus M.
Published: September 2022

A substantial number of human cancers are telomerase-negative and elongate physiologically damaged telomeres through a break-induced replication (BIR)-based mechanism known as alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). We recently demonstrated that inhibiting the transcription of the telomeric long noncoding RNA TERRA suppresses telomere damage and ALT features, indicating that telomere transcription is a main trigger of ALT activity. Here we show that experimentally increased TERRA transcription not only increases ALT features, as expected, but also causes rapid loss of telomeric DNA through a pathway that requires the endonuclease Mus81. Our data indicate that the ALT mechanism can endanger telomere integrity if not properly controlled and point to TERRA transcription as a uniquely versatile target for therapy.
Anomalous water transport in narrow-diameter carbon nanotubes
Authors: Wan Zhengyi , Gao Yurui , Chen Xiangyu , Zeng Xiao Cheng , Francisco Joseph S. , Zhu Chongqin
Published: September 2022

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) mimicking the structure of aquaporins support fast water transport, making them strong candidates for building next-generation high-performance membranes for water treatment. The diffusion and transport behavior of water through CNTs or nanoporous graphene can be fundamentally different from those of bulk water through a macroscopic tube. To date, the nanotube-length–dependent physical transport behavior of water is still largely unexplored. Herein, on the basis of molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the flow rate of water through 0.83-nm-diameter (6,6) and 0.96-nm-diameter (7,7) CNTs exhibits anomalous transport behavior, whereby the flow rate increases markedly first and then either slowly decreases or changes slightly as the CNT length
l
increases. The critical range of
l
for the flow-rate transition is 0.37 to 0.5 nm. This anomalous water transport behavior is attributed to the
l
-dependent mechanical stability of the transient hydrogen-bonding chain that connects water molecules inside and outside the CNTs and bypasses the CNT orifice. The results unveil a microscopic mechanism governing water transport through subnanometer tubes, which has important implications for nanofluidic manipulation.
Confinement effects facilitate low-concentration carbon dioxide capture with zeolites
Authors: Fu Donglong , Park Youngkyu , Davis Mark E.
Published: September 2022

Engineered systems designed to remove CO2from the atmosphere need better adsorbents. Here, we report on zeolite-based adsorbents for the capture of low-concentration CO2. Synthetic zeolites with the mordenite (MOR)-type framework topology physisorb CO2from low concentrations with fast kinetics, low heat of adsorption, and high capacity. The MOR-type zeolites can have a CO2capacity of up to 1.15 and 1.05 mmol/g for adsorption from 400 ppm CO2at 30 °C, measured by volumetric and gravimetric methods, respectively. A structure–performance study demonstrates that Na+cations in the O33 site located in the side-pocket of the MOR-type framework, that is accessed through a ring of eight tetrahedral atoms (either Si4+or Al3+: eight-membered ring [8MR]), is the primary site for the CO2uptake at low concentrations. The presence of N2and O2shows negligible impact on CO2adsorption in MOR-type zeolites, and the capacity increases to ∼2.0 mmol/g at subambient temperatures. By using a series of zeolites with variable topologies, we found the size of the confining pore space to be important for the adsorption of trace CO2. The results obtained here show that the MOR-type zeolites have a number of desirable features for the capture of CO2at low concentrations.
Triggers for mother love
Authors: Livingstone Margaret S.
Published: September 2022

Previous studies showed that baby monkeys separated from their mothers develop strong and lasting attachments to inanimate surrogate mothers, but only if the surrogate has a soft texture; soft texture is more important for the infant’s attachment than is the provision of milk. Here I report that postpartum female monkeys also form strong and persistent attachments to inanimate surrogate infants, that the template for triggering maternal attachment is also tactile, and that even a brief period of attachment formation can dominate visual and auditory cues indicating a more appropriate target.
Emotion, psychophysiology, and intersubjectivity
Authors: Peräkylä Anssi , Voutilainen Liisa , Stevanovic Melisa , Henttonen Pentti , Kahri Mikko , Kivioja Maari , Koskinen Emmi , Sams Mikko , Ravaja Niklas
Published: September 2022

Conversation analytical studies on emotion show how
expression of emotion is part of the intersubjective experience.
Emotions, however, are as much physiological as experiential events.
Physiological processes pertaining to emotion involve changes in
cardiovascular activity, in the activation of sweat glands, and in
muscular activity. The dyadic systems theory by Beebe and Lachmann (2002)
suggests that actions that regulate social interaction also serve in
the regulation of internal emotional states of interacting subjects.
Drawing from this theory, our overall research questions was: how is
the expression of emotion in social interaction linked to
physiological responses in the participants? Our main result was
that thorough conversational affiliation, the participants share the
emotional load in the interaction.
New Insight of Fe Valence State Change Using Leaves: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study
Authors: Zhang Zejun , Yang Yizhou , Jiang Jie , Chen Liang , Liang Shanshan , Fang Haiping
Published: September 2022

Fe2+ is of considerable importance in plant growth and crop production. However, most Fe elements in nature favor existing in the trivalent state, which often causes the deficiency of Fe2+ in plants. Here, we report the Fe valence state change from Fe3+ to Fe2+ by using leaves. This valence state change was confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in Fe-Cl@leaves. Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy demonstrated that aromatic ring groups were included in leaves, and cation-π interactions between Fe cations and the components containing aromatic rings in leaves were measured. Further, density functional theory calculations revealed that the most stable adsorption site for hydrated Fe3+ cation was the region where hydroxyl groups and aromatic rings coexist. Moreover, molecular orbital and charge decomposition analysis revealed that the aromatic rings took the major part (59%) of the whole net charge transfer between leaves and Fe cations. This work provides a high-efficiency and eco-friendly way to transform the Fe valence state from Fe3+ to Fe2+, and affords a new insight into the valance change between plant organisms with cations.
Light scattering by plasmonic disks and holes arrays: different or the same?
Authors: Rasskazov Ilia L , Sonwalkar Nishikant , Scott Carney P
Published: September 2022

We suggest a strategy for designing regular 2D arrays of nanoholes (NHs) in metal films with far-field scattering properties similar to that of regular 2D arrays of nanodisks (NDs) with the same periodicity. Full-wave simulations for perfectly conducting, Ag and Au NDs and respectively designed arrays of NHs demonstrate a minor difference between far-field properties either at wavelengths corresponding to Wood–Rayleigh anomalies of the arrays or in a broad wavelength range, depending on the array periodicity and sizes of NDs (NHs). Our results have broad implications in plasmon-enhanced-driven applications, including optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, where the NH arrays are preferable to be fabricated for nano-structured optics.
Total decay width of

using the infinite-order scale-setting approach based on intrinsic conformality*
Authors: Gao Chu-Tian , Wu Xing-Gang , Huang Xu-Dong , Zeng Jun
Published: September 2022

We conducted a detailed study on the properties of the total decay width of the Higgs decay channel

up to

-order QCD corrections by using the newly suggested infinite-order scale-setting approach, which is based on both the principle of maximum conformality and intrinsic conformality. This approach is called PMC

. By using the PMC

approach, we observed that the conventional renormalization scale ambiguity in perturbative QCD calculation is eliminated, and the residual scale dependence due to unknown higher-order terms can also be highly suppressed. We then obtained an accurate perturbative QCD prediction on the total decay width, e.g.,

keV, where the errors are squared averages of those from all the mentioned error sources.
AKBA inhibits radiotherapy resistance in lung cancer by inhibiting maspin methylation and regulating the AKT/FOXO1/p21 axis
Authors: Gong Chun , Li Wei , Wu Jing , Li Yao-Yao , Ma Yi , Tang Li-Wen
Published: September 2022

Acetyl-keto-b-boswellic acid (AKBA) functions in combating human malignant tumors, including lung cancer. However, the function of AKBA in regulating the radioresistance of lung cancer and its underlying mechanism still need to be elucidated. Radiation-resistant lung cancer cells (RA549) were established. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and Western blot were employed to examine the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions. After being treated with AKBA and different doses of X-ray, cell proliferation and survival were examined using colony formation assay and cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The cellular localization of Forkhead box 1 (FOXO1) was measured by immunofluorescence (IF). Flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell cycle and apoptosis. In addition, in vivo experiment was performed to determine the effect of AKBA on the sensitivity of tumors to radiation. Herein, we found that AKBA could enhance the radiosensitivity in RA549, suppress cell proliferation, induce cell apoptosis and arrest cell cycle. It was observed that maspin was lowly expressed and hypermethylated in RA549 cells compared to that in A549 cells, while these changes were all eliminated by AKBA treatment. Maspin knockdown could reverse the regulatory effects of AKBA on radioresistance and cellular behaviors of RA549 cells. In addition, we found that AKBA treatment could repress the phosphorylation of Serine/Threonine Kinase (AKT), and FOXO1, increase the translocation of FOXO1 and p21 level in RA549 cells, which was abolished by maspin knockdown. Moreover, results of tumor xenograft displayed that AKBA could enhance the sensitivity of tumor to radiation through the maspin/AKT/FOXO1/p21 axis. We discovered that AKBA enhanced the radiosensitivity of radiation-resistant lung cancer cells by regulating maspin-mediated AKT/FOXO1/p21 axis.
The influence of host star activity evolution on the population of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes
Authors: Ketzer L , Poppenhaeger K
Published: September 2022

The detected exoplanet population displays a dearth of planets with sizes of about two Earth radii, the so-called radius gap. This is interpreted as an evolutionary effect driven by a variety of possible atmospheric mass-loss processes of exoplanets. For mass loss driven by an exoplanet’s irradiation by stellar X-ray and extreme-UV photons, the time evolution of the stellar magnetic activity is important. It is known from observations of open stellar clusters that stars of the same age and mass do not all follow the same time evolution of activity-induced X-ray and extreme-UV luminosities. Here, we explore how a realistic spread of different stellar activity tracks influences the mass loss and radius evolution of a simulated population of small exoplanets and the observable properties of the radius gap. Our results show qualitatively that different saturation time-scales, i.e. the young age at which stellar high-energy emission starts to decline, and different activity decay tracks over moderate stellar ages can cause changes in the population density of planets in the gap, as well as in the observable width of the gap. We also find that while the first 100 million years of mass loss are highly important to shape the radius gap, significant evolution of the gap properties is expected to take place for at least the first 500–600 million years, i.e. the age of the Hyades cluster. Observations of exoplanet populations with defined ages will be able to shed more light on the radius gap evolution.
The Effect of Two Midwives During the Second Stage of Labour to Reduce Severe Perineal Trauma (Oneplus): A Multicentre, Randomized Controlled Trial in Sweden
Authors: Edqvist Malin , Dahlen Hannah G. , Häggsgård Cecilia , Tern Helena , Ängeby Karin , Teleman Pia , Ajne Gunilla , Rubertsson Christine
Published: September 2022

(Abstracted from Lancet 2022;399:1242–1253)

In many high-income countries, severe perinatal trauma (SPT), affecting the anal sphincter muscle complex, has been on the rise over the last decade. However, effective strategies to prevent SPT are scarce.
Musculoskeletal Pain Management and Patient Mental Health and Well-being
Authors: Wally Meghan K. , Hsu Joseph R. , Seymour Rachel B.
Published: September 2022

Orthopaedic trauma patients have high rates of psychiatric disorders, which put them at risk for worse outcomes after injury and surgery, including worse pain. Mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can affect the perception of pain. Pain can also exacerbate or contribute to the development of mental illness after injury. Interventions to address both mental health and pain among orthopaedic trauma patients are critical. Balancing safety and comfort amid a drug overdose epidemic is challenging, and many clinicians do not feel comfortable addressing mental health or have the resources necessary. We reviewed the literature on the complex relationship between pain and mental health and presented examples of scalable and accessible interventions that can be implemented to promote the health and recovery of our patients. Interventions described include screening for depression in the orthopaedic trauma clinic and the emergency department or inpatient setting during injury and using a comprehensive and evidence-based multimodal pain management regimen that blends pharmacologic alternatives to opioids and physical and cognitive strategies to manage pain.