bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Size-dependent dark exciton properties in cesium lead halide perovskite quantum dots
Authors: Rossi Daniel , Qiao Tian , Liu Xiaohan , Khurana Mohit , Akimov Alexey V. , Cheon Jinwoo , Son Dong Hee
Published: November 2020

The fine structure of the band edge exciton and the dark exciton photoluminescence (PL) are topics of significant interest in the research of semiconducting metal halide perovskite nanocrystals, with several conflicting reports on the level ordering of the bright and dark states and the accessibility of the emitting dark states. Recently, we observed the intense dark exciton PL in strongly confined CsPbBr3 nanocrystals at cryogenic temperatures, in contrast to weakly confined nanocrystals lacking dark exciton PL, which was explained by the confinement enhanced bright–dark exciton splitting. In this work, we investigated the size-dependence of the dark exciton photoluminescence properties in CsPbBr3 and CsPbI3 quantum dots in the strongly confined regime, showing the clear role of confinement in determining the bright–dark energy splitting (ΔEBD) and the dark exciton lifetime (τD). We observe the increase in both ΔEBD and τD with increasing quantum confinement in CsPbBr3 and CsPbI3 QDs, consistent with the earlier predictions on the size-dependence of ΔEBD and τD. Our results show that quantum confinement plays a crucial role in determining the accessibility to the dark exciton PL and its characteristics in metal halide perovskite nanocrystals.
Boundary conditions control of topological polar nanodomains in epitaxial BiFeO3 (110) multilayered films
Authors: Geng W. R. , Tang Y. L. , Zhu Y. L. , Wang Y. J. , Ma X. L.
Published: November 2020

Topological structures in ferroelectric materials play a crucial role in the potential applications of high-density memories and are currently the subject of intensive interest. Interfaces with local symmetry breaking have garnered wide attention in designing the topological domains in ferroelectric films by regulating the different boundary conditions. Here, we present multiple topological polar nanodomains near the heterointerfaces in the trilayered systems of BiFeO3/GdScO3/BiFeO3 grown on [110]-oriented TbScO3 substrates. The formation and stabilization of these topological polar states depend on the electrical and mechanical boundary conditions of the BiFeO3 layers. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy observation reveals that the topological polar nanodomains, including nano-scale vortices and flux-closures at the termination of 109° domain walls and the semi-vortices at the end of 180° domain walls, are stabilized in the BiFeO3 layers confined by two orthorhombic structures. Furthermore, the formation of flux-closures near the BiFeO3/GdScO3 interface is influenced by the domain structures in the adjacent BiFeO3 layers, which is preferred by the 180° domain patterns rather than the 109° domain patterns. This work provides further understanding into the influences of boundary conditions on topological polar configurations and would offer guidance for designing novel topological states that enable the development of high-density memory devices.
Rapid Kerr imaging characterization of the magnetic properties of two-dimensional ferromagnetic Fe3GeTe2
Authors: Cai Li , Yu Chenglin , Liu Liangyang , Xia Wei , Zhou Heng-An , Zhao Le , Dong Yiqing , Xu Teng , Wang Zidong , Guo Yanfeng , Zhao Yonggang , Zhang Jinsong , Yang Luyi , Yang Lexian , Jiang Wanjun
Published: November 2020

Van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic materials have attracted considerable attention in the nanomaterial community, which could provide a unique platform to study magnetism at the nanoscale. Along this direction, many interesting results have been reported, including the electric field control of magnetism and topological spin textures. In this report, we present a rapid and spatially resolved imaging method to study the dimensionality-dependent magnetic properties of Fe3GeTe2 (FGT) nanoflakes. Our method is named as polar magneto-optical Kerr imaging microscopy magnetometry (p-MIMM), which is made possible by analyzing the intensity evolution of wide-field polar magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) images that were collected by varying magnetic fields, thicknesses, and temperatures. In particular, spatially resolved MOKE hysteresis loops can be acquired in the FGT nanoflakes with a submicrometer resolution. By analyzing the evolution of the relative (saturated) MOKE intensity as a function of temperature, we further study the critical exponent and universality class and its dependence on the FGT nanoflake thickness. Combining the polar MOKE images with the calculated MOKE hysteresis loops, a detailed magnetic phase diagram summarizing an evolution of the stripe domain, single domain, and paramagnetic state is further validated. Our results suggest that the wide-field p-MIMM can be conveniently used for rapidly examining the magnetic properties of versatile vdW magnetic materials.
Genome-wide DNA-binding profile of SRY-box transcription factor 3 (SOX3) in mouse testes
Authors: McAninch Dale , Thomson Ella P. , Thomas Paul Q.
Published: November 2020

Spermatogenesis is the male version of gametogenesis, where germ cells are transformed into haploid spermatozoa through a tightly controlled series of mitosis, meiosis and differentiation. This process is reliant on precisely timed changes in gene expression controlled by several different hormonal and transcriptional mechanisms. One important transcription factor is SRY-box transcription factor 3 (SOX3), which is transiently expressed within the uncommitted spermatogonial stem cell population. Sox3-null mouse testes exhibit a block in spermatogenesis, leading to infertility or subfertility. However, the molecular role of SOX3 during spermatogonial differentiation remains poorly understood because the genomic regions targeted by this transcription factor have not been identified. In this study we used chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to identify and characterise the endogenous genome-wide binding profile of SOX3 in mouse testes at Postnatal Day 7. We show that neurogenin3 (Neurog3 or Ngn3) is directly targeted by SOX3 in spermatogonial stem cells via a novel testes-specific binding site. We also implicate SOX3, for the first time, in direct regulation of histone gene expression and demonstrate that this function is shared by both neural progenitors and testes, and with another important transcription factor required for spermatogenesis, namely promyelocytic leukaemia zinc-finger (PLZF). Together, these data provide new insights into the function of SOX3 in different stem cell contexts.
The 3 × 120° rotary mechanism of
Paracoccus denitrificans
F
1
-ATPase is different from that of the bacterial and mitochondrial F
1
-ATPases
Authors: Zarco-Zavala Mariel , Watanabe Ryo , McMillan Duncan G. G. , Suzuki Toshiharu , Ueno Hiroshi , Mendoza-Hoffmann Francisco , García-Trejo José J. , Noji Hiroyuki
Published: November 2020

Significance

F-ATP synthase is a fundamental enzyme supplying adenosine triphosphate (ATP), spreading across all kingdoms of life. Despite remarkable conservation of its basic structure and function, biophysical studies have revealed discrete differences in the rotary mechanisms of bacterial and eukaryotic F
1
-ATPases (the catalytic portions of the enzymes). Here, we analyzed the rotational dynamics of
Paracoccus denitrificans
F
1
(PdF
1
), a bacterial F
1
-ATPase that exhibits high homology with the core functional subunits of its mitochondrial counterpart. Notably, PdF
1
possesses a simplified chemomechanical scheme different from that of all other F
1
-ATPases. Our results reveal an unexpected diversity in the chemomechanical coupling cycle of the F
1
-ATPase machinery and show that features such as homology or phylogenetic relationship cannot uniquely define the rotary scheme pattern.
Reconciling print-size and display-size constraints on reading
Authors: Atilgan Nilsu , Xiong Ying-Zi , Legge Gordon E.
Published: November 2020

Significance

Accessibility of digital text is essential in modern society. The growing use of small mobile displays forces attention to the competing requirements for adequate print size and adequate screen real estate. As print size gets larger, the number of characters per line and the number of lines per screen shrinks, ultimately affecting reading performance. This is particularly challenging for older people who may require larger print and for the growing population with low vision. We developed a unified framework for measuring the impact of print size and display size on the readability of text. We show how these constraints reduce the range of print size, and for some display formats, prevent some readers from maximizing their reading performance.
Marine wild-capture fisheries after nuclear war
Authors: Scherrer Kim J. N. , Harrison Cheryl S. , Heneghan Ryan F. , Galbraith Eric , Bardeen Charles G. , Coupe Joshua , Jägermeyr Jonas , Lovenduski Nicole S. , Luna August , Robock Alan , Stevens Jessica , Stevenson Samantha , Toon Owen B. , Xia Lili
Published: November 2020

Significance

Nuclear conflict poses the chilling prospect of triggering abrupt global cooling, and consequently, severely reduced crop production. However, the impacts on marine fisheries are unknown. If agricultural yields fall on land, could we turn to the sea instead? Here, we show that agricultural losses could not be offset by the world’s fisheries, especially given widespread overfishing. Cold temperatures and reduced sunlight would decrease the growth of fish biomass, at worst as much as under unmitigated climate change. Although intensified postwar fishing could yield a small catch increase, dramatic declines would ensue due to overharvesting. However, effective prewar fisheries management would create a substantial buffer of fish in the ocean, greatly increasing the oceans’ potential contribution during a global food emergency.
A facile method of mapping HIV-1 neutralizing epitopes using chemically masked cysteines and deep sequencing
Authors: Datta Rohini , Roy Chowdhury Rohan , Manjunath Kavyashree , Hanna Luke Elizabeth , Varadarajan Raghavan
Published: November 2020

Significance

Env, the major surface protein of HIV-1, is the primary target of the immune response elicited against HIV-1 and is therefore an important candidate for vaccine design. Vaccines confer protective immunity by eliciting neutralizing antibodies that not only bind to a virus but also prevent further infection. The knowledge of target sites (epitopes) of neutralizing antibodies on the viral surface is therefore a prerequisite for the design of effective vaccines. We have devised a high-throughput methodology to rapidly identify epitopes of monoclonal and polyclonal neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies on Env, at single-residue resolution. The methodology is useful for both design and testing of HIV-1 vaccines and can be readily extended to identify neutralizing epitopes in emerging viral infections.
Deafness mutation D572N of TMC1 destabilizes TMC1 expression by disrupting LHFPL5 binding
Authors: Yu Xiaojie , Zhao Qirui , Li Xiaofen , Chen Yixuan , Tian Ye , Liu Shuang , Xiong Wei , Huang Pingbo
Published: November 2020

Significance

The mechanotransduction (MT) complex in auditory hair cells converts the mechanical stimulation of sound waves into neural signals. Our findings reveal previously unrecognized physical and functional interactions of TMC1 and LHFPL5, two critical components of the MT complex, and provide insights into the molecular mechanism by which the D572N mutation in TMC1 causes deafness. Our findings also identify a missing link in the currently known physical organization of the MT micromolecular complex. Furthermore, by demonstrating the power of the microbead-based SiMPull assay for the biochemical examination of rare cells such as hair cells, this study opens up an avenue for the biochemical investigation of MT-complex proteins and other critical nonabundant proteins in hair cells.
The quest for improved air quality may push China to continue its CO
2
reduction beyond the Paris Commitment
Authors: Xing Jia , Lu Xi , Wang Shuxiao , Wang Tong , Ding Dian , Yu Sha , Shindell Drew , Ou Yang , Morawska Lidia , Li Siwei , Ren Lu , Zhang Yuqiang , Loughlin Dan , Zheng Haotian , Zhao Bin , Liu Shuchang , Smith Kirk R. , Hao Jiming
Published: November 2020

Significance

Pathways for China to achieve its dual targets of air quality and CO
2
mitigation in 2035 were investigated through a newly developed evaluation framework coupling integrated assessment and air quality models. Results indicate that the low-carbon energy policies, traditionally regarded as a primary result of climate mitigation, are likely driven more by the efforts on air quality attainment in China. To achieve air quality attainment in China could lead to more reduction in CO
2
emissions than its Nationally Determined Contribution. In addition, stronger low-carbon policies will bring significant benefits to public health via improvements in air quality. This study also provides a valuable reference for other developing countries to address their duel challenges of climate change and air pollution.
Insights into coral bleaching under heat stress from analysis of gene expression in a sea anemone model system
Authors: Cleves Phillip A. , Krediet Cory J. , Lehnert Erik M. , Onishi Masayuki , Pringle John R.
Published: November 2020

Significance

Coral reefs are biodiversity hotspots of great ecological, economic, and aesthetic importance. Their global decline under climate change and other stresses makes it urgent to understand the molecular bases of their responses to stress, including “bleaching,” in which the corals' photosynthetic algal symbionts are lost, thus depriving the host animals of a crucial source of energy and metabolic building blocks. We sought clues to the mechanisms that cause (or protect against) bleaching by analyzing the patterns of gene expression in a sea anemone relative of corals during exposure to a heat stress sufficient to induce bleaching. The results challenge some current ideas about bleaching while also suggesting hypotheses and identifying genes that are prime targets for future genetic analyses.
Scaling confirmation of the thermodynamic dislocation theory
Authors: Langer J. S. , Le K. C.
Published: November 2020

Significance

Conventional theories of the deformation of crystalline solids assume that the second law of thermodynamics is inapplicable to dislocations. As a result, they have been only descriptive and nonpredictive. In contrast, the thermodynamic dislocation theory (TDT), based directly on the second law, has proven capable of solving problems that are out of reach of conventional approaches. Examples include strain hardening, elastic–plastic yielding, shear banding, etc. We show that the fundamental assumptions of TDT predict a scaling relation and that this relation is confirmed by experiment. Our increased confidence in the TDT leads us to raise issues that need to be addressed for both basic and applied reasons. One example is the unsolved problem of fracture toughness in crystalline solids.
A distinct CD38+CD45RA+ population of CD4+, CD8+, and double-negative T cells is controlled by FAS
Authors: Maccari Maria Elena , Fuchs Sebastian , Kury Patrick , Andrieux Geoffroy , Völkl Simon , Bengsch Bertram , Lorenz Myriam Ricarda , Heeg Maximilian , Rohr Jan , Jägle Sabine , Castro Carla N. , Groß Miriam , Warthorst Ursula , König Christoph , Fuchs Ilka , Speckmann Carsten , Thalhammer Julian , Kapp Friedrich G. , Seidel Markus G. , Dückers Gregor , Schönberger Stefan , Schütz Catharina , Führer Marita , Kobbe Robin , Holzinger Dirk , Klemann Christian , Smisek Petr , Owens Stephen , Horneff Gerd , Kolb Reinhard , Naumann-Bartsch Nora , Miano Maurizio , Staniek Julian , Rizzi Marta , Kalina Tomas , Schneider Pascal , Erxleben Anika , Backofen Rolf , Ekici Arif , Niemeyer Charlotte M. , Warnatz Klaus , Grimbacher Bodo , Eibel Hermann , Mackensen Andreas , Frei Andreas Philipp , Schwarz Klaus , Boerries Melanie , Ehl Stephan , Rensing-Ehl Anne
Published: November 2020

The identification and characterization of rare immune cell populations in humans can be facilitated by their growth advantage in the context of specific genetic diseases. Here, we use autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome to identify a population of FAS-controlled TCRαβ+ T cells. They include CD4+, CD8+, and double-negative T cells and can be defined by a CD38+CD45RA+T-BET− expression pattern. These unconventional T cells are present in healthy individuals, are generated before birth, are enriched in lymphoid tissue, and do not expand during acute viral infection. They are characterized by a unique molecular signature that is unambiguously different from other known T cell differentiation subsets and independent of CD4 or CD8 expression. Functionally, FAS-controlled T cells represent highly proliferative, noncytotoxic T cells with an IL-10 cytokine bias. Mechanistically, regulation of this physiological population is mediated by FAS and CTLA4 signaling, and its survival is enhanced by mTOR and STAT3 signals. Genetic alterations in these pathways result in expansion of FAS-controlled T cells, which can cause significant lymphoproliferative disease.
Review of Magnesium Metal Matrix Composites
Authors: Saranu Ravikumar , Chanamala Ratnam , Putti SrinivasaRao
Published: November 2020

In recent years, Magnesium Metal Matrix Composites (Mg-MMC) plays a significant part in an extensive application such as chemical, automotive and aerospace application as because of its lightweight structural and low density properties. In this present investigation, the literature review of Mg-MMCs study includes, reinforcing substantial, processing techniques, Characterization, tribological and mechanical behavior of Mg-MMCs. Furthermore, the CNT, Carbonaceous, Fullerene, SiC, Al2O3, TiC, B4C, Graphenereinforced Mg-MMC articulates are explained in this study. Consequently, the mechanical behavior of tensile strength, hardness, compressive strength and tribological properties of wear rate and corrosion performance was analyzed for various state of the art methods. From the observation, it shows that the ceramic reinforcing increases the hardness and strength of the material. Nevertheless, the ductility was diminished, yet, the ductility and strength of Mg-MMCs can enhance by the titanium based metallic reinforcement.
Strength Behaviour of Clay Soil Stabilized With Lime
Authors: Arun kumar M , Kulanthaivel P , Selvapraveen S , Vinodhkumar S , Naveenraj V
Published: November 2020

Geotechnical Engineers are searching for new sustainable material, which can be suitable and effectively used to improves the engineering properties of clay soil. In this research lime is used as stabilizing material in the variable percentage of 1%,3%,5%,7%,9%,10%,12% and 15%. Lime is used as the admixture for soil stabilisation. Swelling pressure of the soil mixed with various proportions of lime such as 1, 7, 12 and 15%. Unconfined compression test, Plastic limit, Liquid limit, standard compaction proctor test, free swell index test and one-dimensional consolidation test are conducted to evaluate the clay soil strength in the laboratory. The experimental investigation results show that maximum strength improvement was achieved in the 12% lime mixed with clay soil and the strength improvement in the range of 300kPa. The results of the swelling test showed that applying lime to the soil decreases the swelling nature of clay soils.
Effect of Microsilica on Strength and Microstructure of the GGBS-based Cement composites
Authors: Khan M N , Singla S , Garg R , Garg R
Published: November 2020

Cement production requires substantial energy and significantly accounts for global carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, the consumption of ordinary portland cement (OPC) must be reduced through incorporation of auxiliary materials. Also, the mechanical strength and durability of structures, in the construction industry, need to be improved for economizing the maintenance cost and increasing the service life. This study explores the effect of partial substitution of cement by granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and microsilica (MS), the industrial by-products. This study focuses on the use of 10% GGBS and 0-16% MS as a substituent of cement at a water binder ratio of 0.42. The fresh properties were determined to study the effect of these substituents. The compressive strength of all the mixes was determined after 3, 7, 28, and 56 days of treatment. The results were correlated through microstructural analysis. The study revealed that the cement composites with an optimal substituent dosage of 10% GGBS and 12% MS can attain adequate compressive strength and can be used for practical applications.
ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF MACHINING PARAMETER DURING TURNING OF A356/10%SiCp MMC USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY APPROACH
Authors: Seeman M. , Sivaraj P. , Seetharaman R. , Ashok Kumar I.
Published: November 2020

In this study, an effort has been made more complex multi performance optimization using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based desirability approach while machining of Al/10%SiC Particulate Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite (PAMMC) produced through stir cast method. The effect of main cutting parameters like Cutting speed (V), Feed rate (F), Depth of cut (D) and Machining time (T) on the output responses of Tool flank wear (VBmax) and Surface roughness (Ra) were investigated. The most significant machining parameters were ascertained using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The contour plots are drawn for study effect cutting parameters and their interactions. From the study found that developed numberical model for tool flank wear and surface roughness is found to be adequate and used for predict the parameters within this experimental range.
Investigation on the Physical/Mechanical Properties of NAO brake friction Composites by using Kenaf fiber
Authors: Ramesh P. , Sai Krishnan G. , Ragu R. , Suresh G. , Srinivasan S.
Published: November 2020

Natural fibers utilization for various applications is in increasing trend owing to its eco friendliness and ease availability. In this work the effect of kenaf fibers as key ingredient is studied for brake pad applications. The Consequences of kenaf fiber as reinforcement is studied for physical and mechanical properties. Kenaf fibers have been added in 3 different weight percentages from 0 wt% to 15 wt%. The developed composites were evaluated as per industrial standards. Properties such as density, ash content,hardness,water absorption and compressibility have been studied in this work. The brake pad samples were prepared and subjected for testing for various physical and mechanical properties. All the tests have been carried out by standard industrial procedure. Based on the results it can be clinched that the properties of hardness, density and content of ash density, decreased to certain extent and other properties such as compressibility, porosity and water absorption capacity increased with fiber loading of kenaf fiber. It can be concluded that the fiber loading has impact on the performance of fibers.
Chitosan-sodium lauryl sulfate/Eudragit S100 beads loaded with 5-fluorouracil: Influence of solvent and duration of crosslinking the crosslinking on physicochemical properties
Authors: Muniyandy Saravanan , Yi Lui Mei , Santhagunam Aruna , Chuah Lay Hong
Published: November 2020

Chitosan beads loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were prepared by ionotropic gelation using sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a crosslinking agent in presences of Eudragit S100. The objective was to improve the loading and sustained release of 5-FU. The influence of the solvent system, counter ion concentration, crosslinking time, and addition of Eudragit on particle size, drug loading, entrapment efficiency (E.E.), and in vitro release was investigated. The beads were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Spherical beads were produced with at least 2% SLS, and the resultant particle size was smaller with higher SLS concentration. FTIR has confirmed the incorporation of 5-FU and the electrostatic interaction involved in the formation of chitosan/SLS/Eudragit beads. TGA graph has shown a sharp weight loss between 225 °C and 250 °C in beads prepared with an alcoholic crosslinking solution. The amorphous nature of the entrapped drug was also revealed in the TGA. All batches exhibited 5-FU burst release within 30 min, and beads prepared with 2% SLS/Eudragit has displayed a sustained release up to 4 h in a dissolution medium of increasing pH. Further, the E.E. of 5-FU was increased with hydroalcoholic solvent, lower SLS concentration, and shorter crosslinking time.
Hydrogel biomaterials to support and guide vascularization
Authors: Chapla Rachel , West Jennifer L
Published: November 2020

Biomaterials can be intentionally designed to support and even guide vascularization for applications ranging from engineered organs to treatment of ischemic diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke. In order to appropriately design bioactive biomaterials for vascularization, it is important to understand the cellular and molecular events involved in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Cell-matrix and signaling biomolecule interactions that initiate and promote formation of vasculature in vivo can often be mimicked in biomaterial platforms. Hydrogels are frequently used in these applications because they are soft and hydrated with mechanical properties similar to soft tissues and because many synthetic hydrogels are essentially bioinert, allowing one to engineer in specific cell-material interactions. A variety of both naturally-derived and synthetic hydrogel bases are used for supporting vascularization, and these gels are tailored to possess mechanical properties, biodegradation, cell adhesive interactions, biochemical signaling, and/or architectural properties that can promote assembly and tubulogenesis by vascular cells. This article serves to review current hydrogel materials and the innovative design modifications implemented to guide and support the vascularization process.
Magnetic moment manipulation in hydrogen-peroxide-doped grafoil, pyrolytic graphite and Fe3C-filled multiwall carbon nanotubes
Authors: Fayazi Mahsa , Shuai Gao , Lei Li , He Yi , Boi Filippo S
Published: November 2020

Observation of granular superconductivity and percolative ferromagnetism in hydrogen/oxygen doped graphite materials has motivated recent research because of the unexplored scenarios in the field of magnetic-devices and spintronics. Here we report a novel investigation of the effects of hydrogen-peroxide-doping on the magnetic properties of grafoil, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and carbon nanotube (CNT) samples characterized by specific defective characteristics. ZFC and FC magnetic curves acquired on the undoped boundary-defect-rich grafoil samples from 2 K to 300 K, revealed a spin-glass-like behaviour, with magnetic irreversibilities indicating the existence of percolative ferromagnetism. An enhancement in such effect was found in the post-doped samples below ∼70 K, together with a magnetic transition. This was evidenced further by ESR, with the appearance of a broad differential absorption peak at 77 K for g ∼ 3.54, compatible with antiferromagnetic ordering in presence of ferromagnetic multilayers. An analogous enhancement of ferromagnetic signals was found on sp3-defect-rich HOPG, with the appearance of localized ESR differential absorption features at g factors of ∼ 2.14, ∼2.08, ∼2.02, ∼ 1.91 and ∼ 1.86 at 77 K. Instead, comparisons performed in vacancy-rich doped CNTs revealed a significantly different trend, with an anomalous demagnetization of both the vacancy-rich graphitic CNT layers and encapsulated Fe3C nanowires. These observations seem to highlight a possible role of specific defects towards modifications of magnetic correlation in presence of hydrogen/oxygen species.
Convergent patterns of tissue-level distribution of elements in different tropical woody nickel hyperaccumulator species from Borneo Island
Authors: Abubakari Farida , Mesjasz-Przybyłowicz Jolanta , Przybyłowicz Wojciech J , van der Ent Antony
Published: November 2020

The Malaysian state of Sabah on the Island of Borneo has recently emerged as a global hotspot of nickel hyperaccumulator plants. This study focuses on the tissue-level distribution of nickel and other physiologically relevant elements in hyperaccumulator plants with distinct phylogenetical affinities. The roots, old stems, young stems and leaves of Flacourtia kinabaluensis (Salicaceae), Actephila alanbakeri (Phyllanthaceae), Psychotria sarmentosa (Rubiaceae) and young stems and leaves of Glochidion brunneum (Phyllanthaceae) were studied using nuclear microprobe (micro-PIXE and micro-BS) analysis. The tissue-level distribution of nickel found in these species has the same overall pattern as in most other hyperaccumulator plants studied previously, with substantial enrichment in the epidermal cells and in the phloem. This study also revealed enrichment of potassium in the spongy and palisade mesophyll of the studied species. Calcium, chlorine, manganese and cobalt were found to be enriched in the phloem and also concentrated in the epidermis and cortex of the studied species. Although hyperaccumulation ostensibly evolved numerous times independently, the basic mechanisms inferred from tissue elemental localization are convergent in these tropical woody species from Borneo Island.
Psychosocial Differences Between Transgender Individuals With and Without History of Nonsurgical Facial Injectables
Authors: Kelly Patrick J , Frankel Anne S , D’Avanzo Paul , Suppes Katie , Shanker Adrian , Sarwer David B
Published: November 2020

Background

Considerable research has explored psychosocial characteristics of individuals who seek aesthetic procedures as well as psychological changes experienced after successful treatment. Little research, however, has explored the experiences of transgender individuals who have undergone nonsurgical injectable procedures (NSIPs).

Objectives

This study examined theoretically relevant psychosocial characteristics of transgender individuals who have and have not undergone NSIPs.

Methods

An online survey of demographic and psychosocial constructs was disseminated through transgender-specific support groups and Facebook groups from December 2019 to February 2020. Psychosocial measures included self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory), anticipated discrimination (Intersectional-Anticipated Discrimination), gender identity and physicality congruence (Transgender Congruence Scale), body image (Body Image Quality of Life Inventory), and overall satisfaction with facial appearance (FACE-Q Face Overall). The Mann–Whitney U test assessed differences by history of NSIPs, and the Kruskal–Wallis test assessed gender and racial differences. A P-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Participants (N = 101) were transfeminine (n = 58), transmasculine (n = 31), gender-diverse (n = 12), and mostly (71%) white. Almost two-thirds of respondents (62%) reported using NSIPs; 6 participants reported undergoing NSIPs from non-licensed providers. History of NSIPs was associated with greater self-esteem (P < 0.01), less anticipated discrimination (P < 0.01), greater physicality and gender identity congruence(P < 0.001), greater body image quality of life (P < 0.001), and greater satisfaction with overall facial appearance (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Use of NSIPs was associated with more positive psychosocial symptoms. Experiences with NSIPs may play an important role in psychosocial functioning for transgender individuals.

Level of Evidence: 3
MGIDI: toward an effective multivariate selection in biological experiments
Authors: Olivoto Tiago , Nardino Maicon
Published: November 2020

Motivation

Multivariate data are common in biological experiments and using the information on multiple traits is crucial to make better decisions for treatment recommendations or genotype selection. However, identifying genotypes/treatments that combine high performance across many traits has been a challenger task. Classical linear multi-trait selection indexes are available, but the presence of multicollinearity and the arbitrary choosing of weighting coefficients may erode the genetic gains.

Results

We propose a novel approach for genotype selection and treatment recommendation based on multiple traits that overcome the fragility of classical linear indexes. Here, we use the distance between the genotypes/treatment with an ideotype defined a priori as a multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI) to provide a selection process that is unique, easy-to-interpret, free from weighting coefficients and multicollinearity issues. The performance of the MGIDI index is assessed through a Monte Carlo simulation study where the percentage of success in selecting traits with desired gains is compared with classical and modern indexes under different scenarios. Two real plant datasets are used to illustrate the application of the index from breeders and agronomists’ points of view. Our experimental results indicate that MGIDI can effectively select superior treatments/genotypes based on multi-trait data, outperforming state-of-the-art methods, and helping practitioners to make better strategic decisions toward an effective multivariate selection in biological experiments.

Availability and implementation

The source code is available in the R package metan (https://github.com/TiagoOlivoto/metan) under the function mgidi().

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Two siblings with early repolarization syndrome: clinical and genetic characterization by whole-exome sequencing
Authors: Steinfurt Johannes , Bezzina Connie R , Biermann Jürgen , Staudacher Dawid , Marschall Christoph , Trolese Luca , Faber Thomas S , Duerschmied Daniel , Zehender Manfred , Bode Christoph , Wilde Arthur A M , Odening Katja E , Lodder Elisabeth M
Published: November 2020

Aims 

The early repolarization syndrome (ERS) can cause ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sudden death in young, otherwise healthy individuals. There are limited data suggesting that ERS might be heritable. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical phenotype and to identify a causal variant in an affected family using an exome-sequencing approach.

Methods and results 

Early repolarization syndrome was diagnosed according to the recently proposed Shanghai ERS Score. After sequencing of known ERS candidate genes, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed. The index patient (23 years, female) showed a dynamic inferolateral early repolarization (ER) pattern and electrical storm with intractable VF. Isoproterenol enabled successful termination of electrical storm with no recurrence on hydroquinidine therapy during 33 months of follow-up. The index patient’s brother (25 years) had a persistent inferior ER pattern with malignant features and a history of syncope. Both parents were asymptomatic and showed no ER pattern. While there was no pathogenic variant in candidate genes, WES detected a novel missense variant affecting a highly conserved residue (p. H2245R) in the ANK3 gene encoding Ankyrin-G in the two siblings and the father.

Conclusion 

We identified two siblings with a malignant ERS phenotype sharing a novel ANK3 variant. A potentially pathogenic role of the novel ANK3 variant is suggested by the direct interaction of Ankyrin-G with the cardiac sodium channel, however, more patients with ANK3 variants and ERS would be required to establish ANK3 as novel ERS susceptibility gene. Our study provides additional evidence that ERS might be a heritable condition.
An online corpus for the study of historical dialectology:Oralia diacrónica del español
Authors: Calderón Campos Miguel , Díaz-Bravo Rocío
Published: November 2020

This article presents Oralia diacrónica del español (ODE: Spanish diachronic oral corpus), a new digital resource for the study of historical dialectology. This corpus was created using TEITOK, ‘a web-based framework for corpus creation, annotation, and distribution, that combines textual and linguistic annotation within a single TEI-based XML document’ (Janssen, 2016, p. 3047). ODE is a diachronic corpus of Spanish documents written between 1492 and the end of the 19th century that consists of two sub-corpora: a main corpus comprising of manuscripts from the old Kingdom of Granada (the modern-day provinces of Granada, Málaga, and Almería) and a control corpus comprising of documents from the Northern half of Spain. The texts include inventories of goods, witnesses’ testimonies in criminal trials and medical certificates. The final goal is to create a corpus of approximately 600,000 tokens, especially designed for the analysis of historical dialectal research. The new online corpus has successfully overcome the following difficulties: (1) It combines a philological/textual scholarship and a corpus linguistics approach. (2) It allows working in a single edition visualised in different formats by the end user in the digital resource. (3) Furthermore, it permits independent management, since scholars can upload and edit their work, having control over their own research without the need for an external person in charge of the digital resource.
The Group
Authors: Rosenstein Donald L. , Yopp Justin M.
Published: November 2020

On a mid-October evening, a group of fathers gathered around a conference table and met each other for the first time. None of the men had ever thought of himself a "support group kind of guy" and each felt entirely out of place. In fact, nothing about their lives felt normal anymore. The Group: Seven Widowed Fathers Reimagine Life chronicles the challenges and triumphs of seven men whose wives died from cancer and were left to raise their young children entirely on their own. Brought together by tragedy, the fathers - Neill, Dan, Bruce, Karl, Joe, Steve, and Russ - forged an uncommon bond. Over time, group meetings evolved into a forum for reinvention and transformed the men in unexpected ways. Through the fathers' poignant interactions, The Group illustrates that while some wounds never fully heal, each of us has the potential to construct a new and meaningful future. Rosenstein and Yopp, co-leaders of the support group, weave together the fathers' stories with contemporary research on grief and adaptation. The Group traces a compelling journey of healing and personal discovery that no book has ever captured before. The men's touching efforts to care for their families, grieve for their wives, and reimagine their futures will inspire anyone who has suffered a major loss.
Teaching with Vitality
Authors: Bennett Peggy D.
Published: November 2020

Perhaps more than any other experience, conflict in schools and workplaces can zap our energy and steal our vigor as teachers. If we knew ways to minimize conflict and maximize vitality, would we use them? Teaching with Vitality offers specific behaviors and attitudes to reframe conflict by diluting and dissolving it. Organized into brief topics for busy readers, Teaching with Vitality combines common experiences and practical options for lessening the turmoil that is inevitable in schools. As beneficent stewards of our children, educators are priceless contributors to the quality of our lives. The main goal of Teaching with Vitality is to elevate teachers in their day-to-day lives by deconstructing the major and minor conflicts that sap their peace and dampen their power. School wellness is contagious. And, this book aims to offer daily pathways to health, wellness, and vigor.
Subnational Hydropolitics
Authors: Moore Scott M.
Published: November 2020

The prospect of international conflict over water has long been the subject of academic and popular concern, but subnational political conflict is considerably more common, and almost certainly imposes greater economic and environmental costs. Indeed, subnational hydropolitics are an important feature of several large countries, including the United States, India, and China. Moreover, disputes between water users in shared river basins have often persisted despite repeated attempts by central governments to resolve them through both persuasion and coercion. Yet despite the growing threat of water scarcity around the world, little research exists on sub-national politics of shared water resources. This book attempts to fill the gap by explaining how and why hydropolitics play out within countries, as well as between them. Subnational Hydropolitics re-examines the issue of water conflict by examining conflicts at the subnational rather than international level. By examining several in-depth case studies of both conflict and cooperation, Scott Moore argues that increasing sub-national water conflict is driven by two inter-linked forces, identity politics, which gives subnational politicians a reason to compete over shared water resources; and political decentralization, which provides them with the tools to do so. To understand politics at the subnational level, the book blends insights from both the environmental governance and comparative politics literatures. By examining the challenges many countries face in achieving cooperation over shared water resources, the book helps to shed light on different mechanisms and processes for solving cooperation problems at the regional scale lessons relevant to tackling a wide range of transboundary environmental problems, including air pollution, urbanization, and ecosystem protection. But at its core, this book promises a definitive contribution to the growing sub-field of environmental politics, centered on understanding how different countries attempt to solve the problems inherent in governing water resources in shared river basins.
The Elements of Murder
Authors: Emsley John
Published: November 2020

Was Napoleon killed by the arsenic in his wallpaper? How did Rasputin survive cyanide poisoning? Which chemicals in our environment pose the biggest threat to our health today? In The Elements of Murder, John Emsley answers these questions and offers a fascinating account of five of the most toxic elements--arsenic, antimony, lead, mercury, and thallium--describing their lethal chemical properties and highlighting their use in some of the most famous murder cases in history. In this exciting book, we meet a who's who of heartless murderers. Mary Ann Cotton, who used arsenic to murder her mother, three husbands, a lover, eight of her own children, and seven step children; Michael Swango, who may have killed as many as 60 of his patients and several of his colleagues during the 20 years he practiced as a doctor and paramedic; and even Saddam Hussein, who used thallium sulfate to poison his political rivals. Emsley also shows which toxic elements may have been behind the madness of King George III, the delusions of Isaac Newton, and the strange death of King Charles II. In addition, the book examines many modern day environmental catastrophes, including accidental mass poisonings from lead and arsenic, and the Minamata Bay disaster in Japan. Written by a leading science writer, famous for his knowledge of the elements and their curious and colorful histories, The Elements of Murder offers an enticing combination of true crime tales and curious science that adds up to an addictive read.
Biomineralization Processes
Authors: Lowenstam Heinz A. , Weiner Stephen
Published: November 2020

The large number of different minerals formed by organisms from almost 50 different phyla described in Chapter 2 should in itself discourage anyone from searching for the mechanism of biomineralization. On the other hand, the survey of macromolecules used by many organisms to control mineralization (Chapter 2), even though limited primarily to carbonate- and phosphate-bearing mineralized hard parts, shows that similar and rather unusual acidic glycoproteins and proteoglycans are widely utilized in biomineralization. This raises the possibility that many organisms may have adopted common approaches or strategies for regulating mineral formation. We do not know whether this arose as a result of divergence from a common ancestor or is a product of convergent evolution in which many different phyla independently began utilizing similar macromolecules for controlling mineralization (see Chapter 12). Either way we view the diversity in biomineralization as the product of a very broad and almost continuous spectrum of processes that organisms use to control mineralization. This ranges from no apparent control at one end to, it seems, control over every detail at the other. However, this is achieved by a fairly limited number of different basic processes used in various combinations and ways to produce a unique final product. This last statement is, we readily admit at this point in time, more an act of faith than an established fact. In this chapter we will try to identify and/or speculate about some of these basic processes. We will draw upon material from many different sources, and, in particular, we will refer whenever possible to the more detailed descriptions of mineralization processes given in the chapters that follow. As a consequence, this chapter may also be used by the reader as a guide toward more discriminating reading on selected topics in the remainder of the book. The spectrum of biomineralization processes can in principle be easily divided into cases in which control is exercised in some way over mineralization and those in which it is not. In practice the differentiation is not that simple as all organisms do exercise some control at one level or another, even if it simply involves, for example, removing from the cell some undesirable metabolic end-product or ion that combines with another ion in the external medium and precipitates.
Environment, Cognition, and Action: The Need for Integration
Authors: Evans Gary W. , Gärling Tommy
Published: November 2020

What we know and understand about our surroundings influences our evaluations of and behaviors in the physical environment. In addition, our reasons for using places, our goals and personal plans, bias the manner in which we acquire and store knowledge of places. The extent to which places afford the goals and plans we bring to them also affects environmental assessments. How much we like a place is colored by how well it meets certain functional objectives. Yet scholarly analysis of each of these topics has proceeded largely in isolation. The principal objective of this volume is to promote more thinking and analysis about the integration of these three, heretofore largely distinct areas of scholarly inquiry—namely environmental cognition, environmental assessment, and decision making and action in real-world situations. We are not attempting a broad theoretical integration across the many realms of human-environment studies as outlined for example in The Handbook of Environmental Psychology (Stokols & Altman, 1987). Throughout the present volume there is a distinctly cognitive bias, emphasizing the role of cognition as it influences assessment and action rather than studying how action or assessment might impact cognition. This cognitive perspective reflects the editors’ own intellectual training (experimental psychology) and also mirrors the current predominant view within each of the three areas of inquiry we investigate. However, as we discuss throughout this volume, this cognitive perspective may detract from a fuller understanding of how and in what way people interrelate with their physical surroundings (see also Saegert & Winkel, 1990, for a sociocultural critique of the cognitive perspective in environmental psychology). Furthermore, we focus our analysis of cognition, assessment, and action at the individual level rather than aggregating responses intended to characterize the environment at a societal or group level. Given that the principal objective of this volume is to promote integration across three areas of scholarship that have operated largely in isolation from one another, we begin by first describing each of these three main areas of inquiry. This is followed by a brief analysis of some preliminary attempts at integration. We conclude with a description of how the present volume is organized.