bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulation of melanization in aphids by parasitoid wasp venom proteins enhances mummification
Authors: Zhao Jin , Wang Zheng‐Wu , Shen Guangmao , Hu Die , Zhong Yi , Ye Chao , Wang Jin‐Jun 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBackgroundInteractions between parasitic insects and their hosts demonstrate the complexity of evolutionary processes. Specifically, the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi manipulates its host, the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, through strategic venom injection to enhance mummification. This study explores how this venom affects the aphid's immune system, particularly targeting the activity of the phenoloxidase (PO) enzyme.ResultsFollowing the injection of venom from A. ervi, significant changes were observed in the expression of immune‐related genes in A. pisum, especially notable expression changes of ApPPOs and a reduction of PO activity. Multi‐omics sequencing identified 74 potential venom proteins in the venom gland of A. ervi, including serine protease homolog 1 (AeSPH1) and serine protease inhibitor (AeSPN1), hypothesized to regulate PO activity. The injection of recombinant protein AeSPH1 and AeSPN1 into the A. pisum hemocoel selectively reduced the expression of ApPPO1, without affecting ApPPO2, and effectively suppressed melanization. Moreover, RNAi targeting AeSPH1 significantly reduced the mummification rate in A. pisum population parasitized by A. ervi.ConclusionOur findings clarify the complex biochemical mechanisms underlying host‐wasp interactions and highlight potential avenues for developing targeted biological control strategies. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
A Conceptual Site Model for Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Water Supply Impacts in a Residential Community
Authors: Raup Jenna , Eberle Michael , Denly Elizabeth , Glass David , Stefansky Jasmine , Dyber Jeffrey , Scharf Brianna , Saucier Sarah 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTAt a Class 4 State Superfund site located in a densely developed residential/commercial area in a suburb of New York City, emerging contaminant sampling for PFAS was performed as part of a statewide data‐gathering project. Two per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), were detected at concentrations in excess of drinking water standards in bedrock and overburden monitoring wells at the State Superfund site. A bedrock private water supply well sampling program and a PFAS source investigation, consisting of overburden investigations near potential sources (i.e., sites with a history of known or suspected use, storage, or discharge of PFAS), were undertaken to assess exposures and identify and potentially eliminate sources of PFAS contaminants in the bedrock drinking water supply.Relative ratios of PFAS (i.e., PFAS signatures) were plotted geospatially to facilitate comparison of the characteristics of overburden groundwater sampling results to that of nearby bedrock private water supply sampling results. In addition, total PFAS concentrations in overburden groundwater and bedrock private water supply samples were compared to identify potential sources of bedrock groundwater impacts. The PFAS signature analysis revealed that (1) PFAS signatures of overburden groundwater samples were generally consistent with nearby bedrock private water supply samples; (2) total PFAS concentrations detected in overburden groundwater samples were marginally higher than concentrations detected in nearby bedrock private water supplies; (3) there was generally low variability in PFAS signatures throughout the study area (Assessment Area); and (4) overburden groundwater and bedrock private water supply PFAS signatures were similar to that of the nearby wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge, which represents a composite average PFAS signature for domestic wastewater from the area. Finally, septic system tracers were also detected in bedrock private water supply and overburden groundwater samples. Based on the results of the investigation, multiple lines of evidence support the Conceptual Site Model, which is likely applicable to many PFAS‐contaminated drinking water supplies with conditions similar to the Assessment Area: consumer product use and discharge to domestic septic systems in a densely developed residential area, lacking area‐wide municipal water and sewer, with shallow groundwater and bedrock, and a vertical downward groundwater gradient, have resulted in the widespread presence of PFAS in private water supply wells.
Regulated Cu Diatomic Distance Promoting Carbon−Carbon Coupling During CO2 Electroreduction
Authors: Guan Hongxin , Zhang Yuxiang , Fan Wenjun , Yang Kang , Li Guang , Chen Sheng , Li Laiquan , Duan Jingjing 
Published: November 2024

AbstractTo address the bottle‐neck carbon‐carbon coupling issue during electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction (eCO2RR) to multicarbon (C2+) products, this work develops an anion‐directed strategy (Cl−, NO3−, and SO42−) to regulate interatomic distance of Cu diatoms. In comparison to pristine Cu (with a typical Cu‐Cu distance of 2.53 Å), Cu‐boroimidazole frameworks (BIF)/SO4, NO3, and Cl material shows elongated diatomic distance of 3.90 Å, 4.21 Å, and 3.30 Å, respectively. Among them, the Cu‐BIF/Cl exhibits an outstanding eCO2RR performance with a Faradaic efficiency of 72.12% for C2+ products and an industrial‐level current density of 539.0 mA cm−2 at −1.75 V versus RHE. Significantly, according to theoretical and in situ experimental investigation, the highly electronegative Cl− ion lifts d‐band center of Cu sites of Cu‐BIF/Cl, facilitating *CO adsorption with a low Gibbs free energy and its later dimerization overcoming a small energy barrier. In addition, this strategy to manipulate interatomic distance for diatomic catalysts, can also be adaptable to other reactions involving intermediate coupling and following the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood mechanism, such as carbon‐nitrogen coupling, nitrogen‐nitrogen coupling, etc.
Longitudinal Piezoelectricity and Polarization‐Insensitive Oxidation in Janus vdWs Nb3SeI7
Authors: Wang Jiapeng , Yuan Xiaojia , Fang Yuqiang , Chen Xinfeng , Zhong Zhengbo , Lin Shui , Qu Jiafan , Fu Jierui , Liu Yue , Li Zhipeng , Gao Bo , Gou Gaoyang , Zhen Liang , Xu Chengyan , Cai Jun , Huang Fuqiang , You Lu , Li Yang 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAs a newly discovered Janus van der Waals (vdW) material, semiconducting Nb3SeI7 offers several notable advantages, including spontaneous out‐of‐plane polarization, facile exfoliation to the monolayer limit, and significant out‐of‐plane emission dipole in second harmonic generation. These properties make it a promising candidate for piezoelectric and piezophototronic applications in highly efficient energy conversion. However, Nb3SeI7 is prone to oxidation when exposed to oxygen, which can severely limit the exploration and utilization of these intriguing physical properties. Therefore, understanding the oxidation mechanism of pristine Nb3SeI7 and its correlation with electrical polarization—an area that remains largely unexplored—is highly significant. In this study, the out‐of‐plane piezoelectricity of Nb3SeI7 is experimentally demonstrated, with a piezoelectric coefficient (|d33eff|) of 0.76 nm V−1. Furthermore, by combining near ambient‐pressure X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP‐XPS), Time‐of‐Flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS), and Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is revealed that the oxidation of Nb3SeI7 is self‐limiting and independent of its electrical polarization, owing to the similar defect formation energies of Se and I atoms. This self‐limiting and polarization‐insensitive oxidation provides valuable insights into the stabilization mechanisms and expands the potential applications of out‐of‐plane piezoelectricity and other intriguing physical properties in Janus vdW Nb3SeI7.
Lateral deflections of slender RC columns under eccentric compression loading with different end conditions
Authors: Mahmoud Khaled A. , Abdel Raheem Shehata E. , Mansour Mahmoud H. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractIn the literature, several methods have focused mostly on determining the lateral deflection of columns with pinned end conditions. This paper presents a powerful method that allows the calculation of lateral deflection for columns of different end conditions, with particular attention to reinforced concrete (RC) columns. By utilizing the moment–curvature relations, a numerical procedure to compute slopes and deflections of pin‐ended columns is proposed, in which the slopes and deflections are corrected via an efficient and fast technique. Accordingly, slopes and deflections of columns with different end conditions are determined via procedures that rely on a simple searching technique. The second‐order analysis is individually included in the calculations; therefore, the complexity arising from the direct impact of the axial load on the lateral deflection is averted. Therefore, the method has the potential for inclusion in many numerical models for different structural members. The equations derived via the developed method have identical responses to the expressions obtained via the exact methods. A series of numerical examples are presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed method to RC columns with different loadings and end conditions. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated, and its accuracy is demonstrated via parametric verification. As the axial load increased, the lateral displacement increased somewhat. The greater the eccentricity is, the greater the lateral displacement. As the eccentricity increased, the failure mode of the RC column changed from compression failure to bending failure.
Rubizhne Institute – A Birthplace of Photochromic Molecules
Authors: Lvov Andrey G. , Berdnikova Daria V. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe introduce the community to the remarkable fact that two significant discoveries in the field of organic photoswitches are associated to the Rubizhne (Rubezhnoe) branch of the Research Institute of Organic Intermediates and Dyes during the last century. The institute in Rubizhne was a place where researchers of various nationalities carried out studies of organic dyes for printing and textiles. These efforts resulted in the discoveries of photoswitchable hemithioindigos by M. A. Mostoslavskii and peri‐aryloxyquinones by Yu. E. Gerasimenko. Herein, based on the available literature, we reconstruct the circumstances surrounding these outstanding findings and highlight the unique role of the Rubizhne institute as a research center. Furthermore, we demonstrate the impact of the results of the Rubizhne researchers on the field of photoswitchable molecules.
Introduction: Imagining a New Gender Equality Contract for Europe
Authors: Petö Andrea , Thissen Laeticia , Clavaud Amandine 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
As alluded to in the title, the idea for this publication is to build on previous workon gender politics by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and Fondation Jean Jaurès, whilst taking inspiration from the works of contemporary progressive feminist thinkers, to apply a notion of feminism that works for everyone, with particular attention paid to the European Union (EU) policy context in a way that feminism is actually a project for society which promotes unity—rather than division—between citizens across the EU, regardless of their gender, social or cultural diversity.
The aim is, therefore, to gather progressive voices with multidisciplinary backgrounds to launch a comprehensive reflection on how to move away from the “gender backlash” rhetoric by making room to imagine a “new gender contract” for a fairer, more equal Europe. By drawing on solid academic knowledge and concrete policy proposals, this participatory project endeavours to launch a true political reflection towards an inclusive and all-encompassing feminism for policymakers to unite around, across every policy field in the EU. Ultimately, the underlying intention is to offer a set of concrete contributions in the context of the new EU political cycle that started in June 2024.
Imagining a New Gender Contract for Labour
Authors: Silvera Rachel 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe purpose of this chapter is to show how, for the future of Europe, more than ever, the issues of work are central to the renewal of feminism, even if this cause is sometimes relegated to the background in debates in society. As long as women do not have full economic autonomy, as long as gender inequalities at work and in life are not really curbed, the European project of a fair and egalitarian society will be in vain. Admittedly, the European foundation is solid and constitutes an inescapable point of support. But the reality—real equality in the workplace—is still a long way off. Each crisis, and in particular that linked to Covid-19, has revealed all the inequalities suffered by women, particularly in the workplace. The aim of this chapter is to look back at the current trends and challenges facing women in the workplace, and to sketch out the contours of a genuine feminist democratisation of work.
Imagining a New Gender Contract for Education
Authors: Petö Andrea 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe chapter argues for preparing European institutions for the transformation of knowledge production. Firstly, it delineates the current challenges, refocusing attention on the real dangers. The neoliberalisation of knowledge production, research and educational institutions fundamentally weakens the infrastructure and the transformative potential of knowledge produced. It also contributes to the decentralisation of science, which is driven by transnational cooperations outside the national quality assurance institution. Secondly, it discusses three key elements for a new gender contract—access, content and staff—explaining their relevance. Feminists have been struggling to break the hierarchies and exclusionary practices shaped and transmitted by higher education for centuries. This chapter analyses responses to the recent challenges of de-democratisation, by arguing that scholars should take action to start separate institutions, and decentralisation of science, by arguing that the internationalisation of science can be as threatening to the original mission of education as re-nationalisation. Thirdly, it proposes key policy recommendations. In the end, it argues for a policy change in European Union policies, especially due to the influx of refugee scholars for rethinking Europe. This chapter argues that the seemingly paralysed and non-responsive actors contribute to the spreading of illiberal alternatives in Europe.
Imagining a New Gender Contract for Cultural Rights
Authors: Dâmaso Mafalda 
Published: November 2024

AbstractHow can tensions between cultural and human rights be navigated? And how can cultural diversity be supported without legitimising the rhetorical weaponisation of difference in favour of abuses of power? To answer these questions, this chapter identifies a set of principles that could underpin the development of a decolonial and feminist approach to the management of cultural diversity. Intellectuals have debated the issue of cultural diversity for decades; the result is a rich corpus of philosophical, ethical and political discussions that is only now beginning to receive the attention it deserves beyond the field of feminist studies. However, this body of work is not yet reflected in policy debates, let alone in discussions regarding the management of cultural diversity, in a sustained manner. To address this gap, the chapter proposes to connect decolonial and feminist thinking with ongoing debates focused on cultural rights. Specifically, it attempts to make sense of a tension that is evident in reports by holders of the post of United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, which support cultural diversity but, at the same time, refer negatively to cultural relativism. Rather, and in close engagement with such reports, the chapter argues that cultural relativism and cultural diversity are inseparable in a decolonial and feminist approach to the management of cultural diversity. Finally, the chapter provides policy recommendations inspired by this work to begin to address the aforementioned contradiction.
Imagining a New Gender Contract for Climate
Authors: Kronsell Annica 
Published: November 2024

AbstractIn Europe, climate change has largely been governed through the logic of ecological modernisation with a preference for market and growth mechanisms, efficiency, technical solutions and innovation. This has several gender effects: it has maintained the exclusion of women from climate governance; and led to the invisibility of gender and a denied dependency on social reproduction and nature. This chapter develops this critique. Based on the transformative scholarship of ecological feminism, the chapter sketches an alternative climate governance rationality to address what is needed to change the norms of the climate change governance agenda to become more just, equitable and equal. By introducing the notion of emphatic rationality, it argues for an alternative based on a rationality of policymaking grounded in care through responsiveness, empathy and solidarity with others. This alternative governance practice is explained and illustrated in some detail with concrete options for policymakers.
Imagining a New Feminist Contract for Foreign Policy
Authors: Rosamond Annika Bergman , Cheung Jessica 
Published: November 2024

AbstractSweden was the first European Union (EU) member to adopt a feminist foreign policy (FFP) in 2014, inspiring other members to adopt FFPs. This feminist turn can be juxtaposed against the EU’s broader external approach towards gender equality. In most FFPs, we identify broad (neo)liberal feminist principles rather than a thoroughgoing and meaningful set of transformative and radical objectives. Nonetheless, FFP can provide a productive space for deliberations on how to transform global politics and shed light on what an EU-wide FFP could look like. We locate our discussion within FFP research and propose that an EU-wide FFP could be based on authenticity, accountability and ambition (Bergman Rosamond, A., Duncanson, C., & Gentry, C. (2022, July 25). Opinion paper: Scotland the brave? An authentic, ambitious and accountable feminist foreign policy. The Scottish Council on Global Affairs, Retrieved from https://scga.scot/2022/07/25/opinion-paper-feminist-foreign-policy/). While recognising that the adoption of an EU FFP is an ambition unlikely to become a reality anytime soon, it can still provide a discursive space for dialogue, and, as such be a symbolic progressive glue. We complement our theorisation with a set of policy recommendations that the EU could consider prior to adopting a FFP platform.
Four-point correlators in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM from AdS5 bubbling geometries
Authors: Turton David , Tyukov Alexander 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Four-point correlation functions are observables of significant interest in holographic field theories. We compute an infinite family of four-point correlation functions of operators in short multiplets of 4D $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super Yang-Mills theory in the supergravity regime, by studying the quadratic fluctuations around non-trivial supergravity backgrounds. The supergravity backgrounds are supersymmetric smooth geometries in the family derived by Lin, Lunin and Maldacena. The light probes comprise an infinite sequence of Kaluza-Klein harmonics of the dilaton/axion. For generic parameter values, the supergravity backgrounds are dual to heavy CFT states. However we focus on the limit in which the dual CFT states become light single-particle states. The resulting all-light four-point correlators are related by superconformal Ward identities to previously known four-point correlators of half-BPS chiral primary operators. By verifying that the Ward identities are satisfied, we confirm the validity of the supergravity method.
Asymptotic behaviour of massless fields and kinematic duality between interior null cones and null infinity
Authors: Bekaert Xavier , Raj S. I. Aadharsh 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
The relation between two branches of solutions (radiative and subradiative) of wave equations on Minkowski spacetime is investigated, for any integer spin, in flat Bondi coordinates where remarkable simplifications occur and allow for exact boundary-to-bulk formulae. Each branch carries a unitary irreducible representation of the Poincaré group, though an exotic one for the subradiative sector. These two branches of solutions are related by an inversion and, together, span a single representation of the conformal group. While radiative modes are realised in the familiar holographic way (either as boundary data at null infinity or as bulk fields with radiative asymptotic behavior), the whole tower of subradiative modes forms an indecomposable representation of the usual Poincaré group, which can be encoded into a single boundary field living on an interior null cone. Lorentz transformations are realised in both cases as conformal transformations of the celestial sphere. The vector space of all subradiative modes carries a unitary representation of a group isomorphic to the Poincaré group, where bulk conformal boosts play the role of bulk translations.
Assessing 3D volumetric asymmetry in facial palsy patients via advanced multi-view landmarks and radial curves
Authors: Büchner Tim , Sickert Sven , Volk Gerd F. , Guntinas-Lichius Orlando , Denzler Joachim 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
The research on facial palsy, a unilateral palsy of the facial nerve, is a complex field with many different causes and symptoms. Even modern approaches to evaluate the facial palsy state rely mainly on stills and 2D videos of the face and rarely on dynamic 3D information. Many of these analysis and visualization methods require manual intervention, which is time-consuming and error-prone. Moreover, they often depend on alignment algorithms or Euclidean measurements and consider only static facial expressions. Volumetric changes by muscle movement are essential for facial palsy analysis but require manual extraction. We propose to extract an estimated unilateral volumetric description for dynamic expressions from 3D scans. Accurate landmark positioning is required for processing the unstructured facial scans. In our case, it is attained via a multi-view method compatible with any existing 2D predictors. We analyze prediction stability and robustness against head rotation during video sequences. Further, we investigate volume changes in static and dynamic facial expressions for 34 patients with unilateral facial palsy and visualize volumetric disparities on the face surface. In a case study, we observe a decrease in the volumetric difference between the face sides during happy expressions at the beginning (13.8 ± 10.0

$$\hbox {mm}^{3}$$

mm
3

) and end (12.8 ± 10.3

$$\hbox {mm}^{3}$$

mm
3

) of a ten-day biofeedback therapy. The neutral face kept a consistent volume range of 11.8

$$-$$

-

12.1

$$\hbox {mm}^3$$

mm
3

. The reduced volumetric difference after therapy indicates less facial asymmetry during movement, which can be used to monitor and guide treatment decisions. Our approach minimizes human intervention, simplifying the clinical routine and interaction with 3D scans to provide a more comprehensive analysis of facial palsy.