julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Taxon-specific variability of leaf traits in three long-ranging fossil-species of the Paleogene and Neogene: Responses to climate?
2021-01-01

Data of climate-sensitive leaf traits, which are usually collected and analyzed for entire fossil leaf assemblages, also include intraspecific responses to environmental conditions.Intraspecific correlations between climate and leaf traits represent plastic responses on the individual level as well as plasticity caused by genetic differences between disjunct populations of a species.Plasticity is taxon-specific, as documented by various studies on extant plants.Data on plasticity in fossil plants are, however, rare.In this study, the plasticity of climate-sensitive leaf traits of three long-ranging species, each covering an extended time interval from the late middle Eocene to the late Oligocene or to even the early Miocene, were tracked by using material from 16 sites located in Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.Selected taxa are Daphnogene cinnamomifolia, Eotrigonobalanus furcinervis and Platanus neptuni.Leaf size-related data (lamina size, length, width) as well as leaf shape-related data (centroid, length-to-width ratio and two parameters for "roundness") were considered.All three considered fossilspecies show various site-specific and significant differences for leaf size-related traits as well as for leaf shape-related traits.Data from allochthonous marine deposits show the highest plasticity, probably due to the accumulation of heterogeneous plant material from different growing sites.For the Oligocene and Miocene, the results are mostly consistent with palaeo-temperature data.This is particularly the case for "roundness" data, confirming the suitability of this trait as an indicator for climate.The high variability of various traits found for the Eocene is, however, difficult to attribute to temperature alone.Rather, the considerable variability of Eocene trait data may be explained by environmental instability during climate transition, such as changing precipitation patterns.
From radical to triradical thin film processes: the Blatter radical derivatives
2021-01-01

Thermal evaporation of (poly)radicals is possible. More than one radical site in a molecule makes it more reactive, narrowing the windows left for thin film evaporation, and favouring island formation rather than two-dimensional growth.
Ecosystem engineering in the Quaternary of the West Coast of South Africa
2021-01-01

Abstract Despite advances in our understanding of the geographic and temporal scope of the Paleolithic record, we know remarkably little about the evolutionary and ecological consequences of changes in human behavior. Recent inquiries suggest that human evolution reflects a long history of interconnections between the behavior of humans and their surrounding ecosystems (e.g., niche construction). Developing expectations to identify such phenomena is remarkably difficult because it requires understanding the multi‐generational impacts of changes in behavior. These long‐term dynamics require insights into the emergent phenomena that alter selective pressures over longer time periods which are not possible to observe, and are also not intuitive based on observations derived from ethnographic time scales. Generative models show promise for probing these potentially unexpected consequences of human‐environment interaction. Changes in the uses of landscapes may have long term implications for the environments that hominins occupied. We explore other potential proxies of behavior and examine how modeling may provide expectations for a variety of phenomena.
Cost-effectiveness of the cell-based quadrivalent versus the standard egg-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine in Germany
2021-01-01

The use of QIVc compared to QIVe, in the German Immunization Program, could significantly prevent outpatient visits and hospitalizations and would enable substantial savings from a societal perspective.
Needs-oriented communication results in positive attitudes towards robotic technologies among blue-collar workers perceiving low job demands
2021-01-01

In the times of digital change, ensuring that employees do not resist digital technologies, but are motivated to use them, is crucial for organizational success. Therefore, the purpose of this research is testing a communication strategy to improve the attitude towards new technology (i.e., increase technology enthusiasm and reduce technology-based job insecurity and resistance to change), namely with needs-oriented communication. This communication strategy conveys how a digital technology can satisfy the needs of the recipient and thus illustrates its benefits. The results from an experiment with N ​= ​137 blue-collar workers did not support the expectation that needs-oriented communication improves attitudes towards a robotic technology targeted in the communication among all workers. However, the results showed that needs-oriented communication increased technology enthusiasm among individuals currently perceiving low work demands (and thus felt capable of using the technology), but also increased technology-based job insecurity among workers with high task identity. In sum, these results indicate that needs-oriented communication can improve attitudes towards new technologies among workers with low perceived job demands. We discuss how the current findings can form the basis for further research and for practitioners’ strategies during the implementation of new technologies.
Understanding Public Sentiment About Educational Reforms: The Next Generation Science Standards on Twitter
2021-01-01

System-wide educational reforms are difficult to implement in the United States, but despite the difficulties, reforms can be successful, particularly when they are associated with broad public support. This study reports on the nature of the public sentiment expressed about a nationwide science education reform effort, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Through the use of data science techniques to measure the sentiment of posts on Twitter about the NGSS (N = 565,283), we found that public sentiment about the NGSS is positive, with only 11 negative posts for every 100 positive posts. In contrast to findings from past research and public opinion polling on the Common Core State Standards, sentiment about the NGSS has become more positive over time—and was especially positive for teachers. We discuss what this positive sentiment may indicate about the success of the NGSS in light of opposition to the Common Core State Standards.
Chitin, Chitin Oligosaccharide, and Chitin Disaccharide Metabolism of <b><i>Escherichia coli</i></b> Revisited: Reassignment of the Roles of ChiA, ChbR, ChbF, and ChbG
2021-01-01

&lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli&lt;/i&gt; is unable to grow on polymeric and oligomeric chitin, but grows on chitin disaccharide (GlcNAc-GlcNAc; &lt;i&gt;N,N&lt;/i&gt;′-diacetylchitobiose) and chitin trisaccharide (GlcNAc-GlcNAc-GlcNAc; &lt;i&gt;N,N&lt;/i&gt;′&lt;i&gt;,N&lt;/i&gt;′′-triacetylchitotriose) via expression of the &lt;i&gt;chb&lt;/i&gt; operon (&lt;i&gt;chbBCARFG&lt;/i&gt;). The phosphotransferase system (PTS) transporter ChbBCA facilitates transport of both saccharides across the inner membrane and their concomitant phosphorylation at the non-reducing end, intracellularly yielding GlcNAc 6-phosphate-GlcNAc (GlcNAc6P-GlcNAc) and GlcNAc6P-GlcNAc-GlcNAc, respectively. We revisited the intracellular catabolism of the PTS products, thereby correcting the reported functions of the 6-phospho-glycosidase ChbF, the monodeacetylase ChbG, and the transcriptional regulator ChbR. Intracellular accumulation of glucosamine 6P-GlcNAc (GlcN6P-GlcNAc) and GlcN6P-GlcNAc-GlcNAc in a &lt;i&gt;chbF&lt;/i&gt; mutant unraveled a role for ChbG as a monodeacetylase that removes the &lt;i&gt;N-&lt;/i&gt;acetyl group at the non-reducing end. Consequently, GlcN6P- but not GlcNAc6P-containing saccharides likely function as coactivators of ChbR. Furthermore, ChbF removed the GlcN6P from the non-reducing terminus of the former saccharides, thereby degrading the inducers of the &lt;i&gt;chb&lt;/i&gt; operon and facilitating growth on the saccharides. Consequently, ChbF was unable to hydrolyze GlcNAc6P-residues from the non-reducing end, contrary to previous assumptions but in agreement with structural modeling data and with the unusual catalytic mechanism of the family 4 of glycosidases, to which ChbF belongs. We also refuted the assumption that ChiA is a bifunctional endochitinase/lysozyme ChiA, and show that it is unable to degrade peptidoglycans but acts as a bona fide chitinase in vitro and in vivo, enabling growth of &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt; on chitin oligosaccharides when ectopically expressed. Overall, this study revises our understanding of the chitin, chitin oligosaccharide, and chitin disaccharide metabolism of &lt;i&gt;E. coli&lt;/i&gt;.
From characters to words: the turning point of BPE merges
2021-01-01

Ximena Gutierrez-Vasques, Christian Bentz, Olga Sozinova, Tanja Samardzic. Proceedings of the 16th Conference of the European Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics: Main Volume. 2021.
Learning Zero-Shot Multifaceted Visually Grounded Word Embeddings via Multi-Task Training
2021-01-01

Language grounding aims at linking the symbolic representation of language (e.g., words) into the rich perceptual knowledge of the outside world. The general approach is to embed both textual and visual information into a common space -the grounded space- confined by an explicit relationship. We argue that since concrete and abstract words are processed differently in the brain, such approaches sacrifice the abstract knowledge obtained from textual statistics in the process of acquiring perceptual information. The focus of this paper is to solve this issue by implicitly grounding the word embeddings. Rather than learning two mappings into a joint space, our approach integrates modalities by implicit alignment. This is achieved by learning a reversible mapping between the textual and the grounded space by means of multi-task training. Intrinsic and extrinsic evaluations show that our way of visual grounding is highly beneficial for both abstract and concrete words. Our embeddings are correlated with human judgments and outperform previous works using pretrained word embeddings on a wide range of benchmarks. Our grounded embeddings are publicly available here.
Simulating MADMAX in 3D: Requirements for dielectric axion haloscopes
2021-01-01

We present 3D calculations for dielectric haloscopes such as the currently envisioned MADMAX experiment. For ideal systems with perfectly flat, parallel and isotropic dielectric disks of finite diameter, we find that a geometrical form factor reduces the emitted power by up to 30 % compared to earlier 1D calculations. We derive the emitted beam shape, which is important for antenna design. We show that realistic dark matter axion velocities of 10-3 c and inhomogeneities of the external magnetic field at the scale of 10 % have negligible impact on the sensitivity of MADMAX. We investigate design requirements for which the emitted power changes by less than 20 % for a benchmark boost factor with a bandwidth of 50 MHz at 22 GHz, corresponding to an axion mass of 90 μ eV. We find that the maximum allowed disk tilt is 100 μ m divided by the disk diameter, the required disk planarity is 20 μ m (min-to-max) or better, and the maximum allowed surface roughness is 100 μ m (min-to-max). We show how using tiled dielectric disks glued together from multiple smaller patches can affect the beam shape and antenna coupling. © 2021 The Author(s).
Unraveling biogeochemical complexity through better integration of experiments and modeling
2021-01-01

A more ubiquitous use of process-based models will enhance the information gained from biogeochemical experimentation through both, a more rigorous interpretation of acquired data and the optimal design of future experiments.
A new reductant in gold cluster chemistry gives a superatomic gold gallium cluster
2021-01-01

The intermetalloid cluster [Au<sub>9</sub>GaCl<sub>2</sub>(PPh<sub>3</sub>)<sub>8</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>is obtained by using GaCp as a reducing agent in gold chemistry for the first time, being a rare exception in the borane-dominated field of reductants used for gold chemistry.
Multiple Routes to Control in the Prime-Target Task: Congruence Sequence Effects Emerge Due to Modulation of Irrelevant Prime Activity and Utilization of Temporal Order Information
2021-01-01

In interference tasks, the magnitude of the congruency effect is reduced in trials that follow an incongruent trial. This congruence sequence effect (CSE) reflects cognitive control processes, yet accounts disagree when and how control is exerted. Here, we address these questions in the context of the prime-target task. In this task, control can either modulate early prime or late target information. Furthermore, control can utilize information specific to the stimulus (perceptual features) or relational information between stimuli (temporal order). Two experiments (N = 41 | N = 62) were conducted using a prime-target task with arrows (prime) and letters (target). We presented either the prime before the target or the target before the prime. For both trial-type transitions, the CSE was assessed. Regarding the first question, when is control exerted, results showed a larger CSE for prime→target relative to target→prime trials. This suggests that control in the prime-target task modulates prime activity. Regarding the second question, how is control exerted, a combined analysis of both experiments showed a larger CSE for repetition of the same prime and target order across two trials (e.g., previous trial: prime→target; current trial: prime→target) compared to changes (e.g., previous trial: prime→target; current trial: target→prime), suggesting that control in the prime-target task can employ temporal selection.
(thf)2Ln(Ge9{Si(SiMe3)3}3)2 (Ln = Eu, Sm): the first coordination of metalloid germanium clusters to lanthanides
2021-01-01

The salt metathesis of (thf)<sub>2</sub>LnI<sub>2</sub> with two equivalents of KGe<sub>9</sub>Hyp<sub>3</sub> affords the first rare earth complexes of metalloid group 14 clusters [(thf)<sub>2</sub>Ln(Ge<sub>9</sub>Hyp<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>] (Ln = Eu, Sm) with novel bonding motives.
Strong rates of convergence for a space-time discretization of the backward stochastic heat equation, and of a linear-quadratic control problem for the stochastic heat equation
2021-01-01

We verify strong rates of convergence for a time-implicit, finite-element based space-time discretization of the backward stochastic heat equation, and the forward-backward stochastic heat equation from stochastic optimal control. The fully discrete version of the forward-backward stochastic heat equation is then used within a gradient descent algorithm to approximately solve the linear-quadratic control problem for the stochastic heat equation driven by additive noise. This work is thus giving a theoretical foundation for the computational findings in Dunst and Prohl, SIAM J. Sci. Comput. 38 (2016) A2725–A2755.
Amyloid Proteins in Plant-Associated Microbial Communities
2021-01-01

Amyloids have proven to be a widespread phenomenon rather than an exception. Many proteins presenting the hallmarks of this characteristic beta sheet-rich folding have been described to date. Particularly common are functional amyloids that play an important role in the promotion of survival and pathogenicity in prokaryotes. Here, we describe important developments in amyloid protein research that relate to microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions in the plant microbiome. Starting with biofilms, which are a broad strategy for bacterial persistence that is extremely important for plant colonization. Microbes rely on amyloid-based mechanisms to adhere and create a protective coating that shelters them from external stresses and promotes cooperation. Another strategy generally carried out by amyloids is the formation of hydrophobic surface layers. Known as hydrophobins, these proteins coat the aerial hyphae and spores of plant pathogenic fungi, as well as certain bacterial biofilms. They contribute to plant virulence through promoting dissemination and infectivity. Furthermore, antimicrobial activity is an interesting outcome of the amyloid structure that has potential application in medicine and agriculture. There are many known antimicrobial amyloids released by animals and plants; however, those produced by bacteria or fungi remain still largely unknown. Finally, we discuss amyloid proteins with a more indirect mode of action in their host interactions. These include virulence-promoting harpins, signaling transduction that functions through amyloid templating, and root nodule bacteria proteins that promote plant-microbe symbiosis. In summary, amyloids are an interesting paradigm for their many functional mechanisms linked to bacterial survival in plant-associated microbial communities.
COVID-19 Related Cardiovascular Comorbidities and Complications in Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
2021-01-01

Objective: This systematic-review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities and complications in ICU-admitted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Data sources: PubMed and Web of Science databases were referenced until November 25, 2020. Data extraction: We extracted retrospective and prospective observational studies on critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Only studies reporting on cardiovascular comorbidities and complications during ICU therapy were included. Data synthesis: We calculated the pooled prevalence by a random-effects model and determined heterogeneity by Higgins’ I 2 test. Results: Of the 6346 studies retrieved, 29 were included in this review. The most common cardiovascular comorbidity was arterial hypertension (50%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-058; I 2 = 94.8%, low quality of evidence). Among cardiovascular complications in the ICU, shock (of any course) was most common, being present in 39% of the patients (95% CI, 0.20-0.59; I 2 = 95.6%; 6 studies). Seventy-four percent of patients in the ICU required vasopressors to maintain target blood pressure (95% CI, 0.58-0.88; I 2 = 93.6%; 8 studies), and 30% of patients developed cardiac injury in the ICU (95% CI, 0.19-0.42; I 2 = 91%; 14 studies). Severe heterogeneity existed among the studies. Conclusions: Cardiovascular complications are common in patients admitted to the intensive care unit for COVID-19. However, the existing evidence is highly heterogeneous in terms of study design and outcome measurements. Thus, prospective, observational studies are needed to determine the impact of cardiovascular complications on patient outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
On The Verge of the Hybrid Mind
2021-01-01

Recent advances in neurotechnology allow for an increasingly tight integration of the human brain and mind with artificial cognitive systems, blending persons with technologies and creating an assemblage that we call a hybrid mind. In some ways the mind has always been a hybrid, emerging from the interaction of biology, culture (including technological artifacts) and the natural environment. However, with the emergence of neurotechnologies enabling bidirectional flows of information between the brain and AI-enabled devices, integrated into mutually adaptive assemblages, we have arrived at a point where the specific examination of this new instantiation of the hybrid mind is essential. Among the critical questions raised by this development are the effects of these devices on the user’s perception of the self, and on the user’s experience of their own mental contents. Questions arise related to the boundaries of the mind and body and whether the hardware and software that are functionally integrated with the body and mind are to be viewed as parts of the person or separate artifacts subject to different legal treatment. Other questions relate to how to attribute responsibility for actions taken as a result of the operations of a hybrid mind, as well as how to settle questions of the privacy and security of information generated and retained within a hybrid mind.
Longitudinal Reproducibility of CO<sub>2</sub>-Triggered BOLD MRI for the Hemodynamic Evaluation of Adult Patients with Moyamoya Angiopathy
2021-01-01

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background and Purpose:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Hemodynamic evaluation of moyamoya patients is crucial to decide the treatment strategy. Recently, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-triggered BOLD MRI has been shown to be a promising tool for the hemodynamic evaluation of moyamoya patients. However, the longitudinal reliability of this technique in follow-up examinations is unknown. This study aims to analyze longitudinal follow-up data of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-triggered BOLD MRI to prove the reliability of this technique for long-term control examinations in moyamoya patients. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Longitudinal CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; BOLD MRI follow-up examinations of moyamoya patients with and without surgical revascularization have been analyzed for all 6 vascular territories retrospectively. If revascularization was performed, any directly (by the disease or the bypass) or indirectly (due to change of collateral flow after revascularization) affected territory was excluded based on angiography findings (group 1). In patients without surgical revascularization between the MRI examinations, all territories were analyzed (group 2). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Eighteen moyamoya patients with 39 CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; BOLD MRI examinations fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median follow-up between the 2 examinations was 12 months (range 4–29 months). For 106 vascular territories analyzed in group 1, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.784, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.001, and for group 2 (84 territories), it was 0.899, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.001. Within the total follow-up duration of 140 patient months, none of the patients experienced a new stroke. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; BOLD MRI is a promising tool for mid- and long-term follow-up examinations of cerebral hemodynamics in moyamoya patients. Systematic prospective evaluation is required prior to making it a routine examination.