ALBERT

Description: To what extent does language shape how we think about the world? Studies suggest that linguistic symbols expressing conceptual categories (‘apple’, ‘squirrel’) make us focus on categorical information (e.g. that you saw a squirrel) and disregard individual information (e.g. whether that squirrel had a long or short tail). Across two experiments with preverbal infants, we demonstrated that it is not language but nonverbal category knowledge that determines what information is packed into object representations. Twelve-month-olds ( N = 48) participated in an electroencephalography (EEG) change-detection task involving objects undergoing a brief occlusion. When viewing objects from unfamiliar categories, infants detected both across- and within-category changes, as evidenced by their negative central wave (Nc) event-related potential. Conversely, when viewing objects from familiar categories, they did not respond to within-category changes, which indicates that nonverbal category knowledge interfered with the representation of individual surface features necessary to detect such changes. Furthermore, distinct patterns of γ and α oscillations between familiar and unfamiliar categories were evident before and during occlusion, suggesting that categorization had an influence on the format of recruited object representations. Thus, we show that nonverbal category knowledge has rapid and enduring effects on object representation and discuss their functional significance for generic knowledge acquisition in the absence of language.

Description: Soil samples from several European countries were scanned using medical computer tomography (CT) device and are now available as CT images. The analysis of these samples was carried out using deep learning methods. For this purpose, a VGG16 network was trained with the CT images (X). For the annotation (y) a new method for automated annotation, ‘surrogate’ learning, was introduced. The generated neural networks (NNs) were subjected to a detailed analysis. Among other things, transfer learning was used to check whether the NN can also be trained to other y-values. Visually, the NN was verified using a gradient-based class activation mapping (grad-CAM) algorithm. These analyses showed that the NN was able to generalize, i.e. to capture the spatial structure of the soil sample. Possible applications of the models are discussed.

Description: A facile method to produce few-layer graphene (FLG) nanosheets is developed using protein-assisted mechanical exfoliation. The predominant shear forces that are generated in a planetary ball mill facilitate the exfoliation of graphene layers from graphite flakes. The process employs a commonly known protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), which not only acts as an effective exfoliation agent but also provides stability by preventing restacking of the graphene layers. The latter is demonstrated by the excellent long-term dispersibility of exfoliated graphene in an aqueous BSA solution, which exemplifies a common biological medium. The development of such potentially scalable and toxin-free methods is critical for producing cost-effective biocompatible graphene, enabling numerous possible biomedical and biological applications. A methodical study was performed to identify the effect of time and varying concentrations of BSA towards graphene exfoliation. The fabricated product has been characterized using Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The BSA-FLG dispersion was then placed in media containing Astrocyte cells to check for cytotoxicity. It was found that lower concentrations of BSA-FLG dispersion had only minute cytotoxic effects on the Astrocyte cells.

Description: Liquid-assisted mechanochemistry as a versatile approach for the coupling of a nucleoside phosphoramidite with a 5′-OH partially protected nucleoside has been investigated. Noted advantages over reported methods were a simplified reaction protocol, a drastic reduction in the use of toxic solvents, the facilitation of mechanochemical reactions through the improved mixing of solid reagents, and low hydrolytic product formation.

Description: To lay a theoretical basis for the preparation of peanut protein-based adhesives and promote the sustainable development of the adhesive industry, properties of peanut protein isolate (PPI), arachin and conarachin-based adhesives modified by urea and epichlorohydrin (ECH) were investigated under different urea concentrations. When the urea concentration was 2 mol l −1 , the wet shear strength of the PPI-based adhesive was 1.24 MPa with the best water resistance. With the increase of urea concentration from 0 to 4 mol l −1 , the apparent viscosity of the PPI-based adhesive increased from 3.87 to 136.80 Pa s and the solid content increased from 18.11% to 31.11%. Compared with conarachin-based adhesive, the properties of arachin-based adhesive were improved more obviously during the combined modification. Scanning electron microscopy images illustrated that when the urea concentration was 2 mol l −1 , the surface of the PPI-based adhesive was more compact and smoother, which was beneficial to the improvement of water resistance and related to the structure changes of arachin and conarachin components. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results indicated that different urea concentrations caused the change of ester and ether bonds in the PPI-based adhesive, which was mainly related to arachin component. Thermogravimetry results suggested that when the urea concentration was 2 mol l −1 , the decomposition temperature of protein skeleton in the PPI-based adhesive reached a maximum of 314°C exhibiting the highest thermal stability. The improvement of the thermal stability of conarachin was greater than that of arachin during the combined modification.

Description: Automatic video tracking has become a standard tool for investigating the social behaviour of insects. The recent integration of computer vision in tracking technologies will probably lead to fully automated behavioural pattern classification within the next few years. However, many current systems rely on offline data analysis and use computationally expensive techniques to track pre-recorded videos. To address this gap, we developed BACH (Behaviour Analysis maCHine), a software that performs video tracking of insect groups in real time. BACH uses object recognition via convolutional neural networks and identifies individually tagged insects via an existing matrix code recognition algorithm. We compared the tracking performances of BACH and a human observer (HO) across a series of short videos of ants moving in a two-dimensional arena. We found that BACH detected ant shapes only slightly worse than the HO. However, its matrix code-mediated identification of individual ants only attained human-comparable levels when ants moved relatively slowly, and fell when ants walked relatively fast. This happened because BACH had a relatively low efficiency in detecting matrix codes in blurry images of ants walking at high speeds. BACH needs to undergo hardware and software adjustments to overcome its present limits. Nevertheless, our study emphasizes the possibility of, and the need for, further integrating real-time data analysis into the study of animal behaviour. This will accelerate data generation, visualization and sharing, opening possibilities for conducting fully remote collaborative experiments.

Description: We use a spatial epidemic model with demographic and geographical heterogeneity to study the regional dynamics of COVID-19 across 133 regions in England. Our model emphasizes the role of variability of regional outcomes and heterogeneity across age groups and geographical locations, and provides a framework for assessing the impact of policies targeted towards subpopulations or regions. We define a concept of efficiency for comparative analysis of epidemic control policies and show targeted mitigation policies based on local monitoring to be more efficient than country-level or non-targeted measures. In particular, our results emphasize the importance of shielding vulnerable subpopulations and show that targeted policies based on local monitoring can considerably lower fatality forecasts and, in many cases, prevent the emergence of second waves which may occur under centralized policies.

Description: The influence of electron-beam irradiation on polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated with a focus on crystallization. A high-temperature (200°C) creep test revealed that the HDPE gradually increased cross-linking density in the range 30–120 kGy, while the PP underwent a chain scission which was quantitatively evaluated by gel permeation chromatography. The mechanical properties were measured in the range -150 to 200°C by a dynamic mechanical analysis. A small presence of C=C and C=O bonds was found in the irradiated PP by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Crystallization kinetics measured by differential scanning calorimetry and hot-stage optical microscopy results were influenced tremendously by irradiation for HDPE and to a lesser extent for PP. Irradiation caused a decrease in both the number of nucleation centres and the growth rate of individual spherulites. Crystallization was analysed in detail with the help of Hoffman–Lauritzen, Avrami and Arrhenius equations. Interestingly an increasing β -crystal formation with an increasing irradiation level was discovered for PP by X-ray diffraction. A generation of defects in the crystalline structure owing to irradiation was discussed.

Description: This paper studies the evolution and control of surrounding rock under different pressure relief support conditions in mine roadways in which rockburst events have occurred. The evolution of fractures in the surrounding rock was determined from borehole images obtained with a digital panoramic borehole camera, and the surface displacement due to the rockburst events in the mine roadway was measured. According to the existing problems of the original support system of the roadway, a new coupled support system to prevent rockburst events in mine roadways was proposed, resolving both the pressure relief and support of the roadway. Field measurements indicate that the effect on the roadway under the coupled method of pressure relief and support was more satisfactory than that under the original support system. With the coupled support method, the surface displacement of the roadway was approximately 0.6 m, fractures were distributed only in the soft structures and bolt anchorage areas, and the maximum depth of the fractures was 2.95 m. By contrast, under the original support system, fractures were distributed throughout the roadway surrounding rock, and the maximum depth of fractures was 6.75 m. This coupled roadway support technology of pressure relief and support effectively maintains the stability of the rock surrounding the roadway and ensures the safety of the working face. The research results can provide a reference for damage prevention and support of mine roadways prone to rockburst events.

Description: An initial set of interventions, including the closure of host and hostess clubs and voluntary limitation of non-household contact, probably greatly contributed to reducing the disease incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Japan, but this approach must eventually be replaced by a more sustainable strategy. To characterize such a possible exit strategy from the restrictive guidelines, we quantified the next-generation matrix, accounting for high- and low-risk transmission settings. This matrix was used to project the future incidence in Tokyo and Osaka after the state of emergency is lifted, presenting multiple ‘post-emergency’ scenarios with different levels of restriction. The effective reproduction numbers ( R ) for the increasing phase, the transition phase and the state-of-emergency phase in the first wave of the disease were estimated as 1.78 (95% credible interval (CrI): 1.73–1.82), 0.74 (95% CrI: 0.71–0.78) and 0.63 (95% CrI: 0.61–0.65), respectively, in Tokyo and as 1.58 (95% CrI: 1.51–1.64), 1.20 (95% CrI: 1.15–1.25) and 0.48 (95% CrI: 0.44–0.51), respectively, in Osaka. Projections showed that a 50% decrease in the high-risk transmission is required to keep R less than 1 in both locations—a level necessary to maintain control of the epidemic and minimize the risk of resurgence.

Description: An emulsification liquid–liquid microextraction (ELLME) method was successfully developed using phenolic-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) as an extraction solvent for the determination of phenoxy acid herbicides, 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba) and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) in environmental water samples. Five different phenolics-based DESs were successfully synthesized by using phenol (DES 1), 2-chlorophenol (DES 2), 3-chlorophenol (DES 3), 4-chlorophenol (DES 4) and 3,4-dichlorophenol (DES 6) as the hydrogen-bond donor (HBD) and choline chloride as the hydrogen-bond acceptor (HBA). The DESs were mixed at 1 : 2 ratio. A homogeneous solution (clear solution) was observed upon the completion of successful synthesis. The synthesized DESs were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Under optimum ELLME conditions (50 µl of DES 2 as extraction solvent; 100 µl of THF as emulsifier solvent; pH 2; extraction time 5 min), enrichment factor obtained for dicamba and MCPA were 43.1 and 59.7, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantification obtained for dicamba were 1.66 and 5.03 µg l −1 , respectively, meanwhile for MCPA were 1.69 and 5.12 µg l −1 , respectively. The developed ELLME-DES method was applied on paddy field water samples, with extraction recoveries in the range of 79–91% for dicamba and 82–96% for MCPA.

Description: Current attempts at methodological reform in sciences come in response to an overall lack of rigor in methodological and scientific practices in experimental sciences. However, most methodological reform attempts suffer from similar mistakes and over-generalizations to the ones they aim to address. We argue that this can be attributed in part to lack of formalism and first principles. Considering the costs of allowing false claims to become canonized, we argue for formal statistical rigor and scientific nuance in methodological reform. To attain this rigor and nuance, we propose a five-step formal approach for solving methodological problems. To illustrate the use and benefits of such formalism, we present a formal statistical analysis of three popular claims in the metascientific literature: (i) that reproducibility is the cornerstone of science; (ii) that data must not be used twice in any analysis; and (iii) that exploratory projects imply poor statistical practice. We show how our formal approach can inform and shape debates about such methodological claims.

Description: Binding behaviours between cyclopentanocucurbit[6]uril (CyP 6 Q[6]) and three amino acids have been investigated by means of X-ray crystallography, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. The results showed that CyP 6 Q[6] forms a 1 : 2 inclusion complex with glycine, but 1 : 1 complexes with both leucine and lysine. Whereas the carboxyl group of glycine can enter the interior of the cavity of CyP 6 Q[6], only the alkyl chains of leucine and lysine can enter this cavity. Interestingly, leucine can adopt two different self-assembly modes upon its interaction with cucurbituril, depending on the external conditions, whereas glycine and lysine do not exhibit such behaviour.

Description: Despite the low chance of a person being bitten by a shark, there are serious associated costs. Electronic deterrents are currently the only types of personal deterrent with empirical evidence of a substantial reduction in the probability of being bitten by a shark. We aimed to predict the number of people who could potentially avoid being bitten by sharks in Australia if they wear personal electronic deterrents. We used the Australian Shark Attack File from 1900 to 2020 to develop sinusoidal time-series models of per capita incidents, and then stochastically projected these to 2066. We predicted that up to 1063 people (range: 185–2118) could potentially avoid being bitten across Australia by 2066 if all people used the devices. Avoiding death and injury of people over the next half-century is of course highly desirable, especially when considering the additional costs associated with the loss of recreational, commercial and tourism revenue potentially in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars following clusters of shark-bite events.

Description: The macropodine kangaroo, Wallabia kitcheneri , was first described in 1989 from a Pleistocene deposit within Mammoth Cave, southwestern Australia, on the basis of a few partial dentaries and maxilla fragments. Here, we recognize W. kitcheneri within the Pleistocene assemblages of the Thylacoleo Caves, south-central Australia, where it is represented by several cranial specimens and two near-complete skeletons, a probable male and female. We reallocate this species to the hitherto monotypic genus Congruus . Congruus kitcheneri differs from all other macropodid species by having a highly unusual pocket within the wall of the nasal cavity. It is distinguished from C. congruus by having a longer, narrower rostrum, a taller occiput and a deeper jugal. Congruus is closest to Protemnodon in overall cranial morphology but is smaller and less robust. In most postcranial attributes, Congruus also resembles Protemnodon , including general limb robustness and the atypical ratio of 14 thoracic to five lumbar vertebrae. It is distinguished by the high mobility of its glenohumeral joints, the development of muscle attachment sites for strong adduction and mobility of the forelimb, and large, robust manual and pedal digits with strongly recurved distal phalanges. These adaptations resemble those of tree-kangaroos more than ground-dwelling macropodines. We interpret this to imply that C. kitcheneri was semiarboreal, with a propensity to climb and move slowly through trees. This is the first evidence for the secondary adoption of a climbing habit within crown macropodines.

Description: Soil ecosystem service (SES) approaches evidence the importance of soil for human well-being, contribute to improving dialogue between science and decision-making and encourage the translation of scientific results into public policies. Herein, through systematic review, we assess the state of the art of SES approaches in tropical regions. Through this review, 41 publications were identified; while most of these studies considered SES, a lack of a consistent framework to define SES was apparent. Most studies measured soil natural capital and processes, while only three studies undertook monetary valuation. Although the number of publications increased (from 1 to 41), between 2001 and 2019, the total number of publications for tropical regions is still small. Countries with the largest number of publications were Brazil ( n = 8), Colombia ( n = 6) and Mexico ( n = 4). This observation emphasizes an important knowledge gap pertaining to SES approaches and their link to tropical regions. With global momentum behind SES approaches, there is an opportunity to integrate SES approaches into policy and practice in tropical regions. The use of SES evaluation tools in tropical regions could transform how land use decisions are informed, mitigating soil degradation and protecting the ecosystems that soil underpins.

Description: Predation risk for animal migrants can be impacted by physical condition. Although size- or condition-based selection is often observed, observing infection-based predation is rare due to the difficulties in assessing infectious agents in predated samples. We examined predation of outmigrating sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) smolts by bull trout ( Salvelinus confluentus ) in south-central British Columbia, Canada. We used a high-throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) platform to screen for the presence of 17 infectious agents found in salmon and assess 14 host genes associated with viral responses. In one (2014) of the two years assessed (2014 and 2015), the presence of infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNv) resulted in 15–26 times greater chance of predation; in 2015 IHNv was absent among all samples, predated or not. Thus, we provide further evidence that infection can impact predation risk in migrants. Some smolts with high IHNv loads also exhibited gene expression profiles consistent with a virus-induced disease state. Nine other infectious agents were observed between the two years, none of which were associated with increased selection by bull trout. In 2014, richness of infectious agents was also associated with greater predation risk. This is a rare demonstration of predator consumption resulting in selection for prey that carry infectious agents. The mechanism by which this selection occurs is not yet determined. By culling infectious agents from migrant populations, fish predators could provide an ecological benefit to prey.

Description: We use an individual-level transmission and contact simulation model to explore the effectiveness and resource requirements of various test-trace-isolate (TTI) strategies for reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the UK, in the context of different scenarios with varying levels of stringency of non-pharmaceutical interventions. Based on modelling results, we show that self-isolation of symptomatic individuals and quarantine of their household contacts has a substantial impact on the number of new infections generated by each primary case. We further show that adding contact tracing of non-household contacts of confirmed cases to this broader package of interventions reduces the number of new infections otherwise generated by 5–15%. We also explore impact of key factors, such as tracing application adoption and testing delay, on overall effectiveness of TTI.

Description: Biodegradable nanoparticles have been well studied as biocompatible delivery systems. Nanoparticles of less than 200 nm in size can facilitate the passive targeting of drugs to tumour tissues and their accumulation therein via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Recent studies have focused on stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems (DDS) for improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy; for example, pH-sensitive DDS depend on the weakly acidic and neutral extracellular pH of tumour and normal tissues, respectively. In our previous work, core–shell nanoparticles composed of the biodegradable polymer poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and the widely used inorganic biomaterial hydroxyapatite (HAp, which exhibits pH sensitivity) were prepared using a surfactant-free method. These PLA/HAp core–shell nanoparticles could load 750 wt% of a hydrophobic model drug. In this work, the properties of the PLA/HAp core–shell nanoparticles loaded with the anti-cancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) were thoroughly investigated in vitro . Because the PTX-containing nanoparticles were approximately 80 nm in size, they can be expected to facilitate efficient drug delivery via the EPR effect. The core–shell nanoparticles were cytotoxic towards cancer cells (4T1). This was due to the pH sensitivity of the HAp shell, which is stable in neutral conditions and dissolves in acidic conditions. The cytotoxic activity of the PTX-loaded nanoparticles was sustained for up to 48 h, which was suitable for tumour growth inhibition. These results suggest that the core–shell nanoparticles can be suitable drug carriers for various water-insoluble drugs.

Description: Face masks present a new challenge to face identification (here matching) and emotion recognition in Western cultures. Here, we present the results of three experiments that test the effect of masks, and also the effect of sunglasses (an occlusion that individuals tend to have more experienced with) on (i) familiar face matching, (ii) unfamiliar face matching and (iii) emotion categorization. Occlusion reduced accuracy in all three tasks, with most errors in the mask condition; however, there was little difference in performance for faces in masks compared with faces in sunglasses. Super-recognizers, people who are highly skilled at matching unconcealed faces, were impaired by occlusion, but at the group level, performed with higher accuracy than controls on all tasks. Results inform psychology theory with implications for everyday interactions, security and policing in a mask-wearing society.

Description: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been regarded as a biopesticide with high efficiency and safety, while it still cannot be popularized and mass-produced because of its high production costs. In the present study, we aimed to develop a cost-effective biopesticide via the secondary use of discharged vegetable wastes as the raw fermentation medium, and the insecticidal activity of Bt strain prepared by this cheap cultivation approach was evaluated. The suitable carbon source, nitrogen source additives and optimal metal ions were screened by the single-factor test, and the optimal combination of additives was determined by orthogonal test and ANOVA analysis. We found that soluble starch (6 g l −1 ), soya bean meal (6 g l −1 ), Al 3+ (0.4 g l −1 ) and Fe 2+ (0.4 g l −1 ) were the optimal exogenous additives, and the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: pH 7.0, temperature of 35°C and aeration of 80 ml/250 ml. Meanwhile, the bioactivity test results showed that the Bt strain prepared by cheap cultivation still exhibited a good insecticidal effect on Helicoverpa armigera compared with the standard LB medium. Collectively, our findings provided a new strategy for vegetable waste utilization with less environmental impact and reduced production cost.

Description: Previous studies have shown that repeated influenza vaccination can enhance susceptibility to subsequent infection with a drifted influenza virus strain. This paper seeks to further understanding of the interactions between influenza viruses and specific immune cells that accompany this phenomenon. The paper argues that repeated vaccination increases susceptibility to infection only in the context of a residual immunity induced by prior vaccination or infection. The results of computational analysis indicate that this is a dynamic consequence of interactions between vaccines, influenza viruses and specific immune cells. In particular, mathematical modelling was used to show that in the presence of residual immunity conferred by a vaccine administered in Canada in the 2013–2014 influenza season, the 2014–2015 season vaccine enhanced susceptibility to infection. Such infection enhancement occurs when the 2014–2015 vaccine boosts suppressive T-regulatory cells induced by the 2013–2014 vaccine, decreasing the strength of antibody responses to the infecting strain. Overall, the study suggests probable characteristics of infecting viruses and vaccines that make repeated influenza infections and vaccinations detrimental.

Description: In the process of electrodeposition, the magnetic field would generate the magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) effect, which affects the flow and mass transfer of hydrogen evolution. Thus, the performance of electrodeposition coatings will be affected. In this work, Ni/nano-Al 2 O 3 coatings prepared by brush plating with magnetic fields were studied. The results show that the magnetic field indeed influences the morphology, texture and wears resistance. The morphology of Ni/Al 2 O 3 coating is smooth and uniform; the (200) plane of Ni/Al 2 O 3 coating is preferentially oriented in the same direction of a magnetic field; the wear resistance of Ni/Al 2 O 3 composite coatings increases due to the uniform distribution of Al 2 O 3 particles; and the wear mechanism of coating belongs to adhesive wear. The optimal intensity of magnetic field for Ni/Al 2 O 3 composite coatings to obtain a good performance is 0.1 T.

Description: Angiogenesis is a crucial step in tissue regeneration and repair. Biomaterials that allow or promote angiogenesis are thus beneficial. In this study, angiogenic properties of salt-leached silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds seeded with human adipose stem cells (hADSCs) were studied using chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as a model. The hADSC-seeded SF scaffolds (SF-hADSC) with the porosity of 77.34 ± 6.96% and the pore diameter of 513.95 ± 4.99 µm were implanted on the CAM of chick embryos that were on an embryonic day 8 (E8) of development. The SF-hADSC scaffolds induced a spoke-wheel pattern of capillary network indicative of angiogenesis, which was evident since E11. Moreover, the ingrowth of blood vessels into the scaffolds was seen in histological sections. The unseeded scaffolds induced the same extent of angiogenesis later on E14. By contrast, the control group could not induce the same extent of angiogenesis. In vitro cytotoxicity tests and in vivo angioirritative study reaffirmed the biocompatibility of the scaffolds. This work highlighted that the biocompatible SF-hADSC scaffolds accelerate angiogenesis, and hence they can be a promising biomaterial for the regeneration of tissues that require angiogenesis.

Description: We studied the effect of gold quantum dots (AuQDs)/grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance (GC-SPR) in inverted organic solar cells (OSCs). AuQDs are located within a GC-SPR evanescent field in inverted OSCs, indicating an interaction between GC-SPR and AuQDs' quantum effects, subsequently giving rise to improvement in the performance of inverted OSCs. The fabricated solar cell device comprises an ITO/TiO 2 /P3HT : PCBM/PEDOT : PSS : AuQD/silver grating structure. The AuQDs were loaded into a hole transport layer (PEDOT : PSS) of the inverted OSCs to increase absorption in the near-ultraviolet (UV) light region and to emit visible light into the neighbouring photoactive layer, thereby achieving light-harvesting improvement of the device. The grating structures were fabricated on P3HT:PCBM layers using a nanoimprinting technique to induce GC-SPR within the inverted OSCs. The AuQDs incorporated within the strongly enhanced GC-SPR evanescent electric field on metallic nanostructures in the inverted OSCs improved the short-circuit current and the efficiency of photovoltaic devices. In comparison with the reference OSC and OSCs with only green AuQDs or only metallic grating, the developed device indicates enhancement of up to 16% power conversion efficiency. This indicates that our light management approach allows for greater light utilization of the OSCs because of the synergistic effect of G-AuQDs and GC-SPR.

Description: In this study, a novel antibacterial hemp fibre grafted with quaternary ammonium groups (HF–GTA), were prepared by alkalization, oxidation, amination and quaternization multistage reactions. The chemical structure and micromorphology of the fibre were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. The grafting and reaction mechanism proved to be successful, which indicated that the grafting reaction primarily occurred on the hydroxyl group of cellulose and hemicellulose in the hemp fibre, where it retained good fibrous morphology, thermal stability and hygroscopicity. HF–GTA exhibited the best antibacterial activity, where the antibacterial ratios against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 95.41% and 99.64%, respectively. Even after washing 30 times, the antibacterial activity was retained at 89.78% and 91.12%, indicating that HF–GTA was endowed with good washing resistance. The antibacterial activity was owing to the electrostatic reaction reducing the electrochemical potential on the cell membrane, leading to the release of cytoplasmic substances and the dissolution of cells. This study is significantly important for guaranteeing textile quality and preventing disease transmission.

Description: Background: The effect of external lateral stabilization on medio-lateral gait stability has been investigated previously. However, existing lateral stabilization devices not only constrain lateral motions but also transverse and frontal pelvis rotations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of external lateral stabilization with and without constrained transverse pelvis rotation on mechanical and metabolic gait features. Methods: We undertook two experiments with 11 and 10 young adult subjects, respectively. Kinematic, kinetic and breath-by-breath oxygen consumption data were recorded during three walking conditions (normal walking (Normal), lateral stabilization with (Free) and without transverse pelvis rotation (Restricted)) and at three speeds (0.83, 1.25 and 1.66 m s −1 ) for each condition. In the second experiment, we reduced the weight of the frame, and allowed for longer habituation time to the stabilized conditions. Results: External lateral stabilization significantly reduced the amplitudes of the transverse and frontal pelvis rotations, in addition to medio-lateral, anterior–posterior, and vertical pelvis displacements, transverse thorax rotation, arm swing, step length and step width. The amplitudes of free vertical moment, anterior–posterior drift over a trial, and energy cost were not significantly influenced by external lateral stabilization. The removal of pelvic rotation restrictions by our experimental set-ups resulted in normal frontal pelvis rotation in Experiment 1 and significantly higher transverse pelvis rotation in Experiment 2, although transverse pelvis rotation still remained significantly less than in the Normal condition. Step length increased with the increased transverse pelvis rotation. Conclusion: Existing lateral stabilization set-ups not only constrain medio-lateral motions (i.e. medio-lateral pelvis displacement) but also constrain other movements such as transverse and frontal pelvis rotations, which leads to several other gait changes such as reduced transverse thorax rotation, and arm swing. Our new set-ups allowed for normal frontal pelvis rotation and more transverse pelvis rotation (yet less than normal). However, this did not result in more normal thorax rotation and arm swing. Hence, to provide medio-lateral support without constraining other gait variables, more elaborate set-ups are needed.

Description: The deep oceans of the Southern Hemisphere are home to several elusive and poorly studied marine megafauna. In the absence of robust observational data for these species, genetic data can aid inferences on population connectivity, demography and ecology. A previous investigation of genetic diversity and population structure in Gray's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon grayi ) from Western Australia and New Zealand found high levels of mtDNA diversity, no geographic structure and stable demographic history. To further investigate phylogeographic and demographic patterns across their range, we generated complete mitochondrial and partial nuclear genomes of 16 of the individuals previously analysed and included additional samples from South Africa ( n = 2) and South Australia ( n = 4), greatly expanding the spatial range of genomic data for the species. Gray's beaked whales are highly elusive and rarely observed, and our data represents a unique and geographically broad dataset. We find relatively high levels of diversity in the mitochondrial genome, despite an absence of population structure at the mitochondrial and nuclear level. Demographic analyses suggest these whales existed at stable levels over at least the past 1.1 million years, with an approximately twofold increase in female effective population size approximately 250 thousand years ago, coinciding with a period of increased Southern Ocean productivity, sea surface temperature and a potential expansion of suitable habitat. Our results suggest that Gray's beaked whales are likely to be resilient to near-future ecosystem changes, facilitating their conservation. Our study demonstrates the utility of low-effort shotgun sequencing in providing ecological information on highly elusive species.

Description: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are interesting compounds owing to their ability to kill several pathogens. In order to identify new AMPs, c-PLAI analogues were synthesized and evaluated together with their linear precursors for their antimicrobial properties against two Gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus ), two Gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae ), and two fungal strains ( Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes ). The new c-PLAI analogues were prepared through a combination of solid- and solution-phase syntheses, as previously employed for the synthesis of c-PLAI. The antimicrobial activity tests showed that the synthetic parent peptide c-PLAI was inactive or weakly active towards the bioindicators employed in the assay. The tests also indicated that cyclic c-PLAI analogues possessed enhanced antimicrobial properties against most of the bacteria and fungi tested. Furthermore, this study revealed that analogues containing cationic lysine residues displayed the highest activity towards most bioindicators. A combination of lysine and aromatic residues yielded analogues with broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Description: Development of strategies for mitigating the severity of COVID-19 is now a top public health priority. We sought to assess strategies for mitigating the COVID-19 outbreak in a hospital setting via the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions. We developed an individual-based model for COVID-19 transmission in a hospital setting. We calibrated the model using data of a COVID-19 outbreak in a hospital unit in Wuhan. The calibrated model was used to simulate different intervention scenarios and estimate the impact of different interventions on outbreak size and workday loss. The use of high-efficacy facial masks was shown to be able to reduce infection cases and workday loss by 80% (90% credible interval (CrI): 73.1–85.7%) and 87% (CrI: 80.0–92.5%), respectively. The use of social distancing alone, through reduced contacts between healthcare workers, had a marginal impact on the outbreak. Our results also indicated that a quarantine policy should be coupled with other interventions to achieve its effect. The effectiveness of all these interventions was shown to increase with their early implementation. Our analysis shows that a COVID-19 outbreak in a hospital's non-COVID-19 unit can be controlled or mitigated by the use of existing non-pharmaceutical measures.

Description: Climate change and global warming have been two massive concerns for the scientific community during the last few decades. Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) have greatly amplified the level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere which results in the gradual heating of the atmosphere. The precise measurement and reliable quantification of GHGs emission in the environment are of the utmost priority for the study of climate change. The detection of GHGs such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone is the first and foremost step in finding the solution to manage and reduce the concentration of these gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The nanostructured metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) based technologies for sensing GHGs emission have been found most reliable and accurate. Owing to their fascinating structural and morphological properties metal oxide semiconductors become an important class of materials for GHGs emission sensing technology. In this review article, the current concentration of GHGs in the Earth's environment, dominant sources of anthropogenic emissions of these gases and consequently their possible impacts on human life have been described briefly. Further, the different available technologies for GHG sensors along with their principle of operation have been largely discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of each sensor technology have also been highlighted. In particular, this article presents a comprehensive study on the development of various NMOS-based GHGs sensors and their performance analysis in order to establish a strong detection technology for the anthropogenic GHGs. In the last, the scope for improved sensitivity, selectivity and response time for these sensors, their future trends and outlook for researchers are suggested in the conclusion of this article.

Description: In this study, a unique magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) adsorbent towards bisphenol A (BPA) as a template molecule was developed by bulk polymerization using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a co-monomer with methacrylic acid (MAA) to form MMIP MAA–βCD as a new adsorbent. β-CD was hybridized with MAA to obtain water-compactible imprinting sites for the effective removal of BPA from aqueous samples. Benzoyl peroxide and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate were used as the initiator and cross-linker, respectively. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and X-ray diffraction. 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to characterize the MAA–βCD and BPA–MAA–βCD complex. Several parameters influencing the adsorption efficiency of BPA such as adsorbent dosage, pH of sample solution, contact time, initial concentrations and temperature as well as selectivity and reusability study have been evaluated. MMIP MAA–βCD showed significantly higher removal efficiency and selective binding capacity towards BPA compared to MMIP MAA owing to its unique morphology with the presence of β-CD. The kinetics data can be well described by the pseudo second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm and Halsey models best fitted the isotherm data. The thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and exothermic process. Therefore, MMIP based on the hybrid monomer of MAA–βCD shows good potential of a new monomer in molecularly imprinted polymer preparation and can be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of BPA from aqueous solutions.

Description: Cultured Senegalese sole ( Solea senegalensis ) breeders fail to spawn fertilized eggs. The implantation of large-scale in vitro fertilization protocols, to solve this problem, has been frustrated by low production of poor quality sperm. Cultured females were induced to ovulate with a 5 µg kg −1 single injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and viable eggs (82.6 ± 9.2% fertilization) were stripped 41:57 ± 1:46 h after the injection. Sperm was collected from cultured males, diluted in modified Leibovitz and used fresh to fertilize the eggs. Males were not treated with hormones. A nonlinear regression, an exponential rise to a maximum ( R = 0.93, p 〈 0.0001) described the number of motile spermatozoa required to fertilize a viable egg and 1617 motile spermatozoa were sufficient to fertilize 99 ± 12% (±95% CI) of viable eggs. Similar, spermatozoa egg −1 ratios of 592 ± 611 motile spermatozoa egg −1 were used in large-scale in vitro fertilizations (190 512 ± 38 471 eggs). The sperm from a single male (145 ± 50 µl or 8.0 ± 6.8 × 10 8 spermatozoa) was used to fertilize the eggs. The mean hatching rate was 70 ± 14% to provide 131 540 ± 34 448 larvae per fertilization. The viability of unfertilized eggs stored at room temperature decreased gradually, and the sooner eggs were fertilized after stripping, the higher the viability of the eggs. The collection of sperm directly into a syringe containing modified Leibovitz significantly increased the percentage of motile spermatozoa (33.4 ± 12.2%) compared with other collection methods. The spz egg −1 ratios for Senegalese sole were at the lower end of ratios required for fish. Senegalese sole have a pair-spawning reproductive behaviour characterized by gamete fertilization in close proximity with no sperm competition. The provision of a large-scale in vitro fertilization protocol (200 µl of sperm per 100 ml of eggs) will enable the industry to operate sustainably and implement breeding programmes to improve production.

Description: In this paper, we describe palaeoproteomic evidence obtained from a stained medieval birth girdle using a previously developed dry non-invasive sampling technique. The parchment birth girdle studied (Wellcome Collection Western MS. 632) was made in England in the late fifteenth century and was thought to be used by pregnant women while giving birth. We were able to extract both human and non-human peptides from the manuscript, including evidence for the use of honey, cereals, ovicaprine milk and legumes. In addition, a large number of human peptides were detected on the birth roll, many of which are found in cervico-vaginal fluid. This suggests that the birth roll was actively used during childbirth. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to extract and analyse non-collagenous peptides from a birth girdle using this sampling method and demonstrates the potential of this type of analysis for stained manuscripts, providing direct biomolecular evidence for active use.

Description: Rapid quantitative analysis of single chiral amino acid (aa) was achieved using circular dichroism (CD) with data analysis by standard calibration curve. The absolute concentrations of D- and L-aas in enantiomeric mixtures were determined by CD and achiral liquid chromatography (LC) method. It is worth noting that CD and LC were used independently, not online LC/CD in this study. The errors of the experimental results were less than 10%. The method is also applicable to the quantification of non-aa chiral molecules, such as chiral nucleoside and chiral quinine. With this study, we provide a new method for the chiral quantitative analysis of enantiomeric aas mixtures.

Description: Advances in technology allow the acquisition of data with high spatial and temporal resolution. These datasets are usually accompanied by estimates of the measurement uncertainty, which may be spatially or temporally varying and should be taken into consideration when making decisions based on the data. At the same time, various transformations are commonly implemented to reduce the dimensionality of the datasets for postprocessing or to extract significant features. However, the corresponding uncertainty is not usually represented in the low-dimensional or feature vector space. A method is proposed that maps the measurement uncertainty into the equivalent low-dimensional space with the aid of approximate Bayesian computation, resulting in a distribution that can be used to make statistical inferences. The method involves no assumptions about the probability distribution of the measurement error and is independent of the feature extraction process as demonstrated in three examples. In the first two examples, Chebyshev polynomials were used to analyse structural displacements and soil moisture measurements; while in the third, principal component analysis was used to decompose the global ocean temperature data. The uses of the method range from supporting decision-making in model validation or confirmation, model updating or calibration and tracking changes in condition, such as the characterization of the El Niño Southern Oscillation.

Description: Despite illegal killing (poaching) being the major cause of death among large carnivores globally, little is known about the effect of implementing lethal management policies on poaching. Two opposing hypotheses have been proposed in the literature: implementing lethal management may decrease poaching incidence (killing for tolerance) or increase it (facilitated illegal killing). Here, we report a test of the two opposed hypotheses that poaching (reported and unreported) of Mexican grey wolves ( Canis lupus baileyi ) in Arizona and New Mexico, USA, responded to changes in policy that reduced protections to allow more wolf-killing. We employ advanced biostatistical survival and competing risk methods to data on individual resightings, mortality and disappearances of collared Mexican wolves, supplemented with Bayes factors to assess the strength of evidence. We find inconclusive evidence for any decreases in reported poaching. We also find strong evidence that Mexican wolves were 121% more likely to disappear during periods of reduced protections than during periods of stricter protections, with only slight changes in legal removals by the agency. Therefore, we find strong support for the ‘facilitated illegal killing’ hypothesis and none for the ‘killing for tolerance’ hypothesis. We provide recommendations for improving the effectiveness of US policy on environmental crimes, endangered species and protections for wild animals. Our results have implications beyond the USA or wolves because the results suggest transformations of decades-old management interventions against human-caused mortality among wild animals subject to high rates of poaching.

Description: Sustainability is a target that involves many socio-ecological questions, depends on opportunities and combines different initiatives. This can be especially difficult in regions with high biodiversity scores, mega cities, high level of human populations and an intense and long-standing land use. Here, we show how a mega trail, named Atlantic Forest Trail, within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest can join the protection of biodiversity and sustainable tourism through a 4270 km corridor connecting protected areas and crossing a variety of landscapes. Further, we show some initiatives of ongoing biodiversity monitoring, and an analysis of ecological restoration in private lands that can be applied in many regions to improve habitat connectivity for both biodiversity and human use.

Description: Ecological systems, as is often noted, are complex. Equally notable is the generalization that complex systems tend to be oscillatory, whether Huygens' simple patterns of pendulum entrainment or the twisted chaotic orbits of Lorenz’ convection rolls. The analytics of oscillators may thus provide insight into the structure of ecological systems. One of the most popular analytical tools for such study is the Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators. We apply this model as a stylized vision of the dynamics of a well-studied system of pests and their enemies, to ask whether its actual natural history is reflected in the dynamics of the qualitatively instantiated Kuramoto model. Emerging from the model is a series of synchrony groups generally corresponding to subnetworks of the natural system, with an overlying chimeric structure, depending on the strength of the inter-oscillator coupling. We conclude that the Kuramoto model presents a novel window through which interesting questions about the structure of ecological systems may emerge.

Description: In this study, we synthesized pH-sensitive thiamethoxam-3-(2-aminoethylamino) propyl-bimodal mesoporous silica (P/Thi-NN-BMMs) nanoparticles (NPs). We used this bimodal mesoporous silica (BMMs) mesoporous material as a carrier based on the principle of free radical polymerization. The size of the P/Thi-NN-BMMs NPs was about 891.7 ± 4.9 nm, with a zeta potential of about −25.7 ± 2.5 mV. X-ray powder diffraction analysis, N 2 -sorption measurements and thermogravimetric analysis indicated that thiamethoxam (Thi) was loaded into the pores of the mesoporous structure and that the mesopore surface was coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA). The loading rate of P/Thi-NN-BMMs was about 25.2%. The controlled-release NPs had excellent anti-photolysis performance and storage stability. The NPs showed significant pH sensitivity, and the Thi release rate in pH 10.0 phosphate buffer was higher than those in pH 7.4 and pH 3.0 phosphate buffers. We described the sustained-release curves according to the Weibull model. The relative toxicity of P/Thi-NN-BMMs against peach aphid was 1.44 times that of commercial Thi. This provides a promising instrument for effective insect control and environment protection.

Description: The diverse living Australian lizard fauna contrasts greatly with their limited Oligo-Miocene fossil record. New Oligo-Miocene fossil vertebrates from the Namba Formation (south of Lake Frome, South Australia) were uncovered from multiple expeditions from 2007 to 2018. Abundant disarticulated material of small vertebrates was concentrated in shallow lenses along the palaeolake edges, now exposed on the western of Lake Pinpa also known from Billeroo Creek 2 km northeast. The fossiliferous lens within the Namba Formation hosting the abundant aquatic (such as fish, platypus Obdurodon and waterfowl) and diverse terrestrial (such as possums, dasyuromorphs and scincids) vertebrates and is hereafter recognized as the Fish Lens. The stratigraphic provenance of these deposits in relation to prior finds in the area is also established. A new egerniine scincid taxon Proegernia mikebulli sp. nov. described herein, is based on a near-complete reconstructed mandible, maxilla, premaxilla and pterygoid. Postcranial scincid elements were also recovered with this material, but could not yet be confidently associated with P. mikebulli . This new taxon is recovered as the sister species to P. palankarinnensis , in a tip-dated total-evidence phylogenetic analysis, where both are recovered as stem Australian egerniines. These taxa also help pinpoint the timing of the arrival of scincids to Australia, with egerniines the first radiation to reach the continent.

Description: People have never played more video games, and many stakeholders are worried that this activity might be bad for players. So far, research has not had adequate data to test whether these worries are justified and if policymakers should act to regulate video game play time. We attempt to provide much-needed evidence with adequate data. Whereas previous research had to rely on self-reported play behaviour, we collaborated with two games companies, Electronic Arts and Nintendo of America, to obtain players' actual play behaviour. We surveyed players of Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and Animal Crossing: New Horizons for their well-being, motivations and need satisfaction during play, and merged their responses with telemetry data (i.e. logged game play). Contrary to many fears that excessive play time will lead to addiction and poor mental health, we found a small positive relation between game play and affective well-being. Need satisfaction and motivations during play did not interact with play time but were instead independently related to well-being. Our results advance the field in two important ways. First, we show that collaborations with industry partners can be done to high academic standards in an ethical and transparent fashion. Second, we deliver much-needed evidence to policymakers on the link between play and mental health.

Description: This account describes the context, history and outcomes of a series of studies into the ecology of slash-and-burn (S-B) agriculture in the world's humid tropics. These studies, which began in the mid-1980s, identified promising lines of research and continued to field trials, in Central America, of candidate agricultural systems as possible sustainable alternatives to the practice. The only system to emerge from 7 years' comparative trial with any promise of sustainability, in this context, was the agroforestry technique known as alley-cropping; but only with trees of the genus Inga . Inga alley-cropping then underwent field trials with subsistence farming families in northern Honduras. The system was aimed at the twin objectives of achieving food security in basic grains, on minimal inputs, and of providing the means of eliminating further S-B in the region. Since then, Inga alley-cropping has become the heart of a sustainable and integrated rural livelihood model (the Guama Model) which is being implemented successfully in northern Honduras with some 300 families. These families had been attempting to subsist on a few hectares of land degraded by decades or centuries of S-B. The development of Inga alley-cropping, supplemented by rock phosphate and other mineral supplements, as a sustainable subsistence and cash crop alternative means that land previously being held in reserve for subsequent S-B operations can now be planted to permanent forms of agroforestry. Entire landscapes can be re-greened by productive agroforest vegetation. Achieving this at scale will require the investment of huge extension effort and funds. However, the environmental, social and economic returns are also huge; and they are sustainable. In this programme,we are seeing the vitality and goodwill of hundreds of families focussed on the raising, planting and management of trees in ways that feed the living organisms of the soil and, hence, feed themselves. In so cheerfully planting out their own futures, they plant and reshape the future of their own country. Replicating this at scale, as Rattan Lal outlines below, could reshape the future of this planet. In the mid-1980s, progress on sustainable alternatives to S-B, especially in rain forests, was frustrated by a lack of conclusiveness in the literature as to why soil fertility fails so rapidly post-burn; but also by a degree of contradiction on the impacts of the burn on certain plant nutrients. Hands (Hands 1988 The ecology of shifting cultivation. MSc thesis, University of Cambridge) concentrated on the role of soil phosphorus and attempted to resolve these contradictions. The Cambridge Alley-cropping Projects (1988–2002) continued this theme and threw light on the question of sustainable food production in rain forest environments.

Description: Numerous complex systems, both natural and artificial, are characterized by the presence of intertwined supply and/or drainage networks. Here, we present a minimalist model of such coevolving networks in a spatially continuous domain, where the obtained networks can be interpreted as a part of either the counter-flowing drainage or co-flowing supply and drainage mechanisms. The model consists of three coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations that describe spatial density patterns of input and output materials by modifying a mediating scalar field, on which supply and drainage networks are carved. In the two-dimensional case, the scalar field can be viewed as the elevation of a hypothetical landscape, of which supply and drainage networks are ridges and valleys, respectively. In the three-dimensional case, the scalar field serves the role of a chemical signal, according to which vascularization of the supply and drainage networks occurs above a critical ‘erosion’ strength. The steady-state solutions are presented as a function of non-dimensional channelization indices for both materials. The spatial patterns of the emerging networks are classified within the branched and congested extreme regimes, within which the resulting networks are characterized based on the absolute as well as the relative values of two non-dimensional indices.

Description: Climate change may contribute to the spatio-temporal occurrence of disasters. Long-term studies of either homogeneous or heterogeneous responses of historical disasters to climate change are, however, limited by the quality and quantity of the available proxy data. Here we reconstruct spatio-temporal patterns of five types of disasters in China during the period AD 1368–1911. Our analyses of these time series reveal that warmer temperatures decreased the occurrence of disasters in the monsoon-affected parts of central-east China, but it increased the frequency and intensity of disasters along the boundary of arid and humid conditions in parts of southwest and northeast China, probably driven by the interplay among monsoon, westerlies, polar vortex and variation of temperature. Moreover, we show that drought and flood events had cascading effects on the occurrences of locust outbreaks, famine and human epidemics. Our findings suggest that climate can contribute to the spatio-temporal occurrence of disasters, and therefore may contribute to an improvement of China's regional to national risk management of future climate and environmental change.

Description: Oceanic island archipelagos provide excellent models to understand evolutionary processes. Colonization events and gene flow can interact with selection to shape genetic variation at different spatial scales. Landscape-scale variation in biotic and abiotic factors may drive fine-scale selection within islands, while long-term evolutionary processes may drive divergence between distantly related populations. Here, we examine patterns of population history and selection between recently diverged populations of the Berthelot's pipit ( Anthus berthelotii ), a passerine endemic to three North Atlantic archipelagos. First, we use demographic trees and f 3 statistics to show that genome-wide divergence across the species range is largely shaped by colonization and bottlenecks, with evidence of very weak gene flow between populations. Then, using a genome scan approach, we identify signatures of divergent selection within archipelagos at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes potentially associated with craniofacial development and DNA repair. We did not detect within-archipelago selection at the same SNPs as were detected previously at broader spatial scales between archipelagos, but did identify signatures of selection at loci associated with similar biological functions. These findings suggest that similar ecological factors may repeatedly drive selection between recently separated populations, as well as at broad spatial scales across varied landscapes.

Description: Juvenile hormone (JH) plays important roles in almost every aspect of insect development and reproduction. JHs are a group of acyclic sesquiterpenoids, and their farnesol backbone has been chemically modified to generate a homologous series of hormones in some insect lineages. JH III (methyl farnesoate, 10,11-epoxide) is the most common JH in insects, but Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and ‘higher’ Diptera (suborder: Brachycera; flies) have developed their own unique JHs. Although JH was first proposed in the hemipteran suborder Heteroptera (true bugs), the chemical identity of the heteropteran JH was only recently determined. Furthermore, recent studies revealed the presence of a novel JH, JH III skipped bisepoxide (JHSB 3 ), in some heteropterans, but its taxonomic distribution remains largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated JHSB 3 production in 31 heteropteran species, covering almost all heteropteran lineages, through ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We found that all of the focal species produced JHSB 3 , indicating that JHSB 3 is widespread in heteropteran bugs and the evolutionary occurrence of JHSB 3 ascends to the common ancestor of Heteroptera.

Description: For field electron emission (FE), an empirical equation for measured current I m as a function of measured voltage V m has the form I m = CV m k exp[– B / V m ], where B is a constant and C and k are constants or vary weakly with V m . Values for k can be extracted (i) from simulations based on some specific FE theory, and in principle (ii) from current–voltage measurements of sufficiently high quality. This paper shows that a comparison of theoretically derived and experimentally derived k- values could provide a sensitive and useful tool for comparing FE theory and experiment, and for choosing between alternative theories. Existing methods of extracting k -values from experimental or simulated current–voltage data are discussed, including a modernized ‘least residual’ method, and existing knowledge concerning k -values is summarized. Exploratory simulations are reported. Where an analytical result for k is independently known, this value is reliably extracted. More generally, extracted k -values are sensitive to details of the emission theory used, but also depend on assumed emitter shape; these two influences will need to be disentangled by future research, and a range of emitter shapes will need examination. Other procedural conclusions are reported. Some scientific issues that this new tool may eventually be able to help investigate are indicated.

Description: In this study, we investigated the effect of social environment on circadian patterns in activity by group housing either six male or six female mice together in a cage, under regular light–dark cycles. Based on the interactions among the animals, the social dominance rank of individual mice was quantitatively established by calculating Elo ratings. Our results indicated that, during our experiment, the social dominance hierarchy was rapidly established, stable yet complex, often showing more than one dominant mouse and several subordinate mice. Moreover, we found that especially dominant male mice, but not female mice, displayed a significantly higher fraction of their activity during daytime. This resulted in reduced rhythm amplitude in dominant males. After division into separate cages, male mice showed an enhancement of their 24 h rhythm, due to lower daytime activity. Recordings of several physiological parameters showed no evidence for reduced health as a potential consequence of reduced rhythm amplitude. For female mice, transfer to individual housing did not affect their daily activity pattern. We conclude that 24 h rhythms under light–dark cycles are influenced by the social environment in males but not in females, and lead to a decrement in behavioural rhythm amplitude that is larger in dominant mice.

Description: A 2 3 full factorial design model was used for the development of a new high performance liquid chromatography method with UV detection to estimate three antifungal drugs simultaneously. Fluconazole (FLU), itraconazole (ITR) and terbinafine (TRH) are co-administered for severe fungal infections. They have been determined using MOS-1 Hypersil C 18 column and an isocratic eluent; methanol 95% and phosphate buffer 5% with 0.001% triethylamine. The pH was adjusted to 7, and the flow rate was 0.7 ml min −1 . The three drugs were separated within less than 7 min at 210 nm. The developed method gave a linear response over 5–80 µg ml −1 , 5–50 µg ml −1 and 1–50 µg ml −1 for FLU, ITR and TRH, respectively. It showed detection limits of 0.88, 0.29 and 0.20 µg ml −1 and quantification limits of 2.66, 0.88 and 0.60 µg ml −1 for the three drugs, respectively. The design of the experiment facilitated the optimization of different variables affecting the separation of the three drugs. The sensitivity of the designed method permitted the simultaneous estimation of ITR and TRH in spiked human plasma successfully.

Description: The structural characteristic of oxidized poly (2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (OP) was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography, gel permeation chromatography and hydroxylamine hydrochloride titration. The results demonstrated that OP prepared through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-mediated oxidation of poly (2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) was featured by multiple aldehyde groups on its side chain, with no free formaldehyde produced during the oxidation process. The computational simulation for the electrophilic reactivity of OP molecule showed that the reactivity of the aldehyde groups in OP with the amino groups of collagen was comparable to that of glutaraldehyde. In this study, OP was chosen as a collagen modifier to investigate the modification effects on the secondary structure, aggregation behaviour and thermal stability of collagen. The covalent cross-linking occurred between the aldehyde groups of OP and the amino groups of collagen under alkaline condition. The covalent binding between OP and collagen was strengthened with the increasing reaction pH and OP dosage, and the triple helix of collagen was altered to some degree. Furthermore, OP promoted the intense aggregation of collagen and enhanced the thermal stability of collagen. This work provides guidance for preparing novel collagen modifier with multiple aldehyde groups.

Description: Research on gecko-based adhesion has become a truly interdisciplinary endeavour, encompassing many disciplines within the natural and physical sciences. Gecko adhesion occurs by the induction of van der Waals intermolecular (and possibly other) forces between substrata and integumentary filaments (setae) terminating in at least one spatulate tip. Gecko setae have increasingly been idealized as structures with uniform dimensions and a particular branching pattern. Approaches to developing synthetic simulacra have largely adopted such an idealized form as a foundational template. Observations of entire setal fields of geckos and anoles have, however, revealed extensive, predictable variation in setal form. Some filaments of these fields do not fulfil the morphological criteria that characterize setae and, problematically, recent authors have applied the term ‘seta’ to structurally simpler and likely non-adhesively competent fibrils. Herein we briefly review the history of the definition of squamate setae and propose a standardized classificatory scheme for epidermal outgrowths based on a combination of whole animal performance and morphology. Our review is by no means comprehensive of the literature regarding the form, function, and development of the adhesive setae of squamates and we do not address significant advances that have been made in many areas (e.g. cell biology of setae) that are largely tangential to their classification and identification. We contend that those who aspire to simulate the form and function of squamate setae will benefit from a fuller appreciation of the diversity of these structures, thereby assisting in the identification of features most relevant to their objectives.

Description: We investigate the short-term association between multidimensional acoustic characteristics of everyday ambient sound and continuous mean heart rate. We used in-market data from hearing aid users who logged ambient acoustics via smartphone-connected hearing aids and continuous mean heart rate in 5 min intervals from their own wearables. We find that acoustic characteristics explain approximately 4% of the fluctuation in mean heart rate throughout the day. Specifically, increases in ambient sound pressure intensity are significantly related to increases in mean heart rate, corroborating prior laboratory and short-term real-world data. In addition, increases in ambient sound quality—that is, more favourable signal to noise ratios—are associated with decreases in mean heart rate. Our findings document a previously unrecognized mixed influence of everyday sounds on cardiovascular stress, and that the relationship is more complex than is seen from an examination of sound intensity alone. Thus, our findings highlight the relevance of ambient environmental sound in models of human ecophysiology.

Description: Epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a transmembrane protein that has an essential role in maintaining the levels of sodium in blood plasma. A person with a family history of hypertension has a high enough amount of ENaC protein in the kidneys or other organs, so that the ENaC protein acts as a marker that a person is susceptible to hypertension. An aptasensor involves aptamers, which are oligonucleotides that function similar to antibodies, as sensing elements. An electrochemical aptasensor for the detection of ENaC was developed using a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) which was modified by electrodeposition of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ). The aptamer immobilization was via the streptavidin–biotin system. The measurement of changes in current of the active redox [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3−/4− was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry. The surfaces of SPCE and SPCE/CeO 2 were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Box–Behnken experimental optimization design revealed the streptavidin incubation time, aptamer incubation time and streptavidin concentrations were 30 min, 30 min and 10.8 µg ml −1 , respectively. Various concentrations of ENaC were used to obtain the linearity range of 0.05–3.0 ng ml −1 , and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.012 ng ml −1 and 0.038 ng ml −1 , respectively. This aptasensor method has the potential to measure the ENaC protein levels in urine samples as well as to be a point-of-care device.

Description: The exploration of different behaviours is part of the adaptation repertoire of individuals to new environments. Here, we explore how the evolution of cooperative behaviour is affected by the interplay between exploration dynamics and social learning, in particular when individuals engage on prisoner’s dilemma along the edges of a social network. We show that when the population undergoes a transition from strong to weak exploration rates a decline in the overall levels of cooperation is observed. However, if the rate of decay is lower in highly connected individuals (Leaders) than for the less connected individuals (Followers) then the population is able to achieve higher levels of cooperation. Finally, we show that minor differences in selection intensities (the degree of determinism in social learning) and individual exploration rates, can translate into major differences in the observed collective dynamics.

Description: The ability to adapt to changing environments is crucial for survival and has evolved based on socio-ecological factors. Goats and sheep are closely related, with similar social structures, body sizes and domestication levels, but different feeding ecologies, i.e. goats are browsers and sheep are grazers. We investigated whether goats' reliance on more patchily distributed food sources predicted an increased behavioural flexibility compared to sheep. We tested 21 goats and 28 sheep in a spatial A-not-B detour task. Subjects had to navigate around a straight barrier through a gap at its edge. After one, two, three or four of these initial A trials, the gap was moved to the opposite end and subjects performed four B trials. Behaviourally more flexible individuals should move through the new gap faster, while those less behaviourally flexible should show greater perseveration. While both species showed an accuracy reduction following the change of the gap position, goats recovered from this perseveration error from the second B trial onwards, whereas sheep did so only in the fourth B trial, indicating differences in behavioural flexibility between the species. This higher degree of flexibility in goats compared to sheep could be linked to differences in their foraging strategies.

Description: The Hill–Robertson effect describes how, in a finite panmictic diploid population, selection at one diallelic locus reduces the fixation probability of a selectively favoured allele at a second, linked diallelic locus. Here we investigate the influence of population structure on the Hill–Robertson effect in a population of size N . We model population structure as a network by assuming that individuals occupy nodes on a graph connected by edges that link members who can reproduce with each other. Three regular networks (fully connected, ring and torus), two forms of scale-free network and a star are examined. We find that (i) the effect of population structure on the probability of fixation of the favourable allele is invariant for regular structures, but on some scale-free networks and a star, this probability is greatly reduced; (ii) compared to a panmictic population, the mean time to fixation of the favoured allele is much greater on a ring, torus and linear scale-free network, but much less on power-2 scale-free and star networks; (iii) the likelihood with which each of the four possible haplotypes eventually fix is similar across regular networks, but scale-free populations and the star are consistently less likely and much faster to fix the optimal haplotype; (iv) increasing recombination increases the likelihood of fixing the favoured haplotype across all structures, whereas the time to fixation of that haplotype usually increased, and (v) star-like structures were overwhelmingly likely to fix the least fit haplotype and did so significantly more rapidly than other populations. Last, we find that small ( N 〈 64) panmictic populations do not exhibit the scaling property expected from Hill & Robertson (1966 Genet. Res. 8 , 269–294. ( doi:10.1017/S0016672300010156 )).

Description: Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction and adipocyte differentiation promote lipid accumulation in the development of obesity and diabetes. Curcumin is an active ingredient extracted from Curcuma longa that has been shown to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency in metabolic disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms of curcumin in adipocytes remain largely unexplored. We studied the effects of curcumin on adipogenic differentiation and mitochondrial oxygen consumption and analysed the possible mechanisms. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were used to assess the effect of curcumin on differentiation of adipocytes. The Mito Stress Test measured by Seahorse XF Analyzer was applied to investigate the effect of curcumin on mitochondrial oxygen consumption in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The effect of curcumin on the morphology of both white and brown adipose tissue (WAT and BAT) was evaluated in a high-fat diet-induced obese mice model. We found that curcumin dose-dependently (10, 20 and 35 µM) induced adipogenic differentiation and the intracellular fat droplet accumulation. Additionally, 10 µM curcumin remarkably enhanced mature adipocyte mitochondrial respiratory function, specifically, accelerating basic mitochondrial respiration, ATP production and uncoupling capacity via the regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ( p 〈 0.01). Curcumin administration also attenuated the morphological changes in adipose tissues in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Moreover, curcumin markedly increased the mRNA and protein expressions of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PPARγ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and PR domain protein 16 (PRDM16) in vivo and in vitro . Collectively, the results demonstrate that curcumin promotes the adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes and mitochondrial oxygen consumption in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes by regulating UCP1, PRDM16, PPARγ and PGC-1α expression.

Description: The coffee cultivation has historically had great importance in Rio de Janeiro's social-spatial organization, and it is once again in the spotlight of the state's economic scenario. The novelty is that the local production has been renewed, and, now, the state surpasses the old status of ‘low-quality coffee producer' and achieves the ‘specialty coffee' market which, in addition to quality, also values environmental, social and economic sustainabilities 1 . This change has caused a series of transformations in the social-spatial and economic realities of some municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This article analyses the possible sustainabilities existing in the production process of this new coffee profile, based on the reality of the municipality of Varre-Sai, located in the northwest of Rio de Janeiro state. The objective is to find out the main actors and to elucidate the political network involved in this process.

Description: While there is no consensus about the definition of complexity, it is widely accepted that the ability to produce uncertainty is the most prominent characteristic of complex systems. We introduce new metrics that purport to quantify the complexity of living organisms and social organizations based on their levels of uncertainty. We consider three major dimensions regarding complexity: diversity based on the number of system elements and the number of categories of these elements; flexibility which bears upon variations in the elements; and combinability which refers to the patterns of connection between elements. These three dimensions are quantified using Shannon's uncertainty formula, and they can be integrated to provide a tripartite complexity index. We provide a calculation example that illustrates the use of these indices for comparing the complexity of different social systems. These indices distinguish themselves by a theoretical basis grounded on the amount of uncertainty, and the requirement that several aspects of the systems be accounted for to compare their degree of complexity. We expect that these new complexity indices will encourage research programmes aiming to compare the complexity levels of systems belonging to different realms.

Description: In this paper, we use a deterministic epidemic model with memory to estimate the state of the COVID-19 epidemic in France, from early March until mid-December 2020. Our model is in the SEIR class, which means that when a susceptible individual (S) becomes infected, he/she is first exposed (E), i.e. not yet contagious. Then he/she becomes infectious (I) for a certain length of time, during which he/she may infect susceptible individuals around him/her, and finally becomes removed (R), that is, either immune or dead. The specificity of our model is that it assumes a very general probability distribution for the pair of exposed and infectious periods. The law of large numbers limit of such a model is a model with memory (the future evolution of the model depends not only upon its present state, but also upon its past). We present theoretical results linking the (unobserved) parameters of the model to various quantities which are more easily measured during the early stages of an epidemic. We then apply these results to estimate the state of the COVID-19 epidemic in France, using available information on the infection fatality ratio and on the distribution of the exposed and infectious periods. Using the hospital data published daily by Santé Publique France, we gather some information on the delay between infection and hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and hospital deaths, and on the proportion of people who have been infected up to the end of 2020.

Description: When walking on an uneven surface or complex terrain, humans tend to gaze downward. This behaviour is usually interpreted as an attempt to acquire useful information to guide locomotion. Visual information, however, is not used exclusively for guiding locomotion; it is also useful for postural control. Both locomotive and postural control have been shown to be sensitive to the visual flow arising from the respective motion of the individual and the three-dimensional environment. This flow changes when a person gazes downward and may present information that is more appropriate for postural control. To investigate whether downward gazing can be used for postural control, rather than exclusively for guiding locomotion, we quantified the dynamics of standing and walking posture in healthy adults, under several visual conditions. Through these experiments we were able to demonstrate that gazing downward, just a few steps ahead, resulted in a steadier standing and walking posture. These experiments indicate that gazing downward may serve more than one purpose and provide sufficient evidence of the possible interplay between the visual information used for guiding locomotion and that used for postural control. These findings contribute to our understanding of the control mechanism/s underlying gait and posture and have possible clinical implications.

Description: Alarm calls can trigger very different behavioural changes in receivers and signallers might apply different alarm call strategies based on their individual cost-benefit ratio. These cost-benefit ratios can also vary as a function of sex. For instance, male but not female forest guenons possess loud alarms that serve warning and predator deterrence functions, but also intergroup spacing and male–male competition. In some forest guenons, the context specificity and alarm call repertoire size additionally differs between females and males but it remains unclear if this corresponds to similar sexual dimorphisms in alarm calling strategies. We here experimentally investigated whether general female and more context-specific male alarm calls in putty-nosed monkeys ( Cercopithecus nictitans ) had different effects on the opposite sex's behaviour and whether they might serve different female and male alarm calling strategies. We presented a leopard model separately to the females or to the male of several groups while ensuring that the opposite sex only heard alarm calls of target individuals. While female alarms led to the recruitment of males in the majority of cases, male alarms did not have a similar effect on female behaviour. Males further seem to vocally advertise their engagement in group defence with more unspecific alarms while approaching their group. Males switched alarm call types once they spotted the leopard model and started mobbing behaviour. Females only ceased to alarm call when males produced calls typically associated with anti-predator defence, but not when males produced unspecific alarm calls. Our results suggest that sexual dimorphisms in the context specificity of alarms most likely correspond to different alarm calling strategies in female and male putty-nosed monkeys.

Description: To test the hypothesis that terrestrial runoff affects the functions of calcareous sediments in coral reefs and hampers the development of corals, we analysed calcareous sediments with different levels of bound phosphate, collected from reef areas of Okinawajima, Japan. We confirmed that phosphate bound to calcareous sediments was readily released into ambient seawater, resulting in much higher concentrations of phosphorous in seawater from heavily polluted areas (4.3–19.0 µM as compared with less than 0.096 µM in natural ambient seawater). Additionally, we examined the effect of phosphate released from calcareous sediments on the development of Acropora digitifera coral juveniles. We found that high phosphate concentrations in seawater clearly inhibit the skeletal formation of coral juveniles. Our results demonstrate that calcareous sediments in reef areas play a crucial role in mediating the impact of terrestrial runoff on corals by storing and releasing phosphate in seawater.

Description: One of the main problems in controlling COVID-19 epidemic spread is the delay in confirming cases. Having information on changes in the epidemic evolution or outbreaks rise before laboratory-confirmation is crucial in decision making for Public Health policies. We present an algorithm to estimate on-stream the number of COVID-19 cases using the data from telephone calls to a COVID-line. By modelling the calls as background (proportional to population) plus signal (proportional to infected), we fit the calls in Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) with coefficient of determination R 2 〉 0.85. This result allows us to estimate the number of cases given the number of calls from a specific district, days before the laboratory results are available. We validate the algorithm with real data. We show how to use the algorithm to track on-stream the epidemic, and present the Early Outbreak Alarm to detect outbreaks in advance of laboratory results. One key point in the developed algorithm is a detailed track of the uncertainties in the estimations, since the alarm uses the significance of the observables as a main indicator to detect an anomaly. We present the details of the explicit example in Villa Azul (Quilmes) where this tool resulted crucial to control an outbreak on time. The presented tools have been designed in urgency with the available data at the time of the development, and therefore have their limitations which we describe and discuss. We consider possible improvements on the tools, many of which are currently under development.

Description: The collective motion of animal groups often exhibits velocity–velocity correlations between nearest neighbours, with the strongest velocity correlations observed at the shortest inter-animal spacings. This may have been a motivational factor in the development of models based primarily on short-ranged interactions. Here we ask whether such observations necessarily mean that the interactions are short-ranged. We develop a minimal model of collective motion capable of supporting interactions of arbitrary range and show that it represents a counterexample: the strongest velocity correlations emerge at the shortest distances, even when the interactions are explicitly non-local.

Description: Humans dislike unequal allocations. Although often conflated, such ‘inequality-averse’ preferences are separable into two elements: egalitarian concern about the variance and maximin concern about the poorest (maximizing the minimum). Recent research has shown that the maximin concern operates more robustly in allocation decisions than the egalitarian concern. However, the real-time cognitive dynamics of allocation decisions are still unknown. Here, we examined participants' choice behaviour with high temporal resolution using a mouse-tracking technique. Participants made a series of allocation choices for others between two options: a ‘non-Utilitarian option’ with both smaller variance and higher minimum pay-off (but a smaller total) compared with the other ‘Utilitarian option’. Choice data confirmed that participants had strong inequality-averse preferences, and when choosing non-utilitarian allocations, participants' mouse movements prior to choices were more strongly determined by the minimum elements of the non-Utilitarian options than the variance elements. Furthermore, a time-series analysis revealed that this dominance emerged at a very early stage of decision making (around 500 ms after the stimulus onset), suggesting that the maximin concern operated as a strong cognitive anchor almost instantaneously. Our results provide the first temporally fine-scale evidence that people weigh the maximin concern over the egalitarian concern in distributive judgements.

Description: Cooperation experiments have long been used to explore the cognition underlying animals' coordination towards a shared goal. While the ability to understand the need for a partner in a cooperative task has been demonstrated in a number of species, there has been far less focus on cooperation experiments that address the role of communication. In humans, cooperative efforts can be enhanced by physical synchrony, and coordination problems can be solved using spoken language. Indeed, human children adapt to complex coordination problems by communicating with vocal signals. Here, we investigate whether bottlenose dolphins can use vocal signals to coordinate their behaviour in a cooperative button-pressing task. The two dolphin dyads used in this study were significantly more likely to cooperate successfully when they used whistles prior to pressing their buttons, with whistling leading to shorter button press intervals and more successful trials. Whistle timing was important as the dolphins were significantly more likely to succeed if they pushed their buttons together after the last whistle, rather than pushing independently of whistle production. Bottlenose dolphins are well known for cooperating extensively in the wild, and while it remains to be seen how wild dolphins use communication to coordinate cooperation, our results reveal that at least some dolphins are capable of using vocal signals to facilitate the successful execution of coordinated, cooperative actions.

Description: Alveolate protists within the phylum Perkinsea have been found to infect amphibians across a broad taxonomic and geographic range. Phylogenetic analysis has suggested the existence of two clades of amphibian Perkinsea: a putatively non-pathogenic clade linked to asymptomatic infections of tadpoles in Africa, Europe and South America, and a putatively pathogenic clade linked to disease and mass mortality events of tadpoles in North America. Here, we describe the development of a duplex TaqMan qPCR assay to detect and discriminate between rDNA sequences from both clades of Perkinsea in amphibian tissues. The assay uses a single primer pair to target an 18S small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene region shared between the two clades, and two dual-labelled probes to target a region within this fragment that is diagnostic for each clade. This assay enables rapid screening for each of the two Perkinsea groups, allowing for detection, primarily of the phylogenetic group associated with disease outbreaks, and secondarily for the phylogenetic group with no current disease relationship identified. Incorporation of our novel qPCR assay into the routine surveillance of amphibian populations will allow for the assessment of the incidence of each protist clade, thereby providing an improved understanding of Perkinsea infection pervasiveness and a method to underpin future conservation planning.

Description: We develop and apply analytically tractable generative models of livestock movements at national scale. These go beyond current models through mechanistic modelling of heterogeneous trade partnership network dynamics and the trade events that occur on them. Linking resulting animal movements to disease transmission between farms yields analytical expressions for the basic reproduction number R 0 . We show how these novel modelling tools enable systems approaches to disease control, using R 0 to explore impacts of changes in trading practices on between-farm prevalence levels. Using the Scottish cattle trade network as a case study, we show our approach captures critical complexities of real-world trade networks at the national scale for a broad range of endemic diseases. Changes in trading patterns that minimize disruption to business by maintaining in-flow of animals for each individual farm reduce R 0 , with the largest reductions for diseases that are most challenging to eradicate. Incentivizing high-risk farms to adopt such changes exploits ‘scale-free’ properties of the system and is likely to be particularly effective in reducing national livestock disease burden and incursion risk. Encouragingly, gains made by such targeted modification of trade practices scale much more favourably than comparably targeted improvements to more commonly adopted farm-level biosecurity.

Description: Glucopyranosyl-conjugated benzyl derivatives containing a [1,2,3]-triazole linker were synthesized. Benzyl served as an important pharmacophore in anti-cancer compounds. Compound 8d inhibited the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells with the potency comparable to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with improved selectivity towards cancer cells. The antiproliferative activity of 8d is achieved through triggering apoptotic cell death.

Description: This paper's top-level goal is to provide an overview of research conducted in the many academic domains concerned with forecasting. By providing a summary encompassing these domains, this survey connects them, establishing a common ground for future discussions. To this end, we survey literature on human judgement and quantitative forecasting as well as hybrid methods that involve both humans and algorithmic approaches. The survey starts with key search terms that identified more than 280 publications in the fields of computer science, operations research, risk analysis, decision science, psychology and forecasting. Results show an almost 10-fold increase in the application-focused forecasting literature between the 1990s and the current decade, with a clear rise of quantitative, data-driven forecasting models. Comparative studies of quantitative methods and human judgement show that (1) neither method is universally superior, and (2) the better method varies as a function of factors such as availability, quality, extent and format of data, suggesting that (3) the two approaches can complement each other to yield more accurate and resilient models. We also identify four research thrusts in the human/machine-forecasting literature: (i) the choice of the appropriate quantitative model, (ii) the nature of the interaction between quantitative models and human judgement, (iii) the training and incentivization of human forecasters, and (iv) the combination of multiple forecasts (both algorithmic and human) into one. This review surveys current research in all four areas and argues that future research in the field of human/machine forecasting needs to consider all of them when investigating predictive performance. We also address some of the ethical dilemmas that might arise due to the combination of quantitative models with human judgement.

Description: Global climate change continues to impact fish habitat quality and biodiversity, especially in regard to the dynamics of invasive non-native species. Using individual aquaria and an open channel flume, this study evaluated the effects of water temperature, flow velocity and turbulence interactions on swimming performance of two lentic, invasive non-native fish in the UK, pumpkinseed ( Lepomis gibbosus ) and topmouth gudgeon ( Pseudorasbora parva ). Burst and sustained swimming tests were conducted at 15, 20 and 25°C. Acoustic Doppler velocimetry was used to measure the flume hydrodynamic flow characteristics. Both L. gibbosus and P. parva occupied the near-bed regions of the flume, conserving energy and seeking refuge in the low mean velocities flow areas despite the relatively elevated turbulent fluctuations, a behaviour which depended on temperature. Burst swimming performance and sustained swimming increased by up to 53% as temperature increased from 15 to 20°C and 71% between 15 and 25°C. Furthermore, fish test area occupancy was dependent on thermal conditions, as well as on time-averaged velocities and turbulent fluctuations. This study suggests that invasive species can benefit from the raised temperatures predicted under climate change forecasts by improving swimming performance in flowing water potentially facilitating their further dispersal and subsequent establishment in lotic environments.

Description: The ability to dominate conspecifics and thereby gain access to resources depends on a number of traits and skills. Experience of dominance relationships during development is a potential source of learning such skills. We here study the importance of social experience, aggressiveness and morphological traits for competitiveness in social interactions (contest success) in male domestic fowl ( Gallus gallus domesticus ). We let males grow up either as a single (dominant) male or as an intermediately ranked male in a group of males, and measured their success in duels against different opponents. We found that single-raised males had lower contest success than group-raised males, and that aggression and comb size correlated positively with contest success. This indicates that experience of dominance interactions with other males increases future success in duels. We similarly studied the consequences of growing up as a dominant or subordinate in a pair of males, finding no statistically significant effect of the dominance position on contest success. Finally, we found that males were consistent over time in contest success. We conclude that social experience increases contest success in male domestic fowl, but that certain behavioural and morphological characteristics have an equal or even stronger covariation with contest success.

Description: A previous study we reported in this journal suggested that left and right-handers may differ in their patterns of lateralization for different language tasks (Woodhead et al. 2019 R. Soc. Open Sci. 6 , 181801. ( doi:10.1098/rsos.181801 )). However, it had too few left-handers ( N = 7) to reach firm conclusions. For this update paper, further participants were added to the sample to create separate groups of left- ( N = 31) and right-handers ( N = 43). Two hypotheses were tested: (1) that lateralization would be weaker at the group level in left-than right-handers; and (2) that left-handers would show weaker covariance in lateralization between tasks, supporting a two-factor model. All participants performed the same protocol as in our previous paper: lateralization was measured using functional transcranial Doppler sonography during six different language tasks, on two separate testing sessions. The results supported hypothesis 1, with significant differences in laterality between groups for four out of six tasks. For hypothesis 2, structural equation modelling showed that there was stronger evidence for a two-factor model in left than right-handers; furthermore, examination of the factor loadings suggested that the pattern of laterality across tasks may also differ between handedness groups. These results expand on what is known about the differences in laterality between left- and right-handers.

Description: Samples of cobalt-doped neodymium orthoferrite compounds, NdCo x Fe 1−x O 3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) were synthesized via glycine auto-combustion between 250 and 300°C and calcined at 500°C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction showed that all compounds had an orthorhombic perovskite structure with space group Pbnm. Increasing cobalt doping gradually reduced the lattice parameters and contracted the unit cell volume. Both X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that the particles were spherical and in the nano-sized range (19–52 nm) with pores between grains. Vibrating sample magnetometry at room temperature indicated that NdFeO 3 has a high coercive field (1950 Oe) and cobalt substitution for iron led to a decrease in the coercive field, saturation and remanent magnetization, which was as a result of decreased magnetic moments in the crystal and reduced canting of the FeO 6 octahedra. The increase in magnetization and coercive fields with increase of Co was connected to the microstructure (bond lengths and angles, defects, pores, grain boundaries) and crystallite size. The compounds NdCo x Fe 1−x O 3 show antiferromagnetism with weak ferromagnetism due to uncompensated non-collinear moments. These compounds could serve as prototypes for tuning the properties of magnetic materials (ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic) with potential applications in data storage, logic gates, switches and sensors.

Description: Thirty-five gem-quality turquoise samples with various colours were investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Sample chemical and spectral analyses indicate that Fe 3+ contributes to green hue of turquoise, whose absorption band exhibits a bathochromic shift from 426 to 428 nm with increasing V content in the solid-solution series turquoise-chalcosiderite. V 3+ enhances absorption in the blue and orange regions, and Cr 3+ increases absorption in the green region, both of which are responsible for the vivid greenish yellow in faustite. Substitutions of Al by medium-sized trivalent cations (primarily Fe 3+ and V 3+ ) enhance polarity of the phosphate group (PO 4 ) 3− , resulting in strong absorption in the infrared spectra for analogues of turquoise. The reflectivity ratio ( R OH ) of the double absorption peaks at 781 and 833 cm −1 allows faustite to be distinguished from turquoise and chalcosiderite, with a value greater than 1, while V-rich faustite only has a single absorption peak at 798 cm −1 . An increasing amount of absorbed water contributes to blue chroma in turquoise and has a negative effect on lightness based on the CIE 1976 L * a * b * colour system. Loose turquoise with a low specific gravity tends to display greater colour differences with a significant decrease in lightness.

Description: Intraspecific variation in resource use by individuals of different age, sex or size may reflect differing energetic requirements and physiological constraints. Males and females often show differences in diet owing to sexual size dimorphism, different life histories and/or habitat use. Here, we investigate how sex and size influence the long-term foraging ecology of belugas and narwhals in Greenland, using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen from bone collagen. We show that males have a higher trophic level and a larger ecological niche than females in West Greenland belugas and in East Greenland narwhals. In addition, for these two populations, we find that δ 15 N increases with size, particularly in males. We hypothesize that sexual size dimorphism together with strong maternal investment drive these differences. By contrast, we find no differences in foraging ecology between sexes in West Greenland narwhals and observe no influence of size on trophic level. This may reflect the influence of interspecific competition in West Greenland, where the distributions of belugas and narwhals overlap, and/or geographical resource partitioning among different summer aggregations of narwhals. Our results suggest that sex and size variations in diet are population dependent, and probably the result of varying ecological interactions.

Description: For group-living animals to remain cohesive they must agree on where to travel. Theoretical models predict shared group decisions should be favoured, and a number of empirical examples support this. However, the behavioural mechanisms that underpin shared decision-making are not fully understood. Groups may achieve consensus of direction by active communication of individual preferences (i.e. voting), or by responding to each other's orientation and movement (i.e. copying). For example, African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) are reported to use body orientation to vote and indicate their preferred direction to achieve a consensus on travel direction, while golden shiners ( Notemigonus crysoleucas ) achieve consensus of direction by responding to the movement cues of their neighbours. Here, we present a conceptual model (supported by agent-based simulations) that allows us to distinguish patterns of motion that represent voting or copying. We test our model predictions using high-resolution GPS and magnetometer data collected from a herd of free-ranging goats ( Capra aegagrus hircus ) in the Namib Desert, Namibia. We find that decisions concerning travel direction were more consistent with individuals copying one another's motion and find no evidence to support the use of voting with body orientation. Our findings highlight the role of simple behavioural rules for collective decision-making by animal groups.

Description: Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) is a powerful technique for reconstructing the diets of extant and extinct taxa. Few studies have investigated intraspecific microwear differences along with tooth rows and the influence of endogenous non-dietary variables on texture characteristics. Sampling teeth that are minimally affected by non-dietary variables is vital for robust dietary reconstructions, especially for taxa with non-occlusal (non-chewing) dentitions as no standardized sampling strategies currently exist. Here, we apply DMTA to 13 species of extant reptile (crocodilians and monitor lizards) to investigate intraspecific microwear differences along with tooth rows and to explore the influence of three non-dietary variables on exhibited differences: (i) tooth position, (ii) mechanical advantage, and (iii) tooth aspect ratio. Five species exhibited intraspecific microwear differences. In several crocodilians, the distally positioned teeth exhibited the ‘roughest' textures, and texture characteristics correlated with all non-dietary variables. By contrast, the mesial teeth of the roughneck monitor ( Varanus rudicollis ) exhibited the ‘roughest' textures, and texture characteristics did not correlate with aspect ratio. These results are somewhat consistent with how reptiles preferentially use their teeth during feeding. We argue that DMTA has the potential to track mechanical and behavioural differences in tooth use which should be taken into consideration in future dietary reconstructions.

Description: In the present study, we conducted two facile and highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric approaches in order to quantify the vasoprotective agents; troxerutin (TROX) and calcium dobesilate (DOB) in the presence of hydroquinone (HQ) (as a highly toxic impurity and potential degradation product of DOB) in commercial formulations and human plasma. The first approach relies simply on using ethanol as an eco-friendly solvent for the estimation of DOB at 345 nm after being excited at 305 nm. The linearity was carefully investigated between DOB concentration and the relative fluorescence intensity in the range of 0.05–0.8 µg ml −1 . Due to the high method simplicity and sensitivity, applying the first approach to quality control analysis and spiked human plasma samples with mean % recoveries 100.74 ± 3.71 adds another merit. The second approach involved rapid conventional fluorimetric estimation of ethanolic TROX solution in TROX/DOB combined dosage forms at 455/350 nm (emission/excitation) with a linear calibration chart covering the range of 0.1–1.2 µg ml −1 . Moreover, the second approach involved a comprehensive study in a trial to solve the problem of superposition of DOB and HQ graph adopting the first derivative synchronous fluorimetric mechanism in ethanol at Δ λ = 60 nm. Therefore, DOB was measured at 286 and 323 nm, while HQ could be quantitated at 301 nm. The Beer–Lambert Law has complied over the ranges of 0.1–1.0 and 0.02–0.4 µg ml −1 for DOB and HQ, respectively. Guidelines adopted by the International Council of Harmonization (ICH) were used to validate the target approaches. The developed methods are more convenient for routine quality control laboratory instead of the time-consuming and sophisticated reported techniques. Moreover, different aspects of evaluating the greenness of the proposed approaches were conducted to have a complete image of their environmental impact.

Description: Density functional theory has been gaining popularity for studying the radical scavenging activity of antioxidants. However, only a few studies investigate the importance of calculation methods on the radical-scavenging reactions. In this study, we examined the significance of (i) the long-range correction on the coulombic interaction and (ii) the London dispersion correction to the hydroperoxyl radical-scavenging reaction of trans-resveratrol and gnetin C. We employed B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, M06-2X exchange-correlation functionals and B3LYP with the D3 version of Grimme’s dispersion in the calculations. The results showed that long-range correction on the coulombic interaction had a significant effect on the increase of reaction and activation energies. The increase was in line with the change of hydroperoxyl radical’s orientation in the transition state structure. Meanwhile, the London dispersion correction only had a minor effect on the transition state structure, reaction energy and activation energy. Overall, long-range correction on the coulombic interaction had a significant impact on the radical-scavenging reaction.

Description: Histones are the principal constituents of eukaryotic chromatin. The four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4) are conserved across sequenced eukaryotic genomes and therefore thought to be universal to eukaryotes. In the early 1980s, however, a series of biochemical investigations failed to find evidence for histones or nucleosomal structures in the microscopic green alga Nanochlorum eucaryotum . If true, derived histone loss in this lineage would constitute an exceptional case that might help us further understand the principles governing eukaryotic gene regulation. To substantiate these earlier reports of histone loss in N. eucaryotum, we sequenced, assembled and quantified its transcriptome. Following a systematic search for histone-fold domains in the assembled transcriptome, we detect orthologues to all four core histones. We also find histone mRNAs to be highly expressed, comparable to the situation in other eukaryotes. Finally, we obtain characteristic protection patterns when N. eucaryotum chromatin is subjected to micrococcal nuclease digestion, indicating widespread formation of nucleosomal complexes in vivo . We conclude that previous reports of missing histones in N. eucaryotum were mistaken. By all indications, Nanochlorum eucaryotum has histone-based chromatin characteristic of most eukaryotes.

Description: The ability to imitate has been deemed crucial for the emergence of human culture. Although non-human animals also possess culture, the acquisition mechanisms underlying behavioural variation between populations in other species is still under debate. It is especially controversial whether great apes can spontaneously imitate. Action- and subject-specific factors have been suggested to influence the likelihood of an action to be imitated. However, few studies have jointly tested these hypotheses. Just one study to date has reported spontaneous imitation in chimpanzees (Persson et al . 2017 Primates 59 , 19–29), although important methodological limitations were not accounted for. Here, we present a study in which we (i) replicate the above-mentioned study addressing their limitations in an observational study of human–chimpanzee imitation; and (ii) aim to test the influence of action- and subject-specific factors on action copying in chimpanzees by providing human demonstrations of multiple actions to chimpanzees of varying rearing background. To properly address our second aim, we conducted a preparatory power analysis using simulated data. Contrary to Persson et al .'s study, we found extremely low rates of spontaneous chimpanzee imitation and we did not find enough cases of action matching to be able to apply our planned model with sufficient statistical power. We discuss possible factors explaining the lack of observed action matching in our experiments compared with previous studies.

Description: Aquatain mosquito formulation (AMF) is a surfactant that spreads across the surface of water bodies to produce a monomolecular film. This study experimentally evaluates the temporal efficacy of AMF against aquatic stages of Anopheles arabiensis and Ochlerotatus caspius under laboratory conditions. Using the recommended application dose of 1 ml m −2 , a large species-specific difference in the median lethal time for L3–L4 larvae was observed. The median lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50) and 90% mortality (LT90) was 1.3 h, 95% CI [1.2, 1.4] and 3.8 h, 95% CI [3.6, 4.0], respectively, for Oc. caspius . The corresponding values for An. arabiensis were 8.1 h, 95% CI [7.3, 9.0] and 59.6 h, 95% CI [48.5, 76.2]. Based on data from published laboratory studies for a total of seven mosquito species, drawn from four genera, results in the following three groups, [LT50 = 1–2 h, Culex quinquefasciatus , Ochlerotatus caspius ] [LT50 = 8–24, hours, Anopheles minimus , Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles gambiae s.s.] and [LT50 = 72–143 h, Anopheles stephensi , Aedes aegypti ]. In all experiments, 100% mortality was achieved given sufficient time. The potential relevance of mortality rate estimates, in the context of other studies, on the use of monomolecular films for the control of malaria and arbovirus diseases is discussed.

Description: Under-reporting and delayed reporting of rape crime are severe issues that can complicate the prosecution of perpetrators and prevent rape survivors from receiving needed support. Building on a massive database of publicly available criminal reports from two US cities, we develop a machine learning framework to predict delayed reporting of rape to help tackle this issue. Motivated by large and unexplained spatial variation in reporting delays, we build predictive models to analyse spatial, temporal and socio-economic factors that might explain this variation. Our findings suggest that we can explain a substantial proportion of the variation in rape reporting delays using only openly available data. The insights from this study can be used to motivate targeted, data-driven policies to assist vulnerable communities. For example, we find that younger rape survivors and crimes committed during holiday seasons exhibit longer delays. Our insights can thus help organizations focused on supporting survivors of sexual violence to provide their services at the right place and time. Due to the non-confidential nature of the data used in our models, even community organizations lacking access to sensitive police data can use these findings to optimize their operations.

Description: A large portion of the terrestrial vegetation carbon stock is stored in the above-ground biomass (AGB) of tropical forests, but the exact amount remains uncertain, partly owing to the lack of measurements. To date, accessible peer-reviewed data are available for just 10 large tropical trees in the Amazon that have been harvested and directly measured entirely via weighing. Here, we harvested four large tropical rainforest trees (stem diameter: 0.6–1.2 m, height: 30–46 m, AGB: 3960–18 584 kg) in intact old-growth forest in East Amazonia, and measured above-ground green mass, moisture content and woody tissue density. We first present rare ecological insights provided by these data, including unsystematic intra-tree variations in density, with both height and radius. We also found the majority of AGB was usually found in the crown, but varied from 42 to 62%. We then compare non-destructive approaches for estimating the AGB of these trees, using both classical allometry and new lidar-based methods. Terrestrial lidar point clouds were collected pre-harvest, on which we fitted cylinders to model woody structure, enabling retrieval of volume-derived AGB. Estimates from this approach were more accurate than allometric counterparts (mean tree-scale relative error: 3% versus 15%), and error decreased when up-scaling to the cumulative AGB of the four trees (1% versus 15%). Furthermore, while allometric error increased fourfold with tree size over the diameter range, lidar error remained constant. This suggests error in these lidar-derived estimates is random and additive. Were these results transferable across forest scenes, terrestrial lidar methods would reduce uncertainty in stand-scale AGB estimates, and therefore advance our understanding of the role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle.

Description: Background: As of December 2020, COVID-19 has spread all over the world with more than 81 million cases and more than 1.8 million deaths. The rapidly increasing number of patients mandates the consideration of potential treatments for patients under severe and critical conditions. Convalescent plasma (CP) treatment refers to the approach of infusing patients with plasma from recently recovered patients. CP appears to be a possible therapeutic option to manage patients suffering from severe or even lethal infectious disorders, in which ‘traditional therapies’ have failed to obtain any result. Methods: In the present study, we develop a mathematical model on the treatment-donation-stockpile dynamics for an optimal implementation of CP therapy to examine potential benefits and complications in the logistic realization of this therapy in a large-scale population. We parametrize the model with COVID-19 epidemics in Italy, and conduct scenario analyses to estimate outcomes of population-wide CP therapy and to examine the maximum number of CP donation processions per day. Results: Under the assumption that the efficacy of CP is 90%, we show that by the end of year 2020, initiating the population-wide CP therapy from April 2020 can save as many as 19 215 lives (ranging from 5000 to 28 000 depending on donor availability), while the demand for apheresis use is manageable in all scenarios: the maximum daily demand is 156 (ranging from 27 to 519 depending on donor availability) for the first outbreak wave and 1434 (ranging from 224 to 4817 depending on donor availability) for the second wave. Given that Italy has 61 centres with apheresis this maximum demand level corresponds to a daily average of 2.5 and 23.5 processions of CP donation being performed by each centre with respect to each outbreak wave. Conclusions: Our analyses show that population-wide CP therapy can contribute to curbing COVID-19-related deaths, and the logistic implementation is feasible for developed countries. The reduction of deaths can be very significant if the CP therapy is started earlier in the outbreak, and remains significant even if it is implemented during the outbreak peak time.

Description: Taxonomy is essential to biological sciences and the priority field in face of the biodiversity crisis. The industry of scientific publications has made extensive promotion and display of bibliometric indexes, resulting in side effects such as the Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) mania. Inadequacies of the widely used indexes to assess taxonomic publications are among the impediments for the progress of this field. Based on an unusually high proportion of self-citations, the mega-journal Zootaxa , focused on zoological taxonomy, was suppressed from the Journal Citation Reports (JCR, Clarivate™). A prompt reaction from the scientific community against this decision took place exposing myths and misuses of bibliometrics. Our goal is to shed light on the impact of misuse of bibliometrics to the production in taxonomy. We explored JCR's metrics for 2010–2018 of 123 zoological journals publishing taxonomic studies. Zootaxa , with around 15 000 citations, received 311% more citations than the second most cited journal, and shows higher levels of self-citations than similar journals. We consider Zootaxa 's scope and the fact that it is a mega-journal are insufficient to explain its high level of self-citation. Instead, this result is related to the ‘ Zootaxa phenomenon', a sociological bias that includes visibility and potentially harmful misconceptions that portray the journal as the only one that publishes taxonomic studies. Menaces to taxonomy come from many sources and the low bibliometric indexes, including JIF, are only one factor among a range of threats. Instead of being focused on statistically illiterate journal metrics endorsing the villainy of policies imposed by profit-motivated companies, taxonomists should be engaged with renewed strength in actions directly connected to the promotion and practice of this science without regard for citation analysis.

Description: Strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) allow researchers to track changes in mobility throughout an animal's life and could theoretically be used to reconstruct sex-biases in philopatry and dispersal patterns in primates. Dispersal patterns are a life-history variable that correlate with numerous aspects of behaviour and socio-ecology that are elusive in the fossil record. The present study demonstrates that the standard archaeological method used to differentiate between ‘local’ and ‘non-local’ individuals, which involves comparing faunal isotopic ratios with environmental isotopic minima and maxima, is not always reliable; aspects of primate behaviour, local environments, geologic heterogeneity and the availability of detailed geologic maps may compromise its utility in certain situations. This study instead introduces a different methodological approach: calculating offset values to compare 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of teeth with that of bone or local environments. We demonstrate this method's effectiveness using data from five species of primates, including chimpanzees, from Kibale National Park, Uganda. Tooth-to-bone offsets reliably indicate sex-biases in dispersal for primates with small home ranges while tooth-to-environment offset comparisons are more reliable for primates with larger home ranges. Overall, tooth-to-environment offsets yield the most reliable predictions of species' sex-biases in dispersal.

Description: This research involved carrying out a unique micro-mesoporous carbon particle incorporation into P84 co-polyimide membrane for improved gas separation performance. The carbon filler was prepared using a hard template method from zeolite and known as zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC). This research aims to study the loading amount of ZTC into P84 co-polyimide toward the gas separation performance. The ZTC was prepared using simple impregnation method of sucrose into hard template of zeolite Y. The SEM result showing a dispersed ZTC particle on the membrane surface and cross-section. The pore size distribution (PSD) of ZTC revealed that the particle consists of two characteristics of micro and mesoporous region. It was noted that with only 0.5 wt% of ZTC addition, the permeability was boosted up from 4.68 to 7.06 and from 8.95 to 13.15 barrer, for CO 2 and H 2 respectively when compared with the neat membrane. On the other hand, the optimum loading was at 1 wt%, where the membrane received thermal stability boost of 10% along with the 62.4 and 35% of selectivity boost of CO 2 /CH 4 and H 2 /CH 4 , respectively. It was noted that the position of the filler on the membrane surface was significantly affecting the gas transport mechanism of the membrane. Overall, the results demonstrated that the addition of ZTC with proper filler position is a potential candidate to be applicable in the gas separation involving CO 2 and H 2 .

Description: Radon ( 222 Rn) and thoron ( 220 Rn) are two isotopes belonging to the noble gas radon ( sensu lato ) that is frequently employed for the geochemical surveillance of active volcanoes. Temperature gradients operating at subvolcanic conditions may induce chemical and structural modifications in rock-forming minerals and their related 222 Rn– 220 Rn emissions. Additionally, CO 2 fluxes may also contribute enormously to the transport of radionuclides through the microcracks and pores of subvolcanic rocks. In view of these articulated phenomena, we have experimentally quantified the changes of 220 Rn signal caused by dehydration of a zeolitized tuff exposed to variable CO 2 fluxes. Results indicate that, at low CO 2 fluxes, water molecules and hydroxyl groups adsorbed on the glassy surface of macro- and micropores are physically removed by an intermolecular proton transfer mechanism, leading to an increase of the 220 Rn signal. By contrast, at high CO 2 fluxes, 220 Rn emissions dramatically decrease because of the strong dilution capacity of CO 2 that overprints the advective effect of carrier fluids. We conclude that the sign and magnitude of radon ( sensu lato ) changes observed in volcanic settings depend on the flux rate of carrier fluids and the rival effects between advective transport and radionuclide dilution.

Description: Cephalopods are pivotal components of marine food webs, but biodiversity studies are hampered by challenges to sample these agile marine molluscs. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) is a potentially powerful technique to study oceanic cephalopod biodiversity and distribution but has not been applied thus far. We present a novel universal primer pair for metabarcoding cephalopods from eDNA, Ceph18S (Forward: 5′-CGC GGC GCT ACA TAT TAG AC-3′, Reverse: 5′-GCA CTT AAC CGA CCG TCG AC-3′). The primer pair targets the hypervariable region V2 of the nuclear 18S rRNA gene and amplifies a relatively short target sequence of approximately 200 bp in order to allow the amplification of degraded DNA. In silico tests on a reference database and empirical tests on DNA extracts from cephalopod tissue estimate that 44–66% of cephalopod species, corresponding to about 310–460 species, can be amplified and identified with this primer pair. A multi-marker approach with the novel Ceph18S and two previously published cephalopod mitochondrial 16S rRNA primer sets targeting the same region (Jarman et al . 2006 Mol. Ecol. Notes. 6 , 268–271; Peters et al . 2015 Mar. Ecol. 36 , 1428–1439) is estimated to amplify and identify 89% of all cephalopod species, of which an estimated 19% can only be identified by Ceph18S . All sequences obtained with Ceph18S were submitted to GenBank, resulting in new 18S rRNA sequences for 13 cephalopod taxa.

Description: Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been applied to investigate 1, 1-diamino-2, 2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) crystal and FOX-7 (011)-based polymer-bonded explosives (PBXs) with four typical polymers, polyethylene glycol (PEG), fluorine-polymer (F 2603 ), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and ester urethane (ESTANE5703) under COMPASS force field. Binding energy ( E bind ), cohesive energy density (CED), initiation bond length distribution, RDG analysis and isotropic mechanical properties of FOX-7 and its PBXs at different temperatures were reported for the first time, and the relationship between them and sensitivity. Using quantum chemistry, FOX-7 was optimized with the four polymers at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level, and the structure and RDG of the optimized composite system were analysed. The results indicated that the binding energy presented irregular changes with the increase in temperature. The order of binding ability of different binders to the FOX-7 (011) crystal surface is PEG 〉 ESTANE5703 〉 EVA 〉 F 2603 . When the temperature increases, the maximum bond length ( L max ) of the induced bond increases and the CED decreases. This result is achieved in agreement with the known experimental fact that the sensitivity of explosives increases with temperature, and they can be used as the criterion to predict the sensitivity of explosives. The descending order of L max is FOX-7 〉 F 2603 〉 ESTANE5703≈EVA 〉 PEG. The intermolecular interactions between FOX-7 and the four polymers were mainly weak hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions, and these interactions helped to reduce the bond length of C-NO 2 , leading to a decrease in the sensitivity of FOX-7. The addition of polymers can effectively improve the mechanical properties of explosives. Among the four polymers, EVA has the best effect on improving the mechanical properties of FOX-7 (011). At the same temperature, the modulus can be used to predict the sensitivity of high-energy materials. Cauchy pressure can predict the sensitivity of non-brittle energetic materials. The nature of the interaction between FOX-7 and the four polymers is hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force, of which hydrogen bonding is the main one. These studies are meaningful for the formulation design and sensitivity prediction of FOX-7 and its PBXs.