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In a poorly understood yet recurring phenomenon, communities occupying diverse settings within a region may undertake large-scale migrations that cannot be easily attributed to single variables such as climate change. As a result, the study of these movements has increasingly focused on the distinct histories of localities to address how they may have articulated as large-scale abandonments. We adopt this micro-history perspective on the fourteenth to fifteenth century depopulation of a large portion of the North American Midwest and Southeast, popularly referred to as the Vacant Quarter. Our research on the Middle Cumberland drainage within the Vacant Quarter suggests that a significant exodus began slowly ca. 1300 CE; then, it accelerated extremely rapidly in the first half of the fifteenth century CE. This genesis of this trajectory seems to be related to a pattern of severe droughts, but it was brought to a close by social and demographic challenges such as endemic conflict and adverse health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying active compounds for a target is a time- and resource-intensive task in early drug discovery. Accurate bioactivity prediction using morphological profiles could streamline the process, enabling smaller, more focused compound screens. We investigate the potential of deep learning on unrefined single-concentration activity readouts and Cell Painting data, to predict compound activity across 140 diverse assays. We observe an average ROC-AUC of 0.744 ± 0.108 with 62% of assays achieving ≥0.7, 30% ≥0.8, and 7% ≥0.9. In many cases, the high prediction performance can be achieved using only brightfield images instead of multichannel fluorescence images. A comprehensive analysis shows that Cell Painting-based bioactivity prediction is robust across assay types, technologies, and target classes, with cell-based assays and kinase targets being particularly well-suited for prediction. Experimental validation confirms the enrichment of active compounds. Our findings indicate that models trained on Cell Painting data, combined with a small set of single-concentration data points, can reliably predict the activity of a compound library across diverse targets and assays while maintaining high hit rates and scaffold diversity. This approach has the potential to reduce the size of screening campaigns, saving time and resources, and enabling primary screening with more complex assays.Identifying active compounds for a target is time- and resource-intensive. Here, the authors show that deep learning models trained on Cell Painting and single-point activity data, can reliably predict compound activity across diverse targets while maintaining high hit rates and scaffold diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies how public information regarding a firm's riskiness affects investors' incentives to acquire information about the firm and the firm's ability to learn decision-useful information from its price. I find that risk information complements investor learning by informing investors of when it is most lucrative to investigate the firm, thereby reducing liquidity. Furthermore, risk information causes the firm's price to contain more information when the firm's investment decisions have the greatest impact on its value, thereby improving real efficiency. Extensions of the model suggest that the impact of risk information on real efficiency may deteriorate when the firm's manager is excessively exposed to idiosyncratic risk, when the firm's shareholders are excessively averse to such risk, or when the disclosure concerns a "downside risk." In sum, my analysis suggests that information regarding firms' expected values and information regarding firms' risks significantly differ in their effects on the capital market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaN has been demonstrated as an important wide-bandgap semiconductor in many applications, especially in optoelectronic and high-power electronics. Two-dimensional (2D) GaN, with increased bandgap compared to the bulk counterpart, not only amplifies existing functionalities but also opens up fresh possibilities for compact electronics. Although several methods have recently been developed to synthesize 2D GaN, their practical application is hampered by either harsh growth conditions (e.g., high temperature and ultrahigh vacuum) or unsatisfactory performance due to grain boundaries. Here, we report the realization of few-nanometer-thick GaN crystals via in situ atomic substitution of layered GaS flakes at a relatively low temperature (590°C). GaN with tunable thickness from 50 nm down to 0.9 nm (~2 atomic layers) is achieved by applying the atomic substitution reaction to GaS with different numbers of layers. The obtained ultrathin GaN flakes retain the morphology inherited from the GaS flakes and show high crystallinity by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization, while the thickness of GaN decreases to about 72% of the corresponding GaS flakes from the atomic force microscopy characterization. A time-dependent mechanism study reveals both horizontal and vertical conversion paths, with Ga2S3 as intermediate. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measurements show that the band edge PL of 2D ultrathin GaN is blue-shifted as compared with bulk GaN, suggesting that the bandgap increases with the decrease in thickness. This study provides a promising method for obtaining ultrathin, high-crystallinity GaN with tunable thicknesses, utilizing a minimal thermal budget. This breakthrough lays a solid foundation for future investigations into fundamental physics and potential device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kagomé metals are widely recognized, versatile platforms for exploring topological properties, unconventional electronic correlations, magnetic frustration, and superconductivity. In the RV6Sn6 family of materials (R = Sc, Y, Lu), ScV6Sn6 hosts an unusual charge density wave ground state as well as structural similarities with the AV3Sb5 system (A = K, Cs, Rb). In this work, we combine Raman scattering spectroscopy with first-principles lattice dynamics calculations to reveal phonon mixing processes in the charge density wave state of ScV6Sn6. In the low temperature phase, we find at least four new peaks in the vicinity of the V-containing totally symmetric mode near 240 cm−1 suggesting that the density wave acts to mix modes of P6/mmm and R 3 ¯ m symmetry - a result that we quantify by projecting phonons of the high symmetry state onto those of the lower symmetry structure. We also test the stability of the short-range ordered density wave state under compression and propose that both physical and chemical pressure quench the effect. We discuss these findings in terms of symmetry and the structure-property trends that can be unraveled in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for fertility treatments has led to the rise of private clinics offering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. The most frequently offered CAM infertility treatment is acupuncture. However, there is no good evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating infertility. This study evaluates the scope of information provided by CAM fertility clinics in the UK. A content analysis was conducted on 200 websites of CAM fertility clinics in the UK that offer acupuncture as a treatment for infertility. Of the 48 clinics that met the eligibility criteria, the majority of the websites did not provide sufficient information on the efficacy, risks and success rates of acupuncture for infertility. This has the potential to infringe on patient autonomy, provide false hope and reduce the chances of pregnancy ever being achieved as fertility declines during the time course of ineffective acupuncture treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here the life and the work of Paul A. Castelfranco (1921–2021), a very special person who was not only a top chemist of chlorophyll biosynthesis, but also made major contributions on fatty acid oxidation, acetate metabolism and cellular organization. He led an extraordinary and exemplary life as a human being. We present here both his personal life as well as his scientific life, which is followed by reminiscences by William Breidenbach, Kevin Smith, Alan Stemler, Ann Castelfranco, and John Castelfranco. As the subtitle of this Tribute implies, till the end Paul was a scientist par excellence, an intellectual with unlimited curiosity, a humanist, and a man of enduring religious faith. We all miss him dearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of invasive alien species in the transmission dynamics of zoonotic pathogens is often overlooked, despite the rapid escalation in biological invasions globally. Here we synthesise available information on the influence of invasive alien species on zoonotic pathogen dynamics in invaded ranges, focussing on Europe, and identify key associated knowledge gaps. We identified 272 documented interactions between alien species and zoonotic pathogens within invaded ranges. The majority of these involved invasive alien mammals followed by birds with only a few occurrences of other taxa documented. A wide range of potential interactions between invasive alien species and zoonotic pathogens were identified but few studies considered transmission to humans and so there was limited evidence of actual impacts on human health. However, there is an urgent need to raise awareness of the potential risks posed to human health by the transmission of zoonotic diseases by invasive alien species; the role of invasive alien species in zoonotic disease transmission may exceed that of native wildlife and occur in a relatively short period following the arrival of an invasive alien species within a new region. Ecological and social mechanisms govern the dynamics of zoonotic disease transmission but wildlife diseases are not consistently included within animal, plant and human policies. Rapid advances in the development of systems frameworks that integrate the ecological, economic and social processes promoting spillover in rapidly changing environments will increase understanding to inform decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dendroecology of larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) in the world’s northernmost forest provided insight into the complex relationship of tree growth, forest stand establishment, and changing eco-climatic factors. The Ary-Mas forest in the northern Siberia (72° + NL) is an ecological island, surrounded by tundra. We hypothesized that the environmental constraints that limit larch growth in this harsh habitat include soil moisture and winter winds as well as low air temperature. We constructed and analyzed the larch growth index (GI) chronology from the eighteenth century until 2019. We found that the larch GI depended on the air temperature, soil moisture anomalies, and winter wind speed, and that dependence was significantly different before and after the 2000s. Larch GI responded to the onset of climatic warming in the 1970s by a minor GI increase followed by a GI decrease until the end of 1990. Increased air temperature early in the growing season favored increased GI, whereas elevated winter wind speed negatively influenced larch growth. After warming in the 2000s, the length of the growing season increased by 15 days, and larch GI was sensitive to air temperature both early and late in the growing season. The adverse influence of winter winds has gradually decreased since the 1970s, becoming a minor factor in the 2000s. Soil moisture in “wet, cold soils” negatively influenced larch growth. Meanwhile, decreased soil moisture in the northern lowlands favored increased larch growth. We found that larch growth increases were strongly correlated with GPP and NPP (gross and net primary productivity) within the Ary-Mas site and for the central Siberian Arctic. We infer that this Arctic region continues to be a carbon sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a coupled system of complex Hessian equations which generalizes the equation for constant scalar curvature Kähler (cscK) metrics. We show this system can be realized variationally as the Euler–Lagrange equation of a Hessian version of the Mabuchi K-energy in an infinite dimensional space of k-Hessian potentials, which can be seen as an infinite dimensional Riemannian manifold with negative sectional curvature. Finally, we prove an a priori C 0 -estimate for this system which depends on the Entropy, which generalizes a fundamental result of Chen and Cheng [1] for cscK metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the incidental prostate cancer (iPCa) detection rates of different embedding methods in a large, contemporary cohort of patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) treated with transurethral surgery. We relied on an institutional tertiary-care database to identify BOO patients who underwent either transurethral loop resection or laser (Holmium:yttrium–aluminium garnet) enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) between 01/2012 and 12/2019. Embedding methods differed with regard to the extent of the additional prostate tissue submitted following the first ten cassettes of primary embedding (cohort A: one [additional] cassette/10 g residual tissue vs. cohort B: complete embedding of the residual tissue). Detection rates of iPCa among the different embedding methods were compared. Subsequently, subgroup analyses by embedding protocol were repeated in HoLEP-treated patients only. In the overall cohort, the iPCa detection rate was 11% (46/420). In cohort A (n = 299), tissue embedding resulted in a median of 8 cassettes/patient (range 1–38) vs. a median of 15 (range 2–74) in cohort B (n = 121) (p <.001). The iPCa detection rate was 8% (23/299) and 19% (23/121) in cohort A vs. cohort B, respectively (p <.001). Virtual reduction of the number of tissue cassettes to ten cassettes resulted in a iPCa detection rate of 96% in both cohorts, missing one stage T1a/ISUP grade 1 carcinoma. Increasing the number of cassettes by two and eight cassettes, respectively, resulted in a detection rate of 100% in both cohorts without revealing high-grade carcinomas. Subgroup analyses in HoLEP patients confirmed these findings, demonstrated by a 100 vs. 96% iPCa detection rate following examination of the first ten cassettes, missing one case of T1a/ISUP 1. Examination of 8 additional cassettes resulted in a 100% detection rate. The extent of embedding of material obtained from transurethral prostate resection correlates with the iPCa detection rate. However, the submission of 10 cassettes appears to be a reasonable threshold to reduce resource utilization while maintaining secure cancer detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of review: Shift work is prevalent among the working population and is linked to an array of adverse health outcomes. This review summarizes current evidence on the relation between shift work and risk of obesity, with a particular emphasis on potential sex differences. Recent findings: Observational data strongly point towards an association between shift work and heightened risk of prevalent and incident obesity, and particularly abdominal obesity. Circadian misalignment and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are the primary culprits mediating such association. As it pertains to sex differences in the impact of shift work on obesity, few studies have examined this aspect, and findings are conflicting. Summary: Shift work is an important risk factor for obesity, with likely multiple biological and behavioral mediators. However, whether there is a sex-dependent vulnerability to the obesogenic effects of shift work is unclear. This area presents opportunities for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critiques the restrictive criteria for germline genome editing recently proposed by Chin, Nguma, and Ahmad in this journal. While praising the authors for resisting fervent calls for an outright ban on clinical applications of the technology, this paper argues that their approach is nevertheless unduly restrictive, and may thus hinder technological progress. This response advocates for weighing potential benefits against risks without succumbing to excessive caution, proposing that ethical oversight combined with genetic scrutiny at the embryo stage post-editing can enable responsible use of the technology, ultimately reducing the burden of genetic diseases and enhancing human health, akin to how IVF transformed reproductive medicine despite strong initial opposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van der Waals solids are ideal platforms for the discovery of new states of matter and emergent properties under external stimuli. Under pressure, complex chalcogenides like MPS3 (M = Mn, Ni, Co, V) host sliding and structural transitions, insulator-to-metal transitions, the possibility of an orbitally-selective Mott state, piezochromism, and superconductivity. In this work, we bring together diamond anvil cell techniques, infrared and Raman scattering spectroscopies, and X-ray diffraction with a detailed symmetry analysis and first-principles calculations to uncover a series of high-pressure phases in NiPS3. Remarkably, we find five different states of matter between ambient conditions and 39 GPa—quite different than in the other MPS3 materials. Even more strikingly, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction combined with a symmetry analysis reveal both metallicity and loss of the inversion center above ~23 GPa suggesting that NiPS3 may be a polar metal with a P3m1 space group under these conditions and P1 symmetry under maximum compression. In addition to identifying a candidate polar metal ripe for further inquiry, we suggest that pressure may tune other complex chalcogenides into this elusive state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We obtain sharp inequalities between the large scale asymptotic of the J functional with respect to the d 1 metric on the space of Kähler metrics. Applications regarding the initial value problem for geodesic rays are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the potency of mRNA therapeutics is an important objective for treating rare diseases, since it may enable lower and less-frequent dosing. Enzyme engineering can increase potency of mRNA therapeutics by improving the expression, half-life, and catalytic efficiency of the mRNA-encoded enzymes. However, sequence space is incomprehensibly vast, and methods to map sequence to function (computationally or experimentally) are inaccurate or time-/labor-intensive. Here, we present a novel, broadly applicable engineering method that combines deep latent variable modelling of sequence co-evolution with automated protein library design and construction to rapidly identify metabolic enzyme variants that are both more thermally stable and more catalytically active. We apply this approach to improve the potency of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), a urea cycle enzyme for which loss of catalytic activity causes a rare but serious metabolic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although dating violence has been recognized as a major public health issue considering its high prevalence and deleterious consequences, little research has been conducted on the potential mechanisms through which dating violence is associated with negative psychological outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the mediational effect of dispositional mindfulness on the relationship between dating violence (victimization and perpetration), psychological distress, and self-esteem by including measures of both current and previous dating violence and by controlling for gender, age, and dating relationship length. Methods: The sample consisted of 227 adolescents (127 girls and 100 boys) aged between 15 and 17 old recruited in a small urban area. They completed measures of previous and current experiences of dating victimization and perpetration, the K10 psychological distress scale, the Self-Description Questionnaire which measures self-esteem, and the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure. Results: The results showed that previous dating violence victimization was associated with lower dispositional mindfulness, which in turn was related to lower self-esteem and higher psychological distress, suggesting a mediation through dispositional mindfulness. However, in the integrative model, previous dating violence perpetration was not associated with dispositional mindfulness, self-esteem, or psychological distress. Conclusions: These results indicate the importance of previous dating violence victimization and its association with lower dispositional mindfulness, leading to lower self-esteem and higher psychological distress in teenagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in the surfing equipment industry has led to increased scientific interest in this area, yet no current paper has reviewed and synthesized the effects of equipment design on surfing. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (1) assess the volume and type of scientific literature that is available to the authors specific to surfing equipment and design, (2) summarise all surfing equipment and design studies completed to date specific to outcome measures and key findings and (3) identify knowledge gaps in the topic of surfing equipment design. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guidelines. A total of seven electronic databases were searched (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Ovid). Google Scholar was also searched for grey literature. Inclusion criteria were mention of surfing equipment and relevant surfing outcome measures (physiological and mechanical). Exclusion criteria were no full text availability and works not available in English. Results from these articles were then extracted, summarised and presented. A total of 17 articles were selected for review and organized by theme of board, wetsuit and fin. Fin and wetsuit design were the most prominent themes (seven studies each respectively). Most were written within the past 5 years and written in the USA. Fin design studies were largely computational, whereas board and wetsuit design were mostly field and laboratory based. Within each study theme there were consistencies in outcome measures and measuring devices. Board design studies focused on paddling efficiency (VO2 and HR). Wetsuit design studies primarily assessed thermoregulation, and less so muscle activation and paddling biomechanics. Fin design studies focused on fin shape and configuration to assess lift and drag properties. Three key themes of board, wetsuit and fin design were noted; from this the authors were able to identify several knowledge gaps such as a lack of standardisation in equipment controls and study design procedures. Alongside improving standardisation, the use of wave pools presents as an area of interest in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Integration of multi-omics data improved prediction accuracies of oat agronomic and seed nutritional traits in multi-environment trials and distantly related populations in addition to the single-environment prediction. Multi-omics prediction has been shown to be superior to genomic prediction with genome-wide DNA-based genetic markers (G) for predicting phenotypes. However, most of the existing studies were based on historical datasets from one environment; therefore, they were unable to evaluate the efficiency of multi-omics prediction in multi-environment trials and distantly related populations. To fill those gaps, we designed a systematic experiment to collect omics data and evaluate 17 traits in two oat breeding populations planted in single and multiple environments. In the single-environment trial, transcriptomic BLUP (T), metabolomic BLUP (M), G + T, G + M, and G + T + M models showed greater prediction accuracy than GBLUP for 5, 10, 11, 17, and 17 traits, respectively, and metabolites generally performed better than transcripts when combined with SNPs. In the multi-environment trial, multi-trait models with omics data outperformed both counterpart multi-trait GBLUP models and single-environment omics models, and the highest prediction accuracy was achieved when modeling genetic covariance as an unstructured covariance model. We also demonstrated that omics data can be used to prioritize loci from one population with omics data to improve genomic prediction in a distantly related population using a two-kernel linear model that accommodated both likely casual loci with large-effect and loci that explain little or no phenotypic variance. We propose that the two-kernel linear model is superior to most genomic prediction models that assume each variant is equally likely to affect the trait and can be used to improve prediction accuracy for any trait with prior knowledge of genetic architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Fine mapping of barley 6H pericentromeric region identified FHB QTL with opposite effects, and high grain protein content was associated with increased FHB severity. Resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), kernel discoloration (KD), deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation and grain protein content (GPC) are important traits for breeding malting barley varieties. Previous work mapped a Chevron-derived FHB QTL to the pericentromeric region of 6H, coinciding with QTL for KD resistance and GPC. The Chevron allele reduced FHB and KD, but unfavorably increased GPC. To determine whether the correlations are caused by linkage or pleiotropy, a fine mapping approach was used to dissect the QTL underlying these quality and disease traits. Two populations, referred to as Gen10 and Gen10/Lacey, derived from a recombinant near-isogenic line (rNIL) were developed. Recombinants were phenotyped for FHB, KD, DON, GPC and other agronomic traits. Three FHB, two DON and two KD QTLs were identified. One of the three FHB QTLs, one DON QTL and one KD QTL were coincident with the GPC QTL, which contains the Hv-NAM1 locus affecting grain protein accumulation. The Chevron allele at the GPC QTL increased GPC and FHB and decreased DON and KD. The other two FHB QTL and the other DON and KD QTL were identified in the regions flanking the Hv-NAM1 locus, and the Chevron alleles decreased FHB, DON and KD. Our results suggested that the QTL associated with FHB, KD, DON and GPC in the pericentromeric region of 6H was controlled by both pleiotropy and tightly linked loci. The rNILs identified in this study with low FHB severity and moderate GPC may be used for breeding malting barley cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dumping plastic waste into landfills can lead to severe health and environmental problems. Plastic waste can be treated by the pyrolysis process to produce fuel. A techno-economic and feasibility assessment was performed for plastic-waste pyrolysis followed by hydrodeoxygenation to upgrade the fuel using the software Aspen Plus. A simulation was conducted using Aspen Plus to estimate the plant's mass and energy balance; it is assumed that 1,000 dry metric tons of plastic waste is processed per day. Plastic waste contains 40% polystyrene (PS), 20% polyethylene (PE), 20% polypropylene (PP), and 20% polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The process is simulated in five steps: pretreatment, pyrolysis, hydrogen production, and hydrodeoxygenation of oil and energy generation. The mass and the energy yields of this process are 36% and 42%, respectively. The capital investment of the plant and the production cost were calculated based on the Aspen Plus model. Based on the economic estimation, the capital investment of this process is $118 million and the production cost is $27 million. For the 20-year project, the minimum selling price (MSP) of the fuel was calculated to be $0.60/gal. Sensitivity analysis was performed to verify the economic assumptions on the MSP. The MSP is highly sensitive to the feedstock cost, plant capacity, and product yield. As the plant capacity or product yield increases, the MSP decreases significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the biodiversity crisis continuing unchecked, we need to establish levels and drivers of extinction risk, and reassessments over time, to effectively allocate conservation resources and track progress towards global conservation targets. Given that threat appears particularly high in freshwaters, we assessed the extinction risk of 1428 randomly selected freshwater molluscs using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, as part of the Sampled Red List Index project. We show that close to one-third of species in our sample are estimated to be threatened with extinction, with highest levels of threat in the Nearctic, Palearctic and Australasia and among gastropods. Threat levels were higher in lotic than lentic systems. Pollution (chemical and physical) and the modification of natural systems (e.g. through damming and water abstraction) were the most frequently reported threats to freshwater molluscs, with some regional variation. Given that we found little spatial congruence between species richness patterns of freshwater molluscs and other freshwater taxa, apart from crayfish, new additional conservation priority areas emerged from our study. We discuss the implications of our findings for freshwater mollusc conservation, the adequacy of a sampled approach and important next steps to estimate trends in freshwater mollusc extinction risk over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Embodied cognition’ suggests that our bodily experiences broadly shape our cognitive capabilities. We study how embodied experience affects the abstract physical problem-solving styles people use in a virtual task where embodiment does not affect action capabilities. We compare how groups with different embodied experience – 25 children and 35 adults with congenital limb differences versus 45 children and 40 adults born with two hands – perform this task, and find that while there is no difference in overall competence, the groups use different cognitive styles to find solutions. People born with limb differences think more before acting but take fewer attempts to reach solutions. Conversely, development affects the particular actions children use, as well as their persistence with their current strategy. Our findings suggest that while development alters action choices and persistence, differences in embodied experience drive changes in the acquisition of cognitive styles for balancing acting with thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: I Nature Communications i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13364-2, published online 29 November 2019. Since the publication of this work, Brittany M. Curtiss has changed their name from Brittany M. Smith. [Extracted from the article]