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The spatial anisotropic arrangement of magnetic particles is expected to increase the magnetic resonance frequency of magnetic particles and optimize the magnetic loss. Herein, helical carbon nanocoils were used as a chiral template to induce the spatial spiral distribution of Fe3O4 particles. Meanwhile, a linear control group was constructed with carbon nanofibers as a template. The three-dimensional spiral structure promotes the confined growth and uniform distribution of Fe3O4 particles. Due to the enhanced magnetic property, chiral samples exhibited superior impedance matching compared to linear samples. Experimental tests and theoretical simulation confirm that the spatial anisotropic distribution helps to increase magnetic loss and optimize impedance matching. This work illustrates the important role of chiral structure in improving the magnetic anisotropy of magnetic nanoparticles and provides an effective strategy for optimizing electromagnetic wave dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative mapping of minerals in rock thin sections delivers data on mineral abundance, size, and spatial arrangement that are useful for many geoscience and engineering disciplines. Although automated methods for mapping mineralogy exist, these are often expensive, associated with proprietary software, or require programming skills, which limits their usage. Here we present a free, open-source method for automated mineralogy mapping from energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) scans of rock thin sections. This method uses a random forest machine learning image classification algorithm within the QGIS geographic information system and Orfeo Toolbox, which are both free and open source. To demonstrate the utility of this method, we apply it to 14 rock thin sections from the well-studied Rio Blanco tonalite lithology of Puerto Rico. Measurements of mineral abundance inferred from our method compare favourably to previous measurements of mineral abundance inferred from X-ray diffraction and point counts on thin sections. The model-generated mineral maps agree with independent, manually-delineated mineral maps at a mean rate of 95 %, with accuracies as high as 96 % for the most abundant phase (plagioclase) and as low as 72 % for the least abundant phase (apatite) in these samples. We show that the default random forest hyperparameters in Orfeo Toolbox yielded high accuracy in the model-generated mineral maps, and we demonstrate how users can determine the sensitivity of the mineral maps to hyperparameter values and input features. These results show that this method can be used to generate accurate maps of major mineral phases in rock thin sections using entirely free and open-source applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been recently demonstrated that laser micromachining of magnetoactive elastomers is a very convenient method for fabricating dynamic surface microstructures with magnetically tunable properties, such as wettability and surface reflectivity. In this study, we investigate the impact of the micromachining process on the fabricated material's structural properties and its chemical composition. By employing scanning electron microscopy, we investigate changes in size distribution and spatial arrangement of carbonyl iron microparticles dispersed in the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix as a function of laser irradiation. Based on the images obtained by a low vacuum secondary electron detector, we analyze modifications of the surface topography. The results show that most profound modifications occur during the low-exposure (8 J/cm2) treatment of the surface with the laser beam. Our findings provide important insights for developing theoretical models of functional properties of laser-sculptured microstructures from magnetoactive elastomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The placenta is a membrane that separates the fetus from the maternal circulation, and in addition to protecting the fetus, plays a key role in fetal growth and development. With increasing drug use in pregnancy, it is imperative that reliable models of estimating placental permeability and safety be established. In vitro methods and animal models such as rodent placenta are limited in application since the species-specific nature of the placenta prevents meaningful extrapolations to humans. In this regard, in silico approaches such as quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPRs) are useful alternatives. However, despite evidence that drug transport across the placenta is stereoselective (i.e., governed by the spatial arrangement of the atoms in a molecule), many QSPR models for placental transfer have been built using 2D descriptors that do not account for chirality and stereochemistry. In this study, we apply a chirality-sensitive and proven QSPR methodology titled "EigenValue ANalySis" (EVANS) to build QSPR models for placental transfer. We deploy EVANS along with robust machine learning algorithms to build (i) regression models on a dataset of environmental chemicals (dataset PD I) followed by (ii) classification models on a set of drug-like compounds (dataset PD II). The best models were found to achieve state-of-the-art performance, with the support vector machine algorithm returning r train 2 = 0.85 , r test 2 = 0.75 for PD I, and the logistic regression algorithm giving accuracy 0.88 and F1 score 0.93 for PD II. The best models were interpreted with the Shapley Additive Explanations paradigm, and it was found that autocorrelation descriptors are crucial for modelling placental permeability. In conclusion, we demonstrate the need of a chirality-sensitive approach for modelling placental transfer of chemicals, and present two predictive QSPR models that may reliably be used for prediction of placental transfer. • A chirality-sensitive methodology titled "EigenValue ANalySis" (EVANS) is applied to build QSPR models for placental transfer • SVM regression models on a dataset of environmental chemicals returned r train 2 = 0.85 , r test 2 = 0.75 • Logistic regression models on a set of drug-like compounds had accuracy 0.88 and F1 score 0.93 • We demonstrate the need of a chirality-sensitive approach for modelling placental transfer of chemicals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildland–urban interface (WUI) regions are particularly vulnerable to wildfires due to their proximity to both nature and urban developments, posing significant risks to lives and property. To enhance our understanding of the risk profiles in WUI areas, we analysed seven fire case studies in central Chile. We developed a mixed-method approach for conducting local-scale analyses, which involved field surveys, remote-sensing through satellite and drone imagery, and GIS-based analysis of the collected data. The methodology led to the generation of a georeferenced dataset of damaged and undamaged dwellings, including 16 variables representing their physical characteristics, spatial arrangement, and the availability of fire suppression resources. A binary classification model was then used to assess the relative importance of these attributes as indicators of vulnerability. The analysis revealed that spatial arrangement factors have a greater impact on damage prediction than the structural conditions and fire preparedness of individual units. Specifically, factors such as dwelling proximity to neighbours, distance to vegetation, proximity to the border of dwelling groups, and distance from the origin of the fire substantially contribute to the prediction of fire damage. Other structural attributes associated with less affluent homes may also increase the likelihood of damage, although further data are required for confirmation. This study provides insights for the design, planning, and governance of WUI areas in Chile, aiding the development of risk mitigation strategies for both built structures and the broader territorial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent‐magneto nanoemitters have gained considerable attention for their applications in mechanical controlling‐assisted optical signaling. However, the incompatibility between magnetic and fluorescent components often leads to functional limitations in traditional magneto@fluorescence nanostructure. Herein, we introduce a new compact‐discrete spatial arrangement on a "fluorescence@magneto" core–shell nanostructure consisting of a close‐packed aggregation‐induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) core and a discrete magnetic shell. This structural design effectively eliminates the optical and magnetic interferences between the dual components by facilitating AIEgens loading in core region and reducing the magnetic feeding amount through effective exposure of the magnetic units. Thereby, the resulting magneto‐AIEgen nanoparticle (MANP) demonstrates "win‐win" performances: (i) high fluorescent intensity contributed by AIEgens stacking‐enhanced photoluminescence and reduced photons loss from the meager magnetic shell; (ii) marked magnetic activity due to magneto extraposition‐minimized magnetic shielding. Accordingly, the dual functions‐retained MANP provides a proof of concept for construction of an immunochromatographic sensing platform, where it enables bright fluorescent labeling after magnetically enriching and separating procalcitonin and lipoarabinomannan in clinical human serum and urine, respectively, for the clinical diagnosis of bacterial infections‐caused inflammation and tuberculosis. This study not only inspires the rational design of magnetic‐fluorescent nanoemitter but also highlights promising potential in magneto‐assisted point‐of‐care test and biomedicine applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed a stochastic toxin-dependent competition model to investigate the impact of environmental noise on species interaction dynamics. First, a survival analysis was conducted to establish the sufficient conditions for population extinction and persistence. Second, we proved the existence of a unique ergodic stationary distribution. Finally, the spatial arrangement of random states near the deterministic attractor was investigated using the stochastic sensitivity functions technique. This analytical approach facilitates constructing confidence ellipses and estimating critical noise intensity corresponding to the onset of transition. Both theoretical and numerical findings demonstrated that significant levels of noise experienced by one species lead to its extinction while promoting persistence in its competitor; conversely, negligible levels of noise did not alter the original competition outcomes in the deterministic model. However, when both species encounter moderate levels of noise, various modifications can occur in competition outcomes. These findings have significant implications for preserving ecosystem diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning to perform abstract reasoning often requires decomposing the task in question into intermediate subgoals that are not specified upfront, but need to be autonomously devised by the learner. In Raven progressive matrices (RPMs), the task is to choose one of the available answers given a context, where both the context and answers are composite images featuring multiple objects in various spatial arrangements. As this high-level goal is the only guidance available, learning to solve RPMs is challenging. In this study, we propose a deep learning architecture based on the transformer blueprint which, rather than directly making the above choice, addresses the subgoal of predicting the visual properties of individual objects and their arrangements. The multidimensional predictions obtained in this way are then directly juxtaposed to choose the answer. We consider a few ways in which the model parses the visual input into tokens and several regimes of masking parts of the input in self-supervised training. In experimental assessment, the models not only outperform state-of-the-art methods but also provide interesting insights and partial explanations about the inference. The design of the method also makes it immune to biases that are known to be present in some RPM benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the settlement patterns in Intermediate Bronze Age Lower Galilee, focusing on the Ḥorbat Qishron sites and their socio-economic organization. The spatial arrangement and the hierarchical structures of the settlements are analyzed, particularly in light of the discovery of a walled settlement at Ḥorbat Qishron South, a unique feature in this period. The study also considers the implications of settlement patterns for economic activities, social organization and communal endeavors, shedding light on the role of households as basic economic units and the potential of centralized economic models. Furthermore, it discusses the significance of ceramic assemblages, radiocarbon dating and burial practices in understanding chronological and social dynamics within the region. Overall, the research highlights the nuanced interplay between spatial organization, socio-economic structures and cultural practices in shaping settlement patterns during the Intermediate Bronze Age in Lower Galilee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro‐driven phase change materials (PCMs) can effectively realize electrothermal conversion and storage and have attracted much attention in the fields of electrothermal therapy and thermal management of electronic devices. How to effectively reduce the leakage current risk of it is a core problem in the application process. In this work, we used carbon fibers and boron nitride to mimic the microstructure of Greta oto butterfly's wing, and composite it with a form‐stable PCM‐PPEGMA to obtain a thermally conductive enhanced anisotropic electro‐driven PCM. The material exhibits high electrothermal conversion and storage efficiency (86.76%, 5 V), high thermal conductivity, excellent electrical anisotropy, and thermal stability because of the well‐designed spatial arrangement. The unique bionic structure effectively inhibits the conductive isotropy phenomenon of traditional electro‐driven PCMs and significantly reduces the risk of leakage current. On the basis of this situation, the system shows great application potential in the field of electrothermal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetosome chains in magnetotactic bacteria present ideal nanomagnonic model systems for studying collective resonance modes of dipolar-coupled single domain particles in relation to their spatial arrangement. Using microresonator-based ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and micromagnetic modeling, we here provide insights into the complex magnonic activity within a single magnetosome chain. While the angular dependence of its FMR spectrum is dominated by twofold symmetry features due to the uniaxial anisotropy of linear chain segments, we also observed an unexpected behavior such as interrupted lines and flat bands due to the intricate geometrical details of this particular chain, such as a cross-like structural anomaly where a pair of particles is oriented perpendicular to the main axis of the chain and thus breaks the prevailing axial dipolar coupling symmetry. Such a cross junction formed by four particles exhibits interesting magnonic network properties. Notably, we observe reciprocity in the sense that the spectral response of one particle to an excitation of another one is identical to the response of the latter given an excitation of the former. Furthermore, we have identified that magnonic coupling between A and B can be facilitated via a dark state, as in magnonic stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, and that this dark-state coupling can be made non-reciprocal between A and B by breaking the symmetry of the spatial arrangement of the four particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of molecularly woven three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic framework (COF) crystals into polymers of varying types invokes different forms of contact between filler and polymer. Whereas the combination of woven COFs with amorphous and brittle polymethyl methacrylate results in surface interactions, the use of the liquid-crystalline polymer polyimide induces the formation of polymer-COF junctions. These junctions are generated by the threading of polymer chains through the pores of the nanocrystals, thus allowing for spatial arrangement of polymer strands. This offers a programmable pathway for unthreading polymer strands under stress and leads to the in situ formation of high-aspect-ratio nanofibrils, which dissipate energy during the fracture. Polymer-COF junctions also strengthen the filler-matrix interfaces and lower the percolation thresholds of the composites, enhancing strength, ductility, and toughness of the composites by adding small amounts (~1 weight %) of woven COF nanocrystals. The ability of the polymer strands to closely interact with the woven framework is highlighted as the main parameter to forming these junctions, thus affecting polymer chain penetration and conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) in the case of 1-iodoalkynes is known as a synthetic tool towards 5-iodo-1,2,3-triazole derivatives. We found that CuAAC of 1-iodobuta-1,3-diynes and aryl azides under CuI(PPh3)3 catalysis unexpectedly leads to the formation of both 4-iodo- and 5-iodo-1,2,3-triazoles. Aryl azides bearing acceptor groups and iodoaryldiacetylenes having donor groups shift the isomer ratio in favor of nontrivial 4-iodotriazoles. The reason for the change in the regioselectivity was explained using DFT calculations, which revealed the binuclear nature of the CuAAC transition states (TSs) for iodoalkynes and azides cycloaddition. The regiochemistry of cycloaddition is determined by the type of azide N atom coordinated to the Cu atom and by a spatial arrangement of the binuclear Cu catalyst and alkyne in the TS. In particular in the case of 1-iodobuta-1,3-diynes both regioisomeric TSs have a linear orientation of the alkyne moiety and the I–Cu–P fragment of the binuclear catalyst that makes both N1–Cu (for 5-I-TS) and N3–Cu (for 4-I-TS) coordination possible. The influence of various electronic and stereoelectronic effects established by NBO analysis, as well as NCI interactions, on the stabilization of isomeric TSs in the reactions of aryl/alkyl azides with iodomono- and diacetylenes is discussed. 4-Iodotriazoles are more thermodynamically stable than 5-iodotriazoles, while only the latter form I–N halogen bonds in the solid state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Sonotope Hypothesis, the heterogenous nature of the acoustically sensed, but not yet interpreted, environmental sounds (i.e., sonoscape) is created by the spatial and temporal conformation of sonic patches (sonotopes) as recently been described in a Mediterranean rural landscape. We investigated the Sonotope Hypothesis in a mountain beech forest of the Northern Apennines, Italy that is notoriously poor in soniferous species. Our aim was to test whether sonotopes were temporally distinct over seasonal and astronomical timeframes and spatially configured in relation to vegetation variables. We used the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACItf) to analyze the heterogeneity of sonic information gathered from an array of 11 sound recorders deployed within a lattice of eleven 4-ha hexagonal sample sites distributed throughout a 48-ha managed beech forest. We visualized and described the temporal patterns of ACItf between seasons (May-June and July-August 2021), across six astronomical periods (Night I, Morning Twilight, Morning, Afternoon, Evening Twilight, and Night II), and according to two aggregated frequency classes (<2000 and >2000 Hz). We introduced Spectral Sonic Signature (SSS) calculated from the sequence of ACItf values along frequency bins as a descriptor of the dynamic production of sounds across spatial and temporal scales. We calculated Mean Spectral Dissimilarity to compare SSS values across temporal periods and between sample sites. We identified sonotopes by grouping similar SSS for each sample site generated from cluster analyses and visualized their spatial arrangements. Frequencies <2000 Hz (mainly geophonies from wind and rain) were more prevalent than frequencies >2000 Hz (mainly biophonies from songbirds). Despite there being no strong relationship to vegetation variables and minimal biophony and anthropophony, distinct sonotopes still emerged for every astronomical and seasonal period. This suggests that the sonoscape expresses distinct spatial and temporal sonotope configurations associated with the temporal and spatial patterns of geophysical events that generate geophonies with minimal animal or anthropogenic occurrences. A new strategy based on the reintroduction of indigenous trees and shrubs in managed clearings should be considered for enhancing local biodiversity conservation along with ecoacoustic monitoring based on the Sonotope Hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in experimental techniques have enabled simultaneous recordings from thousands of neurons, enabling the study of functional cell assemblies. However, determining the patterns of synaptic connectivity giving rise to these assemblies remains challenging. To address this, we developed a complementary, simulation-based approach, using a detailed, large-scale cortical network model. Using a combination of established methods we detected functional cell assemblies from the stimulus-evoked spiking activity of 186,665 neurons. We studied how the structure of synaptic connectivity underlies assembly composition, quantifying the effects of thalamic innervation, recurrent connectivity, and the spatial arrangement of synapses on dendrites. We determined that these features reduce up to 30%, 22%, and 10% of the uncertainty of a neuron belonging to an assembly. The detected assemblies were activated in a stimulus-specific sequence and were grouped based on their position in the sequence. We found that the different groups were affected to different degrees by the structural features we considered. Additionally, connectivity was more predictive of assembly membership if its direction aligned with the temporal order of assembly activation, if it originated from strongly interconnected populations, and if synapses clustered on dendritic branches. In summary, reversing Hebb's postulate, we showed how cells that are wired together, fire together, quantifying how connectivity patterns interact to shape the emergence of assemblies. This includes a qualitative aspect of connectivity: not just the amount, but also the local structure matters; from the subcellular level in the form of dendritic clustering to the presence of specific network motifs. Author summary: It is widely known in the neuroscience field that cells that fire together wire together, forming so called "cell assemblies". However, on a quantitative level the picture is more complicated, because neurons can participate in several spatially distributed assemblies and receive synaptic inputs from many local and long-range sources. The effects of different connections on different assemblies are difficult to analyze because simultaneous recordings of neuronal activity and their connections are only feasible for small sets of neurons in a given region. Thus, we turned to a complimentary, simulation-based approach using a large-scale cortical microcircuit model with non-random, biorealistic connectivity. We found different types of assemblies that differed in how much they were determined by connections from local or long-range sources. Additionally, we characterized ways in which connectivity can tie a neuron into an assembly more efficiently, for example through dendritic clustering of synapses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn the present work, the thermal-hydraulic performance of a fin and tube compact heat exchanger (FTHE) with different spatial arrangements of tubes and variations of tube diameter is investigated numerically. The three types of spatial arrangement of the tubes, namely inline, staggered row (SR), and staggered column (SC) arrangements, and five different tube diameters starting from Dc = 6.51 mm to Dc = 10.51 mm considered with a constant increment of 1 mm, are investigated for the augmentation of the heat transfer. The entire analysis is conducted under the low inlet velocity ranging from 0.7 m/s to 1.1 m/s. The results indicate that FTHEs (flow-through heat exchangers) have better thermal-hydraulic performance when arranged in staggered column configurations compared to inline and staggered row arrangements. However, it was observed that the pressure drop increased in staggered column arrangements compared to inline and staggered row arrangements. The performance ranking method MOORA is applied to optimize the spatial arrangements of tubes. The study’s findings suggest that the performance of FTHE is better in the case of staggered column arrangements, which offer a fair agreement with performance evaluation criteria (PEC3 = Q/(Pf +Pp)). After achieving the staggered column arrangement as an optimum spatial arrangement of the tubes, the influence of tube diameter on the performance of FTHEs is investigated for this arrangement only. The findings indicate that when the tube diameter is increased, there is a corresponding increase in both the characteristics like heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop penalty. The performance ranking method MOORA is applied to get an optimum tube diameter, which is cross-checked by the TOPSIS method.  Based on PEC3 and two optimization approaches, MOORA and TOPSIS, it is revealed that a larger tube diameter leads to better overall performance of the FTHEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A striking paradox is that genes with conserved protein sequence, function and expression pattern over deep time often exhibit extremely divergent cis-regulatory sequences. It remains unclear how such drastic cis-regulatory evolution across species allows preservation of gene function, and to what extent these differences influence how cis-regulatory variation arising within species impacts phenotypic change. Here, we investigated these questions using a plant stem cell regulator conserved in expression pattern and function over ~125 million years. Using in-vivo genome editing in two distantly related models, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) and Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), we generated over 70 deletion alleles in the upstream and downstream regions of the stem cell repressor gene CLAVATA3 (CLV3) and compared their individual and combined effects on a shared phenotype, the number of carpels that make fruits. We found that sequences upstream of tomato CLV3 are highly sensitive to even small perturbations compared to its downstream region. In contrast, Arabidopsis CLV3 function is tolerant to severe disruptions both upstream and downstream of the coding sequence. Combining upstream and downstream deletions also revealed a different regulatory outcome. Whereas phenotypic enhancement from adding downstream mutations was predominantly weak and additive in tomato, mutating both regions of Arabidopsis CLV3 caused substantial and synergistic effects, demonstrating distinct distribution and redundancy of functional cis-regulatory sequences. Our results demonstrate remarkable malleability in cis-regulatory structural organization of a deeply conserved plant stem cell regulator and suggest that major reconfiguration of cis-regulatory sequence space is a common yet cryptic evolutionary force altering genotype-to-phenotype relationships from regulatory variation in conserved genes. Finally, our findings underscore the need for lineage-specific dissection of the spatial architecture of cis-regulation to effectively engineer trait variation from conserved productivity genes in crops. Author summary: We investigated the evolution of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and their interactions in the regulation of a plant stem cell regulator gene, CLAVATA3 (CLV3), in Arabidopsis and tomato. Despite diverging ~125 million years ago, the function and expression of CLV3 is conserved in these species; however, cis-regulatory sequences upstream and downstream have drastically diverged, preventing identification of conserved non-coding sequences between them. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to engineer dozens of mutations within the cis-regulatory regions of Arabidopsis and tomato CLV3. In tomato, our results show that tomato CLV3 function primarily relies on interactions among CREs in the 5' non-coding region, unlike Arabidopsis CLV3, which depends on a more balanced distribution of functional CREs between the 5' and 3' regions. Therefore, despite a high degree of functional conservation, our study demonstrates divergent regulatory strategies between two distantly related CLV3 orthologs, with substantial alterations in regulatory sequences, their spatial arrangement, and their relative effects on CLV3 regulation. These results suggest that regulatory regions are not only extremely robust to mutagenesis, but also that the sequences underlying this robustness can be lineage-specific for conserved genes, due to the complex and often redundant interactions among CREs that ensure proper gene function amidst large-scale sequence turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raised bogs are wetland ecosystems which, under the right climatic conditions, feature patterns of pool hollows and hummock ridges. The relative cover and the spatial arrangement of pool and ridge microforms are thought to be influential on peatland atmosphere carbon gas fluxes and plant biodiversity. The mechanisms responsible for the formation and maintenance of pools, and the stability of these features in response to warming climates, remain topics of ongoing research. We employed historical aerial imagery, combined with a contemporary uncrewed aerial vehicle survey, to study 61 years of changes in pools at a patterned raised bog in central Sweden. We used a pool inheritance method to track individual pools between image acquisition dates throughout the time series. These data show a rapid loss of open-water pool area during the study period, primarily due to overgrowth of open-water pools by Sphagnum. We postulate that these changes are driven by ongoing climate warming that is accelerating Sphagnum colonisation. Open-water pool area declined by 26.8% during the study period, equivalent to a loss of 1001 m2 y−1 across the 150-hectare site. This is contradictory to an existing theory that states pools are highly stable, once formed, and can only convert to a terrestrial state through catastrophic drainage. The pool inheritance analysis shows that smaller pools are liable to become completely terrestrialised and expire. Our findings form part of a growing body of evidence for the loss of open-water habitats in peatlands across the boreal and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant reproductive failure is a critical concern for conserving rare and endangered species that typically have low‐density and sparse populations. One important factor contributing to reproductive failure is the spatial arrangement of plants within a population, which can lead to isolation and negatively affect seed production, particularly in obligate outcrossers. Additionally, plant size can compound this effect, influencing seed production via multiple processes. Here, we investigate how spatial distribution and size influence the reproductive success of Vasconcellea chilensis, an endemic‐threatened papaya species in Chile. We first examined whether V. chilensis can produce seeds via apomixis using pollinator exclusion experiments. We then used Spatial Point Pattern Analysis (SPPA) in three populations to explore the spatial arrangement of plants. Finally, we assessed whether plant size and neighbor distance influence the reproductive success V. chilensis is a dioecious shrub unable to produce fruits through apomixis. The SPPA revealed significant clustering of female and male plants at different spatial scales, indicating a non‐random distribution. Moreover, a significant spatial association between the sexes was observed. In two populations, closer proximity to male plants was linked to higher seed production. Our study revealed that the reproductive system of V. chilensis is susceptible to distance‐dependent reproductive failure due to pollen limitation. While the species' spatial structure may partially mitigate this risk, female plants isolated from male counterparts will likely experience reduced seed set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the intricate field of genomic research, researchers frequently look for the enrichment of genes with a common function. Traditionally, genes are analyzed as if they function independently. However, this assumption may not hold true in large genomic regions, where genes with similar functions exist in close proximity and may influence each other. Our research introduces an advanced method to discern whether the observed patterns in gene groups are due to their spatial closeness, or stem from other biological factors. This approach is particularly crucial in studying large genomic loci, where conventional methods might overlook the nuanced interplay of functionally similar genes. By implementing our technique, we significantly enhance the precision of genomic analyses, particularly in these extensive areas. This advancement is vital as it deepens our understanding of gene interactions within large genomic regions. Traditional gene set enrichment analysis falters when applied to large genomic domains, where neighboring genes often share functions. This spatial dependency creates misleading enrichments, mistaking mere physical proximity for genuine biological connections. Here we present Spatial Adjusted Gene Ontology (SAGO), a novel cyclic permutation-based approach, to tackle this challenge. SAGO separates enrichments due to spatial proximity from genuine biological links by incorporating the genes' spatial arrangement into the analysis. We applied SAGO to various datasets in which the identified genomic intervals are large, including replication timing domains, large H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 domains, HiC compartments and lamina-associated domains (LADs). Intriguingly, applying SAGO to prostate cancer samples with large copy number alteration (CNA) domains eliminated most of the enriched GO terms, thus helping to accurately identify biologically relevant gene sets linked to oncogenic processes, free from spatial bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sign language learners with a spoken language background face the challenge of acquiring a second language in a different modality. In the course of this endeavor, one of the modality-specific phenomena they encounter is the use of classifier predicates, also known as depicting signs. Classifier predicates contain a meaningful hand configuration that refers to an entity, denoting a salient characteristic of this entity (Zwitserlood, 2003). The use of a classifier predicate allows the signer to indicate the location, motion and orientation of a referent. If two classifier predicates are used simultaneously, the signer can represent the spatial arrangement of both referents (Schembri, Jones and Burnham, 2001). This visual representation is new for learners with a spoken language background. Since there is a paucity of literature on second language (L2) sign language acquisition, there is no empirical evidence on the developmental stages that L2 learners go through in acquiring the devices to produce such visual representations. In this study, we followed 14 novel learners of Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT) over a period of two years. The learners were asked to produce sign language descriptions of prompts containing various objects (e.g. cars, bicycles, trucks, human beings and animals) that could be depicted by a classifier predicate. Analyses show that after a year of instruction, the majority of learners are capable of producing scene descriptions featuring two classifier predicates to denote the spatial layout of the objects. The first classifier predicates appear in the data at an early stage, suggesting that the strategy of denoting an object with a meaningful handshape representing the object is not difficult to learn. Furthermore, the data show that learners initially struggle with the orientation of objects and handshape selection. This study is the first to systematically elicit classifier predicates from novel learners for an extended period of time. The results have important implications for the field of sign language pedagogy and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platforms indicate a partial but critical shift from the workplace as site to the workplace as infrastructure. Instead of focusing on platforms as mediators of labour, this article asks: how is the platform a workplace? Platforms involve a distinctive geography, creating flexible space that challenges clear distinctions between the inside and outside of the workplace and its action. It is this issue of the location of the structure for action in platformised work that is the problem of infrastructure. Infrastructure, as studies in information work have demonstrated, exists through practices that resolve the tensions between broader structures for activity and specific enactments. The implications of this workplace infrastructure approach have not yet been fully addressed in contemporary social science research on platforms and work. The article begins by outlining how workplaces are not simply sites where work occurs but rather contingently structure work. It then shows how infrastructure names the socio‐technical constitution of this contingent structuring of workplaces, which allows both standardisation and flexibility in information work. These two insights are combined in the infrastructural qualities of platforms that produce workplaces as contingent structures, with the socio‐technical practices of arrangement and coordination as the spatial drivers of workplace flexibility. As infrastructure, the platform workplace is understood as compositor of work; its parameters shape the occurrence of working activity, at the same time as work taking place also alters the parameters of the workplace. This infrastructural approach illuminates other agencies shaping work beyond employer and employee, in turn implying that the study of platform workplaces as infrastructure can shed light on the functioning of contemporary economic activities beyond work. Platforms indicate a partial but critical shift from the workplace as site to the workplace as infrastructure. Instead of fixed sites, platforms produce workplaces as contingent structures, through the socio‐technical practices of arrangement and coordination as the spatial drivers of workplace flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing of innovative technologies for the development of functional materials remain crucial for achieving sustainable technological advancements. In this regard, nanoparticles (NPs) possessing enormous potential properties can be obtained using various facile methods for several applications. Adopting NPs as primitive building blocks can initiate the formation of complex entities named supraparticle (SP) to create several advanced functional materials. Additionally, SPs enable entirely new material characteristics to the system, owing to their individual entities, intrinsic properties such as coupling, spatial arrangement, and co‐localization. Indeed, methods such as template‐induced evaporation‐based assembly of NPs direct the shape, size, and morphology of SPs from their respective colloidal dispersions on a solvent‐repellant solid surface. Therefore, it is important to comprehend the formation of SPs and their structure‐property relationship with respect to practical application. This review presents a brief overview of SPs assembly by outlining the templated‐assisted evaporation‐based methodologies for synthesizing SPs. Further, the effect of various factors on the interaction between colloidal entities, solvent, and substrate, leading to the genesis of SPs is elaborated. Conclusively, specific properties are described and applications of SPs for energy storage, generation, and environmental remediation are reported, which collectively brings many interdisciplinary research fields to the same podium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiplexing techniques will be employed based on duration, polarization, and frequency to achieve the expanding demand for broadcast bandwidth. Adding time as an additional aspect to transmission networks has been put out as a flexible way to handle potential bandwidth problems. For interaction programs such as space imaging, optical fiber setup, submerged portable visual hyperlinks, onboard interconnects, information centers indoor relations, radio signals, and auditory interactions, we examine the possibilities of utilizing time as a further level of independence. Beginning in 2010, space-divisional multiplexer (SDM) studies gained popularity, partly because they had been suggested to increase the data-carrying ability of fiber optics while also boosting effectiveness through collaboration on assets. The proposed SDM transfer technologies spectrum includes identical single-mode fibers using shared amplifiers pumping laser light and the complete spatial arrangement of transceiver equipment, signal analysis, and amplifiers near a fiber with more than 100 geographical networks composed of several threads, all executing various forms. In this study, we discuss SDM study's advancements. The major categories and characteristics of innovative SDM fibers, like multiple-core fibers (MCFs), multiple-mode fibers, fewer-mode MCFs, and coupled-core MCFs, are initially described. While examining present tendencies and speculating on potential advances and uses outside optical data transfer, we provide analyses between various fiber kinds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Architecture is not only a social product; the social is also constituted through architecture. This holds particularly true for museum architecture, which is a spatialized expression of social order and an infrastructure through which the collective imagination is generated. In this article I will demonstrate how the Military History Museum of the German army in Dresden, has been used to achieve a post-heroic mode of identity formation. The German army is compelled to distance itself from the past while articulating some form of continuity with that past in order to legitimize itself. The Military History Museum achieves this through a twofold spatial tactic: firstly, through a dramatic architectural intervention, and secondly, through the discursive interpretation of this spatial arrangement. Articulated in and through architecture, a ‘critical engagement with the past’ becomes institutionalized. Providing a sociological explanation for why the critical negation of the past became a prominent narrative within German memorial culture, I argue that it allows for a coherent form of self-narration under the conditions of historical fractures and multiple conflicts within a refigured form of modernity. Although a similar discourse has been addressed at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, its affirmative architecture nonetheless contradicts any claims of the same critical engagement with history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present SinGRAV, an attempt to learn a generative radiance volume from multi-view observations of a single natural scene, in stark contrast to existing category-level 3D generative models that learn from images of many object-centric scenes. Inspired by SinGAN, we also learn the internal distribution of the input scene, which necessitates our key designs w.r.t. the scene representation and network architecture. Unlike popular multi-layer perceptrons (MLP)-based architectures, we particularly employ convolutional generators and discriminators, which inherently possess spatial locality bias, to operate over voxelized volumes for learning the internal distribution over a plethora of overlapping regions. On the other hand, localizing the adversarial generators and discriminators over confined areas with limited receptive fields easily leads to highly implausible geometric structures in the spatial. Our remedy is to use spatial inductive bias and joint discrimination on geometric clues in the form of 2D depth maps. This strategy is effective in improving spatial arrangement while incurring negligible additional computational cost. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of SinGRAV in generating plausible and diverse variations from a single scene, the merits of SinGRAV over state-of-the-art generative neural scene models, and the versatility of SinGRAV by its use in a variety of applications. Code and data will be released to facilitate further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The increase in energy costs and the need for further energy saving lead to an increase in requirements for reducing losses in the magnetic cores of transformers and reactors. Problem. The improvement of transformer and reactor equipment is traditionally carried out by applying the achievements of electrical materials science and new technologies to traditional designs and structures of electromagnetic systems. The basis of modern transformers is made up of laminated and twisted magnetic cores. The disadvantage of laminated magnetic cores is large additional losses in corner zones due to the texture of anisotropic steel. Disadvantage of twisted three-phase three-contour magnetic cores is large additional losses caused by the lack of magnetic coupling of three separate magnetic flux contours. The disadvantages of combined joint tape-plate magnetic cores are the unsatisfactory use of the active volume and increased losses, which are determined by the uneven distribution of the magnetic field and the negative impact of steel texture in the corner zones of the twisted parts. Aim. To determine the possibility of improving three-phase transformers and reactors. Methodology. The improvement is achieved by geometrical and structural transformations of the outer contours and elements of the varieties of magnetic cores. Results. The possibility of eliminating additional losses of a planar laminated magnetic core by a combination of anisotropic and isotropic steels at the appropriate location in the yoke-rod and corner sections is determined. With an octagonal outer contour of the combined magnetic core, a reduction in mass is achieved without an increase in losses. The mutually orthogonal position of the steel layers or the elements of the joint twisted and combined three-phase planar and spatial magnetic cores achieves magnetic coupling and elimination of additional losses of individual twisted contour sections. The hexagonal configurations of the inner contours of the twisted yoke-corner parts and the cross-sections of the laminated rods of the variants of the axial spatial joint magnetic core improve the magnetic flux density distribution and reduce the main losses of the yokes, as well as reduce the complexity of manufacturing rods from identical rectangular steel layers. Originality. The paper presents constructive and technological proposals and features of varieties of non-traditional planar and spatial, laminated, twisted and combined tape-plate joint magnetic cores, which differ in the combination of anisotropic, isotropic and amorphous steels, as well as the multifaceted geometric shape of contours and the spatial arrangement of elements. Based on the identity of the optimal geometric ratios of the variants of electromagnetic systems of transformers and reactors, with joint planar and spatial twisted and combined and tape-plate magnetic cores, the unification of the structure of transformer and reactor equipment with a capacity of I-III dimensions. References 29, figures 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As adivided capital city, Nicosia and its Buffer Zone have attracted attention across political, social, cultural, and academic spheres since the 1974 division of Cyprus. The Buffer Zone's physical and symbolic presence reflects the ongoing struggle for reunification and the challenges of tension in a confined space. The crossing points in the Buffer Zone serve as bridges, facilitating movement and interaction between the communities. Thus, contested spaces require comprehensive, context-sensitive approaches that foster inclusive dialogues, and seek innovative spatial arrangements to promote sustainable peace and shared understanding. The paper proposes a placemaking process approach that serves as a transformative tool to tackle the difficulties associated with contested spaces and strive towards their comprehensive revitalisation. 126 different NGOs participated as stakeholders in the Ledra Street Crossing Point and answered the Likert scale survey after the reliability check. The aim of this paper is to identify a successful placemaking process diagram for contested spaces as an analytical framework. The diagram establishes important criteria and their correlations for the placemaking process. It identifies sociability alongside uses and activities as key imperatives for successful placemaking process in contested contexts: social networks, sharing space use, multifunctionality, and public space usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surge in demand for upscale apartments in South Korea in the 2000s necessitates the enhanced quality of apartment complexes. Achieving this improvement involves creating diverse spaces within complexes and categorizing them based on spatial arrangement. However, obtaining actual as-built drawings poses challenges, and manual analysis lacks objectivity. The study utilized map API for data collection and Roboflow API for labeling, employing a YOLOv8n-cls model for categorization. Performance evaluation included accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score values using a confusion matrix. Eigen-CAM was utilized for an analysis that revealed the specific features influencing predictions. The classification model demonstrated relatively high accuracy. Furthermore, the prediction performance was high for lattice and square apartment complexes but low for distributed apartment complexes. These results indicate that a classification model is insufficient for assessing complex characteristics such as the scattered arrangement of building layouts and outdoor spaces, as seen in distributed apartment complexes. We determined that an in-depth analysis of the architectural plans for distributed apartment complexes is necessary to clearly identify their types, and the types must be categorized into several classes, including the distributed type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental research inquiry in this study revolves around wood materials' diverse facets, including structural identities, contextual considerations, interior and external spatial applications, and their user experiences. To address this research, a comprehensive literature review, case study, and survey were conducted. The objective being to elucidate technical, functional, sensory, perceptual, and psychological impacts of wood in a sample structure where it is the primary material in the overarching user experience. The Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM), conceptualized by architect Kengo Kuma and inaugurated in 2019 in Eskişehir, stands as a testament to the historical significance of the timber trade in the region. The deliberate choice of wood as the primary construction material serves as a tribute to this historical narrative. The conspicuous incorporation of wooden lath materials into both the external and interior spaces signify a conscious reference to the region's historical heritage and aligns with sustainability principles in design. Factors such as form characteristics, dimensional distinctions, spatial arrangements, and the extent of surface interactions collectively contribute to the compelling effect of this integrative approach. Within the confines of the museum, unconventional partitioning is implemented, and the strategic arrangement of masses results in multiple facades, even in the absence of overt wooden surfaces. The exterior impact of the wooden shell complements its interior application. For this reason, OMM enabled the understanding and explanation of all dimensions of the wooden material, including physical, technical, and psychosocial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impedance spectroscopy experiments are able to reveal the fundamental charge transport properties of a wide variety of complex disordered and nano-structured materials provided that appropriate modeling tools are used. In this paper, we present a numerical simulation-based approach to model the dynamical conductivity of networks formed by self-assembled metal nanoparticles. Inter-particle nano-resistance and nano-capacitance are implemented at the nano-scale assuming inter-particle charge transfer and accumulation mechanisms that can be adapted depending on the nature of the nano-particles and the surrounding medium. The actual positions and spatial arrangements of the nanoparticles within the network are taken into consideration, allowing the attributes of percolating conducting routes to be extracted, classified, and compared in terms of path conductance and statistical distribution of path lengths. Our findings are contrasted to those obtained using analytic models, which are commonly used, but rely on strong assumptions about the electric properties of the conducting paths. We address these assumptions and show that in the case of weakly disordered systems, there is a general agreement between numerical simulations and analytic modeling-based approaches. In the case of disordered networks where the nano-particle size and position fluctuations are included, we show that the path length distribution is frequency-dependent and can differ significantly from the lognormal distribution usually assumed in the analytic models. The impedance of individual pathways may be extracted from the numerical simulations; we discovered that the conductance and susceptance of a specific path are frequency-dependent and inversely proportional to the path length only in ordered networks. Strong scattering of conductance values is caused by disorder effects. The developed numerical approach is generic and applies to most nano-devices where charge transport relies on percolation; it allows to bridge the gap between the nano-scale and micro-scale electric characteristics and, thus, permits a deeper understanding of the charge transport properties of nano-structured materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many parameters and complex boundaries are involved in the spatial arrangement of an underground powerhouse in a hydropower station, necessitating referencing many relevant cases and specifications. However, in practical applications, retrieving such cases or specifications is difficult, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding cascading logic among design parameters. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel methodology for constructing a targeted knowledge graph, in this case, a knowledge graph for building information modeling (BIM) for underground powerhouses in hydropower plants. Subsequently, based on this knowledge graph, this study develops a question-and-answer (Q&A) system to facilitate subsequent applications. First, the ontology skeleton of the spatial arrangement design of an underground powerhouse in a hydropower station, that represents the knowledge organization structure of the knowledge graph, is constructed by carefully analyzing the requirements for intelligent modeling of underground powerhouses. A large volume of unstructured data is identified based on the optical character recognition (OCR) technology; the collected data are divided into words to extract correlation knowledge using THU Lexical Analyzer for Chinese (THULAC). Subsequently, the knowledge triad of the spatial arrangement of the underground powerhouse is extracted based on ChatGPT and stored in Neo4j, a knowledge base, to build a knowledge graph. Finally, the knowledge graph is employed to realize the query of knowledge and parameter recommendation to assist the digital intelligent design of the spatial arrangement of an underground powerhouse in a pumped storage hydropower station.

Many essential processes occur at soft interfaces, from chemical reactions on aqueous aerosols in the atmosphere to biochemical recognition and binding at the surface of cell membranes. The spatial arrangement of molecules specifically at these interfaces is crucial for many of such processes. The accurate determination of the interfacial molecular orientation has been challenging due to the low number of molecules at interfaces and the ambiguity of their orientational distribution. Here, we combine phase- and polarization-resolved sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to obtain the molecular orientation at the interface. We extend an exponentially decaying orientational distribution to multiple dimensions, which, in conjunction with multiple SFG datasets obtained from the different vibrational modes, allows us to determine the molecular orientation. We apply this new approach to formic acid molecules at the air–water interface. The inferred orientation of formic acid agrees very well with ab initio molecular dynamics data. The phase-resolved SFG multimode analysis scheme using the multidimensional orientational distribution thus provides a universal approach for obtaining the interfacial molecular orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic nanohosts doped with lanthanide ions are an indispensable tool for multimodal bioimaging and MRI applications due to their distinctive optical, magnetic, and biocompatible properties. Nanocomposites of such nanoprobes with functionalization capabilities could also enable their use in targeted therapy‐based applications. However, the influence of nanocomponents especially their proportion in a nanocomposite in modulating the physio‐chemical and biocompatibility properties of the nanocomposite is still elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we have engineered nanocomposites variants using an environmentally benign one‐step synthesis with ionic liquids. We have synthesized two nanocomposites, differing in the proportion of lanthanide‐doped ternary fluoride nanoparticles (as nanophase material with luminescent and magnetic traits) and graphene oxide (as host matrix phase with tunable functionalization potential for theranostics applications). We found that with increased GO nanomaterial, nanocomposites showed reduced crystallite size and photoluminescence properties without significantly affecting the magnetic traits. Thus, implying nanocomponents ratio has differential effect on the nanocomposite properties. To assess biocompatibility, we have employed sensitive biomarkers such as craniofacial development, cardiac rhythm, and overall survivability of zebrafish larvae. Remarkably, biocompatibility improved when the proportion of the GO was increased within the nanocomposite as compared to when the nanocomponents were assessed individually. Our results also revealed that biocompatibility of nanocomposites also depends on the synergistic interplay between the nanocomponents due to the spatial arrangement of each nanocomponent in the nanocomposites. Overall, our study offers an intriguing avenue for tuning the biocompatibility of such nanocomposites, rendering them as an application‐independent biocompatible‐platform for theranostics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fundamental understanding of coordination chemistry across the lanthanide series is essential for explaining chemical behavior of rare‐earth metals in complex liquid‐liquid extraction processes, which in turn affects the distribution ratios and efficacy of separations as a whole. In this work, we explore the structural trends between the lanthanides and a neutral N,N,N′,N′−tetramethylmalonamide (TMMA) ligand within four isolated families of solid‐state compounds: Ln(trans‐TMMA)2(NO3)3 Ln=La−Nd, Sm; Ln(cis‐TMMA)2(NO3)3 Ln=Eu−Tb, Er; [Ln(TMMA)3(NO3)2][Ln(TMMA)(NO3)4] Ln=Dy−Tm; Ln(Κ2‐TMMA)(iPrOH)(NO3)3 and Ln(Κ1‐TMMA)(Κ2‐TMMA)(NO3)3 Ln=Yb, Lu. Moving across the lanthanide series, we note the formation of both discrete charge‐neutral complexes, as well as charged molecular anion‐cation pairs, with variations in spatial ligand arrangement, coordination numbers, and ligand denticities. IR and Raman spectroscopy paired with DFT frequency calculations were used for an in‐depth investigation of vibrational modes unique to each structural family. The collection of isolated model compounds was also discussed in the context of liquid‐liquid separations based on reported distribution ratios from malonamide extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess, during three years, the spatial arrangement that will enhance the morpho-productive development of Jatropha curcas L. in association systems with staple crops. It was hypothesized that the association of crops is a factor that determines the behavior of the species and the development of agroenergetic farms, considering rainy and low rainfall periods. A quasi-experimental design was used, and four treatments were tested: 1) J. curcas (Jc) in monoculture; 2) 50 % of the area with Jc and 50 % planted with food crops in rotation (CA); 3) Jc intercropped with CA; and 4) area planted with CA. A principal component statistical analysis was performed with the variables fruit yield and associated crop yield using 95 % confidence intervals from a Student's t-test. The number of bunches and total fruit and seeds harvested from Jc were shown to be the most important and had a positive correlation for the first component in each period. As for fruit yield, the highest values were achieved in monoculture. Although high yields were not attained in CA, the relationship is regarded favorable since the use of polycultures is viable, fundamentally in the arrangement of 50 % Jc + 50 % CA, being positive the biological efficiency given by the diversification and the best equivalent land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigated the nitrogen substitution effect on the molecular structure and π-electron delocalization in linear nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (N-PAHs). Based on the optimized molecular structures and magnetic field-induced parameters of fused bi- and tricyclic linear N-PAHs, we found that the local π-electron delocalization of subcycles (e.g., mono- and bicyclic constituent moieties) in linear N-PAHs is preserved, despite deviation from ideal structures of parent monocycles. The introduction of a fused five-membered ring with a pyrrolic N atom (N-5MR) in linear N-PAHs significantly perturbs the π-electronic condition of the neighboring fused six-membered ring (6MR). Monocyclic pyrrole exhibits substantial bond length alternations, strongly influencing the π-electronic systems of both the fused N-5MR and 6MR in linear N-PAHs, depending on the location of shared covalent bonds. A fused six-membered ring with a graphitic N atom in an indolizine moiety cannot generate monocyclic π-electron delocalization but instead contributes to the formation of polycyclic π-electron delocalization. This is evidenced by bifurcated diatropic ring currents induced by an external magnetic field. In conclusion, the satisfaction of Hückel's 4n + 2 rule for both mono- and polycycles is crucial for understanding the overall π-electron delocalization. It is crucial to consider the unique characteristics of the three types of substituted N atoms and the spatial arrangement of 5MR and 6MR in N-PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we intricately designed and synthesized two isoreticular two-dimensional covalent organic framework nanosheets, namely TAPA-COF-1 and TAPA-COF-2, distinguished by their unique spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups. These precisely engineered nanosheets were employed as a tailored platform for the selective capture of uranium, due to their tunable chelating sites and characteristic sheet-like morphology. Notably, TAPA-COF-1, featuring ortho-hydroxyl groups, demonstrated a significantly enhanced adsorption capacity for uranium capture originating from the additional oriented adjacent phenolic hydroxyl chelating sites in comparison to TAPA-COF-2 with para-hydroxyl groups, which was proved by theoretical calculation. The impressive features of TAPA-COF-1, including its notable selectivity, rapid adsorption kinetics, and high uptake capacity (657.2 mg g−1), endow it as a highly promising candidate for uranium capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the interactions between small, submicrometer-sized colloidal particles is crucial for numerous scientific disciplines and technological applications. In this study, we employ optical tweezers as a powerful tool to investigate these interactions. We utilize a full image reconstruction technique to achieve high precision in characterizing particle pairs that enable nanometer-scale measurement of their positions. This approach captures intricate details and provides a comprehensive understanding of the spatial arrangement between particles, overcoming previous limitations in resolution. Moreover, our research demonstrates that properly accounting for optical binding forces to determine the intrinsic interaction potential is vital. We employ a discrete dipole approximation approach to calculate optical binding potentials and achieve a good agreement between the calculated and observed binding forces. We incorporate the findings from these simulations into the assessment of the intrinsic interaction potentials and validate our methodology by using short-range depletion attraction induced by micelles as an example. Understanding the interactions between submicrometer-sized colloidal particles is of interest to scientists in numerous disciplines. Here, the authors use optical tweezers alongside a full image reconstruction technique to investigate these interactions on the nanometer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Understanding and predicting recruitment in species‐rich plant communities requires identifying functional determinants of both density‐independent performance and interactions.In a common‐garden field experiment with 25 species of the woody plant genus Protea, we varied the initial spatial and taxonomic arrangement of seedlings and followed their survival and growth during recruitment. Neighbourhood models quantified how six key functional traits affect density‐independent performance, interaction effects and responses.Trait‐based neighbourhood models accurately predicted individual survival and growth from the initial spatial and functional composition of species‐rich experimental communities. Functional variation among species caused substantial variation in density‐independent survival and growth that was not correlated with interaction effects and responses. Interactions were spatially restricted but had important, predominantly competitive, effects on recruitment. Traits increasing the acquisition of limiting resources (water for survival and soil P for growth) mediated trade‐offs between interaction effects and responses. Moreover, resprouting species had higher survival but reduced growth, likely reinforcing the survival–growth trade‐off in adult plants.Resource acquisition of juvenile plants shapes Protea community dynamics with acquisitive species with strong competitive effects suffering more from competition. Together with functional determinants of density‐independent performance, this makes recruitment remarkably predictable, which is critical for efficient restoration and near‐term ecological forecasts of species‐rich communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the Spanish state has cracked down on efforts to hold a public referendum on independence in Catalonia. To understand the local dimension, this article explores the linguistic landscape (LL) of Girona, a city in northeast Catalonia. In a context of political upheaval in the region, we examine how the ongoing push for independence is manifest in the LL of Girona. Through adopting a qualitative approach to data collection, we attempt to deconstruct how visual modalities, written discourse, spatial arrangements and dimensions of history and culture are used to create meaning and project ideologies, identities and power relations. The study uncovers a number of contesting socio-cultural and socio-political ideologies that circulate in the LL of Girona. Our analysis shows that the LL is a dynamic space where discourses of resistance, counter-resistance and conflict are present as well as new discourses that mirror the most recent debates in the region's struggle for independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of sorghum grown in different combinations of row spacing and plant density, as well as possible interferences on silage quality. No other study dedicated to identifying the interference of plant spatial arrangement on the cultivation of silage material has been developed in the productive context of the Amazon Biome, making it necessary to understand the behavior of the studied factors. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot scheme: the plots corresponded to three row spacings (0.45 m, 0.60 m, and 0.75 m) and subplots at four densities (105,000, 120,000, 135,000, and 150,000 plants ha−1). The agronomic and productivity characteristics of sorghum and the fermentative and bromatological characteristics of forage and silage were evaluated. The sorghum plants showed an increase in plant height and green and dry mass yield when using higher densities (p < 0.05). For the culm diameter variable, an isolated effect of the factors was observed, with reduced diameter when grown closer to inter-row spacing or using higher plant densities. No effect of the factors was found (p > 0.05) for morphological plant components. In silage, wider spacing promoted higher dry matter content. Regarding crude protein in the silage, higher percentages were obtained at closer spacing and higher plant density. The sorghum growing in dense conditions is indicated, given the positive performance in productivity and bromatological composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microseismic monitoring has been used in geo-energy related activities, such as shale-gas exploitation, mining, deep geothermal exploitation, geotechnical and structural engineering, for detecting and locating fractures, rock failures and micro-earthquakes. The success of microseismic monitoring depends on reliable detection and location of the recorded microseismicity. Multichannel coherence migration (MCM) is a detection and location waveform migration-based approach which does not require phase picking, identification and association and performs well on noisy data. Its caveat is a high computational cost, which impedes its application of MCM on large data sets or for real-time monitoring. To address this issue, we propose an improved approach, the multichannel coherence migration grid search (MCMgs), by introducing an adaptive grid optimization technique. Based on results from synthetic and real data, we show that MCMgs reduces the computation time up to 64 times. In addition, MCMgs generates multiple maximum coherence values with various grid sizes instead of a single (maximum) coherence value that links to a single gridpoint and size, thus resulting in more accurate locations. Our simulation results on different deployment geometries demonstrate that MCMgs is effective even with a small number of recordings available—a minimum of seven. We conduct a sensitivity analysis to assess how the detectability of events is affected by the spatial arrangement of the deployed monitoring array. If a limited number of seismometers are available for deployment, our analysis favours a patch array deployment geometry. We show that 12 seismometers deployed at a patch array geometry can have similar detection and localization capability as a large rectangular array of more than 100 seismometers but at a much lower computational and deployment cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlayer-sliding faults play a crucial role in governing the distribution of metal deposits. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which these faults control the spatial arrangement of ore bodies throughout the evolution of fault–fold structures remains unclear. Here, we formulated three series of experimental models to explore variations in deformation and alterations in the mechanical characteristics of interlayer-sliding faults throughout the evolution of the thrust–fold structures. The experimental results indicate that the thrust faults formed in the three series of experiments all propagate in a piggyback propagation, displaying an imbricate thrust in cross-sections. Compared with Model 1 and Model 2, Model 3 demonstrates the longest transmission distance of the deformation front, the smallest thrust wedge taper angle, the fewest thrust faults with the largest spacing, and a reduction in the dip angle of the thrust fault. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) showed that in the top view, the position of minimum horizontal strain in each stage is the position of thrust faults. In the cross-sectional view, the development location of thrust faults shows the low-value area of the velocity field and surface strain field, and the development location of the interlayer-sliding fault and tensile space in the core of the fold displays the high-value area of velocity field and surface strain field. The structural characteristics of experiment 3 are highly similar to the actual geological model, indicating that there is a certain ore-hosting space in the Dengying Formation deep in the deposit. Although the expansion zone in the deep area is smaller than that in the shallow area, it still has favorable prospecting prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a clinically challenging pathogen due to its high resistance to antibiotics. Quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) have been proposed as a promising strategy to overcome this resistance by interfering with the bacterial communication system. Among the potential targets of QSIs, PqsR is a key regulator of quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the current research on PqsR inhibitors is limited by the lack of diversity in the chemical structures and the screening methods. Therefore, this study aims to develop a multidimensional screening model for PqsR inhibitors based on both ligand- and receptor-based approaches. First, a pharmacophore model was constructed from a training set of PqsR inhibitors to identify the essential features and spatial arrangement for the activity. Then, molecular docking and dynamics simulations were performed to explore the core interactions between PqsR inhibitors and their receptor. The results indicate that an effective PqsR inhibitor should possess two aromatic rings, one hydrogen bond acceptor, and two hydrophobic groups and should form strong interactions with the following four amino acid residues: TYR_258, ILE_236, LEU_208, and GLN_194. Moreover, the docking score and the binding free energy should be lower than −8 kcal/mol and −40 kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, the validity of the multidimensional screening model was confirmed by a test set of PqsR inhibitors, which showed a higher accuracy than the existing screening methods based on single characteristics. This multidimensional screening model would be a useful tool for the discovery and optimization of PqsR inhibitors in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin and mechanisms responsible for incipient plasticity in metals are still poorly understood. Moreover, the reasons for the recently reported large scattering of the initial pop-in load remain unclear. Hence, this study addresses these issues through a combination of nanoindentation tests and electron channelling contrast imaging characterisation considering a CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy. Experimental findings were also supported by elastic calculations that consider both the indentation and dislocation stress fields. A wide scatter in the maximum shear stress underneath the indenter, as expected, was observed for the analysis based on dislocation density. As a consequence, the spatial arrangement of dislocations within the indented region or local dislocation configuration is introduced as a new parameter to overcome overly simple analysis based on the dislocation density. The maximum shear stress underneath the indenter increased from 6 GPa for dislocation closer to the indentation axis to 11 GPa at 600 nm for dislocation far away from it. Additionally, elastic calculations revealed that the response to the incoming nanoindenter was different for dislocations with different configurations. Thus, the complex interactions of stress fields due to configurations of dislocations and indentation account for the large scatter of the maximum shear stress beneath the indenter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functions of soils are intimately linked to their three‐dimensional pore space and the associated biogeochemical interfaces, mirrored in the complex structure that developed during pedogenesis. Under stress overload, soil disintegrates into smaller compound structures, conventionally named aggregates. Microaggregates (<250 µm) are recognized as the most stable soil structural units. They are built of mineral, organic, and biotic materials, provide habitats for a vast diversity of microorganisms, and are closely involved in the cycling of matter and energy. However, exploring the architecture of soil microaggregates and their linkage to soil functions remains a challenging but demanding scientific endeavor. With the advent of complementary spectromicroscopic and tomographic techniques, we can now assess and visualize the size, composition, and porosity of microaggregates and the spatial arrangement of their interior building units. Their combinations with advanced experimental pedology, multi‐isotope labeling experiments, and computational approaches pave the way to investigate microaggregate turnover and stability, explore their role in element cycling, and unravel the intricate linkage between structure and function. However, spectromicroscopic techniques operate at different scales and resolutions, and have specific requirements for sample preparation and microaggregate isolation; hence, special attention must be paid to both the separation of microaggregates in a reproducible manner and the synopsis of the geography of information that originates from the diverse complementary instrumental techniques. The latter calls for further development of strategies for synlocation and synscaling beyond the present state of correlative analysis. Here, we present examples of recent scientific progress and review both options and challenges of the joint application of cutting‐edge techniques to achieve a sophisticated picture of the properties and functions of soil microaggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In microfluidic systems, droplets undergo intricate deformations as they traverse flow-focusing junctions, posing a challenging task for accurate measurement, especially during short transit times. This study investigates the physical behavior of droplets within dense emulsions in diverse microchannel geometries, specifically focusing on the impact of varying opening angles within the primary channel and injection rates of fluid components. Employing a sophisticated droplet tracking tool based on deep-learning techniques, we analyze multiple frames from flow-focusing experiments to quantitatively characterize droplet deformation in terms of ratio between maximum width and height and propensity to form liquid with hexagonal spatial arrangement. Our findings reveal the existence of an optimal opening angle where shape deformations are minimal and hexagonal arrangement is maximal. Variations of fluid injection rates are also found to affect size and packing fraction of the emulsion in the exit channel. This paper offers insight into deformations, size, and structure of fluid emulsions relative to microchannel geometry and other flow-related parameters captured through machine learning, with potential implications for the design of microchips utilized in cellular transport and tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravity drives the collapse of molecular clouds through which stars form, yet the exact role of gravity in cloud collapse remains a complex issue. Studies point to a picture where star formation occurs in clusters. In a typical, pc-sized cluster-forming region, the collapse is hierarchical, and the stars should be born from regions of even smaller sizes (⁠|${\approx} 0.1\,\rm pc$|⁠). The origin of this spatial arrangement remains under investigation. Based on a high-quality surface density map towards the Perseus region, we construct a 3D density structure, compute the gravitational potential, and derive eigenvalues of the tidal tensor (λmin, λmid, λmax, λmin < λmid < λmax), analyse the behaviour of gravity at every location, and reveal its multiple roles in cloud evolution. We find that fragmentation is limited to several isolated, high-density 'islands'. Surrounding them, is a vast amount of the gas (⁠|$75~{{ \rm per\ cent}}$| of the mass, |$95~{{ \rm per\ cent}}$| of the volume) that stays under the influence of extensive tides where fragmentation is suppressed. This gas will be transported towards these regions to fuel star formation. The spatial arrangement of regions under different tides explains the hierarchical and localized pattern of star formation inferred from the observations. Tides were first recognized by Newton, yet this is the first time its dominance in cloud evolution has been revealed. We expect this link between cloud density structure and role gravity to be strengthened by future studies, resulting in a clear view of the star formation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]