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Abstract A genomic database of all Earth’s eukaryotic species could contribute to many scientific discoveries; however, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. In 2018, scientists across the world united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), aiming to produce a database of high-quality reference genomes containing all ~1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) sought to implement a new decentralised, equitable and inclusive model for producing reference genomes. For this, ERGA launched a Pilot Project establishing the first distributed reference genome production infrastructure and testing it on 98 eukaryotic species from 33 European countries. Here we outline the infrastructure and explore its effectiveness for scaling high-quality reference genome production, whilst considering equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational, national genomic resource projects and the EBP.

Mesoamerican cloud forests support a rich and unique biodiversity but face severe threats from increasing habitat degradation and climate change. Here, we present an updated overview of the amphibians and reptiles of Cusuco National Park (CNP), an isolated cloud forest in the Sierra de Omoa, Northwest Honduras. Based on surveys conducted over a 17-year period, we report the presence of 105 confirmed species of amphibians (30) and reptiles (75) within the reserve. This includes numerous threatened and regionally endemic amphibian species, as well as several reptile species previously unrecorded within the park. Given that it harbours approximately 26% of all recorded Honduran herpetofauna, our study highlights CNP as the most diverse forest region in Honduras with respect to the reptile and amphibian diversity documented to date. Our findings reinforce the plea to actively protect CNP as a globally valuable biodiversity hotspot and a centre of herpetofaunal endemicity. Furthermore, in the face of rapid deforestation across Mesoamerica, our findings highlight the need for expanded biodiversity studies across extant forest regions in Honduras to refine species distribution ranges and facilitate timely and effective conservation measures.

Selection into a County Age Group (CAG; under 10–18) programme is the first step for young aspiring cricketers on their journey to achieving professional status. Recognising that the British South Asian (BSA) community represents 30% of those who play recreational cricket compared to less than 5% of those who are selected to play at the professional level in England and Wales, it is important to better understand the characteristics of selected and non-selected players based on ethnicity to identify potential sociocultural differences during selection. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the multidimensional factors that differentiated between selected and non-selected adolescent male cricketers as well as between White British (WB) and BSA selected players into a CAG programme. A total of 82 male participants aged between 14 and 17 years were included (mean = 15.3 ± 1.1 years: selected n = 33 and non-selected n = 49: WB n = 34, BSA n = 44, Other n = 4). In total, 104 characteristics were measured over nine tests, which were subsequently placed into five overarching factors: (a) physiological and anthropometrical, (b) perceptual–cognitive expertise, (c) psychological, (d) participation history, and (e) socio-cultural influences. A Bayesian binomial regression was performed in rSTAN using a weak normal prior to highlight differentiators in selection as well as differences between WB and BSA selected players. The results highlighted that athleticism, wellbeing and cohesion, the number of older brothers, and being born in birth quarters two and three were positively correlated with player selection into a CAG. Conversely, increases in psychological scores, a greater number of younger brothers and older sisters, as well as antisocial behaviour resulted in a reduced chance of player selection. Finally, several developmental factors (i.e., athleticism, wellbeing and cohesion, psychological distress, and levels of anti-social behaviour) differed based on ethnicity. These exploratory findings serve as a useful opening to highlight there are important differences to consider based on selection and ethnicity in CAG cricket.

A growing number of public and private energy buyers are interested in 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) procurement, which means that every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumption is met by carbon-free sources at all times. It has the potential to overcome the limitations of established procurement schemes, such as the temporal mismatch between clean electricity supply and buyers’ demand that is inherent to “volumetric” matching. Yet it is unclear how 24/7 CFE procurement affects the rest of the power system, and whether this effect is consistent across regional contexts and different levels of system cleanness. We use a mathematical model to systematically examine different designs, optimal procurement strategies, costs, and impacts of the 24/7 CFE matching, both for participating buyers and for regions where voluntary procurement occurs. We examine mechanisms driving system-level emissions reduction and how they vary across regions and over time. Our results indicate that clean energy procurement commitments have consistent beneficial effects on participants and the electricity system. Utilising an hourly matching strategy, energy buyers can eliminate all carbon emissions linked to their electricity consumption, while also reducing system-level emissions by up to 572 kgCO2/a per MWh of participating load. Even as grids become cleaner over time, the hourly matching strategy contributes significantly to system-level emissions reduction. In addition, voluntary commitments to 24/7 CFE have a further transformative effect on electricity systems through accelerated innovation and early deployment of advanced energy technologies.

Abstract Many studies have shown that hydrogen could play a large role in the energy transition for hard-to-electrify sectors, but previous modelling has not included the necessary features to assess its role. They have either left out important sectors of hydrogen demand, ignored the temporal variability in the system or neglected the dynamics of learning effects. We address these limitations and consider learning-by-doing for the full green hydrogen production chain with different climate targets in a detailed European sector-coupled model. Here, we show that in the next 10 years a faster scale-up of electrolysis and renewable capacities than envisaged by the EU in the REPowerEU Plan can be cost-optimal to reach the strictest +1.5oC target. This reduces the costs for hydrogen production to 1.26 €/kg by 2050. Hydrogen production switches from grey to green hydrogen, omitting the option of blue hydrogen. If electrolysis costs are modelled without dynamic learning-by-doing, then the electrolysis scale-up is significantly delayed, while total system costs are overestimated by up to 13% and the levelised cost of hydrogen is overestimated by 67%.

Abraham Lincoln is a towering figure in American popular consciousness, one who acts as a rich and complex motif and metaphor across its cinema history. This essay is broad-ranging in considering Hollywood’s Lincoln but places particular emphasis on ‘classical’ representations. Its primary aim is to consider the cinematic uses of Lincoln (Lincoln as embedded in the style and rhetoric of a range of films) but a minor thread running through is why Lincoln and which Lincoln is called upon at different points of US movie history. The essay distinguishes itself from previous accounts by combining the analysis of the flesh and blood incarnation of the president’s peculiar physicality with a consideration of the literal and metaphoric solidity of the Lincoln memorial. A final section conveys the sixteenth president’s symbolic power by, paradoxically, revealing it in films that are not even about Lincoln. Lincoln is one of the Greatest Men of Vision™ in US history. In It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946) and Bigger than Life (Nicholas Ray, 1956), a portrait and a verbal invocation, respectively, connect to themes of hubris and the tensions that ensue when the visions of frustrated ordinary men go too far.

Abstract Renewable power generation from wind and solar energy is strongly dependent on the weather. To plan future sustainable energy systems that are robust to weather variability, a better understanding of why and when periods of low wind and solar power output occur is valuable. We call such periods of low wind speed and insolation “Dunkelflauten”, the German word for “dark wind lulls”. In this article, we analyse the meteorological conditions during Dunkelflauten in Germany by applying the concept of weather regimes. Weather regimes are quasi‐stationary, recurrent and persistent large‐scale circulation patterns that explain multi‐day atmospheric variability (5–15 days). We use a regime definition that allows us to distinguish four different types of blocked regimes, characterized by high‐pressure situations in the North Atlantic‐European region. We find that Dunkelflauten in Germany occur mainly in winter when the solar power output is low due to the seasonal cycle of solar irradiance and wind power output drops for several consecutive days. A high‐pressure system over Germany, associated with the European Blocking regime, is responsible for most of the Dunkelflauten. Dunkelflauten during the Greenland Blocking regime are associated with colder temperatures than usual, causing higher electricity demand, and would present a particular challenge as space heating becomes electrified in the future. Furthermore, we show that Dunkelflauten occur predominantly when a weather regime is well established and persists longer than usual. Our study provides novel insight into the occurrence and meteorological characteristics of Dunkelflauten, which is essential for planning resilient energy systems and supporting grid operators to prepare for potential shortages in supply.

There is a wealth of data indicating human bone marrow contains skeletal stem cells (SSC) with the capacity for osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation. However, current methods to isolate SSCs are restricted by the lack of a defined marker, limiting understanding of SSC fate, immunophenotype, function and clinical application. The current study applied single-cell RNA-sequencing to profile human adult bone marrow populations from 11 donors and identified novel targets for SSC enrichment. Spherical nucleic acids were used to detect these mRNA targets in SSCs. This methodology was able to rapidly isolate potential SSCs found at a frequency of

Summary: Achieving ambitious CO2 emission reduction targets requires energy system planning to accommodate societal preferences, such as transmission reinforcements or onshore wind parks, and acknowledge uncertainties in technology cost projections among many other uncertainties. Current models often solely minimize costs using a single set of cost projections. Here, we apply multi-objective optimization techniques in a fully renewable European electricity system to explore trade-offs between system costs and technology deployment for electricity generation, storage, and transport. We identify ranges of cost-efficient capacity expansion plans incorporating future technology cost uncertainties. For example, we find that some grid reinforcement, long-term storage, and large wind capacities are important to keep costs within 8% of least-cost solutions. Near the cost optimum a technologically diverse spectrum of options exist, allowing policymakers to make trade-offs regarding unpopular infrastructure. Our analysis comprises 50,000+ optimization runs, managed efficiently through multi-fidelity surrogate modeling techniques using sparse polynomial chaos expansions and low-discrepancy sampling.

Electrolytic hydrogen produced using renewable electricity can help lower carbon dioxide emissions in sectors where feedstocks, reducing agents, dense fuels or high temperatures are required. This study investigates the implications of various standards being proposed to certify that the grid electricity used is renewable. The standards vary in how strictly they match the renewable generation to the electrolyser demand in time and space. Using an energy system model, we compare electricity procurement strategies to meet a constant hydrogen demand for selected European countries in 2025 and 2030. We compare cases where no additional renewable generators are procured with cases where the electrolyser demand is matched to additional supply from local renewable generators on an annual, monthly or hourly basis. We show that local additionality is required to guarantee low emissions. For the annually and monthly matched case, we demonstrate that baseload operation of the electrolysis leads to using fossil-fuelled generation from the grid for some hours, resulting in higher emissions than the case without hydrogen demand. In the hourly matched case, hydrogen production does not increase system-level emissions, but baseload operation results in high costs for providing constant supply if only wind, solar and short-term battery storage are available. Flexible operation or buffering hydrogen with storage, either in steel tanks or underground caverns, reduces the cost penalty of hourly versus annual matching to 7%–8%. Hydrogen production with monthly matching can reduce system emissions if the electrolysers operate flexibly or the renewable generation share is large. The largest emission reduction is achieved with hourly matching when surplus electricity generation can be sold to the grid. We conclude that flexible operation of the electrolysis should be supported to guarantee low emissions and low hydrogen production costs.

Oligonucleotides targeting mRNA are promising therapeutic agents but suffer from poor bioavailability. Here, the authors develop reduced-charge oligonucleotides with artificial LNA-amide linkages with improved cell uptake and minimal structural deviation to the DNA:RNA duplex.

Abstract Modeling the optimal design of the future European energy system involves large data volumes and many mathematical constraints, typically resulting in a significant computational burden. As a result, modelers often apply reductions to their model that can have a significant effect on the accuracy of their results. This study investigates methods for spatially clustering electricity system models at transmission level to overcome the computational constraints. Spatial reduction has a strong effect both on flows in the electricity transmission network and on the way wind and solar generators are aggregated. Clustering methods applied in the literature are typically oriented either towards preserving network flows or towards preserving the properties of renewables, but both are important for future energy systems. In this work we adapt clustering algorithms to accurately represent both networks and renewables. To this end we focus on hierarchical clustering, since it preserves the topology of the transmission system. We test improvements to the similarity metrics used in the clustering by evaluating the resulting regions with measures on renewable feed-in and electrical distance between nodes. Then, the models are optimised under a brownfield capacity expansion for the European electricity system for varying spatial resolutions and renewable penetration. Results are compared to each other and to existing clustering approaches in the literature and evaluated on the preciseness of siting renewable capacity and the estimation of power flows. We find that any of the considered methods perform better than the commonly used approach of clustering by country boundaries and that any of the hierarchical methods yield better estimates than the established method of clustering with k-means on the coordinates of the network with respect to the studied parameters.

Chiral communication can propagate in secondary structures within the effective intermolecular force (IMF) range but it is not known whether long-range chiral communication exists between tertiary peptide structures. Here, the authors use single-molecule force spectroscopy to investigate chiral interaction between DNA duplexes/triplexes and peptide coiled-coils and demonstrate chiral communication beyond the IMF distance.

Import and export of fossil energy carriers are cornerstones of energy systems world-wide. If energy systems are to become climate neutral and sustainable, fossil carriers need to be substituted with carbon neutral alternatives or electrified if possible. We investigate synthetic chemical energy carriers, hydrogen, methane, methanol, ammonia and Fischer-Tropsch fuels, produced using electricity from Renewable Energy Source (RES) as fossil substitutes. RES potentials are obtained from GIS-analysis and hourly resolved time-series are derived using reanalysis weather data. We model the sourcing of feedstock chemicals, synthesis and transport along nine different Energy Supply Chains to Germany and compare import options for seven locations around the world against each other and with domestically sourced alternatives on the basis of their respective cost per unit of hydrogen and energy delivered. We find that for each type of chemical energy carrier, there is an import option with lower costs compared to domestic production in Germany. No single exporting country or energy carrier has a unique cost advantage, since for each energy carrier and country there are cost-competitive alternatives. This allows exporter and infrastructure decisions to be made based on other criteria than energy and cost. The lowest cost means for importing of energy and hydrogen are by hydrogen pipeline from Denmark, Spain and Western Asia and Northern Africa starting at 36 EUR/MWhLHV to 42 EUR/MWhLHV or 1.0 EUR/kgH2 to 1.3 EUR/kgH2 (in 2050, assuming 5% p.a. capital cost). For complex energy carriers derived from hydrogen like methane, ammonia, methanol or Fischer-Tropsch fuels, imports from Argentina by ship to Germany are lower cost than closer exporters in the European Union or Western Asia and Northern Africa. For meeting hydrogen demand, direct hydrogen imports are more attractive than indirect routes using methane, methanol or ammonia imports and subsequent decomposition to hydrogen because of high capital investment costs and energetic losses of the indirect routes. We make our model and data available under open licenses for adaptation and reuse.

Current 3C methods generate low-resolution interaction profiles across the genome or high-resolution profiles at a limited number of loci. Here the authors present Nuclear-Titrated Capture-C which produces high-resolution genome-wide interaction profiles.

DNA-templated synthesis takes advantage of sequence-specific hybridization to accelerate chemical reactions. Here, the authors present templated synthesis controlled through antibody-antigen interactions.

For a given carbon budget between 2020 and 2050, different transformation rates for the European energy system yield starkly different results. Here the authors show that strongly reducing emissions in the first decade is cost-effective and entails additional benefits.

Abstract Exacerbations of COPD are one of the commonest causes of admission and readmission to hospital. The role of digital interventions to support self-management in improving outcomes is uncertain. We conducted an open, randomised controlled trial of a digital health platform application (app) in 41 COPD patients recruited following hospital admission with an acute exacerbation. Subjects were randomised to either receive usual care, including a written self-management plan (n = 21), or the myCOPD app (n = 20) for 90 days. The primary efficacy outcome was recovery rate of symptoms measured by COPD assessment test (CAT) score. Exacerbations, readmission, inhaler technique quality of life and patient activation (PAM) scores were also captured by a blinded team. The app was acceptable in this care setting and was used by 17 of the 20 patients with sustained use over the study period. The treatment effect on the CAT score was 4.49 (95% CI: −8.41, −0.58) points lower in the myCOPD arm. Patients’ inhaler technique improved in the digital intervention arm (101 improving to 20 critical errors) compared to usual care (100 to 72 critical errors). Exacerbations tended to be less frequent in the digital arm compared to usual care; 18 vs 34 events. Hospital readmissions risk was numerically lower in the digital intervention arm: OR for readmission 0.383 (95% CI: 0.074, 1.987; n = 35). In this feasibility study of the digital self-management platform myCOPD, the app has proven acceptable to patients to use and use has improved exacerbation recovery rates, with strong signals of lower re-exacerbation and readmission rates over 90 days. myCOPD reduced the number of critical errors in inhaler technique compared to usual care with written self-management. This provides a strong basis for further exploration of the use of app interventions in the context of recently hospitalised patients with COPD and informs the potential design of a large multi-centre trial.

The relationship between regulatory elements, chromatin interactions and gene expression during development remains poorly understood. Here the authors present Tiled-C, a low-input 3C approach to study genome architecture at high resolution, and apply it to mouse erythroid differentiation in vivo, finding that enhancer-promoter interactions are formed gradually during differentiation, concomitant with progressive upregulation of gene activity.

For CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, Cas9 protein is guided to its target by single guide (sg) RNA. Here, the authors synthesised sgRNAs via convergent ‘click’ ligation of variable 20-mer RNAs that target the genome and a Cas9-binding 79-mer chimeric RNA/2´-OMe RNA of fixed sequence in a single tube.

We expand the renewable technology model palette and present a validated high resolution hydro power time series model for energy systems analysis. Among the weather-based renewables, hydroelectricity shows unique storage-like flexibility, which is particularly important given the high variability of wind and solar power. Often limited by data availability or computational performance, a high resolution, globally applicable and validated hydro power time series model has not been available. For a demonstration, we focus on 41 Chinese reservoir-based hydro stations as a demo, determine their upstream basin areas, estimate their inflow based on gridded surface runoff data and validate their daily inflow time series in terms of both flow volume and potential power generation. Furthermore, we showcase an application of these time series with hydro cascades in energy system long term investment planning. Our method's novelty lies in: • it is based on highly resolved spatial-temporal datasets; • both data and algorithms used here are globally applicable; • it includes a hydro cascade model that can be integrated into energy system simulations. Keywords: Hydro power, Reanalysis, Energy systems, China

A novel electrochemical detection approach using DNA probes labeled with Anthraquinone (AQ) as a reporter moiety has been successfully exploited as a method for the direct detection of DNA targets. This assay uses simple voltammetry techniques (Differential Pulse Voltammetry) to exploit the unique responsiveness of AQ to its chemical environments within oxygenated aqueous buffers, providing a specific detection mechanism as a result of DNA hybridization. This measurement is based on a cathodic shift of the reduction potential of the AQ tag and the concurrent reduction in peak current upon DNA binding. The further utility of this approach for discrimination of closely related DNA targets is demonstrated using DNA strands specific to B. anthracis and closely related bacillus species. DNA targets were designed to the rpoB gene incorporating nucleotide polymorphisms associated with different bacillus species. This assay was used to demonstrate that the shift in reduction potential is directly related to the homology of the target DNA. The discriminatory mechanism is dependent on the presence of oxygen in the measurement buffer and is strongly linked to the position of the nucleotide polymorphisms; with homology at the terminus carrying the AQ functionalised nucleotide critical to achieving accurate discrimination. This understanding of assay design was used to demonstrate an optimized assay capable of discriminating between Yersinia pestis (the causative agent of plague) and closely related species based on the groEL gene. This method is attractive as it can not only detect DNA binding, but can also discriminate between multiple Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) within that DNA without the need for any additional reagents, reporters, or processes such as melting of DNA strands. This indicates that this approach may have great potential to be exploited within novel biosensors for detection and diagnosis of infectious disease in future Point of Care (PoC) devices.

Abstract Fluorescent base analogues (FBAs) have emerged as a powerful class of molecular reporters of location and environment for nucleic acids. In our overall mission to develop bright and useful FBAs for all natural nucleobases, herein we describe the synthesis and thorough characterization of bicyclic thymidine (bT), both as a monomer and when incorporated into DNA. We have developed a robust synthetic route for the preparation of the bT DNA monomer and the corresponding protected phosphoramidite for solid-phase DNA synthesis. The bT deoxyribonucleoside has a brightness value of 790 M−1cm−1 in water, which is comparable or higher than most fluorescent thymine analogues reported. When incorporated into DNA, bT pairs selectively with adenine without perturbing the B-form structure, keeping the melting thermodynamics of the B-form duplex DNA virtually unchanged. As for most fluorescent base analogues, the emission of bT is reduced inside DNA (4.5- and 13-fold in single- and double-stranded DNA, respectively). Overall, these properties make bT an interesting thymine analogue for studying DNA and an excellent starting point for the development of brighter bT derivatives.

The global energy system is undergoing a major transition, and in energy planning and decision-making across governments, industry and academia, models play a crucial role. Because of their policy relevance and contested nature, the transparency and open availability of energy models and data are of particular importance. Here we provide a practical how-to guide based on the collective experience of members of the Open Energy Modelling Initiative (Openmod). We discuss key steps to consider when opening code and data, including determining intellectual property ownership, choosing a licence and appropriate modelling languages, distributing code and data, and providing support and building communities. After illustrating these decisions with examples and lessons learned from the community, we conclude that even though individual researchers' choices are important, institutional changes are still also necessary for more openness and transparency in energy research. Keywords: Open source, Open data, Energy modelling

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-00360-w

The Seychelles aim to cover 5% of electricity with renewables by 2020 and 15% by 2030. The local power system operator commissioned a Grid Absorption Study to determine the technical limits for reaching these targets. The study focussed on how much photovoltaic (PV) generation the grid can absorb. As result, the primary bottleneck was found to be the maintenance of backup generation reserves to compensate for fast down-ramping of PV generation.

Factors contributing to winning games are imperative, as the ultimate objective in a game is victory. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that characterize the game of cricket, and to investigate the factors that truly influence the result of a game using the data collected from the Champions Trophy cricket tournament. According to the results, this cricket tournament can be characterized using the factors of batting, bowling, and decision-making. Further investigation suggests that the rank of the team and the number of runs they score have the most significant influence on the result of games. As far as the effectiveness of assigning bowlers is concerned, the Australian team has done a fabulous job compared to the rest of the teams. (original abstract)

A need exists to develop bioinformatics for predicting differences in protein function, especially for members of a domain family who share a common fold, yet are found in a diverse array of proteins. Many domain families have been conserved over large evolutionary spans and representative genomic data during these periods are now available. This allows a simple method for grouping domain sequences to reveal common and unique/specific binding residues. As such, we hypothesize that sequence alignment analysis of the yeast SH3 domain family across ancestral species in the fungal kingdom can determine whether each member encodes specific information to bind unique peptide targets. With this approach, we identify important specific residues for a given domain as those that show little conservation within an alignment of yeast domain family members (paralogs) but are conserved in an alignment of its direct relatives (orthologs). We find most of the yeast SH3 domain family members have maintained unique amino acid conservation patterns that suggest they bind peptide targets with high intrinsic specificity through varying degrees of non-canonical recognition. For a minority of domains, we predict a less diverse binding surface, likely requiring additional factors to bind targets specifically. We observe that our predictions are consistent with high throughput binding data, which suggests our approach can probe intrinsic binding specificity in any other interaction domain family that is maintained during evolution.

CRISPRi, an adapted CRISPR-Cas9 system, is proposed to act as a strand-specific roadblock to repress transcription in eukaryotic cells using guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to target catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) and offers an alternative to genetic interventions for studying pervasive antisense transcription. Here, we successfully use click chemistry to construct DNA templates for sgRNA expression and show, rather than acting simply as a roadblock, sgRNA/dCas9 binding creates an environment that is permissive for transcription initiation/termination, thus generating novel sense and antisense transcripts. At HMS2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sgRNA/dCas9 targeting to the non-template strand for antisense transcription results in antisense transcription termination, premature termination of a proportion of sense transcripts and initiation of a novel antisense transcript downstream of the sgRNA/dCas9-binding site. This redefinition of the transcriptional landscape by CRISPRi demonstrates that it is not strand-specific and highlights the controls and locus understanding required to properly interpret results from CRISPRi interventions.

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) drives declines and extinctions in amphibian communities. However, not all regions and species are equally affected. Here, we show that association with amphibian aquatic habitat types (bromeliad phytotelmata versus stream) across Central America results in the odds of being threatened by Bd being five times higher in stream microhabitats. This differential threat of Bd was supported in our study by a significantly lower prevalence of Bd in bromeliad-associated amphibian species compared to riparian species in Honduran cloud forests. Evidence that the bromeliad environment is less favorable for Bd transmission is exemplified by significantly less suitable physicochemical conditions and higher abundance of Bd-ingesting micro-eukaryotes present in bromeliad water. These factors may inhibit aquatic Bd zoospore survival and the development of an environmental reservoir of the pathogen. Bromeliad phytotelmata thus may act as environmental refuges from Bd, which contribute to protecting associated amphibian communities against chytridiomycosis-driven amphibian declines that threaten the nearby riparian communities.

Tooth sensitivity is a common occurrence and it is caused by acid induced erosion of enamel surface. In this investigation we report the results of calcium phosphate based minerals which are irradiated with lasers ex vivo for the analysis of photo activated densification of minerals. The photo-activation in these minerals may primarily arise from the absorption centres, namely OH- and rare-earth (RE)3+ ion dopants (e.g. Er3+ ions) incorporated during synthesis. The loss of hydroxyl group from mineral is characterized using the thermogravimetric technique. The microstructural changes under the conditions of continuous wave (CW) and pulsed laser irradiation are reported together with the measured temperature rise. The preliminary data on surface hardness of occluded dentine with photo-activated calcium phosphate minerals are also reported, for aiming an eventual hardness value of 3300 MPa which is known for natural enamels.

Measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are often considered separately, in terms of electricity, heating, transport, and industry. This can lead to the measures being prioritised in the wrong sectors, and neglects interactions between the sectors. In addition, studies often focus on specific greenhouse gas reduction targets, despite the uncertainty regarding what targets are desirable and when. In this paper, these issues are examined for the period after 2030 in an existing openly-available, hourly-resolved, per-country, and highly-renewable model of the European energy system, PyPSA-Eur-Sec-30, that includes electricity, land transport, and space and water heating. A parameter sweep of different reduction targets for direct carbon dioxide emissions is performed, ranging from no target down to zero direct emissions. The composition of system investments, the interactions between the energy sectors, shadow prices, and the market values of the system components are analysed as the carbon dioxide limit changes. Electricity and land transport are defossilised first, while the reduction of emissions in space and water heating is delayed by the expense of new components and the difficulty of supplying heat during cold spells with low wind and solar power generation. For deep carbon dioxide reduction, power-to-gas changes the system dynamics by reducing curtailment and increasing the market values of wind and solar power. Using this model setup, cost projections for 2030, and optimal cross-border transmission, the costs of a zero-direct-emission system in these sectors are marginally cheaper than today’s system, even before the health and environmental benefits are taken into account.

We demonstrate that a mutant of uracil DNA glycosylase (N123D:L191A) distinguishes between cytosine and methylcytosine. Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) efficiently removes uracil from DNA in a reaction in which the base is flipped into the enzyme's active site. Uracil is selected over cytosine by a pattern of specific hydrogen bonds, and thymine is excluded by steric clash of its 5-methyl group with Y66. The N123D mutation generates an enzyme that excises cytosine. This N123D:L191A mutant excises C when it is mispaired with A or opposite an abasic site, but not when it is paired with G. In contrast no cleavage is observed with any substrates that contain 5-methylcytosine. This enzyme may offer a new approach for discriminating between cytosine and 5-methylcytosine.