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A substantial fraction of systematic uncertainties in neutrino oscillation experiments stem from the lack of precision in modeling the nuclear target in neutrino-nucleus interactions. Whilst this has driven significant progress in the development of improved nuclear models for neutrino scattering, it is crucial that the models used in neutrino data analyses be accompanied by parameters and associated uncertainties that allow the coverage of plausible nuclear physics. Based on constraints from electron scattering data, we propose such a set of parameters, which can be applied to nuclear shell models, and test their application to the Benhar et al. [Nucl. Phys. A579, 493 (1994)] spectral function model. The parametrization is validated through a series of maximum likelihood fits to cross section measurements made by the T2K and MINERvA experiments, which also permit an exploration of the power of near-detector data to provide constraints on the parameters in neutrino oscillation analyses.

Boltzmann showed that in spite of momentum and energy redistribution through collisions, a rarefied gas confined in a isotropic harmonic trapping potential does not reach equilibrium; it evolves instead into a breathing mode where density, velocity, and temperature oscillate. This counterintuitive prediction is upheld by cold atoms experiments. Yet, are the breathers eternal solutions of the dynamics even in an idealized and isolated system? We show by a combination of hydrodynamic arguments and molecular dynamics simulations that an original dissipative mechanism is at work, where the minute and often neglected bulk viscosity eventually thermalizes the system, which thus reaches equilibrium.

Soil fungi are a key constituent of global biodiversity and play a pivotal role in agroecosystems. How arable farming affects soil fungal biogeography and whether it has a disproportional impact on rare taxa is poorly understood. Here, we used the high-resolution PacBio Sequel targeting the entire ITS region to investigate the distribution of soil fungi in 217 sites across a 3000 km gradient in Europe. We found a consistently lower diversity of fungi in arable lands than grasslands, with geographic locations significantly impacting fungal community structures. Prevalent fungal groups became even more abundant, whereas rare groups became fewer or absent in arable lands, suggesting a biotic homogenization due to arable farming. The rare fungal groups were narrowly distributed and more common in grasslands. Our findings suggest that rare soil fungi are disproportionally affected by arable farming, and sustainable farming practices should protect rare taxa and the ecosystem services they support.

Airless bodies are subjected to space-weathering effects that modify the first few microns of their surface. Therefore, understanding their impact on the optical properties of asteroids is key to the interpretation of their color variability and infrared reflectance observations. The recent Hayabusa2 sample return mission to asteroid Ryugu offers the first opportunity to study these effects, in the case of the most abundant spectral type among the main-asteroid belt, C-type objects. This study employs vibrational electron energy-loss spectroscopy in the transmission electron microscope to achieve the spatial resolution required to measure the distinct mid-infrared spectral signature of Ryugu's space-weathered surface. The comparison with the spectrum of the pristine underlying matrix reveals the loss of structural -OH and C-rich components in the space-weathered layers, providing direct experimental evidence that exposure to the space environment tends to mask the optical signatures of phyllosilicates and carbonaceous matter. Our findings should contribute to rectifying potential underestimations of water and carbon content of C-type asteroids when studied through remote sensing with new-generation telescopes.

The present study investigates the functionalization of a commercial Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) named “MIL-53(Al)” using an NH3 impulse dielectric barrier discharge (IDBD) plasma treatment. The main objective of this research is to assess the efficacy of the IDBD treatment in grafting nitrogenous groups onto the MOF's organic ligand. Additionally, the impact of the plasma functionalization on the hydrogen adsorption capacities of the “MIL-53(Al)” after IDBD treatment is also studied. In order to accomplish these objectives, plasma diagnostics and comprehensive material characterization techniques are utilized. Structural and thermal analysis by HT-XRD and TGA-MS respectively, indicate the excellent thermal and chemical stability of the material against high temperatures and ammonia. Chemical analysis of the materials by XPS shows that the IDBD treatment effectively functionalizes the MIL-53(Al) by substituting a carbon with a nitrogen within the organic ligand. Finally, the analysis of the hydrogen adsorption capacities at 1 bar and 25 °C reveals that the amount of hydrogen stored in the MIL-53(Al) treated by IDBD is significantly higher. Specifically, the amount of hydrogen stored surpassed the untreated MIL-53(Al) by approximately 50%.

Sources and pathways of the Hg accumulated in the sediments of the Gulf of Lion (GoL) and its adjacent marine areas (Northwestern Mediterranean) have been explored using sediment grab samples, sediment cores, and sediment trap samples. The main source of Hg along this margin is the Rhône River, whose suspended sediments settle mainly in the prodelta area but also along the mid-shelf, then reaching the continental rise via wave resuspension and cascading of dense shelf waters. Seaward, these riverine particles are mixed with carbonated ooze conveyed to the bottom by the biological pump. The Hg is enriched in surface sediments of the GoL with decreasing concentrations westward and seaward from the Rhône prodelta to the continental rise. Dated cores from the Rhône prodelta give access to riverine sediments deposited over the last 400 years and show that the Hg concentration time trend resembles the evolution of coal consumption in France, peaking during in the 1960s. Similar trends were observed in sediment cores collected along the GoL slope and submarine canyons along with the preservation of traces of erosion and sediment instability events. Seaward, on the continental rise, the Hg concentration distribution suggests the deposition of fine planktonic-derived material and particles episodically advected from the shelf during deep cascading pulses. Anthropogenic Hg accumulated in GoL and continental rise sediments during the Industrialized Era is ∼ 150 Mg (tons), two-thirds of which are buried in the Rhône prodelta area. Significant correlations are found between Hg and organic matter in GoL sediments, but the relationships differ between areas and are disrupted by the inputs of anthropogenic Hg and by the Hg availability in the Rhône River watershed during the pre-industrial period. The HgT availability in waters appears to be the limiting factor to the Hg enrichment of the particulate organic matter. Monomethyl mercury (MMHg), which represents on average 0.3 % of th

Research on international migration and innovation relies heavily on inventor and patent data, with "migrant inventors" attracting a great deal of attention, especially for what concerns their role in easing the international transfer of knowledge. This hides the fact that many of them move to their host country before starting their inventive career or even before completing their education. We discuss the conceptual and practical difficulties that stand in the way of investigating other likely channels of influence of inventor's migration on innovation, namely the easing of skill shortages and the increase of variety in inventive teams, firms, and location.

The theory of punctuated equilibrium (PE) was developed a little over 50 years ago to explain long-term, large-scale appearance and disappearance of species in the fossil record. A theory designed specifically for that purpose cannot be expected, out of the box, to be directly applicable to biocultural evolution, but in revised form, PE offers a promising approach to incorporating not only a wealth of recent empirical research on genetic, linguistic, and technological evolution but also large databases that document human biological and cultural diversity across time and space. Here we isolate the fundamental components of PE and propose which pieces, when reassembled or renamed, can be highly useful in evolutionary anthropology, especially as humanity faces abrupt ecological challenges on an increasingly larger scale.

A direct current through a metal-insulator-metal tunneling junction emits light when surface-plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are excited. Two distinct processes are believed to coexist in this light emission mediated by surface plasmons: inelastic tunneling, where electrons excite SPPs in the insulator gap, and hot-electron radiative decay, which occurs in the electrodes after elastic tunneling. Previous theoretical approaches to study light emission by inelastic tunneling have relied on Bardeen’s approximation where the electronic wave functions are considered only in the barrier of the junction. In this work, we introduce an extension to models of inelastic tunneling by incorporating the full quantum device solution of the Schrödinger equation, which can also account for processes in the metallic electrodes. The extension unveils the existence of long-range correlations of the current density across the barrier and enables us to establish the equivalence between two models widely used in the past: (i) a calculation of the inelastic transition rate between two states across the barrier based on Fermi’s golden rule and (ii) a calculation of the power transferred to plasmons by current fluctuations. Importantly, the new model accounts for processes that take place in the metallic electrodes and that could not be described within Bardeen’s approximation. Hence, it is no longer necessary to invoke a hot-electron mechanism to obtain a dependence on the geometry of metallic electrodes. The new framework enables to discuss the role of surface plasmons localized in different metal-insulator interfaces and to include possible nonlocal effects at the interfaces.

Understanding and mastering quantum electrodynamics phenomena is essential to the development of quantum nanophotonics applications. While tailoring of the local vacuum field has been widely used to tune the luminescence rate and directionality of a quantum emitter, its impact on their transition energies is barely investigated and exploited. Fluorescent defects in nanosized diamonds constitute an attractive nanophotonic platform to investigate the Lamb shift of an emitter embedded in a dielectric nanostructure with high refractive index. Using spectral and time-resolved optical spectroscopy of single SiV defects, we unveil blue shifts (up to 80 meV) of their emission lines, which are interpreted from model calculations as giant Lamb shifts. Moreover, evidence for a positive correlation between their fluorescence decay rates and emission line widths is observed, as a signature of modifications not only of the photonic local density of states but also of the phononic one, as the nanodiamond size is decreased. Correlative light–electron microscopy of single SiVs and their host nanodiamonds further supports these findings. These results make nanodiamond-SiVs promising as optically driven spin qubits and quantum light sources tunable through nanoscale tailoring of vacuum-field fluctuations.

Conservation Biology fosters the study of Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity aiming at protecting species and their habitats from menaces causing the erosion of biotic interactions and extinctions. Its ultimate goal is to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable ecological management maintaining both ecosystem's resilience and services. Ecosystems display complex patterns in time and space due to the intrinsic nonlinear nature of their interactions and can suffer regime shifts driven by the agents of global change. During the last decades, Ecology has turned from the equilibrium metaphor to the paradigm of non-equilibrium dynamics. This involves putting into the scene multiple stable states, nonlinear regime shifts, stochasticity, and ecological transients. These aspects are also crucial for biological conservation since they play a fundamental role in species' persistence, ecosystems' resilience, and in detecting warning signals prior to either the collapse or the recovery of the ecosystem. In this contribution, we discuss ecological regime shifts caused by tipping points in real ecosystems. Then, we provide information on some known dynamical features from theoretical ecology and dynamical systems theory associated to tipping points, mainly given by transient phenomena and the characteristic statistical patterns tied to early warning signals. These features are illustrated with a single-species mathematical model including facilitation and immigration. We also introduce and provide evidence of late warning signals as a way to identify when a tipping point has been surpassed but the system still remains in a transient state and recovery may be still possible. Our main goal is to near non-equilibrium concepts in Ecology to the conservationist community and promote bridges between such concepts and the management and conservation of ecosystems.

Bacterial evolution is affected by mobile genetic elements like phages and conjugative plasmids, offering new adaptive traits while incurring fitness costs. Their infection is affected by the bacterial capsule. Yet, its importance has been difficult to quantify because of the high diversity of confounding mechanisms in bacterial genomes such as anti-viral systems and surface receptor modifications. Swapping capsule loci between Klebsiella pneumoniae strains allowed us to quantify their impact on plasmid and phage infection independently of genetic background. Capsule swaps systematically invert phage susceptibility, revealing serotypes as key determinants of phage infection. Capsule types also influence conjugation efficiency in both donor and recipient cells, a mechanism shaped by capsule volume and conjugative pilus structure. Comparative genomics confirmed that more permissive serotypes in the lab correspond to the strains acquiring more conjugative plasmids in nature. The least capsule-sensitive pili (F-like) are the most frequent in the species' plasmids, and are the only ones associated with both antibiotic resistance and virulence factors, driving the convergence between virulence and antibiotics resistance in the population. These results show how traits of cellular envelopes define slow and fast lanes of infection by mobile genetic elements, with implications for population dynamics and horizontal gene transfer.

The distribution of fitness effects of new mutations shapes evolution, but it is challenging to observe how it changes as organisms adapt. Using Escherichia coli lineages spanning 50,000 generations of evolution, we quantify the fitness effects of insertion mutations in every gene. Macroscopically, the fraction of deleterious mutations changed little over time whereas the beneficial tail declined sharply, approaching an exponential distribution. Microscopically, changes in individual gene essentiality and deleterious effects often occurred in parallel; altered essentiality is only partly explained by structural variation. The identity and effect sizes of beneficial mutations changed rapidly over time, but many targets of selection remained predictable because of the importance of loss-of-function mutations. Taken together, these results reveal the dynamic-but statistically predictable-nature of mutational fitness effects.

We present results from a 3.25 kg−day target exposure of two silicon charge-coupled devices (CCDs), each with 24 megapixels and skipper readout, deployed in the DAMIC setup at SNOLAB. With a reduction in pixel readout noise of a factor of 10 relative to the previous detector, we investigate the excess population of low-energy events in the CCD bulk previously observed above expected backgrounds. We address the dominant systematic uncertainty of the previous analysis through a depth fiducialization designed to reject surface backgrounds on the CCDs. The measured bulk ionization spectrum confirms the presence of an excess population of low-energy events in the CCD target with characteristic rate of ∼7 events per kg-day and electron-equivalent energies of ∼80 eV, whose origin remains unknown.

Observations of low-mass stars have frequently shown a disagreement between observed stellar radii and radii predicted by theoretical stellar structure models. This ‘radius inflation’ problem could have an impact on both stellar and exoplanetary science. We present the final results of our observation programme with the CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) to obtain high-precision light curves of eclipsing binaries with low-mass stellar companions (EBLMs). Combined with the spectroscopic orbits of the solar-type companions, we can derive the masses, radii, and effective temperatures of 23 M-dwarf stars. We use the PYCHEOPS data analysis software to analyse their primary and secondary occultations. For all but one target, we also perform analyses with Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) light curves for comparison. We have assessed the impact of starspot-induced variation on our derived parameters and account for this in our radius and effective temperature uncertainties using simulated light curves. We observe trends in inflation with both metallicity and orbital separation. We also observe a strong trend in the difference between theoretical and observational effective temperatures with metallicity. There is no such trend with orbital separation. These results are not consistent with the idea that the observed inflation in stellar radius combines with lower effective temperature to preserve the luminosity predicted by low-mass stellar models. Our EBLM systems provide high-quality and homogeneous measurements that can be used in further studies of radius inflation.

New technologies for monitoring biodiversity such as environmental (e)DNA, passive acoustic monitoring, and optical sensors promise to generate automated spatiotemporal community observations at unprecedented scales and resolutions. Here, we introduce ‘novel community data’ as an umbrella term for these data. We review the emerging field around novel community data, focusing on new ecological questions that could be addressed; the analytical tools available or needed to make best use of these data; and the potential implications of these developments for policy and conservation. We conclude that novel community data offer many opportunities to advance our understanding of fundamental ecological processes, including community assembly, biotic interactions, micro- and macroevolution, and overall ecosystem functioning.

Guinea fowl eggshells have an unusual structural arrangement that is different from that of most birds, consisting of two distinct layers with different microstructures. This bilayered organization, and distinct microstructural characteristics, provides it with exceptional mechanical properties. The inner layer, constituting about one third of the eggshell thickness, contains columnar calcite crystal units arranged vertically as in most bird shells. However, the thicker outer layer has a more complex microstructural arrangement formed by a switch to smaller calcite domains with diffuse/interlocking boundaries, partly resembling the interfaces seen in mollusk shell nacre. The switching process that leads to this remarkable second-layer microstructure is unknown. Our results indicate that the microstructural switching is triggered by changes in the inter- and intracrystalline organic matrix. During production of the outer microcrystalline layer in the later stages of eggshell formation, the interactions of organic matter with mineral induce an accumulation of defects that increase crystal mosaicity, instill anisotropic lattice distortions in the calcite structure, interrupt epitaxial growth, reduce crystallite size, and induce nucleation events which increase crystal misorientation. These structural changes, together with the transition between the layers and each layer having different microstructures, enhance the overall mechanical strength of the Guinea fowl eggshell. Additionally, our findings provide new insights into how biogenic calcite growth may be regulated to impart unique functional properties. Statement of significance: Avian eggshells are mineralized to protect the embryo and to provide calcium for embryonic chick skeletal development. Their thickness, structure and mechanical properties have evolved to resist external forces throughout brooding, yet ultimately allow them to crack open during chick hatching. One particular eggshell, that of the Guinea fo

Topological insulators (TIs) hold promise for manipulating the magnetization of a ferromagnet (FM) through the spin-orbit torque (SOT) mechanism. However, integrating TIs with conventional FMs often leads to significant device-to-device variations and a broad distribution of SOT magnitudes. In this work, we present a scalable approach to grow a full van der Waals FM/TI heterostructure by molecular beam epitaxy, combining the charge-compensated TI (Bi,Sb)2Te3 with 2D FM Fe3GeTe2 (FGT). Harmonic magnetotransport measurements reveal that the SOT efficiency exhibits a non-monotonic temperature dependence and experiences a substantial enhancement with a reduction of the FGT thickness to 2 monolayers. Our study further demonstrates that the magnetization of ultrathin FGT films can be switched with a current density of Jc ∼ 1010 A/m2, with minimal device-to-device variations compared to previous investigations involving traditional FMs.

[Context] Complex models recently became available for studying the dynamics of disk galaxies such as the Milky Way (MW). These models include the global dynamics from dwarf satellite galaxies, dark matter halo structure, gas infall, and stellar disks in a cosmological context., [Aims] We use a MW model from a suite of high-resolution hydrodynamical cosmological simulations named GARROTXA to establish the relationship between the vertical disturbances seen in its galactic disk and multiple perturbations from the dark matter halo, satellites, and gas., [Methods] We calculated the bending modes in the galactic disk in the last 6 Gyr of evolution. We computed the vertical acceleration exerted by dark matter and gas in order to quantify the impact of these components on the disk, and compared this with the bending behavior with Fourier analysis., [Results] We find complex bending patterns at different radii and times, such as an inner retrograde mode with high frequency and an outer slower retrograde mode excited at different times. The amplitudes of these bending modes are highest during the early stages of formation of the thin disk (20 km s−1) and reach up to 8.5 km s−1 in the late disk evolution. We find that the infall of satellite galaxies leads to a tilt of the disk, and produces strong anisotropic gas accretion with a misalignment of 8° with subsequent star formation events and supernovae, creating significant vertical accelerations on the disk plane. The misalignment between the disk and the inner stellar and dark matter triaxial structure, which formed during the ancient assembly of the galaxy, also leads to a strong vertical acceleration of the stars. We also find dark matter subhalos that temporally coincide with the appearance of bending waves in certain periods., [Conclusions] We conclude that several agents trigger the bending of the stellar disk and its phase spirals in this simulation, including satellite galaxies, dark subhalos, misaligned gaseous structures, and the inner dark matter profile. These phenomena coexist and influence each other, sometimes making it challenging to establish direct causality.

Materials and methods: Synthesis of C1N1.-- Synthesis of NC@Fe3C materials.-- Physicochemical characterization.-- Electrochemical characterization.-- AEMFC experiments.-- Structural Models.-- DFT computational details.-- Calculation methods for evaluating ORR activity.

The functions of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices rely on the dynamic junction between a solid and a fluid: the electrochemical interface (EI). Many experimental techniques have been developed to probe the EI, but they provide only a partial picture. Building a full mechanistic understanding requires combining multiple probes, either successively or simultaneously. However, such combinations lead to important technical and theoretical challenges. In this Review, we focus on complementary optoelectronic probes and modelling to address the EI across different timescales and spatial scales — including mapping surface reconstruction, reactants and reaction modulators during operation. We discuss how combining these probes can facilitate a predictive design of the EI when closely integrated with theory.

Encapsulating Fe3C in carbon layers has emerged as an innovative strategy for protecting Fe3C while preserving its high oxygen reduction activity. However, fundamental questions persist regarding the active sites of encapsulated Fe3C due to the restricted accessibility of oxygen molecules to the metal sites. Herein, the intrinsic electron transfer mechanisms of Fe3C nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon materials are unveiled for oxygen reduction electrocatalysis. The precision-structured C1N1 material is used to synthesize N-doped carbons with encapsulated Fe3C, significantly enhancing catalytic activity (EONSET = 0.98 V) and achieving near-100% operational stability. In anion-exchange membrane fuel cells, an excellent peak power density of 830 mW cm−2 is reached at 60 °C. The experimental and computational results revealed that the presence of Fe3C cores dynamically triggers electron transfer to the outermost carbon layer. This phenomenon amplifies the oxygen reduction reaction performance at N sites, contributing significantly to the observed catalytic enhancement.

The "carbohydrate chemical mimicry" exhibited by sp2 -iminosugars has been utilized to develop practical syntheses for analogs of the branched high-mannose-type oligosaccharides (HMOs) Man3 and Man5 . In these compounds, the terminal nonreducing Man residues have been substituted with 5,6-oxomethylidenemannonojirimycin (OMJ) motifs. The resulting oligomannoside hemimimetic accurately reproduce the structure, configuration, and conformational behavior of the original mannooligosaccharides, as confirmed by NMR and computational techniques. Binding studies with mannose binding lectins, including concanavalin A, DC-SIGN, and langerin, by enzyme-linked lectin assay and surface plasmon resonance revealed significant variations in their ability to accommodate the OMJ unit in the mannose binding site. Intriguingly, OMJMan segments demonstrated "in line" heteromultivalent effects during binding to the three lectins. Similar to the mannobiose (Man2 ) branches in HMOs, the binding modes involving the external or internal monosaccharide unit at the carbohydrate binding-domain exist in equilibrium, facilitating sliding and recapture processes. This equilibrium, which influences the multivalent binding of HMOs, can be finely modulated upon incorporation of the OMJ sp2 -iminosugar caps. As a proof of concept, the affinity and selectivity towards DC-SIGN and langerin were adjustable by presenting the OMJMan epitope in platforms with diverse architectures and valencies.

Knowledge of genetic determinism and evolutionary dynamics mediating host-pathogen interactions is essential to manage fungal plant diseases. Studies on the genetic architecture of fungal pathogenicity often focus on large-effect effector genes triggering strong, qualitative resistance. It is not clear how this translates to predominately quantitative interactions. Here, we use the Zymoseptoria tritici-wheat model to elucidate the genetic architecture of quantitative pathogenicity and mechanisms mediating host adaptation. With a multi-host genome-wide association study, we identify 19 high-confidence candidate genes associated with quantitative pathogenicity. Analysis of genetic diversity reveals that sequence polymorphism is the main evolutionary process mediating differences in quantitative pathogenicity, a process that is likely facilitated by genetic recombination and transposable element dynamics. Finally, we use functional approaches to confirm the role of an effector-like gene and a methyltransferase in phenotypic variation. This study highlights the complex genetic architecture of quantitative pathogenicity, extensive diversifying selection and plausible mechanisms facilitating pathogen adaptation.

The field of quantum technology has been rapidly expanding in the past decades, yielding numerous applications, such as quantum information, quantum communication, and quantum cybersecurity. At the core of these applications lies the quantum emitter (QE), a precisely controllable generator of either single photons or photon pairs. Semiconductor QEs, such as perovskite nanocrystals and semiconductor quantum dots, have shown much promise as emitters of pure single photons, with the potential for generating photon pairs when hybridized with plasmonic nanocavities. In this study, we have developed a system in which individual quantum emitters and their ensembles can be traced before, during, and after the interaction with an external plasmonic metasurface in a controllable way. Upon coupling the external plasmonic metasurface to the QE array, the individual QEs switch from the single-photon emission mode to the multiphoton emission mode. Remarkably, this method preserves the chemical structure and composition of the QEs, allowing them to revert to their initial state after decoupling from the plasmonic metasurface. This significantly expands the potential applications of semiconductor QEs in quantum technologies.

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs, CsPbX3: X = Cl, Br, I) have advanced the field of optoelectronic devices due to their remarkable light-emitting capabilities, stemming from the large overlap between their emission and absorption spectra, offering the possibility to reabsorb their own emitted photons. Herein, a straightforward method is reported to confine CsPbBr3 into mesoporous silica films with a chiral nematic structure, allowing the amplification of the photoluminescence (PL). The simple room temperature ligand-free synthesis allows facile growth of CsPbBr3 in silica photonic films, in which the Bragg peak position can be tuned from the UV to the visible range. The perovskite/silica films demonstrate a remarkable improvement in PL intensity and lifetime compared to the as-synthesized non-confined perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) due to the overlap of the Bragg peak position of the chiral nematic photonic films and CsPbBr3 absorption band. Such a PL enhancement stems from the slow photon effect induced at blue and red Bragg peak edges that facilitates the photon recycling of the emitted photons. This innovative approach offers a new way to fabricate highly emissive and long-lived photoluminescent films at ambient conditions, potentially advancing perovskite utilization in light-emitting devices.

In all living cells, genomic DNA is compacted through interactions with dedicated proteins and/or the formation of plectonemic coils. In bacteria, DNA compaction is achieved dynamically, coordinated with dense and constantly changing transcriptional activity. H-NS, a major bacterial nucleoid structuring protein, is of special interest due to its interplay with RNA polymerase. H-NS:DNA nucleoprotein filaments inhibit transcription initiation by RNA polymerase. However, the discovery that genes silenced by H-NS can be activated by transcription originating from neighboring regions has suggested that elongating RNA polymerases can disassemble H-NS:DNA filaments. In this study, we present evidence that transcription-induced counter-silencing does not require transcription to reach the silenced gene; rather, it exerts its effect at a distance. Counter-silencing is suppressed by introducing a DNA gyrase binding site within the intervening segment, suggesting that the long-range effect results from transcription-driven positive DNA supercoils diffusing toward the silenced gene. We propose a model wherein H-NS:DNA complexes form in vivo on negatively supercoiled DNA, with H-NS bridging the two arms of the plectoneme. Rotational diffusion of positive supercoils generated by neighboring transcription will cause the H-NS-bound negativelysupercoiled plectoneme to “unroll” disrupting the H-NS bridges and releasing H-NS.

Introduction: Connected landscapes can increase the effectiveness of protected areas by facilitating individual movement and gene flow between populations, thereby increasing the persistence of species even in fragmented habitats. Connectivity planning is often based on modeling connectivity for a limited number of species, i.e., “connectivity umbrellas”, which serve as surrogates for co-occurring species. Connectivity umbrellas are usually selected a priori, based on a few life history traits and often without evaluating other species. Methods: We developed a quantitative method to identify connectivity umbrellas at multiple scales. We demonstrate the approach on the terrestrial large mammal community (24 species) in continental Europe at two scales: 13 geographic biomes and 36 ecoregions, and evaluate the interaction of landscape characteristics on the selection of connectivity umbrellas. Results: We show that the number, identity, and attributes of connectivity umbrellas are sensitive to spatial scale and human influence on the landscape. Multiple species were selected as connectivity umbrellas in 92% of the geographic biomes (average of 4.15 species) and 83% of the ecoregions (average of 3.16 species). None of the 24 species evaluated is by itself an effective connectivity umbrella across its entire range. We identified significant interactions between species and landscape attributes. Species selected as connectivity umbrellas in regions with low human influence have higher mean body mass, larger home ranges, longer dispersal distances, smaller geographic ranges, occur at lower population densities, and are of higher conservation concern than connectivity umbrellas in more human-influenced regions. More species are required to meet connectivity targets in regions with high human influence (average of three species) in comparison to regions with low human influence (average of 1.67 species). Discussion: We conclude that multiple species selected in relation to l

The problem of data-driven control is addressed here in the context of switched affine systems. This class of nonlinear systems is of particular importance when controlling many types of applications in electronic, biology, medicine and so forth. Still in the view of practical applications, providing an accurate model for this class of systems can be a hard task, and it might be more relevant to work on data issued from some trajectories obtained from experiments and to deploy a new branch of tools to stabilize the systems that are compatible with the processed data. Following the recent concept of data-driven control design, this paper first presents a generic equivalence lemma that shows a matrix constraint based on data, instead of the system parameter. Then, following the concept of robust hybrid limit cycles for uncertain switched affine systems, robust model-based and then data-driven control laws are designed based on a Lyapunov approach. The proposed results are then illustrated and evaluated on an academic example.

In most systems, thermal diffusion is intrinsically slow with respect to mechanical relaxation. We devise here a generic approach to accelerate the relaxation of the temperature field of a one-dimensional object, in order to beat the mechanical time scales. This approach is applied to a micrometer-sized silicon cantilever, locally heated by a laser beam. A tailored driving protocol for the laser power is derived to quickly reach the thermal stationary state. The model is implemented experimentally yielding a significant acceleration of the thermal relaxation, up to a factor 30. An excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions is reported. This strategy allows a thermal steady state to be reached significantly faster than the natural mechanical relaxation.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is widely employed for medical diagnosis and imaging. Despite its remarkable analytical performances, the technique remains intrinsically limited by the essential need for an external power supply and electrical wires for electrode connections. Here, we report an electrically autonomous solution leading to a paradigm change by designing a fully integrated all-optical wireless monolithic photoelectrochemical device based on a nanostructured Si photovoltaic junction modified with catalytic coatings. Under illumination with light ranging from visible to near-infrared, photogenerated holes induce the oxidation of the ECL reagents and thus the emission of visible ECL photons. The blue ECL emission is easily viewed with naked eyes and recorded with a smartphone. A new light emission scheme is thus introduced where the ECL emission energy (2.82 eV) is higher than the excitation energy (1.18 eV) via an intermediate electrochemical process. In addition, the mapping of the photoelectrochemical activity by optical microscopy reveals the minority carrier interfacial transfer mechanism at the nanoscale. This breakthrough provides an all-optical strategy for generalizing ECL without the need for electrochemical setups, electrodes, wiring constraints, and specific electrochemical knowledge. This simplest ECL configuration reported so far opens new opportunities to develop imaging and wireless bioanalytical systems such as portable point-of-care sensing devices.

There is a close relationship between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and lipoproteins, in particular high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is inversely correlated with HDL plasma levels. It is known that the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein binds the HDL particle, probably depleting it of lipids and altering HDL function. Based on neutron reflectometry (NR) and the ability of HDL to efflux cholesterol from macrophages, we confirm these observations and further identify the preference of the S protein for specific lipids and the consequent effects on HDL function on lipid exchange ability. Moreover, the effect of the S protein on HDL function differs depending on the individuals lipid serum profile. Contrasting trends were observed for individuals presenting low triglycerides/high cholesterol serum levels (LTHC) compared to high triglycerides/high cholesterol (HTHC) or low triglycerides/low cholesterol serum levels (LTLC). Collectively, these results suggest that the S protein interacts with the HDL particle and, depending on the lipid profile of the infected individual, it impairs its function during COVID-19 infection, causing an imbalance in lipid metabolism.

[EN] Located in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula, Galicia is the region with the longest coastline in Spain. This coast is characterized by the presence of several estuaries (rias), the largest of which are located in the west. A number of islands and islets can be found within or at the mouth of such rias, as is the case in Ría de Vigo, Ría de Pontevedra and Ría de Arousa. Unlike other Euro pean Atlantic regions, the occurrence of prehistoric remains in topographically low coastal locations has traditionally been considered rare in the area. However, prehistoric human subsistence strategies in the region largely benefited from the extremely rich coastal and maritime resources, and there is increasing material evidence of sites dating from these periods, as well as of long-distance exchange of materials and ideas between these and other European Atlantic communities. In this paper we will focus on the different survey, fieldwork and dating methods and approaches recently used in these Western rias and will discuss the future prospects for prehistoric coastal research and heritage in the area., [FR] Située au nord-ouest de la péninsule Ibérique, la Galice est la région qui, en Espagne, possède le plus long littoral. Cette côte est caractérisée par la présence de plusieurs estuaires (rías), dont les plus grands sont situés à l’ouest. Un certain nombre d’îles et d’îlots se trouvent à l’intérieur ou à l’embouchure de ces rias, c’est le cas de la Ría de Vigo, de la Ría de Pontevedra et de la Ría de Arousa. En Galice, contrairement à d’autres régions atlantiques européennes, la présence de vestiges préhistoriques dans des zones côtières topographiquement basses a traditionnellement été considérée comme rare. Cependant, les stratégies de subsistance développées au cours de la Préhistoire ont largement tiré parti des ressources côtières et maritimes, et il existe de plus en plus d’indices de sites de ces périodes ainsi que d’échanges d’idées et d’objets entre ces communautés et d’autres communautés atlantiques européennes. Dans cet article, nous parlerons des différentes méthodes et approches relatives à la prospection, à l’enregistrement, à la fouille et à la datation des sites de la Préhistoire dans ces rias occidentales et nous discuterons à la fois des perspectives de la recherche et du patrimoine côtier préhistorique dans la région.

Bacterial cell-wall hydrolases must be tightly regulated during bacterial cell division to prevent aberrant cell lysis and to allow final separation of viable daughter cells. In a multidisciplinary work, we disclose the molecular dialogue between the cell-wall hydrolase LytB, wall teichoic acids, and the eukaryotic-like protein kinase StkP in Streptococcus pneumoniae. After characterizing the peptidoglycan recognition mode by the catalytic domain of LytB, we further demonstrate that LytB possesses a modular organization allowing the specific binding to wall teichoic acids and to the protein kinase StkP. Structural and cellular studies notably reveal that the temporal and spatial localization of LytB is governed by the interaction between specific modules of LytB and the final PASTA domain of StkP. Our data collectively provide a comprehensive understanding of how LytB performs final separation of daughter cells and highlights the regulatory role of eukaryotic-like kinases on lytic machineries in the last step of cell division in streptococci.

Ribosome synthesis is a complex process that involves a large set of protein trans-acting factors, among them DEx(D/H)-box helicases. These are enzymes that carry out remodelling activities onto RNAs by hydrolysing ATP. The nucleolar DEGD-box protein Dbp7 is required for the biogenesis of large 60S ribosomal subunits. Recently, we have shown that Dbp7 is an RNA helicase that regulates the dynamic base-pairing between the snR190 small nucleolar RNA and the precursors of the ribosomal RNA within early pre-60S ribosomal particles. As the rest of DEx(D/H)-box proteins, Dbp7 has a modular organization formed by a helicase core region, which contains conserved motifs, and variable, non-conserved N- and C-terminal extensions. The role of these extensions remains unknown. Herein, we show that the N-terminal domain of Dbp7 is necessary for efficient nuclear import of the protein. Indeed, a basic bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) could be identified in its N-terminal domain. Removal of this putative NLS impairs, but does not abolish, Dbp7 nuclear import. Both N- and C-terminal domains are required for normal growth and 60S ribosomal subunit synthesis. Furthermore, we have studied the role of these domains in the association of Dbp7 with pre-ribosomal particles. Altogether, our results show that the N- and C-terminal domains of Dbp7 are important for the optimal function of this protein during ribosome biogenesis.

Perkinsea constitutes a lineage within the Alveolata eukaryotic superphylum, mainly composed of parasitic organisms. Some described species represent significant ecological and economic threats due to their invasive ability and pathogenicity, which can lead to mortality events. However, the genetic diversity of these described species is just the tip of the iceberg. Environmental surveys targeting this lineage are still scarce and mainly limited to the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we aim to conduct an in depth exploration of the Perkinsea group, uncovering the diversity across a variety of environments, including those beyond freshwater and marine ecosystems. We seek to identify and describe putative novel organisms based on their genetic signatures. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of a metabarcoding dataset, focusing on the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene (the EukBank dataset), to investigate the diversity, distribution and environmental preferences of the Perkinsea. Our results reveal a remarkable diversity within the Perkinsea, with 1568 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) identified across thousands of environmental samples. Surprisingly, we showed a substantial diversity of Perkinsea within soil samples (269 ASVs), challenging the previous assumption that this group is confined to marine and freshwater environments. In addition, we revealed that a notable proportion of Perkinsea ASVs (428 ASVs) could correspond to putative new organisms, encompassing the well-established taxonomic group Perkinsidae. Finally, our study shed light on previously unveiled taxonomic groups, including the Xcellidae, and revealed their environmental distribution. These findings demonstrate that Perkinsea exhibits far greater diversity than previously detected and surprisingly extends beyond marine and freshwater environments. The meta-analysis conducted in this study has unveiled the existence of previously unknown clusters within the Perkinsea lineage, solely identified

We study primordial non-Gaussian signatures in the redshift-space halo field on nonlinear scales, using a quasi-maximum likelihood estimator based on optimally compressed power spectrum and modal bispectrum statistics. We train and validate the estimator on a suite of halo catalogs constructed from the Quijote-pngN-body simulations, which we release to accompany this paper. We verify its unbiasedness and near-optimality for the three main types of primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG): local, equilateral, and orthogonal. We compare the modal bispectrum expansion with a k-binning approach, showing that the former allows for faster convergence of numerical derivatives in the computation of the score function, thus leading to better final constraints. We find, in agreement with previous studies, that the local PNG signal in the halo field is dominated by the scale-dependent bias signature on large scales and saturates at k ∼ 0.2 h Mpc−1, whereas the small-scale bispectrum is the main source of information for equilateral and orthogonal PNG. Combining the power spectrum and bispectrum on nonlinear scales plays an important role in breaking degeneracies between cosmological and PNG parameters; such degeneracies, however, remain strong for equilateral PNG. We forecast that PNG parameters can be constrained with Df = 45 NLlocal , Df = 570 NLequil , and Df = 110 NLortho on a cubic volume of - 1 Gpc h 1 3 ( ) at z = 1, considering scales up to = - kmax 0.5 Mpc h 1.

Mineral dust produced by wind erosion of arid and semi-arid surfaces is a major component of atmospheric aerosol that affects climate, weather, ecosystems, and socio-economic sectors such as human health, transportation, solar energy, and air quality. Understanding these effects and ultimately improving the resilience of affected countries requires a reliable, dense, and diverse set of dust observations, fundamental for the development and the provision of skillful dust forecasts tailored products. The last decade has seen a notable improvement of dust observational capabilities in terms of considered parameters, geographical coverage, and delivery times, as well as of tailored products of interest to both the scientific community and the various end-users. Given this progress, here we review the current state of observational capabilities including in-situ, ground-based and satellite remote sensing observations, in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe for the provision of dust information considering the needs of various users. We also critically discuss observational gaps and related unresolved questions while providing suggestions for overcoming the current limitations. Our review aims to be a milestone for discussing dust observational gaps at a global level to address the needs of users, from research communities to non-scientific stakeholders.

Intrinsic coupling modes (ICMs) can be observed in ongoing brain activity at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Two families of ICMs can be distinguished: phase and envelope ICMs. The principles that shape these ICMs remain partly elusive, in particular their relation to the underlying brain structure. Here we explored structure-function relationships in the ferret brain between ICMs quantified from ongoing brain activity recorded with chronically implanted micro-ECoG arrays and structural connectivity (SC) obtained from high-resolution diffusion MRI tractography. Large-scale computational models were used to explore the ability to predict both types of ICMs. Importantly, all investigations were conducted with ICM measures that are sensitive or insensitive to volume conduction effects. The results show that both types of ICMs are significantly related to SC, except for phase ICMs when using measures removing zero-lag coupling. The correlation between SC and ICMs increases with increasing frequency which is accompanied by reduced delays. Computational models produced results that were highly dependent on the specific parameter settings. The most consistent predictions were derived from measures solely based on SC. Overall, the results demonstrate that patterns of cortical functional coupling as reflected in both phase and envelope ICMs are both related, albeit to different degrees, to the underlying structural connectivity in the cerebral cortex.

To complement discussions about vegetation history and climate variations in south Greenland, especially during the Norse settlement, we developed a sedimentological multiproxy approach to study a 4300-year-old lacustrine core comprising pollen analysis, NPPs analysis, physical measurements (magnetic susceptibility, density, and grain size), and geochemical analyses (X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and elemental analyses). Sediment archives were retrieved from a river-fed lake, Lake Qallimiut, located in the outer fjords of the Vatnahverfi area. The pollen analysis indicated a transition from juniper and willow cover to a dwarf birch forest. Non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) suggested grazing pressure and the presence of wild herbivores between 2300 and 1800 cal. BC. From ca. 1000 cal. AD, the presence of Norse farmers was evidenced in this area by archaeological surveys, and pollen analyses confirm the presence of human activities from the 11th century to the end of the 13th century. However, human impact progressively vanished between the 12th and 13th centuries, much earlier than at the other Vatnahverfi sites.

The present study adds to the literature on routinization and employment by capturing within-occupation task changes over the period 1980–2010. The main contributions are the measurement of such changes and the combination of two data sources on occupational task content for the United States: the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). We show that within-occupation reorientation away from routine tasks: i) accounts for 1/3 of the decline in routine-task use; ii) accelerated in the 1990s, decelerated in the 2000s but with significant convergence across occupations; and iii) allowed workers to escape the employment and wage decline, conditional on the initial level of routine-task intensity. The latter finding suggests that task reorientation is a key channel through which labour markets adapt to various forms of labour-saving technological change.

Land reclamation in the Maldives is widespread. Current land reclamation practices, however, lack a systematic approach to anticipate sea-level rise and do not account for local flood risk differences to inform location and design choices. To address these limitations, this paper applies two decision-support tools: a hazard threshold analysis, and a cost-benefit analysis. Both tools produce site-specific estimates of land elevations or flood defence heights but do so for different goals. The hazard threshold analysis identifies hazard-based solutions that meet an acceptable flood probability for an intended lifespan without follow-up actions by reliability optimisation. The cost-benefit analysis identifies risk-based solutions using dynamic programming. We apply both tools to two land reclamation sites, a newly reclaimed airport island and a land extension of an inhabited island, in the Maldives. We find that total hazard-based heights for long-term planning horizons are highly uncertain, with local height differences of up to 1.9 m across sea-level rise scenarios by 2100. Risk-based Island elevations, in contrast, differ much less across scenarios, offering a practical advantage for decision-making. However, land reclamation choices on location, land elevation and investment in flood protection are not only driven by hazard-related aspects, such as reef characteristics, swell exposure, and sea-level rise, but also by estimates of exposed assets, reclamation, and flood protection costs. Taken together, the two decision-support tools are helpful for improving adaptation decisions and are also applicable in other small island regions.

Mass spectrometry has become the technique of choice for the assessment of a high variety of molecules in complex food matrices. It is best suited for monitoring the evolution of digestive processes in vivo and in vitro. However, considering the variety of equipment available in different laboratories and the diversity of sample preparation methods, instrumental settings for data acquisition, statistical evaluations, and interpretations of results, it is difficult to predict a priori the ideal parameters for optimal results. The present work addressed this uncertainty by executing an inter-laboratory study with samples collected during in vitro digestion and presenting an overview of the state-of-the-art mass spectrometry applications and analytical capabilities available for studying food digestion. Three representative high-protein foods – skim milk powder (SMP), cooked chicken breast and tofu – were digested according to the static INFOGEST protocol with sample collection at five different time points during gastric and intestinal digestion. Ten laboratories analysed all digesta with their in-house equipment and applying theirconventional workflow., The compiled results demonstrate in general, that soy proteins had a slower gastric digestion and the presence of longer peptide sequences in the intestinal phase compared to SMP or chicken proteins, suggesting a higher resistance to the digestion of soy proteins. Differences in results among the various laboratories were attributed more to the peptide selection criteria than to the individual analytical platforms. Overall, the combination of mass spectrometry techniques with suitable methodological and statistical approaches is adequate for contributing to the characterisation of the recently defined digestome.

The complexity of real-world geophysical systems is often compounded by the fact that the observed measurements depend on hidden variables. These latent variables include unresolved small scales and/or rapidly evolving processes, partially observed couplings, or forcings in coupled systems. This is the case in ocean–atmosphere dynamics, for which unknown interior dynamics can affect surface observations. The identification of computationally-relevant representations of such partially-observed and highly nonlinear systems is thus challenging and often limited to short-term forecast applications. Here, we investigate the physics-constrained learning of implicit dynamical embeddings, leveraging neural ordinary differential equation (NODE) representations. In particular, we restrict the NODE representation to linear–quadratic dynamics and enforce a global boundedness constraint, which promotes the generalization of the learned dynamics to arbitrary initial conditions. The proposed architecture is implemented within a deep learning framework, and its relevance is demonstrated with respect to state-of-the-art schemes for different case studies representative of geophysical dynamics.

The plant microbiome has recently emerged as a reservoir for the development of sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. However, the response of plants to beneficial microbes emerges as a critical issue to understand the molecular basis of plant-microbiota interactions. In this study, we combined root colonization, phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses to unravel the commonalities and specificities of the response of rice to closely related Burkholderia s.l. endophytes. In general, these results indicate that a rice-non-native Burkholderia s.l. strain, Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN, is able to colonize the root endosphere while eliciting a markedly different response compared to rice-native Burkholderia s.l. strains. This demonstrates the variability of plant response to microbes from different hosts of origin. The most striking finding of the investigation was that a much more conserved response to the three endophytes used in this study is elicited in leaves compared to roots. In addition, transcriptional regulation of genes related to secondary metabolism, immunity, and phytohormones appear to be markers of strain-specific responses. Future studies need to investigate whether these findings can be extrapolated to other plant models and beneficial microbes to further advance the potential of microbiome-based solutions for crop production.

We revisit spin-orbit coupling in a plasmonic Berry metasurface composed of rotated nanoapertures, which is known to imprint a robust far-field polarization response. We present a scattering formalism that shows how that spin-momentum locking emerges from the geometry of the unit cell without requiring global rotation symmetries. We find and confirm with Mueller polarimetry measurements that spin-momentum locking is an approximate symmetry. The symmetry breakdown is ascribed to the elliptical projection of circularly polarized light into the planar surface. This breakdown is maximal when surface waves are excited, and a new set of spin-momentum locking rules is presented for this case.

The importance of 3D printable hydrogels is constantly increasing in the field of tissue engineering, due to their characteristic structure and similarity with the human body extracellular matrix (ECM). Herein, Quinizarin-based bioderived photoactive dyes were employed for the 3D printing of methacrylated chitosan by vat photopolymerization (VPP). Dyes are commonly needed in VPP to obtain good resolution avoiding the light scattering in the vat, here the bioderived molecules had further utility granting the printability with good resolution while acting both as photosensitizers and fillers/crosslinkers. Defined and detailed architectures in the range of millimetres were obtained with low printing times showing for the first time the possibility to obtain all-chitosan 3D structures with suspended features by Digital Light Processing (DLP), which is a form of vat photopolymerization; such a result is not achievable without the quinizarin-derived dyes. The same structures were achieved with an optimized concentration of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, as a comparison, enhancing the resolution. For all the formulations, the important feature to obtain the gel printability (considering reactiveness, viscosity, shear thinning behaviour, mechanical properties and stability) were evaluated. The hydrogels mechanical characterization and swelling properties were also tested and reported. Lastly, the possible application in tissue engineering was also evaluated through cell proliferation analysis over samples, including metabolic activity and DNA contempt assays. The use of such bioderived photoactive molecules that simultaneously act as photosensitizer enhancing the ink reactivity, as dye improving the definition of the final structures and as filler/crosslinker increasing the mechanical stability, could represent a valuable route for the DLP printing of soft hydrogels.

Measuring electronic Raman scattering (ERS) has become an efficient method for structural characterization of metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). However, applying this method to other types of SWCNT-based structures, e.g., those with strong van der Waals (VDW) coupling, is currently not well studied. In this work, we combine electron diffraction, Rayleigh and Raman spectroscopies to investigate the ERS process near 36 metallic transitions in 21 individual double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with all types of electronic configurations. We observe the partial suppression of ERS intensity in DWCNTs compared to SWCNTs and mainly attribute it to the effect of dielectric screening of Coulomb interactions. We probe ultra-pure macroscopic multi-chirality DWCNT solutions and identify the role of inhomogeneous broadening in observing ERS peaks in Raman spectra. Based on the experimental findings, we propose an adapted method for the structural identification of DWCNT samples from the ERS data. The obtained results can be generalized to the characterization of the emerging 1D VDW heterostructures based on metallic SWCNTs.

All-graphenic carbon morphologies grown on individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) consisting of short-fiber segments bearing sharp micro-/nano-cones at both ends were mounted as new probes for scanning probe microscopies (SPM). Three mounting procedures were tested, two based on focused ion and/or electron beam processes operated in scanning electron microscopes, and another based on an irradiation-free procedure under an optical microscope. The benefits and drawbacks of all the methods are described in details. The extent to which the structural integrity of the carbon material of the cones was affected by each of the mounting processes was also investigated using Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The carbon cones were found to be sensitive to both ion and electron irradiation to an unusual extent with respect to structurally-close nano-objects such as multi-wall CNTs. This was assumed to be due to the occurrence of a large number of free graphene-edges at the cone surface. The suitability of such carbon cones as SPM probes is demonstrated, the characteristics of which make them potentially superior to Si-, diamond-, or CNT-probes.