48674 research outputs found
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Productivity-driven decoupling of microbial carbon use efficiency and respiration across global soils
No full textDespite extensive research on soil microbial carbon (C) use efficiency (CUE), its linkage to actual soil C storage remains ambiguous. A key uncertainty is that CUE estimates from short-term labeling incubations assume a linear negative relationship with respiration rates, overlooking nonlinear interactions and long-term microbial acclimation. Here, we use a stoichiometry-based approach to estimate CUE (CUEST), which links soil resource availability to microbial demand and captures microbial adaptability under resource constraints. We synthesized 1094 paired observations of CUEST and heterotrophic respiration rate (Rh) across natural ecosystems and found a nonlinear relationship between them governed by ecosystem productivity. In low-productivity arid and cold regions, CUEST declined with increasing Rh, whereas in productive tropical and temperate regions, CUEST stabilized at a low level (0.27 ± 0.11) as Rh exceeded 340 ± 10.8 grams of C per square meter per year. This shift reflects microbial trade-offs between C assimilation and stoichiometric homeostasis, revealing a decoupling of microbial growth from respiration that limits the capacity of productive ecosystems to store additional soil C
Digestibility and transcriptomic profiling of kidney, pancreas, follicle, and uterus in laying hens supplemented with phytogenic feed additive
No full textPhytogenic feed additives in poultry demonstrate phenotypic improvements and potentially possess humoral significance for organ systems involved in egg production, digestion, and excretion, warranting further investigation into their mechanisms of action. These additives contain a wide array of active ingredients with antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties, positioning them as a promising alternative to in-feed antibiotics for enhancing poultry performance and welfare. This study investigates how a phytogenic feed supplement based mainly on essential oils of thyme and star anise with quillaja bark influences reproductive and nutrient-utilizing tissues and nutrient bioavailability in laying hens. A four-week trial with Lohmann Brown hens aged 68 weeks was conducted using diets with or without 150 mg/kg phytogenic supplement to assess performance (n = 96), egg quality (n = 96), nutrient digestibility (n = 24), and gene expression in pancreas, kidney, uterus, and follicles (n = 20 per tissue). Supplemented laying hens showed a significant increase of 3.84 % (p = 0.001) in the apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein and trends for improved egg weights (p = 0.053) and feed-to-egg mass ratio (p = 0.079) compared to control-fed hens. Complementary RNA sequencing analyses revealed differentially expressed genes (adjusted p-value < 0.05) with antimicrobial properties (pancreas, follicles) and an influence on bio-mineralization processes (uterus). Results suggest improved cleavage of carbohydrates, peptides, and lipids in the follicle, indicating improved nutrient utilisation for the developing embryo. Consequently, the implementation of phytogenics improves nutrient digestibility of laying hens and promotes resource reallocation in the hen towards the immune system and nutrient availability in eggs, potentially benefiting both in-ovo development and egg quality. A targeted phytogenic feed supplement can enhance the expression of antibacterial proteins involved in innate immune responses
Multi-generational koala pedigree analysis reveals rapid changes in heritable provirus load associated with life history traits
No full textRetroviruses that colonize the host germline can be passed on as inherited genetic variants. The koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) is currently experiencing germline colonization by two retroviruses, the koala retrovirus (KoRV) and phaCin-β. We analyze the integration site segregation and diversity of endogenous KoRV, phaCin-β, and the related phaCin-β-like in 111 pedigreed koalas from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and seven European Zoos. The use of multigenerational pedigrees and the inclusion of health information for each individual koala reveal elimination of retroviruses from proto-oncogenes and the generation and spread of new germline integrations. Seven-hundred-and-fourteen integrations do not persist in the living population. For the 55 triads examined, 21 unique integrations identified in individual koalas are absent in their parents. Retroviral integrations associated with leukemia, fertility, and longevity are used to estimate genetic risk scores and develop a longevity breeding index to minimize neoplasia risk in the captive koala population
High-entropy alloy Janus artificial enzymes for pH-gated sequential redox therapy of drug-resistant bacterial infection
No full textDrug-resistant bacterial infections in chronic wounds remain a critical challenge, particularly under persistent inflammation. Here, we report the de novo design of high-entropy alloy (HEA, PtFeCuCoNi)-based Janus artificial enzymes with pH-gated redox biocatalysis for sequential antibacterial and repair functions. The multi-metal synergy stabilizes the d -band center, allowing acidic oxidase/peroxidase-like activity and neutral antioxidase-like activity. In infection, the enzymes generate bactericidal reactive oxygen species (ROS) to eliminate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( MRSA ) and biofilms at ultralow concentrations (8 μg/mL). During healing, they scavenge ROS, alleviate oxidative injury and support cellular proliferation. In MRSA -infected wounds, this dual-action system clears bacteria and then accelerates regeneration through enhanced neovascularization and matrix remodeling. Mechanistic analyses reveal PFKFB3 -mediated metabolic reprogramming, suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype. Integrating pH-gated antimicrobial and immunomodulatory repair within one nanoplatform, this strategy addresses the conflicting demands of infection control and tissue healing
Finite-frequency admittance and noise of a helical edge coupled to a magnet
No full textThe exchange coupling of the helical edge state of a quantum spin-Hall insulator with an easy-plane magnet has no effect on its dc electrical conductance if the magnet's anisotropy axis is aligned with the spin-quantization axis of the helical edge state [Meng et al., Phys. Rev. B 90, 205403 (2014)]. We here calculate the ac conductance GV (w) and the noise power SV (w) in the presence of a dc bias V. While both take the universal values GV (w = 0) = e2/h and SV (w = 0) = 4e2kBT /h in the zero-frequency limit, GV (w) and SV (w) are quickly suppressed for finite w, so that low-frequency transport is effectively noiseless
Cleavage theory meets civil society: a framework and research agenda
No full textHow does civil society shape the development of cleavages? While intermediary organisations, such as trade unions and churches, featured heavily in historical accounts, neo-cleavage theory tends to ignore the meso-level dynamics of the new ‘transnational’ divide beyond party politics. This agenda-setting article introduces a general framework for studying the relationship between civil society and cleavages, capable of facilitating comparisons across contexts. Specifically, the article identifies two mechanisms through which civil society – in different forms – can shape emerging cleavages: by structuring patterns of group-party linkage on the supply-side and by deepening social closure on the demand-side. The article develops hypotheses about how the changing structure of civil society in Western Europe affects its capacity to perform these functions. Empirical evidence from expert and population surveys, complemented by illustrative case studies, suggests that civil society continues to influence cleavage politics, albeit in more differentiated and volatile ways
Survival and temporal change in the viability of Ascaridia galli eggs exposed to refrigeration or freezing temperatures in the presence of a cryoprotectant
No full textPreserving viable infective stages of chicken ascarids under laboratory conditions facilitates the maintenance of characterized nematode strains for research purposes. We investigated the survivability of Ascaridia galli eggs exposed to low temperatures and the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Two egg developmental stages (unembryonated or fully embryonated) were stored at 4°C, –20°, or –80°C in sterile water or with 5% and 10% DMSO for 1, 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Egg survival was assessed by morphology following post-storage incubation in 0.1 N H2SO4 at 26°C for unembryonated eggs or with a viability dye exclusion test of hatched larvae for the embryonated eggs. The results revealed that neither DMSO nor the hardy chitinous eggshell protected eggs from freezing damage, and not a single egg survived even for 1 week of storage at –20° or –80°C. DMSO at 10% significantly reduced (P < 0.0001) overall egg survival and embryonation capacity with increasing storage time at 4°C compared to water alone. For both egg developmental stages, egg survival was maintained in 5% DMSO at a rate similar to that in water alone. Unembryonated A. galli eggs survived refrigeration better than embryonated eggs with larval viability declining linearly at almost a double rate in the latter (9.75%/week) compared to the former (5.64 %/week). We conclude that DMSO is unlikely to provide cryoprotection for A. galli eggs and also causes concentration-dependent toxicity with increasing exposure time. Furthermore, survival during refrigeration is better for unembryonated than embryonated eggs
Decoding Effector-Specific Parametric Grip-Force Anticipation From fMRI-Data
No full textPlanning motor-actions involves the neuronal representation of key parameters such as force and timing prior to execution. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that activity in premotor and parietal areas covaries with these parameters during motor-preparation. While previous research has demonstrated that parametric codes reflect graded grip-force intensities before and after their transformation into motor-codes, it remains unclear whether these representations are encoded in effector-specific brain-regions. To address this, we conducted an fMRI-study using a delayed grip-force task in which participants prepared one of four force-intensities with either their right or left cued-hand, with the hand to-be-used being switched in 50% of the trials midway through the delay. Using time-resolved multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) with a searchlight approach, we identified brain-regions encoding anticipated grip-force intensities of the cued-hand across the two 6-s delay-periods. In addition, cross-decoding analyses tested whether force-intensities were represented in an effector-specific or effector-independent format. We found above-chance decoding in two lateralized networks: the contralateral intraparietal sulcus (r−/l-IPS), as well as the lateral occipitotemporal cortex (r−/l-LOTC) during the first, and the contralateral primary motor cortices (r−/l-M1) during the second delay. These results indicate effector-specific coding of anticipated grip-force intensities, which is revealed by systematic lateralization of decoding-accuracy depending on the hand to-be-used. Cross-decoding corroborated effector-specific representation in these regions. Together, our results show that contralateral IPS and LOTCs encode effector-specific parametric information prior to M1s, likely reflecting a transformation process in which the intended grip-force intensity is selected, maintained, and then converted into detailed movement-plans
Growth of a subduction orogen: Deformation styles and exhumation patterns in the Dinarides-Albanides-Hellenides
No full textSubduction orogens grow through frontal accretion and crustal underplating, with the modes of accretion controlled by the strength of the basal and wedge materials. However, in retreating subduction systems, where crustal thinning occurs, the mechanisms driving upper plate thickening remain poorly understood, and their surface expression is difficult to discern.
The Dinarides-Albanides-Hellenides orogen in the Eastern Mediterranean provides a compelling case to investigate these processes and their impact on exhumation patterns. Evolved during the eastward subduction of Adria beneath Eurasia since the Late Cretaceous, the orogen shows along-strike variations in deformation style, controlled by the thickness of Triassic evaporitic décollement. In the north, the absence of a décollement resulted in basement-involved deformation, focusing Middle-Late Miocene to Pliocene exhumation at the orogenic front. In the south, thick evaporites facilitated basement-cover decoupling, limiting exhumation at the front while focusing Late Miocene–Pliocene exhumation in the interior through underplating. In the hinterland, extension-related exhumation progressively rejuvenated toward the foreland, from Middle Miocene to Pliocene, suggesting slab rollback as the primary geodynamic driver.
Our results demonstrate that from the Middle Miocene to Pliocene, crustal accretion through underplating occurred at the same time as hinterland extension triggered by slab rollback. This tectonic phase likely marks the most recent stage of a long-term accretionary cycle that thickened the crustal edifice in a system with retreating subduction boundaries. Our findings highlight the dual role of crustal accretion and thinning in building and shaping the orogen and suggest a broader context of plate reorganization in the Mediterranean during the Miocene
How epistemic trust, mistrust and credulity relate to mental health, personality pathology, treatment engagement and relationship in psychotherapeutic and psychiatric settings
No full textBackground
Epistemic trust describes the capacity to appropriately identify others as reliable and relevant sources of information, an ability closely linked to attachment and social learning. Epistemic disruption can manifest as heightened suspicion (mistrust) or excessive reliance (credulity) vis-à-vis others, affecting mentalizing abilities and increasing vulnerability to psychopathology and maladaptive traits. These interdependent and multidirectional dynamics are pivotal to therapeutic learning, and thus to therapeutic change.
Objective
This study examined associations between epistemic trust and disruption, markers of psychopathology, therapeutic relationship quality and treatment-seeking behaviour.
Method
A naturalistic sample of 912 participants, recruited via a mental health app, completed the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust and Credulity Questionnaire, along with self-reports capturing internalising symptoms, personality functioning, maladaptive traits and the perceived therapeutic relationship within the previous 6 months. Treatment-seeking behaviour and the number of sessions utilized in the past year were further explored—both in psychotherapeutic and psychiatric contexts.
Findings
Epistemic mistrust and credulity showed consistent relationships with markers of psychopathology. Higher epistemic (mis)trust correlated with more positive (negative) ratings of various aspects of the therapeutic relationship, including genuineness, realism, expectations, congruence and responsivity—over the past 6 months. Epistemic trust positively predicted the amount of psychotherapy sessions, while epistemic mistrust negatively predicted treatment-seeking, both controlled for personality dysfunction. Epistemic credulity predicted mental health app use—all assessed retrospectively (past year).
Conclusion
The results encourage further in-depth exploration of trust-related aspects of the therapeutic alliance and investigation of mechanisms of change in therapeutic processes that may facilitate the transition from mistrust and credulity to trust.
Clinical implications
Even though the magnitude and direction of effects remain to be clarified, patients with epistemic mistrust may enter a self-reinforcing cycle of reduced openness and ineffective mentalizing, potentially impacting therapeutic effectiveness. Interventions targeting epistemic disruption and impaired personality functioning seem to be crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes, including psychopharmacological treatment effectiveness