62880 research outputs found
Sort by
Evidence for the earliest hominin use of wooden handheld tools found at Marathousa 1 (Greece)
Get PDFThe Middle Pleistocene (MP; ca. 774–129 ka) marks a critical period of human evolution, characterized by increasing behavioral complexity and the first unambiguous evidence of plant-based technologies. Despite this, direct evidence for early wooden tool use remains exceptionally rare. Here, we present the earliest handheld wooden tools, identified from secure contexts at the site of Marathousa 1, Greece, dated to ca. 430 ka (MIS12). Through a systematic morphological, microscopic, taphonomic and taxonomic analysis of the sampled wood macroremains, two specimens were securely identified as modified by hominins: one small alder (Alnus sp.) trunk fragment bears clear working and use-wear traces consistent with a multifunctional stick likely used in digging at the paleo-lakeshore; and one very small willow/poplar (Salix sp./Populus sp.) artifact exhibits signs of shaping and potential use-wear. A third specimen, a large alder trunk segment, shows deep, non-anthropogenic striations interpreted here as claw marks from a large carnivoran. The wooden tools were excavated together with butchered elephant remains, small lithic artifacts and debitage, and worked bone, underscoring the diversity of engagement with a variety of different raw materials for technological purposes at Marathousa-1. These finds extend the temporal range of early wooden tools. They represent both the use of expedient larger hand-held tools as well as a much smaller, likely finger-held wooden tool, which is uniquely small for the Pleistocene, expanding known functional purposes of early wood technologies. Moreover, they highlight the Megalopolis Basin’s exceptional preservation conditions and its role in understanding the evolution of hominin behavior
Identification of evidence gaps and future research needs in food safety
No full textEstablishing research priorities to support evidence-based regulatory goals requires cross disciplinary collective expert input. This paper reviews the application of expert elicitation to identify and prioritize research questions in food safety regulation, which approach offers regulators and research funders a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for assessing evidence gaps in an expanding scientific landscape. While similar methodologies have been applied in ecology and other fields, this is, to our knowledge, the first use in food safety research. Recommendations are provided to strengthen the process.
A facilitated workshop shortlisted 51 questions, grouped into 12 themes, from a long list of 262 submissions, which spanned broad topics, including understanding the origins of emerging hazards and their health impacts. Environmental and sustainability themes address unintended consequences of decarbonization, food waste reduction, and risks from recycled plastics and food byproducts. Dietary change raises questions on emerging allergens, nutritional adequacy of alternative proteins, low fibre intake, and microbiome-related health impacts. Technology-driven changes, such as new production systems, kitchen devices, and secondary food economies, intersect with these dietary shifts.
Scientific advances provide opportunities to improve understanding of the dietary exposome through better intake data. Exposure to dietary chemicals occurs alongside complex mixtures of other agents, requiring structured approaches to risk assessment. The evolving science of chemical mixtures and rapid innovation in food systems underscore the need for robust, prioritized research compatible with good regulatory practice
Analysis of microbial diversity of traditional Chinese starters and screening of special flavor yeast for Chinese baked flatbread
Get PDFIntroduction: Traditional Chinese starters have unclear microbial complexity and community functions.
Methods: To screen functional yeasts for flavor enhancement of Chinese baked flatbread (CBF), Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y4 was isolated and identified from traditional Chinese starters using a combined approach of high-throughput sequencing and culturomics. The traditional starters samples were aseptically collected from Luohe, Xinxiang in Henan province and Rizhao in Shandong province.
Results: The analysis of microbial communities revealed that Luohe starter had the highest fungal (Chao1 = 271.86) and bacterial (Chao1 = 341.76) richness, with dominant genera including Saccharomyces and Lactiplantibacillus. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y4 showed the following performance: saturated gas production at 48 h, 12% ethanol tolerance, high acid tolerance (OD value below 0.15), and 1975 mL gas production in fermented dough. CBF fermented by Y4 had a high sensory score (82.8) and 40 volatiles, including the unique 1-octen-3-ol and a prominent level of phenethyl acetate content.
Discussion: In this study, a superior yeast strain was identified, providing theoretical insights and valuable microbial resources for optimizing the flavor of CBF
Chiral glass formation by Dipeptide salts
Get PDFA simple dipeptide WR (tryptophan–arginine) in the form of salts with organic acids tartaric acid or crotonic acid is shown to form glasses through a benign preparation route by evaporation of aqueous solution. The glasses have a remarkable range of properties including moldability, high transparency across a broad range of wavelengths, and fluorescence. The glasses show self-healing and adhesive properties, and have accessible glass transition temperatures. The glasses are shown to be amorphous via small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Remarkably, the glasses are found to have a chiral structure, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Investigation of glass precursor dipeptide salt solutions shows that the glasses form from an initial unordered solution containing chiral peptide molecules. The diverse properties of the dipeptide glass materials points to a wide range of potential future applications
Record-breaking rainfall in Sri Lanka in 2014 enhanced by the MJO
No full textSri Lanka has experienced a number of severe floods over the past decades, illustrating the importance of understanding the events leading to extreme rainfall. The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), an intraseasonal phenomenon over the tropical ocean, strongly influences interannual precipitation variability in Sri Lanka. However, the impact of the MJO on rainfall over Sri Lanka during the October–November–December (OND) period is less well understood. In this study, we use reanalysis data to explore the impact of the MJO on Sri Lankan rainfall during this season. We show that OND seasons with heavier-than-usual rainfall typically have more days where an active MJO is in phases 2 and 3 and that this is also true for 2014, where both November and December experienced about a week of strong phase 3 MJO. This led to a persistent synoptic-scale circulation anomaly over Sri Lanka, which increased moisture convergence over the island, leading to widespread and long-lived deep convection. We also argue that the persistent 2014 MJO events adjusted the Walker circulation, leading to anomalous ascent over Sri Lanka, which further amplified the seasonal rainfall. This study shows that a better understanding of the link between the MJO and local thermodynamics is needed to improve extreme precipitation forecasts over Sri Lanka
Effects of secretome and EVs from neural crest-derived stem cells on glioblastoma multiforme cells
No full textGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an incurable primary brain cancer, is a very
heterogeneous, and aggressive type of cancer, with poor patient outcome despite
multimodal therapy. The secretomes of GBM cells contribute to enhanced tumour
sustainability, tumour stemness, and immune evasion mainly due to activation of very
potent signalling pathways such as NF-κB, enhancing tumour cell proliferation, as well
as resistance to cancer drugs. The secretome, rich with adhesion molecules,
proteases, as well as growth factors, mediates the extracellular matrix, thereby
creating a microenvironment, a safe niche, as well as a strong inducer of aggressive
tumour. The cancer secretome, consisting of the total array of both biomolecules and
extracellular vesicles (EVs), released from cancer cells as well as their
microenvironment, remains one of the strongest predictors of therapeutic resistance.
Secretomes and sEVs (small EVs), derived from human neural crest-derived stem
cells (NCSCs), were characterised and systematically tested for their potential to
condition to inhibit the proliferation of GBM. Secretomes and EVs were derived from
NCSCs characterised from three different donors, whose molecular identities were
also confirmed. A series of functional assays were performed, including viability
assays, proliferation, migration, tumour-forming colony assays, as well as sphere
assays on U251, U737 and U87 GBM cells. Secretome from the NCSCs significantly
inhibited the survival as well as the migratory properties of these cells. Signalling
studies conducted utilizing NF-κB and IRF3 reporter assays, a cytokine array, and
immunocytochemistry, demonstrated significant inhibition of NF-κB activation even in
the context of secretome from GBM cells as well as inflammatory challenge, while
suggesting a nuclear enrichment and activation of IRF3.
Secretomes from NCSCs not only inhibit these inflammatory processes, but they also
specifically regulate the cytokine secretion, leading to reduced activation of microglia,
as well as the normalisation of an anti-tumour immune environment. The ex vivo
results from organotypic brain slices demonstrated a remarkable decrease in the
tumour colony, as well as persistence in the combined setting of temozolomide (TMZ),
without any toxicity to normal tissue. By integrating the cancer cell secretome data,
the following has been confirmed: the secretomes and EVs from glioblastoma
propagate autocrine and paracrine signalling in proliferation, immune evasion, and
resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs.
Safety and translation challenges were considered in light of the current market
conditions for treatment, as described in the study (Asadpour et al. 2023). Even while
being hopeful about preclinical adaptation, the use of EVs and secretomes for a
preclinical setting is faced with some serious challenges, such as the lack of
standardised production, variability, lack of knowledge about the mode of action, as
well as limited regulation. This paper highlights the need for common standards and
stricter rules to ensure safe application, as mentioned in the study.
This thesis provides the first conclusive proof that secretome/EVs derived from NCSCs
represent a novel approach to overcome GBM resistance based on modulation of cell
signalling at a cellular, and molecular levels. By studying immunomodulation,
enhancing chemotherapy responses, and focusing on safe use, this approach offers
a new and valuable tool for therapy development
Deep reinforcement learning for energy-efficient workflow scheduling in edge computing
No full textWorkflow scheduling in dynamic edge computing environments faces challenges in minimizing completion time and energy consumption due to unpredictable workloads and limited resources. However, traditional methods cannot adapt to dynamic environmental change and often suffer from high computational complexity. We propose DQN-Edge, an efficient scheduling method using an attention-based Deep Q-Network (DQN) to learn optimal task prioritization and task allocation policies. DQN-Edge’s two-phase approach first prioritizes tasks using a modified upward ranking algorithm considering critical path dependencies, then employs a DQN with a context-aware attention mechanism to balance time and energy weights adaptively. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed DQN-Edge by using real-world scientific workflows under various conditions, such as different arrival intervals of workflows and edge nodes
computing capabilities. Compared with existing methods, DQN-Edge shortens makespan and reduces energy consumption across different scenarios while maintaining a high success rate
Blockchain integration for circular economy adoption in steel construction
No full textPurpose: The circular economy is an economic model aimed at minimizing waste and optimizing resource use by extending lifecycles through recycling, reuse, and other strategies. This shift from the traditional linear model (take-make-dispose) is crucial for a more sustainable and resilient built environment. Given its environmental impact, the steel construction industry holds significant importance in driving sustainability and circular economy efforts. This study aims to explore the potential of a blockchain-based framework to overcome barriers hindering the adoption of circular economy principles within the industrial steel construction sector, thereby promoting sustainability and circularity in the built environment.
Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual blockchain framework is proposed to enable effective recording, storing, and sharing of process-related data among stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of construction materials. The framework’s validity is assessed through a focus group study conducted at a steel construction company, involving expert evaluations.
Findings: Expert evaluations indicate that the blockchain-based framework can significantly enhance circular economy adoption by improving information flow, raising awareness, and fostering collaboration among ecosystem participants.
Originality: The study introduces an innovative application of blockchain technology tailored for the steel construction sector to address specific circular economy barriers, offering a novel approach that facilitates digital and sustainability transitions
The relationship between childhood trauma and adult neuroticism: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFChildhood trauma has been consistently associated with elevated levels of neuroticism in adulthood, a transdiagnostic trait marked by emotional instability, heightened negative affect, and stress sensitivity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise evidence examining the association between childhood trauma and adult neuroticism, both overall and by specific trauma subtypes. A comprehensive search of four electronic databases identified 136 eligible studies, encompassing a total of 526,371 individuals. Using a random-effects meta-analysis, results revealed a significant positive association between childhood trauma and adult neuroticism (g = 0.46). The strength of the association between neuroticism and the different trauma subtype varied. The strongest association was observed for emotional neglect (g = 0.40), followed by emotional abuse (g = 0.33). In addition, there were associations between neuroticism and physical abuse (g = 0.18), physical neglect (g = 0.15), sexual abuse (g = 0.22), unspecified abuse (g = 0.13), and victimisation (g = 0.21), with the exception of unspecified neglect, which showed no significant association. These findings demonstrate a robust relationship between early adversity and neuroticism. Childhood trauma may lead to adaptions that give rise to neuroticism through several psychological mechanisms such as disruptions in attachment and the formation of negative self-beliefs, and neurobiological alterations in stress regulation systems. These results underscore the importance of systemic preventative measures and early intervention strategies that may alleviate the psychological and neurobiological consequences of trauma, with the potential to increase awareness of adaptions such as neuroticism in trauma-exposed populations