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Semileptonic Λc→Λℓνℓ decays in light-cone QCD sum rules with Λc distribution amplitudes
No full textWe study the semileptonic decay of its SU(3) partner, the Λc→Λℓ+νℓ (ℓ=e,μ) transition, within the framework of light-cone QCD sum rules (LCSR) by using the distribution amplitudes of heavy Λc baryon. The numerical analysis is performed using two different sets of Λc baryon light-cone distribution amplitudes. The resulting form factors are parametrized by a model-independent z-series expansion and used to compute the differential and total decay widths. Our predictions for the branching fractions are in good agreement with the latest BESIII measurements and with lattice-QCD results
Hydrological period conversions induce micro-eukaryotic community homogenization along the eastern route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project
No full textHow hydrological period conversions, including the water diversion period (WDP) and flood discharge period (FDP), influence microbial communities, their assembly mechanisms, and community stability remains poorly understood in large-scale water diversion systems. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive field survey of micro-eukaryotic communities across the 1045 km canal system and four impoundment lakes of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (ER-SNWDP) during a complete diversion cycle. Our results showed that hydrological period conversions caused homogenization of the micro-eukaryotic communities, which was primarily driven by abundant taxa and significantly more pronounced during WDP than during FDP (p < 0.001). The underlying assembly processes behind the homogenization in WDP were ecological drift and dispersal, followed by homogeneous selection. However, the stochastic processes of ecological drift and dispersal dominated the assembly of the homogenized micro-eukaryotic community in FDP, possibly due to relatively stronger hydrological disturbances overshading the environmental filtering effects. Micro-eukaryotic biodiversity promoted network complexity and enhanced community stability, thereby counteracting the negative impacts of biotic homogenization. Network-associated communities exhibited pronounced compositional turnover across hydrological periods, with abundant taxa showing greater robustness than rare taxa. While abundant and rare taxa played comparable roles in stabilizing microbial networks during WDP, their relative contributions diverged markedly from WDP to FDP, indicating that increasing environmental pressure amplified the “Matthew effect” in the microbial world. Collectively, this study offers insights into the ecological consequences of hydrological period conversions in the ER-SNWDP, highlighting the importance of integrating microbial biodiversity conservation into multi-purpose water management
Recent developments in tsunami preparedness in the North-Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean region: Challenges, strengths, and weaknesses
No full textTsunamis pose a low-frequency but high-impact hazard to coastal communities in the North-Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (NEAM) region. They are destructive, and their occurrence cannot be predicted. However, communities can take measures to decrease their impact. As concern grows for the NEAM region, local and international efforts are beginning to promote a complex legal and operational approach to hazard assessment, evacuation plans, and the establishment of effective Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Early Warning Systems. This study reviews the evolution of tsunami preparedness in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the adjacent seas, and recommends a shift from technically oriented warning systems to community resilience. Developments in this area are often delayed by inconsistent public awareness and the low priority given to coastal hazards in policy agendas. To address these vulnerabilities, the present paper underscores the need for continuous international cooperation, institutionalized education, and the deployment of innovative technologies
Anthocyanin-loaded CNC–whey protein complexes: Interfacial stabilization and oxidative challenges in Pickering emulsions
No full textA novel stabilizer comprising anthocyanin (AN)-incorporated cherry stalk cellulose nanocrystals (CS-CNCs)/whey protein (WP) complex was developed to stabilize O/W Pickering emulsions (PEs) with improved physical and lipid oxidation stability during storage. Preparing CS-CNC/WP complexes with three mass ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 1:4) at different pH levels showed that pH 4 was optimal for complex formation. Compared to native CS-CNCs, the CS-CNC/WP complexes had significantly larger particle sizes and lower zeta potential. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed characteristic shifts in amide I and II bands, while fluorescence quenching of tryptophan residues indicated strong non-covalent interactions, confirming the complexation between CS-CNC and WP. Although all CS-CNC/WP complexes showed higher contact angles (CAs) than CS-CNCs alone, the CS-CNC/WP (1:4) complex (CA = 50.9°) was selected for its enhanced hydrophobicity and potential interfacial activity. Incorporation of AN from cherry pomace waste significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of the optimal complex, slightly reduced its contact angle (45.85°), and reinforced complex formation through stronger non-covalent interactions as indicated by amide band shifts and enhanced tryptophan quenching. Unlike the unstable PEs prepared using CS-CNC or WP alone, those stabilized with CS-CNC/WP and AN-loaded CS-CNC/WP complexes showed remarkable physical stability, with smaller, more uniformly distributed droplets. The chemical stability analysis by monitoring primary lipid oxidation products revealed that AN unexpectedly acted as a pro-oxidant in CS-CNC/WP/AN-stabilized emulsions, accelerating lipid oxidation over 28 days
Ξc → Ξ semileptonic decays: A light cone sum rules view on the experiment-lattice tension
No full textWe present a light-cone QCD sum rule (LCSR) analysis of the semileptonic decays of Ξc baryons, focusing on the channels Ξ0c → Ξ−lþνl, and Ξþc → Ξ0lþνl. The transition form factors are calculated within the light-cone quantum chromodynamics (QCD) sum rules framework, using the distribution amplitudes of the heavy Ξc baryons. The obtained form factors are then used to compute the differential and total decay widths, as well as the branching fractions. Our numerical results for the branching fractions are BðΞ0c →Ξ−lþνlÞ¼ð3.73±1.04Þ%, BðΞ0c →Ξ−μþνμÞ¼ð3.59±1.01Þ%, BðΞþc →Ξ0lþνlÞ¼11.2±3.25Þ%, and BðΞþc → Ξ0μþνμÞ ¼ ð10.8 ± 3.13Þ%. These results are in good agreement with recent lattice QCD calculations, while being larger than the current experimental measurements and differing from the predictions of other theoretical approaches
Flow and Phenotype Determine Climbing Success in Juvenile European Eel (Anguilla anguilla): A Test of Two Ramp Designs
No full textThe European eel (Anguilla anguilla) faces significant challenges during its migratory lifecycle due to anthropogenic habitat fragmentation. Fish passage solutions, such as eel ramps, aim to mitigate such barriers, but their effectiveness varies and may impose selective pressures on eel phenotypes. This study evaluates the impact of ramp design and water flow on the climbing success of juvenile eels, with particular focus on effects of individual eel exploratory phenotypes. Choice between two ramp designs—laterally flat and V-shaped—was evaluated under low (3 L min−1) and high (9 L min−1) flow conditions. The proportion of eels climbing the flat and V-shaped ramps was similar at low flows (36% and 32%, respectively), while a V-shaped ramp led to a higher proportion of climbs than a flat ramp at high flows (30% and 2%, respectively). Additionally, individuals with lower activity scores had a higher probability of climbing. These findings suggest that ramp design influences eel passage efficiency and highlight the potential for unintended selective pressures against high-activity phenotypes. Optimizing eel passage design is crucial to allow upstream and downstream migration and maintaining population diversity. Further studies are needed to assess if upstream migration over multiple eel ramps can affect the migration or phenotypic selection to ensure that passage design does not inadvertently disadvantage climbing success for certain phenotypes within the already threatened eel population
The Routledge Companion to Comparative International Planning
No full textThis concluding chapter discusses the motivation for and value of conducting international comparative planning research in academia, practice and education. It addresses the question of methodological rigour vis- à-vis pragmatism in comparative work in the planning field. Drawing on examples of recent comparative planning research in the book, it reviews methodological approaches which appear most appropriate for international comparative planning in research, planning practice and education. Finally, the chapter considers the evolving context for international comparative planning research and reflects on some themes for future research
Stepwise Migration Intentions of International Students: An Explanatory Sequential Study
No full textThe dominant analyses of trends and flows in International Student Mobility (ISM) overlook different hierarchies of destinations and the pathways students take to reach these locations. The tendency to conceptualize ISM as a linear involvement of the global elites masks the mobility patterns and trajectories of students with mobility capital shortage. Theorizing on the stepwise migration, this explanatory mixed-methods study investigates the onward migration intentions of international students in Türkiye. Although the stepwise migration theory has been applied to explain low-skilled migration, this study partially confirms that a significant number of international students in Türkiye have developed stepwise migration intentions toward Western countries and use Türkiye as an intermediary, leveraging it to build and accumulate various capitals before moving on to economically developed Western destinations
Functions of autobiographical memory in mother-adolescent reminiscing about emotionally charged events
No full textMemory functions––or the reasons people reminisce––have primarily been studied retrospectively using self-report. In the current study, memory functions were coded directly from emotionally charged conversations between mothers and their adolescents. One hundred and eight Turkish mother-adolescent pairs (M adolescent age 15 years; 1 month) talked about three one-point-in-time events they had experienced together, cued by distinct emotions (sadness, anger, happiness); each utterance was coded using a coding scheme reflecting known functions (social, self, directive). The frequency of memory functions was evaluated by conversation participant, emotion cue, and adolescents’ gender. Self-function was predominant among adolescents, with social and directive functions predominant among mothers. Different patterns of functions across emotions were apparent. Results are discussed in view of prior work on memory functions and cultural contexts of reminiscing
Dietary polyphenols targeting NLRP3 inflammasome in obesity and metabolic disorders: a review on experimental and computational evidence
No full textObesity and its associated metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular complications, represent a major global health burden. A key pathogenic mechanism linking these conditions is the overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which triggers caspase-1 activation and promotes proinflammatory cytokine release (e.g., IL-1β and IL-18), driving adipose tissue dysfunction, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation. Emerging evidence highlights dietary polyphenols as natural modulators of NLRP3 activity attenuating inflammasome activation by regulating NF-κB signalling, reducing oxidative stress and restoring autophagy. Complementary in silico approaches (e.g., molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, network pharmacology) provide mechanistic insights into polyphenol-inflammasome interactions. This review summarises current evidence on the NLRP3’s role in obesity-related disorders and discusses the therapeutic potential of dietary polyphenols, underscoring directions for translational and multidisciplinary research