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Contextual resources supporting the co-evolution of teachers' collective inquiry and classroom practice after the grant ended
No full textWe explored how various contextual resources accumulated over multiple years operated together to facilitate a team of high school teachers' sustained and agentive learning after a 4-year research-practice partnership (RPP) grant concluded. Specifically, we examined constellations of resources that promoted the co-evolution of the teachers' collective inquiry in the professional learning community (PLC) and classroom instruction, focused on supporting students' scientific explanations. We qualitatively analyzed the video/audio recordings of the PLC members' interactions in eight 75-min PLC meetings (11 h) and a full-day professional development (8 h) and classroom teaching (34 lessons) over the period of 6 months. We found that the contextual resources accumulated from the historical 4-year RPP-including a culture of collaborative inquiry, collegial relationships, structures for teacher collaboration, and expertise embedded in individuals as well as co-developed tools and practices (cultural, social, structural, and expertise resources)-were important. These resources, in combination with emerging teacher leadership (leadership resource) and timely supports, such as school leadership and district-based funding for sustaining structures for collaboration (leadership and structural resources), enabled the teachers to launch and drive their own collaborative inquiry and shift instruction after the conclusion of the grant. The harmonized contexts led the teachers to learn across the PLC and classrooms by engaging in co-evolution mechanisms-setting goals based on classroom data, reasoning about instructional practices using various representations of teaching, and experimenting on a set of common practices across classrooms. This paper is part of the special issue on Teacher Learning and Organizational Contexts.Y
Advanced spectroscopic evidence for the sequestration of heavy metals via repetitive in situ synthesis of Fe oxide
No full textThe in situ synthesis of Fe oxide is an established method for stabilizing metals and metalloids (Me) in contaminated soils. Nevertheless, the potential for enhanced Me sequestration through repeated Fe oxide application and the fundamental mechanisms of this process yet to be systemically investigated. In this study, the means by which repetitive Fe oxide synthesis enhances the immobilization of Cd, Zn, and As was investigated using batch experiments. The first synthesis resulted in surface-adsorbed Cd, Zn, and As levels of 68.7, 37.5, and 22.6 %, respectively. The second synthesis reduced the surface-adsorbed Cd and Zn levels to 53.9 % and 23.3 %, respectively, while the As level remained unchanged (22.8 %) owing to its structural incorporation and the occurrence of OH− induced desorption/re-adsorption. The third synthesis further decreased the surface-adsorbed metal levels, surpassing the reduction achieved by a single synthesis with an increased Fe content. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis revealed peak shifts in the Me K-edge-fitted spectra, distinguishing incorporated metals from surface-adsorbed metals. In addition, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed decreased heavy-metal concentrations on the surfaces and cross-sections of the repeatedly synthesized Fe oxide particles, indicating encapsulation by the hydrolyzed Fe species. While conventional methods rely on single applications, repetitive Fe oxide synthesis non-specifically sequesters surface-adsorbed metals through encapsulation. This repetitive approach achieved the enhanced immobilization of weakly adsorbed metals, rendering it potentially effective in soils exhibiting different properties, and indicating its possibility for use as a viable remediation strategy.N
WOx-driven growth of 2H-and 3R-WS2 multilayers by physical vapor deposition
No full textTransition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), including MoS2 and WS2, exhibit distinct optical and electrical properties that are highly dependent on their thickness and stacking order. However, controlling these parameters during synthesis remains a challenge. Here, we present a synthesis technique for multilayer single-crystal tungsten disulfide (WS2) utilizing a liquid-phase tungsten oxide (WOx)-driven physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Our approach successfully addresses the challenges of manipulating the stacking order in TMD multilayers, which is vital for harnessing their unique properties for advanced technological applications. By employing a molten WOx intermediate, we achieved controlled growth of WS2 single crystals with varied layer numbers and stacking configurations of 2H and 3R. This method not only facilitates the fabrication of TMD layers beyond monolayers but also provides the ability to tailor their stacking orders. Our findings offer a pathway for the growth of multilayer TMDs, underscoring the potential for scalable production of high-quality single-crystal TMDs for industrial use.N
Decoding tissue biomechanics using conformable electronic devices
No full textUnderstanding the human body's tissue biomechanics - the physical deformation and variations in intrinsic mechanical properties - has considerable potential in health monitoring, disease diagnosis and bioengineering. However, current tools for decoding tissue biomechanics rely on rigid and bulky devices that are not compatible with biological tissues. Such a discrepancy results in inaccurate measurement and even pain and discomfort for the subjects undergoing the measurement. To overcome the limitations of current tools, conformable electronic devices have been developed for monitoring internal and external tissue biomechanics. Moreover, by adopting advanced machine-learning approaches, more insights can be gained from the collected data. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of conformable electronic devices for tissue biomechanics decoding. We discuss basic principles for external and internal tissue decoding, focusing on electromechanical transduction for external tissue decoding and on ultrasonography for internal tissue decoding. Then, we highlight various data analysis methods, including machine-learning algorithms. Finally, we outline challenges and future directions. Tissue biomechanics provides essential biological information that is important for various biomedical applications. This Review discusses the potential of conformable electronic devices for decoding tissue biomechanics, focusing on different decoding principles, data analysis methods and relevant application examples.N
Spray drying of reconstituted skim milk fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: control of glass transition and stickiness
No full textThe effects of glass transition and stickiness on the direct spray drying of reconstituted skim milk (RSM) fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were investigated. The fermented RSM did not spray dry properly due to severe wall depositions; however, it dried well (comparable to the control; RSM with resuspended LGG cells) when skim milk powder (SMP) was added. Adding SMP significantly increased the glass transition and sticky point temperatures of spray-dried powder, ranging from 18.2 to 72.4 degrees C and 34.5 to 78.5 degrees C, respectively, in a water activity range of 0-0.33. By adding SMP, droplets quickly shifted from a sticky plastic to a non-sticky glassy state during drying, resulting in reduced wall deposition. Although this spray-dried powder exhibited relatively high moisture sorption and lactose crystallization, the correlations between glass transition, stickiness, and moisture sorption suggested that its storage stability at 25 degrees C may be on par with the control powder.N
A new species of the genus Myiomma (Heteroptera: Miridae: Isometopinae) from the Korean Peninsula
No full textIn this study, we report the genus Myiomma from the Korean peninsula for the first time, with the description of a new species Myiomma koreana sp. nov. A morphological diagnosis for the genus is provided, accompanied by images of the dorsal habitus and female and male genital structures. Additionally, a key is presented for the identification of the 12 known East Asian species of Myiomma. COI sequence data for the new species are included, along with a neighborjoining (NJ) tree analysis. This analysis revealed that a COI sequence previously submitted to GenBank, attributed to Myiomma kukai Yasunaga & Hayashi 2002, was a misidentification of our new species.N
Novel umami-enhancing peptides of beef M. Semimembranosus hydrolysates and interactions with the T1R1/T1R3 taste receptor
No full textThe taste mechanisms of beef umami and umami-enhancing peptides are not well understood. Therefore, novel umami and umami-enhancing peptides from beef M. semimembranosus hydrolysates were explored. Beef hydrolysates treated with Flavourzyme (R) showed an overall strong umami intensity compared to those treated with Alcalase (R), papain, or Protamex (R). The peptides were isolated via consecutive separation processes, and 31 potential umami peptides were identified. Molecular docking results showed that WGSEPIRIQ and TERGYSF had considerably low docking energies with the T1R1/T1R3 taste receptor through potential key binding sites for hydrogen bonding, including Ser48, Gly49, and Gln278 in T1R1, and Ser67, Asn68, and Arg247 in the T1R3 subunit. The taste of the identified peptides dissolved in ultrapure water was dominated by sourness. Instead, they demonstrated an umami-enhancing effect in the presence of monosodium glutamate. These results broaden our understanding of the taste mechanisms of beef umami-enhancing peptides and their potential applications as flavoring agents.N
SAVE: Protagonist Diversification with Structure Agnostic Video Editing
No full textDriven by the upsurge progress in text-to-image (T2I) generation models, text-to-video (T2V) generation has experienced a significant advance as well. Accordingly, tasks such as modifying the object or changing the style in a video have been possible. However, previous works usually work well on trivial and consistent shapes, and easily collapse on a difficult target that has a largely different body shape from the original one. In this paper, we spot the bias problem in the existing video editing method that restricts the range of choices for the new protagonist and attempt to address this issue using the conventional image-level personalization method. We adopt motion personalization that isolates the motion from a single source video and then modifies the protagonist accordingly. To deal with the natural discrepancy between image and video, we propose a motion word with an inflated textual embedding to properly represent the motion in a source video. We also regulate the motion word to attend to proper motion-related areas by introducing a novel pseudo optical flow, efficiently computed from the pre-calculated attention maps. Finally, we decouple the motion from the appearance of the source video with an additional pseudo word. Extensive experiments demonstrate the editing capability of our method, taking a step toward more diverse and extensive video editing. Our project page: https://ldynx.github.io/SAVE/N
Crucial role of polymeric binders in enhancing energy density of supercapacitors
No full textThe growing demand for efficient energy storage solutions has driven significant advancements in supercapacitor technology, aimed at overcoming the traditional limitations of low energy density. This article reviews strategies for enhancing the energy density of supercapacitors, focusing on advancements in electrolyte formulations, activated carbon materials, pseudocapacitive materials, and binder technologies. Aqueous, ionic liquid, and organic electrolytes have been optimized to expand voltage windows and improve ionic conductivity, thereby increasing energy storage capacity. The development of high specific surface area carbon materials and the precise tailoring of pore size distributions have been shown to enhance capacitance. Pseudocapacitive materials, including metal oxides and MXenes, have demonstrated the potential for significantly higher energy densities through redox-active mechanisms. Innovations in binder systems, particularly those employing conductive materials like reduced graphene oxide, have further improved electrode performance by enhancing structural integrity and ion transport. A key focus is the role of polymer binders, which are vital for reducing the internal resistance and subsequent heat generation. Research in this area aims to develop binders that minimize resistive losses, improve ion transport efficiency, reduce heat generation and maintain optimal operating temperatures, prevent thermal degradation, and increase energy density. Continuous research into new materials and formulations for polymer binders is essential for advancing supercapacitor technology.N
Post-COVID metabolic enzyme alterations in K18-hACE2 mice exacerbate alcohol-induced liver injury through transcriptional regulation
No full textCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), poses a significant threat to global public health. Despite reports of liver injury during viral disease, the occurrence and detailed mechanisms underlying the development of secondary exogenous liver injury, particularly in relation to changes in metabolic enzymes, remain to be fully elucidated. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2-induced molecular alterations in hepatic metabolism and the consequent secondary liver injury resulting from alcohol exposure. We investigated the potential effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on alcohol-induced liver injury in Keratin 18 promoter-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (K18-hACE2) transgenic mice. Mice were intranasally infected with 1 x 102 PFU of SARS-CoV-2. Following a 14 d recovery period from infection, the recovered mice were orally administered alcohol at 6 g/kg. Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection aggravated alcohol-induced liver injury based on increased alanine aminotransferase levels and cytoplasmic vacuolation. Interestingly, infected mice exhibited lower blood alcohol levels and higher levels of acetaldehyde, a toxic alcohol metabolite, compared to uninfected mice after the same period of alcohol consumption. Along with alterations of several metabolic process-related terms identified through RNA sequencing, notably, upregulation of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and CYP1A2 was observed in infected mice compared to control value prior to alcohol exposure, with no significant impact of SARS-CoV-2 on intestinal damage. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha persistently showed upregulated expression in the infected mice; it also enhanced aryl hydrocarbon receptor and Sp1 expressions and their binding activity to Cyp1a2 and Cyp2e1 promoters, respectively, in hepatocytes, promoting the upregulation of their transcription. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection exacerbates alcohol-induced liver injury through the transcriptional activation of Cyp1a2 and Cyp2e1, providing valuable insights for the development of clinical recommendations on long COVID.N