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Machine-Learning-Accelerated Surface Exploration of Reconstructed BiVO<sub>4</sub>(010) and Characterization of Their Aqueous Interfaces
What defines a photosynthetic microbial mat in western Antarctica?
Antarctic microbial mats, with their significant biodiversity and key role in biogeochemical cycling, were the focus of our study. We employed a metagenomic approach to analyze 14 microbial mats from meltwater streams of western Antarctica, covering the Maritime, Peninsula, and Dry Valleys regions. Our findings revealed that the taxonomic compositional level of the microbial mat communities is characterized by similar bacterial groups, with diatoms being the main distinguishing factor between the rapidly warming Maritime Antarctica and the other mats. Bacteria were found to be the predominant component of all microbial mats (>90%), followed by Eukarya (>3%), Archaea (<1%), and Viruses (<0.1%). The average abundance of the main phyla composing Antarctic microbial mats included Bacteroidota (35%), Pseudomonadota (29%), Cyanobacteriota (19%), Verrucomicrobiota (3%), Bacillariophyta (2%), Planctomycetota (2%), Acidobacteriota (2%), Actinomycetota (2%), Bacillota (1%), and Chloroflexota (1%). We also identified some microeukaryotes that could play essential roles in the functioning of Antarctic microbial mats. Notably, all mats were found in sites with varied environmental characteristics, showed N-limitation, and shared functional patterns.
Elevated temperature enhances task performance by improving cognitive abilities in common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
Abstract The thermal sensitivity of task performance in ectothermic organisms may depend on how temperature affects mobility, cognitive ability, or their interaction. Furthermore, these processes may vary with experience or task difficulty. To test these predictions, we performed mesocosm experiments with common rudd ( Scardinius erythrophthalmus ) foraging for a high-density food reward ( Artemia salina nauplii) across consecutive daily sessions under varying task difficulties (short, medium, and long distances to the reward, and presence or absence of experienced individuals) at two temperatures (16–26 °C). Results indicated that the thermal sensitivity of task performance ranged from Q 10 = 2 to 9 across all treatments, peaking during the second and third sessions when fish learned the reward location most intensively. Q 10 values increased with task difficulty, reaching their highest levels when inexperienced fish navigated long distances to the reward and foraged without guidance. In contrast, the thermal sensitivity of mobility remained stable across sessions, with a maximum Q 10 of 2. The significantly higher thermal sensitivity of task performance compared to mobility, along with its positive relationship with task difficulty, suggests that performance improvements at elevated temperatures are driven not only by increased mobility but also by enhanced cognitive processes.
Synthesis of Non<i>-C</i><sub>2</sub>-Symmetric Biaryldiols via Organo-Electro Catalyzed Aryl–Aryl Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling
Genome-wide association study of idiopathic epilepsy in the Italian Spinone dog breed
Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) has a high prevalence and a severe clinical course in the Italian Spinone breed of dog. A genome-wide association study meta-analysis of 52 cases and 51 controls was conducted to identify genomic regions that may be involved with the development of IE. Subsequent to the meta-analysis, a set of 175 controls and an independent validation set of 23 cases and 23 controls were genotyped for SNPs showing suggestive association with IE to find variants exhibiting evidence of replicable association and to test the predictiveness of SNPs for IE status when combined in a weighted risk score. Although two regions showed statistically significant association with IE in the GWAS meta-analysis, and additional regions with suggestive association were identified, the findings were not emulated in the validation set. This is the first GWAS of IE in the Italian Spinone, and the findings suggest that IE in the breed is not monogenic and demonstrates the challenges when investigating a multigenic or complex inherited disease in a numerically small domesticated animal population.
Neutron resonance absorption imaging fully utilizing neutron energies from 1 eV to 100 keV
Minimum dietary diversity and its determinants among lactating mothers in five Sub-Saharan African countries: A multilevel analysis
Background Ensuring minimum dietary diversity is crucial for lactating mothers. It allows them to consume a variety of foods from different groups, meeting their nutritional needs and supporting maternal and infant health. Despite the global impact of undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, the prevalence and determinants of minimum dietary diversity during lactation remain poorly recognized in developing countries. This research aims to assess minimum dietary diversity and its determinants among lactating mothers in five Sub-Saharan African countries. Methods Data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys, which covered five Sub-Saharan African countries between 2021 and 2023, were used to execute secondary data analysis. This study included 19,917 lactating mothers in total. Using a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model, the variables associated to the minimum dietary diversity were established. Significant factors associated with the minimum dietary diversity were found at p-values < 0.05. The adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI were used to interpret the result. The model with the highest loglikelihood ratio and lowest deviance was declared to be the best fit. Results The magnitude of minimum dietary diversity among lactating mothers in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania was 25.66% (95% CI: 24.47, 25.75). Factors such as secondary and above educational level (AOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.61), employed mothers (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.56), distance which was not a big problem to access health facilities (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.51), health facility delivery (AOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.45), rich wealth status (AOR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.60, 2.17), high community ANC utilization (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.35), and reside in Ghana (AOR = 4.21, 95% CI: 3.60, 4.94) had higher odds of minimum dietary diversity. Conclusions This study reveals that lactating mothers have low dietary diversity. Both community-level and individual-level factors impact this diversity. Consequently, health ministries in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania should prioritize women who underutilize antenatal services and those without formal education when designing strategies and policies.