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The subfamily Stiriinae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) is a group of ∼160 described moth species, ∼91% of which occur in the Nearctic, with species diversity centered in the deserts, grasslands, and adjacent foothills of the mountain ranges of Mexico. We infer the first species-level phylogeny for the subfamily using 8 protein-coding genes. While some lineages are primarily leaf or flower feeders, the m

Freshwater lakes are becoming warmer and browner, with poorly known ecosystem consequences. A major unresolved issue is how these changes will affect the feeding rates of predators that regulate top-down trophic cascades. We explored the effects of temperature and browning on the functional response and feeding rates of a keystone predator, the Northern pike Esox lucius. We first derived a simple

The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) plays an important role as chemoattractant for monocytes in atherosclerosis. It is established that MCP-1 is produced by vascular smooth muscle cells, but the underlying mechanisms for its release are not identified. Here, we investigate production and secretion of MCP-1 in primary human coronary artery smooth muscle cells. We demonstrate th

Nanoplastics are increasingly being recognized as a global pollutant. However, relatively few studies report directly measured concentrations of nano- and microplastics in environmental samples, although available data suggest levels of up to 0.5 mg L−1 in lake water, which is surprisingly high. Their degradation in the environment, particularly under UV irradiation, is still poorly understood. He

In China, the illegal adoption of missing persons and especially of missing children is a major public safety issue that affects social and family stability. Recent work has established a trafficking information network developed from a volunteer-managed database of missing persons that identifies and locates node cities and critical paths of illegal adoption. In order to evaluate locations where

Northern Ireland is a conflict with a long and violent history, which often focuses on the armed struggle of extremist organizations. This thesis instead asks how is the conflict in Northern Ireland kept alive in the lives of ordinary people? The material used comes from books and articles containing interviews and descriptions of the environment and local perceptions. The theory used is the ethno

In the production of solid enzyme products, the granules are dried in a fluidised bed dryer prior to being coated with a protective salt coating. The coating exhibits a low mass diffusivity, which essentially encapsulates any present moisture inside. During the coating process moisture is inevitably added to the granules. It has prior been shown that moisture content in the final product has a neg

Human-Vehicle Interaction (HVI) evaluations encompass a wide range of aspects and typically follow a structured process from problem definition to conclusion. This research was motivated by two key challenges emerging from this process. First, there is a need to explain user behavior more comprehensively, going beyond mere system evaluation. Second, there is a consistent demand for a systematic hu

Landscapes fill a fundamental function of the human experience. The variance of these landscapes however, are vast, and arguably, so could the human experience of them and the ways they are expressed linguistically be as well. Of the few studies that so far has been conducted on this, none has focused on North America as a whole in a quantitative manner. This study aims to explore what systems lan

The human cathelicidin LL-37 is active against both bacteria and viruses, but it also shows immunomodulatory properties. Here, we assess the impact of LL-37 on viral signaling in human airway epithelial BEAS-2B cells infected with the respiratory pathogen rhinovirus (RV). We show that LL-37 (4 μM) enhances RV-induced expression of interferon β (IFNβ) transcript and reduces viral-load. LL-37-evoked

Accurate prediction of crack growth and strength in glued timber joints and components can be achieved by using cohesive laws in constitutive models. These laws represent the traction-separation relationship that measures the stress transmitted between crack faces in a cohesive zone, and can be obtained directly from experiments. However, studies on measuring the cohesive laws of wood adhesive bon

Absorption bands of photosynthetic and other biological pigment-protein complexes undergo dramatic variations in position and shape upon changing the temperature. In this paper we have reviewed a calculation algorithm to simulate the temperature dependence of electronic spectra coupled to any number of vibrations with arbitrary coupling strength. A number of computer simulations is carried out in

Iridescence refers to the optical property of surfaces for which the reflected wavelengths depend on viewing geometry. Although iridescence underlies some of the most striking animal colours, the sensory stimulation elicited by iridescent spectral shifts in relevant observers has seldom been explored. Wall lizards (genus Podarcis), with remarkable intraspecific colour variation and possible irides

Collective properties at low and high spin for nuclei with Z ≥ 64 and N ≥ 82 are calculated on the basis o f deformed single-particle potentials. The calculations are confronted with the available experimental data like low-lying octupole bands, rotational bands of transitional nuclei with N ≥ 90 and evidence for collectivity in high-spin single-particle spectra. In the latter collective triaxiali

Introduction: Patients with severe haemophilia A (HA) with no family history of haemophilia will be diagnosed upon their first bleeding event. Methods: Herein, we studied the effects of lack of family history in HA and the subsequent delay of diagnosis on bleeding pattern and early treatment, as well as on the risk of inhibitor development. For this purpose, data on 1237 severe HA patients with kn

Introduction The WHO has declared climate change the defining public health challenge of the 21st century. Incorporating climate and environmental outcomes in randomised trials is essential for enhancing healthcare treatments’ sustainability and safeguarding global health. To implement such outcomes, it is necessary to establish a framework for unbiased and transparent planning and reporting. We a

Proteins and peptides are vital biomolecules, and deuterated amino acids are increasingly applied in areas such as drug discovery, metabolic tracing, and neutron scattering studies. In this study, we performed deuteration on all 20 proteinogenic amino acids, including their side chains, and established efficient methods for 13 amino acids. Using a Pt/C-catalyzed hydrogen–deuterium exchange reactio

Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain are critical for regulating movement, cognition, and emotion. Ventral midbrain organoids can be used to model both development and diseases of the dopaminergic system, especially Parkinson’s disease. Here, we summarize recent advances and remaining challenges in developing such three-dimensional organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. We outline ho