Initial Capture Research Articles

Mutual Transformations of Polysulfide Chromophore Species in Sodalite-Group Minerals: A DFT Study on S6 Decomposition.

It is known that various polysulfide species determine the color of sodalite-group minerals (haüyne, lazurite, and slyudyankaite), and that heating induces their transformations and color change, but the mechanisms of the transitions are unknown. A prominent example is the decay of cyclic S6 molecule. Using density-functional simulations, we explore its main decay pathways into the most probable final reaction products (the pairs of radical anions S3⋅-+S3⋅- and S2⋅-+S4⋅-). It was found that the most favorable reaction path involves initial capture of one electron by the S6 molecule, which greatly facilitates its decay of S6 and leads to the opening of the S6 cycle, and subsequent decomposition of the thus formed chain radical anion, with a limiting energy barrier of ~0.4 eV. Neutral polysulfide molecules capture one electron with a significant energy reduction. The radical anions Sn⋅- (n=2-6) are the most stable ones among corresponding species with the same n values and different charges. The capture of the second electron by S6⋅- occurs with a huge energy barrier (~2 eV). The results of the DFT calculations are in agreement with experimental data on the products of thermal conversions of extra-framework S-bearing groups in sodalite-group minerals.

Secondary capture: Salience information persistently drives attentional selection.

It is well known that attention is captured by salient objects or events. The notion that attention is attracted by salience information present in the visual field is also at the heart of many influential models of attention. These models typically posit a hierarchy of saliency, suggesting that attention progresses from the most to the least salient item in the visual field. However, despite the significance of this claim in various models, research on eye movements challenges the idea that search strictly follows this saliency hierarchy. Instead, eye-tracking studies have suggested that saliency information has a transient impact, only influencing the initial saccade toward the most salient object, and only if executed swiftly after display onset. While these findings on overt eye movements are important, they do not address covert attentional processes occurring before a saccade is initiated. In the current series of experiments, we explored whether there was evidence for secondary capture-whether attention could be captured by another salient item after the initial capture episode. To explore this, we utilized displays with multiple distractors of varying levels of saliency. Our primary question was whether two distractors with different saliency levels would disrupt search more than a single, highly salient distractor. Across three experiments, clear evidence emerged indicating that two distractors interfered more with search than a single salient distractor. This observation suggests that following initial capture, secondary capture by the next most salient distractor occurred. These findings collectively support the idea that covert attention traverses the saliency hierarchy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Association between timing of operative interventions and mortality in emergency general surgery

BackgroundEmergency general surgery (EGS) often demands timely interventions, yet data for triage and timing are limited. This study explores the relationship between hospital arrival-to-operation time and mortality in EGS patients.Study...

Homing of translocated native Indian pythons in Moyar River Valley, South India

Homing is often a critical aspect of an animal's behavioural and spatial ecology. Translocation is considered to be a wildlife management strategy that could reduce human-wildlife confrontation, but this strategy may not be effective if animals attempt to home to their original capture location. Translocation of animals from sites where possible human-wildlife interaction occurs is a widespread but controversial intervention to resolve conflicts. In India, snakes are often the subject of such translocations, but there is a paucity of information on the behaviour of translocated snakes compared to resident snakes. The Indian python (Python molurus), one of the largest carnivores in the Indian subcontinent, is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. We conducted a two-year radio-tracking study (December 2018 to December 2020) on the movements of 14 adult Indian pythons in the Moyar River Valley, within the Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves. Eleven of the 14 pythons were translocated 0.28–55.7 kms from their capture locations, while 3 pythons were not translocated: 6 were translocated short distances (<5 km from capture; range 0.28–4.67 kms), 2 were translocated to medium distances (9–11 kms from capture location), and 3 were translocated to long distances (21–55.7 kms from capture location). Four of the six snakes translocated short distances all returned to within 500 m of their original capture locations, and all 6 returned over 60 % of the translocated distance to the initial capture location. Of the two snakes translocated medium distances, both returned to within 1.1 km of the capture location (∼90 % of the distance home). None of the three snakes that were translocated long distances successfully returned to their capture locations. Translocated pythons exhibited greater net movement distances than resident snakes within the first 2 months of release. Based on these results, long-distance translocation may be an effective strategy to minimize human-python conflict, while short or medium distance translocation is unlikely to be successful. However, more research is needed about the long-term survival of translocated snakes as well as soft-release methodologies that could prevent aberrant movement behaviour directly following release.

CaptureSelect FcXP affinity medium exhibits strong aggregate separation capability

Protein A affinity chromatography has been widely used for initial product capture in recombinant antibody/Fc-fusion purification. However, in general Protein A lacks the capability of separating aggregates (unless the aggregates are too large to enter the pores of resin beads or have their Protein A binding sites buried, in which case the aggregates do not bind). In the current work, we demonstrated that CaptureSelect FcXP affinity medium exhibited strong aggregate separation capability and effectively removed aggregates under pH or conductivity gradient elution in two bispecific antibody (bsAb) cases. For these two cases, aggregate contents were reduced from >16% and >22% (in the feed) to <1% and <5% (in the eluate) for the first and second bsAbs, respectively. While more case studies are required to further demonstrate FcXP's superiority in aggregate removal, findings from the current study suggest that FcXP can potentially be a better alternative than Protein A for product capture in cases where aggregate content is high.

Evaluating translocation strategies for box turtles in urbanising landscapes

Context Translocation is a common management strategy for wildlife populations, yet hard-release of reptiles, including box turtles (Terrapene spp.), has often proven ineffective due to homing attempts and wandering. Soft-release translocation has been presented as a possible method for mitigation of the negative effects of hard-release translocation, but studies incorporating standard soft-release strategies have produced mixed results and often see persistent homing attempts by soft-released study animals. Aims The aim of this study was to examine long-term holding (&gt;1 year) of box turtles at an off-site location prior to translocation as a means to reduce homing attempts and wandering commonly observed in immediate-release box turtles. Methods We radiotracked translocated Terrapene carolina triunguis to compare movements of nine immediate-release box turtles and nine box turtles that had been maintained for &gt;1 year at a nearby off-site holding facility (long-term holding) prior to a 750–1000 m translocation. Key results Box turtles held long-term before a short-distance translocation moved significantly shorter distances each day post-release than immediate-release turtles. Turtles held long-term moved in non-directional, random orientations, whereas immediate-release turtles exhibited consistent directionality in movements back towards their initial capture (home) locations. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that turtles held off-site remained within the translocation site more reliably than the immediate-release turtles, which had a higher tendency to home. Implications Long-term holding of turtles prior to translocation could significantly reduce homing responses and wandering, thus increasing translocation efficacy while reducing intensity of post-translocation management.

Initial carbon capture pilot study in Solvay soda ash process

Aqueous ammonia is an alternative solvent for CO2 capture that has many advantages. In recent years, researchers have investigated ammonia as a promising solvent for CO2 capture from various gases. A significant emitter of carbon dioxide from the chemical sector is the soda ash industry. Since ammonia is an auxiliary substrate in soda production, it can easily be used to capture CO2 from tail gas streams. After CO2 absorption, process liquids can be returned to the production process, helping to reduce the use of raw materials.The main source of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere in the Solvay Process is the post-carbonation gas from the carbonating tower. It has been demonstrated that this process can be intensified and the use of calcium carbonate in the form of limestone is reduced by returning the carbon dioxide to the process. Stoichiometrically, one kg of avoided CO2 saves approximately 2.27 kg of limestone. This paper presents the initial results and lessons learned from the operation of the pilot plant for CO2 capture from tail gas streams of the Solvay Process. The process has been tested and implemented in a pilot plant with a gas flow rate of up to 4000 m3n/h. The influence of various process parameters has been investigated.

Neural evidence for attentional capture by salient distractors.

Salient objects often capture our attention, serving as distractors and hindering our current goals. It remains unclear when and how salient distractors interact with our goals, and our knowledge on the neural mechanisms responsible for attentional capture is limited to a few brain regions recorded from non-human primates. Here we conducted a multivariate analysis on human intracranial signals covering most brain regions and successfully dissociated distractor-specific representations from target-arousal signals in the high-frequency (60-100 Hz) activity. We found that salient distractors were processed rapidly around 220 ms, while target-tuning attention was attenuated simultaneously, supporting initial capture by distractors. Notably, neuronal activity specific to the distractor representation was strongest in the superior and middle temporal gyrus, amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex, while there were smaller contributions from the parietal and frontal cortices. These results provide neural evidence for attentional capture by salient distractors engaging a much larger network than previously appreciated.

Research on the Flow Characteristics and Reaction Mechanisms of Lateral Flow Immunoassay under Non-Uniform Flow.

Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is extensively utilized for point-of-care testing due to its ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, and swift results. This study investigates the flow dynamics and reaction mechanisms in LFIA by developing a three-dimensional model using the Richards equation and porous media transport, and employing numerical simulations through the finite element method. The study delves into the transport and diffusion behaviors of each reaction component in both sandwich LFIA and competitive LFIA under non-uniform flow conditions. Additionally, the impact of various parameters (such as reporter particle concentration, initial capture probe concentrations for the T-line and C-line, and reaction rate constants) on LFIA performance is analyzed. The findings reveal that, in sandwich LFIA, optimizing parameters like increasing reporter particle concentration and initial capture probe concentration for the T-line, as well as adjusting reaction rate constants, can effectively enhance detection sensitivity and broaden the working range. Conversely, in competitive LFIA, the effects are inverse. This model offers valuable insights for the design and enhancement of LFIA assays.

Evaluation and prediction of fibrous filters' operating performance in residential fresh air system

Fibrous filters play a crucial role in determining indoor air quality and protect people from bacteria, particulates, and viruses such as COVID-19. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on methods for effectively evaluating and predicting the operating performance of these filters. In this study, we conducted laboratory and field tests on coarse (G4) and medium (F9 or F7) filters from four different brands to assess both their initial and operating performance. We discovered that a fluffy fiber structure in coarse filters could achieve an impressive threefold increase in dust holding capacity (DHC) compared to normal filters. Utilizing initial pressure drop, initial particle capture efficiency, and DHC, we introduced a new quality factor (QF) that integrates these parameters to evaluate the filter's long-term performance. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional quality factor, which neglects DHC and tends to underestimate the performance of filters with high DHC. Additionally, we proposed a simple method to predict the filter's operating pressure drop, using particle concentration data from weather report. This allows for convenient assessment of the fresh air system's operating status, offering potential integration into a user-friendly mobile application or computer software. These findings contribute innovative ideas for enhancing the intelligent and energy-efficient operation of fresh air systems.

Age-dependent perfume development in male orchid bees, Euglossa imperialis.

Male neotropical orchid bees concoct complex perfume blends by collecting exogenous volatiles from various sources, including orchids. These perfumes, stored in specialized hind-leg pouches and released during courtship, serve as inter-sexual signals. It has been hypothesized that male perfumes honestly indicate aspects of male fitness. If perfume traits such as quantity or complexity increase over individual lifetime, perfumes could reflect age (survival) and cumulative foraging success of males. We conducted a two-season mark-recapture study with Euglossa imperialis in Costa Rica, monitoring the balance of perfume uptake and expenditure over individual male lifetime. We sealed one hind-leg pouch upon initial capture, 'freezing' the perfume status on one side, and compared it with the other side at recapture to assess changes in perfume traits over time. Additionally, we used a novel method to estimate individual age by combining two parameters of wing degradation. Contrary to predictions, young to intermediate-aged bees had the highest quantities of perfume and the highest diversity of detected compounds. At the same time, the change in perfume between recaptures was positive (increase in amount and complexity) in young bees, whereas it was neutral to negative in older bees. Although these findings do not disprove an indicator function of male perfume, they shift the emphasis to non-cumulative fitness components such as sensory acuteness or cognitive capacity as likely targets of selection. Females preferring strong perfume signals in mates would maximize speed of foraging in offspring rather than their lifetime cumulative yield.

Host cell protein networks as a novel co-elution mechanism during protein A chromatography.

Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities of therapeutic proteins produced in for example, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Protein A affinity chromatography is the initial capture step to purify monoclonal antibodies or Fc-based proteins and is most effective for HCP removal. Previously proposed mechanisms that contribute to co-purification of HCPs with the therapeutic protein are either HCP-drug association or leaching from chromatin heteroaggregates. In this study, we analyzed protein A eluates of 23 Fc-based proteins by LC-MS/MS to determine their HCP content. The analysis revealed a high degree of heterogeneity in the number of HCPs identified in the different protein A eluates. Among all identified HCPs, the majority co-eluted with less than three Fc-based proteins indicating a drug-specific co-purification for most HCPs. Only ten HCPs co-purified with over 50% of the 23 Fc-based proteins. A correlation analysis of HCPs identified across multiple protein A eluates revealed their co-elution as HCP groups. Functional annotation and protein interaction analysis confirmed that some HCP groups are associated with protein-protein interaction networks. Here, we propose an additional mechanism for HCP co-elution involving protein-protein interactions within functional networks. Our findings may help to guide cell line development and to refine downstream purification strategies.

Visual features drive attentional bias for threat

ABSTRACT Past studies argued that the attentional capture by threats is hard to inhibit. When using threats as task-irrelevant stimuli, this effect can deteriorate performance on the primary task. Whether attentional capture is driven by affective information (threat) or visual features (shape) is still debated. Here we aimed to investigate the role of threat value and shape in modulating attentional resources by conducting two experiments (total N = 87). Participants engaged in a semantic vigilance task responding to masked words appearing at the centre of the screen while ignoring threat-relevant (threatening or visually similar but nonthreatening) and neutral control distractor images placed at different distances from the target word. We found no performance difference between participants exposed to threat-related stimuli via affective or shape features. Moreover, while performance decreased when a neutral distractor appeared close (compared to further away) to the target word, stimulus eccentricity had no effect when the distractor (irrespective of the conveying feature) was threat relevant. Our findings are in line with previous studies showing an initial capture of attention by threat-relevant information but that this negative effect is compensated by an increase in arousal. We conclude that even the visual features of a stimulus can modulate attention toward threats.

First encounters: Estimating the initial magnitude of attentional capture

ABSTRACT Salient but irrelevant information often captures our attention. To quantify attentional capture in the lab, participants typically complete dozens or hundreds of trials that contain salient distractors. However, presenting distractors frequently may also incidentally introduce a secondary task-set to resist distraction. In everyday life, we typically encounter distractions once, not dozens of times, creating a disconnect between capture in the lab and in the world. Here, we had a simple but important question: how large is capture when participants encounter a salient distractor for the very first time? We used a larger-than-typical sample size combined with a single capture trial (Exp 1 N = 970, Exp 2 N = 1,025), and found that initial capture was ∼9x–15x larger than the average size of capture in typical laboratory tasks (∼370–580 ms). We also found evidence that initial capture was modulated by long- and short-term stimulus history, consistent with emerging theories about how history shapes attention. Our results suggest that participants are surprisingly successful at ignoring distractors in the lab, and that “one-shot” estimates may better reflect the full cost of capture by salient distractors.

Molecular dynamics-based identification of binding pathways and two distinct high-affinity sites for succinate in succinate receptor 1/GPR91

SUCNR1 is an auto- and paracrine sensor of the metabolic stress signal succinate. Using unsupervised molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (170.400ns) and mutagenesis across human, mouse, and rat SUCNR1, we characterize how a five-arginine motif around the extracellular pole of TM-VI determines the initial capture of succinate in the extracellular vestibule (ECV) to either stay or move down to the orthosteric site. Metadynamics demonstrate low-energy succinate binding in both sites, with an energy barrier corresponding to an intermediate stage during which succinate, with an associated water cluster, unlocks the hydrogen-bond-stabilized conformationally constrained extracellular loop (ECL)-2b. Importantly, simultaneous binding of two succinate molecules through either a "sequential" or "bypassing" mode is a frequent endpoint. The mono-carboxylate NF-56-EJ40 antagonist enters SUCNR1 between TM-I and -II and does not unlock ECL-2b. It is proposed that occupancy of both high-affinity sites is required for selective activation of SUCNR1 by high local succinate concentrations.

Tailoring Hydrophobicity and Pore Environment in Physisorbents for Improved Carbon Dioxide Capture under High Humidity.

CALF-20, a Zn-triazolate-based metal-organic framework (MOF), is one of the most promising adsorbent materials for CO2 capture. However, competitive adsorption of water severely limits its performance when the relative humidity (RH) exceeds 40%, limiting the potential implementation of CALF-20 in practical settings where CO2 is saturated with moisture, such as postcombustion flue gas. In this work, three newly designed MOFs related to CALF-20, denoted as NU-220, CALF-20M-w, and CALF-20M-e that feature hydrophobic methyltriazolate linkers, are presented. Inclusion of methyl groups in the linker is proposed as a strategy to improve the uptake of CO2 in the presence of water. Notably, both CALF-20M-w and CALF-20M-e retain over 20% of their initial CO2 capture efficiency at 70% RH─a threshold at which CALF-20 shows negligible CO2 uptake. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations reveal that the methyl group hinders water network formation in the pores of CALF-20M-w and CALF-20M-e and enhances their CO2 selectivity over N2 in the presence of a high moisture content. Moreover, calculated radial distribution functions indicate that introducing the methyl group into the triazolate linker increases the distance between water molecules and Zn coordination bonds, offering insights into the origin of the enhanced moisture stability observed for CALF-20M-w and CALF-20M-e relative to CALF-20. Overall, this straightforward design strategy has afforded more robust sorbents that can potentially meet the challenge of effectively capturing CO2 in practical industrial applications.

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Deformation Identification of Slope Models Based on Structured Light Method

In this study, we propose a meticulous method for the three-dimensional modeling of slope models using structured light, a swift and cost-effective technique. Our approach aims to enhance the understanding of slope behavior during landslides by capturing and analyzing surface deformations. The methodology involves the initial capture of images at various stages of landslides, followed by the application of the structured light method for precise three-dimensional reconstructions at each stage. The system’s low-cost nature and operational convenience make it accessible for widespread use. Subsequently, a comparative analysis is conducted to identify regions susceptible to severe landslide disasters, providing valuable insights for risk assessment. Our findings underscore the efficacy of this system in facilitating a qualitative analysis of landslide-prone areas, offering a swift and cost-efficient solution for the three-dimensional reconstruction of slope models.

What Causes Differences in the Age-Class Structure between Suburban and Forest Populations of Anolis homolechis?

Although growing urbanization has direct negative consequences for local biodiversity, several native species have been observed maintaining populations in urban environments. Understanding which factors influence the ability of native species to persist in urban environments is crucial, both for the study of biological adaptation and of urban planning. The quantification of the proportion of juvenile individuals can be a good proxy for assessing the long-term persistence of urban populations. We present comparative data about spatial and temporal variations in the age-class structure in two suburban and two forest populations of the Cuban endemic lizard Anolis homolechis, obtained during a 20-month survey. We found a four-fold lower proportion of juveniles in the suburban habitat compared to the forest one. There was, however, no evidence for differential female fecundity between the two habitats, as assessed by the proportion of gravid females. Conversely, the rate of tail autotomy (an antipredator behavior) was significantly higher in the suburban juveniles compared to the forest ones, possibly reflecting a higher exposure to predators and, particularly, inter- and intraspecific cannibalism. However, tail loss at initial capture or habitat type had no effect on the probability of recapture of juveniles. We discuss the potential causes and consequences of a modified age-class structure in urbanized environments.

Purification Process for a Secreted Protein Produced in Insect Cells.

The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) is used with cultured insect cells to produce a wide variety of heterologous proteins, which can be secreted into the culture medium during the transient infection process (Smith et al. Mol Cell Biol 12:2156-2165, 1983). When the infection process is complete, centrifugation is often used to separate the desired protein from the spent insect cells. The desired product in the harvested supernatant is contaminated with baculovirus, amino acids, lipids, detergents, oils, lysed cells from the infection process, genomic DNA from the insect cells, and proteases due to the lytic nature of the baculovirus infection process and many other contaminants (Ikonomou et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 62:1-20, 2003). All these contaminants that are present in the centrifuged supernatant with the desired secreted protein make the initial chromatographic capture step critical for effective purification of the desired protein. A purification scheme will be outlined for a slightly acidic secreted protein using cation exchange chromatography (Lundanes et al. Chromatography: basic principles, sample preparations and related methods, 1st edn. Wiley, 2013).

FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE ZONAL FORECAST OVER THE MOSCOW ARTESIAN BASIN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CCS PROJECTS

Link for citation: Novikov D.A., Fomina (Sadykova) Ya.V., Yurchik I.I., Derkachev A.S., Chernykh A.V., Dultsev F.F., Maksimova A.A., Nikitenkov A.N., Knyazev A.G. First experience in the zonal forecast over the Moscow artesian basin for the implementation of CCS projects. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2023, vol. 334, no. 10, рр. 119-139. In Rus. The relevance of the investigation is caused by a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions all over the world, which is the most essential ecological problem causing climate change, glaciers melting, and atmospheric pollution. The most efficient method to reduce emissions is long-term carbon dioxide capture and storage in geological formations. Since the enterprises emitting carbon dioxide are highly concentrated in the European part of the Russian Federation, it is reasonable to arrange carbon dioxide storage facilities within the boundaries of the Moscow artesian basin. The goal of investigation was to make a zonal forecast of the outlooks for the implementation of CCS projects at the territory of the Moscow artesian basin, to reveal the geological structures that are promising for carbon dioxide storage, and evaluate the potential capacity of traps for carbon dioxide capture and storage. The objects of investigation are water-bearing and waterproof horizons of the lower aquifer in the Moscow artesian basin. Methods. A system of criteria for the zonal forecast of hydrogeological structures is proposed to implement the projects aimed at geological capture and storage of carbon dioxide in deep aquifers, relying on the actual international and Russian normative basis on the burial of carbon dioxide, industrial wastewaters, toxic wastes, arrangement and monitoring of underground storage facilities. Evaluation system includes eight groups of criteria: general hydrogeological, structural-tectonic, lithological, hydrodynamic, geothermal, hydrogeochemical, environmental, and resource-related. Within each group of criteria, two and more parameters affecting evaluation of the suitability of a territory for CCS project implementation are distinguished. Results. Evaluation of the potential of the Moscow artesian basin from the viewpoint of its suitability for long-term CO2 storage has been carried out for the first time. The forecast over the proposed criteria allowed us to map the lands with different degrees of prospective viability. The structures of medium promise include 16 geological structures with the initial CO2 capture and storage capacity of 150,6 billion tons in water-dissolved state and of 13,4 billion tons in the supercritical state. In addition, the regions of low and zero promise were distinguished. Analysis results allow us to pass to the local evaluation of the structures of medium promise in order to perform licensing and to assign the structures to the foundation of potential carbon dioxide storage facilities, which implies more detailed investigation of collectors and impermeable seal rocks, structural tectonic parameters, computer simulation of water–rock–gas interactions, and compulsory laboratory experiments.