Mechanisms Of Acquisition Research Articles

Magnetic Fabrics in Laminated Rocks of the Ilímaussaq Igneous Complex, Southern Greenland

ABSTRACT Nepheline syenites from the ∼1.2 Ga Ilímaussaq Complex of southern Greenland are examined to assess the utility of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) fabrics as proxies for silicate petrofabrics. Mineral lamination is a relatively common structural feature in cumulate rocks, including in the Ilímaussaq intrusion, but there is little consensus on the process (or processes) responsible for its formation. The Ilímaussaq AMS data are combined with rock magnetic experiments and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements to characterize the magnetic mineralogy and compare the magnetic fabrics obtained to the silicate petrofabric. The data show that Na-amphibole (arfvedsonite) is most likely the dominant control on the AMS fabrics in the coarse-grained nepheline syenites (referred to as kakortokites), and that the AMS fabric is inverse relative to the observed silicate fabric. The EBSD data for a kakortokite sample suggests that the petrofabric is defined by arfvedsonite and is wholly planar, with evidence of only weak cross-lineation of c axes. The fine-grained nepheline syenites (lujavrites), two of which have a well-developed lamination carried by Na-pyroxene (aegirine), appear to have composite AMS fabrics that are considered to be a consequence of a mixed aegirine (normal) and arfvedsonite (inverse) response. The combined datasets shed light on the mechanisms of fabric acquisition in both lithologies. In the kakortokites, the AMS fabrics and silicate crystallographic preferred orientations, as well as the lack of observed microstructural evidence for subsolidus intra-crystal deformation, support models invoking gravitationally controlled crystal mats in the development of the macro-rhythmic layering of these rocks. In the lujavrites, the strong planar fabrics revealed by both the AMS and EBSD datasets, with some evidence of subsolidus deformation, point to fabric formation and perhaps even aegirine crystallization at the postcumulus stage. The combination of EBSD and AMS fabric datasets is a powerful means of deciphering the processes responsible for mineral alignment in igneous cumulates.

Copper acquisition is essential for plant colonization and virulence in a root-infecting vascular wilt fungus.

Plant pathogenic fungi provoke devastating agricultural losses and are difficult to control. How these organisms acquire micronutrients during growth in the host environment remains poorly understood. Here we show that efficient regulation of copper acquisition mechanisms is crucial for plant colonization and virulence in the soilborne ascomycete Fusarium oxysporum, the causal agent of vascular wilt disease in more than 150 different crops. Using a combination of RNA-seq and ChIP-seq, we establish a direct role of the transcriptional regulator Mac1 in activation of copper deficiency response genes, many of which are induced during plant infection. Loss of Mac1 impaired growth of F. oxysporum under low copper conditions and abolishes pathogenicity on tomato plants and on the invertebrate animal host Galleria mellonella. Importantly, overexpression of two Mac1 target genes encoding a copper reductase and a copper transporter was sufficient to restore virulence in the mac1 mutant background. Our results establish a previously unrecognized role of copper reduction and uptake in fungal infection of plants and reveal new ways to protect crops from phytopathogens.

Of Mouses and Mans: A Test of Errorless Versus Error-Based Learning in Children.

For both adults and children, learning from one's mistakes (error-based learning) has been shown to be advantageous over avoiding errors altogether (errorless learning) in pedagogical settings. However, it remains unclear whether this advantage carries over to nonpedagogical settings in children, who mostly learn language in such settings. Using irregular plurals (e.g., "mice") as a test case, we conducted a corpus analysis (N = 227) and two preregistered experiments (N = 56, N = 99), to investigate the potency of error-based learning as a mechanism for language acquisition in 3- and 4-year-old children. The results of the corpus analysis showed that incidental feedback after errors, in the form of caregivers' reformulations of children's errors, was relatively infrequent, had modest informational value, and was rarely used by children to correct their errors immediately. The following two experiments contrasted error-based learning with errorless learning, where the correct utterance was modeled for the child before a potential error was committed. The results showed that error-based learning was not always effective, and when it was, it was certainly not superior to errorless learning. Collectively, these findings question the extension of the benefits of error-based learning from pedagogical to nonpedagogical settings and define constraints under which one mechanism may be more beneficial to learning than the other.

Identification of a divalent metal transporter required for cellular iron metabolism in malaria parasites

Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites invade and multiply inside red blood cells (RBCs), the most iron-rich compartment in humans. Like all cells, P. falciparum requires nutritional iron to support essential metabolic pathways, but the critical mechanisms of iron acquisition and trafficking during RBC infection have remained obscure. Parasites internalize and liberate massive amounts of heme during large-scale digestion of RBC hemoglobin within an acidic food vacuole (FV) but lack a heme oxygenase to release porphyrin-bound iron. Although most FV heme is sequestered into inert hemozoin crystals, prior studies indicate that trace heme escapes biomineralization and is susceptible to nonenzymatic degradation within the oxidizing FV environment to release labile iron. Parasites retain a homolog of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), a known mammalian iron transporter, but its role in P. falciparum iron acquisition has not been tested. Our phylogenetic studies indicate that P. falciparum DMT1 (PfDMT1) retains conserved molecular features critical for metal transport. We localized this protein to the FV membrane and defined its orientation in an export-competent topology. Conditional knockdown of PfDMT1 expression is lethal to parasites, which display broad cellular defects in iron-dependent functions, including impaired apicoplast biogenesis and mitochondrial polarization. Parasites are selectively rescued from partial PfDMT1 knockdown by supplementation with exogenous iron, but not other metals. These results support a cellular paradigm whereby PfDMT1 is the molecular gatekeeper to essential iron acquisition by blood-stage malaria parasites and suggest that therapeutic targeting of PfDMT1 may be a potent antimalarial strategy.

Perspectives on Necessity-Driven Immigrant Entrepreneurship: Interactions with Entrepreneurial Ecosystems through the Lens of Dynamic Capabilities

This paper explores the interaction between immigrant small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the entrepreneurial ecosystems of their home and host countries. These SMEs, often established out of necessity due to economic hardship or unemployment, contrast with opportunity-driven ventures that seek to exploit new market prospects. Employing a dynamic capabilities framework, the study investigates how immigrant SMEs identify and mobilize critical resources in unstable environments, and how these resources are dynamically adapted and transformed to meet organizational objectives while responding to ecosystem changes, ultimately cultivating competitive advantages. Interviews were conducted with 25 immigrant entrepreneurs from eight countries, and the interviews took place within their business environments, with native speakers of the interviewees′ home countries present to ensure accuracy and authenticity. The findings highlight that immigrant entrepreneurs effectively leverage resources from both home and host country ecosystems, with human capital being the most essential asset. Additionally, the role of immigrants′ social networks is emphasized as a crucial mechanism for resource acquisition. This study further illustrates the positive contributions of immigrant enterprises to entrepreneurial ecosystems, revealing a co-evolutionary relationship whereby the businesses and ecosystems both mutually evolve. This co-evolution strengthens the resilience and sustainability of immigrant ventures, significantly enhancing their long-term success.

Adaptations and metabolic evolution of myzozoan protists across diverse lifestyles and environments.

SUMMARYMyzozoans encompass apicomplexans and dinoflagellates that manifest diverse lifestyles in highly varied environments. They show enormous propensity to employ different metabolic programs and exploit different nutrient resources and niches, and yet, they share much core biology that underlies this evolutionary success and impact. This review discusses apicomplexan parasites of medical significance and the traits and properties they share with non-pathogenic myzozoans. These include the versatility of myzozoan plastids, which scale from fully photosynthetic organelles to the site of very select key metabolic pathways. Pivotal evolutionary innovations, such as the apical complex, have allowed myzozoans to shift from predatory to parasitic and other symbiotic lifestyles multiple times in both apicomplexan and dinoflagellate branches of the myzozoan evolutionary tree. Such traits, along with shared mechanisms for nutrient acquisition, appear to underpin the prosperity of myzozoans in their varied habitats. Understanding the mechanisms of these shared traits has the potential to spawn new strategic interventions against medically and veterinary relevant parasites within this grouping.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

Comparison of Resistance Acquisition and Mechanisms in Erwinia amylovora against Agrochemicals Used for Fire Blight Control.

Agrochemicals containing antibiotics are authorized to manage fire blight that has been occurring in Korea since 2015. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each antibiotic against Erwinia amylovora, the causal pathogen of fire blight, has increased over the years due to the pathogen's frequent exposure to antibiotics, indicating the necessity to prepare for the emergence of antibiotic resistance. In this study, E. amylovora was exposed to stepwise increasing concentrations of eight different agrochemicals, each containing single or mixed antibiotics, and gene mutation and changes in MIC were assessed. Streptomycin and oxolinic acid induced an amino acid substitution in RpsL and GyrA, respectively, resulting in a rapid increase in MIC. Oxytetracycline initially induced amino acid substitutions or frameshifts in AcrR, followed by substitutions of 30S small ribosomal protein subunit S10 or AcrB, further increasing MIC. E. amylovora acquired resistance in the order of oxolinic acid, streptomycin, and oxytetracycline at varying exposure frequencies. Resistance acquisition was slower against agrochemicals containing mixed antibiotics than those with single antibiotics. However, gene mutations conferring antibiotic resistance emerged sequentially to both antibiotics in the mixed formulations. Results suggested that frequent application of mixed antibiotics could lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant E. amylovora isolates. This study provided essential insights into preventing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant E. amylovora and understanding the underlying mechanisms of resistance acquisition.

Isolation and Plant Growth Promotion Effect of Endophytic Siderophore-Producing Bacteria: A Study on Halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum.

The objective of the present study was to isolate endophytes from the roots of the halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum, which is applied for aquatic phytoremediation. From these endophytes, siderophore-producing bacteria were specifically isolated for their potential capacity to promote plant growth. The siderophore production capacity of the isolated bacteria was quantified, and a high-yield siderophore-producing strain was selected for further investigation. A total of 33 endophytic bacteria were successfully isolated and identified using a culturable approach. Of these, 10 siderophore-producing bacteria were identified using the selective agar assay, displaying siderophore unit (SU) values ranging from 11.90% to 80.39%. It is noteworthy that Erwinia sp. QZ-E9 exhibited the highest siderophore production capacity, achieving an SU of 80.39%. A microcosm co-cultivation experiment was conducted with the strain QZ-E9 in iron-deficient conditions (2 μmol/L Fe3⁺). The results demonstrated that strain QZ-E9 significantly enhanced the growth of S. portulacastrum, by increases in both fresh weight (1.41 g) and root length (18.7 cm). Furthermore, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was utilized to ascertain the colonization pattern of strain QZ-E9 within the plant roots. The analysis demonstrated that strain QZ-E9 exhibited extensive colonization of the epidermal and outer cortical cells of S. portulacastrum roots, as well as the intercellular spaces and vascular tissues. This colonization indicated that Erwinia sp. QZ-E9 plays a crucial role in promoting the growth of S. portulacastrum, presumably through its siderophore-mediated iron acquisition mechanism.

Involvement of Certain Genes in the Mechanism of Acquisition of Antibiotic Resistance in <i>Salmonella</i> Typhi After Exposure to Medicinal Plant Extracts

Involvement of Certain Genes in the Mechanism of Acquisition of Antibiotic Resistance in <i>Salmonella</i> Typhi After Exposure to Medicinal Plant Extracts

Mutations in the efflux regulator gene oqxR provide a simple genetic switch for antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a pathogen of major concern in the global rise of antimicrobial resistance and has been implicated as a reservoir for the transfer of resistance genes between species. The upregulation of efflux pumps is a particularly concerning mechanism of resistance acquisition as, in many instances, a single point mutation can simultaneously provide resistance to a range of antimicrobials and biocides. The current study investigated mutations in oqxR, which encodes a negative regulator of the RND-family efflux pump genes, oqxAB, natively found in the chromosome of K. pneumoniae. Resistant mutants in four K. pneumoniae strains (KP6870155, NTUH-K2044, SGH10, and ATCC43816) were selected from single exposures to 30 µg/mL chloramphenicol and 12 mutants were selected for whole genome sequencing to identify mutations associated with resistance. Resistant mutants generated by single exposures to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, or ciprofloxacin at ≥4 X MIC were replica plated onto all three antibiotics to observe simultaneous cross-resistance to all compounds, indicative of a multidrug resistance phenotype. A variety of novel mutations, including single point mutations, deletions, and insertions, were found to disrupt oqxR leading to significant and simultaneous increases in resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. The oqxAB-oqxR locus has been mobilized and dispersed on plasmids in many Enterobacteriaceae species and the diversity of these loci was examined to evaluate the evolutionary pressures acting on these genes. Comparison of the promoter regions of oqxR in plasmid-borne copies of the oqxR-oqxAB operon indicated that some constructs may produce truncated versions of the oqxR transcript, which may impact on oqxAB regulation and expression. In some instances, co-carriage of chromosomal and plasmid encoded oqxAB-oqxR was found in K. pneumoniae, implying that there is selective pressure to maintain and expand the efflux pump. Given that OqxR is a repressor of oqxAB, any mutation affecting its expression or function can lead to multidrug resistance. This is in contrast to antibiotic target site mutations that must occur in limited sequence space to be effective and not impact the fitness of the cell. Therefore, oqxR may act as a simple genetic switch to facilitate resistance via OqxAB mediated efflux.

Community-based natural resource management in Roatan: Strengths and challenges.

This study explored the transformative journey of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in the Bay Islands National Marine Park, Honduras, revealing the interplay of cooperation, funding, and communication in fostering successful conservation initiatives. Using a mixed-method approach, we investigated the historical and legislative process and enabling conditions that led to the transition to CBNRM, based on Gruber's 12 key principles. In regards to the present CBNRM system, we looked at its strengths, its challenges, and whether its functioning is seen as satisfying by local resource-users. Findings showed that key CBNRM principles-including an enabling environment, conflict resolution, research-based decision-making, public trust, and monitoring-fostered the transition. Furthermore, satisfaction with reef management and perceived patrol effectiveness, which are pivotal aspects in CBNRM, exceeded 70% in Roatan. Challenges such as strengthening local institutions and enhancing compliance were identified. Nonetheless, co-managers are actively working to resolve these challenges by focusing on enforcement, diverse funding acquisition mechanisms and community participation. The study underscores the pivotal role of local NGOs and collaborative committees in facilitating successful CBNRM. By providing evidence-based insights, we highlight the efficacy of multilevel, co-management models in resource management and emphasize the value of adaptable strategies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of CBNRM dynamics in Latin America and the Caribbean, which may ultimately foster successful conservation initiatives in the Global South.

Proteomic characterization of Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi under iron limitation reveals an upregulation of proteins related to iron oxidation and reduction metabolism, iron uptake systems and gliding motility.

A strategy for vaccine design involves identifying proteins that could be involved in pathogen-host interactions. The aim of this proteomic study was to determine how iron limitation affects the protein expression of Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi, with a primary focus on virulence factors and proteins associated with iron uptake. The proteomic analysis was carried out using two strains of T. dicentrarchi grown under normal (control) and iron-limited conditions, mimicking the host environment. Our findings revealed differences in the proteins expressed by the type strain CECT 7612T and the Chilean strain TdCh05 of T. dicentrarchi. Nonetheless, both share a common response to iron deprivation, with an increased expression of proteins associated with iron oxidation and reduction metabolism (e.g., SufA, YpmQ, SufD), siderophore transport (e.g., ExbD, TonB-dependent receptor, HbpA), heme compound biosynthesis, and iron transporters under iron limitation. Proteins involved in gliding motility, such as GldL and SprE, were also upregulated in both strains. A negative differential regulation of metabolic proteins, particularly those associated with amino acid biosynthesis, was observed under iron limitation, reflecting the impact of iron availability on bacterial metabolism. Additionally, the TdCh05 strain exhibited unique proteins associated with gliding motility machinery and phage infection control compared to the type strain. These groups of proteins have been identified as virulence factors within the Flavobacteriaceae family, including the genus Tenacibaculum. These results build upon our previous report on iron acquisition mechanisms and could lay the groundwork for future studies aimed at elucidating the role of some of the described proteins in the infectious process of tenacibaculosis, as well as in the development of potential vaccines.

The effect of visual speech cues on neural tracking of speech in 10-month-old infants.

While infants' sensitivity to visual speech cues and the benefit of these cues have been well-established by behavioural studies, there is little evidence on the effect of visual speech cues on infants' neural processing of continuous auditory speech. In this study, we investigated whether visual speech cues, such as the movements of the lips, jaw, and larynx, facilitate infants' neural speech tracking. Ten-month-old Dutch-learning infants watched videos of a speaker reciting passages in infant-directed speech while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. In the videos, either the full face of the speaker was displayed or the speaker's mouth and jaw were masked with a block, obstructing the visual speech cues. To assess neural tracking, speech-brain coherence (SBC) was calculated, focusing particularly on the stress and syllabic rates (1-1.75 and 2.5-3.5Hz respectively in our stimuli). First, overall, SBC was compared to surrogate data, and then, differences in SBC in the two conditions were tested at the frequencies of interest. Our results indicated that infants show significant tracking at both stress and syllabic rates. However, no differences were identified between the two conditions, meaning that infants' neural tracking was not modulated further by the presence of visual speech cues. Furthermore, we demonstrated that infants' neural tracking of low-frequency information is related to their subsequent vocabulary development at 18 months. Overall, this study provides evidence that infants' neural tracking of speech is not necessarily impaired when visual speech cues are not fully visible and that neural tracking may be a potential mechanism in successful language acquisition.

Addressing coordination problems in residential buyouts: Experimental evidence for managed retreat in the face of climate change-related threats

Voluntary home buyouts can be an effective way to protect homeowners from severe and repeated flood risk while also benefiting the local community by creating flood control areas and reducing local infrastructure costs. Successful implementation of residential buyout programs is complicated by homeowners’ (unobservable) attachment to place and community. In the presence of such preferences, standard posted price offers at fair market value are generally too low to induce a majority of homeowners to move, resulting in spatially fragmented (checkerboarded) buyout patterns, which can be troublesome from both a community and environmental perspective. To help resolve the resulting coordination problem, we experimentally test two acquisition mechanisms from the land conservation literature in the residential flood buyout context, posted price offers and reverse auctions, and pair them with two additional program features, agglomeration bonuses and target constraints (also known as provision points—a threshold required for the buyout to be implemented). Using an induced-value approach, we show that both reverse auctions and agglomeration bonuses are effective at increasing contiguity in this setting by inducing more homeowners to accept buyout offers and to move away from the neighborhood. However, reverse auctions have the advantage of being flexible enough to accommodate heterogeneity in place and community attachment. If external benefits are non-linearly increasing in the number of contiguous residential lots acquired, adding a target constraint to a reverse auction is a potential avenue for effective future buyouts.

Developmental process of the understanding of linguistic register in children: A comparison of typically developing children, autistic children, and children with Williams syndrome.

Although the developmental process of linguistic register-the appropriate manner of speech as determined by the listener and social situation-has been gradually clarified in typically developing (TD) children, research on the mechanism and developmental process of register acquisition in atypically developing children are insufficient. This study compared the developmental process of understanding linguistic register among TD children, autistic children, and those with Williams syndrome (WS), and examined the contributions of social cognition and motivation to the acquisition of linguistic register. Two experiments were designed to assess the recognition of which linguistic register to use when communicating with different listeners and of the listener's feelings according to the speakers' use of register. The results revealed that the process of understanding register-listener associations was nearly identical among all groups of children and their understanding improved with age. Conversely, their understanding of the effect of register selection on the listener's feelings varied. Importantly, as TD children mature, they become aware that adult listeners may feel negatively when spoken to in an inappropriate register, whereas autistic children and those with WS do not exhibit the same awareness. Thus, our results suggest that atypical social cognition and motivation do not disturb the understanding of register-listener associations. However, social cognition and motivation play important roles in understanding the effect of register selection on the listener's feelings. These findings provide a significant contribution to clarifying the mechanism of linguistic register acquisition.

Deep-learning-enabled temporally super-resolved multiplexed fringe projection profilometry: high-speed kHz 3D imaging with low-speed camera

AbstractRecent advances in imaging sensors and digital light projection technology have facilitated rapid progress in 3D optical sensing, enabling 3D surfaces of complex-shaped objects to be captured with high resolution and accuracy. Nevertheless, due to the inherent synchronous pattern projection and image acquisition mechanism, the temporal resolution of conventional structured light or fringe projection profilometry (FPP) based 3D imaging methods is still limited to the native detector frame rates. In this work, we demonstrate a new 3D imaging method, termed deep-learning-enabled multiplexed FPP (DLMFPP), that allows to achieve high-resolution and high-speed 3D imaging at near-one-order of magnitude-higher 3D frame rate with conventional low-speed cameras. By encoding temporal information in one multiplexed fringe pattern, DLMFPP harnesses deep neural networks embedded with Fourier transform, phase-shifting and ensemble learning to decompose the pattern and analyze separate fringes, furnishing a high signal-to-noise ratio and a ready-to-implement solution over conventional computational imaging techniques. We demonstrate this method by measuring different types of transient scenes, including rotating fan blades and bullet fired from a toy gun, at kHz using cameras of around 100 Hz. Experiential results establish that DLMFPP allows slow-scan cameras with their known advantages in terms of cost and spatial resolution to be used for high-speed 3D imaging tasks.

Cultivating resilience: Harnessing pyoverdine-producing Pseudomonas to contrast iron deficiency in cucumber plants

Iron (Fe) deficiency in crops significantly reduces yield, impacting agricultural productivity worldwide. Synthetic Fe chelates are commonly applied as fertilizers to address this issue, but their synthetic nature and prolonged use poses environmental risks. Thus, inoculation of plant growth-promoting bacteria rises as an alternative to enhance Fe uptake in crops while minimizing reliance on synthetic chelates. This study aimed to examine the influence of Pseudomonas RMC4 inoculation and pyoverdine application on cucumber plants cultivated hydroponically under Fe deficiency conditions. Evaluations included the SPAD index, plant biomass, root morphology, Fe-chelate reductase activity, gene expression, and ionomic analysis. Following Fe deficiency, Pseudomonas RMC4 inoculation improved the SPAD index, increased dry weight, enhanced root development, and facilitated Fe acquisition mechanisms, thus, fostering the endogenous resilience of the plant to the limited Fe availability. This improvement was observed with bacterial inoculation or pyoverdine application alongside an insoluble Fe source (ferrihydrite). Overall, the results suggest the beneficial impact of Pseudomonas RMC4 inoculation in alleviating symptoms of Fe deficiency. Future studies will investigate bacterial application under field conditions to assess its potential in replacing synthetic Fe-chelates fertilizers in crop production in favor of more sustainable agriculture.