Single Members Research Articles

Remember Darwin: Individualism, Neuroscience and Language

Individualism has been a constant theme of the development of child and adolescent mental health since at least 1870. Freud’s Scientific Project is an exercise in neurological individualism as have many subsequent neuroscience projects. Just because bodies contain neurological and chemical circuits, it does not mean that mammalian animals are discrete. Mammals live in communication networks and humans have evolved to make those networks linguistic. It is species adaptations that are manifest in the lives of single members of a species and provide for fitness to environment. The many biological scientists that call themselves neurologists have been prone to misunderstand this Darwinian premise.

The Plasmodium falciparum histone methyltransferase PfSET10 is dispensable for the regulation of antigenic variation and gene expression in blood-stage parasites.

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum employs antigenic variation of the virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) to escape adaptive immune responses during blood infection. Antigenic variation of PfEMP1 occurs through epigenetic switches in the mutually exclusive expression of individual members of the multi-copy var gene family. var genes are located in perinuclear clusters of transcriptionally inactive heterochromatin. Singular var gene activation is linked to locus repositioning into a dedicated zone at the nuclear periphery and deposition of histone 3 lysine 4 di-/trimethylation (H3K4me2/3) and H3K9 acetylation marks in the promoter region. While previous work identified the putative H3K4-specific methyltransferase PfSET10 as an essential enzyme and positive regulator of var gene expression, a recent study reported conflicting data. Here, we used iterative genome editing to engineer a conditional PfSET10 knockout line tailored to study the function of PfSET10 in var gene regulation. We demonstrate that PfSET10 is not required for mutually exclusive var gene expression and switching. We also show that PfSET10 is dispensable not only for asexual parasite proliferation but also for sexual conversion and gametocyte differentiation. Furthermore, comparative RNA-seq experiments revealed that PfSET10 plays no obvious role in regulating gene expression during asexual parasite development and gametocytogenesis. Interestingly, however, PfSET10 shows different subnuclear localization patterns in asexual and sexual stage parasites and female-specific expression in mature gametocytes. In summary, our work confirms in detail that PfSET10 is not involved in regulating var gene expression and is not required for blood-stage parasite viability, indicating PfSET10 may be important for life cycle progression in the mosquito vector or during liver stage development.IMPORTANCEThe malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum infects hundreds of millions of people every year. To survive and proliferate in the human bloodstream, the parasites need to escape recognition by the host's immune system. To achieve this, P. falciparum can change the expression of surface antigens via a process called antigenic variation. This fascinating survival strategy is based on infrequent switches in the expression of single members of the var multigene family. Previous research reported conflicting results on the role of the epigenetic regulator PfSET10 in controlling mutually exclusive var gene expression and switching. Here, we unequivocally demonstrate that PfSET10 is neither required for antigenic variation nor the expression of any other proteins during blood-stage infection. This information is critical in directing our attention toward exploring alternative molecular mechanisms underlying the control of antigenic variation and investigating the function of PfSET10 in other life cycle stages.

Efficacy of IS Code Provisions for Design of Eccentrically Loaded Single Angle Compression Members

In practical applications, steel single angles are often subjected to eccentric loading when connected to a gusset plate through one leg only, resulting in complex compression behaviour. This behaviour has not been as extensively studied as that of concentrically loaded members. Various international codes of practice offer differed approaches for designing these elements. The literature indicates that the Indian Standard Code IS 800–2007 accurately predicts the axial capacity of eccentrically loaded single angle columns. However, a recent amendment to IS 800 in 2024 introduced modified design provisions. This study is the first to explore the implications of these latest design provisions by comparing them with earlier provisions and experimental strengths reported in the literature. Initially, the design strengths as per the previous and latest design provisions for various Indian Standard Angles (ISA) were presented and compared accounting for varying slenderness ratio, plate slenderness ratio (b/t), and different types of end connections and restraints. The findings reveal that the latest design provisions generally result in much higher design strengths compared to the earlier provisions, with a maximum increase of 104.84%. Upon noticing the significant variation, this study is further extended to compare with the reported data available in the literature. The nominal strengths calculated using the latest provisions were often higher than the strengths reported in the literature considered in this study, indicating potential unsafe design.

Acquisition and Development of Scrub Nursing Skills in Robotic-Assisted Cranial and Spinal Neurosurgical Procedures

Introduction. In high-tech operative specialties, including neurosurgery, the rise of interest in robotic systems is observed, since these techniques are hoped to increase the precision of the operation. However, for the optimal implementation of these solutions, the close cooperation between surgeon and perioperative nursing team as well as adequate coordination of their actions is required. These skills needs to be gained and trained. Aim. The following report describes the single center experience of the operating team in launching the robotic navigation in neurosurgical procedures from the vantage point of nursing team. Material and Methods. This work contains a phenomenological analysis of learning process and of optimalisation in cooperating the work of the involved operating team during early phase of introducing the robotic neurosurgical procedures (both cranial and spinal). Here, the typical problems during implementation of these techniques with separate analysis of single steps of preparing and applying the tool sets are described, where critical points and the potential of failure elimination is highlighted. Results. The preparing of the robotic surgical tool set is not demanding and differs only slightly from the preparation of standard sets designed for neuronavigation plus targeted cranial biopsy or percutaneous spine instrumentation, respectively. The key point is to synchronize the actions of the operating surgeon (-s), perioperative nurses and radiologic technicians. Conclusions. Implementation of robotic techniques is a challenge for the whole neurosurgical team, including the scrub/circulating nurses. What is more important in the initial phase than (usually intuitive) operation of the devices, is the coordination of single team members’ actions and developing the communication skills regarding the planned course of the surgery and potential modification of its course, needed before the surgery starts. (JNNN 2024;13(1):29–35)

From home to boardroom: Marital status and its influence on ESG disclosure

AbstractThis research article investigates the relationship between the marital status of board members and organizations' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure, with Jordan as the study context. The investigation, grounded in established governance theories, primarily agency theory, stewardship theory, and social identity theory, adds a novel dimension to the discourse on corporate governance perspective. The study sample included 81 nonfinancial companies listed on the Amman stoke exchange from 2012 to 2021. The findings disclose a pronounced positive relationship between married board members and ESG disclosure separately and collectively, pointing to a normative commitment emanating from their personal lives that extends into their roles as corporate stewards, influencing corporate sustainability, and ethical governance. Conversely, the results did not indicate a relationship between single board members and ESG disclosure. The study underscores the importance of considering the personal attributes of board members in shaping corporate governance and ESG practices. Also, it encourages a broader perspective on how diverse personal backgrounds can enhance sustainability and ethical values within organizations by advocating for boards that reflect diverse marital statuses and a commitment to family values, benefitting not only shareholders but also society at large.

Replication of single viruses across the kingdoms, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia

It is extremely rare that a single virus crosses host barriers across multiple kingdoms. Based on phylogenetic and paleovirological analyses, it has previously been hypothesized that single members of the family Partitiviridae could cross multiple kingdoms. Partitiviridae accommodates members characterized by their simple bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome; asymptomatic infections of host organisms; the absence of an extracellular route for entry in nature; and collectively broad host range. Herein, we show the replicability of single fungal partitiviruses in three kingdoms of host organisms: Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Betapartitiviruses of the phytopathogenic fungusRosellinia necatrix could replicate in protoplasts of the carrot (Daucus carota), Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum, in some cases reaching a level detectable by agarose gel electrophoresis. Moreover, betapartitiviruses showed more robust replication than the tested alphapartitiviruses. One of the fungal betapartitiviruses, RnPV18, could persistently and stably infect carrot plants regenerated from virion-transfected protoplasts. Both alpha- and betapartitiviruses, although with different host preference, could replicate in two insect cell lines derived from the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Our results indicate the replicability of single partitiviruses in members of three kingdoms and provide insights into virus adaptation, host jumping, and evolution.

A novel dynamic ensemble of numerical weather prediction for multi-step wind speed forecasting with deep reinforcement learning and error sequence modeling

Accurate wind forecasts for one day ahead or longer periods have significant impacts on the safe and efficient dispatch of power grids, where Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) serves as the essential tool, such as ensemble NWP integrating multiple single simulations. Typically, ensembles include all single members with fixed weights; however, the relative accuracy of each member may change over time. This study introduces an attractive idea: improving ensemble performance by dynamically recognizing and avoiding low-performing members. It proposes a dynamic ensemble strategy based on NWP, reinforcement learning and error sequence correction. The process begins with Weather Research and Forecasting ensemble simulations. A dynamic framework is then constructed by mapping the multi-step ensemble problem into a Markov decision process, which is further solved using deep deterministic policy gradient. Subsequently, a hybrid deep learning model, comprising temporal convolutional network and bidirectional long short-term memory, is constructed for error sequence estimation of dynamic ensemble, using the high-frequency information of NWP as input. Conducting experiments at two wind farms, and focusing on the 24-h wind speed forecast with a 15-min time resolution, the proposed system demonstrates a reliable and stable ensemble throughout the entire forecasting horizon, significantly reducing the probability of large forecasting errors.

Tracing the Origins of Mass Segregation in M35: Evidence for Primordially Segregated Binaries

M35 is a young open cluster and home to an extensive binary population. Using Gaia Data Release 3, Pan-STARRS, and Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry with the Bayesian statistical software, BASE-9, we derive precise cluster parameters, identify single and binary cluster members, and extract their masses. We identify 571 binaries down to Gaia G = 20.3 and a lower limit on the binary frequency of f b = 0.41 ± 0.02. We extend the binary demographics by many magnitudes faint-ward of previous (radial-velocity) studies of this cluster and further away from the cluster center (1.°78, roughly 10 core radii). We find the binary stars to be more centrally concentrated than the single stars in the cluster. Furthermore, we find strong evidence for mass segregation within the binary population itself, with progressively more-massive binary samples becoming more and more centrally concentrated. For the single stars, we find weaker evidence for mass segregation; only the most massive single stars (>2.5M ⊙) appear more centrally concentrated. Given the cluster age of ∼200 Myr, and our derived half-mass relaxation time for the cluster of 230 ± 84 Myr, we estimate ∼47% of the binary stars and ∼12% of single stars in the cluster have had time to become dynamically mass segregated. Importantly, when we investigate only stars with mass segregation timescales greater than the cluster age, we still find the binaries to be more centrally concentrated than the singles, suggesting the binaries may have formed with a primordially different spatial distribution from that of the single stars.

노인 단독가구의 사회자본이 인지적·기능적 건강에 미치는 영향

This study explored the effects of social capital and living environment on the cognitive and functional health of elderly single households. This study used secondary data collected in June 2021. That data included elderly single household members living across the country, and a total of 557 elderly were used in the final analysis. As a result of the study, the level of social capital affected the cognitive and functional health of elderly single households. The age-friendly living environment had a direct effect on the cognitive health level of elderly single households, but was not directly related to functional health. Social capital and residential environment were found to have an interactive effect on cognitive and functional health in elderly single household. Based on the results of this study, there is a need to focus policy attention on an age-friendly environment and ways to form social capital.

Bridging the gap: returning genetic results to indigenous communities in Latin America

In response to inequality in access to genomics research, efforts are underway to include underrepresented minorities, but explicit (and enforcing) guidelines are mostly targeted toward the Global North. In this work, we elaborate on the need to return scientific results to indigenous communities, reporting the actions we have taken in a recent genomic study with Mapuche communities in Chile. Our approach acknowledged the social dynamics perpetuating colonial hierarchies. We framed genetic results to empower indigenous knowledge and communities’ history and identities. A fundamental step in our strategy has been sharing the results with the communities before publishing the scientific paper, which allowed us to incorporate community perspectives. We faced the challenge of translating genetic concepts like admixture, emphasizing the distinction between identity and biology. To reach a broad and diverse audience, we disseminated the study results to single community members, cultural representatives, and high schools, highlighting the importance of the history of the region before the European contact. To facilitate results dissemination, we prepared didactic material and a report in Spanish written in non-specialized language, targeting a wider Latin American readership. This work illustrates the benefits of discussing scientific findings with indigenous communities, demonstrating that a collaborative and culturally sensitive approach fosters knowledge sharing and community empowerment and challenges power dynamics in genetic research. Bridging the gap between academia and indigenous communities promotes equity and inclusion in scientific endeavors.

Strengthening of axially compressed bars in lattice towers under load – experimental investigations

AbstractThis paper presents the results of experimental research, in which hot‐rolled single steel angle members L65×65×7 were strengthened under axial compression. Strengthening was carried out by attaching an additional angle (L65×65×7 or L50×50×5) by a clamp system. The reinforced angle, the reinforcing element and the clamps were hot‐dip galvanized. The paper compares the difference between buckling behaviour and the ultimate load capacity elements strengthened under no load with the elements having the same geometry, in which the strengthening was carried out under the load. The level of force transmission from the reinforced to the reinforcing member is also recognized. The results show the influence of the size of the reinforcement element, the slenderness of the reinforced member, and the spacing of the clamps on the effectiveness of reinforcement. The effect of preload on the ultimate load capacity of the axially loaded element was found to be insignificant in the study conducted (no more than ±4.2%).

Integrons, transposons and IS elements promote diversification of multidrug resistance plasmids and adaptation of their hosts to antibiotic pollutants from pharmaceutical companies.

Plasmids are important vehicles for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among bacteria by conjugation. Here, we determined the complete nucleotide sequences of nine different plasmids previously obtained by exogenous plasmid isolation from river and creek sediments and wastewater from a pharmaceutical company. We identified six IncP/P-1ε plasmids and single members of IncL, IncN and IncFII-like plasmids. Genetic structures of the accessory regions of the IncP/P-1ε plasmids obtained implied that multiple insertions and deletions had occurred, mediated by different transposons and Class 1 integrons with various ARGs. Our study provides compelling evidence that Class 1 integrons, Tn402-like transposons, Tn3-like transposons and/or IS26 played important roles in the acquisition of ARGs across all investigated plasmids. Our plasmid sequencing data provide new insights into how these mobile genetic elements could mediate the acquisition and spread of ARGs in environmental bacteria.

WIYN Open Cluster Study 89. M48 (NGC 2548) 2: Lithium Abundances in the 420 Myr Open Cluster M48 from Giants through K Dwarfs* * The WIYN Observatory is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin−Madison, Indiana University, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and the University of Missouri. † †WIYN Open Cluster Study, Mathieu ().

We consider WIYN/Hydra spectra of 329 photometric candidate members of the 420 Myr old open cluster M48 and report lithium detections or upper limits for 234 members and likely members. The 171 single members define a number of notable Li-mass trends, some delineated even more clearly than in Hyades/Praesepe: the giants are consistent with subgiant Li dilution and prior MS Li depletion due to rotational mixing. A dwarfs (8600–7700 K) have upper limits higher than the presumed initial cluster Li abundance. Two of five late A dwarfs (7700–7200 K) are Li-rich, possibly due to diffusion, planetesimal accretion, and/or engulfment of hydrogen-poor planets. Early F dwarfs already show evidence of Li depletion seen in older clusters. The Li–T eff trends of the Li Dip (6675–6200 K), Li Plateau (6200–6000 K), and G and K dwarfs (6000–4000 K) are very clearly delineated and are intermediate to those of the 120 Myr old Pleiades and 650 Myr old Hyades/Praesepe, which suggests a sequence of Li depletion with age. The cool side of the Li Dip is especially well defined with little scatter. The Li–T eff trend is very tight in the Li Plateau and early G dwarfs, but scatter increases gradually for cooler dwarfs. These patterns support and constrain models of the universally dominant Li depletion mechanism for FGK dwarfs, namely rotational mixing due to angular momentum loss; we discuss how diffusion and gravity-wave-driven mixing may also play roles. For late G/K dwarfs, faster rotators show higher Li than slower rotators, and we discuss possible connections between angular momentum loss and Li depletion.

Perspectives on Benefits and Challenges to Developing a Co-Teaching and Co-Learning Exchange between Community and Academic Partners.

To train future professionals in health disparities and social determinants of health, academic health centers often use curricula exclusively developed and instructed by faculty. To examine the perceptions and attitudes of faculty and community stakeholders towards the benefits of and challenges to developing co-teaching/co-learning exchange programs. Faculty from six academic professional schools at a single institution and community members participated in focus groups. Interviews were video-recorded and reviewed for themes. Both faculty and community participants felt that partnering in the design and implementation of lectures addressing the social determinants of health could enhance curriculum and provide real-world context for the learning experience. Our findings add to the literature examining the benefits and challenges of engagement between faculty and community and offer new insights on the value of co-teaching/co-learning experiences.

English

This paper reports details of phase transitions of a new generation “Tertiary Liquid Crystal System” (TLCS). This TLCS was made with a mixture of 5CB, 6CB, and 7CB liquid crystals. The TLCS was run in DSC to find changes taking place in its heat flow as a function of time and temperature analyzed with Logger Pro. The sample of TLCS was run from -40 °C to 80 °C with a 20 °C/min ramp rate in DSC. It was observed that the TLCS shows two phase transitions on heating and one transition on cooling. All these transitions were found to shift when compared to their single members. The unique behavior of TLCS is that it never shows crystallization in cooling, even though the sample was cooled to -40 °C. This indicated an increase in its Nematic range, making it more useful in the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) field.

Conservation of the PBL-RBOH immune module in land plants

The rapid production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a key signaling output in plant immunity. In the angiosperm model species Arabidopsis thaliana (hereafter Arabidopsis), recognition of non- or altered-self elicitor patterns by cell-surface immune receptors activates the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) of the AVRPPHB SUSCEPTIBLE 1 (PBS1)-like (PBL) family, particularly BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1).1,2,3 BIK1/PBLs in turn phosphorylate the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D (RBOHD) to induce apoplastic ROS production.4,5 PBL and RBOH functions in plant immunity have been extensively characterized in flowering plants. Much less is known about the conservation of pattern-triggered ROS signaling pathways in non-flowering plants. In this study, we show that in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha (hereafter Marchantia), single members of the RBOH and PBL families, namely MpRBOH1 and MpPBLa, are required for chitin-induced ROS production. MpPBLa directly interacts with and phosphorylates MpRBOH1 at specific, conserved sites within its cytosolic N terminus, and this phosphorylation is essential for chitin-induced MpRBOH1-mediated ROS production. Collectively, our work reveals the functional conservation of the PBL-RBOH module that controls pattern-triggered ROS production in land plants.

Diverse Surface Signatures of Stratospheric Polar Vortex Anomalies

AbstractThe Arctic stratospheric polar vortex is an important driver of winter weather and climate variability and predictability in North America and Eurasia, with a downward influence that on average projects onto the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). While tropospheric circulation anomalies accompanying anomalous vortex states display substantial case‐by‐case variability, understanding the full diversity of the surface signatures requires larger sample sizes than those available from reanalyses. Here, we first show that a large ensemble of seasonal hindcasts realistically reproduces the observed average surface signatures for weak and strong vortex winters and produces sufficient spread for single ensemble members to be considered as alternative realizations. We then use the ensemble to analyze the diversity of surface signatures during weak and strong vortex winters. Over Eurasia, relatively few weak vortex winters are associated with large‐scale cold conditions, suggesting that the strength of the observed cold signature could be inflated due to insufficient sampling. For both weak and strong vortex winters, the canonical temperature pattern in Eurasia only clearly arises when North Atlantic sea surface temperatures are in phase with the NAO. Over North America, while the main driver of interannual winter temperature variability is the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the stratosphere can modulate ENSO teleconnections, affecting temperature and circulation anomalies over North America and downstream. These findings confirm that anomalous vortex states are associated with a broad spectrum of surface climate anomalies on the seasonal scale, which may not be fully captured by the small observational sample size.

A 4 Gyr M-dwarf Gyrochrone from CFHT/MegaPrime Monitoring of the Open Cluster M67

We present stellar rotation periods for late K- and early M-dwarf members of the 4 Gyr old open cluster M67 as calibrators for gyrochronology and tests of stellar spin-down models. Using Gaia EDR3 astrometry for cluster membership and Pan-STARRS (PS1) photometry for binary identification, we build this set of rotation periods from a campaign of monitoring M67 with the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope’s MegaPrime wide-field imager. We identify 1807 members of M67, of which 294 are candidate single members with significant rotation period detections. Moreover, we fit a polynomial to the period versus color-derived effective temperature sequence observed in our data. We find that the rotation of very cool dwarfs can be explained by simple solid-body spin-down between 2.7 and 4 Gyr. We compare this rotational sequence to the predictions of gyrochronological models and find that the best match is Skumanich-like spin-down, P rot ∝ t 0.62, applied to the sequence of Ruprecht 147. This suggests that, for spectral types K7–M0 with near-solar metallicity, once a star resumes spinning down, a simple Skumanich-like relation is sufficient to describe their rotation evolution, at least through the age of M67. Additionally, for stars in the range M1–M3, our data show that spin-down must have resumed prior to the age of M67, in conflict with the predictions of the latest spin-down models.

Sigara Kullanma Durumunun Aile Içi Fonksiyonlara Etkisi

Aim: Family is the most natural environment where people can meet their needs of love, compassion, affection and care for mental and physical health. In this study, we aim to investigate the relation between smoking and family functions.
 Material and Method: Ninety seven patients between 18-60 years age who were admitted to the Ankara Training and Research Hospital, live with at least one family member and agreed to participate in the study were included in this study. Cross-sectional, observational and analytic methods were applied. The recorded data of the participants were as follows: age, sex, occupation, marital status, education level, the family members whom living with, the status of smoking at home, chronic diseases and current medication. McMaster Model of Family Functioning (MMFF) and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) were used. 
 Results: Statistically significant differences between MMFF scores of smoking patients in the subscales of “Roles” and “Affective Involvement” were found (p=0.004, p= 0.002, respectively). We have seen in the subscale of “Problem Solving” that single members were negatively affected (p=0.033). The negative effects of smoking were found to be decreasing by age in the “Communication” subscale (p=0.002). The “Roles” subscale was observed to be negatively disturbed in the group of smokers with chronic diseases(p=0,050). We also found that being single and having a chronic disease negatively affected “Affective Responsiveness” subscale (p=0.050, p=0.020, respectively). 
 Conclusion: Smoking affects the family functions negatively. Thus, the fight against smoking might be thought to make a favorable effect on the family functions.

Evaluating wind speed and power forecasts for wind energy applications using an open-source and systematic validation framework

Building on the verification and validation work developed under the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project, this work exhibits the value of a consistent procedure to evaluate wind power forecasts. We established an open-source Python code base tailored for wind speed and wind power forecast validation, WE-Validate. The code base can evaluate model forecasts with observations in a coherent manner. To demonstrate the systematic validation framework of WE-Validate, we designed and hosted a forecast evaluation benchmark exercise. We invited forecast providers in industry and academia to participate and submit forecasts for two case studies. We then evaluated the submissions with WE-Validate. Our findings suggest that ensemble means have reasonable skills in time series forecasting, whereas they are often inferior to single ensemble members in wind ramp forecasting. Adopting a voting scheme in ramp forecasting that allows ensemble members to detect ramps independently leads to satisfactory skill scores. Throughout this document, we also emphasize the importance of using statistically robust and resistant metrics as well as equitable skill scores in forecast evaluation.