Grassland intensification effects cascade to alter multifunctionality of wetlands within metaecosystems.

Sustainable agricultural intensification could improve ecosystem service multifunctionality, yet empirical evidence remains tenuous, especially regarding consequences for spatially coupled ecosystems connected by flows across ecosystem boundaries (i.e., metaecosystems).

Different immortalized keratinocyte cell lines display distinct capabilities to differentiate and reconstitute an epidermis in vitro.

Dermatological research relies on the availability of suitable models that most accurately reflect the in vivo situation. Primary keratinocytes obtained from skin reduction surgeries are not only limited by availability but have a short lifespan and show donor-specific variations, which hamper the understanding of general mechanisms. The spontaneously immortalized keratinocyte cell line HaCaT displays chromosomal aberrations and is known to differentiate in an abnormal manner.

Protective roles of meditation practice and self-esteem on cognitive functions over time: findings from the Midlife in the United States study.

Background: Cognitive function is an important component of healthy ageing. However, it is unclear whether relaxation/meditation practices provide cognitive benefits, particularly in midlife and early late life. Meditative practices are associated with higher self-esteem, and self-esteem serves as a general protective factor for many health outcomes.

Mind-Body Practice and Family Caregivers' Subjective Well-Being: Findings From the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study.

Informal caregiving has been associated with higher stress and lower levels of subjective well-being. Mind-body practices including yoga, tai chi, and Pilates also incorporate stress reducing activities. The current study aimed to examine the association between mind-body practice and subjective well-being among informal family caregivers.

Understanding the High Voltage Behavior of LiNiO Through the Electrochemical Properties of the Surface Layer.

Nickel-rich layered oxides are adopted as electrode materials for EV's. They suffer from a capacity loss when the cells are charged above 4.15 V versus Li/Li .

Limits to Gauge Coupling in the Dark Sector Set by the Nonobservation of Instanton-Induced Decay of Super-Heavy Dark Matter in the Pierre Auger Observatory Data.

Instantons, which are nonperturbative solutions to Yang-Mills equations, provide a signal for the occurrence of quantum tunneling between distinct classes of vacua. They can give rise to decays of particles otherwise forbidden. Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory, we search for signatures of such instanton-induced processes that would be suggestive of super-heavy particles decaying in the Galactic halo.

Episodes of Early Pleistocene West Antarctic Ice Sheet Retreat Recorded by Iceberg Alley Sediments.

Ice loss in the Southern Hemisphere has been greatest over the past 30 years in West Antarctica. The high sensitivity of this region to climate change has motivated geologists to examine marine sedimentary records for evidence of past episodes of West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) instability. Sediments accumulating in the Scotia Sea are useful to examine for this purpose because they receive iceberg-rafted debris (IBRD) sourced from the Pacific- and Atlantic-facing sectors of West Antarctica.

Ancient marine sediment DNA reveals diatom transition in Antarctica.

Antarctica is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change on Earth and studying the past and present responses of this polar marine ecosystem to environmental change is a matter of urgency. Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) analysis can provide such insights into past ecosystem-wide changes. Here we present authenticated (through extensive contamination control and sedaDNA damage analysis) metagenomic marine eukaryote sedaDNA from the Scotia Sea region acquired during IODP Expedition 382.

Strongly reduced lattice thermal conductivity in Sn-doped rare-earth (M) filled skutterudites M CoSb Sn , promoted by Sb-Sn disordering and phase segregation.

CoSb thermoelectric skutterudite has been filled with rare-earth metals (M = La, Ce, Yb) and partially doped with Sn in specimens of M CoSb Sn stoichiometry. This has been achieved under high-pressure conditions at 3.5 GPa in a piston-cylinder hydrostatic press.

Adolescents Facing Transmedia Learning: Reflections on What They Can Do, What They Think and What They Feel.

The integration of new media literacies and, consequently, strategies such as transmedia learning in the teaching-learning processes has been a topic of interest among various types of national and international institutions and governments. In this sense, the current article deals with the abilities, thoughts and expectations that Italian students in classical high schools have in order to face these new formative changes. For this purpose, a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) was designed and applied in the context of a classical high school in Cagliari (Italy): a questionnaire on digital skills (N = 128), a set of semi-structured interviews (N = 17) and two focus groups (N = 14).

BaBiCoRuO (0.0 ≤ ≤ 0.6) Hexagonal Double-Perovskite-Type Oxides as Promising p-Type Thermoelectric Materials.

A new series of BaBiCoRuO (0.0 ≤ ≤ 0.6) hexagonal double perovskite oxides have been synthesized by a solid-state reaction method by substituting Ba with Bi.

Extending insertion electrochemistry to soluble layered halides with superconcentrated electrolytes.

Insertion compounds provide the fundamental basis of today's commercialized Li-ion batteries. Throughout history, intense research has focused on the design of stellar electrodes mainly relying on layered oxides or sulfides, and leaving aside the corresponding halides because of solubility issues. This is no longer true.

Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction in Calcium Batteries: Insights into the Redox Activity of 1D CaCoMO (M = Co and Mn).

1D CaCo M O (M = Co = 0, M = Mn = 1, and M = Fe = 0.4) were prepared and tested electrochemically. While the iron-containing phase was not found to be active, the iron- and manganese-containing phases were found to be potentially interesting as positive electrode materials for calcium metal-based high-energy battery technologies and were investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction.

Outcomes from a pilot online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program for dementia family caregivers.

Objectives: Psychosocial and cognitive-behavioral dementia caregiver interventions are effective, yet accessing counselor/therapist-led programs can be costly and difficult. Face-to-face therapist-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is highly effective in dementia caregivers, as established by two different randomized control trials. The current study evaluates a pilot ACT for Caregivers program, which is a community-based, self-guided, online adaptation of ACT.

The Gray Matters App Targeting Health Behaviors Associated with Alzheimer's Risk: Improvements in Intrinsic Motivation and Impact on Diet Quality and Physical Activity.

Objective: We examine if the Gray Matters intervention (education and behavioral self-monitoring app targeting lifestyle risks for Alzheimer's disease [AD]) affected participants' motivation for change and whether high motivation predicts improved diet and physical activity over 6 months.

Design: In this 6-month randomized controlled trial (treatment n=104; control n=42; assessed pre/post intervention) amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation were assessed via the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS). Diet quality was assessed via adherence to the DASH diet, and physical activity was assessed in minutes.

Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Cation Ordered SrMnCrAsO.

Several different mechanisms of magnetoresistance (MR) have been observed in 1111 LnMnAsOF oxypnictides (Ln = lanthanide) as a result of magnetic coupling between the Mn and Ln. Such phases also exhibit interesting magnetic phase transitions upon cooling. SrMnCrAsO has been synthesized to investigate if it is possible to observe MR and/or magnetic phase transitions as a result of magnetic coupling between the Mn and Cr.

Octupolar versus Néel Order in Cubic 5d^{2} Double Perovskites.

We report time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy and neutron and x-ray diffraction studies of the 5d^{2} double perovskite magnets, Ba_{2}MOsO_{6} (M=Zn,Mg,Ca). These materials host antiferromagnetically coupled 5d^{2} Os^{6+} ions decorating a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice and are found to remain cubic down to the lowest temperatures. They all exhibit thermodynamic anomalies consistent with a single phase transition at a temperature T^{*}, and a gapped magnetic excitation spectrum with spectral weight concentrated at wave vectors typical of type-I antiferromagnetic orders.

Validation of extracellular miRNA quantification in blood samples using RT-qPCR.

Extracellular microRNAs (miRs) have been proposed as important blood-based biomarkers for several diseases. Contrary to proteins and other RNA classes, miRs are stable and easily detectable in body fluids. In this respect, miRs represent a perfect candidate for minimal invasive biomarkers which can hopefully become a complement for invasive histological examinations of tumor tissue.

PEDIA: prioritization of exome data by image analysis.

Purpose: Phenotype information is crucial for the interpretation of genomic variants. So far it has only been accessible for bioinformatics workflows after encoding into clinical terms by expert dysmorphologists.

Methods: Here, we introduce an approach driven by artificial intelligence that uses portrait photographs for the interpretation of clinical exome data.

Recurrence of Maltreatment After Newborn Home Visiting: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: To investigate whether a newborn home visiting program for primiparous adolescent mothers (aged 16-20 years at childbirth) reduced recurrence of child maltreatment in child protective services (CPS) reports.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of Healthy Families Massachusetts, a statewide home visiting program for young parents. A total of 704 first-time young mothers were randomly assigned to a home visiting group, or to a control group who we referred to other services and who received child development and parenting information.

In Operando Synchrotron Diffraction and in Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Investigations of Orthorhombic VO Nanowires as Cathode Materials for Mg-Ion Batteries.

Orthorhombic VO nanowires were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method. A cell-configuration system was built utilizing VO as the cathode and 1 M Mg(ClO) electrolyte within acetonitrile, together with Mg MoS ( x ≈ 2) as the anode to investigate the structural evolution and oxidation state and local structural changes of VO. The VO nanowires deliver an initial discharge/charge capacity of 103 mAh g/110 mAh g and the highest discharge capacity of 130 mAh g in the sixth cycle at C/20 rate in the cell-configuration system.

Mitochondrial DNA mutation "m.3243A>G"-Heterogeneous clinical picture for cardiologists ("m.3243A>G": A phenotypic chameleon).

Objective: In general, a mitochondrial disorder is diagnosed on the basis of symptom combinations and confirmed by genetic findings. However, patients carrying the m.3243A>G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA leucine 1 (MT-TL1) do not always meet all the proposed criteria for the most frequently encountered mitochondrial syndrome "MELAS," an acronym for Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and at least one Stroke-like episode.

Tunable Magnetism in Nanoporous CuNi Alloys by Reversible Voltage-Driven Element-Selective Redox Processes.

Voltage-driven manipulation of magnetism in electrodeposited 200 nm thick nanoporous single-phase solid solution Cu Ni (at%) alloy films (with sub 10 nm pore size) is accomplished by controlled reduction-oxidation (i.e., redox) processes in a protic solvent, namely 1 m NaOH aqueous solution.

Localised Ag(+) vibrations at the origin of ultralow thermal conductivity in layered thermoelectric AgCrSe2.

In materials science, the substructure approach consists in imagining complex materials in which a particular property is associated with a distinct structural feature, so as to combine different chosen physical characteristics, which otherwise have little chance to coexist. Applied to thermoelectric materials, it has been used to achieve simultaneously phonon-glass and electron-crystal properties. Mostly studied for its superionic conductivity, AgCrSe2 is a naturally layered compound, which achieves very low thermal conductivity, ~0.

Improving Adolescent Parenting: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Home Visiting Program for Young Families.

Objectives: Our aim was to estimate the effects of Healthy Families Massachusetts, a statewide home visiting program serving first-time adolescent parents, on parenting, child development, educational attainment, family planning, and maternal health and well-being.

Methods: We used a randomized controlled trial design to randomly assign the 704 participants to a group receiving home visiting services or a control group. Between 2008 and 2012, telephone and in-person interviews were conducted and administrative data obtained at 12 and 24 months after enrollment.