Electronic dynamics created at conical intersections and its dephasing in aqueous solution.

A dynamical rearrangement in the electronic structure of a molecule can be driven by different phenomena, including nuclear motion, electronic coherence or electron correlation. Recording such electronic dynamics and identifying its fate in an aqueous solution has remained a challenge. Here, we reveal the electronic dynamics induced by electronic relaxation through conical intersections in both isolated and solvated pyrazine molecules using X-ray spectroscopy.

Shellfish and shorebirds from the East-Asian Australian flyway as bioindicators for unknown per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using the total oxidizable precursor assay.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant global attention due to their extensive industrial use and harmful effects on various organisms. Among these, perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are well-studied, but their diverse precursors remain challenging to monitor. The Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) assay offers a powerful approach to converting these precursors into detectable PFAAs.

Inefficient transfer of diatoms through the subpolar Southern Ocean twilight zone.

The Southern Ocean, a region highly vulnerable to climate change, plays a vital role in regulating global nutrient cycles and atmospheric CO via the biological carbon pump. Diatoms, photosynthetically active plankton with dense opal skeletons, are key to this process as their exoskeletons are thought to enhance the transfer of particulate organic carbon to depth, positioning them as major vectors of carbon storage. Yet conflicting observations obscure the mechanistic link between diatoms, opal and particulate organic carbon fluxes, especially in the twilight zone where greatest flux losses occur.

Pardon my trench: reflections on the uptake of trenchless technologies in the Norwegian water sector.

Trenchless pipe renewal can be a more cost-, time- and environmentally effective alternative to traditional open-cut replacement. It reduces service disruptions for surrounding infrastructures and is often cheaper, especially when extensive excavation works are necessary, particularly in cold climates, like Norway, where trenches are traditionally deep due to frost security requirements. Still, the uptake of trenchless technologies is still limited in the Norwegian market.

Cellular damage triggers mechano-chemical control of cell wall dynamics and patterned cell divisions in plant healing.

Reactivation of cell division is crucial for the regeneration of damaged tissues, which is a fundamental process across all multicellular organisms. However, the mechanisms underlying the activation of cell division in plants during regeneration remain poorly understood. Here, we show that single-cell endodermal ablation generates a transient change in the local mechanical pressure on neighboring pericycle cells to activate patterned cell division that is crucial for tissue regeneration in Arabidopsis roots.

Tunnel wash water in a cold climate: characteristics, ecotoxicological risk, and effect of sedimentation.

The characterization of tunnel wash water (TWW) from 12 Norwegian tunnels showed very high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), and manganese (Mn) were mainly particle-associated. They are efficiently removed by sedimentation, while the dissolved concentrations of toxic metals like Cu, Zn, and As did not change.

The AI Act in a law enforcement context: The case of automatic speech recognition for transcribing investigative interviews.

Law enforcement agencies manually transcribe thousands of investigative interviews per year in relation to different crimes. In order to automate and improve efficiency in the transcription of such interviews, applied research explores artificial intelligence models, including Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Natural Language Processing. While AI models can improve efficiency in criminal investigations, their successful implementation requires evaluation of legal and technical risks.

Can triad forestry reconcile Europe's biodiversity and forestry strategies? A critical evaluation of forest zoning.

Balancing increasing demand for wood products while also maintaining forest biodiversity is a paramount challenge. Europe's Biodiversity and Forest Strategies for 2030 attempt to address this challenge. Together, they call for strict protection of 10% of land area, including all primary and old growth forests, increasing use of ecological forestry, and less reliance on monocultural plantations.

Telomere length in relation to fecundability and use of assisted reproductive technologies: the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study.

Background: Telomere length (TL) has been reported to be associated with conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, with some studies finding associations with shorter TL and others with longer TL. In men, studies mostly report associations between shorter TL and sperm quality. To our knowledge, no studies have thus far investigated associations between TL and fecundability or the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

TORC2 inhibition triggers yeast chromosome fragmentation through misregulated Base Excision Repair of clustered oxidation events.

Combinational therapies provoking cell death are of major interest in oncology. Combining TORC2 kinase inhibition with the radiomimetic drug Zeocin results in a rapid accumulation of double-strand breaks (DSB) in the budding yeast genome. This lethal Yeast Chromosome Shattering (YCS) requires conserved enzymes of base excision repair.

Hydrogel Elastic Energy: A Stressor Triggering an Adaptive Stress-Mediated Cell Response.

The crosstalk between the cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is bidirectional and consists of a pushing/pulling stretch exerted by the cells and a mechanical resistance counteracted by the surrounding microenvironment. It is widely recognized that the stiffness of the ECM, its viscoelasticity, and its overall deformation are the most important traits influencing the response of the cells. Here these three parameters are combined into a concept of elastic energy, which in biological terms represents the mechanical feedback that cells perceive when the ECM is deformed.

Effect of tunnel wash water treatment processes on trace elements, organic micropollutants, and biological effects.

Tunnel wash water (TWW) contains high levels of trace elements and organic micropollutants, especially in the dissolved fraction. Discharge poses significant environmental risks. This field study aimed at improving conventional sedimentation treatment by addition of novel secondary treatments: bag filtration, ceramic microfiltration, or granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.

PolySegNet: improving polyp segmentation through swin transformer and vision transformer fusion.

Colorectal cancer ranks as the second most prevalent cancer worldwide, with a high mortality rate. Colonoscopy stands as the preferred procedure for diagnosing colorectal cancer. Detecting polyps at an early stage is critical for effective prevention and diagnosis.

Development of Novel Biocomposites with Antimicrobial-Activity-Based Magnesium-Doped Hydroxyapatite with Amoxicillin.

: A biocomposite based on magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite and enriched with amoxicillin (MgHApOx) was synthesized using the coprecipitation method and is presented here for the first time. : The stability of MgHAp and MgHApOx suspensions was evaluated by ultrasound measurements. The structure of the synthesized MgHAp and MgHApOx was examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

From mother to egg: Variability in maternal transfer of trace elements and steroid hormones in common eider (Somateria mollissima).

The Baltic Sea is among the most polluted seas worldwide with elevated concentrations of trace elements (TEs). TEs can induce negative effects on organisms and may be transferred to eggs causing endocrine-disrupting effects on embryos. The Baltic Sea population of common eider (Somateria mollissima) has declined over the last thirty years, but the potential contribution of TEs to this decline is understudied.

Ultraconfined oblate hard particles between hybrid penetrable walls.

We have investigated, by Monte Carlo simulation, the orientational structure of very thin films of a discotic liquid crystal (DLC) confined between hybrid walls of controllable penetrability, as a function of wall separation L_{z}. Our purpose was to clarify whether, as predicted by continuum theory, the preferred orientation of the DLC is uniform, changes linearly, or changes discontinuously, when L_{z} and the anchoring strengths at either wall are changed. The model consists of oblate hard Gaussian overlap (HGO) particles: each wall sees a particle as a disk of zero thickness and diameter D less than or equal to that of the actual particle σ_{0}, embedded inside the particle and located halfway along, and perpendicular to, its minor axis.

Novel Antimicrobial Agents Based on Zinc-Doped Hydroxyapatite Loaded with Tetracycline.

In this paper, we present for the first time the development of zinc-doped hydroxyapatite enriched with tetracycline (ZnHApTe) powders and provide a comprehensive evaluation of their physico-chemical and biological properties. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for the sample's complex evaluation. Moreover, the biocompatibility of zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (ZnHAp) and ZnHApTe nanoparticles was evaluated with the aid of human fetal osteoblastic cells (hFOB 1.

The nasal cavity of the bearded seal: An effective and robust organ for retaining body heat and water.

We report the effects of varying physiological and other properties on the heat and water exchange in the maxilloturbinate structure (MT) of the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus or Eb) in realistic environments, using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. We find that the water retention in percent is very high (about 90 %) and relatively unaffected by either cold (-30 °C) or warm (10 °C) conditions. The retention of heat is also high, around 80 % .