Synthesis, acid properties and catalysis by niobium oxide nanostructured materials

Several forms of niobium oxide were prepared, including nanostructured mesoporous materials, and their acidity properties were comprehensively investigated and compared with commercially available materials. The composites were characterized by a variety of techniques, including XRD, TEM, N-2 adsorption and Hammett acid indicator studies. The acidity of the niobium oxide derivatives was also investigated by the ability of the materials to successfully promote the halochromic ring-opening of an oxazine-coumarin probe that was specifically designed for use in fluorescence imaging studies. The ring-opening reaction was easily monitored using UV-visible, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy. Single molecule microscopy was employed to gain a more in-depth understanding of the niobium oxide acid catalysis pathway. Using this technique, the rate of niobium oxide mediated protonation was estimated to be 1.8 x 10(-13) mol m(-2) s(-1). Single molecule analysis was also used to obtain a detailed map of Bronsted acid sites on the niobium oxide surface. The active sites, located by multiple blinking events, do not seem to be localized on any area of the material, but rather randomly distributed throughout the solid state surface. As the reaction proceeds, the sites with the highest acidity and accessibility are gradually consumed, making the next tier of acid sites available for reaction. The phenomenon was more closely characterized by using time lapsed reactivity maps.The authors wish to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canada Research Chairs program. The University of Ottawa International Office provided grants to study niobium. M. L. Marin thanks the financial support of the Generalitat Valenciana (BEST/2012/233). Thanks are due to the Government of Canada and NSERC for a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship to S. Impellizzeri and a Vanier Sholarship to C. Fasciani. S. Simoncelli acknowledges a DFAIT fellowship from ELAP (Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program) to support her visit to Canada.Marín García, ML.; Hallett-Tapley, GL.; Impellizzeri, S.; Fasciani, C.; Simoncelli, S.; Netto-Ferreira, JC.; Scaiano, JC. (2014). Synthesis, acid properties and catalysis by niobium oxide nanostructured materials. Catalysis Science and Technology. 4(9):3044-3052. https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cy00238eS304430524

Genetic analysis of D-xylose metabolism by endophytic yeast strains of Rhodotorula graminis and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

Two novel endophytic yeast strains, WP1 and PTD3, isolated from within the stems of poplar (Populus) trees, were genetically characterized with respect to their xylose metabolism genes. These two strains, belonging to the species Rhodotorula graminis and R. mucilaginosa, respectively, utilize both hexose and pentose sugars, including the common plant pentose sugar, D-xylose. The xylose reductase (XYL1) and xylitol dehydrogenase (XYL2) genes were cloned and characterized. The derived amino acid sequences of xylose reductase (XR) and xylose dehydrogenase (XDH) were 32%∼41% homologous to those of Pichia stipitis and Candida. spp., two species known to utilize xylose. The derived XR and XDH sequences of WP1 and PTD3 had higher homology (73% and 69% identity) with each other. WP1 and PTD3 were grown in single sugar and mixed sugar media to analyze the XYL1 and XYL2 gene regulation mechanisms. Our results revealed that for both strains, the gene expression is induced by D-xylose, and that in PTD3 the expression was not repressed by glucose in the presence of xylose

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which datawere gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

Publisher Correction: Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves.

This is the final version. Available from Nature Research via the DOI in this record.

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves.

This is the final version. Available from Nature Research via the DOI in this record. Code availability: All code used to process and visualize the data, including information on software packages used, is freely available in the OSF projectHow does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives-self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care-are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which data were gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people's fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes.National Science FoundationFAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation)Czech Science FoundationCzech Science FoundationInstitute of Psychology, Czech Academy of SciencesUniversidad de la FronteraAberystwyth Universit