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1. Engineering creativity: Prior experience modulates electrophysiological responses to novel metaphors

   https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13630  

   Jończyk, Rafal; Kremer, Gül E.; Siddique, Zahed; van Hell, Janet G. (July 2020, Psychophysiology)

   Abstract Novel metaphorical language use exemplifies human creativity through production and comprehension of meaningful linguistic expressions that may have never been heard before. Available electrophysiological research demonstrates, however, that novel metaphor comprehension is cognitively costly, as it requires integrating information from distantly related concepts. Herein, we investigate if such cognitive cost may be reduced as a factor of prior domain knowledge. To this end, we asked engineering and nonengineering students to read for comprehension literal, novel metaphorical, and anomalous sentences related to engineering or general knowledge, while undergoing EEG recording. Upon reading each sentence, participants were asked to judge whether or not the sentence was original in meaning (noveltyjudgment) and whether or not it made sense (sensicalityjudgment). When collapsed across groups, our findings demonstrate a gradual N400 modulation with N400 being maximal in response to anomalous, followed by metaphorical, and literal sentences. Between‐group comparisons revealed a mirror effect on the N400 to novel metaphorical sentences, with attenuated N400 in engineers and enhanced N400 in non‐engineers. Critically, planned comparisons demonstrated reduced N400 amplitudes to engineering novel metaphors in engineers relative to non‐engineers, pointing to an effect of prior knowledge on metaphor processing. This reduction, however, was observed in the absence of a sentence type × knowledge × group interaction. Altogether, our study provides novel evidence suggesting that prior domain knowledge may have a direct impact on creative language comprehension. 

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2. Prior restraint stress inhibits habituation to novel objects in the European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris )

   https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2327  

   de Bruijn, Robert; Romero, L. Michael (October 2019, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology)

   Abstract Animals often avoid novel objects, a behavior known as neophobia. We examined behavioral responses of captive European starlings to novel objects placed at their food dishes. Exposure occurred concurrently to food reintroduction following overnight fasting. Behavior was analyzed for 10 min via video recording. We expected an increase in avoidance behavior compared with trials in which food was reintroduced without a novel object. Seven of 10 novel objects increased latency to approach the dish. In contrast to our expectations, neither prior restraint nor exogenous corticosterone changed the neophobic response to novel objects. While exposure to a novel object increased approach latency, there was no additional effect of restraining animals in a cloth bag for 15 min before food reintroduction. Furthermore, the subcutaneous injection of corticosterone did not affect approach latency by itself, nor did it affect the response to a novel object. Finally, we expected repeated exposure to the same object to extinguishing the neophobic response, and that restraint stress would prevent habituation. Our results show that European starlings habituate rapidly to exposure to a novel object, as approach latency returned to baseline within three repeated exposures to the same object. When the repeated presentation of the object was combined with prior restraint, however, the latency to approach never returned to baseline. These results reveal that neophobia in starlings is object‐specific and that, while neither acute stress nor corticosterone directly affects the behavioral response to a novel object, acute stress appears to have a permissive effect on neophobia by inhibiting habituation. 

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3. Draft genome sequences of Flagellimonas sp. MMG031 and Marinobacter sp. MMG032 isolated from the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium pilosum

   https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00913-24  

   Farrell, Morgan V; Aljaber, Aya M; Amoruso, Madison; Chan, Wyman F; Dael, Jiellen R; De_Tomas, Mathieu L; Delavega, Emily G; Eslava, Jacob M; Holdbrook-Smith, Benjamin J; Lee, Precilla; et al (January 2025, Microbiology Resource Announcements)

   Roux, Simon (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Here, we report the draft genome sequences ofFlagellimonassp. MMG031 andMarinobactersp. MMG032, isolated from coral-associated dinoflagellateSymbiodinium pilosum, assembled and analyzed by undergraduate students participating in a Marine Microbial Genomics (MMG) course. A genomic comparison suggests MMG031 and MMG032 are novel species and a resource for restoration and biotechnology. 

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4. Catalytic generation of ortho -quinone dimethides via donor/donor rhodium carbenes

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d3sc00734k  

   Gao, Mingchun; Ruiz, Jose M.; Jimenez, Emily; Lo, Anna; Laconsay, Croix J.; Fettinger, James C.; Tantillo, Dean J.; Shaw, Jared T. (June 2023, Chemical Science)

   Substrates engineered to undergo a 1,4-C–H insertion to yield benzocyclobutenes resulted in a novel elimination reaction to yieldortho-quinone dimethide (o-QDM) products that undergo Diels–Alder or hetero-Diels–Alder cycloadditions. 

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5. Genomic characterization of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae from Callery pear and the efficiency of associated phages in disease protection

   https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02833-23  

   Holtappels, D; Abelson, S A; Nouth, S C; Rickus, G_E J; Amare, S Z; Giller, J P; Jian, D Z; Koskella, B (March 2024, Microbiology Spectrum)

   Zeng, Quan (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT ThePseudomonas syringaespecies complex is a heterogeneous group of plant pathogenic bacteria associated with a wide distribution of plant species. Advances in genomics are revealing the complex evolutionary history of this species complex and the wide array of genetic adaptations underpinning their diverse lifestyles. Here, we genomically characterize twoP. syringaeisolates collected from diseased Callery pears (Pyrus calleryana) in Berkeley, California in 2019 and 2022. We also isolated a lytic bacteriophage, which we characterized and evaluated for biocontrol efficiency. Using a multilocus sequence analysis and core genome alignment, we classified theP. syringaeisolates as members of phylogroup 2, related to other strains previously isolated fromPyrusandPrunus. An analysis of effector proteins demonstrated an evolutionary conservation of effectoromes across isolates classified in PG2 and yet uncovered unique effector profiles for each, including the two newly identified isolates. Whole-genome sequencing of the associated phage uncovered a novel phage genus related toPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiaephage PHB09 and theFlaumdravirusgenus. Finally, usingin plantainfection assays, we demonstrate that the phage was equally useful in symptom mitigation of immature pear fruit regardless of the Pss strain tested. Overall, this study demonstrates the diversity ofP. syringaeand their viruses associated with ornamental pear trees, posing spill-over risks to commercial pear trees and the possibility of using phages as biocontrol agents to reduce the impact of disease.IMPORTANCEGlobal change exacerbates the spread and impact of pathogens, especially in agricultural settings. There is a clear need to better monitor the spread and diversity of plant pathogens, including in potential spillover hosts, and for the development of novel and sustainable control strategies. In this study, we characterize the first described strains ofPseudomonas syringaepv.syringaeisolated from Callery pear in Berkeley, California from diseased tissues in an urban environment. We show that these strains have divergent virulence profiles from previously described strains and that they can cause disease in commercial pears. Additionally, we describe a novel bacteriophage that is associated with these strains and explore its potential to act as a biocontrol agent. Together, the data presented here demonstrate that ornamental pear trees harbor novelP. syringaepv.syringaeisolates that potentially pose a risk to local fruit production, or vice versa—but also provide us with novel associated phages, effective in disease mitigation. 

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