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Abstract Correct mitotic spindle size is required for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division. It is controlled by mechanical forces generated by molecular motors and non-motor proteins acting on spindle microtubules. However, how forces generated by individual proteins enable bipolar spindle organization is not well understood. Here, we develop tools to measure contributions of individual molecules to this force balance. We show that microtubule plus-end binding proteins act at microtubule tips synergistically with minus-end directed motors to produce a system that can generate both pushing and pulling forces. To generate pushing force, the system harnesses forces generated by the growing tips of microtubules providing unique contribution to the force balance distinct from all other motors that act in the mitotic spindle. Our results reveal that microtubules are essential force generators for establishing spindle size and pave the way for understanding how mechanical forces can be fine-tuned to control the fidelity of chromosome segregation.

This study explored adult learners' experiences of participating in a second-chance education pilot program in The Gambia. The study examined learners' motivation for enrolling in the program, barriers they faced, and their benefits from attending the program. The participants consist of 13 learners from a second chance education centre in the Lower River Region of The Gambia. Six of the participants were male, and seven were female within 19 to 31 years. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The study revealed that the primary motivations for participants enrolling in the program are to complete education and undertake further education, be employable, and acquire knowledge and skills. The study also indicated that learners faced barriers that hindered their full participation in the program. These barriers are institutional and situational. The institutional barriers include uncomfortable teaching and learning environment; inadequate teaching and learning materials. The situational barriers include domestic chores, personal engagement, access to food, lateness, transportation, and distance from the learning centre. Finally, the study showed that the participants benefit from the program in improved knowledge and skills, building confidence and connecting socially, taking care of personal issues, and helping others. In other words, the program empowered and transformed learners from improving themselves to helping others.

New media literacy is an expected competency for university students. However, few literacy scales can evaluate students' fake news reporting and checking abilities. In the past, the new media literacy framework only included Critical Consuming, Critical Prosumption, Functional Prosumption, and Functional Consuming. Therefore, this study proposes a self-assessable new online media and reporting literacy scale (NOMRL) based on the previous new media literacy framework. The NOMRL scale was developed in four phases. A literature review generated a pool of items in the first phase. Phase 2 was conducted through an expert review to confirm the validity of the content. Phase 3 was the purification of the scale in Study 1, where 243 university students participated in this survey phase. Finally, we analyzed 365 university students' responses in Study 2 and derived a factor structure using EFA while conducting a reliability assessment with CFA to test the theoretical structure. This study resulted in a 22-item scale, including two new constructs: Behavioral Consumption and Behavioral Prosumption. The scale can help college students self-assess their level of reporting-related literacy in social media. In addition to discussing the educational implications, this paper provides insights and suggestions for future research.

Abstract Spatial organization of DNA is facilitated by cohesin protein complexes that move on DNA and extrude DNA loops. How cohesin works mechanistically as a molecular machine is poorly understood. Here, we measure mechanical forces generated by conformational changes in single cohesin molecules. We show that bending of SMC coiled coils is driven by random thermal fluctuations leading to a ~32 nm head-hinge displacement that resists forces up to 1 pN; ATPase head engagement occurs in a single step of ~10 nm and is driven by an ATP dependent head-head movement, resisting forces up to 15 pN. Our molecular dynamic simulations show that the energy of head engagement can be stored in a mechanically strained conformation of NIPBL and released during disengagement. These findings reveal how single cohesin molecules generate force by two distinct mechanisms. We present a model, which proposes how this ability may power different aspects of cohesin-DNA interaction.

Delineation of physical factors that contribute to earthquake triggering is a challenging issue in seismology. We analyze hydrological modulation of seismicity in Taiwan using groundwater level data and GNSS time series. In western Taiwan, the seismicity rate reaches peak levels in February to April and drops to its lowest values in July to September, exhibiting a direct correlation with annual water unloading. The elastic hydrological load cycle may be the primary driving mechanism for the observed synchronized modulation of earthquakes, as also evidenced by deep earthquakes in eastern Taiwan. However, shallow earthquakes in eastern Taiwan (

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the impact of the deposition temperature on the HfxZr1−xO2 (HZO) ferroelectric layer of ferroelectric random access memory with TaN electrodes. This investigation mainly focuses on its electrical characteristics and compares the differences. It is revealed that the deposition temperature plays a crucial role in determining the crystal structure of HZO, which can exhibit a combination of tetragonal and orthorhombic phases or exist solely in one of the two phases. Furthermore, the grain size of HZO varies with the deposition temperature. These findings correspond well to the electrical measurement results, including leakage current, polarization, capacitance, and reliability tests. The study tracks the phase transition process during the operation of switching cycles when the phase transition process can be monitored as well. To better understand the observed differences, physical models that shed light on the underlying mechanisms affected by deposition temperature are proposed at the end of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research productivity has been a critical issue in terms of academic development in higher education. In this study, we adopt a life-course perspective to examine the personal factors, mostly age-related, affecting research productivity in a Taiwanese research-oriented university. Covering a time series of 20 years, our dataset includes individual research performance of faculty and other relevant covariates over their life course. The growth curve model designed for multilevel modeling of repeated measures is applied to capture the age effect. Our analysis contributes to the thread of this literature in several dimensions. First, the faculty's early academic achievement is positively associated with their later performance providing support for the cumulative advantage theory. Unlike the prediction of the utility maximizing theory, faculty with an administrative position leads to higher productivity. Finally, reinforcement still plays a critical role in regulating the productivity for non-early promising faculty.

In the quest for lightweight high‐performance metallic materials in transportation, the limitations of high‐strength Al‐based alloys in high‐temperature (HT) applications have posed a significant challenge. To overcome this long‐standing bottleneck, an innovative design strategy, combining entropy‐driven compositional design and rapid solidification processing, to develop "Al‐based superalloys" with a γ/γ′ duplex microstructure reminiscent of Ni‐based superalloys is presented. By incorporating multirefractory elements (Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, and Ta) into the alloy design, a high‐volume fraction of thermally stable coherent γ′ phase for strengthening the Al‐rich face‐centered cubic matrix from room temperature (RT) to temperatures close to the melting point is achieved. The developed Al‐based superalloys exhibit exceptional specific yield strength and specific Young's modulus, surpassing aerospace aluminum, cobalt, nickel, and titanium alloys from RT to HT. Moreover, our ultra‐strong alloys demonstrate deformability and exhibit fine‐dimpled fracture behavior. The versatility of our fundamental research on Al‐based superalloys demonstrates their potential and can inspire further research in this field. This work opens new possibilities for the development of next‐generation lightweight alloys with novel microstructures and outstanding mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a constant comparative qualitative research method to explore formal and informal learning strategies teachers use to develop professionally and the impact these learning strategies have on their professional practices. Participants were selected through snowball sampling, consisting of 20 teachers from five high schools in Taiwan. Three were male, and 17 were female, with an average age of 43. The study found that participants' formal learning strategies include attending workshops and conferences and doing professional courses in colleges or online. Their informal learning strategies include discussions and sharing ideas with colleagues, using the internet to learn and search for information, reading reference materials, and reflecting on teachings and students' feedback. The impact of the learning on participants' professional practices includes improved subject content and professional knowledge, teaching and learning skills, classroom and time man agement skills, teaching and learning aid production skills, and collaboration and information-searching attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change are profound and widespread. Investigating the impact of strategic climate change communication is crucial for informing effective communication strategies and ultimately driving meaningful action toward addressing climate change. This research aims to develop effective climate change communication on Facebook with the objective of fostering sustainable behavior. It seeks to accomplish this by evaluating the influence of strategic climate change frames on sustainable behavior intentions and examining the moderating effect of greenwash awareness. We conducted two experimental studies: A 10 (frames) x 2 (greenwash awareness: high vs. low) between‐subject experiment with 710 responses and a 25 (frames) x 2 (greenwash awareness: high vs. low) between‐subject experiment with 1586 responses. Results indicate that communication framed in natural well‐being, sustainable expertise, and environmental frames encouraged sustainable behavior more than other frames. Multiple frames are more persuasive than single frames in increasing the intention of sustainable action. Greenwash awareness exerts moderating impacts on the framing effects. The current research is the first exploration to shed light on framing strategies of climate change communications by taking non‐climate frames and greenwash awareness into consideration. We offer actionable insights into how enterprises can strategically use frames to improve performance and accountability in sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]