{We use resonant photoemission spectroscopy (resPES) to study the electronic properties of amorphous ZnO (a-ZnO) layers. We report on the core levels, the valence band (VB) PES data, and the X-ray absorption (XAS) data which we use for the conduction band (CB) density of states. From these results we are able to derive the partial density of states (pDOS) of O2p and Zn4s4p states in the VB and CB, respectively as well as a band scheme. At the O1s resonance we observe a band of localized defect states which is located between the Fermi energy and the CBM. At the Zn2p edge the XAS data indicate that localized Zn4s4p states are involved in the DOS starting already at the Fermi energy. (C) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim}

Uracil-DNA glycosylases (UDGs) are widely used to prevent carryover contamination in nucleic acid amplification–based diagnostics; however, existing thermolabile UDGs exhibit limited thermal inactivation windows for emerging applications. Here, we combine evolutionary mining, structural analysis, and structure-guided saturation mutagenesis to define non-catalytic determinants that tune UDG thermolability without compromising catalytic function. From 8482 bacterial UDG sequences, we assembled a 24-member diversity panel and identified UDG_7 as a naturally thermolabile scaffold coupling robust low-temperature activity with sharp inactivation near 45 °C. The crystal structure of UDG_7 reveals a canonical family-I α/β fold with a fully conserved active site, closely resembling both mesophilic human and Escherichia coli UDGs and thermolabile cod UDG. These structural insights guided the design of a single-site variant library targeting 48 non-catalytic positions involved in packing and electrostatic networks. Pooled thermal shift assays distinguished a rigid structural core from 16 surface thermolability hotspots. A high-throughput functional screening of 480 single mutants yielded 114 clones with a desirable “on–off–off” profile and, after sequence consolidation, identified 54 unique variants that retained activity at 25 °C but lost activity at 30 to 37.5 °C. Biochemical characterization revealed nine single substitutions, Q51I, T112Y, V144M, D167F, R201F, R201Y, D219M, R221P, and R221D, that markedly lower the melting temperature while preserving near-native activity. Together, these results indicate that UDG_7 thermolability is encoded by a distributed, surface-biased electrostatic network that can be selectively disrupted without perturbing the conserved catalytic core, shifting the functional inactivation boundary downward and supporting robust carryover control under low-temperature amplification constraints.

This publication was developed as a result of national case studies and independent desk research within the European project Metallica and serves as a comprehensive guide and analysis for stakeholders in the metal sector. This document aims to outline challenges posed by the twin transition – the digitalization process of work and sustainability of production process - while emphasizing the role of workers' participation in preventing and resolving disputes. A conclusion may be considered as the need for clear national strategies to guide the transformation of the metal sector. There is strong agreement that employer strategies must prioritize employee inclusion, with structured opportunities for participation in planning and implementation. The role of trade unions is evolving. Unions are seen not only as defenders of workers' rights but increasingly as strategic actors in shaping the transition. All countries identify skill development — both technical and soft — as foundational for a just transition. Finally, all cases acknowledged the inevitability of workplace reorganization and call for pre-emptive and structured consultation mechanisms, especially regarding AI, data governance, and occupational safety.

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National geoheritage inventories constitute fundamental tools for geoconservation, providing the scientific basis for the identification, assessment, management, and protection of geological heritage. In Portugal, two independent national inventories were developed during the last two decades by the University of Minho (UMinho) and by the Portuguese Geological Survey (LNEG), resulting in partially overlapping databases with different structures and territorial coverage. This paper presents the development of a unified National Inventory of Geological Heritage (NIGH), created through the merging, harmonisation, and expansion of these two previous initiatives. The methodology involved a comparative analysis of both inventories, the development of a relational database, the standardisation of data fields, GIS-based georeferencing, and the implementation of an online dissemination platform within the LNEG GeoPortal. The resulting inventory currently comprises approximately 400 geosites distributed across mainland Portugal and the two Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, organised into 26 geological frameworks representative of the country’s geodiversity and its geological evolution. The database stores detailed information on geological characteristics, scientific relevance, conservation status, vulnerability, and management requirements, while ensuring ongoing updating through the participation of experts coordinating the different geological frameworks. The NIGH represents the most comprehensive national geoheritage database developed in Portugal to date and provides an essential tool for geoconservation, spatial planning, environmental management, research, education, and geotourism. Remaining challenges include geosite delimitation, legal protection, institutional integration within conservation policies, and the long-term sustainability of the inventory. The NIGH establishes a robust foundation for the future development of proactive geoconservation strategies in Portugal.

Industrial robots are increasingly integrated into manufacturing workspaces, leading to significant changes in work design and altering workers’ framing of work and technology. Even without anthropomorphic design or autonomous features, employees may treat industrial robots as more than mere tools, attributing human-like qualities to them. Yet, prior research typically considers technology either as a tool or as an occasion for altering work relationships between humans, overlooking how relationships with technology itself are crafted. Drawing on 133 interviews across multiple organizations—including robot users, robot producers, and solution providers, we show that mind perceptions (attributions of agency and experience to industrial robots) catalyze relational job crafting with robots. We identify four co-evolving practices—crafting responsibilities, crafting hierarchies, crafting collaboration, and crafting emotional connection—that help workers regain control and regulate daily stress levels, thereby linking relational crafting to both performance and well-being outcomes. Our study extends relational job crafting theory by theorizing mind perceptions as the trigger of human-robot relationality and shifts attention from agentic/anthropomorphic design of technologies to workers’ perceptions of these technologies as core drivers of human-robot-interaction and technology adoption in organizations.