Browse Articles

ICD-11 pilot in West China: feasibility evaluation and implications for future implementation

Anion-Exchange-Membrane-Free Electrolyzers via Interfacial Microenvironment Engineering for Stable Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide

Emerging Era for Polymyalgia Rheumatica and GCA — Interleukin-17A Targeting

Validation of a molecular workflow for Cochliomyia hominivorax (New World screwworm) identification in field samples

Abstract Infestations of Cochliomyia hominivorax , the New World Screwworm (NWS), has become a reemerging veterinary concern in the United States due to the recent northward expansion of fly detections as far as northern Mexico. Rapid, accurate and validated detection pipelines need to be developed in the case of an incursion into the United States. Confirmatory cases are evaluated by morphological identification with no paired test to verify identifications. With the frequency of submissions of non-ideal samples, particularly from fly traps, a molecular tool would be necessary for species identification. In this manuscript, we develop and assess a pipeline including three real-time PCR assays targeting the ribosomal RNA and five sets of Sanger primers targeting the mitochondrial genome that would be used as a paired tool with morphological identification. Two of the assessed real-time PCR assays are highly specific, sensitive and repeatable requiring < 1 copy per reaction for detection. Four of the five Sanger primer sets were assessed, optimized and results evaluated for potential use in preliminary geographic analysis of specimens. This workflow will expedite screening of samples, provide a method to verify results using different tools and help understand genetic variations within the mitochondria for NWS outbreaks.

Isolation and characterization of probiotic candidates with antimicrobial and barrier-protective properties

Curcumin-stabilized silver nanoparticles target the Helicobacter pylori-tumor interface in gastric cancer

The S1–insula Circuit Differentially Modulates Alcohol Drinking and Aversive Behavior in Mice

Sensory processing assigns salience to environmental and internal stimuli, shaping behavior through learned associations. In alcohol use disorder (AUD), sensory cue processing is dysregulated, driving problematic drinking patterns and hyperkatifeia in abstinence. While visual, olfactory, and taste cues are known to influence AUD progression, the neurocircuit mechanisms that regulate sensory information in addiction remain poorly understood. The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) encodes tactile, thermal, proprioceptive, and nociceptive inputs and projects to higher-order regions involved in motor and emotional processing. One such target is the insula, a hub for interoceptive integration and affective regulation. We previously identified that insula neurons receiving S1 projections in turn extend into the extended amygdala, implicating this projection in emotional processing. Here, we map S1–insula collateralizations in downstream motor and sensory processing regions, suggesting the unique role of this circuit in AUD-related behavior. Using chemogenetics, fiber photometry, and two complementary models of AUD—binge-like drinking and chronic drinking with forced abstinence—we demonstrate that the S1–insula circuit is selectively recruited during ethanol drinking and aversive behaviors in female mice. Chronic ethanol exposure disrupts this circuit’s engagement, suggesting a maladaptive shift in sensory-affective integration. Notably, S1–insula neurons show both immediate and delayed activity increases in response to an ethanol lick, indicating temporally distinct roles. These findings reveal a unique cortico-cortical mechanism by which somatosensory signaling modulates external cue reactivity and internal affective states in AUD. This work underscores the role of sensory networks in addiction and identifies a potential circuit-level target for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Blood glucose trajectory phenotypes are associated with in-hospital mortality in a multicenter ICU stroke cohort

Rational Design of Semiconductor Materials for Photocatalytic Conversion of Methane into Value‐Added Chemicals

ABSTRACT Photocatalytic methane conversion offers a promising, low‐temperature pathway for upgrading this abundant yet highly inert hydrocarbon into value‐added chemicals, circumventing the energy‐intensive nature of conventional thermocatalytic processes. However, achieving high conversion efficiency and precise product selectivity remains a fundamental challenge. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the rational design of semiconductor photocatalysts for methane valorization. We first outline the fundamentals of light‐driven CH 4 activation and standardized protocols for performance evaluation. We then highlight advancements in material engineering, encompassing metal oxides, carbon nitride, and emerging organic frameworks, with a focus on establishing fundamental structure–activity relationships. Particular emphasis is devoted to structural and interfacial engineering strategies, including cocatalyst integration, morphological control, defect engineering, facet regulation, heterojunction construction, and elemental doping, which cooperatively modulate electronic structures and charge dynamics to enhance catalytic performance. Furthermore, we examine the critical interplay between catalyst architecture and the reaction microenvironment in steering the targeted product selectivity toward specific C 1 oxygenates (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) and C 2 products (ethanol, acetic acid, ethane, and ethylene). Finally, we discuss current bottlenecks and future opportunities, providing a strategic framework to guide the atomic‐level design and practical optimization of next‐generation photocatalytic methane utilization systems.

Multimodal modeling framework and characteristic analysis of a new air-source heat pump heating system

Ab Initio Polariton Spectra of ZnTPP Molecules Collectively Coupled Inside an Optical Cavity

Direct Synthesis of Pure Aqueous H ₂ O ₂ Solutions Catalyzed by C ₆₀ -Buffered Proton–Electron Transfer on Palladium Adatoms

Hypertension prevalence and control in selected townships of Lingcheng District, Dezhou City, China: a cross-sectional study

Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials: A Perspective From Lung-MAP Investigators

Chiral Covalent Organic Framework for Highly Efficient Spin Polarization

Molecular mechanism of LRRC15 protein regulating Treg/Th17 cell imbalance through the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway in Taenia solium cysticercus infection

Controlling Spatio-Temporal Sequences of Neural Activity by Local Synaptic Changes

The neural basis of behavior is believed to consist of sequential patterns of neural activity in the relevant brain regions. Behavioral flexibility also requires neural circuit mechanisms that support dynamic control of sequential activity. However, mechanisms to control and reconfigure sequential activity have received little attention. Here, we show that recurrently connected networks with heterogeneous connectivity and a smooth spatial in-degree landscape (which may arise due to asymmetric neuron morphologies) provide a robust mechanism to evoke and control sequential activity. By modulating the synaptic strength of only a few neurons in local neighborhoods, we uncovered high-impact locations that can start, stop, extend, gate, and redirect sequences. Interestingly, high-impact locations coincide with mid in-degree regions. We demonstrate that these motifs can flexibly reconfigure sequential activity, and hence, provide a framework for fast and flexible computations on behavioral timescales, while the individual parts of the pathways remain rigid and reliable.

A multi-layer airport security framework using YOLO-based X-ray detection, video anomaly analysis, IoT sensor monitoring and blockchain logging

A MITRE D3FEND guided blockchain based cyber resilient framework for IPv6 based 6G enabled healthcare networks

Nuclear Factor-Y Controls Neurite Extension by Balancing BMP Signaling

Neuronal circuit formation is controlled by secreted guidance molecules and their receptors. However, the transcriptional mechanisms underlying neuronal circuit formation are not fully understood. In an unbiased genetic screen, we identified the Nuclear Factor-Y transcription factor (NF-Y) as a key regulator of neuron fate and axon guidance. NF-Y is a highly conserved and ubiquitous complex, composed of three subunits: NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC. The NF-YA subunit directly binds to regulatory regions of target genes to control their expression. Here, we show that NFYA-1 controls neurite development of multiple neuronal subtypes in Caenorhabditis elegans . Using the serotonergic neurosecretory-motor neurons (NSM) neurons as a model, we discovered that NFYA-1 acts cell-autonomously to limit NSM dorsal neurite length. Further, NSM neurite overextension caused by NFYA-1 loss is suppressed by overactivating DBL-1/BMP (Bone Morphogenetic Protein) signaling. A previous study found that in Drosophila melanogaster , NF-YC regulates axon targeting of photoreceptor neurons. Thus, NF-Y likely plays a broad role in shaping neuronal circuitry across species, albeit through distinct mechanisms.