Browse Articles

PAM1 regulates meiosis by coupling RNA processing to the chromosome axis

Meiosis is a fundamental process responsible for sexual reproduction and generating genetic diversity in the progeny. Its successful completion requires fine-tuning of expression programs of many genes: promoting expression of genes involved in meiotic processes and suppressing genes whose expression may interfere with meiosis. Molecular mechanisms involved in meiotic transcriptome regulation and controlling meiosis progression vary between plants, animals, and fungi and remain elusive. We found that the Plural abnormalities of meiosis1 ( Pam1 ) gene in maize controls meiosis progression by tethering transcriptome processing to the meiosis-specific chromosome axis. Pam1 encodes an RNA binding protein that becomes associated with chromosomes during early meiotic prophase I, binds transcripts of a large number of meiosis-related genes, and affects their splicing by interacting with the CCR4-NOT RNA processing protein complex. Disrupting Pam1 function results in a wide array of severe meiosis defects affecting chromosome condensation and dynamics, nuclear envelope and cytoskeleton organization, as well as the overall meiosis progression. Pam1 controls only a subset of meiotic genes and processes, indicating that several programs directing transcriptome architecture collectively regulate meiosis. RNA-binding proteins have been found to control meiosis progression in fungi and animals, and it is now shown to be also the case in plants. Interestingly, these proteins all exhibit distinct modes of action and evolutionary origins, presenting a remarkable case of convergent evolution. Uncovering mechanisms controlling meiosis progression should enable engineering meiosis to benefit crop improvement efforts.

Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of sleep quality between internet addiction and college students’ academic burnout

Speed and quality of complex strategic decisions

Many strategic decisions involve both substantial complexity and time pressure, but the association between decision speed and decision quality of cognitively demanding strategic decisions is not well understood. This paper presents evidence on this question using a setting with exceptionally detailed and precise information about decision times and decision quality—it analyses move-by-move data from in-person professional chess tournaments. Decision quality is measured by comparing actual moves to a computational benchmark of best moves constructed using the artificial intelligence of a chess engine. The results show that faster decisions are associated with higher decision quality, even after accounting for computational complexity, distinctiveness between alternatives, and time pressure. Greater computational complexity and lower distinctiveness between move alternatives are associated with longer decision times, whereas greater time pressure is associated with shorter decision times. All three factors are associated with lower decision quality. We discuss the findings against the predictions of different decision models in which individuals sequentially acquire information about alternatives with uncertain valuations, extending theories originally developed in the context of nonstrategic decisions to a strategic environment.

Non-enzymatic dual-mode plasmonic framework for robust bioanalyte detection

Abstract Quantitation of biological analytes at point-of-care remains challenging, particularly in complex media with competing species. Uric acid (UA), a clinically significant bioanalyte, is especially difficult to measure due to interference and the limited stability of conventional sensors. This work presents a non-enzymatic dual-mode plasmonic sensing strategy that integrates propagating surface plasmons with localized nanoparticle-driven resonances to enhance interaction strength and improve optical signal definition. The sensing interface features a multilayer nanostructure of gold film, APTES-modified gold nanoparticles, and reduced graphene oxide, providing reinforced light–matter interaction and selective surface affinity. The sensor achieves a high sensitivity of 0.2258°/(mg/dL), a low detection limit of 0.0446 mg/dL, and a high binding affinity of 1451.85 (mg/dL)⁻¹ across UA concentrations of 1–12 mg/dL. Selectivity studies show a pronounced resonance shift of 1.6645°, with interference suppressed to ~ 10% even in mixed solutions. Long-term performance assessments reveal less than 0.3% drift after 30 days, 97.2% sensitivity retention following 10 regeneration cycles, and stability above 90% maintained over 90 days at temperatures exceeding 25 °C. These results demonstrate a robust, regenerable, and interference-resistant platform suitable for real-time UA monitoring and adaptable to other clinically relevant bioanalytes.

A hemispheric decoding principle for vestibular heading perception in the posterior sylvian area

Identifying functional links between neural activity and behavioral perception is a fundamental neuroscience issue for inferring causality and means of information-decoding. Using perturbation methods, numerous studies have provided direct evidence showing that sensory information in many systems (e.g., vision) is causally read out for subjects’ perceptual choice with respect to the manipulated neurons’ preferred feature (labeled-line code). Here we report an alternative decoding principle in the visual posterior sylvian area (VPS). Specifically, VPS neurons in each hemisphere encode heading information symmetrically in terms of leftward vs. rightward preference in the earth-horizontal plane based on inertial or visual motion cues. In a heading discrimination task, correlation between neural activity and perceptual choice on a trial-by-trial basis (choice probability) was also significantly dependent on the neurons’ tuning functions. However, electrical microstimulation in VPS significantly biased macaques’ heading judgments toward the ipsilateral hemisphere, irrespective of the artificially-stimulated neurons’ encoded heading preference. This effect was observed exclusively in the vestibular but not visual condition, and in VPS but not neighboring areas. The microstimulation induced perceptual bias could be complemented by chemical inactivation manipulations. A noninvasive galvanic vestibular stimulation applied at the peripheral inner ear organs produced similar bias in the subjects’ behavioral performance, as well as activation in the central VPS. Our findings reveal a hemispheric-readout algorithm that predominates over the labeled-line code in the central vestibular system, which may constrain the way of information integration across sensory modalities.

Knowledge-prior memory discrimination based generative adversarial network for industrial anomaly detection and localization

Evolution of noisy learning in games

People make strategic decisions many times a day—during negotiations, when coordinating actions with others, or when choosing partners for cooperation. The resulting dynamics can be studied with learning theory and evolutionary game theory. These frameworks explore how people adapt their decisions over time, in light of how effective their strategies have been. The outcomes of such learning processes depend on how sensitive individuals are to the performance of their strategies. When they are more sensitive, they systematically favor strategies they deem more successful. When they are less sensitive, their learning process is noisier and more erratic. Traditionally, most models treat this sensitivity as a fixed parameter—like the “selection strength” parameter in evolutionary models. Instead, we study how strategies and sensitivities coevolve. We find that the coevolutionary endpoints depend on both the type of strategic interaction and the learning rule employed. In prisoner’s dilemmas, we often observe sensitivities to increase indefinitely. But in snowdrift and stag-hunt games, sensitivities often converge to a finite value, or we observe evolutionary branching altogether. These results shed light on how evolution might shape learning mechanisms for social behavior. They suggest that noisy learning does not need to be a by-product of cognitive constraints. Instead, it can serve as a means to gain strategic advantages.

The therapeutic potential of antibody-drug conjugates in advanced colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Spatiotemporal control of PIWI compartmentalization by mitochondrial scaffolds defines pachytene piRNA pathway organization

Pachytene piRNAs are the least understood class of piRNAs in the mammalian male germ line. During meiosis, their biogenesis occurs near the mitochondrial outer membrane in germ granules known as intermitochondrial cement (IMC). However, how mitochondrial factors regulate the trafficking of PIWI proteins into and out of the IMC remain poorly understood. Here we show that the cytoplasmic PIWI proteins MILI and MIWI are recruited for pachytene piRNA biogenesis via distinct mitochondrial membrane proteins. Loss of the mitochondrial scaffold protein ASZ1 during meiosis in mice disrupts multiple downstream biogenesis steps, resulting in misregulation of MILI, MIWI, and MOV10L1, failure of IMC formation, and an almost complete loss of mature pachytene piRNAs. Strikingly, despite the drastic depletion of pachytene piRNAs, LINE1 transposon silencing remains unaffected. We identify three classes of pachytene piRNA pathway components that coordinate piRNA production and compartmentalization. Our findings reveal that chromatoid body precursors serve as a central hub for the accumulation of pachytene PIWI–piRNA complexes, thus establishing a connection between IMC-based biogenesis and downstream piRNA function.

Implications and influences of laser polarization states on alpha particle lengths in CR-39 detector

Fungal proliferation before and after the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction event in North America

Palynological evidence of postcatastrophe fungal proliferation after global calamities has been found for the Permian–Triassic and Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) extinction events. However, unlike the globally documented post-Permian fungal bloom, evidence of a post-Cretaceous event has previously been limited to a single site in New Zealand. Our analysis of a K/Pg boundary section from the Denver Basin in Colorado revealed a fungal proliferative spike occurring immediately after the Chicxulub meteorite impact. The discovery of a postimpact fungal bloom in North America corroborates the New Zealand finding and supports the interpretation that this was a global phenomenon. We also identified a prolonged interval of elevated fungal abundance in the Late Cretaceous, dating to approximately 30,000 to 10,000 y before the impact, temporally correlated to a period of climatic cooling at the site and intriguingly coincident with the high-volume Poladpur phase of the Deccan Traps volcanic eruptions. Taken together with reports of fungal expansion following prior global calamities, these findings indicate that fungi can often flourish in the aftermath of ecosystem-level collapse. Given the capacity of fungi to cause disease in both plants and animals, the occurrence of fungal proliferative events has potential implications for the recovery of species surviving global cataclysms.

Intelligent audit decision support for enterprise related-party transactions based on knowledge graph and graph neural network

Binocular vision emerges from the coordinated development of orbit convergence, eye orientation, and high-acuity retinal specializations

Binocular vision requires both eyes to be aligned such that their visual fields overlap. A long-standing premise derived from comparative studies is that the orientation of the orbits determines eye position, and thereby the extension of this overlap, the binocular field. In addition, to produce an accurate neural representation, the binocular field must integrate with the position of retinal high-acuity areas and with the extent of uncrossed retinal projections. It remains unknown, however, whether the binocular field is already formed at the time of eye-opening, as well as when and how it integrates with neuroanatomical visual traits during development. Using the diurnal rodent Octodon degus , a suitable animal model for visual neuroscience, we combined CT-based 3D cranial reconstructions, quantitative measurements of visual-field geometry, whole-mount retinal topography, neural tracing of retinal projections, and behavioral assays to reconstruct the postnatal assembly of the binocular visual system. We show that orbital and ocular orientations shift substantially after birth, broadening the dorsal binocular field; that retinal ganglion cell distributions sharpen into a horizontal visual streak and a defined area centralis ; and that ipsilateral projections to the superior colliculus mature in parallel to binocular expansion. These changes coincide with the emergence of binocular-dependent behaviors such as depth discrimination and looming-evoked escape responses. Together, our findings demonstrate that binocular vision emerges through the coordinated alignment of multiple developmental processes across levels of organization.

Spatial overlap of palm trees and triatomine distribution areas in Brazil

Field data challenge predictions of universal crop pest proliferation under warming

Models generated from laboratory-based thermal performance experiments predict that arthropod crop pest densities will escalate under rising temperatures. Conversely, natural enemies are predicted to decline under warming, exacerbating pest outbreaks. We tested these predictions using 141,562 field-year observations of 43 arthropod populations across spatial and temporal temperature gradients. Pests exhibited remarkable heterogeneity of responses to elevated temperatures, with some populations increasing and others decreasing. Natural enemies also showed variable responses to elevated temperatures, with partial support emerging for the hypothesis that natural enemies are more vulnerable to warming than pests. Laboratory-measured thermal performance and life-history traits failed to explain the variability of responses across taxa. Our findings challenge predictions of universal pest proliferation, highlighting the urgent need for species-specific monitoring approaches in agricultural climate adaptation.

Characterization and evaluation of the efficacy of phage E21 therapy in a wound animal model of biofilm-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection

Abstract Skin infections caused by strong biofilm Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) are considered a serious public health issue because of the increased resistance toward the currently available antibiotics. Consequently, innovative therapeutic strategies have emerged to address these challenging infections. Among them, phage therapy stands out, in which highly potent lytic bacteriophages (phages) are specifically selected to target and eradicate the responsible pathogens. In this study, Pseudomonas phage E21 was recovered from sewage, and it genetically belongs to the Lavrentievirus genus, Casjensviridae family. The genetic characterization of the isolated phage reveals the presence of highly potent lytic enzymes, which play a critical role in effectively suppressing the growth of the targeted pathogens. The phage has high stability patterns over a wide range of temperatures and pH values (65 ℃ and 3–11). Carboxymethylcellulose was used to formulate a hydrogel for the evaluation of the bacteriophage’s efficacy against biofilm-associated wound infection in a suitable animal model. The result of the preclinical study confirmed the efficacy of isolated phage in the therapy of biofilm-associated wound infection.

Empirical validation of race-neutral normative brain morphometry models across ethnoracially diverse populations

Normative models of brain morphometry quantify individual deviations from typical anatomical patterns and hold promise for enhancing clinical decision-making. However, their clinical utility depends critically on demonstrating generalizability across diverse ethnoracial populations. We previously developed sex-specific, race-neutral normative models for cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volumes using brain scans from a large international sample of healthy individuals, as part of the CentileBrain Project, a global initiative to provide open-access, neuroimaging reference models. The primary aim of the present study was to empirically evaluate the generalizability and accuracy of these pretrained models across multiple ethnoracial groups. To this end, we tested model performance in independent samples of healthy individuals from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with ethnoracial classification defined either by self-identification or genetic ancestry (N = 4,862). We further compared performance against normative models developed exclusively from a single-population Chinese cohort. Across all groups, as well as in the pooled sample, the pretrained CentileBrain models demonstrated consistently high accuracy, with relative mean absolute error values below 10% for subcortical volume and surface area and below 5% for cortical thickness. Model performance was highly concordant across self-identified and ancestry-defined groups. In a separate analysis, the CentileBrain models performed comparably to a population-specific model when applied to an independent ancestry-matched sample. These findings provide empirical support for the generalizability of race-neutral normative models developed on large and diverse samples and underscore their potential utility for individualized neuroimaging assessment across ethnoracially diverse populations.

Bio-generated CoO-NPs from Salvia officinalis: a promising tool against ESBL-producing bacteria

Abstract Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria pose significant therapeutic challenges, necessitating the development of alternative antimicrobial agents such as metal nanoparticles. Among 58 bacterial isolates from clinical samples at the National Cancer Institute (Cairo, Egypt), eight ESBL-producing strains were identified (six E. coli and two K. pneumoniae ) using phenotypic screening and VITEK 2 system, representing preliminary laboratory findings. GC-MS analysis of Salvia officinalis aqueous extract revealed 16 compounds, with rosmarinic acid (20.41%) as the major constituent. The successful green synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CoO-NPs) using S. officinalis was confirmed through UV-visible spectroscopy showing a characteristic peak at 520 nm, HRTEM revealing particle sizes of 10–50 nm, and XRD patterns matching the CoO phase. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metal-oxygen bonds and surface functionalization. CoO-NPs demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against ESBL-producing isolates with inhibition zones ranging from 24 to 26 mm and MIC values of 0.312–0.625 mg/ml while enhancing the efficacy of several antibiotics, particularly rifampicin, meropenem, and gentamicin. Antioxidant assays revealed free radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 513.7 µg/mL and 208 µg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonate (6)]), respectively. Cytotoxicity studies against normal cell lines showed dose-dependent effects with IC50 values of 303.526 µg/mL for VERO cells and 253.19 µg/mL for OEC cells, with significant morphological changes observed at 500 µg/mL. These preliminary laboratory findings suggest that S. officinalis -mediated CoO-NPs represent a promising therapeutic agent against ESBL-producing bacteria, offering a balance between antimicrobial efficacy and biological safety.

Lineage-specific evolution of regulatory landscapes in a polyploid plant and its diploid progenitors

Cis -regulatory elements are specific DNA sequences that control gene expression in a spatiotemporal manner, and variation within these elements represents a major source of phenotypic diversity and evolutionary innovation. Nevertheless, how regulatory elements evolve and shape gene expression remains poorly understood, particularly in plants. The well-resolved phylogeny of allopolyploid peanut ( Arachis hypogaea ) and its diploid progenitors, Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaensis , provides an ideal system to investigate the regulatory evolution at a lineage-specific level. By integrating comparative analyses of sequence similarity, chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs), and gene expression, we reconstructed the evolutionary trajectories of Accessible Chromatin Regions (ACRs), where regulatory elements typically reside, and revealed their distinct contributions to homoeolog expression bias, unequal expressions between homoeologs. Most ACRs exhibited high sequence similarity, comparable chromatin accessibility, and conserved states for H3K4me3, H3K56ac, and H3K36me3, indicating regulatory stability after hybridization and polyploidization. However, a subset of novel ACRs emerged de novo from previously nonregulatory regions or through sequence mutations in preexisting ACRs, arising at different rates and evolutionary stages. Notably, even highly sequence-conserved ACRs exhibited substantial variation in chromatin accessibility, consistent with CNS composition differences and minor sequence variation, although causal relationships remain to be demonstrated. Our analyses further revealed a complex spectrum of CNS dynamics within the diploid-polyploid framework. Overall, our study provides empirical insights into the fine-scale evolution of plant regulatory landscapes and complements previous large-scale comparisons across distant lineages.

Preparation and characterization of antibacterial fibrous membranes composites based on green synthesized nanoparticles loaded on electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibrous membranes

Abstract The functionalization of electrospun nanofibers with a wide range of materials allows them to be used for a variety of applications. In this work, Ag NPs, ZnO NPs and CuO NPs were synthesized through green methods and characterized then incorporated separately in PAN nanofibers using electrospinning technique to fabricate antibacterial membranes with high-dispersed green synthesized nanoparticles. The nanofibers composites PAN/AgNPs, PAN/ZnO NPs and PAN/CuONPs and plain PAN were characterized using SEM, FTIR, EDX, furthermore, antibacterial properties and mechanical properties were also analyzed. The nanofiber composites were used for filtration of contaminated drinking water. The results indicated that the surface morphology of PAN loaded with NPs became uneven, rough and irregular compared with plain PAN. The mechanical properties of PAN can be effectively enhanced with the addition of NPs. The cumulative amounts of the released NPs and the bactericidal activities of the nanofiber composites against Gram negative Escherichia coli was evaluated. All samples exhibited antibacterial properties; however, the sample with Ag NPs exhibited better antibacterial activity. By considering the excellent results of nanofibrous composites, they can therefore be recommended for water disinfection applications.