Browse Articles

Low-power design and implementation of an enhanced I2C bus controller using open lane: from RTL to GDSII

Synthetic materials trained tactile sensing enables quantitative perception of Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio

Production and characterization of gigastasin, a leech-derived inhibitor of complement and coagulation pathways

Xyloglucan xylosyltransferase stem region mediates heterodimer formation

Physics-based design and simulation of hollow-core anti-resonant fiber plasmonic sensors

Flexibility-aware framework for efficient planner-initiated siting of data center

Biochar as an integrated management tool against Phytophthora cinnamomi, a key driver of Quercus suber decline

Achieving robust cholesteric liquid crystal polymer networks with high luminescence dissymmetry factor

A physical-numerical approach to predicting tension-induced rock mass collapse using reciprocal tilt rate

Latent neural architecture organising shared aesthetic evaluations of visual artworks

A longitudinal analysis of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and metabolic energy interactions pre- and post-menarche within and among Mayan Indigenous adolescent girls

Migration of the intertropical convergence zone driven by ocean circulation changes

Abstract The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is essential to global precipitation patterns and has major socioeconomic and environmental impacts. Yet its future position remains uncertain. Here, using reanalysis data, Earth system model simulations, and targeted sensitivity experiments, we assess risks of the ITCZ crossing any thresholds and find only about one-third of CMIP6 models with a more northern ITCZ mean position-closer to the observed climatological state-simulate a southward ITCZ shift consistent with recent observations. This shift requires a substantial weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), while the warmer base state alone is insufficient to push it farther north. Furthermore, a collapsed AMOC pushes the ITCZ into the Southern Hemisphere without a warmer base state, and toward the equator when combined with a warmer base state—both cases leading to significant changes in global rainfall patterns. These findings imply that the observed southward ITCZ migration over recent decades is consistent with a weakened AMOC, within the context of coupled atmosphere-ocean interactions.

Ni-interlayer-induced modulation of electrical and dielectric properties in ZnO/Ni/ZnO thin films fabricated using hybrid deposition techniques

OC43 clinical isolate spike proteins have distinct carbohydrate-binding properties

Research on the failure mechanism and enhanced energy-absorbing capacity for a novel concave octagonal NPR honeycomb structure

Aberration-aware 3D localization microscopy via self-supervised neural-physics learning

Prospective association between circadian syndrome and incident chronic lung disease in the CHARLS and ELSA cohorts

Abstract Circadian syndrome (CircS) involves the integration of systemic circadian disruption with cardiometabolic risk factors, but its longitudinal effect on incident chronic lung disease (CLD) remains unknown. This prospective dual-cohort study analyzed data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, n  = 7,553) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA, n  = 4,957). CircS was defined by the clustering of at least 4 out of 7 circadian-metabolic components. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for incident CLD over a seven-year follow-up. In the discovery cohort (CHARLS), CircS was independently associated with an increased risk of incident CLD ( HR  = 1.16, 95% CI  = 1.01–1.33). This was robustly confirmed in the validation cohort (ELSA) with a stronger effect size ( HR  = 1.53, 95% CI  = 1.20–1.95). Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed that this risk was significantly amplified by alcohol consumption in the British population ( P  < 0.05), suggesting an interactive effect between circadian misalignment and lifestyle stressors. In conclusion, CircS serves as a robust, independent predictor of respiratory decline. Evaluating circadian integrity offers a reliable indicator of respiratory vulnerability, and holistic chronomedicine approaches targeting sleep hygiene and moderate alcohol consumption may help mitigate the global CLD burden.

Visualization of the complete preprimosome reveals the structural mechanisms governing DNA replication restart

Abstract Replication restart pathways reinitiate DNA replication processes following their premature termination. In Escherichia coli , this essential process begins with regulated assembly of the preprimosome complex, comprising the PriA, PriB, and DnaT proteins, onto an abandoned replication fork. Here, we present two distinct preprimosome structures. One represents an intermediate stage in preprimosome assembly with a single DnaT C-terminal domain (DnaT CTD ) bound to PriA/PriB/DNA. The second captures the mature preprimosome, in which filamentation of multiple DnaT CTD molecules catalyzes the handoff of the single-stranded lagging-strand DNA from PriB to DnaT. The DnaT N-terminal domain forms a separate, independent oligomer in the mature structure. Taken together, our results detail the molecular mechanisms underlying replication restart initiation and regulation and suggest mechanistic similarities between DnaT and the canonical initiator protein DnaA.

Deep learning strategies for estimating retinal thickness from fundus images: a comparative study with multi-device data

In situ formation of adaptive electronic skin in 2 seconds enabled by metal coordination

Abstract Epidermal electronics, which are flexible and conformable electronic systems designed to interact seamlessly with human skin, hold great promise for healthcare monitoring and personal electronics. However, traditional fabrication methods face challenges of reliance on non-sustainable materials, intricate and time-consuming processes, and material softness-induced fragile transfer to target substrates. Inspired by the “milk skin” phenomenon, we developed a rapid dipping-dipping molecular assembly method to fabricate cellulose-based bio-skin in situ within seconds, exhibiting ultra-thin, highly conformal, shape-customizable, degradable, and low-impedance performances. This technique immerses substrates sequentially into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and Cu(II) solutions, leveraging strong metal-coordination interactions. Membrane formation efficiency, influenced by the oxidation and coordination characteristics of metal ions, follows the order: Cu(II) > Fe(II) > Ca(II). CMC-Ag(I)/CMC-Cu(II) form stable membranes, whereas CMC-Fe(II) forms fragmented structures, and CMC-Mg(II)/CMC-Ca(II) remain in solution. This adaptable method can also be extended to other biomacromolecules like methylcellulose and carboxymethyl chitosan, broadening applications. The bio-skin enables real-time monitoring of electrocardiograms (ECG), electrooculograms (EOG), electroencephalograms (EEG), and electromyograms (EMG), showcasing its potential for wearable, biocompatible electronics in healthcare.