Browse Articles

Interactions among weather and landscape affect Colorado potato beetle population dynamics

Population dynamics are controlled by life history and moderated by the environment. These factors determine the timing and magnitude of population abundance and are used to predict crop pest populations. Forecasts of pest populations typically focus on heat accumulation during the growing season when the pests are active or emerging from the soil if they have a diapause period. Weather conditions before and during diapause can impact population dynamics as well but tend to be understudied. This study used 16 years of Colorado Potato Beetle ( Leptinotarsa decimlineata ) abundance data combined with landscape and daily weather data to understand the importance of seasonal weather and landscape on predicting population abundance. Boosted-tree multiclass models predicted abundance at each life stage and across all models. Cumulative degree days, a measure of developmental time, were overwhelmingly important. To understand how the top non-temporal variables could interact with time, we used general additive mixed models to examine interactions between time and the top six ranked variables for each life stage, then generated predicted abundances across the growing season for the 10 th , 50 th , and 90 th percentiles of each variable, keeping all other variables constant. This revealed that while Colorado Potato Beetle abundance was most strongly affected by heat accumulation, other weather factors like precipitation and air saturation, as well as soil temperature during diapause, can also influence abundance trends. The only landscape variable consistently ranked in the top six was potato acreage.

Correction: Enabling transparent research evaluation: A method for historical RCR retrieval using public NIH metadata

More Than a Buffer in Biochemistry: Tris as an Architect and Gatekeeper of Metal–Oxo Assembly

ABSTRACT Polyoxometalates (POMs, molecular metal–oxo clusters) are typically studied and applied in aqueous media, where routine buffers determine which clusters form, persist, or react. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) is a ubiquitous buffer near physiological pH and has produced outcomes that pH control alone could not explain, prompting a simple question with large consequences: What does Tris actually do to POMs? Quantification across several POM families shows that this loose buffering correlates with longer lifetimes of intact anions, the formation of Tris‐specific adducts, and tunable stability through ionic‐strength adjustment. We describe three molecular roles of Tris. First, Tris acts as an alkoxy donor that embeds μ‐O─CH 2 units within POM scaffolds. Second, Tris functions as a chelator that arrests early tungsten‐oxo condensation and stabilizes a minimal isopolytungstate. Third, Tris serves as a structure‐directing medium, since a chromium‐incorporated Keggin forms only in Tris buffer at pH 7.5 and displays single‐ion‐magnet behavior. We advocate a speciation‐first workflow that logs attained pH, reports buffer identity, concentration, and ionic strength, and verifies species by orthogonal spectroscopic, diffraction, and computational methods. The implication extends well beyond POM chemistry: in catalysis, electrochemistry, and biomaterials, buffers and amine additives can redirect speciation, alter redox access, and bias kinetics.

Anticoagulant residues associated with an attempted rodent eradication from a subtropical coral atoll

The use of rodenticides is a primary method for eradicating rodents from islands for conservation purposes. Rodenticide residue monitoring is often incorporated into rodent eradication project planning to understand the potential effects on nontarget species, but robust long-term sampling is often challenging due to logistical and financial constraints. We documented more than two years of rodenticide residues at fine-scale intervals with over 570 samples associated with a rodent eradication attempt. Brodifacoum-25D Conservation was applied in an attempt to eradicate house mice ( Mus musculus ) from Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. As a cooperating agency, USDA National Wildlife Research Center collected and tested environmental samples for brodifacoum residues, targeting compartments (invertebrates, vertebrates, water, soil, and plants) that may affect the health of humans and wildlife. Brodifacoum residues in invertebrates peaked immediately after bait application and persisted in low levels until becoming undetectable nine months after bait application. Brodifacoum residues decreased over time but persisted in some vertebrate species (geckos, fish, birds) throughout the one-year sampling period after bait applications. All soil and water environmental samples had either no detectable residues or were under method limit of quantitation. No detectable residues were found in drinking water systems or food plant samples. The adaptive environmental monitoring, which included rapid turnaround of analytical chemistry results, enabled real-time management decisions for nontarget species, mitigation approaches, and community action.

Hypoxia- and inflammation-driven preconditioning modulates angiogenic and metabolic pathways in canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

The immunomodulatory properties of exogenous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been the target of research in immune-mediated diseases and organ transplants. However, the altered microenvironment decrease MSCs capabilities and survival post-transplantation. This study investigated the viability, proliferation, gene expression and proteomic of canine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (cAT-MSCs) treated with deferroxyamine [DFO] (hypoxia), interferon-γ [IFN-γ] (inflammation) or both for 48h. At 24 hours, all groups exhibited fibroblastoid morphology and adhesion to plastic, with treated groups showing greater cell spacing. After 144h, cell proliferation did not differ significantly between groups, though the treated groups had higher cell concentrations compared to the control. Gene expression analysis revealed increased Casp9 expression in the IFN-γ group, in comparison to the IFN-γ + DFO group; the FGF2 gene was upregulated in the IFN-γ group, while the DKC1 and PT53 genes showed higher expression in IFN-γ than DFO. The VEGFA was more highly expressed in the groups treated with DFO. Proteomics analysis identified 256 proteins, with 70 co-expressed across all groups, and unique proteins in each treatment group: 41 in the control, 44 in DFO, 15 in IFN-γ + DFO group, and 34 for IFN-γ. Notably, 6, 5, and 4 proteins were unique to DFO, IFN-γ + DFO, and IFN-γ treatments, respectively, when compared to the control. Preconditioning modulated angiogenic and metabolic pathways, preserving immunomodulatory function and cellular integrity. Future studies with real hypoxia and multi-omics integration will be crucial for linking molecular signatures to paracrine functions and in vivo efficacy.

Refining fibroblast-to-cardiomyocyte transdifferentiation protocols to explore emergent self-organization in cardiac cultures

Fibrotic scars post-myocardial infarction disrupt cardiac conduction, causing arrhythmias. We developed a minimized 4-component cocktail (CHIR99021/BMP4/Activin A/IWP2) for efficient fibroblast-to-cardiomyocyte transdifferentiation. The use of the developed four-component protocol enables the generation of cells with electrical excitability and key cardiomyocyte markers, as evidenced by 56–83% of cells expressing α-actinin. This level of partial reprogramming of fibroblast cells into cardiac cells is sufficient to restore cardiac tissue conductivity, with an efficiency that exceeds the critical percolation threshold. Systemic delivery of components is safe, but requires further optimization, which will open up opportunities for localized delivery through smart substrates and combinations with cell therapy. Minimization of the transdifferentiation cocktail is not a compromise, but a strategic advantage that provides an optimal balance between functional efficiency and clinical applicability, including safety, delivery, and manufacturing.

Global trends and forecasts of cervical cancer and a real-world safety assessment of human papillomavirus vaccines in women: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study 2021 and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database

Background Cervical cancer (CCA) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Although human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is central to prevention, safety concerns may affect vaccine acceptance. We integrated global disease-burden trends with real-world post-marketing safety data to provide complementary public health evidence for CCA prevention. Methods Using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data, we assessed global prevalence, incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for women with CCA from 1990–2021, and applied age–period–cohort (APC) models to characterize temporal patterns. Bayesian APC models were used to project future incidence and death, with retrospective validation. For vaccine safety, adverse event (AE) reports following HPV vaccination in females (Cervarix, Gardasil, Gardasil 9; 2006–2025) were extracted from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). We performed disproportionality analyses using four algorithms to identify reporting signals, with designated medical event (DME) screening and subgroup analyses by age and vaccine type. Results Globally, the age-standardized incidence rate of CCA decreased from 18.1 to 15.3 cases per 100,000 women from 1990 to 2021, while new cases increased from 0.41 million to 0.67 million. The highest incidence and death rates were observed in sub-Saharan Africa and selected Pacific Island countries. Projections suggest continued declines in age-standardized incidence and death through 2050, although the absolute burden will likely remain substantial. In VAERS, 41,731 HPV vaccine-related reports were identified; most were non-serious (80.9%). Syncope (ROR = 5.81, 95%CI:5.64–5.99), loss of consciousness (ROR = 5.26, 95%CI: 5.06–5.47) and pallor (ROR = 6.39, 95%CI: 6.10–6.70) were the most frequently reported events, and six potential DME-related signals were detected. Conclusions Despite declining age-standardized rates, CCA continues to impose a substantial global burden with marked regional disparities. Sustained HPV vaccine prevention efforts should be supported by epidemiological evidence and transparent, evidence-based safety communication.

Medium-scale integrated circuits based on p-type 2D semiconducting MoTe2

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors hold promise for next-generation electronics, yet the lack of scalable p-type counterparts remains a major bottleneck, with prior studies largely limited to discrete devices or simple circuits. Here we report the realization of medium-scale integrated circuits (MSICs) based on wafer-scale p-type 2D semiconductors, enabled by the controlled synthesis of uniform 4-inch 2H-MoTe 2 films. A precursor-engineering strategy that integrates thickness-tunable Mo precursors with a sustained-release chalcogen supply enables deterministic thickness control and wafer-scale uniformity. The resulting p-type transistors exhibit highly reproducible characteristics, including on/off ratios of ~10 5 and mobilities of ~7 cm 2  V −1 s −1 under low operating voltages. Leveraging a device density exceeding 1300 cm −2 , we demonstrate a 140-transistor full adder, showing the potential of our approach towards the realization of future large-scale 2D complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits.

Clinical manifestations and cross-reactions between cockroaches and termites and identification of termites’ major allergens

The American cockroach ( Periplaneta Americana, CRa A) is a strong risk factor for allergic sensitization and asthma morbidity. Molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrated termites are social cockroaches specialized in feeding on plant materials. We hypothesized that termite allergies may be misdiagnosed as cockroach allergies due to cross-reactivity in routine clinical tests. Herein, we identified the allergenic cross-reaction between CRa A and termites and determined the clinical significance of termite allergies. Sixteen subjects with a history of exposure to termites, nine (56%) had a positive immediate skin reaction to Coptotermes formosanus or Coptotermes gestroi , but only two individuals were reactive to CRa A. Among the termite-allergic subjects, 8 had rhinitis and one had dermatitis, which manifested as itchy eczematous skin rashes. Immunoblotting revealed 7 allergenic components could bind specific IgE antibodies in 8 termite-allergic patients. The major allergens of 30/32-, 43-, and 70-kDa were Copt f 7, Copt f 9, and Copt f 3 by immunoblot inhibitions. Antibodies against Per a 3, Per a 4, and Per a 6 recognized bands in both extracts of cockroach and alate termites, indicating a more similar gene expression between alate termites and cockroaches compared to worker and soldier castes. Our study underscores the importance of recognizing termites as a novel indoor allergenic source and the necessity for further research to develop effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Asymmetric histone inheritance regulates olfactory stem cell fates during regeneration

Abstract The olfactory epithelium possesses an adult stem cell population, the horizontal basal cells (HBCs), to permit lifelong tissue regeneration. Here, we show that HBCs exhibit asymmetric inheritance of histone H4 but not H2A-H2B during olfactory epithelium regeneration in mice. Primary HBC cultures further revealed asymmetric histone inheritance for H3 and H3.3. Upon mitotic exit, asymmetric histone inheritance correlates with asynchronous transcription re-initiation and differential enrichment of p63, a key transcription factor for HBC cell fate. Disruption of asymmetric histone inheritance abolishes these asymmetric cellular features and attenuates olfactory epithelium regeneration and smell behavior recovery. Single-cell RNA sequencing of paired HBC daughters in culture further supports asymmetric multilineage cell fate priming. Together, these findings reveal asymmetric histone inheritance in a mammalian adult stem cell lineage and highlight its biological significance in neural tissue regeneration and animal behavior.

Correction: The impact of digital intelligence technologies on innovation performance: Evidence from specialized, refined, differential and innovative enterprises

Governing principles of hydration of mixed proton conducting Co-based double perovskites

Abstract Proton ceramic electrochemical cells PCECs hold promise for efficient, sustainable production and use of hydrogen. The positive electrodes are mixed proton conducting perovskites that facilitate water splitting and oxygen reduction, but the factors that determine the protonation are poorly understood. Here, we establish the governing principles of protonation through a study of hydration of 45 double perovskites with the general formula $${A}^{{{{\rm{I}}}}}{A}^{{{{\rm{II}}}}}{{{{\rm{Co}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{6-\delta }$$ A I A II Co 2 O 6 − δ , having Ba or Ba+Sr on A I and a mix of rare earths (Y and lanthanides Ln  = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, Tb, Lu) on A II . We show how hydration is coupled to the A-site basicity and disorder as well as population of electron holes in the Co-O bond (Co oxidation state), promoted by a closed or semi-closed Ln 4 f shell, i.e., Ln  = La, Gd, Lu.

Optimizing online teaching effectiveness in elementary education: Exploring multifaceted pathways based fsQCA analysis

The effectiveness of online teaching has emerged as a critical concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular emphasis on fostering a sustained interest in online instruction among educators. This study employs fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to investigate the complex causal relationships that underpin the online teaching efficacy of elementary school teachers. A comprehensive questionnaire was administered to 171 elementary school teachers, capturing their perspectives across six key dimensions: the acceptability of online teaching, teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), students’ autonomous learning, teacher-student interaction, course design and implementation, and technological support for teaching. The findings reveal a multiplicity of configurations that contribute to enhanced online teaching effectiveness, with teachers’ acceptance of online teaching and their TPACK being identified as central conditions, pivotal for the improvement of online teaching effectiveness.

Publisher's note: “Quantum cascade detectors based on dual-upper-state active regions with a broadband response” [Appl. Phys. Lett. <b>128</b> , 093308 (2026)]

Efficient Pt1Ni single-atom alloy catalyst for hydrogen-free catalytic fractionation of lignocellulose

Evaluating route preview as an alternative to turn-by-turn navigation in pedestrian mobility

Mobile navigation apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps predominantly use turn-by-turn (TBT) instructions for pedestrians, a paradigm originally designed for vehicular navigation. However, many users actively choose the simpler route preview (RP) mode, which displays only the mapped route without real-time guidance features. This research employs a three-study mixed-methods approach to investigate whether RP could serve as an effective alternative to TBT for pedestrian navigation. Study 1 surveyed user preferences (n = 222), revealing that 44% prefer RP despite its limited features, rising to 76% in familiar environments. Study 2 compared actual navigation performance (n = 195), finding no significant differences between modes across key metrics: navigation errors, phone glances, and spatial learning, with RP on par and even better for some key metrics. Study 3 was a co-design workshop (n = 5) to identify priority enhancements, including landmark integration, intention-based routing, and subtle orientation aids. Overall, these findings challenge the assumption that TBT represents optimal pedestrian navigation design. Instead, they demonstrate that RP, with its cognitive engagement benefits and user autonomy, performs comparably to TBT despite fewer features. When enhanced with targeted improvements, RP could better serve diverse pedestrian needs than current TBT-dominant interfaces. This work provides evidence-based guidance for developing more versatile, cognitively engaging pedestrian navigation systems.

Electro-thermal crosstalk revealed by Raman thermography in multi-fin β-Ga2O3 FinFETs

β - G a 2 O 3 FinFETs are promising for high-power electronic applications owing to their ultra-wide bandgap and high breakdown field. To overcome the inherently limited current capability of single-fin devices, multi-fin architectures were introduced to enhance the total on-state current. However, transfer characteristics reveal that when the fin number is increased by a factor of 16, the saturation current at VD = 10 V rises only from 0.112 to 1.22 mA—significantly below the expected linear scaling—and premature current degradation emerges at high VG. Such deviation indicates pronounced self-heating and electro-thermal coupling within densely packed fin arrays. Furthermore, under high-power operation, evident nonlinearities appear in both temperature rise and current response, further supporting the thermally driven origin of performance degradation. Raman thermography under identical per-fin current conditions reveals a much higher peak temperature (70.77 °C) in the multi-fin device compared to the single-fin counterpart (28.8 °C), confirming severe thermal crosstalk. These findings elucidate the thermal origin of the non-ideal current scalability and provide essential insights for thermally aware three-dimensional design of β-Ga2O3 FinFETs.

Sex-specific KDM6A-HNF4A-CREBH network controls lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerosis via epigenetic reprograming of hepatocytes

Abstract The liver is a central organ controlling lipid and cholesterol metabolism and plays a key role in regulating lipoprotein profiles and cardiovascular disease risk. Males and females show clear differences in cholesterol handling and susceptibility to atherosclerosis, but the molecular basis for these sex-specific effects remains incompletely understood. Here we show that the X-linked histone demethylase 6 A (KDM6A) is essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol metabolism in the liver. Reducing KDM6A levels in human liver cells  from females but not males disrupts gene programs involved in lipoprotein regulation linked to cardiovascular disorders. Consistently, female mice lacking KDM6A specifically in hepatocytes develops pro-atherogenic blood lipoprotein profiles and increased atherosclerosis under genetic and dietary stress, whereas males are largely unaffected. Mechanistically, KDM6A cooperates with Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha (HNF4A) to promote chromatin activation and enable CREBH (encoded by CREB3L3)-dependent transcription of lipid metabolic genes. These findings identify KDM6A as a sex-linked regulator of hepatic cholesterol metabolism.

App-supported versus conventional college physical education: Effects on standardized physical fitness scores and exercise motivation in Chinese university students

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an app-supported training model versus conventional physical education (PE) on college students’ basic athletic abilities and described exercise motivation in the app-supported condition. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 90 freshman students over a 10-week period. Participants were assigned to a Treatment Group (n = 45), using the “Campus Sports World” app for guided extracurricular training, and a Control Group (n = 45) following traditional instruction. Physical fitness was assessed pre- and post-intervention using standardized tests for speed, endurance, explosive power, and flexibility. Motivation was assessed post-intervention in the Treatment Group via a questionnaire based on Self-Determination Theory. Results indicated that the Treatment Group achieved significantly greater improvements in speed, explosive power, and flexibility compared to the Control Group. However, no significant difference was found in endurance performance. Furthermore, students in the Treatment Group reported high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. These findings suggest that integrating mobile applications into college PE can enhance skill-related fitness, and the observed motivation profile provides context for students’ engagement with the app-supported model, supporting the adoption of blended learning approaches in higher education.

Canceling second-order frequency shifts in Ge hole spin qubits via bichromatic control

Germanium quantum dot hole spin qubits are compatible with fully electrical control and are progressing toward multi-qubit operations. However, their coherence and calibration stability are limited by charge noise and drive-induced frequency shifts. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that a bichromatic driving scheme cancels the second-order frequency shift from the control field without sacrificing the electric dipole spin resonance rate, and without additional gate design or microwave engineering. Based on this property, we further demonstrate that bichromatic control creates a wide operating window that compensates static charge-induced resonance offsets during fixed-frequency operation. This method provides a low-power route to a stabler frequency operation in germanium hole spin qubits and is readily transferable to other semiconductor spin qubit platforms.