Browse Articles

Shifting winter atmospheric teleconnections to the North Pacific reconcile Younger-Dryas and Holocene δ18O signals

Abstract Using Alaskan lake sediment oxygen isotope records (δ 18 O), which trace the δ 18 O of precipitation, we establish that abrupt atmospheric shifts occurred during the last deglacial period in the North Pacific-Arctic. The robust lake δ 18 O chronologies confidently correlate Younger-Dryas (YD) atmospheric adjustments in Alaska with Greenland ice-core records and their seasonal sensitivity are consistent with cooling during winter. In contrast, abrupt δ 18 O decreases during the late Holocene observed in our records, of similar magnitude as the YD, are best explained by atmospheric modes involving long-distance transport of sub-tropical Pacific moisture. Our sediment cores are among the most reliably dated records yet produced in the circum-Arctic and show that similar decreases in δ 18 O of winter precipitation during the YD and late Holocene were driven by different atmospheric teleconnections. These results underscore major roles for seasonality and atmospheric patterns in the conceptual understanding of global scale climate oscillations, both past and future.

Integrated assessment of ecological land capability and land suitability for irrigated agriculture in Alborz Province Iran

Abstract Increasing population density and improper land use have led to significant degradation of land resources, which is now a major environmental problem. A key challenge in sustainable agricultural planning is the separate application of land capability assessment (LCA) and land suitability assessment (LSE) methods in land spatial planning. The main objective of agricultural land suitability assessment is to assess the potential and constraints of land relative to the needs of target crops. This study aimed to develop a practical approach to integrate ecological LCA models with LSE models in Alborz province, Iran. Four cereal crops with a history of irrigated cultivation in the province were selected as target crops. The LCA model was integrated with the LSE model using nine factor-type and eight constraint-type criteria. The findings showed that approximately 7% of the province is suitable for irrigated cultivation of four crops, while the current irrigated agricultural area is approximately over 11%. A comparative analysis of two multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods showed that calculating the programmable water amount and replacing monthly temperatures with continuity for target crops instead of the annual mean temperature by reflecting the potential agricultural capacity of the land and the initial crop composition increases the accuracy of the suitability measurement, which reduces the land identified as suitable for irrigated agriculture.

Predicting instabilities in transient landforms and interconnected ecosystems

Abstract Many parts of the Earth system are thought to have multiple stable equilibrium states, with the potential for catastrophic shifts between them. Common methods to assess system stability require stationary (trend- and seasonality-free) data, necessitating error-prone data pre-processing. Here, we use Floquet Multipliers to quantify the stability of periodically-forced systems of known periodicity (e.g., annual seasonality) using diverse data without pre-processing. We demonstrate our approach using synthetic time series and spatio-temporal vegetation models, and further investigate two real-world systems: mountain glaciers and the Amazon rainforest. We find that glacier surge onset can be predicted from surface velocity data and that we can recover spatially explicit destabilization patterns in the Amazon. Our method is robust to changing noise levels, such as those caused by merging data from different sensors, and can be applied to quantify the stability of a wide range of spatio-temporal systems, including climate subsystems, ecosystems, and transient landforms.

Machine learning-enhanced multi-band metamaterial sensor for early detection of neurological disorders

Abstract This study presents a square enclosed double octagonal shaped metamaterial absorber for the detection of initial neurological conditions. The size is very compact ( $$0.54 \lambda _0 \times 0.54 \lambda _0 \times 0.05 \lambda _0$$ ) and achieves an absorption value over 99% for frequencies of 4.632 THz, 6 THz, and 7.384 THz. The key focus of the study is sensitivity, which is excellent for all of the peaks, which are 1.5 THz/RIU, 1.5 THz/RIU, and 1.8 THz/RIU, indicating its superior performance across multiple frequency bands. Furthermore, the q factor values are 22.21, 29.41, and 33.81, and the fom values are 7.19, 7.35, and 8.24 for the three frequency peaks, respectively, supporting its reliability in sensing. The electric field, magnetic field, and surface current are analyzed, and an equivalent circuit is created and evaluated for design validation. Additionally, machine learning techniques were employed to optimize and predict the structure’s performance, with the GradientBoosting model demonstrating a reduction of up to 60% in simulation time while maintaining high predictive accuracy. The overall performance and sensing tests across various brain tissues demonstrate excellent results, indicating that this sensor may be an ideal choice for the detection of early-stage neurological disorders.

The contribution of sea-ice recrystallization to the Arctic snowpack

Biliary elimination of cholesterol can be modulated by hepatocyte mitochondrial Aquaporin-8 in mice

Abstract Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) transcription factors directly or indirectly regulate key genes involved in hepatic cholesterol homeostasis, including biliary elimination. The ATP-binding cassette transporter G5 (ABCG5), located in hepatocyte canalicular plasma membranes, strongly controls the excretion of unesterified cholesterol into bile. Recently, we demonstrated in cultured hepatocytes that mitochondrial aquaporin-8 (mtAQP8), a channel protein capable of conducting H 2 O 2 , is involved in SREBP-controlled cholesterol synthesis. In this study, we evaluated whether hepatic mtAQP8 participates in modulating the biliary elimination of cholesterol. Using C57BL/6 mice, we found that adenovirus-induced mtAQP8 knockdown significantly downregulated the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) and, through liver X receptor (LXR), that of ABCG5, which in turn decreased biliary cholesterol excretion. In contrast, mice with adenovirus-mediated mitochondrial human AQP8 (hAQP8) expression significantly increased the expressions of SREBP-2, LXR, and ABCG5 and, consequently, the biliary excretion of cholesterol. A mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, which has been shown to quench mitochondrial H 2 O 2 release, did not affect mitochondrial hAQP8 expression, but prevented upregulation of SREBP-2, ABCG5, and biliary cholesterol excretion. Our data further support the involvement of mtAQP8 in hepatic cholesterol metabolism, suggesting that it modulates biliary cholesterol elimination through ABCG5 gene expression.

Genomics of rafting crustaceans reveals adaptation to climate change in tropical oceans

Algorithmic analysis of the structure of mixed odontogenic tumors

Combined targeted and epigenetic-based therapy enhances antitumor immunity by stabilizing GATA6-dependent MHCI expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Abstract GATA6 promotes epithelial phenotypes and limits epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) transition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we show that GATA6 defines a tumor cell state that induces MHCI expression and anti-tumor cytotoxicity upon therapy. In human PDAC, GATA6 expression correlates with immune cell infiltration, and spatial analysis reveals interaction between GATA6 + tumor cells and CD8 + T cells. In murine PDAC, MEK inhibition (MEKi) enriches antigenicity-related gene sets in GATA6 high cells, while GATA6 knockout or degradation impairs MEKi-induced MHCI upregulation. High-GATA6 tumors respond to MEKi with increased MHCI, enhancing T-cell cytotoxicity, whereas GATA6 loss abolishes this effect. Treatment-induced EMT reduces GATA6 + populations and MHCI expression, which is restored by combining MEKi with HDAC inhibitors, enhancing GATA6 + tumor cells, MHCI, CD8 + T cell infiltration, tumor suppression, and survival. These findings suggest that therapeutic strategies promoting a GATA6-driven tumor cell state improve immune recognition of PDAC cells and potentiate anti-tumor cytotoxic effects.

Uncertainty analysis of physical-based carbon accounting in cotton T-shirt manufacturing

Abstract The textile sector contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet product-level carbon accounting in this industry remains constrained by data gaps and methodological uncertainty. This study quantifies the uncertainty embedded in process-based carbon accounting for the cradle-to-gate production of a cotton T-shirt. We evaluated secondary activity data and emission factors using a pedigree matrix across five data quality indicators: precision, completeness, and temporal, geographical, and technological representativeness. The total cradle-to-gate carbon footprint was $${1.37}\,\hbox {kg}\,\hbox {CO}_{2}\hbox {e}$$ per T-shirt, with an overall uncertainty of ±13.81 %. Fabric production was the largest source of emissions and uncertainty, contributing over 60 % of total emissions and nearly 70 % of total uncertainty, driven by energy-intensive processes such as weaving, dyeing, and sanforising. Yarn spinning was a secondary hotspot, while the sewing stage had comparatively minor impacts. The results show significant variation in data reliability across production stages and highlight the need for improved primary data, updated emission factors, and harmonised databases to strengthen the robustness and comparability of process-based carbon accounting in the textile sector.

The genetic driver of Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy, RANBP2, regulates the inflammatory response to Influenza A virus infection

Abstract Influenza virus infections can cause severe complications such as Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy (ANE), which is characterised by a rapid onset of pathological inflammation following febrile infection. Heterozygous dominant mutations in the nucleoporin RANBP2/Nup358 predispose to influenza-triggered ANE1. The aim of our study was to determine whether RANBP2 plays a role in IAV-triggered inflammatory responses. We found that the depletion of RANBP2 in a human airway epithelial cell line increases IAV genomic replication by favouring the import of the viral polymerase subunits, PB1, PB2, and PA, following viral transcription and translation. Additionally, RANBP2 knockdown enhances the cytoplasmic export of viral genomic RNA (vRNA) and disrupts segment stoichiometry, which is associated with elevated production of the pro-inflammatory chemokines CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, and CCL4 in human primary macrophages. Using CRISPR-Cas9 knock-in for the ANE1 disease variant RANBP2-T585M, we further demonstrate that this point mutation causes a loss-of-localisation phenotype that excludes RANBP2 from the nuclear envelope, which phenocopies RANBP2 knockdown by increasing IAV replication and driving pro-inflammatory cytokine expression following infection. Together, our results reveal that RANBP2 regulates influenza RNA replication and nuclear export, thereby restraining virus-induced hyperinflammation, and further suggest that ANE1 pathogenesis results from the impaired localisation of RANBP2 at the nuclear envelope.

Effective elastic properties and conductivity of minimal surface based stochastic and periodic metamaterials

Scalable modular design of solid oxide fuel cell systems for enhanced large-scale power generation

Abstract The increasing demand for renewable energy integration and scalable power generation highlights the need for efficient and cost-effective solid oxide fuel cell systems. In this study, we present a modular hybrid design framework that enables flexible solid oxide fuel cell scale-up by interconnecting standardized component modules. We introduce a series-parallel configuration that strategically leverages anode and cathode off-gas recirculation to enhance both electrical and thermal efficiency. Through a detailed case study, we demonstrate that the hybrid design achieves 66.3% electrical efficiency while reducing external water use by 59.9% and fresh air demand by 22%, outperforming conventional system designs. We further conducted a techno-economic analysis across four scale-up strategies and found that the hybrid design delivers the lowest levelized cost of electricity at 0.155 $/kWh. Through this work, we have highlighted the critical trade-offs between centralization and decentralization, high- and low-technology readiness level technologies, and economies of scale versus manufacturing capacity. We believe our findings underscore the potential of modular and standardized systems to provide scalable, efficient, and economically viable solutions for future low-carbon energy infrastructures.

A hybrid approach for accurate skin lesion segmentation using LEDNet and Swin-UMamba

Abstract Accurate delineation of skin lesions in images is important for skin cancer detection. Existing methods often struggle with inherent complexities, such as irregular boundaries, textures, and artefacts in skin lesions. The study proposes a hybrid model comprising the edge-accurate LEDNet and Swin-UMamba for multiscale segmentation. The irregular boundaries and complex textures of skin lesions can be captured more effectively through this integration than with previous stand-alone methods. The structure of LEDNet includes components that enable it to segment lesions of various types effectively. Swin-Mamba is an encoder that uses Mamba-based architecture with the additional component of the VSS block. The proposed model is evaluated on the Ph $$^2$$ , ISIC-2017 and ISIC-2018 skin cancer datasets and demonstrates robust performance across all datasets. The method achieved a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.9734, a sensitivity of 0.9697, a specificity of 0.9858 and an accuracy of 0.9847 with ISIC 2017, DSC of 0.9753, a sensitivity of 0.9494, a specificity of 0.9902 and an accuracy of 0.9713 with ISIC 2018; and a DSC of 0.9801, a sensitivity of 0.9892, a specificity of 0.9966 and an accuracy of 0.9932 with Ph. These results show that the proposed hybrid framework has the potential to bring important benefits in the segmentation of skin lesions and is promising in clinical dermatology.

Highly tunable band structure in ferroelectric R-stacked bilayer WSe2

Abstract Transition metal dichalcogenide homobilayers unite two frontiers of quantum materials research: sliding ferroelectricity, arising from rhombohedral stacking, and moiré quantum matter, emerging from small-angle twisting. The spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric rhombohedral stacked homobilayers produces a highly tunable band structure, which, together with strain-induced piezoelectricity, governs the topology and correlated electronic phases of twisted bilayers. Here we present a systematic low-temperature optical spectroscopy study of rhombohedral stacked bilayer WSe 2 to quantitatively establish its fundamental electronic and ferroelectric properties. Exciton and exciton-polaron spectroscopy under doping reveals a pronounced electron-hole asymmetry that confirms type-II band alignment, with the conduction and valence band edges located at the Λ and K valleys, respectively. Through distinct excitonic responses and tunable interlayer-intralayer exciton hybridization under displacement fields, we uncover the coexistence of AB and BA ferroelectric domains. Using exciton-polarons as a probe, we directly measure the intrinsic polarization field and extract the interlayer potential. Finally, we demonstrate electric-field-driven symmetric switching of the valence band maximum, attributed to ferroelectric domain switching. These results provide a complete experimental picture of the band alignment, spontaneous polarization field, and domain dynamics of rhombohedral stacked WSe 2 , establishing key parameters to understand twisted bilayers and enabling new ferroelectric and excitonic device opportunities.

PTGDS is a potential marker for lung adenocarcinoma identified in a pancancer analysis

Abstract Prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) is the enzyme responsible for synthesizing prostaglandin D2. Despite its crucial role, PTGDS remains relatively understudied in tumor therapy, and comprehensive pancancer analyses are lacking. By leveraging multiomics data integration, this study elucidated the widespread dysregulation of PTGDS across various cancers and its correlation with patient survival. Moreover, PTGDS is significantly associated with stem cell scores, microenvironmental scores, microsatellite instability (MSI) status, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and methylation status in diverse tumor types. Additionally, immune correlations with PTGDS are evident across most cancers, with single-cell transcriptome data indicating predominant associations with natural killer cells and macrophages. Notably, experimental validation revealed the role of PTGDS in inhibiting A549 and H1975 lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, which was mediated by fatty acid degradation and cell cycle regulation. In summary, PTGDS has prognostic potential, influences pancancer tumor immunity, and acts as a tumor suppressor in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Author Correction: DKN-01 and tislelizumab as second-line therapy in DKK1-high gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: DisTinGuish trial part B

Enhancing photothermal therapy effectiveness via tartrazine-induced optical clearing of biological tissues

Mycobacterium tuberculosis modulates phosphorylation of host ATP6V1E1 to promote intracellular survival

Abstract Intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can promote their survival within infected cells by preventing lysosomal acidification. Here, we report that Mtb secretes a protein (Rv1184, or acyltransferase Chp2) that inhibits lysosomal acidification by targeting the host vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase). We show that phosphorylation of the V-ATPase E1 subunit (ATP6V1E1) at Tyr56/57 suppresses lysosomal acidification through inhibition of V-ATPase assembly. Further investigation reveals that tyrosine kinase BMX promotes phosphorylation of ATP6V1E1. Strikingly, Chp2 increases BMX-dependent phosphorylation of ATP6V1E1, apparently by directly binding ATP6V1E1 and facilitating its interaction with BMX. Furthermore, inhibition of BMX impairs Mtb growth within macrophages and in mice. Thus, our work reveals a mechanism for the regulation of lysosomal acidification and suggests lysosomal acidification modulation as a potential approach for host-directed therapy against Mtb.

ImageNet pre-training and two-step transfer learning in chromosome image classification