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Kaempferol inhibits osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption by targeting the TNF-α/NF-κB and SRC/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways

Type I IFN autoantibodies underlie chikungunya live-attenuated vaccine encephalitis

Human autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons (IFNs) have emerged as strong, common, and global determinants of a growing number of severe viral diseases, including hypoxemic viral pneumonia, arboviral encephalitis, and adverse reaction to the live-attenuated yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccine. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a growing global health concern that the live-attenuated vaccine VLA1553 (IXCHIQ®) was developed to address. In 2025, five unrelated adults (aged 82 to 88) on the island of La Réunion (France) developed severe reactions postvaccination; two died. The three patients with encephalitis (aged 84 to 85), including one lethal case, had immunoglobulin G autoantibodies in the blood neutralizing high concentrations of both IFN-α and -ω on admission. An 82-y-old survived rhabdomyolysis without encephalitis, and an 88-y-old died during hospitalization following CHIKV infection despite late vaccination; both lacked autoantibodies against type I IFNs. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs underlie all three cases of live-attenuated CHIKV vaccine encephalitis studied. Individuals with autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs should not be inoculated with live-attenuated YFV and CHIKV vaccines.

Health insurance status and hearing aid utilization in U.S. older adults: A population-based cross-sectional study

Background The role of health insurance and its diverse hearing health benefits on hearing aid utilization is currently unknown. The objective of this study is to examine rates of ever and regular hearing aid (HA) use by insurance status in older U.S. adults. Methods This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2005–2018). Older adults (≥65 years) with complete data on health insurance, audiometry, and hearing aid use (n = 3,172) were included. Eight combinatorial insurance categories were created and compared pairwise to the reference of Medicare only coverage. Outcomes included ever and regular hearing aid use. Results Among older U.S. adults, 30.3% [95% CI:27.6%−33.2%] of those with audiometry-measured hearing loss reported ever using HAs while 22.9% [95% CI:20.3%−25.7%] reported regular HA use. Among older adults with hearing loss, those with military-related insurance (Tricare, VA and Champ-VA) had amongst the highest rates of ever and regular HA use (43.3% [95% CI:31.3%−56.2%] and 30.8% [95% CI:21.1%−42.5%], respectively). Ever HA use rates for individuals with Medicare and Medicaid was 30.8% [95% CI:27.8%−33.8%] and 17.7% [95% CI:11.9%−25.5%], respectively. In a multivariable model adjusting for demographics and hearing loss severity, individuals with military-related and military-related+Medicaid insurance were significantly more likely to report ever using HAs compared to those with Medicare only (OR 1.80, 95% CI:1.03–3.16; OR 20.38, 95% CI:1.07–386.84, respectively). Those with military-related insurance were more likely to report regular HA use (OR 2.17, 95% CI:1.16–4.09). Conclusion In this nationally representative study of older U.S. adults, we found differences in ever and regular HA use rates by insurance status, even when adjusting for hearing loss, demographics, and comorbidities. Future research is warranted to investigate group-specific differences, including access to hearing care, hearing health benefits, and stigma, to better understand the facilitators and barriers to hearing aid use by insurance status.

Study on the maximum penetration depth of GPR based on soil electromagnetic properties

In situ observations of gold deposition in a dense liquid layer at the pyrite–water interface

Pyrite-triggered precipitation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is crucial for generating high-grade gold deposits, yet its dynamic process and mechanism at the pyrite–water interface remain unclear due to the lack of in situ observation. Here, utilizing in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy, we find a dense liquid layer mediated deposition of AuNPs at the pyrite–water interface in parts per billion-level gold-bearing solutions, a concentration that resembles crustal abundances. Real-time imaging reveals that a dense liquid layer forms at the pyrite–water interface, and it is proposed that AuNPs nucleate and grow in this layer. Results from in situ atomic force microscopy and ex situ transmission electron microscopy indicate that the growth kinetic process of AuNPs involves monomer-to-cluster aggregation, further enriching gold at the pyrite–water interface. Thermodynamic modeling demonstrates that precipitation of AuNPs is primarily driven by the oxygen fugacity decrease in the dense liquid layer due to pyrite dissolution. These findings reveal a localized gold concentration mechanism to interpret adsorption and nucleation of AuNPs on pyrite during its dissolution–precipitation cycles, which significantly enhances our understanding of the highly effective gold scavenging from fluid by pyrite. The mechanism of nanoparticle formation in the dense liquid layer at dissolving mineral–fluid interfaces represents a fundamental process that could be common in nature.

Investigation of factors affecting annual milk yield of different goat breeds using panel data analysis

This study aims to evaluate the effects of basic biological factors such as age and lactation length on milk yield by examining the annual milk yield data of five different goat breeds (Damaskus, Pure Damaskus, Toros, Çukurova, and German Fawn) raised in Turkey between 1991 and 1997. The study used a panel data analysis method that takes into account both horizontal (between races) and vertical (within time) variability. It includes annual milk yield (liters), lactation period (days), and age (years) variables of randomly selected individuals from each race. Fixed effects and random effects models were compared in the statistical analysis, and the fixed effects model was preferred according to the Hausman test results. The findings revealed that both age and lactation period had positive and statistically significant effects on milk yield. In addition, significant differences were found among the breeds in terms of milk yield; it was observed that the Çukurova breed had higher performance, while the Toros breed had lower milk yield. In conclusion, this study shows that breed selection and production management play a critical role in productivity in goat breeding and reveals that panel data analysis can be used as an effective method in animal production research.

Randomized controlled trial of whole body vibration training on lower limb muscle strength in sub elite short track speed skaters

Plasmid mutation rates scale with copy number

Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules that spread by horizontal transfer and shape bacterial evolution. Plasmids are typically present at multiple copies per bacterial cell, and these extra copies increase the supply of plasmid mutations, potentially accelerating their evolution. However, the segregation of plasmid copies to daughter cells is random, introducing an additional layer of genetic drift, termed segregational drift, that might delay plasmid evolution. The interplay between plasmid mutational supply and segregational drift determines the evolutionary rate of plasmid-encoded genes, yet the relative contribution of these opposite forces in plasmid evolution remains unclear. Here, we develop a population genetics framework to predict the rate of plasmid mutations in bacterial populations and validate these predictions using computational, experimental, and bioinformatic approaches. Our findings show that plasmid mutation rates scale logarithmically with copy number and that the supply of new mutations consistently surpasses the impact of segregational drift across all copy numbers. These results underscore plasmids as powerful drivers of bacterial evolvability, where they can potentiate the evolution of critical traits such as antibiotic resistance.

Olfactory bulbectomy induces neurobiological alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hyperlocomotion in male rats

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability and encompasses various subtypes, including agitated depression which is associated with psychomotor agitation and elevated suicide risk. Although the olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) model has been extensively utilized to study depression-related behaviors, most studies have focused on the hippocampus, leaving the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) less explored. In this study, we examined the behavioral responses to novelty in the open field test and examined glial and neuronal alterations in the PFC of OBX rats. Our findings revealed that OBX induced hyperlocomotion, consistent with agitated depression. At the cellular level, OBX selectively increased the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes in the PFC. These modifications were accompanied by elevated nitric oxide (NO) levels, enhanced c-Fos expression, and a reduction in pyramidal neuron spine density. These findings represent the first integrated evidence of concurrent glial proliferation, NO dysregulation, and impaired neuronal plasticity in the PFC following OBX. Collectively, our results highlight the translational relevance of OBX as a model of agitated depression and point to astrocytic dysfunction and glial-neuronal interaction in the PFC as key contributors to synaptic and behavioral abnormalities in MDD.

Quantum-driven frequency stability in Indian prospect smart grid with electric vehicle charging station integration and real-time hardware validation

Probing the dark energy in the functional protein universe

We show how to localize and quantify the functional evolutionary constraints on natural proteins. Protein folding has been one of the strongest constraints in sequence evolution. The method we propose compares the perturbations caused by local sequence variants to the energetics of the protein folding process and to the corresponding change to the apparent selection landscape of sequences over the evolutionary time scale. The difference between the physical folding free energies and the evolutionary free energies can be called a “dark energy.” We analyze various protein sets and thereby show that dark energy is largely localized at functional sites, which are also often energetically frustrated from the point of view of folding. Overall, we find that about 25% of the positions of the folded globular proteins display some significant dark energy. When a function relies on a free energy that can be thermodynamically quantified, such as the binding energy to a partner, the relationship of this physical free energy with dark energy can be used to define a functional selection temperature, just as there is a selection temperature for folding. We show that selection for folding and binding functions bear similar weights in specific protein–protein interactions.

Postoperative swallowing recovery in oral and oropharyngeal cancer: A prospective analysis of functional changes and adjuvant therapy effects

Dysphagia is a prevalent and debilitating sequela in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers undergoing surgery, often complicated by adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. This prospective cohort study aimed to describe the longitudinal changes in swallowing and oral intake and assess the influence of adjuvant treatment modalities. We included 89 patients with oral cavity or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Swallowing was assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months post-surgery using Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10), Swallowing Ability and Safety Scale (SASS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). Patients were stratified by adjuvant treatment: none, radiotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy. Swallowing recovery was dynamic. EAT-10 scores increased from 8.8 at 1 month to peak at 13.5 at 3 months (p < 0.001), before decreasing to 8.3 at 6 months (p < 0.001). Penetration/aspiration for thin liquids significantly increased from 32.6% at 1 month to 44.9% at 3 months (p = 0.034), then decreased to 31.5% at 6 months (p = 0.014). FOIS and SASS scores showed overall improvement from 1 to 6 months (p < 0.001 for both), despite a transient dip in FOIS and a rise in poor SASS scores at 3 months. Patients receiving chemoradiotherapy demonstrated greater perceived dysphagia, lower functional oral intake, and higher rates of thin liquid penetration/aspiration compared to other groups across all time points. In conclusion, chemoradiotherapy is associated with more severe and prolonged dysphagia. These findings underscore the critical need for targeted rehabilitation and comprehensive multidisciplinary care.

Fire risk assessment using machine learning techniques: a case study of Jinan City, China

Paleoclimate pattern effects help constrain climate sensitivity and 21st-century warming

Paleoclimates provide examples of past climate change that inform estimates of modern warming from greenhouse-gas emissions, known as Earth’s climate sensitivity. However, differences between past and present climate change must be accounted for when inferring climate sensitivity from paleoclimate evidence. The closest paleoclimate analog to near-term warming from greenhouse-gas emissions is the Pliocene (5.3 to 2.6 Ma), a warm epoch with atmospheric CO 2 concentrations similar to today. Recent reconstructions indicate the Pliocene was 1 °C warmer than previously thought, implying higher climate sensitivity, which is also supported by recent reconstructions showing more cooling with reduced CO 2 at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 19 to 23 thousand years ago). However, large-scale patterns of paleoclimate temperature change differ strongly from modern projections. Climate feedbacks and sensitivity depend on temperature patterns, and such “pattern effects” must be accounted for when using paleoclimates to constrain modern climate sensitivity. Here we combine data-assimilation reconstructions with atmospheric general circulation models to show Earth’s climate is more sensitive to Pliocene forcing than modern CO 2 forcing. Pliocene ice sheets, topography, and vegetation alter patterns of ocean warming and excite destabilizing cloud feedbacks, and LGM feedbacks are similarly amplified by the North American ice sheets. Accounting for paleoclimate pattern effects produces a best estimate (median) for modern climate sensitivity of 2.8 °C and 66% CI of 2.4 to 3.4 °C (90% CI: 2.1 to 4.0 °C), substantially reducing uncertainty in projections of 21st-century warming.

Contact and complexity in English varieties: The influence of speaker numbers on syntheticity and grammaticity

Empirical research on language complexity has shown that languages and varieties can and do differ in their complexity. One of the key triggers responsible for this observed variation is language contact as non-native acquisition. The influence of language contact on complexity is, however, not uncontroversial: While a number of large-scale typological studies have reported that language contact decreases complexity, others find no such effect in their data. This paper offers a corpus-based perspective on the influence of language contact on morphosyntactic complexity in an English-varieties context. Precisely, I model the effect of the number of native speakers, the proportion of non-native speakers and language type–a theoretical construct based on the sociolinguistic contact history of the varieties–in a corpus database of 25 spoken English varieties. Morphosyntactic complexity is here operationalised as the number of bound grammatical markers (syntheticity) and the total number of explicit grammatical markers (grammaticity). The models show that the number of native speakers negatively correlates with syntheticity. However, contrary to theoretical expectations, the proportion of non-native speakers shows a weak positive effect on syntheticity. None of the speaker-related triggers influences grammaticity. Only language type shows a consistent negative effect on both syntheticity and grammaticity indicating that historic language contact scenarios do impact complexity. The crucial question, then, is what (non-)native speaker numbers really represent and if they are a (good) proxy for language contact. Overall, the results corroborate the controversial findings in the typological literature highlighting the importance of how complexity is operationalised.

Fault detection and isolation method for gas turbines using self-organizing type-3 fuzzy wavelet neural networks

Correction for Abels et al., Manipulating anthracyclines for deeper tissue penetration and implications for glycolytic tissues

Correction: Investigating the role of family members in postnatal care: Evidence from mother-caregiver dyads in India

Analysis of hydraulic mechanism of dynamics flow visualization in an axial pump with impeller blades based on novel transient characteristics conditions and vibration techniques

Abstract Pumps operated in turbine mode have attracted considerable attention for hydropower generation and water conveyance applications due to their economic advantage over conventional hydroturbines. Despite this benefit, their deployment remains constrained by limited flow controllability and pronounced instability when operating away from the design point. To address these challenges, the present work combines experimental measurements with numerical simulations to examine the unsteady flow behavior of an axial-flow pump under five distinct operating regimes, spanning deep part-load conditions at 5 L/min through the design point and into overload operation at 12.5 L/min. Pump stability was evaluated through detailed analyses of velocity distributions and pressure fluctuations in both the time and frequency domains. The results reveal a strong dependence of unsteady behavior on operating condition. At part-load operation, pressure pulsations intensify markedly, with peak-to-peak amplitudes increasing by as much as 15% relative to the design flow rate. Spectral analysis shows that rotor–stator interaction phenomena dominate the unsteady response, with the blade passing frequency and its harmonics contributing over 12% of the total spectral energy across most monitoring locations. As the flow rate approaches overload, the magnitude of pressure oscillations is reduced by approximately 14%, indicating a progressive improvement in hydraulic stability. The effect of impeller blade stagger was further investigated for three configurations, namely − 3°, 0°, and + 3°. Deviations from the baseline geometry (0°) significantly amplify flow unsteadiness, particularly in the rotor–stator interaction region. In these cases, pressure pulsation amplitudes increase by up to 16%, highlighting the sensitivity of unsteady flow structures to blade-angle modification. Overall, the findings demonstrate that both operating regime and impeller blade angle exert a decisive influence on the stability and dynamic performance of axial-flow pumps, offering valuable insights for their optimal design and operation under variable flow conditions.

Emergent ferromagnetism and unusual irreversible magnetoresistance in an intercalated van der Waals antiferromagnet

Orthorhombic air-stable two-dimensional (2D) antiferromagnet (AFM) CrSBr has attracted much research interest lately thanks to its rich magnetic behaviors together with its remarkable electronic, excitonic, and polaritonic properties. Here, we report a reliable electrochemical intercalation method by inserting large tetrabutylammonium (TBA + ) ions into CrSBr layers. Magnetically, such intercalation efficiently suppresses the interlayer AFM and induces a ferromagnetic (FM) order with a much-enhanced transition temperature up to 200 K, nearly 70 K higher than the AFM onset of 132 K in pristine CrSBr. Electronically, the TBA + intercalation not only increases the electric conductivity of CrSBr, which is further enhanced by magnetic fields, but also introduces a giant negative irreversible magnetoresistance. This work demonstrates the tunable magnetic and electronic properties of CrSBr as well as their interplay, paving the way for advanced spintronic and magnetic memory devices.