Browse Articles

Network-level and motor consequences of longitudinal perivascular diffusivity alterations indexed by DTI-ALPS in Parkinson’s disease

Nonlinear reversal of photoexcitation on the attosecond time scale improves ultrafast X-ray diffraction images

Abstract The complex refractive index of a material governs its light-matter interactions, with intense light fields enabling tailored nonlinear optical responses. In the X-ray regime, rapid photoionization limits the potential of nonlinear techniques by inducing irreversible electronic damage. Here we demonstrate that intense, sub-femtosecond X-ray pulses, shorter than typical Auger decay times, can partially reverse photoexcitation via stimulated emission near atomic resonances. By analyzing thousands of coherent diffraction patterns and ion spectra from neon nanoparticles exposed to sub-fs and 15-fs pulses, we observe enhanced X-ray diffraction alongside reduced energy absorption for sub-fs pulses. Theoretical modeling attributes this to dynamics akin to Rabi flopping that prolong the lifetime of resonant states and suppress electronic bleaching. These findings suggest that ultrashort, intense X-ray pulses enable active control of X-ray refractive index and damage pathways, opening avenues for improved high-resolution imaging and nonlinear spectroscopy in complex nanoscale systems.

Leveraging ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging to quantify sex-specific adaptations to the glenoid labrum across the lifespan

Abstract The glenoid labrum is a collagen‑rich fibrocartilage structure critical to shoulder stability yet susceptible to age‑related degeneration. Quantitative, in‑vivo assessment of its composition remains limited. Ultrashort echo time MRI with magnetization transfer (UTE‑MT) enables estimation of macromolecular fraction (MMF), a biomarker sensitive to the collagen‑rich matrix content of the glenoid labrum. This study investigated the effect of age, sex, menopause status, and arm dominance on the glenoid labrum MMF. Forty‑two healthy adults (25 females, mean age: 47 ± 15 years; 17 males, mean age: 38 ± 15 years) underwent bilateral shoulder MRI on a 3T system using a double echo steady state sequence (DESS) for segmentation and a custom UTE‑MT protocol to quantify MMF. Labra were segmented from DESS images, and voxel‑wise MMF was computed. Mean MMF was calculated for each arm. A linear mixed-effects model with a random intercept for subject to account for within-subject dependence tested the effects of age, sex, arm dominance, and their respective interactions. A linear mixed effect model with a random intercept for subject tested the effect of menopause status among females on mean MMF. Males exhibited higher mean labral MMF than females (male: 40.4 ± 7.3%, female: 39.6 ± 7.2%; p  = 0.016). Age showed no main effect on mean MMF. However, a significant sex‑by‑age interaction indicated a steeper age‑related decline in males ( p  = 0.0113). There was no significant effect of arm dominance on mean MMF (dominant: 41.1 ± 7.6%, non-dominant: 38.8 ± 6.9%; p  = 0.412), and there was no significance found for the interactions of dominance and sex, dominance and age, or dominance, sex, and age. Among females, mean MMF did not differ by menopause status (premenopausal 39.4 ± 7.4% vs. postmenopausal 39.7 ± 7.1%; p  = 0.761). UTE‑MT MRI detects sex‑specific differences in glenoid labrum MMF, with a significant sex‑by‑age interaction despite no main effect of age. These findings support MMF’s potential as a non‑invasive quantitative marker of labral composition and motivates longitudinal studies to define clinically meaningful thresholds and regional variation.

Apparatus for quantum-mixture research in microgravity

Abstract Experiments with ultracold quantum gases are a rapidly advancing research field with many applications in fundamental physics and quantum technology. Here, we report on a high-flux generation of Bose-Einstein condensate mixtures of 41 K and 87 Rb, using a fully integrated sounding rocket setup. We compare the release and the free expansion of the quantum mixtures obtained with the apparatus placed on ground or in free fall in an Einstein-Elevator. The release dynamics are governed by the intra- and interspecies interactions as well as the decaying magnetic field during the release. The latter can be minimized by a dedicated switch-off protocol of the trap generating currents where an exact model enabled us to characterize the interaction effects. Our results establish a new benchmark for generating ultracold mixtures on mobile platforms, with direct relevance for future experiments on interacting quantum gases and tests of the equivalence principle in space.

Bioindicator properties of Ligula intestinalis for selected trace metals: the example of Kürtün Dam Lake, Türkiye

The genetics of fibromyalgia and its relationships to psychiatric and medical traits

Abstract We explore the genetic mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia, a chronic heritable syndrome. We conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of fibromyalgia in European, African, and Latin American ancestry subjects, combining data from several cohorts (85,139 cases; 1,642,433 controls). We also conduct a multi-trait analysis of GWAS (MTAG), leveraging pain GWAS to enhance power for fibromyalgia analyses. We apply a series of methods to analyze genetic association between fibromyalgia and psychological and physiological phenotypes. We find 10 genomic loci that are associated with fibromyalgia in European ancestry subjects, one in African, 12 cross-ancestry, and 45 in the European ancestry MTAG; most of these were previously associated with pain, cognitive function, autoimmune response, or general health measures. We show a moderate negative genetic correlation between fibromyalgia and physical activity, and strong genetic correlations with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression (r g ≥0.69). Genomic structural equation modeling places fibromyalgia in the context of psychiatric, medical, and lifestyle phenotypes, mostly as pain- and autoimmune-related trait. Local genetic correlations and genetic causality point to neuronal mechanisms that provide a strong basis for some of the main characteristics of fibromyalgia and its comorbidities. These findings provide potential targets for future studies to improve diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia.

Clinical performance evaluation of the Wantai chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay for Treponema pallidum antibody screening in blood donors

Low-burden AI approach for cross-national early identification of cognitive impairment using real-world questionnaire response behaviours

Abstract Under-recognition of cognitive impairment remains a major global public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Many cases go unrecognised because conventional cognitive assessment is resource-intensive and difficult to scale across diverse populations. Here we show that easily captured indicators of reduced survey response quality, derived from how older adults answer routine psychosocial questionnaires, can identify cognitive impairment risk across countries. Using data from 45,604 older adults across five population-based ageing cohorts, we develop a cross-nationally generalisable machine-learning pipeline based on a tabular foundation model. Especially, the model jointly trained across the United States, England, India and Mexico outperforms country-specific models, achieving up to a 0.12 absolute gain in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (approximately 20% relative) in an external validation cohort from China. We also identify a cross-national implicit feature transfer phenomenon, in which cohorts lacking certain predictors benefit from joint training with cohorts in which these predictors are present. Decision-curve analyses indicate consistent potential public health benefit across countries by supporting population-level prioritisation of higher-risk subgroups. This low-burden approach offers an equitable and scalable strategy for generating population- and community-level evidence on cognitive impairment risk in culturally diverse and resource-constrained settings.

A multi-layered privacy-preserving framework for secure healthcare data sharing with high utility retention

Coastal flooding at predictable hours

Artificial intelligence adoption future ready skills and graduate employability in higher education

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 impairs the release sites of Parkinson’s disease vulnerable dopamine axons

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is defined pathologically by loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Yet synaptic dysfunction emerges much earlier, making it essential to define the mechanisms that drive early nigrostriatal deregulation. In the SNc, molecularly distinct dopamine neuron subtypes show differential susceptibility to PD. Here, we used intersectional genetic mouse models to determine how the PD-linked kinase LRRK2 affects vulnerable dopamine subtypes. Immunofluorescence and proximity-labeling proteomics revealed enriched LRRK2 expression in vulnerable dopamine neuron subclusters. High-resolution imaging showed that pathogenic LRRK2 disrupts presynaptic release-site organization in vulnerable dopamine axons, leading to reduced spontaneous and evoked striatal dopamine release in vivo. Proteomic analyses further showed that mutant LRRK2 increases phosphorylation of RAB3 proteins, impairing their interaction with the active-zone effectors RIM1 and RIM2. Together, these findings highlight a subtype-specific, cell-autonomous mechanism by which pathogenic LRRK2 impairs PD-vulnerable nigrostriatal synapses and provide a framework for therapeutic strategies targeting early synaptic deficits in PD.

Song decorrelates cortico–basal ganglia ensembles in zebra finches

WASP: a pipeline for functional annotation prediction based on AlphaFold structural models

Abstract Protein function annotation is crucial for understanding biological processes and mechanisms. Traditionally, annotations rely on sequence homology, providing valuable insights but often leaving gaps even in well-characterised organisms. With AlphaFold enabling rapid generation of protein structural models, we can now infer function from three-dimensional shape. Here, we present WASP, a pipeline leveraging structural homology to enhance protein annotation prediction at scale, providing a more comprehensive understanding of protein functions across various organisms. WASP relies on network topology for better accuracy and more robust statistical power. We show that WASP achieves superior F1 scores compared to state-of-the-art sequence-based tools when recovering hidden annotations. On 20 industrially relevant organisms, WASP retrieves annotations for 20-30% of previously uncharacterised proteins. We further demonstrate utility in genome-scale metabolic model curation, identifying native candidates for 75-100% of orphan reactions. WASP highlights how structural homology can systematically discover annotations missed by sequence-based approaches.

Multi-task deep learning and interpretable non-linear neural interaction modeling for personalized skin concern prediction

Data-driven catalyst design for direct catalytic N2O decomposition

Correction: Elastic wave interaction with a stressed half-space containing voids

Function-specific epistasis shapes evolutionary trajectories towards antibiotic resistance

Abstract Pre-existing mutations can influence subsequent evolution by constraining or opening evolutionary pathways through epistatic interactions. In some cases, global epistasis allows evolutionary pathways to be predicted from the fitness of the genetic background alone. In other cases, idiosyncratic epistasis makes evolution less predictable. Here, we show that the evolution of antibiotic resistance is highly repeatable, following a common path across most genetic backgrounds. However, a minority of genetic backgrounds exhibit evolutionary trajectories that significantly deviate from this common path. Rather than being predictable from global epistasis, these deviations are modulated by function-specific epistasis: perturbations to specific cellular functions lead to novel evolutionary trajectories towards resistance. Using tightly controlled robotic evolution experiments, we quantitatively analyzed resistance trajectories for three clinically relevant antibiotics across multiple genetic backgrounds, including hundreds of Escherichia coli gene-deletion strains and several clinical isolates from urinary-tract infections. We show that disrupting distinct sets of cellular functions alters evolutionary trajectories for specific drugs and across different drugs, and we identify genetic changes defining these alternative trajectories. Importantly, this function-specific epistasis often slows down resistance evolution. Some of these effects can also be induced by small-molecule inhibitors of the identified targets, suggesting that function-specific epistasis can be exploited to improve drug treatments.

Geometry controls momentum flux in the sprinkler problem

Hydro- and aero-mechanical devices convert fluid flows into useful motions, force, and power. The operating principles can involve subtle and poorly understood physics, as epitomized by open questions about systems that aspirate flows through curving tubular arms. Since its introduction by Mach and popularization by Feynman, the so-called reverse sprinkler problem has evoked many competing theories and fluid mechanical effects that have not to date been distinguished by experiments. Here we conduct a series of experiments that directly report on the motions, torques, and flows for devices whose geometries are tailored to disambiguate the leading hypotheses. Our observations run counter to several ideas, such as those based on the total angular momentum of the fluid and others focusing on the flow and pressure distributions at the outer portions of the arms. The measurements instead reveal strong correlations between the sense of torque/rotation and the fluid momentum fluxing into the device. These results suggest an operating principle for the reverse sprinkler involving isotropic input of fluid from the far field and swirl-up in the arms that generates angular momentum, a residual portion of which is injected inside and drives rotation. The mass-to-momentum flux conversion is governed by the geometry of the curving arms. The physics learned here is fundamental to flow–structure interaction problems and may inform applications for harvesting and transforming flow energy.

Marshland soil quality assessment in a developing country: a preliminary study