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Correction for Cho et al., Resilient tree-planting strategies for carbon dioxide removal under compounding climate and economic uncertainties
Geological, geomorphological, and environmental insights into the Neoproterozoic Aswan granites, Egypt: remote sensing and radiological assessment
Abstract The Neoproterozoic Aswan granites constitute a major post-collisional intrusive complex within the Egyptian Nubian Shield and represent one of Egypt’s most significant geological, geomorphological, and cultural landscapes. Integrated remote-sensing and radiological data are used to characterize their geological, geomorphological, and environmental attributes. Four granite suites are recognized in the Aswan area: greyish-black tonalites–granodiorites, coarse pink monzogranites–syenogranites, medium- to coarse-grained High Dam granites, and fine-grained granites. These lithologies exert a strong control on regional geomorphology, with structural fabrics—dominated by N–S and NE–SW joint sets and locally developed NE-trending shear zones—governing drainage patterns, landscape evolution, quarrying potential, and the distribution of radioelements. Integrated geomorphological and remote sensing analyses demonstrate that lithology and structural framework exert primary control on the Nile’s course and on the development of characteristic granite landforms, including inselbergs, exfoliation domes, joint-controlled valleys, steep canyons, and granitic island chains. PRISMA hyperspectral data further enhanced this framework by differentiating the rock units, delineating shear zones, and clearly identifying quarrying scars and associated landscape degradation. All remote-sensing interpretations were validated through detailed geological field investigations, ensuring accurate characterization of the granitic rocks and their modification by human activities. The granites show progressive differentiation from greyish-black granodiorites to coarse pink and fine-grained types, with U–Th–K enrichment and mean activities of 238 U (77.23 Bq/kg), 226 Ra (41.93 Bq/kg), 232 Th (73.07 Bq/kg), and 40 K (1281.3 Bq/kg), exceeding global averages. Radiological parameters record mean values of 131.35 nGy/h (absorbed dose), 0.16 mSv/y (annual effective dose), 275.82 Bq/kg (radium equivalent), hazard indices of 0.74 and 0.95, and a gamma index of 2.07. Fine-grained granites locally exceed indoor-use limits, High-Dam granites show moderate Th–K enrichment due to deformation, whereas greyish-black and most coarse pink granites (including Fila) remain within safety limits and are most suitable for quarrying. Overall, lithology and structural architecture—rather than external environmental factors—control mechanical behavior, landscape evolution, quarrying suitability, and radiological distribution across the Aswan granite province. Despite generally safe radiological levels, unregulated quarrying and rapid urban expansion have altered terrain and disrupted geomorphic integrity. These findings provide a framework for sustainable resource management, radiological safety evaluation, geomorphology-informed land-use planning, and preservation of Aswan’s unique geological and cultural heritage.
Moral stereotyping in large language models
Can Large Language Models (LLMs) accurately estimate various societies’ moral values? Here, we query the perceptions of LLMs regarding the moral norms of the “average” person from 48 nations and compare them to a large-scale ( n = 90 , 802 ) survey of six moral values (Care, Equality, Proportionality, Loyalty, Authority, and Purity) from those populations. Our findings indicate that LLMs poorly capture the moral diversity around the globe, systematically overestimating some moral values (particularly Care) and underestimating others (especially Purity). Notably, examining various versions of Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) shows that these LLMs may overestimate the overall moral concerns of some Western countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, and Australia) while underestimating those of non-Western countries (e.g., Nigeria, Morocco, and Indonesia). Our work demonstrates that LLMs are inaccurate generators of cross-cultural estimations in the moral domain; in other words, they stereotype the moral values of non-Western populations in predictable ways. Our results highlight the ethical and epistemic risks of relying on LLMs to estimate the endorsement of moral values around the globe.
Correction: Exploratory approach to speculate on body composition models for elite teenage basketball players
EIF4H and YBX1 are essential host factors for hepatitis E virus replication and pathogenesis
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, responsible for approximately 20 million infections annually. Despite the availability of a vaccine in China, no direct-acting antivirals are approved, and host factors required for HEV replication remain poorly defined. Here, using a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen in a replicon system, we identified Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4H (EIF4H) and Y-Box Binding Protein 1 (YBX1) as essential host factors for HEV replication and pathogenesis. Knockout of either factor markedly impaired replication of HEV genotypes 1, 3, and 4, as well as HEV infection and production in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells, while leaving SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and Zika virus unaffected, underscoring their HEV-specific roles. Mechanistically, EIF4H interacts with ORF1 via its methyltransferase-Y-papain-like protease region, and EIF4H deficiency alters the composition of the ORF1-associated replication complex. By contrast, YBX1 is dispensable for ORF1 translation and RNA binding but is specifically required for ORF1 proteolytic processing, a prerequisite for assembling a functional replication machinery. EIF4H knockout rats and liver-specific YBX1 knockout rats were largely resistant to rat HEV-C1 infection, showing profound reductions in viral shedding, suppressed hepatic and intestinal viral loads, and protection from liver pathology. Together, our findings establish EIF4H and YBX1 as essential host factors for HEV infection and pathogenesis and reveal potential targets for antiviral intervention.
Characteristics associated with Lactobacillus-depleted vaginal microbiota in women with different sexual behavior
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate mediates Arl4D self-interaction to promote Pak1 signaling
Self-association by small GTPases on membrane is critical for their signaling output and cellular function. However, a mechanistic understanding of how membrane components regulate this process remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P 2 ] promotes Arl4D self-association to potentiate downstream Pak1 signaling. We first show that Arl4D self-association is GTP-dependent and occurs at the plasma membrane. Fibronectin stimulation increases this self-association through two cooperative mechanisms: i) direct binding of PI(4,5)P 2 by Arl4D via a conserved C-terminal polybasic motif, and ii) phosphorylation of Arl4D at Ser144 by its effector kinase Pak1. As a result, Arl4D membrane residency and protein stability are enhanced, with downstream signaling through Pak1 also amplified. Furthermore, pursuing structural prediction using AlphaFold, we generate an Arl4D mutant defective in self-association but retains GTP binding and membrane targeting, and find that this mutant fails to activate Pak1 for cell migration, while forced self-association of this mutant restores these downstream effects. Collectively, our findings reveal how an extracellular matrix cue leads to directional cell migration through Arl4D assembling into signaling-competent multimers at the plasma membrane, with cooperation between lipid recognition and kinase-mediated feedback playing critical roles.
Shared patterns of dysregulated gene expression across squamous cell carcinomas unveil predictors for prognosis and drug sensitivity
Probing the microscopic origin of toughness in multiple polymer networks
Multiple polymer networks, such as double-network elastomers comprising a sacrificial and a matrix network, exhibit exceptional mechanical resilience, commonly attributed to the formation of an extended damage zone before a crack can grow. However, the microscopic mechanisms underlying their toughness remain poorly understood. Here, we combine advanced light scattering methods and molecular dynamics simulations to explore the microscopic relaxation dynamics and stress redistribution at the polymer strand scale of single-network and double-network elastomers under uniaxial loading. Dynamic light scattering experiments show that microscopic rearrangements and bond breaking events are localized near the crack tip in single networks, readily causing the crack to advance. In contrast, double networks exhibit delocalized microscopic rearrangements well ahead of and not directly correlated with crack propagation, enabling the dissipation of energy over broader regions and timescales. Numerical simulations of the damage zone show that bond breaking in the matrix network of double networks leads to widespread stress redistribution, mitigating catastrophic damage localization. This enhanced ability to redistribute stress in a nonlocal manner allows a much larger extension before localized macroscopic failure occurs, explaining the superior toughness of double networks. Our findings identify early, delocalized bond breaking events combined with more efficient dissipation pathways through enhanced microscopic rearrangements as the key microscopic mechanisms responsible for the outstanding toughness and extensibility of multiple elastomer networks.
Effect of metasurface and process parameters on adhesion during transfer printing using a nanoscratch test
Nine changes needed to deliver a radical transformation in biodiversity measurement
Biodiversity is declining in many parts of the world. Biological diversity measurement and monitoring are fundamental to the assessment of the causes and consequences of environmental changes, identification of key areas for the protection of biodiversity or ecosystem services, determining the effectiveness of actions, and the creation of decision-support tools critical to maintaining a sustainable planet. Biodiversity measurement is rapidly changing due to advances in citizen science, image recognition, acoustic monitoring, environmental DNA, genomics, remote sensing, and AI. In this perspective, we outline the exciting opportunities these developments offer but also consider the challenges. Our key recommendations are to 1) Capitalize on the ability of novel technology to integrate data sources 2) agree to standard methods for data collection 3) ensure new technologies are calibrated with existing data; 4) fill data gaps by using emerging technologies and increasing capacity, especially in the tropics; 5) create living safeguarded databases of trusted information to reduce the risk of poisoning by AI hallucinated, or false, information; 6) ensure data generation is valued; 7) ensure respectful incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge; 8) ensure measurements enable the quantification of effectiveness of actions, and 9) increase the resilience of global datasets to technical and societal change. Radical new collaborations are needed between computer scientists, engineers, molecular biologists, data scientists, field ecologists, citizen scientists, Indigenous peoples, policymakers, and local communities to create the rigorous, resilient, accessible biodiversity information systems required to underpin policies and practices that ensure the maintenance and restoration of ecological systems.
Machine learning identifies distinct movement control impairment clusters in patients with chronic neck pain
Correction for Szewczyk et al., Liganded LolCDE structures reveal a common substrate-LolE interaction guiding bacterial lipoprotein transport
Combined influence of polymeric and mineral fibres on fresh-state performance and fracture properties of high-performance self-compacting concrete
Abstract This study investigates the influence of polyolefin, polypropylene (PP), basalt, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres, applied individually and in hybrid systems, on the rheology-related fresh-state behaviour and fracture performance of high-performance self-compacting concrete (HPSCC). Nine concrete mixtures were formulated, including a fibre-free reference and eight reinforced variants with short (12 mm) and long (38 mm) fibres. Fresh-state properties were evaluated using V-funnel, L-box and J-ring tests, while hardened specimens were evaluated for compressive, tensile and flexural strength, as well as fracture energy and crack propagation characteristics. The results demonstrate that the fibre type and geometry significantly affect both workability and mechanical performance. Crimped PP fibres (38 mm) achieved the highest compressive strength (+ 19.9%) and tensile strength (+ 64.8%), while short PVA fibres provided the greatest improvement in flexural strength (+ 122%). The highest fracture energy (~ 1879 J/m²) and post-cracking ductility were obtained for hybrid systems combining long ductile and short stiff fibres (PD38 + PVA12), confirming the effectiveness of multiscale reinforcement. However, enhanced fracture resistance often came at the expense of workability, especially in PVA-rich systems. Future research should address this balance by optimising hybrid ratios and admixture design. The presented dataset provides reproducible results linking fresh-state behaviour with fracture performance and offers guidance for the design of fibre-reinforced HPSCC balancing self-compactability and mechanical resilience.
PARP7 protects the lung epithelial barrier from diverse environmental threats
Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) family proteins are involved in a wide range of cellular processes. Several PARPs are targeted by inhibitors as treatments for cancer based on their biochemical functions; however, the physiological functions of most PARPs and the potential adverse effects of PARP inhibition are unknown. Here, we show that PARP7 is important for lung physiology. Loss of PARP7 in mice increases susceptibility to chemically induced diffuse alveolar hemorrhaging (DAH) and pristane-induced lupus. Single-nucleus RNA-seq reveals that PARP7 is selectively expressed in alveolar type I cells and PARP7 loss increases immune cell infiltration within the lung, indicating a loss of epithelial barrier integrity. Further, PARP7 inhibition in human bronchial epithelial cells in air–liquid interface culture leads to increased barrier permeability after cigarette smoke challenge or bacterial infection. Mechanistically, we show that PARP7 target, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), mediates diverse cellular responses to cigarette smoke challenge, including loss of tight junction protein Occludin and increased expression of xenobiotic metabolizing genes and proinflammatory genes. Together, our study uncovers PARP7 as a key player in maintaining the epithelial barrier integrity within the lung, which may have important implications for pulmonary diseases and for guiding PARP7 inhibitor use in the clinic.
A YOLOv12-based approach for automatic detection of cephalometric landmarks on 2D lateral skull X-ray images
Abstract Cephalometric analysis is the quantitative evaluation of skeletal and soft-tissue relationships on lateral skull radiographs; it underlies diagnosis, treatment planning, and growth assessment in orthodontics. The analysis hinges on cephalometric landmarks which are anatomical reference points whose 2-D coordinates are used to derive angles, distances, and ratios that guide clinical decisions. Manual identification of these landmarks is time-consuming where each image can take from 10 to 15 min and is subject to inter- and intra-examiner variability that can exceed 2 mm, propagating error into subsequent measurements. In recent years, artificial intelligence methods have advanced rapidly and are now widely adopted in medical imaging. This paper proposes an automatic landmark-detection pipeline built on YOLOv12, the newest iteration of the You-Only-Look-Once family. Trained and evaluated on a publicly available cephalometric dataset, the YOLOv12 model successfully localized 53.47% of landmarks within 1 mm and 80.57% within 2 mm.
Correction for Xie et al., Click-constructed modular signal aptamer chimeras enable receptor-independent degradation of membrane proteins
Resilience and physical–functional HRQoL in cirrhosis: a cross-sectional study of nursing-relevant direct and indirect associations linked to psychological distress and frailty
Neutralization of acyl-CoA-binding protein attenuates glucocorticoid-mediated suppression of cancer immunosurveillance
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent immunosuppressive agents that compromise anticancer immune responses, yet the molecular mediators of this effect remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify the acyl-CoA-binding protein/diazepam-binding inhibitor (ACBP/DBI) as a critical effector of the GC-induced suppression of tumor immunosurveillance and immunotherapy efficacy. Using orthotopic murine models of breast cancer, non–small cell lung cancer, and cutaneous fibrosarcoma, we show that corticosterone (CORT) accelerates tumor progression and abrogates therapeutic responses to immunogenic chemotherapy and PD-1 blockade. Genetic ablation or monoclonal antibody (mAb)-mediated neutralization of ACBP/DBI prevents immunosuppression by CORT, restoring both natural and therapy-enhanced antitumor immunity in a T cell–dependent manner. Mechanistically, CORT induces Tsc22d3 expression in dendritic cells, impairs type I interferon signaling, and reduces antigen presentation capacity, which all can be reversed by ACBP/DBI neutralization. The immunosuppressive activity of GCs and the immunostimulatory function of anti-ACBP/DBI mAb converge on Tsc22d3 expression in myeloid cells, as shown by loss-of-function experiments in myeloid-specific Tsc22d3 -deficient mice. These findings reveal ACBP/DBI as a central mediator of GC-induced immune evasion and suggest its neutralization as a therapeutic strategy to restore anticancer immunity during endogenous or iatrogenic GC exposure.