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From cloning to gene-editing: the enduring legacy of Dolly the sheep
Preferential nitrogen retention characterizes current eutrophication in United States lakes
Abstract The relative retention of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in lakes and their roles in nutrient cycling remain debated. Although the United States has implemented long-term P control measures in lakes, inexplicable eutrophication exacerbation still reoccurred over the past two decades. Here we geographically track and analyze the nutrient retention changes of 121 lakes in the USA during 2012-2022 using a combination of machine learning and Bayesian hierarchical methods. We find that the preferential retention of P in 70.3% lakes in 2012 shifted to that of N in 85.1% lakes in 2017, and 92.6% lakes in 2022. Four key lake indicators exhibit flickering-like dynamics, which may help identify the nutrient metabolic disorder-like state in the aquatic ecosystem. Overall, our results show that eutrophication in U.S. lakes during 2012-2022 is advancing on the basis of preferential and net nutrient retention shift from P to N, flickering-like dynamics, and associated occurrence of the nutrient metabolic disorder-like state that are all predominantly driven by internal cycling instead of external loading. These patterns are consistent with the possibility of a regime shift rather than simple eutrophication recurrence, and provide insights relevant to lake management and water quality improvement strategies.
Psychometric evaluation of the Urdu version of Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits: A multi-phase validation
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are central to the specifier with Limited Prosocial Emotions in the DSM-5 and ICD-11, reflecting severe emotional and behavioral disturbances. Despite the global use of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), no validated version existed in Urdu. The aim of the present study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Urdu version of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU-U) among Pakistani youth. The study consisted of three phases: translation and cultural adaptation of the instrument, assessment of test-retest reliability, and evaluation of structural validity through confirmatory factor analysis, alongside testing of convergent and discriminant validity. Test-retest reliability with bilingual youth (N = 60) was excellent, with the Urdu–Urdu condition demonstrating the highest stability. CFA conducted on a sample of 300 young adults (aged 18–25) supported a refined 12-item two-factor model (Callousness and Uncaring) over the original three-factor and bifactor models, aligning with previous international findings. Internal consistency for both subscales was satisfactory, and the ICU-U demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity through expected associations with criminal sentiments and self-control measures. The findings establish the ICU-U as a culturally relevant and psychometrically sound instrument for identifying CU traits in Urdu-speaking populations. Its use holds promise in clinical, educational, and forensic settings for early detection and intervention planning.
Ultrasound assisted persulfate for enhanced degradation of Alizarin Red S with experimental design and AI driven optimization
Tissue-resident neutrophils serve homeostatic and immunological functions in embryos
Industrialization of sandwich composite panels for portable outdoor tabletops
Sandwich composite panels offer a promising pathway for developing lightweight yet mechanically robust portable outdoor tabletops, but their industrialization outside traditional aerospace and transportation sectors remains challenging. This study investigates how sandwich composites can be adapted for mass‑market outdoor tabletops by linking market‑driven requirements to engineering design decisions. Five representative panel configurations were developed, varying in core materials, face‑sheet systems, surface finishing, edge‑sealing strategies, and fastening solutions. A structured evaluation matrix was established to assess both material‑level and product‑level performance, aligned with customer‑relevant requirements, applicable standards, and company‑defined acceptance criteria. Results show that industrial feasibility is governed not by any single metric but by the coupled interactions among material selection, surface durability, moisture‑resistant edge sealing, fastening reliability, and manufacturability-cost trade‑offs. Blind rivets emerged as a practical fastening solution, while surface durability and thermal stability were strongly influenced by the combined behavior of finishing chemistry and substrate. The findings establish practical architecture-performance relationships and outline viable industrialization pathways for mass‑market portable outdoor tabletops based on sandwich composite panels.
Effects of walking interventions on sleep outcomes in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Author Correction: Epitranscriptomic RNA editing resolves Mus81 DNA repair tradeoffs in heat tolerance and meiosis
Association of prolonged ECMO bridging and perioperative factors with dysphagia and survival after lung transplantation
Objectives To evaluate the association between perioperative variables, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation bridge-to-transplantation (ECMO BTT), and the development of dysphagia after lung transplantation (LT), and to examine the association between postoperative dysphagia and long-term survival. Methods This retrospective, single-center study included adult patients who underwent LT between November 2008 and December 2022. Swallowing function was assessed using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) on postoperative day (POD) 28, POD 60, and at hospital discharge. Patients were classified into dysphagia (FOIS ≤3) and non-dysphagia (FOIS >3) groups based on FOIS at POD 28. Perioperative variables associated with dysphagia were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results Among the 124 included patients, 35.9% had dysphagia at POD 28, whereas 87.1% achieved functional oral intake by hospital discharge. Prolonged ECMO BTT (≥14 days), tracheostomy before POD 28, female sex, and postoperative pneumonia were independently associated with dysphagia at POD 28. Patients with dysphagia at POD 28 showed significantly poorer unadjusted 1-year and 2-year survival than those without dysphagia. Conclusions Dysphagia at POD 28 after LT was associated with prolonged ECMO BTT, tracheostomy before POD 28, postoperative pneumonia, and poorer unadjusted survival. FOIS at POD 28 may serve as a clinically meaningful marker of delayed recovery and increased clinical vulnerability.
Comparative assessment of LFA and RHA metrics in explaining ecosystem functions and multifunctionality across bioclimatic rangelands
Abstract Rangelands provide essential ecological functions such as biomass production, carbon and water regulation, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity conservation, yet their integrity is increasingly threatened by climate change and grazing pressures. Reliable assessment of ecosystem functions (aboveground biomass, soil conservation factor, soil organic carbon, soil respiration, and microbial biomass carbon) and multifunctionality is therefore critical for sustainable management. This study comparatively evaluated two widely used assessment approaches, the Rangeland Health Assessment (RHA) and Landscape Function Analysis (LFA), across five bioclimatic rangelands in Iran. Ecosystem multifunctionality was quantified using standardized measures of key functions, and linear models were applied to examine the explanatory power of RHA and LFA metrics. Results showed that the explanatory power of models (R²) generally increased with the number of functions included, although the magnitude of this increase varied across regions and metrics. Structural indicators such as rangeland health, soil/site stability, and hydrologic function showed the highest ability to explain multifunctionality in Mediterranean and Semi-steppe regions. In contrast, Desert and Cold regions exhibited weaker and more variable relationships. Overall, the findings demonstrate that targeted combinations of key functions, together with sensitive structural indicators, can substantially improve monitoring efficiency and provide a robust scientific basis for rangeland management under diverse climatic conditions.
Author Correction: Photothermal effects control ultrafast charge transport in titanium carbide MXenes
Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in pain relief during orthodontic treatment: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction Patient adherence to orthodontic treatment depends on comfort, absence of pain, and improved quality of life. Pain and discomfort from procedures like interproximal separation or appliance activation are often underestimated by professionals. Low-level laser therapy, with minimal side effects, shows potential for pain relief in orthodontics, though its efficacy remains uncertain. Objectives To investigate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy in controlling pain in orthodontic patients. Methods A systematic review of randomized controlled trials with orthodontic patients assessing low-level laser therapy will be done. Studies with specific treatments, such as hybrid orthodontics with skeletal anchorage or intermaxillary elastics, will be excluded. The intervention will compare low-level laser therapy alone versus sham therapy, no treatment, or other interventions. No restrictions will apply regarding publication date, language, or patient age. Primary outcomes will be pain; secondary outcomes will be quality of life and adverse effects. Searches will be performed in Cochrane, Embase, LILACS, MEDLINE (via PubMed), and Scopus, plus gray literature (Google Scholar, ProQuest), reference lists, expert consultations, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved records will be merged in a reference manager, with duplicates removed, and imported into LASER AI software. Calibrated authors will independently select studies in two phases: title/abstract screening and full-text screening. Included studies will undergo narrative synthesis, and, if sufficiently homogeneous, meta-analysis. Risk of bias will be assessed with RoB 2, and certainty of evidence graded with GRADE.
Continuous thermodynamics approach for hydrogen solubility prediction
Abstract Accurate characterization of heavy petroleum fractions remains challenging in hydroprocessing reactor modeling, where reliable hydrogen-solubility estimates in complex hydrocarbon mixtures are essential. Continuous thermodynamics has been successfully applied to represent crude oils and petroleum fractions in vapour–liquid equilibrium calculations through continuous composition distributions. Building on this framework, we propose a continuous-thermodynamics-based characterization methodology for vacuum gas oils and integrate it with the Augmented Grayson–Streed (AGS) approach to predict hydrogen solubility. Over temperature and pressure ranges of 459–653 K and 1.0–12.5 MPa, respectively, the proposed strategy reduces the global average absolute deviation with respect to experimental data from 22.5% to 11%. Beyond improving accuracy, the framework provides a systematic route to define a minimal set of pseudocomponents, reducing arbitrariness in heavy-fraction characterization while relying only on routinely measured laboratory data.
SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant re-emerges in US farmed mink and free-ranging white-tailed deer in 2022–2023
On the stability of morphology and performance of neural interfacing electrodes fabricated via CO2-snow-assisted hierarchical surface restructuring
Long-term implantable neural interfacing devices play a critical role in treating various neurological disorders, with their functionality largely dependent on the performance of electrodes and microelectrode arrays. Femtosecond laser Hierarchical Surface Restructuring (HSR™) is an advanced surface treatment technology that significantly enhances a platinum-10% iridium (Pt-10Ir) electrode’s electrochemical performance, improving energy efficiency, specificity, and signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, HSR™ facilitates electrode miniaturization, allowing them to be manufactured smaller, for a less invasive profile. Electrode surfaces produced via HSR™ technology contain multiscale structures, including nanoscale features that, while contributing to superior performance, are sometimes weakly bonded and may detach due to mechanical agitation during testing or implantation. This detachment could lead to a high initial performance, that may gradually decline during prolonged use. Preemptively removing these nanostructures stabilizes the electrode surface, enhancing the stability of its morphology and potentially electrochemical performance. This study introduces a novel, in-operando, CO₂-snow-assisted HSR™ process and benchmarks it against other prevalent surface cleaning methods post-fabrication, such as ultrasonic cleaning, on improving electrode stability and performance. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses indicate that all cleaning methods enhance electrode stability. However, ultrasonic cleaning was found to be more destructive compared to CO₂-snow-assisted HSR™ processing, resulting in reduced electrochemical performance. In contrast, in-operando CO₂-snow-assisted processing provided similar or superior improvements in surface stability, while preserving higher electrochemical performance in vitro and enabling a faster processing time. This study is the gateway to further assess the stability in vivo , which is the intended next step of the research.
Macular pigment optical density correlates inversely with intraretinal light scatter in support of a polarization-dependent glare-reduction mechanism
Abstract Macular pigments are thought to protect the retina from photo-oxidative stress and enhance visual performance by filtering short-wavelength light. Their role in mitigating intraretinal light scatter remains uncertain. This study examined whether the spatial distribution of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) relates to retinal light scatter, consistent with a glare-reduction function. Mie scattering theory, with parameters consistent with retinal cellular components, was used to model the scatter properties of biologically realistic particles. Inner retinal backscatter and MPOD were then measured from 0°–10° eccentricity in forty-eight healthy eyes using dual-wavelength autofluorescence and spectral-domain OCT. Modelling confirmed that oblique intraretinal scatter is highly linearly polarized and, whilst substantially less than forward scatter, considerably exceeds backscatter in intensity, and that OCT-measured backscatter is supported as a proxy for intraretinal oblique scatter. MPOD was inversely correlated with OCT-defined retinal backscatter, with the strongest correlation within 0–2° eccentricity ( R = − 0.83, p < 0.001). The preferred orientation of macular pigment molecules within the radial macular architecture is optimal for absorption of polarized short-wavelength light scattered obliquely from the parafoveal retina into the fovea. This polarization-dependent mechanism provides a unifying framework linking the entoptic phenomena of Maxwell’s spot, Haidinger’s brushes, and Boehm’s brushes.
Assessing grid affordability for universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract Grid expansion remains a key strategy for increasing electricity access across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, whether utilities can generate sufficient revenue under current tariffs to support capital investment is unclear. We compile a comprehensive dataset of residential electricity tariffs for 48 SSA countries and develop a standardized model to estimate electricity bills using the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF). Affordability is assessed across income percentiles using simulated income distributions. Under current tariffs, around 608 million people (50%) may not afford Tier 4 electricity, rising to 1.05 billion (85%) for Tier 5 under a 10% energy-poverty threshold. Sensitivity analyses using 5% and 15% thresholds confirm the robustness of these findings. Even where higher-tier electricity is affordable, usage remains low. Combining affordability estimates with utility financial performance, we identify where grid expansion could be viable and where affordability constraints and utility deficits can create electrification traps. In many countries, off-grid solutions may be the only feasible pathway to achieving SDG7.
Evaluating large language model performance in Risk of Bias assessments: A cross-sectional validation study
Objective To evaluate the reliability and diagnostic performance of ChatGPT-o3 in conducting Risk of Bias (RoB) assessments of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Materials and methods This methodological validation study analyzed 50 RCTs sampled from 50 published meta-analyses. Each trial was independently assessed by the original systematic review authors (OSRAs), our masked human panel, and ChatGPT-o3. Structured prompts based on RoB 2.0 guidelines were used to elicit ChatGPT-o3 assessments. Agreement was evaluated using weighted Cohen’s kappa and Gwet’s AC 2 . Diagnostic performance was measured by sensitivity, specificity, and balanced accuracy, with human ratings as the reference. Results ChatGPT-o3 classified 34% of trials as high risk, compared with 22% by our panel, and 12% by the OSRAs. Agreement was modest (median κ: 0.33 with our panel; 0.14 with OSRAs). Overall Gwet’s AC 2 was 0.30. For detecting high-risk trials, ChatGPT-o3 achieved a sensitivity of 0.46, specificity of 0.69, and balanced accuracy of 0.57. For low-risk trials, its sensitivity was 0.47, specificity was 0.86, and balanced accuracy was 0.66. Discussion The results indicate that ChatGPT-o3 produced more conservative RoB ratings than human reviewers, identifying a greater percentage of trials as having a high RoB. Conclusion While unsuitable to be used as a sole assessor, ChatGPT-o3 may serve as an adjunct tool to enhance the efficiency and consistency of RoB assessments in systematic reviews.
Novel delafossite structured visible-light sensitive AgFeO2/PPAC nanocomposite for efficient adsorptive photocatalytic degradation of cationic and anionic dyes
Abstract In this work, a novel delafossite AgFeO 2 -based pomegranate peel activated carbon nanocomposite (AgFeO 2 /PPAC) was synthesized via a hydrothermal route. Structural and surface characterization (XRD, SEM–EDX, BET, TGA, and FTIR) of PPAC and AgFeO 2 /PPAC nanocomposite indicate successful deposition of AgFeO 2 onto a porous carbon matrix with high surface area. The AgFeO 2 /PPAC nanocomposite was evaluated for the removal of the anionic Brilliant Blue R (BBR) and the cationic Neutral Red (NR) dyes from aqueous solutions under visible light. The AgFeO 2 /PPAC nanocomposite shows high removal efficiency toward both dyes in single and binary systems. The experimental data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting monolayer adsorption under the studied conditions. The maximum adsorption capacities are 798.6 mg g −1 for NR and 598 mg g −1 for BBR. Kinetic analysis shows good agreement with the pseudo-second-order model (PSO), indicating that surface interactions contribute to the adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters indicate a spontaneous and endothermic process. The overall removal performance is attributed to the combined contribution of adsorption and photocatalytic activity. The AgFeO 2 /PPAC nanocomposite demonstrates stable performance over repeated cycles, indicating good reusability. These findings suggest that the developed material is a promising candidate for wastewater treatment applications .