Browse Articles

Can Diet and Exercise Really Prevent Alzheimer’s?

The Vexing Promise of New Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s

Can We Fix America’s Dementia Care Crisis before It’s Too Late?

Bring us your LLMs: why peer review is good for AI models

DeepSeek-R1 incentivizes reasoning in LLMs through reinforcement learning

Abstract General reasoning represents a long-standing and formidable challenge in artificial intelligence (AI). Recent breakthroughs, exemplified by large language models (LLMs)1,2 and chain-of-thought (CoT) prompting3, have achieved considerable success on foundational reasoning tasks. However, this success is heavily contingent on extensive human-annotated demonstrations and the capabilities of models are still insufficient for more complex problems. Here we show that the reasoning abilities of LLMs can be incentivized through pure reinforcement learning (RL), obviating the need for human-labelled reasoning trajectories. The proposed RL framework facilitates the emergent development of advanced reasoning patterns, such as self-reflection, verification and dynamic strategy adaptation. Consequently, the trained model achieves superior performance on verifiable tasks such as mathematics, coding competitions and STEM fields, surpassing its counterparts trained through conventional supervised learning on human demonstrations. Moreover, the emergent reasoning patterns exhibited by these large-scale models can be systematically used to guide and enhance the reasoning capabilities of smaller models.

Author Correction: Endophilin marks and controls a clathrin-independent endocytic pathway

Excised DNA circles from V(D)J recombination promote relapsed leukaemia

Abstract Extrachromosomal DNA amplification is associated with poor cancer prognoses1. Large numbers of excised signal circles (ESCs) are produced as by-products of antigen receptor rearrangement during V(D)J recombination2,3. However, current dogma states that ESCs are progressively lost through cell division4. Here we show that ESCs replicate and persist through many cell generations and share many properties in common with circular extrachromosomal DNAs. Increased ESC copy numbers at diagnosis of B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were highly correlated with subsequent relapse. By taking advantage of the matching recombination footprint that is formed upon the generation of each ESC, we measured ESC persistence and replication and found increased ESC replication in patients who later relapsed. This increased replication is controlled by cell-intrinsic factors and corresponds to increased expression of DNA replication- and repair-associated genes. Consistent with high ESC levels having a role in disease progression, the number of mutations typical of those caused by the V(D)J recombinase–ESC complex was significantly increased at diagnosis in patients who later relapsed. The number of such mutations in genes associated with relapse increased between diagnosis and relapse, and corresponded to clonal expansion of cells with high ESC copy numbers. These data demonstrate that the by-product of V(D)J recombination, when increased in abundance, potently associates with the V(D)J recombinase to cause adverse disease outcomes.

RNA N-glycosylation enables immune evasion and homeostatic efferocytosis

New Hope in Alzheimer’s Research

Controversial New Alzheimer’s Drugs Offer Hope—But at a High Cost

Exploring the association between STOX1:p.(Tyr153His) variant and preeclampsia risk in Egyptian women

Abstract Preeclampsia is a multi-factorial disease, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to its development. The genetic susceptibility in preeclampsia has been determined to be around 50%. STORKHEAD_BOX1 PROTEIN 1 (STOX1), is the gene of interest in this study. The most frequent variant of this gene is c.457T > C (rs1341667). This case-control study was conducted on 96 participants recruited from both the Obstetrics outpatient clinic at Kasr Al Ainy hospital and the High-Risk Pregnancy Department, Cairo University. Patients were divided into 2 groups: (group I: 48 pregnant females with preeclampsia diagnosed on basis of the American College of obstetrics and gynecology criteria, group II: 48 healthy control pregnant females of matching age were included. After collecting the blood sample, DNA was extracted and detection of STOX1(NM_001130161.3): c.457T > C: p. (Tyr153His) gene variant by TaqMan Real-Time PCR were done on all involved individuals. The homozygous CC genotype, previously linked to increased preeclampsia risk, was identified in 27.1% of controls (n = 13) and 31.3% of cases (n = 15), with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.654). The heterozygous CT genotype, associated with moderate risk, was observed in 41.7% of controls (n = 20) and 39.6% of cases (n = 19) (P = 0.835). The inheritance model analysis showed no statistically significant association between the STOX1 c.457T > C variant and preeclampsia under any of the tested models. Genotypic distribution conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both groups, supporting the absence of deviation. These findings suggest no significant association between the STOX1 (NM_001130161.3): c.457T > C (p.Tyr153His) variant and susceptibility to preeclampsia in the studied population.

High-performance chitosan/blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) nanocomposite for rapid and optimized removal of organic pollutant from wastewater

Alzheimer’s Drugs Are Finally Tackling the Disease Itself. Here’s How

Topological prethermal strong zero modes on superconducting processors

Abstract Symmetry-protected topological phases 1–4 cannot be described by any local order parameter and are beyond the conventional symmetry-breaking model 5 . They are characterized by topological boundary modes that remain stable under symmetry respecting perturbations 1–4,6–8 . In clean, gapped systems without disorder, the stability of these edge modes is restricted to the zero-temperature manifold; at finite temperatures, interactions with mobile thermal excitations lead to their decay 9–11 . Here we report the observation of a distinct type of topological edge mode 12–14 , which is protected by emergent symmetries and persists across the entire spectrum, in an array of 100 programmable superconducting qubits. Through digital quantum simulation of a one-dimensional disorder-free stabilizer Hamiltonian, we observe robust long-lived topological edge modes over up to 30 cycles for a wide range of initial states. We show that the interaction between these edge modes and bulk excitations can be suppressed by dimerizing the stabilizer strength, leading to an emergent U(1) × U(1) symmetry in the prethermal regime of the system. Furthermore, we exploit these topological edge modes as logical qubits and prepare a logical Bell state, which exhibits persistent coherence, despite the system being disorder-free and at finite temperature. Our results establish a viable digital simulation approach 15–18 to experimentally study topological matter at finite temperature and demonstrate a potential route to construct long-lived, robust boundary qubits in disorder-free systems.

Photochemical and electrochemical assessment of UIO-66-NH₂/g-C₃N₄ thin-film heterostructures as potential candidates for hydrogen evolution: an experimental study augmented by DFT insights

Abstract The global shift towards carbon-neutral energy systems has catalyzed an intensified focus on sustainable hydrogen production, with photo and electrochemical water splitting emerging as a particularly promising pathway. This study elucidates the design, simulation, and synthesis of advanced photo and electrocatalytic materials tailored for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), concentrating on heterostructures formed by zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—specifically, UiO-66 and its amine-functionalized derivative, UiO-66-NH₂—in conjunction with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄). Employing density functional theory (DFT) simulations, we pre-screened the electronic properties of the MOFs, revealing that amine functionalization significantly narrows the bandgap and optimizes band alignment, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activity. Guided by DFT-derived analyses of electronic structure and density of states, UiO-66-NH₂ was selected for experimental synthesis. Thin-film catalysts comprising UiO-66-NH₂ and g-C₃N₄ in varying weight ratios (60:40, 70:30, and 50:50) were deposited onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates and subsequently evaluated in a standard three-electrode photochemical setup using a 0.5 M Na₂SO₃ electrolyte, followed by testing in an electrochemical configuration with 1 M KOH. Comprehensive material characterization techniques—including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS)—coupled with rigorous electrochemical assessments (linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)), demonstrated that the 70:30 UiO-66-NH₂/g-C₃N₄ composite exhibited superior HER performance. This composite achieved the highest stable photocurrent response, a low overpotential of 135 mV, a favorable Tafel slope of 98 mV/dec, and the smallest semicircle diameter, indicating the lowest charge transfer resistance and enhanced electron transport efficiency. These findings confirm the synergistic enhancement realized through the hybridization of MOFs and g-C₃N₄, providing critical insights into the role of interfacial interactions in augmenting HER activity. The integration of theoretical and experimental methodologies in this research paves the way for the rational design of high-efficiency MOF-based photocatalysts, thereby advancing the development of green hydrogen technologies.

Bioelectronic implants built from rolled-up stretchy circuits

Optimizing corn productivity: Hybrid and intra-row spacing effects on growth, yield, and nutritional quality

Abstract Ongoing genetic enhancements in corn hybrids for high plant density tolerance compel agronomists to periodically reassess optimal intra-row spacing. Accordingly, this investigation assessed the growth, yield, and chemical properties of three commercial hybrids (namely Pioneer 3444, Hytech 2031, and Giza 168) sown at varied intra-row spacings (15–35 cm). Results revealed that Pioneer 3444 (V1) had observably higher chlorophyll content and leaf area index than Hytech 2031 (V2) and Giza 168 (V3), whereas significant decreases in duration to 50% tasseling and silking were documented (p < 0.05). Reference to V1 and V3, the V2 hybrid exhibited higher nitrogen and protein content (2.01 and 11.53%, respectively). Notably, the optimum intra-row spacing was noticed at 25 cm, showing significant improvements (p < 0.05) in shelling percentage (82.72%), weight of 100-grain (41.39 g), grain yield (7549.78 kg/ha), and carbohydrate (83.40%), nitrogen (2.15%), and protein content (12.24%) relative to other spacings. Moreover, the V3 hybrid grown at 35 cm spacing extended the time to 50% tasseling (70.67 days) and increased number of grains per row (46.67). Among all hybrid-spacing interactions, the V1 sown at 25 cm produced the highest (p < 0.05) ear diameter (5.73 cm), 100-grain weight (44.50 g), and grain yield (8206.87 kg/ha). Most importantly, the synergistic effect of V2 × 25 cm spacing resulted in the greatest nitrogen (2.27%) and protein (12.93%) contents, closely followed by those of V1 under the same 25 cm spacing (2.25 and 12.80%, respectively), whereas V1 × 25 cm spacing significantly maximized carbohydrate content (85.00%). Correlation analysis illustrated that the reduction in duration to 50% tasseling and silking accounted for 65–90% of the increase in ear diameter, 100-grain weight, and grain yield. These findings demonstrate that farmers should cultivate the V1 hybrid at a 25 cm spacing to achieve an optimal balance between grain yield and quality, thereby maximizing corn productivity and potential profitability.

A movable long-term implantable soft microfibre for dynamic bioelectronics

Optimization of absorption coefficient of quantum dot structures for infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Infrared spectroscopy is a powerful tool used in chemical analysis and identification, material and polymer characteristics, pharmaceuticals and medical diagnostics, food industry, and environmental applications. Quantum Dots have shown significant potential as a top candidate for infrared photodetection of the transmitted and absorbed frequencies which is one of the main processes in IR spectroscopy. Therefore, the demand for accurate optimization techniques for enhanced detection is critically needed. In this work, we have developed an optimization study of the optical absorption coefficient of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots for IR photodetection specially in fingerprint region, where the Bound-to-bound absorption coefficient calculations are based on the bounded states estimation using the effective mass Hamiltonian diagonalization. Then, optimization has been performed which is based on the Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm where the objective function is maximizing the optical absorption coefficient at certain wavenumbers of interest of 600 and 800 cm−1. Also, the optimized absorption has been compared with previously published results for different dot shapes; semi-spherical, conical and truncated conical dots, showing a considerable enhancement of the optical absorption coefficient at the wavelengths of interest. A 5% sensitivity analysis has been performed for each QD cell parameters to study the effects of tolerances around the optimized design parameters. The presented optimization approach is generic that can be applied for different wavelengths, different QD structures, and different QD and barrier materials.

Impact of planting dates on yield and resistance of soybean varieties to soybean stem fly (Melanagromyza sojae) in Egypt

Abstract Late planting dates can significantly reduce soybean yield due to fluctuations in soybean stem fly infestation levels in soybean crops. A two-year study was carried out at ARC, Giza, Egypt during 2020 and 2021 summer seasons to assess varietal performance to the infestation of soybean stem flies during three planting dates. Comparing to planting soybeans in mid-June, planting soybeans in mid-May resulted in increased days to maturity by 6.29% in the first season and 8.04% in the second season, increased seed yield per plot by 12.88% in the first season and 10.94% in the second season, and improved yield attributes such as 100-seed weight and pods per plant. Planting Giza 111 and Giza 35 in mid-May produced 2.78 and 2.75 kg/plot in the first season, and 2.40 and 2.43 kg/plot in the second season, respectively, with minimal stem fly infestation (52.77 and 47.49% damage reduction in the first season, and 40.00 and 39.94% damage reduction in the second season, respectively). Planting Dr-101 in mid-June produced 2.45 and 2.31 kg/plot in the first and second seasons, respectively, with minimal stem fly infestation (20.93 and 12.34% damage reduction in the first and second seasons, respectively). Planting Giza 111 and Giza 35 in mid-May is the best approach to maximize seed yield while reducing damage from soybean stem flies. Alternatively, planting Dr-101 in mid-June could also be a suitable option for achieving high yields with minimal pest infestation.