Browse Articles

Paraventricular nucleus CRH neurons regulate acute lung injury via sympathetic nerve–neutrophil axis

Pathological validation of 18F-AlF-NOTA-octreotide PET/CT for neuroblastoma

Marine heatwaves modulate food webs and carbon transport processes

Improving bovine disease detection through multilabel classification

Abstract R1.C1: The dairy industry is a cornerstone of global food production and economic development; yet, its productivity is frequently hindered by common bovine health issues, including lameness, mastitis, metritis, and foot-and-mouth disease. These conditions not only affect milk yield but also pose significant challenges to maintaining animal welfare, highlighting the urgent need for intelligent, data-driven monitoring systems. R1.C2: In response to this critical need, this research proposes a machine learning (ML)-based framework for the early detection of such bovine events and diseases through multi-label classification. R1.C3: The system identifies estrus, calving, lameness, mastitis, and acidosis by analyzing key behavioral metrics derived from sensor-based monitoring, including feeding duration, resting periods, locomotion patterns, and aggregated activity data. R1.C4: In the context of multi-label bovine disease prediction, the combination of SMOTE and Classifier Chains is particularly crucial and synergistic due to the nature of the data and the interdependent relationships among the labels. R1.C5: The system was tested using a large dataset of 2.35 million records of livestock behavioral metrics. R1.C6: Among the six machine learning models investigated, the classifier chain configuration utilizing an Extra Tree Classifier consistently demonstrated superior performance, achieving a remarkable 97% subset accuracy, 96% recall, 95% precision, 96% F1-score, and a minimal Hamming loss of 0.04. Therefore, it is evident that classifier chains combined with oversampling techniques can capture label correlations and improve prediction performance compared to standard binary relevance approaches.

Boosting silica micro-rod Q factor to 8.28 × 109 for fully stabilizing a soliton microcomb

A General Strategy to Develop Highly Sensitive FAPα Fluorescent Probes for Invasive Cancer Detection

AbstractFibroblast activation protein α (FAPα) has been reported to be expressed in many carcinoma cells and associated with tumor growth, invasive, and metastasis. However, due to the lack of appropriate fluorescent probes, detecting FAPα with high sensitivity in tumor and clearly delineating tumor margins remains a challenge. Herein, we developed a general design strategy—introducing a positive charge into the fluorophore skeleton—for the construction of FAPα‐activated fluorescent probe with enhanced sensitivity. Molecular docking simulations and fluorescence spectra revealed that the FAPα‐activated fluorescent probe with positive charges displayed an improved affinity and sensitivity toward FAPα. As demonstration, FQCy7, featuring two positive charges, NIR fluorescence emission, and large Stokes shift, exhibited a satisfactory sensitivity toward FAPα and was used for the relationship study between FAPα and carcinoma cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, we have demonstrated, for the first time, that FQCy7 is highly useful in distinguishing invasive tumor from benign lesions and evaluating the precise resection of tumor tissues. This work not only reports an original strategy to design FAPα‐activated fluorescent probes with high sensitivity but also provides a powerful tool for precise tumor detection.

Urban boundaries are an underexplored frontier for ecological restoration

Thin-film lithium niobate terahertz differential field detectors with a bandwidth reaching 3 terahertz

Abstract Broadband and sensitive detection of terahertz (THz) radiation is critical for advances in fields like telecommunications, spectroscopy, and quantum physics. We present a compact and high-performance THz field detector based on resonant THz antennas printed along near-infrared waveguides on thin-film lithium-niobate. These antennas were shown to have their peak response between 250 GHz to 1 THz, depending on their geometry, while the non-resonant nature of the interaction enables THz detection to be achieved up to 3 THz. We show that combining two such antennas in an integrated Mach Zehnder interferometer allows for a measurement of the discrete time derivative of the THz waveform, while using a single antenna measures the instantaneous derivative of the field. Using this approach, we have achieved a noise equivalent intra-cavity field as low as 1.9 Vm−1 for an integration time of 100 ms, corresponding to a single-shot noise-equivalent field of 4.6 kV m1, using a pulsed laser operating at 1575 nm with 76 μW average power. Our device would enable the next generation of compact detectors for applications in spectroscopy and quantum optics.

Super‐Resolution Axial Imaging for Quantifying Piconewton Traction Forces in Live Cells

AbstractCell mechanics play a pivotal role in regulating numerous biological processes. Although super‐resolution microscopy enables the imaging of cellular forces in the lateral dimension with sub‐10‐nm resolution, achieving comparable resolution along the axial dimension remains a significant challenge. Here, we introduce metal‐induced energy transfer (MIET)‐based tension probe microscopy (MIET‐TPM), a technique for mapping cellular mechanical forces with nanometer precision in the axial direction. This approach combines the nanometer spatial resolution of MIET imaging with the piconewton sensitivity of DNA‐hairpin‐based molecular tension probes (MTPs), enabling the simultaneous observation of both the plasma membrane and force‐exerting molecules in the axial dimension. Using MIET‐TPM, we mapped axial integrin tension within focal adhesions and podosomes, alongside their corresponding plasma membrane height profiles, offering detailed insights into the nanoscale structures and mechanisms involved in force transmission. Notably, MIET‐TPM can be implemented on any fluorescence microscopy setup without hardware modifications, making it a versatile and accessible tool that promises to become an integral part of future cellular mechanobiology analysis.

Abnormal Anti‐Kasha Emission and TADF in Anionic Cycloarylenes

AbstractIncorporation of non‐benzoid rings into cycloarylenes significantly alters their molecular geometry and optical behavior. Recently, we synthesized two ferrocene‐doped cycloarylenes, (CpFe)3‐1 and (CpFe)4‐2. However, the {FeCp} moieties in these architectures limited their optical properties. In this work, we report a reductive Fe─Cp bond cleavage approach that enables the removal of {FeCp} moieties efficiently, yielding two anionic cycloarylenes, 13– and 24–. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals different structure deformation between two charged species including molecular symmetry and π‐conjugation. Comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and theoretical calculations demonstrate that both 13– and 24– exhibit steady emission at 560 and 587 nm, respectively, with noticeable high quantum yields (59.70% and 84.99%). 13– violates Kasha's rule via a rare mixed emission from S2→S0 and S1'→S0, whereas 24– adheres to the conventional S1'→S0 decay. Furthermore, both compounds exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) as the first example observed in cycloarylenes, with lifetimes reaching the millisecond scale. This work establishes alkali‐metal‐mediated reductive cleavage as an effective strategy to break Fe─Cp bond and provides new insight into the photophysical behavior of charged molecular nanocarbons, paving the way for the rational design of functional molecular materials.

Melatonin alleviates lead-induced stress in rice through physiological regulation and molecular defense mechanisms

Natural immune boosting biases pertussis infection estimates in seroprevalence studies

Abstract Seroepidemiology has significant potential for uncovering the unreported burden of infectious diseases. However, for diseases without well-defined serological correlates of protection, natural immune boosting—whereby pathogen exposure triggers a detectable immune response without causing a transmissible infection—can complicate the interpretation of serosurveys. This issue is relevant to pertussis, a vaccine-preventable disease that remains a significant public health concern worldwide. Here, we aimed to evaluate the reliability of pertussis serosurveys using a transmission model that tracked the dynamics of pertussis infection, natural immune boosting, and seroprevalence. By fitting this model to seroprevalence data from the late whole-cell pertussis vaccine era in six European countries, we estimated that protection against infection conferred by natural infection or vaccination was variable but lasted, on average, for several decades. We then predicted the positive predictive value (PPV) of seropositivity in serosurveys among adults across twelve countries that broadly captured transmission patterns worldwide. Overall, we predicted a low PPV across multiple scenarios, especially in adults aged 20–39 years, where it typically dropped below 50%. Thus, although serosurveys are unquestionably useful for quantifying pertussis exposure levels, the common interpretation of seroprevalence as a measure of recent infections may lead to overestimating pertussis circulation and underestimating the impact of pertussis vaccines.

Contrastive learning on high-order noisy graphs for collaborative recommendation

Accounting for albedo in carbon market protocols

Abstract The climate benefits of some Voluntary Carbon Market projects may be overestimated due to a lack of accounting for albedo change. Here we analyze 172 Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation projects within the market and find more than 10% occur in places where albedo may entirely negate the climate mitigation benefit, and a quarter occur in places where albedo may halve the mitigation benefit. Yet, the majority are concentrated where albedo changes are expected to be minimal, and 9% of projects occur where albedo would augment the mitigation benefit. Recent data are making albedo accounting possible, and we outline an iterative approach for incorporating albedo considerations into carbon crediting protocols to prioritize projects with greater climate benefit and more accurately quantify credits that may be used to address unabated emissions. We also call on the scientific community to create tools to enable accounting for other important biophysical changes, such as evapotranspiration, which is not yet quantifiable within the Voluntary Carbon Market.

Design and Preparation of Self‐Adaptive and Robust Solid‐State Elastomeric Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Battery Inspired by Rubber Tire

AbstractThe development of safe, high‐performance solid‐state electrolytes remains a central challenge for advancing lithium metal batteries (LMBs) toward practical deployment. Inspired by the durable, deformable nature of rubber tires, we report the design and preparation of a self‐adaptive solid‐state elastomeric electrolyte containing a deep eutectic electrolyte, termed PMEC, which integrates molecular‐level plasticizer dispersion, mechanical flexibility, and interfacial adaptivity. The PMEC membrane exhibits high ionic conductivity (2.37 mS cm−1 at 30 °C), a high Li⁺ transference number (0.64), excellent elasticity, and robust interfacial adhesion (36.34 J m−2). Structural characterizations confirm its amorphous and homogeneously mixed nature, while micro‐Raman and XPS/TOF‐SIMS analyses reveal uniform component distribution and the formation of an organic–inorganic gradient SEI layer on lithium. These features enable exceptional electrochemical performance in both symmetric and full batteries, including over 2000 h of stable cycling and >800 cycles at 0.5 C in LFP|PMEC|Li batteries with >88% capacity retention. Moreover, PMEC‐based pouch batteries maintain functionality under severe mechanical abuse. This tire‐inspired electrolyte design offers a generalizable platform for high‐safety and high‐performance solid‐state lithium batteries.

Integrated transcriptomics unveils mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction as a shared mechanism in sarcopenia and obesity

Adipocyte FMO3-derived TMAO induces WAT dysfunction and metabolic disorders by promoting inflammasome activation in ageing

Towards modular intelligent design method of subway station spatial with PointNet++

Cells adapt to extracellular acidic pH through TM9SF3-mediated PI(4,5)P2 flop

Enhancing mechanical attributes and tribological performance of titanium friction stir welded joints through nanoparticle reinforcement

Abstract In recent decades, friction stir welding has emerged as a significant transformative technique in advanced manufacturing. In this work, fabricating the friction stir welding of 5 mm thick similar titanium grade 4 plates with varying weight percentages of naturally derived biochar (0, 1, 2, and 3 wt%) to enhance the mechanical properties and wear behavior. According to the test analysis, the biochar-included FSW samples had better mechanical properties than the plain-welded titanium sample. The 2 wt% biochar-induced FSW sample gets the best tensile result of 395 MPa, impact strength of 32.02 J, and fatigue result of 183 MPa. Through field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis, biochar was well dispersed throughout the regions and contributing to the grain nucleation. The bookend surfaces of the tensile fractured specimen were examined by using scanning electron microscopy analysis. According to micro-hardness and wear resistance test analysis, a 3 wt% biochar sample plays a key role in enhancing the results and getting 107 HV and a specific wear rate of 0.052 mm³/Nm×10− 3 and a co-efficient of friction of 0.25 µ. The worn surface analysis was accomplished by scanning electron microscope analysis, and the wear mechanisms were studied. The novel approach of the present research is to suggest the ideal biochar FSW titanium sample for aerospace components in critical wear applications. This technique is currently gaining popularity and is being used in a variety of applications, including aviation, shipbuilding, aircraft companies, defense sectors, and the automotive industry. These are implemented to mitigate the detrimental effects and the emergence of defects in the joining of similar alloys in comparison to fusion welding techniques because of their energy-efficient, versatile, and eco-friendly process.