Browse Articles

Unraveling pathogenicity inheritance in Ganoderma boninense: insights from mating compatibility and virulence variation among dikaryons

Abstract The spread of Ganoderma boninense in field plantings has been historically presumed to be via root-to-root contact between diseased and healthy palms, but does not explain the sporadic incidences recorded in the field. While monokaryons must successfully mate to initiate the infection, the extent to which specific parental genetic backgrounds dictate the virulence of the resulting dikaryons is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the inheritance patterns underlying variation in pathogenicity among G. boninense isolates through mating as a prerequisite. Twelve monokaryons were isolated from G. boninense PER71, and 66 reciprocal crosses were conducted. The results showed that only 14 dikaryons were generated (11 A1B1/A2B2 and 3 A1B2/A2B1) (21%), consistent with the established tetrapolar heterothallic compatibility system of G. boninense. The successfully generated dikaryons revealed significant variation in disease severity among dikaryons derived from sibling monokaryons, ranging from 14.2% to 89.9%. Spearman’s correlation demonstrates that mycelial growth rate does not inherently dictate the outcome of the host-pathogen interaction. Instead, the parental effect analysis revealed a significant parental effect on virulence, in which the crosses involving the monokaryon PER/10 − 9 exhibiting higher virulence (mean severity of 62.96%) compared to crosses lacking this specific genetic background. Dikaryons derived from sibling monokaryons exhibited variation in pathogenicity, suggesting that mating-partner combinations might contribute to virulence diversity in G. boninense. Overall, mating compatibility constraints and partner-dependent variation in virulence may assist in explain the limited success of basidiospore-derived infections under field conditions. This is the first report to observe the virulence spectrum within a single culture of G. boninense and its compatible dikaryotic combinations.

Insights into hominin body size, locomotion, and behavior from Early Pleistocene trackways in northern Kenya

The Early Pleistocene fossils of the Koobi Fora Formation, northern Kenya, record two well-documented hominin genera, Homo and Paranthropus , preserved in the same deposits. Evidence for their ecological sympatry consists of co-occurring footprints of diverse morphologies, suggesting that Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei were present in the same lake margin habitats over hundreds of thousands of years. Here, we report on a ~1.43 Ma fossil footprint assemblage that sheds light on Early Pleistocene hominin paleobiology and behavior. The internal morphologies of the hominin tracks align with others previously attributed to P. boisei , indicating patterns of foot morphology and locomotion different from modern Homo and more consistent with those seen in earlier Australopithecus species. However, the tracks indicate body sizes that exceed the largest skeletal estimates for P. boisei , raising the possibility that they may belong to H. erectus . Depending on their attribution, the tracks demonstrate a) larger body sizes and greater size variation in P. boisei than previously recognized, or b) levels of intraspecific anatomical and locomotor variation in H. erectus that far exceed those yet observed in modern humans or other fossil taxa. Regardless of their attribution, these tracks indicate larger than average body sizes. This supports the hypothesis that they capture a group that included multiple adult males and offers rare direct evidence for hominin social behavior. The ecological context of the tracks suggests that hominins were accessing resources in a deltaic lake margin habitat.

Compliance with guidelines for antibiotic therapy in infective endocarditis in older adults: a national-based real life retrospective cohort study

ICE arrests, 2015–2026: Variation in targeting, method, and geography

We analyze and decompose administrative data on all 1.6 million US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests from October 2015 to March 2026. Our results reveal that the reality of immigration enforcement diverges sharply from the public narrative that ICE arrests are necessary to protect public safety by removing people who commit crimes: Although arrests spiked at the outset of both Trump presidencies, the share of arrested individuals with criminal convictions fell significantly, with especially marked declines in 2025. A shift in ICE tactics partly explains this pattern, but even conditional on tactic, the share with a criminal conviction declined as arrests rose. Moreover, we find substantial geographic heterogeneity in ICE methods, despite nearly universal declines in the criminal conviction rate. Our findings provide important evidence for policymakers, the general public, and researchers studying this period of immigration policy.

Uterine artery bulldog clamping versus tourniquet for reducing blood loss in open myomectomy: a randomized controlled trial

MORC2 controls HIF-1α stability via an HDAC4-dependent mechanism to regulate erythropoiesis

The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway is essential for cellular adaptation to low oxygen. Although the canonical PHD-pVHL pathway that mediates HIF-α degradation under normoxia is well established, alternative regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we identify Microrchidia family CW-type zinc-finger 2 (MORC2) as a negative regulator of HIF-α. In zebrafish, CRISPR/Cas9-generated morc2 mutants developed polycythemia, systemic hypoxia, and constitutive activation of the HIF pathway. Mechanistically, MORC2 counteracts histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) by competing for HIF-1α binding. Loss of MORC2 enhances HDAC4 recruitment to HIF-1α, reducing acetylation at lysine 629 and preventing proteasomal degradation of HIF-1α. These results define a regulatory mechanism in which MORC2 modulates HIF-1α stability via HDAC4 mediated deacetylation, shedding light on hematopoiesis and HIF-related disorders.

Interrupted time-series analysis of trends in Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant pathogens across different COVID-19 control phases in Gansu Province, China

Abstract This study aimed to analyze the temporal dynamics of isolation frequencies and resistance rates among Gram-negative multidrug-resistant organisms across different COVID-19 control phases in over 80 hospitals in Gansu Province, China. We extracted patient demographics and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results for clinical bacterial isolates collected between September 2018 and September 2023. A three-phase interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) utilizing segmented linear regression models was employed to evaluate temporal changes in five key Gram-negative species and their corresponding resistant phenotypes across different pandemic control phases. Stratified analyses using Chi-square tests for trend were conducted to assess annual resistance trends across various patient subgroups. Overall, carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs) did not exhibit consistent significant changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the resistance rate of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) showed a downward trend during the pandemic period ( P  < 0.05). The resistance rate of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) also showed a downward trend, but the difference did not reach statistical significance ( P  = 0.053). Notably, the resistance rate of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) demonstrated a marked downward trend after the pandemic control measures ended ( P  < 0.001). The resistance rate of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales remained stable during the pandemic but showed a significant upward trend after the control measures were adjusted ( P  < 0.05). Stratified analyses revealed that the resistance rates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (3GCephRE) were significantly higher in the intensive care unit (ICU) compared to other clinical wards. During the COVID-19 control period, resistance rates of various bacteria exhibited different patterns, with some species remaining stable and others showing downward trends. Following the adjustment of control measures, both bacterial counts and resistance rates to third-generation cephalosporins showed upward trends, highlighting the imperative for continuous antimicrobial resistance surveillance. This study provides evidence for optimizing antimicrobial stewardship and hospital infection prevention and control strategies in a regional multi-center healthcare setting in Gansu Province.

Palindrome in the sequence of the ribosomal peptidyl transferase center suggests a protoribosome emergence scheme

The emergence of a simple version of the modern ribosome represents an indispensable step in the evolution of life as we know it. Standalone dimeric protoribosome models, derived from the peptidyl transferase center of the modern ribosome, have been shown to perform the primary ribosomal function of catalyzing peptide bond formation. However, the likelihood of the random occurrence of a suitable 70-mer RNA strand capable of serving as the monomer sequence remains questionable. Here, what initially appeared to be a “hallucinatory” AlphaFold3 prediction of a putative protoribosome, was found to express the presence of a palindrome spanning most of the ribosome-derived monomer sequence. The framework of this sequence suggests a simple, experimentally testable molecular mechanism by which an analog of the ribosome-derived protoribosome could have self-assembled from a few copies and complementary strands of a single 10-mer RNA segment. This scenario significantly reduces the complexity attributed to the autonomous emergence of a protoribosome and provides a plausible starting point for a continuous evolutionary pathway, leading from inanimate matter to life as we know it.

Effect-site concentration of alfentanil combined with propofol for nociceptive and hemodynamic control during skull pin fixation

Abstract Skull pin fixation during neurosurgery induces intense nociceptive and hemodynamic responses. Alfentanil, a short-acting opioid with rapid blood–brain equilibration, may provide effective attenuation of these responses during total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA); however, the effective effect-site concentration (Ce) of alfentanil during skull pin fixation remains undefined. This prospective study enrolled 27 patients undergoing elective intracranial surgery to determine the 50% and 95% effective concentration (EC 50 and EC 95 ) of alfentanil for skull pin fixation using the surgical pleth index (SPI) and hemodynamic parameters. General anesthesia was maintained with propofol-based TIVA using target-controlled infusion (TCI), and alfentanil was administered according to the Scott pharmacokinetic model. The initial alfentanil Ce was set at 100.0 ng/mL and adjusted in 25.0 ng/mL increments using Dixon’s up-and-down sequential allocation method. Analgesic success was defined as SPI < 60 with mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) remaining within 20% of baseline values during skull pin fixation. Probit regression analysis revealed EC 50 and EC 95 values of alfentanil at 92.4 ng/mL and 125.7 ng/mL, respectively, for achieving adequate analgesia and hemodynamic stability during skull pin fixation. Patients in the successful analgesia group demonstrated significantly lower MAP, smaller increases in MAP and SPI, and lower intra-fixation SPI values compared with those in the failed analgesia group. Higher alfentanil Ce were significantly associated with improved suppression of nociceptive and sympathetic responses. These findings suggest a concentration-dependent association between alfentanil Ce and attenuation of nociceptive and hemodynamic responses during skull pin fixation. The estimated EC 95 of 125.7 ng/mL may inform future dose-validation studies but should not be regarded as a definitive clinical target. In addition, SPI-guided monitoring may facilitate individualized opioid titration and improve perioperative stability during neurosurgical anesthesia.

Reply to Szöllősi and Williams: The observation threshold mitigates the bias of transient genes on ancestral reconstruction

Enhancing seismic imaging via 5D regularization and interpolation: case study from Bazuzi Field, Sirte Basin, Libya

Selection of optimum high-performance polymer composite for the PCB in modern electronic systems using a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making technique

Abstract Selecting the most suitable high-performance polymer for a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), superior thermal stability, dielectric properties, and cost-effectiveness is challenging. In the present work, a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making technique was used to select optimal PCB substrate materials for modern electronic systems. Polyether ketone (PEK) reinforced with fly ash particles (PEK/FA) composites were prepared and evaluated for their physical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. In addition to prepared PEK-FA composites, other high-performance polymer composites reported in the literature and conventional material (FR 4) were evaluated using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to rank the alternative materials. Seven decision-making criteria, such as coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, dielectric constant, dissipation factors, thermal degradation temperature, density, hardness, and cost, were considered for the study. The relative weights of criteria were calculated using the Criteria Importance Through Inter-Criteria Correlation (CRITIC) method. The results indicated that cost (23%) and electrical properties (18%) are the most influential criteria, followed by thermal properties and density. The TOPSIS method suggests that the PEK/FA composite reinforced with 30 wt.% FA is the most suitable material, with a performance score of 0.811, while the PEEK/AlN composite is the least suitable, with a performance score of 0.401, for modern PCB applications. The sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the consistency of the ranking order. It is observed that the ranking order of materials is quite similar, especially among the top three in each case.

Sprint-like cardiac dynamics support repeated acrobatic lunges in foraging rorqual whales

The dive response decreases heart rate, regulates blood flow distribution, conserves oxygen, and extends dive duration. In diving animals, dive heart rate can be modulated to meet increased demands of exercise during foraging. However, lunge-feeding rorquals represent an extreme example of exercise under breath-hold conditions: Though most of their dive time is spent gliding and filtering, lunges require high-power, acrobatic sprints to engulf massive volumes of prey-laden water. Our biologging data show that heart rate repeatedly increases with lunging but only gradually declines during filtering, dissimilar from the heart rate-activity coupling observed in other divers. We suggest that the unique nature of rorqual exercise likely requires glycolytic metabolic substrates, rather than aerobic substrates, during short, powerful lunges. During slow filtering, high heart rates may help partially renew these energy sources via oxygen-dependent pathways. By temporarily buffering oxygen demand from supply, the flexible dive response appears to optimize oxygen use in lunging rorquals and support aerobically “cheap” foraging. The data also show that dive cycle heart rate scope increases with rorqual size. We propose that cardiovascular plasticity during high and low power phases of foraging dives underpins rorquals’ ability to achieve high foraging efficiencies and combine explosive predation with grazing-like efficiency in a single lineage.

Altitude-associated variation in growth, essential oil composition and antioxidant traits of Eryngium caucasicum populations

Reciprocating Charge Circulation‐Driven Superlinear Output Scaling of Triboelectric Nanogenerator Arrays

ABSTRACT Stacking and arraying triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) represents an essential pathway toward practical, large‐scale mechanical energy harvesting. However, standard parallel arrays yield a mere linear summation at best, which in practice frequently degrades into sub‐linear outputs (1+1≤2) due to intrinsic power losses and phase mismatches. Here, we report a synergistic phase‐reconfigurable switching strategy that breaks this bottleneck through cyclic charge circulation. Synchronizing dynamic network topology with intrinsic capacitance variations induces a cyclic charge compounding effect. This reciprocal flow enhances localized electrostatic induction, forming a feedback loop that boosts transferred charge and short‐circuit current by 471% and 246%, respectively, yielding a 976% power enhancement over parallel arrays, thereby demonstrating “1+1>2” performance enhancement. Crucially, this robust growth accommodates variable phase differences and asynchronous cycles across diverse modes, yielding 3.2‐ and 7.9‐fold enhancements in charge and current for a hybrid contact‐separation/sliding system. Furthermore, the strategy swiftly recovers from air breakdown, clearing reversed charges in just 27.34 s, far superior to conventional parallel arrays. Demonstrating this capability, a boat‐shaped wave energy harvester delivers 2.4 µC and 0.35 mA for wireless multi‐parameter environmental monitoring. This work overcomes a critical barrier in interconnected TENG networks, establishing a robust framework for high‐performance, large‐scale energy harvesting systems.

AI-supported cognitive load detection: experimental insights using wearable workload and stress data for enhanced well-being interventions

Bridging In‐Plane Order to Macroscopic Isotropic Ultralight MXene–Graphene Aerogels

ABSTRACT Precise nanosheet organization across length scales remains a challenge in translating the intrinsic properties of two‐dimensional (2D) materials into macroscopic porous architectures. Extending in‐plane nanosheet order to long‐range, three‐dimensional (3D) frameworks without structural collapse has been elusive. Here, we report an ultralight MXene–graphene aerogel that exhibits isotropic nanosheet organization spanning from the nanoscale to macroscopic porous networks. This architecture is realized through alginate‐induced liquid‐crystalline assembly coupled with rapid ice‐nucleation‐driven compaction. The isotropic framework homogenizes capillary stresses during drying, enabling ambient‐pressure fabrication of aerogels with an ultralow density of 9.0 mg cm − 3 . Continuous long‐range, in‐plane isotropic stacking of nanosheets enables efficient electron transport along the pore walls, resulting in enhanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. This work establishes a general strategy for constructing porous multiscale isotropic nanosheet architectures.

Methionine oxidation alters both helical assembly and disordered contacts in human TDP-43 C-terminal domain phase separation

TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43), a key protein linked to ALS pathology, undergoes phase separation and forms functional assemblies via condensation within cells. The conserved region (CR) within its C-terminal domain (CTD) mediates self-assembly through helix–helix interactions, while the flanking intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) contribute to phase separation through transient interactions involving aromatic and hydrophobic residues. The CTD contains ten methionine residues distributed equally between these regions, making it particularly susceptible to oxidative modifications. While methionine oxidation is known to impair TDP-43 phase separation, neither the precise mechanism nor the specific contribution of methionines in the CR compared to the IDRs has been determined. Here, we combine NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to reveal if and how methionine oxidation in each region differentially affects CTD structure and phase separation. To assess the change of secondary structure caused by oxidation, we measured NMR random coil chemical shift values for methionine sulfoxide. Oxidation of CR methionines disrupts helical structure and directly impairs intermolecular helical association, while oxidation of IDR methionines disrupts long-range contacts. Hence, oxidation of methionines in both regions contributes to impaired phase separation, albeit through different mechanisms. These findings establish methionines as critical redox-sensitive modulators in TDP-43 phase behavior and provide molecular insights into how oxidative stress may contribute to TDP-43 dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases.

A multimedia encryption scheme based on a lightweight predator-prey simulation and chaotic dynamics

Phosphonate‐Pillared High‐Entropy MXene Separator Enabling Ion‐Sieving, Flame‐Retardant, and Energy/Power‐Dense Lithium Metal Pouch Cells

ABSTRACT Coupling Ni‐rich cathodes with lithium metal anodes offers a compelling route to high‐energy‐density batteries, yet cation crosstalk from cathode dissolution destabilizes the anode interface, accelerates dendritic protrusion, and can trigger thermal runaway. Herein, we report an ion‐sieving, flame‐retardant separator based on a phosphonate‐pillared high‐entropy (HE) MXene (TiVNbMoC 3 /Tppm) functional layer that addresses these coupled failure modes. Through topological exfoliation, tetraphosphonate (TppmH 8 ) ligands act as molecular pillars to expand the TiVNbMoC 3 interlamellar spacing to 18.5 Å, enabling a 95% yield of few‐layer (< 5 layers) nanosheets. The HE architecture constructs rapid and homogeneous Li + conduction pathways with a diffusion barrier of 0.179 eV while sequestering 82% of dissolved transition metals. The composite separator delivers an Li + transference number of 0.77, tensile strength of 95.17 MPa, and thermal stability at 180°C. The regulated nanochannels also facilitate stable interfacial chemistry at the Li‐metal anode. In 1.0 Ah NCM811||Li pouch cells under lean‐electrolyte conditions, it achieves 87.1% capacity retention after 200 cycles, gravimetric/volumetric energy densities of 411.8 Wh kg −1 /838.2 Wh L −1 , and a power density of 1127.0 W kg −1 . Phosphonate‐derived PO· radicals and MXene‐derived ceramic char synergistically suppress thermal propagation, enabling stable operation during thermal chamber testing.