Recent ucr_postprints items

Health management strategies of resilient honey bee stock throughout Southern California

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Significant losses of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) have been documented in recent years, driven by multiple stressors including parasites, pesticide exposure, and environmental change. To mitigate escalating hive losses, some beekeepers in Southern California collect and propagate locally occurring, free-living colonies, often referred to as "survivor" or "Californian" honey bees, that persist with limited human intervention. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of beekeepers managing colonies in Southern California to compare management practices and reported outcomes across stock types. Beekeepers clustered into 3 groups: those managing only commercial colonies (35.3%), only Californian colonies (29.4%), or a mixture of both (35.3%). Respondents indicated that management practices had been adapted when keeping Californian honey bees and reported reduced expenditures associated with queen replacement and disease management. These bees were widely perceived to possess...

Spatially varying deep functional neural network: application in large-scale crop yield prediction

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Accurate prediction of crop yield is critical for supporting food security, agricultural planning, and economic decision-making. However, yield forecasting remains a significant challenge due to the complex and nonlinear relationships between weather variables and crop production, as well as spatial heterogeneity across agricultural regions. We propose a Spatially Varying Deep Functional Neural Network (SVD-funNet), a deep neural network architecture that integrates functional and scalar predictors with spatially varying coefficients and spatial random effects. The method is designed to flexibly model spatially indexed functional data, such as daily temperature curves, and their relationship to variability in the response, while accounting for spatial correlation. SVD-funNet mitigates the curse of dimensionality through a low-rank structure inspired by the spatially varying functional index model (SVFIM). Through comprehensive simulations, we demonstrate that SVD-funNet...

Sacrificing Humans for Insects and AI

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sacrificing Humans for Insects and AI

Infections with the Sexually Transmitted Pathogen Nosema apis Trigger an Immune Response in the Seminal Fluid of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) males are highly susceptible to infections with the sexually transmitted fungal pathogen Nosema apis. However, they are able to suppress this parasite in the ejaculate using immune molecules in the seminal fluid. We predicted that males respond to infections by altering the seminal fluid proteome to minimize the risk to sexually transmit the parasite to the queen and her colony. We used iTRAQ isotopic labeling to compare seminal fluid proteins from infected and noninfected males and found that N. apis infections resulted in significant abundance changes in 111 of the 260 seminal fluid proteins quantitated. The largest group of proteins with significantly changed abundances consisted of 15 proteins with well-known immune-related functions, which included two significantly more abundant chitinases in the seminal fluid of infected males. Chitinases were previously hypothesized to be involved in honey bee antifungal activity against N. apis. Here we show...

Fearlessness and human justice: Exploring Guru Tegh Bahadur’s teachings and sacrifice from a fresh perspective

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article explores the state of fearlessness and human justice through an examination of five celebrated couplets from Guru Tegh Bahadur’s bāṇī (‘inspired utterances’) by placing them in their immediate historical context, followed by an understanding of their wider significance from a global perspective. The main arguments of this essay revolve around the critical situation in Mughal India leading to the ninth Guru’s execution at Chandni Chowk in Delhi on 11 November 1675, by the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb. Rectifying skewed perspectives offered by modern historians in which the death of the ninth Guru is simply an accident of history and therefore of no consequence to wider humanity, this essay offers a critical review of historical readings of events that forced Guru Tegh Bahadur to intervene in the flow of history on behalf of downtrodden and minority voices. To bring the people out of their vulnerability he inspired them with a bold message of resistance against the tyrannical...

Aristotle On Two-Way Powers

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract This paper offers a reading of Aristotle’s view of two-way powers and points out where related views about Aristotle and two-way powers can go wrong. It argues that Aristotelian two-way powers consist in, and are based in, systematic knowledge; that they are all, without exception, principles of change in another, or in oneself as other; and that the topic of voluntary action in Aristotle is a quite different topic. It follows from this that the Aristotelian view of two-way powers has nothing much to do with freedom. The paper also argues that Aristotle’s view of two-way powers is the best in the history of Western philosophy, because it’s the only view on which both contrary exercises of the power are explained as no accident, relative to the power. Subsequent views of two-way powers tend to violate the general principle that powers explain their actualizations as no accident, relative to the power.

Red or blue: The influence of CEO political orientation and situational context on acquisition behavior

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Whether–and under what conditions–CEO political orientation impacts major corporate decisions, such as acquisitions, remains an open question. As prior work has found mixed evidence regarding whether liberal or conservative CEO exhibit greater acquisitiveness, our understanding of the true relationship between political orientation and acquisition behavior remains uncertain. We draw on Upper Echelons Theory, the Threat Constraint Model from political psychology, and individual incentives theorizing to argue that the effect of CEO political orientation on acquisitions is contingent on situational threats and opportunities. These contextual forces can prompt liberal and conservative CEOs to diverge from their baseline acquisition tendencies. Consistent with this framework, our results provide evidence that while, on average, liberal-leaning CEOs are more open towards acquisitions, greater threats in the form of higher industry dynamism, complexity, and economic contraction lead...

Sikh Kirtan & its journeys: Instruments, theories, technologies

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sikh Kirtan & its journeys: Instruments, theories, technologies

Managing Acute Uncertainty

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Life is full of uncertainty about the future. Some uncertainty is stressful and anxiety-provoking, some is comforting and protective, and some can even be pleasurable. This chapter addresses the various ways people manage uncertainty about the future. We first consider situations in which uncertainty is aversive, namely during stressful waiting periods. People regularly wait for feedback about their academic, professional, personal, and financial prospects, and most people find these waiting periods to be unpleasantly fraught with worry. Two theoretical models, the Uncertainty Navigation Model and the newer Emotion-Motivation-Obstruction (EMO) model, guide our coverage of aversive uncertainty and provide a roadmap to the subjective experiences, health consequences, and coping efforts such situation entail. We then turn to situations in which uncertainty is desirable. People regularly avoid information to which they have ready access, even when acquiring the information may benefit...

Varroa mite resistance in a hybrid honey bee (Apis mellifera) population in Southern California

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are important ecological and agricultural pollinators. In the United States, beekeepers experience substantial annual colony losses, largely driven by parasites such as the mite Varroa destructor. We studied a Californian hybrid honey bee population in Southern California, a genetic mix of Western European, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and African lineages. We predicted that these bees would show lower mite infestation levels because they survive and persist without human intervention. To test this, we monitored 236 colonies over a four-year period. We found that Californian hybrid honey bee colonies consistently had lower mite infestation rates compared to colonies headed by queens from a commercial stock. Consequently, they exceeded standard treatment thresholds (≥ 3 mites per 100 worker bees) less frequently and therefore received fewer miticide treatments. We then conducted laboratory-based-choice assays to test whether colony-level differences...

Economic Incentives for COVID‐19 Vaccination Among Employees of a Safety‐Net Health System and Medical Center in Southern California: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and Aims: Healthcare workers (HCWs) were pivotal in delivering care during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet vaccination uptake in the United States was lower than anticipated. This study investigated whether economic incentives, paid time off (PTO), raffle entry, or a direct financial incentive could influence vaccine uptake among HCWs exhibiting greater vaccine hesitancy. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a large integrated safety-net health system. Using an adapted Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS), employees were classified as "more" vs "less" hesitant. For each incentive, respondents indicated whether it would influence their vaccination decision. Multivariable logistic regression estimated associations between demographic (age, gender, race/ethnicity, household income, education, marital status) and employment factors (job type, COVID-19 exposure, pandemic impact on income/employment) and reported influence. Results: Of 684 respondents with complete hesitancy...

FamilyBloom: Examining Ecologies of Collaboration in Family-Centered Health Tracking

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Family health informatics tools can help support well-being with shared data tracking. Prior work typically focused on shared data review, but often in specific moments, like bedtime, or centered on caregiving of children or elderly members. To investigate how tracking can support mutual health collaboration between family members pervasively across daily contexts, we designed and deployed FamilyBloom, a glanceable smartwatch and home display system for mood and goal tracking. Twelve families with both neurotypical and ADHD members used FamilyBloom for three months on average. Our findings reveal how family-centered tracking created collaboration opportunities and tensions across multiple ecological systems: individual self-regulation, collaborations within family dynamics, involvement of care networks with varying trust levels, institutional school constraints and cultural stigma, and temporality of regular routines and crisis periods. We discuss an ecosystem-aware approach to...

STREAMS guidelines: standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The interdisciplinary nature of microbiome research, coupled with the generation of complex multi-omics data, makes knowledge sharing challenging. The Strengthening the Organization and Reporting of Microbiome Studies (STORMS) guidelines provide a checklist for the reporting of study information, experimental design and analytical methods within a scientific manuscript on human microbiome research. Here, in this Consensus Statement, we present the standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies (STREAMS) guidelines. The guidelines expand on STORMS and include 67 items to support the reporting and review of environmental (for example, terrestrial, aquatic, atmospheric and engineered), synthetic and non-human host-associated microbiome studies in a standardized and machine-actionable manner. Based on input from 248 researchers spanning 28 countries, we provide detailed guidance, including comparisons with STORMS, and case studies that demonstrate...

Developing health care provider knowledge, confidence, and cultural sensitivity through resident transgender training: a controlled educational study

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundTransgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals face substantial health disparities as a result of discrimination and poor provider competence in understanding their health needs. Relatively little work has been done studying educational interventions targeted toward increasing residents’ knowledge and ability to treat TGD individuals with sensitivity. We studied the effectiveness of implementing a lecture series on transgender health in preparing internal medicine residents to care for the TGD population.MethodsBoth study and control participants were recruited through their affiliated internal medicine residency programs. The study design was a pre-post controlled educational study. A lecture series was developed at Riverside University Health System as the educational intervention. We used a Transgender Assessment survey developed for the study to determine changes in the residents’ knowledge, self-confidence, and knowledge of barriers to care during the study period...

The Simons Observatory: forecasted constraints on primordial gravitational waves with the expanded array of Small Aperture Telescopes

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present updated forecasts for the scientific performance of the degree-scale (0.5 deg FWHM at 93 GHz), deep-field survey to be conducted by the Simons Observatory (SO). By 2027, the SO Small Aperture Telescope (SAT) complement will be doubled from three to six telescopes, including a doubling of the detector count in the 93 GHz and 145 GHz channels to 48,160 detectors. Combined with a planned extension of the survey duration to 2035, this expansion will significantly enhance SO's search for a B-mode signal in the polarisation of the cosmic microwave background, a potential signature of gravitational waves produced in the very early Universe. Assuming a 1/f noise model with knee multipole ℓknee = 50 and a moderately complex model for Galactic foregrounds, we forecast a 1σ (or 68% confidence level) constraint on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r of σr = 1.2 × 10-3, assuming no primordial B-modes are present. This forecast assumes that 70% of the B-mode lensing signal can ultimately...

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 maps

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background temperature and polarization anisotropy at arcminute resolution over three frequency bands centered on 98, 150 and 220 GHz. The maps are based on data collected with the AdvancedACT camera over the period 2017–2022 and cover 19,000 square degrees with a median combined depth of 10 μK arcmin. We describe the instrument, mapmaking and map properties and illustrate them with a number of figures and tables. The ACT DR6 maps and derived products are available on LAMBDA at https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/product/act/actadv_prod_table.html. We also provide an interactive web atlas at https://phy-act1.princeton.edu/public/snaess/actpol/dr6/atlas and HiPS data sets in Aladin (e.g. https://alasky.cds.unistra.fr/ACT/DR4DR6/color_CMB).

Unified and Consistent Structure Growth Measurements from Joint ACT, SPT, and Planck CMB Lensing

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present the tightest cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing constraints to date on the growth of structure by combining CMB lensing measurements from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), the South Pole Telescope (SPT), and . Each of these surveys individually provides lensing measurements with similarly high statistical power, achieving signal-to-noise ratios of approximately 40. The combined lensing band powers represent the most precise CMB lensing power spectrum measurement to date with a signal-to-noise ratio of 61 and an amplitude of with respect to the theory prediction from the best-fit CMB -ACT cosmology. The band powers from all three lensing datasets, analyzed jointly, yield a 1.6% measurement of the parameter combination . Including dark energy spectroscopic instrument baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data improves the constraint on the amplitude of matter fluctuations to (a 1.1% determination). When combining with uncalibrated supernovae from , we present...

Evidence for large baryonic feedback at low and intermediate redshifts from kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich observations with ACT and DESI photometric galaxies

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent advances in cosmological observations have provided an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the distribution of baryons relative to the underlying matter. In this work, we show that the gas is more extended than the dark matter, and the amount of baryonic feedback at z≲1 disfavors low-feedback models such as that of state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulation IllustrisTNG compared with high-feedback models such as that of the original Illustris simulation. This has important implications for bridging the gap between theory and observations and understanding galaxy formation and evolution. Furthermore, a better grasp of the baryon-dark matter link is critical to future cosmological analyses, which are currently impeded by our limited knowledge of baryonic feedback. Here, we measure the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, stacked on the luminous red galaxy sample of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) imaging survey....

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 constraints on extended cosmological models

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We use new cosmic microwave background (CMB) primary temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) to test foundational assumptions of the standard cosmological model, ΛCDM, and set constraints on extensions to it. We derive constraints from the ACT DR6 power spectra alone, as well as in combination with legacy data from the Planck mission. To break geometric degeneracies, we include ACT and Planck CMB lensing data and baryon acoustic oscillation data from DESI Year-1. To test the dependence of our results on non-ACT data, we also explore combinations replacing Planck with WMAP and DESI with BOSS, and further add supernovae measurements from Pantheon+ for models that affect the late-time expansion history. We verify the near-scale-invariance (running of the spectral index dns /d ln k = 0.0062 ± 0.0052) and adiabaticity of the primordial perturbations. Neutrino properties are consistent with Standard Model predictions:...

Flow and Form as Modulation: Henri Pousseur's 8 Études Paraboliques and the Transformation of Electronic Music

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper examines 8 Études Paraboliques (1972/73) by Henri Pousseur as the articulation of a different electronic modernity, grounded in continuous modulation rather than discrete sound objects or serial parameter control. Situating the work within—and beyond—the traditional Paris–Cologne dichotomy of postwar electroacoustic music, the study argues that the Études propose an alternative ontology of sound in which form emerges as a dynamic trajectory within a relational, oscillatory field. Drawing on historical documentation from the WDR Studio in Cologne, the paper reconstructs the technical and institutional conditions that enabled this approach, emphasizing the role of voltage-controlled synthesis, empirical listening practices, and the deliberate absence of a score. The cycle is further interpreted as a cybernetic system, characterized by feedback, nonlinear behavior, and emergent form, in which compositional agency is distributed across interacting processes. Building...

From Cybernetics to Immersivity: Reframing Sound Space in Electroacoustic and Audiovisual Composition

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the evolution of sound space in elec- troacoustic music from a theoretical and compositional perspective, with a focus on key works by Paulo C. Chagas. It transitions from early paradigms of musique concrète and elektronische Musik to immersive and telematic environments, articulating sound space as a relational, cognitive-affective field shaped by technologies, listening practices, and socio-political conditions. Drawing on theories of acoustemology, cyber- netics, affect, and embodied cognition, the discussion encompasses the cybernetic spatial models of Migration and Projektion, the immersive ambisonic environment of Pune Metamorphosis, and the telematic field-work of Sound Imaginations. Electroacoustic sound space is not confined to technical or aesthetic dimensions; it constitutes a cognitive-affective and socio-political field in which composition unfolds as a mode of know- ing, a practice of critique, and a poetics of presence.

A roadmap for equitable reuse of public microbiome data

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Science benefits from rapid open data sharing, but current guidelines for data reuse were established two decades ago, when databases were several million times smaller than they are today. These guidelines are largely unfamiliar to the scientific community, and, owing to the rapid increase in biological data generated in the past decade, they are also outdated. As a result, there is a lack of community standards suited to the current landscape and inconsistent implementation of data sharing policies across institutions. Here we discuss current sequence data sharing policies and their benefits and drawbacks, and present a roadmap to establish guidelines for equitable sequence data reuse, developed in consultation with a data consortium of 167 microbiome scientists. We propose the use of a Data Reuse Information (DRI) tag for public sequence data, which will be associated with at least one Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) account. The machine-readable DRI tag indicates...

The Role of Mindfulness in Daily Experiences of Patience and Impatience

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ObjectivesSuccess in life often requires patience. However, little is known about patience as a psychological process outside of research on temporal discounting, and even less is known about the experience of impatience. Across three studies, we tested the role of mindfulness in daily experiences of patience and impatience.MethodParticipants (total n = 600) recalled daily experiences of impatience each day for 5 days. Studies 2 and 3 introduced mindfulness interventions compared to either a control (Study 2) or mind-wandering (Study 3) condition.ResultsAcross studies, multilevel models revealed robust associations between daily mindfulness, reduced impatience, and bolstered patience. In Study 3, participants in the mindfulness condition perceived frustrating delays as less objectionable, felt more motivated and able to respond with patience during these days, and ultimately responded more patiently.ConclusionsFindings suggest that mindfulness promotes patience during everyday...

TEACHING AND ADVANCING SUBSTANCE USE CARE FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

TEACHING AND ADVANCING SUBSTANCE USE CARE FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Inferring fungal cis-regulatory networks from genome sequences via unsupervised and interpretable representation learning

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gene expression patterns are determined to a large extent by transcription factor (TF) binding to noncoding regulatory regions in the genome. However, gene expression cannot yet be systematically predicted from genome sequences, in part because nonfunctional matches to the sequence patterns (motifs) recognized by TFs occur frequently throughout the genome. Large-scale functional genomics data for many TFs has enabled characterization of regulatory networks in experimentally accessible cells such as budding yeast. Beyond yeast, fungi are important industrial organisms and pathogens, but large-scale functional data is only sporadically available. Uncharacterized regulatory networks control key pathways and gene expression programs associated with fungal phenotypes. Here, we explore a sequence-only approach to inferring regulatory networks by leveraging the 100s of genomes now available for many clades of fungi. We use gene orthology as the learning signal to infer interpretable,...

Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema carpocapsae Venom Proteins Disrupt Developmental Physiology and Reproduction of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema carpocapsae Venom Proteins Disrupt Developmental Physiology and Reproduction of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

The hidden taxonomic novelty of anamorphic basidiomycetous yeasts in the phyllosphere and tidal flats in China

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Basidiomycetous yeasts are taxonomically and ecologically diverse. While the phyllosphere of plants in China has been the subject of extensive research on yeast biodiversity, many unique and remote habitats remain significantly underexplored for their yeast species. The objective of this study was to investigate the hidden taxonomic novelty of basidiomycetous yeasts in these distinctive niches to comprehensively refine the current phylogenetic understanding. During intensive investigations, 164 yeast strains were identified from various samples collected from the phyllosphere and tidal flats in China. These isolates underwent detailed multi-gene phylogenetic analyses combined with phenotypic characterization for taxonomic placement. The analyses revealed a remarkable level of hidden diversity. These 164 isolates represent one new order (Sterigmoblongales), two new families (Sterigmoblongaceae and Turchettiaceae), five new genera (Nakasea, Sterigmoblongus, Buzzinia, Gracilitas,...

Effects of environmental setting and diet on the gut microbial ecology of eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ABSTRACT Background Eastern hellbenders ( Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis ) have undergone substantial population declines throughout their range, leading them to become the focus of increased conservation efforts, including care in zoo and university settings. However, effective implementation of such conservation strategies often relies on a comprehensive understanding of host health, which can be directly influenced by the gut microbiome, yet characterization of gut microbiota often remains overlooked in ex situ conservation facilities. Additionally, effects on the gut microbiome associated with releasing zoo-reared animals into the wild are poorly understood. Therefore, these circumstances make hellbenders an ideal species to examine the relationship between zoo management strategies and gut microbial dynamics. Methods 16S rRNA sequencing was used to investigate dissimilarities between the gut microbiome of hellbenders in zoo and wild settings and to evaluate...

Phyling: phylogenetic inference from annotated genomes

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Phyling is a fast, scalable, and user-friendly tool supporting phylogenomic reconstruction of species phylogenies directly from protein-encoded genomic data. It identifies orthologous genes by searching protein sequences against a curated set of Hidden Markov Models profiles, consisting of single-copy orthologs derived from the BUSCO database. To optimize the speed of the final inference, Phyling includes a module to filter aligned orthologs based on their phylogenetic informativeness. Finally, Phyling provides a companion wrapper for automated species tree construction using either consensus or concatenation strategies. Phyling efficiently resolves large phylogenies by optimizing memory usage and data processing. Its checkpoint system enables users to incrementally add or remove samples without repeating the entire search process. For analyses involving closely related taxa, Phyling supports the use of nucleotide coding sequences, which may capture phylogenetic signals missed...

Characterization and ligand binding properties of a fatty acid- and retinol- binding protein (Hp-FAR-2) from Heligmosomoides polygyrus

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Characterization and ligand binding properties of a fatty acid- and retinol- binding protein (Hp-FAR-2) from Heligmosomoides polygyrus

Genomic and Ecological Flexibility Shape the Global Distribution of a Black Fungus

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Black fungi are among the most stress-resistant organisms known, yet the genetic and ecological foundations of their extraordinary resilience remain poorly understood. This study explores the adaptation strategies of the melanised fungus Elasticomyces elasticus by integrating genomic and ecological data. To uncover the mechanisms of adaptation, we combined whole-genome sequencing, functional annotation, environmental metadata, and large-scale soil metabarcoding analyses. Phylogenomic approaches were employed to delineate evolutionary lineages and assess ploidy levels. The results revealed that the global distribution of Elasticomyces phylotypes is primarily influenced by temperature, UV radiation, and soil organic carbon, suggesting that different phylotypes have evolved heterogeneous strategies for stress resistance. Comparative genomic analyses identified a set of 'sentinel pathways,' notably glutathione metabolism and nucleotide biosynthesis, which were enriched in strains...

Private members’ bills & parliamentary motions: Who bothers?

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

While the role of legislators in parliamentary systems may sometimes seem to involve little more than to support the government of the day, legislators in many parliaments regularly take advantage of their, often limited, opportunities to introduce members’ bills and parliamentary motions. The success of these efforts is typically limited, which raises the question of why legislators bother. We argue that the legislators’ behavior is in part driven by the incentives their parties present them with. Government and opposition MPs behave in a different manner because government and opposition parties value legislative activity and types of legislative activity differently. Government MPs are expected to stay out of the way of the government’s agenda or focus their attention on less salient issues. In contrast, opposition MPs are expected to do the opposite and to present their parties as viable government alternatives. Examining members’ bills and parliamentary motions in Iceland...

Examining relationships among regional economic conditions, cognitive control, and intergroup bias in the implicit association test: A regional modeling approach

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Individuals experiencing economic stress demonstrate lower cognitive control and higher intergroup bias. The present research extends beyond individuals to investigate relationships among regional economic conditions, regional cognitive control, and intergroup bias. We aggregated 2.9 million US-based participants’ geolocated responses on the Black/White Implicit Association Test, then applied the Process Dissociation Procedure to estimate state-level cognitive control and racial evaluations across the years 2005 to 2019. Black populations’ cognitive control was weaker in states where Black residents faced more adverse economic conditions, but stronger in states where White residents faced more adverse economic conditions. White populations’ cognitive control was weaker in states where more Black residents faced unemployment. Black populations’ outgroup biases were more negative in states where more White residents lived in poverty, and White populations’ ingroup biases were more...

Defining Immersive Learning

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Immersive learning practices (ILPs) in higher education are multidisciplinary in nature and varied in levels of integration into the student learning process. They appear in a variety of higher education programs such as teacher education, social work, law, and health sciences, and in practices such as service-learning, study away, internships, and foreign-language instruction. Based on observations of teaching and data from an open-ended survey and semi-structured interviews with post-secondary educators from three different countries, this study theorizes that immersive learning practices are composed of six distinct underlying theoretical components that work in combination. These six components can be used to describe, define, compare, and design different types of structured ILPs. This study suggests that ILPs are pedagogically distinct from other forms of engaged and experiential learning.

Does Informing Partisans About Partisan Bias Reduce Partisan Bias?

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Does Informing Partisans About Partisan Bias Reduce Partisan Bias?

systemPipeR: a multipurpose workflow management system for reproducible data analysis

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Workflow management systems (WMS) are essential for creating and automating multi-step data analyses and ensuring the reproducibility of biological insights. Although numerous WMS solutions exist, few provide deep integration of command-line software with the R and Bioconductor ecosystems, where a substantial portion of statistical modeling and downstream scientific analysis is performed by a large user base. systemPipeR addresses this gap by offering a unified environment that links R-based analytical steps with command-line tools through a standardized workflow specification. It enables the design and execution of reproducible workflows on both local and high-performance computing systems, while allowing users to select the most appropriate R or command-line tool for each analysis step. The latest version introduces a fully redesigned architecture that streamlines workflow construction, execution, monitoring, and reporting. Key enhancements include a flexible workflow management...

Reduced methane emissions in transgenic rice genotypes are associated with altered rhizosphere microbial hydrogen cycling

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rice paddies significantly contribute to atmospheric methane (CH4). Here, we show that two independent rice genotypes overexpressing genes for PLANT PEPTIDES CONTAINING SULFATED TYROSINE (PSY) reduce cumulative CH4 emissions by 38% (PSY1) and 58% (PSY2) over 70 days of growth compared with controls. Genome-resolved metatranscriptomic data from PSY rhizosphere soils reveal lower ratios of gene activities for (mostly hydrogenotrophic) CH4 production versus consumption, decreased activity of H2-producing genes, and increased activity of bacterial H2 oxidation pathways. Metabolic modeling using metagenomic and metabolomic data predicts elevated H2 oxidation and suppressed H2 production in the PSY rhizosphere. Assembled genomes of rhizosphere H2-oxidizing bacteria are enriched in genes utilizing gluconeogenic acids compared with H2-producing counterparts, and their activities are likely stimulated by elevated levels of gluconeogenic acids, primarily amino acids, in PSY root exudates....

Supporting Basic Psychological Needs in Medical Education: A Patient Best Practice.

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Physician burnout remains a pervasive challenge in medical education, with significant implications for both physician well-being and the quality and safety of patient care. Despite growing awareness and interventions, medical educators often lack a cohesive theoretical framework that explains how learning environments can contribute to both burnout and clinical performance. This article highlights Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a robust, evidence-based lens through which to understand and address these challenges by emphasizing the fulfillment of three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Drawing on foundational and contemporary research across health professions education and healthcare, the authors argue that supporting these needs within clinical learning environments not only enhances learner motivation, engagement, and resilience, but also reduces burnout and its downstream effects on empathy, decision-making, teamwork, and patient outcomes....

Tournament in academia: a comparative analysis of faculty evaluation systems in research universities in China and the USA

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Based on content analysis of faculty evaluation policies, this article addresses faculty evaluation policies and notes the links between the ideology of neoliberalism and a tournament system of faculty evaluation in research-intensive universities in China and the USA. The focus is upon the similarities and differences of faculty evaluation systems in China and the USA. Faculty evaluation reflects neoliberal values and the logic of the market, with corresponding diminution of academic logic and the traditional values of the academy, particularly academic quality, through market-oriented competition. Both systems are tournament-like systems that emphasize the management of performance and operations of competitive mechanisms, with the goals of efficiency and effectiveness. Three main differences between the faculty evaluation systems in US research universities and Chinese research universities are evident: a traditional concept of collegiality in the US university but not in China;...

The US Community College After Globalization

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This chapter focuses upon both education and training policy and practice in US community colleges following the period of the 1980s and 1990s where the globalization process shaped and influenced these institutions. On the one hand, institutional policy and behaviors pertain to program completion (including credentialing) and student learning outcomes. On the other hand, national policy for a globally competitive workforce points to the ways in which ideology, particularly neoliberal or liberal market ideology, used the globalization process and globalizing tendencies (e.g., international labor forces, immigration, and information technology). This ideology, or at least its tenets, has insinuated itself into public education. We draw upon a longitudinal investigation of US community colleges that highlights three community colleges, examined initially in the period of 1989–1999 and subsequently in the period of 2000–2013. During the former period, these colleges emphasized international...

Dynamic Chemistry and Toxicity of E‑Cigarette Aerosols and Their Product Waste

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid rise of e-cigarette (vape) use over the past decade has raised significant public health and environmental concerns. While marketed as safer alternatives to combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes generate complex aerosols that expose both users and nonusers to potentially harmful compounds. Vaping produces aerosols containing active ingredients (such as nicotine or cannabinoids), flavoring agents, metals, carbonyls, reactive oxygen species, and ultrafine particles that can deposit throughout the respiratory tract. Beyond direct inhalation, nonusers are also subject to secondhand and thirdhand exposure through inhalation of exhaled aerosols and contact with surface-deposited residues. These aerosols undergo dynamic physicochemical transformations, including gas-particle partitioning, oxidation, and aging processes, that may enhance their toxicity by increasing the abundance of reactive and oxygenated species. Emerging evidence suggests that passive exposure may pose disproportionate...

Interplay of Metals and Organics in E‑Cigarette Aerosols Enhances the Production of Reactive Oxygen Species within Ultrafine Particles: Implications for Passive Vaping Exposures

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent work has shown that the atmospheric aging of vaping emissions in indoor environments produces organic hydroperoxides via the ozonolysis of terpene flavoring chemicals. These peroxide species decompose to form radicals upon aqueous dissolution. While the mechanism responsible for producing these radicals has yet to be fully elucidated, one prevailing hypothesis to support this phenomenon is Fenton-like reactions between redox-active metals and peroxides. Vaping emits various redox-active metals, which may play an important role in mediating these types of aqueous reactions. Here, we observed that the production of radicals resulting from the aqueous decomposition of aged e-cigarette aerosols was found to be highly dependent on the presence of redox-active metals, indicating the reliance of Fenton-like reactions on mediating the formation of radicals. Additionally, we observed that peroxides and metals are enriched within the ultrafine particles (UFPs) of aged vaping emissions,...

Micronutrients and Risk of Parkinsons Disease: A Systematic Review.

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Parkinsons disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Although the precise pathogenetic mechanisms of PD remain undetermined, there appears to be both genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the risk of developing PD. With regard to environmental risk factors, there has been significant interest related to the role of diet, nutrition, and nutrients on the onset and progression of PD. As the current treatments are predominantly focused on symptomatic management, efforts must be directed toward prevention of the PD and identification of potentially modifiable risk and preventive factors. This comprehensive review gives an overview of studies examining the role of micronutrients in PD, and provides guidance on the value of the reported outcomes.

Author Correction: A roadmap for equitable reuse of public microbiome data

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Correction to: Nature Microbiologyhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02116-2, published online 26 September 2025. In the version of this article initially published, in the first paragraph of the “Survey on data reuse” section, a note on participant consent, confidentiality and institutional review was missing and has now been inserted in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

Decoupling Cyanide Activation from C-C Bond Formation in Ni-Catalyzed Cyanation of Strained Ketones Using Benzonitriles.

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We have developed a Ni-catalyzed approach that generates silyl cyanides in situ to enable C-CN bond formation from readily available, low-toxicity benzonitriles. This strategy decouples cyanide activation from subsequent bond-forming reactions within distinct catalytic cycles to facilitate the ring-opening cyanation of cyclopropyl and cyclobutyl ketones. By separating C-CN activation from coupling, the chemistry is not limited by the intrinsic reactivity of the specific intermediate generated from activating the cyanide precursor. Indeed, we demonstrate that the separation of both cycles allows us to expand Ni-catalyzed cyanation chemistry using nontoxic precursors beyond hydrocyanation of π-systems and benzonitrile synthesis. Specifically, we report the synthesis of γ- and δ-cyanated ketones with broad functional group tolerance. Mechanistic investigations, including kinetic studies, stoichiometric reactions, and the isolation of a rare bimetallic Ni species featuring a bridging...

Risk and resilience on learning outcomes in diverse Muslim youth.

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Muslim youths in the U.S. are facing mental health issues due to discrimination, bullying, and islamophobia, which may impact academic learning outcomes. However, there is considerable diversity in Muslim youth: the vast majority immigrating from or have parents from various geographic regions: Southeast Asia, Middle East, North Africa, Europe, etc. A few studies have reported group differences with discrimination regarding the Muslim population. Given the different cultural contexts and intersections of identities, more research is needed to better understand how the diversity of Muslim youth in the U.S. may require different tailored interventions and prevention programs that foster positive learning outcomes. This review paper starts by reviewing research reporting factors impacting the well-being of Muslim youth. Then, it highlights differences in experiences that may affect learning outcomes, such as geographic region, ethnicity, immigration status, minority status, and income...

Nickel-photochemical C–N couplings: moving beyond iridium photocatalysts

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ni-photochemical C-N couplings have emerged as a powerful synthetic tool. However, limitations in catalyst stability continue to constrain applicability. This Forum highlights how the field has evolved from reliance on Ir photocatalysts toward more sustainable initiation methods and how recent ligand design are beginning to address long-standing deactivation pathways.

Photochemical reduction of aryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides via ternary EDA complexes with guanidine bases

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Photoredox catalysis has traditionally required sophisticated catalyst design, multi-photon systems, or photoelectrochemical strategies to reach the reducing potentials necessary for aryl chloride activation. In a surprising departure from these paradigms, we find that a simple, bench-stable guanidine base, TBD, functions as a powerful photoreductant under visible light, promoting the reduction of aryl iodides, bromides, and even unactivated aryl chlorides-as well as Birch-type dearomatization of polyarenes. Mechanistic interrogation reveals an unusual ternary EDA complex formed between a TBD dimer and the aryl halide, which upon excitation engages in an electron transfer, generating aryl radicals. These intermediates enable hydrodehalogenation, borylation, and radical cyclization pathways, demonstrating broad downstream reactivity. This discovery establishes guanidine bases as a new class of photoactive reductants and highlights aggregation-driven EDA activation as a powerful...

Genomic and biological characterization of lytic phages infecting Pseudomonas syringae associated with almond bacterial blast.

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pseudomonas species are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens that affect a wide range of economically important crops, including almond. Increasing resistance of Pseudomonas syringae to conventional management strategies highlights the need for alternative disease control options. In this study, we isolated and characterized three lytic bacteriophages, including vB_PsyP_Mobley, vB_PsyP_Plaza, and vB_PsyP_Mission, targeting almond-infecting Pseudomonas strains. Host-range analysis across 36 isolates revealed partially overlapping infectivity profiles, with strongest activity against phylogroup 2 (PG2) almond-associated P. syringae pv. syringae and reduced infectivity against phylogenetically distinct isolates, including PG7 P. viridiflava and other crop-associated pathovars. Efficiency-of-plating assays quantitatively supported these host-range patterns. Plaque morphology and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated icosahedral capsids with short, non-contractile tails consistent...

Influence of light levels and predator characteristics on the functional response of the European harvestman (Opiliones: Phalangiidae)

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Subject Editor: Rachid HannaPredatory interactions form food webs and shape ecosystems. Such predator-prey relationships underlie the survival, fitness, and landscape utilization of predatory arthropods. Synanthropic arthropod species thrive in agroecosystems and in other landscapes transformed by human activity. Understanding the characteristics of synanthropic arthropod predator-prey relations is crucial to understanding and mitigating their impacts in nonnative ranges. One way to quantify predation is via the functional responses, which describe the strength and nature of predator-prey interactions. Predator traits and environmental conditions can influence functional responses, the resulting energy and nutrient flows, and ultimately population dynamics. Here, we present the first functional response quantification for the European harvestman (Phalangium opilio L.), an introduced opilionid species in the United States. We explore how predator sex, body size, leg characteristics,...

The regenerative role of neural crest stem cells in physical stimuli-enhanced peripheral nerve repair

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), capable of differentiating into neurons and Schwann cells, are essential for peripheral nerve regeneration. This study investigates the role of endogenous NCSC-like cells in mechano-electrical stimulation (MES)-enhanced peripheral nerve repair. In a critical-sized nerve injury model, MES leads to complete nerve reconnection, accompanied by a significant increase in NCSC-like cells at the injury sites. In vitro, MES promotes the simultaneous differentiation of NCSC-like cells into neurons and Schwann cells, with elevated neuregulin 1 (NRG1) expression, a key factor in Schwann cell development. Mechanistically, MES activates BMP/Smad signaling, driving neuronal differentiation and subsequent NRG1 secretion, which in turn promotes Schwann cell maturation through the ErBB/NFAT pathway. These findings demonstrate that MES enhances peripheral nerve regeneration by activating and directing stem cell differentiation, supporting a novel therapeutic approach...

Innovation in environmental engineering for community-engaged research

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Innovation in environmental engineering for community-engaged research

Problems, Progress and Perspectives in Mathematical and Computational Biology.

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For this Special Collection we invited experts in the area of mathematical and computational biology to share their views on the major problems in their areas of interest and their recent research results - focusing on the development of state-of-the-art modeling approaches and computational techniques applied to problems in the life sciences - and to present their vision of the new directions needed for addressing unsolved problems. Papers in this Special Collection address mathematical and computational problems in several areas of the life sciences, including theoretical neuroscience, cancer modeling, and cell and developmental systems. With respect to methodologies, these papers cover dynamical systems, differential equations, stochastic processes, and modern computational techniques, all with an emphasis on techniques in modern modeling and computational methodologies. This Special Collection is jointly hosted by the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology and the Journal of Mathematical...

Endothelial Adgrl2 expression and alternative splicing controls the cerebrovasculature.

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Central nervous system development requires parallel but interrelated processes of neural circuit assembly and vascularization. Intersecting between these two processes is the cell-adhesion G-protein coupled receptor Adgrl2. In select neuronal populations, Adgrl2 is localized and control the assembly of specific synaptic sites. In non-neuronal brain cells, Adgrl2 is restricted in expression to endothelial cells. Testing for Adgrl2 function in these cells in mice (of either sex), here we find that endothelial cell specific Adgrl2 deletion results in an impairment in cerebrovascular integrity. To understand how it might be possible for Adgrl2 to function independently in neuronal and endothelial contexts, we surveyed Adgrl2 transcripts within these cell classes. By analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing datasets, we find that Adgrl2 mRNA is subject to robust cell type-specific alternative splicing that results in distinct isoforms...

PATIENT OUTCOMES AFTER BEING TREATED WITH BETA-BLOCKERS FOR HEART RATE CONTROL IN SEPTIC SHOCK

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

PATIENT OUTCOMES AFTER BEING TREATED WITH BETA-BLOCKERS FOR HEART RATE CONTROL IN SEPTIC SHOCK

Probing Active Galactic Nuclei-driven Feedback in Dwarf Galaxies with Spatially Resolved Near-infrared Coronal Lines from JWST

Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: We present the first spatially resolved investigation of near-infrared coronal lines in dwarf galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei (AGN), using JWST/NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy. Coronal lines (CLs), which are forbidden transitions from highly ionized species with ionization potentials up to 450 eV, act as sensitive tracers of the AGN ionizing continuum and feedback processes. Across four dwarf galaxies with ionized gas outflows traced by the optical [O III ] lines, we report the detection of 16 unique species of near-infrared CLs. Line ratio diagnostics indicate that photoionization from the AGN dominates the excitation of CLs. We find that the coronal line region in dwarf galaxies, traced by the various CLs, extends up to 0.5 kpc, and can constitute up to 10% of the size of the host galaxy. Correlations between CL luminosities and the properties of [O III ...

Two Native Anagrus spp. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) Are Egg Parasitoids of the Invasive Two-Spot Cotton Leafhopper Amrasca biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Florida, USA.

Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The two-spot cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), was recently detected in Florida and other southeastern states, USA. This is a quarantine pest of regulatory significance, since it can infest staple crops, such as okra, cotton, eggplant, and tropical hibiscus. While collecting infested okra plants in Homestead, Florida, five female Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) parasitoids emerged from eggs of Am. biguttula. The specimens were identified morphologically and molecularly by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of nuclear ribosomal RNA. Two Anagrus species were identified: Anagrus vulneratus and Anagrus sp. near vulneratus. These parasitoids are not known to occur in the Old World, the origin of Am. biguttula. Rather, they are native to North America. The available evidence suggests that the collected specimens switched...

Predicting viral sensitivity to antibodies using genetic sequences and antibody similarities.

Fri, 3 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For genetically variable pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, individual viral isolates can differ dramatically in their sensitivity to antibodies. The ability to predict which viruses will be sensitive and which will be resistant to a specific antibody could aid in the design of antibody therapies and help illuminate resistance evolution. Due to the enormous number of possible combinations, it is not possible to experimentally measure neutralization values for all pairs of viruses and antibodies. Here, we developed a simple and interpretable method called grouped neutralization learning (GNL) to predict neutralization values by leveraging viral genetic sequences and similarities in neutralization profiles between antibodies. The trained model is interpretable and can identify key mutations that impact viral sensitivity. Our method compares favorably to state-of-the-art approaches and is robust to model parameter assumptions. GNL can predict neutralization values...

Jaguar and puma captivity and trade among the Maya: Stable isotope data from Copan, Honduras.

Fri, 3 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

From Moctezumas zoo to animals kept in captivity at Teotihuacan, there is increasing evidence that Mesoamericans managed wild animals for a myriad of purposes. The present study situates ritualized animal management of highly symbolic fauna in the broader context of Classic Mesoamerica by examining another core site, the Maya center of Copan, Honduras (A.D. 426-822). In this study, we identify two animal populations among the faunal remains from public and private rituals spanning the Copan dynasty. One population, with diets heavily composed of atypically sourced C4 inputs indicative of artificial feeding, corresponds with the felids interred in Altar Q and Motmot caches. The second population is composed of felids and felid products bearing a predominance of C3 signatures indicative of a more natural dietary regime. As with Copan deer, species-specific δ18O variations within these felid populations further substantiates the postulation that an expansive faunal trade network...

Chronic infections can generate SARS-CoV-2-like bursts of viral evolution without epistasis.

Fri, 3 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants have arisen during the first years of the pandemic, often bearing many new mutations. Several explanations have been offered for the surprisingly sudden emergence of multiple mutations that enhance viral fitness, including cryptic transmission, spillover from animal reservoirs, epistasis between mutations, and chronic infections. Here, we simulated pathogen evolution combining within-host replication and between-host transmission. We found that, under certain conditions, chronic infections can lead to SARS-CoV-2-like bursts of mutations even without epistasis. Chronic infections can also increase the global evolutionary rate of a pathogen even in the absence of clear mutational bursts. Overall, our study supports chronic infections as a plausible origin for highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants. More generally, we also describe how chronic infections can influence pathogen evolution under different scenarios.

Just Keep Flowing: A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Flow and Well-Being

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Flow is the experience of being deeply immersed in an activity, an experience that researchers have embraced as a predictor of well-being. Although research on the beneficial effects of flow is widespread, its multidisciplinary nature has precluded a clear consensus on their nature and strength. Results from a meta-analysis revealed a moderately strong, positive relationship between flow and well-being, consistent with our hypothesis. Features of the well-being measure moderated the association, such that eudaimonic measures showed a stronger association than did hedonic measures, and among hedonic measures, measures of cognitive well-being were more strongly associated with flow than affective measures. Measures of positive aspects of well-being were also more strongly associated with flow than measures of negative aspects. The association was surprisingly robust to features of the flow measure and activity, the design of the study, and characteristics of the sample. These findings...

Imaging Venus-like Worlds: Spectral, Polarimetric, and UV Diagnostics for the Habitable Worlds Observatory

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding planetary habitability requires a comparative approach that explores the divergent evolutionary outcomes of Earth and Venus. The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will be uniquely positioned to conduct a statistical and physical census of terrestrial exoplanets spanning the Venus Zone (VZ) and the Habitable Zone, enabling the detection and atmospheric characterization of post-runaway greenhouse worlds (“exoVenuses”). We present an updated list of VZ exoplanets, which raises the number of known candidates to 370. We describe a science case and an observing strategy for VZ exoplanets that integrates precursor exoplanet detection data and stellar characterization with HWO direct imaging, spectroscopy across the UV/optical/IR, and spectropolarimetry. Our proposed framework emphasizes a pathway toward the diagnosis of sulfur chemistry (SO2) and aerosol physics (H2SO4 clouds/hazes), planetary redox states (O2/O3 false positives from hydrogen loss), and cloud microphysics...

Surface and Temporal Biosignatures

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent discoveries of potentially habitable exoplanets have ignited the prospect of spectroscopic investigations of exoplanet surfaces and atmospheres for signs of life. This chapter provides an overview of potential surface and temporal exoplanet biosignatures, reviewing Earth analogues and proposed applications based on observations and models. The vegetation red-edge (VRE) remains the most well-studied surface biosignature. Extensions of the VRE, spectral “edges” produced in part by photosynthetic or nonphotosynthetic pigments, may likewise present potential evidence of life. Polarization signatures have the capacity to discriminate between biotic and abiotic “edge” features in the face of false positives from bandgap-generating material. Temporal biosignatures – modulations in measurable quantities such as gas abundances (e.g., CO2), surface features, or emission of light (e.g., fluorescence, bioluminescence) that can be directly linked to the actions of a biosphere – are...

The Moonbounce Project: Observing the Earth as a communicating exoplanet

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Moonbounce Project: Observing the Earth as a communicating exoplanet

Collaborative Dynamics in Electroacoustic Music Creativity: Telematic Dialogues Across Apparatuses

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper investigates the dynamics of electroacoustic music collaboration within complex techno- logical, social, and philosophical frameworks. Emphasizing the interplay between human creativity and technical apparatuses, it draws on theoretical concepts such as Vilém Flusser’s telematic dialogue, Jacques Attali’s notion of composition as resistance, Martin Heidegger’s ontology of art and technology, and Niklas Luhmann’s systemstheory. Through historical examples—including the WDR Electronic Music Studio—and recent works by composer Paulo C. Chagas and flutist Cássia Carrascoza, particularly Sound Imaginations: Telematic Immersion , the paper examines how electroacoustic practices generate new forms of authorship, co-presence, and symbolic ritual. These practices challenge conventional boundaries between composer, performer, audience, and machine, proposing a participatory model of creative exchange instead. Ultimately, the study argues that electroacoustic collaboration...

Connectome-based predictive modelling predicts frailty levels in older adults

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Frailty is characterized by a persistent and progressive decline in physiological reserves, leading to increased vulnerability to stressors and a heightened risk of adverse health outcomes, both physically and mentally. Despite frailty's prevalence in older adults, there is limited research on its neural substrates, especially using task-based brain functional connectivity. In this study, we used connectome-based predictive modelling (CPM) to find a linear relationship between task-based connectomes - taken from tasks that involved similar handgrip manipulations - and a separate measure of frailty: the maximum grip strength in older adults. We observed that the task-based connectomes were able to explain individual differences in grip strength, with the Subcortical and Cerebellum network, particularly the caudate nucleus, functional connectivity being the strongest predictor. These findings demonstrate that task-based functional connectomes can serve as personalized markers that...

“Latin Holidays: Mexican Americans, Latin Music, and Cultural Identity in Postwar Los Angeles”

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“Latin Holidays: Mexican Americans, Latin Music, and Cultural Identity in Postwar Los Angeles”

“Expressive Culture”

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“Expressive Culture”

Review

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Review

Black arts west: culture and struggle in postwar Los Angeles

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Black arts west: culture and struggle in postwar Los Angeles

Constraints on the End of Reionization from the Density Fields Surrounding Two Highly Opaque Quasar Sightlines

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The observed large-scale scatter in Lyα opacity of the intergalactic medium at z < 6 implies large fluctuations in the neutral hydrogen fraction that are unexpected long after reionization has ended. A number of models have emerged to explain these fluctuations that make testable predictions for the relationship between Lyα opacity and density. We present selections of z = 5.7 Lyα-emitting galaxies (LAEs) in the fields surrounding two highly opaque quasar sightlines with long Lyα troughs. The fields lie toward the z = 6.0 quasar ULAS J0148+0600, for which we reanalyze previously published results using improved photometric selection, and toward the z = 6.15 quasar SDSS J1250+3130, for which results are presented here for the first time. In both fields, we report a deficit of LAEs within 20 h −1 Mpc of the quasar. The association of highly opaque sightlines with galaxy underdensities in these two fields is consistent with models in which the scatter in Lyα opacity is driven...

“To be a Mexican Woman in a Town Like This”

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“To be a Mexican Woman in a Town Like This”

Bringing Music to the People: Race, Urban Culture, and Municipal Politics in Postwar Los Angeles

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In Los Angeles during the early 1940s, the popular music and dance performances of a cross-cultural swing scene provoked reactionary regulation by white urban elites and law enforcement authorities. Reacting to multiracial musicians, dancers, and entrepreneurs, local politicians and municipal arts administrators created a Bureau of Music in order to encourage patriotic citizenship, prevent juvenile delinquency, and bring proper music to the people. This article argues that successive generations of Angelenos defied the city's rule of racial separation and white domination, creating a multicultural urban civility as they intermingled in dance halls, ballrooms, and auditoriums. Despite personal prejudice and internalized racism within and between different groups, dance music facilitated intercultural affinities that went beyond mere politeness or courtesy to include respect and tolerance. In diverse but distinct music scenes, Angelenos sustained egalitarian social relations in...

The Woman in the Zoot Suit: Gender, Nationalism, and the Cultural Politics of Memory (review)

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Woman in the Zoot Suit: Gender, Nationalism, and the Cultural Politics of Memory (review)

“La Bamba”

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“La Bamba”

“DETROIT WAS HEAVY”: MODERN JAZZ, BEBOP, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPRESSIVE CULTURE

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“DETROIT WAS HEAVY”: MODERN JAZZ, BEBOP, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPRESSIVE CULTURE

The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2016: Velocity-resolved Hβ Lags in Luminous Seyfert Galaxies

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We carried out spectroscopic monitoring of 21 low-redshift Seyfert 1 galaxies using the Kast double spectrograph on the 3 m Shane telescope at Lick Observatory from 2016 April to 2017 May. Targeting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with luminosities of λ L λ (5100 Å) ≈ 1044 erg s−1 and predicted Hβ lags of ∼20–30 days or black hole masses of 107–108.5 M ⊙, our campaign probes luminosity-dependent trends in broad-line region (BLR) structure and dynamics as well as to improve calibrations for single-epoch estimates of quasar black hole masses. Here we present the first results from the campaign, including Hβ emission-line light curves, integrated Hβ lag times (8–30 days) measured against V-band continuum light curves, velocity-resolved reverberation lags, line widths of the broad Hβ components, and virial black hole mass estimates (107.1–108.1 M ⊙). Our results add significantly to the number of existing velocity-resolved lag measurements and reveal a diversity of BLR gas kinematics...

“Viva Tirado”

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“Viva Tirado”

Luis Alvarez, "The Power of the Zoot: Youth Culture and Resistance During World War II" (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008)

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Luis Alvarez, "The Power of the Zoot: Youth Culture and Resistance During World War II" (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008)

Metabolic Risk Factors on Pediatric Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Analysis

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Metabolic Risk Factors on Pediatric Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Analysis

The Effects of an Intensive Reading Intervention for Ninth Graders with very Low Reading Comprehension

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This experimental study examined the efficacy of a multicomponent reading intervention compared to a control condition on the reading comprehension of adolescent students with low reading comprehension (more than 1½ standard deviations below normative sample). Ninth–grade students were randomly assigned to treatment ( n = 25) and comparison ( n = 19). Reading teachers provided instruction for 90–min, five times every two weeks for approximately 80 sessions. Treatment effects for each outcome measure were estimated using repeated measure of analysis of covariance for measures of reading comprehension and fluency. Results indicate no statistically significant differences between treatment and comparison conditions. Repeated–measures analyses of variance between students with lower and higher decoding skills indicated a statistically significant interaction between treatment condition and decoding ability on the WJ–III PC and Bridge–IT, with large effect sizes ( η p 2 . 16 and. 12,...

Science Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities: A National Survey of Elementary Special Education Teachers

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Elementary students with learning disabilities (LDs) often have limited opportunities to learn science, and little is known about how special educators engage in science instruction. This study drew on a nationally representative survey of elementary special education teachers to describe their roles, preparedness, time allocation, and perceived barriers. Most teachers reported minimal discipline-specific preparation and felt less prepared to teach science than other subjects. Many noted that students with LDs often missed science classes because of pull-out instruction. Common barriers to students receiving science instruction included remediation priorities and accountability pressures in tested subjects. These findings provide a national snapshot of science instruction for elementary students with LDs and point to the need for greater teacher preparation and policy support to ensure access to high-quality science learning for students with LDs.

Reading Comprehension Interventions for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We conducted two separate but related single-case studies using alternating treatment designs to investigate the effects of two single-component reading interventions: question development and anaphoric cueing. In each study, we compared a typical intervention approach (Study 1, question development; Study 2, anaphoric cueing) with an alternate approach that included the addition of applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques. The treatments that included ABA techniques were designed to improve the performance of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on curriculum-based measures (CBM) of reading and on-task behavior measures during the reading tasks. The ABA techniques included the use of visual supports, a token economy, and the use of readings based on the perseverative interests of students. Four students in Grades 3 to 5 identified with ASD participated—two students in each study. Study 1 evaluated the relative effects of question development plus ABA compared with...

How Grades 4 to 8 Teachers Can Deliver Intensive Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension Interventions to Students With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article discusses use of a multicomponent intervention to develop the reading skill and performance of grades 4 to 8 students identified with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Reading intervention targets for this population are vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Reading intervention elements involve explicit vocabulary instruction, repeated reading with sentence-level comprehension, question-answering relationships, and main idea summarization. Included in the article are explicit instructional routines and curricular materials supported by empirical evidence for the intervention elements.

Alzheimer's disease in patients prescribed statins: A real-world data analysis of U.S. patient health records.