Recent ucr_postprints items

The long reach of childhood income inequality: a multinational twin study of gene–environment interplay on adult depressive symptoms

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: Living in a country with a large gap between high and low earners has been linked to poor health, including depression. Less studied is gene-by-environment interplay with income inequality as the environmental exposure. Here, we examine the association between childhood exposure to inequality and individual differences in adult depressive symptoms, testing for moderation of genetic influences by inequality using polygenic indices for major depressive disorder, as well as twin models. METHODS: The research participants were 69,924 members of twin studies from four developed countries, born between 1893 and 1979, aged 22-103 years at depressive symptom assessment. Genotyping was available for 6,256 participants. Income inequality was operationalized as share of income accruing to the top 1% for each country when the participants were between age 5 and 15 years. RESULTS: Childhood income inequality was associated with depressive symptom scores in adulthood, adjusting...

Contributions of Gray Matter Microstructure to Differences in Fluid Cognition and Episodic Memory Across the Healthy Adult Lifespan

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cognitive decline, in healthy older adults without cognitive impairment or dementia, has been associated with numerous microstructural alterations in brain tissue using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Prior studies have primarily linked age-related cognitive decline to alterations in white matter tissue, but methodological advances in diffusion-weighted imaging (dMRI) data acquisition and modeling now allow for these analyses to be extended to gray matter tissue. Here, using a sample of 152 healthy adults (18-88 years of age), we used a multicompartment dMRI model to assess (1) age-related differences in gray matter microstructure of functionally defined networks and (2) whether microstructural alterations accounted for age-related differences in episodic memory and speed-dependent fluid cognition. We observed significant age-related alterations in gray matter tissue in the form of nonlinear, age-related increases and decreases in intracellular and dispersed diffusion, respectively,...

The QuadMax Task: Parametrically Manipulating Associative Memory Load across the Adult Lifespan

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adults of all ages are worse at recognizing pairs of items that were previously seen together relative to the individual items, and this paired-associative memory deficit is exacerbated in aging. Less is known about memory for higher associative loads, which place greater demands on binding processes that link items into a cohesive memory trace, among other processes (e.g., working memory, recollection). In this study, adults across the lifespan (n = 250, 18-78 years) completed a novel recognition task in which they studied word pairs, triplets, and quadruplets and were tested on their memory for repeated, recombined, and novel word sets. Associative memory deficits were seen in adults of all ages as fewer correct responses to repeated sets (hits), more incorrect responses to recombined sets (recombined false alarm, FA), and larger differences between these measures (associative memory) at higher set sizes. In addition, older adults had worse associative memory...

The QuadMax Task: A Novel Parametric Manipulation of Associative Memory Load in Adults Across the Lifespan

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adults of all ages are worse at remembering which pairs of items were previously seen together relative to memory for the individual items, and this paired-associative memory deficit is exacerbated in aging. Less is known about memory for higher-order associations, including whether they place greater demands on the binding processes that link information into a cohesive memory trace. In this study, adults across the lifespan (Experiment 1: n = 250, 18-78 years) and in extreme age groups (Experiment 2: n = 64, 18-25 and 64-78 years) completed a novel recognition task in which they studied word pairs, triplets, and quadruplets and were later tested on their memory for repeated, recombined, and novel word sets. Associative memory deficits were seen in both experiments as the difference between correct responses to repeated (hits) and incorrect responses to recombined (recombined false alarm, FA) sets that decreased from pairs to quadruplets. In addition, older age groups had...

Connectome-based predictive modeling of grip strength: a marker of physical frailty

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: Frailty is characterized by a persistent and progressive decline in functional capacity, 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. Methods: In this study, we used connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to find a linear relationship between task-based connectomes taken from tasks that involved similar handgrip manipulations and a separate measure of physical frailty: the maximum grip strength in older adults. Results: 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. Discussion: These findings demonstrate that task-based functional connectomes can serve as personalized markers for predicting individual...

Examining iron‐related off‐target binding effects of 18F‐AV1451 PET in the cortex of Aβ+ individuals

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The presence of neurofibrillary tangles containing hyper-phosphorylated tau is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand sensitive to tau neurofibrillary tangles (¹⁸F-AV1451) also binds with iron. This off-target binding effect may be enhanced in older adults on the AD spectrum, particularly those with amyloid-positive biomarkers. Here, we examined group differences in ¹⁸F-AV1451 PET after controlling for iron-sensitive measures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its relationships to tissue microstructure and cognition in 40 amyloid beta positive (Aβ+) individuals, 20 amyloid beta negative (Aβ-) with MCI and 31 Aβ- control participants. After controlling for iron, increased ¹⁸F-AV1451 PET uptake was found in the temporal lobe and hippocampus of Aβ+ participants compared to Aβ- MCI and control participants. Within the Aβ+ group, significant correlations were seen between ¹⁸F-AV1451...

Locus Coeruleus Engagement Drives Network Connectivity Dynamics In Humans And Rats

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Locus Coeruleus Engagement Drives Network Connectivity Dynamics In Humans And Rats

Neuroimaging Measures of Iron and Gliosis Explain Memory Performance in Aging

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Evidence from animal and histological studies have indicated that accumulation of iron in the brain results in reactive gliosis that contributes to cognitive deficits. The current study extends these findings to human cognitive aging and suggests that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques like quantitative relaxometry can be used to study iron and its effects in vivo . The effects of iron on microstructure and memory performance were examined using a combination of quantitative relaxometry and multi-compartment diffusion imaging in 35 young (21.06 ± 2.18 years) and 28 older (72.58 ± 6.47 years) adults, who also completed a memory task. Replicating past work, results revealed age-related increases in iron content (R 2 *) and diffusion, and decreases in memory performance. Independent of age group, iron content was significantly related to restricted (intracellular) diffusion in regions with low-moderate iron (hippocampus, caudate) and to all diffusion metrics in...

Aging of gray matter microstructure: A brain-wide characterization of, age group differences using NODDI

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to provide a complete characterization of age group differences in cortical lobar, hippocampal, and subcortical gray matter microstructure using a multi-compartment diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) approach with parameters optimized for gray matter (Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging, NODDI). 76 younger (undergraduate students) and 64 older (surrounding communities) adults underwent diffusion-, T1-, and susceptibility-weighted MRI. Results revealed eight unique patterns across the 12 regions of interest in the relative direction and magnitude of age effects across NODDI metrics, which were grouped into three prominent patterns: cortical gray matter had predominantly higher free diffusion in older than younger adults, the hippocampus and amygdala had predominantly higher dispersion of diffusion and intracellular diffusion in older than younger adults, and the putamen and globus pallidus had lower dispersion of diffusion in older than younger adults....

Age group differences in learning-related activity reflect task stage, not learning stage

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Healthy aging is accompanied by declines in the ability to learn associations between events, even when their relationship cannot be described. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have attributed these implicit associative learning (IAL) deficits to differential engagement of the hippocampus and basal ganglia in older relative to younger adults in early and late stages of the task, respectively. However, these task stages have been confounded with age group differences in learning performance that emerge later and to a lesser degree in older adults. To disentangle the effects of task stage from learning stage (i.e., when there is significant evidence of learning) on age group differences in the neural substrates of IAL, we acquired fMRI data while 28 younger (20.8 ± 2.3 years) and 22 older (73.6 ± 6.8 years) healthy adults completed the Triplets Learning Task, in which the location of two cues predicted the location of a target with high (HF) or low...

Associations between iron and mean kurtosis in iron-rich grey matter nuclei in aging.

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVE: Elevated kurtosis values have been observed in subcortical grey matter structures of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we examined relationships between iron measures and kurtosis in iron-rich subcortical grey matter structures.Please check and confirm the affiliation 4 for the author "Xiaoping P. Hu".Affiliation 4 for Xiaoping P. Hu was incorrect since he is not associated with that department. We have removed this affiliation. Thanks! MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multi-shell diffusion and multi-echo gradient echo acquisitions were used to derive mean kurtosis and iron measures (R₂* and magnetic susceptibility), respectively, in subcortical grey matter nuclei and white matter tracts in a discovery cohort (110 healthy older and 63 younger adults) and replication cohort (72 healthy older adults).Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (Ilana J. Bennett and Xiaoping P. Hu). Also, kindly confirm the...

Handgrip strength relates to corticospinal tract microstructure in older adults

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Handgrip strength relates to corticospinal tract microstructure in older adults

Iron content affects age group differences in associative learning-related fMRI activity

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Brain regions accumulate different amounts of iron with age, with older adults having higher iron in the basal ganglia (globus pallidus, putamen, caudate) relative to the hippocampus. This has important implications for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in aging as the presence of iron may influence both neuronal functioning as well as the measured fMRI (BOLD) signal, and these effects will vary across age groups and brain regions. To test this hypothesis, the current study examined the effect of iron on age group differences in task-related activity within each basal nuclei and the hippocampus. Twenty-eight younger and 22 older adults completed an associative learning task during fMRI acquisition. Iron content (QSM, R₂*) was estimated from a multi-echo gradient echo sequence. As previously reported, older adults learned significantly less than younger adults and age group differences in iron content were largest in the basal ganglia (putamen, caudate)....

TGFβ signaling is required during human and chick Neural Crest formation

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Neural crest (NC) cells are multipotent cells unique to vertebrates that arise early in development, at the edge of the neural plate, and subsequently undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition, migrate throughout the body, and differentiate into many different derivatives, contributing to the formation of many organs and systems. NC induction research from multiple modeling organisms has identified critical roles for a few signaling pathways, including Wnt, BMP, FGF, Notch/ Delta, Indian Hedgehog, and Endothelin signaling (Prasad et al., 2019). Given the limitations of human embryo studies, pluripotent stem cell models of human NC formation have provided a resourceful alternative (Lee et al., 2007). Intriguingly, while TGFβ inhibition had not been identified as a signaling requirement for NC formation in any in vivo model organism, several pluripotent stem cell (PSC) models of human NC induction rely on TGFβ inhibition (Chambers et al., 2009). To address this issue, we evaluate...

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

Fri, 5 Jun 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.

Multifocal Renal Infarction and Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Diagnostic Challenges and Anticoagulation Management in a Complex Case.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND Incidental findings of renal infarct secondary to thrombosis in acutely ill patients present a unique challenge in diagnosis. We present a case of idiopathic renal infarct to highlight its workup and management and encourage further investigation of renal infarctions. CASE REPORT A 68-year-old woman with a past medical history of diet-controlled diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia presented to the Emergency Department (ED) for abdominal pain. She was found to be in diabetic ketoacidosis with pyelonephritis, so she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for insulin and dextrose drip. Due to her abdominal pain, she underwent computed tomography (CT) of her abdomen and pelvis with contrast. This revealed multifocal infarcts of her right kidney with noncalcified thrombus at the proximal right renal artery. Subsequent CT angiography confirmed a right renal artery thrombus. She was started on subcutaneous enoxaparin and downgraded to basic level of care. Her...

Structural Variants Selected during Yak Domestication Inferred from Long-Read Whole-Genome Sequencing.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Structural variants (SVs) represent an important genetic resource for both natural and artificial selection. Here we present a chromosome-scale reference genome for domestic yak (Bos grunniens) that has longer contigs and scaffolds (N50 44.72 and 114.39 Mb, respectively) than reported for any other ruminant genome. We further obtained long-read resequencing data for 6 wild and 23 domestic yaks and constructed a genetic SV map of 372,220 SVs that covers the geographic range of the yaks. The majority of the SVs contains repetitive sequences and several are in or near genes. By comparing SVs in domestic and wild yaks, we identified genes that are predominantly related to the nervous system, behavior, immunity, and reproduction and may have been targeted by artificial selection during yak domestication. These findings provide new insights in the domestication of animals living at high altitude and highlight the importance of SVs in animal domestication.

Chemosis as an Initial Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can present in a multitude of ways, which can be confounding and misleading for a clinician. Chemosis as an initial presentation is rare and has only been documented on a few case reports. However, when present, simultaneous involvement of other organs is likely. We present a previously healthy 29-year-old male who presented with severe bilateral chemosis and was subsequently diagnosed with SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome. Complications included multiple acute cerebral infarcts, lupus psychosis, lupus pleuritis, and lupus nephritis. The patient recovered well with appropriate treatment and chemosis ultimately resolved. Recognizing chemosis as an initial presentation of SLE is vital for appropriate evaluation and timely treatment to prevent disease progression.

Sympatric speciation of the spiny mouse from Evolution Canyon in Israel substantiated genomically and methylomically.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

SignificanceWhether sympatric speciation (SS) is rare or common is still debated. Two populations of the spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus, from Evolution Canyon I (EC I) in Israel have been depicted earlier as speciating sympatrically by molecular markers and transcriptome. Here, we investigated SS both genomically and methylomically, demonstrating that the opposite populations of spiny mice are sister taxa and split from the common ancestor around 20,000 years ago without an allopatric history. Mate choice, olfactory receptors, and speciation genes contributed to prezygotic/postzygotic reproductive isolation. The two populations showed different methylation patterns, facilitating adaptation to their local environment. They cope with abiotic and biotic stresses, due to high solar interslope radiation differences. We conclude that our new genomic and methylomic data substantiated SS.

Which factors contribute most to genome size variation within angiosperms?

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Genome size varies greatly across the flowering plants and has played an important role in shaping their evolution. It has been reported that many factors correlate with the variation in genome size, but few studies have systematically explored this at the genomic level. Here, we scan genomic information for 74 species from 74 families in 38 orders covering the major groups of angiosperms (the taxonomic information was acquired from the latest Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV) system) to evaluate the correlation between genome size variation and different genome characteristics: polyploidization, different types of repeat sequence content, and the dynamics of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTRs). Surprisingly, we found that polyploidization shows no significant correlation with genome size, while LTR content demonstrates a significantly positive correlation. This may be due to genome instability after polyploidization, and since LTRs occupy most of the genome content,...

Genomic divergence between two sister Ostrya species through linked selection and recombination.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Studying the evolution of genomic divergence between lineages is a topical issue in evolutionary biology. However, the evolutionary forces that shape the heterogeneous divergence of the genomic landscape are still poorly understood. Here, two wind-pollinated sister-species (Ostrya japonica and O. chinensis) are used to explore what these potential forces might be. A total of 40 individuals from 16 populations across their main distribution areas in China were sampled for genome-wide resequencing. Population demography analyses revealed that these two sister-species diverged at 3.06-4.43 Mya. Both population contraction and increased gene flow were detected during glacial periods, suggesting secondary contact at those times. All three parameters (D _XY, π, and ρ) decreased in those regions showing high levels of differentiation (F _ST). These findings indicate that linked selection and recombination played a key role in the...

Genomic insights into zokors phylogeny and speciation in China.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The phylogeny and speciation of subterranean zokors in China are unclear, as previous studies on morphology and limited molecular markers have generated conflicting results. This study unraveled the complex evolutionary history of eight zokor species in China based on de novo assembly at chromosome level and whole-genome sequencing of 23 populations. We found extensive phylogenetic discordances between nuclear and mitochondrial phylogenies, and different coalescent phylogenies, which could be explained by introgression and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). The recent Qinghai-Tibet Plateau uplift (∼3.60 million y ago; Mya) drove Eospalax to speciate into clade A and clade B (∼3.22 Mya), and discordant phylogenies in this node were mainly attributed to introgression rather than ILS. Clade A rapidly diverged into three lineages due to geographical isolation and glaciation, while glaciation and C4 plant expansion contributed to the speciation of clade B. ILS contributed to the discordances...

Competing adaptations maintain nonadaptive variation in a wild cricket population.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How emerging adaptive variants interact is an important factor in the evolution of wild populations, but the opportunity to empirically study this interaction is rare. We recently documented the emergence of an adaptive phenotype curly-wing in Hawaiian populations of field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). Curly-wing inhibits males ability to sing, protecting them from eavesdropping parasitoid flies (Ormia ochracea). Surprisingly, curly-wing co-occurs with similarly protective silent flatwing phenotypes in multiple populations, in which neither phenotype has spread to fixation. These two phenotypes are frequently coexpressed, but since either sufficiently reduces song amplitude to evade the fly, their coexpression confers no additional fitness benefit. Numerous off-target phenotypic changes are known to accompany flatwing, and we find that curly-wing, too, negatively impacts male courtship ability and affects mass and survival of females under lab conditions. We...

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Opuntia sulphurea (Cactaceae).

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Opuntia sulphurea Gillies ex Salm-Dyck 1834 (Cactaceae) acts as an invasive species due to its ability to survive in various environments. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Opuntia sulphurea, which was 122,740 bp in length. The genome contained 100 genes, including 65 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes and four rRNA genes. The base composition of the chloroplast genome was 32.11% A, 17.74% G, 18.34% C, and 31.80% T, resulting in an overall G + C content of 35.39%. A phylogenetic analysis across 23 species in Caryophyllales demonstrated a close relationship between Opuntia sulphurea and Opuntia quimilo.

A High-Quality Reference Genome and Comparative Genomics of the Widely Farmed Banded Cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) Identifies Selective Breeding Targets.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Farmed insects have gained attention as an alternative, sustainable source of protein with a lower carbon footprint than traditional livestock. We present a high-quality reference genome for one of the most commonly farmed insects, the banded cricket Gryllodes sigillatus. In addition to its agricultural importance, G. sigillatus is also a model in behavioural and evolutionary ecology research on reproduction and mating systems. We report comparative genomic analyses that clarify the banded crickets evolutionary history, identify gene family expansions and contractions unique to this lineage, associate these with agriculturally important traits, and identify targets for genome-assisted breeding efforts. The high-quality G. sigillatus genome assembly plus accompanying comparative genomic analyses serve as foundational resources for both applied and basic research on insect farming and behavioural biology, enabling researchers to pinpoint trait-associated genetic...

Aeschynomene americana induces terminal bacteroid differentiation in Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516, a novel model for dalbergioid-rhizobium symbiosis.

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

The paradigms of legume-rhizobium symbiosis are derived primarily from conserved features of Inverted-Repeat Lacking Clade (IRLC) legumes and closely related species. The Dalbergioids diverged from the IRLC early in legume evolution and possess unique symbiotic features but few genetically tractable models. The small, diploid dalbergioid Aeschynomene americana (American jointvetch) has promise as a genetic model for Dalbergioid-rhizobia symbiosis, yet only a few studies have examined its symbiotic properties.

Results

We examined the symbiont range of A. americana from central Florida and characterized a native A. americana nodule isolate, Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516. We find that A. americana forms effective symbioses with Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516, which is closely related to Thai A. americana symbiont Bradyrhizobium sp DOA9, and with symbionts from the dalbergioids stylo and peanut. Interestingly, several strains that effectively nodulated A. americana...

Decoding the origins of cellular self-organization for engineered biology

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Decoding the origins of cellular self-organization for engineered biology

Visual Impairment and the Incidence of Concussions Among Youth Football Athletes

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

Concussions are a prevalent concern in contact sports, particularly among youth American football players. While extensive research has examined concussion mechanics, the relationship between visual impairment and concussion risk remains understudied.

Purpose

To investigate the incidence of concussions among visually impaired versus non-visually impaired youth football players to inform clinical practice and preventive measures.

Study design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed using the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. Pediatric athletes aged 5 to 17 years with documented football participation were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. Visual impairment (H46-H47, H52-H54) was required to precede the index football encounter by ≥1 month. Concussions (S06.0) and concussion with loss of consciousness (LOC) (S06.0X1-S06.0X9) were assessed within...

Analysis of ladder fuel ignition through experiments and fire dynamics simulator simulation

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Analysis of ladder fuel ignition through experiments and fire dynamics simulator simulation

The Transition and Spread of a Chaparral Crown Fire: Insights from Laboratory Scale Wind Tunnel Experiments

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fire occurring in the chaparral behaves as a crown fire, a dual-layer fire that typically ignites in a dead surface fuel layer and transitions to an elevated live crown layer where it continues to spread. In chaparral fuels including chamise, a dominant species in southern California, flame transition to live crown fuels is associated with higher spread rates and greater fire intensity. Despite the relative importance of surface-to-crown transition and crown fire spread, most fire models represent chaparral fire as surface fire, therefore omitting key behavior processes driving this fire system. The purpose of this study was to characterize transition and spread behavior in chaparral fires modeled experimentally as crown fires. We examined heat release rate in the surface and crown fuel layers, time to transition, flame height, and rate of spread in wind-driven and nonwind-driven fires at two crown base heights. Our results showed that wind increased heat release rate, rate of...

On the Use of Semi-empirical Flame Models for Spreading Chaparral Crown Fire

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Flame geometry plays a key role in shaping fire behavior as it can influence flame spread, radiative heat transfer and fire intensity. For wildland fire, thorough characterizations of flame geometry can help advance the derivation of comprehensive models of wildfire behavior. Within the fire community, a classical flame modeling approach has been to develop semi-empirical models. Many of these models have been derived for surface fuels or for pool fire configurations. However, few have sought to model flame behavior in chaparral crown fires. Thus, the objective of this study is to assess the applicability of semi-empirical models on observed chaparral crown fire behavior. Semi-empirical models of flame tilt, flame height, and flame length from the literature are considered. Comparison with experimental observation of flame height in the crown fuel layer, showed good agreement between the 2/5th power law that relates flame height to heat release rate. Two new power-law correlations...

The exploitation of mutualisms

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The exploitation of mutualisms

Screening for Toxic Stress Response and Buffering Factors: A Case-Based, Trauma-Informed Approach to Health Equity

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can lead to a toxic stress response with impacts on health that affect health equity. As part of our Health Equity, Social Justice, and Anti-racism curriculum, our aim was to introduce second-year medical students to a case-based method using a template-based screening and application of toxic stress, buffering factors, and resiliency-fostering tools to address health disparities and inequities with a trauma-informed care approach. Methods: We developed an asynchronous e-learning module that demonstrated the impact of ACEs by introducing students to screening for toxic stress response and buffering factors on health, their role as health equity determinants, and the use of brief in-clinic resilience-fostering tools in patient care. This was followed by a synchronous, facilitated, small-group, virtual discussion of a clinical case. Pre- and postworkshop surveys assessed changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes. A...

Advancing Understanding of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Folic Acid Supplementation via National Institutes of Health All of Us Data

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital anomalies caused by failure of neural tube closure during pregnancy and contribute to childhood morbidity and mortality. Folic acid supplementation reduces NTDs risk, yet adherence remains low, particularly among Hispanic women and non-Hispanic Black women. This study examines folic acid supplementation by race/ethnicity, nativity, and social determinants of health (SDOH).

Methods

Data came from the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program (Registered Tier Dataset v7), a large, diverse biomedical dataset that includes underrepresented populations. Analyses were restricted to participants enrolled between May 2018-June 2022. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models assessed for differences in folic acid supplementation, controlling for age, income, education, insurance, and pregnancy.

Results

Among pregnant and non-pregnant women of childbearing age (18-49 years; N = 85,874),...

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

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundEastern 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.Methods16S rRNA sequencing was used to investigate dissimilarities between the gut microbiome of hellbenders in zoo and wild settings and to evaluate the impact of implementing...

Ultrasensitive, low-input detection of avocado sunblotch viroid via RPA-CRISPR and nanopore-array single-bead fluorescence readout.

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rapid and sensitive detection of plant pathogens, such as the Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBVd), is essential for early disease management and agricultural biosecurity. Yet, most current diagnostic methods not only require relatively large sample inputs but also often lack the ultrasensitivity required for reliable detection with scarce or minimally collected plant material. Here, we report a novel low-input but ultrasensitive diagnostic platform that integrates isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), CRISPR-Cas12a detection, and a solid-state nanopore array for the detection of ASBVd. The system leverages CRISPR-Cas12a collateral cleavage activity to generate single-bead fluorescent signals, which are captured by a nanopore array through pressure-driven blockage. Our platform achieves a detection limit down to 1.68 copies/μL while using only 40 nL of bead-fluorophore mixture per readout, which is over 100-fold less than conventional assays based on fluorescent readout...

Examining the determinants of opposition to birthright citizenship

Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Since the end of racial prerequisite cases in 1952, anyone born on US soil has been granted birthright citizenship. But, prominent political figures have recently questioned whether children born to undocumented immigrants should automatically receive citizenship. Despite the importance of this issue, there is limited research on public attitudes towards this policy, its determinants, and its consequences. We address these open questions using the 2020 CMPS, and find that while most support birthright citizenship, a significant minority favors its revocation. Support for a ban is higher among Whites than among minorities. Those with closer ties to the immigrant experience, more liberal attitudes, and lower Trump favorability are less likely to support a ban. Negative attitudes towards undocumented immigrants and racial attitudes are also strongly correlated with banning birthright citizenship. Finally, birthright citizenship attitudes are consequential: across each racial group,...

Sound signature as paradigm: ecology, apparatus, and electroacoustic creation

Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Este artigo propõe o conceito de assinatura sonora como um paradigma para repensar a composição eletroacústica contemporânea na interseção entre ecologia, filosofia e mediação tecnológica. Indo além do paradigma inicial do estúdio, centrado no objeto sonoro autônomo, o estudo argumenta que as práticas atuais – caracterizadas por eletrônica em tempo real, espacialização imersiva, integração audiovisual e sistemas orientados por inteligência artificial – privilegiam a organização relacional em vez de materiais sonoros isolados. A partir da teoria das paisagens sonoras ecológicas de Bernie Krause e do conceito de assinatura de Giorgio Agamben como operador paradigmático, o artigo reconceitua a composição como a construção e a revelação de campos sonoros relacionais. As assinaturas sonoras ecológicas emergem da distribuição dinâmica de nichos acústicos em sistemas vivos; de modo análogo, obras eletroacústicas geram ambientes estruturados nos quais a agência é distribuída entre...

Kinetic and spectroscopic characterization of tungsten-substituted DMSO reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides