Recent ucd_postprints items

The dynamics of introgression and parallel adaptation across North American Vitis species

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hybridization between species can contribute to parallel adaptive events. However, the prevalence of introgression is rarely measured across multiple species, meaning that it is rarely integrated with landscape-scale processes or connected to adaptive repeatability. Here we analyzed whole-genome resequencing data from 639 accessions representing 48 Vitis species. Vitis is notable for the domesticated grapevine (Vitis vinifera), multiple economically important North American species, and as an example of a temperate adaptive radiation. We reconstructed individual- and species-level phylogenetic frameworks for the genus and performed population genetic analyses for 19 species. The analyses uncovered widespread evidence of introgression, comprising ~14% of the average Vitis genome. Introgression was associated with the geographic distribution between species, and highly admixed individuals were more frequently found near ecological niche margins. Genetic...

Combination of ATLAS and CMS Searches for Higgs Boson Pair Production at s=13 TeV

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This Letter presents a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair ( ) production performed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations using proton-proton collision datasets recorded at during the Large Hadron Collider Run 2, corresponding to integrated luminosities ranging between 126 and . The upper limit at the 95% confidence level on the total signal strength, defined as the ratio of the measured cross section to the standard model (SM) prediction, corresponds to 2.5, with an expected value of 1.7 (2.8) assuming the absence (presence) of the SM signal. The strength of the signal is measured to be relative to the SM prediction. The observed significance is found to be 1.1 standard deviations whereas 1.3 are expected for the SM signal. Constraints are set on the Higgs boson trilinear self-coupling and on the couplings of two Higgs bosons to two vector bosons, both normalized to the SM predictions and denoted as and , respectively. The observed individual constraints at the...

Simple algorithm for evaluating SU(2) non-abelian geometric phase in the vicinity of molecular conical intersection of odd electron number

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Simple algorithm for evaluating SU(2) non-abelian geometric phase in the vicinity of molecular conical intersection of odd electron number

Rate-dependent effects of state-specific sodium channel blockers in cardiac tissue: Insights from idealized models

Fri, 9 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A common side effect of pharmaceutical drugs is an increased propensity for cardiac arrhythmias. Many drugs bind to cardiac ion-channels in a state-specific manner, which alters the ionic conductances in complicated ways, making it difficult to identify the mechanisms underlying pro-arrhythmic drug effects. To better understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying the diverse effects of state-dependent sodium (Na⁺) channel blockers on cellular excitability, we consider two canonical motifs of drug-ion-channel interactions and compare the effects of Na⁺ channel blockers on the rate-dependence of peak upstroke velocity, conduction velocity, and vulnerable window size. In the literature, both motifs are referred to as "guarded receptor," but here we distinguish between state-specific binding that does not alter channel gating (referred to here as "guarded receptor") and state-specific binding that blocks certain gating transitions ("gate immobilization"). For...

Can the United States Develop a Domestic Agave Industry?

Fri, 9 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Can the United States Develop a Domestic Agave Industry?

An integro-differential equation model for the spread of alcohol abuse

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The alcohol abuse level of individuals in a population as it depends on resilience and peer influence is considered in this paper. Several simple models are studied as well as an integro-difTerential equation model which is derived using coarse graining from a pre-existing discrete network system. The connection structure of the discrete system tends to be richer than that of the integro-differential equation model; however, the continuum problem can be studied analytically using traveling wave, perturbation and phase plane techniques. The analysis presented in this paper suggests that, in both the discrete network and integro-differential models, nearly alcoholic or highly sober individuals are relatively unaffected by peer pressure, and this aspect of the models leads to an inertia in the spread of alcohol abuse or sobriety depending on the connectivity, initial conditions and resilience of the population. A related but different model is introduced that avoids this inertia....

Neuronal Dynamics Underlying Communication Signals in a Weakly Electric Fish: Implications for Connectivity in a Pacemaker Network

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Neuronal networks can produce stable oscillations and synchrony that are under tight control yet flexible enough to rapidly switch between dynamical states. The pacemaker nucleus in the weakly electric fish comprises a network of electrically coupled neurons that fire synchronously at high frequency. This activity sets the timing for an oscillating electric organ discharge with the lowest cycle-to-cycle variability of all known biological oscillators. Despite this high temporal precision, pacemaker activity is behaviorally modulated on millisecond time-scales for the generation of electrocommunication signals. The network mechanisms that allow for this combination of stability and flexibility are not well understood. In this study, we use an in vitro pacemaker preparation from Apteronotus leptorhynchus to characterize the neural responses elicited by the synaptic inputs underlying electrocommunication. These responses involve a variable increase in firing frequency and a prominent...

As Mexican Farmworkers Flock North, Will U.S. Farms Head South?

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As Mexican Farmworkers Flock North, Will U.S. Farms Head South?

Wave Reflections in Excitable Media Linked to Existence and Stability of One-Dimensional Spiral Waves

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When propagated action potentials in cardiac tissue interact with local heterogeneities, reflected waves can sometimes be induced. These reflected waves have been associated with the onset of cardiac arrhythmias, and while their generation is not well understood, their existence is linked to that of one-dimensional (1D) spiral waves. Thus, understanding the existence and stability of 1D spirals plays a crucial role in determining the likelihood of the unwanted reflected pulses. Mathematically, we probe these issues by viewing the 1D spiral as a time-periodic antisymmetric source defect. Through a combination of direct numerical simulation and continuation methods, we investigate the existence and stability of a 1D spiral wave in a qualitative ionic model to determine how the system's propensity for reflections is influenced by system parameters. Our results support and extend a previous hypothesis that the 1D spiral is an unstable periodic orbit that emerges through a global rearrangement...

Curvature-dependent onset of oscillations in excitable tissue

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In cardiac tissue, the sinoatrial node (SAN) is responsible for initiating the periodic electrical pulses underlying heart beats. However, other heterogeneities (e.g., ischemic regions) can act as rogue pacemakers and produce oscillations in neighboring tissue that compete with the natural pacemaking of the SAN and cause potentially life-threatening arrhythmia. Thus, it is important to understand the physiological conditions that enable local regions of tissue to form pathological rhythms. It is well known that a small heterogeneity (a source) should not be able to easily activate a large area of excitable tissue (a sink). On a local level, this source-sink balance implies that positive curvature of a pacemaking region reduces the source-sink ratio and the ability to drive the neighboring tissue. However, while numerous studies provide evidence that supports the source-sink balance relationship, other studies have shown that for some depolarized heterogeneities, oscillations preferentially...

Flashy hydrology, flashier contaminants: redox-driven geogenic contaminant mobilization under increasing hydrologic variability

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As precipitation regimes intensify and engineered recharge expands, the vadose zone faces increasingly dynamic wetting–drying cycles that generate redox oscillations and alter geogenic contaminant mobility. Oxygen depletion and microbial respiration can dissolve Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxides, key sorption hosts for arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), uranium (U), and related trace elements, producing transient, element-specific, and history-dependent responses. Synthesizing field observations, laboratory experiments, and large-scale monitoring datasets, we identify three management-relevant insights. First, contaminant mobilization under flashy hydrology can occur in short-lived pulses lasting hours to days, faster than typical groundwater-monitoring intervals. Second, single-contaminant frameworks can misrepresent overall geogenic risk because the same wetting event may mobilize arsenic through reductive dissolution while attenuating chromium and uranium through reduction to less mobile...

1/f alpha power spectrum of the QRS complex does not imply fractal activation of the ventricles

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

1/f alpha power spectrum of the QRS complex does not imply fractal activation of the ventricles

Background-activity-dependent properties of a network model for working memory that incorporates cellular bistability

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract.In models of working memory, transient stimuli are encoded by feature-selective persistent neural activity. Network models of working memory are also implicitly bistable. In the absence of a brief stimulus, only spontaneous, low-level, and presumably nonpatterned neural activity is seen. In many working-memory models, local recurrent excitation combined with long-range inhibition (Mexican hat coupling) can result in a network-induced, spatially localized persistent activity or “bump state” that coexists with a stable uniform state. There is now renewed interest in the concept that individual neurons might have some intrinsic ability to sustain persistent activity without recurrent network interactions. A recent visuospatial working-memory model (Camperi and Wang 1998) incorporates both intrinsic bistability of individual neurons within a firing rate network model and a single population of neurons on a ring with lateral inhibitory coupling. We have explored this model...

Robust phase-waves in chains of half-center oscillators

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Many neuronal circuits driving coordinated locomotion are composed of chains of half-center oscillators (HCOs) of various lengths. The HCO is a common motif in central pattern generating circuits (CPGs); an HCO consists of two neurons, or two neuronal populations, connected by reciprocal inhibition. To maintain appropriate motor coordination for effective locomotion over a broad range of frequencies, chains of CPGs must produce approximately constant phase-differences in a robust manner. In this article, we study phase-locking in chains of nearest-neighbor coupled HCOs and examine how the circuit architecture can promote phase-constancy, i.e., inter-HCO phase-differences that are frequency-invariant. We use two models with different levels of abstraction: (1) a conductance-based model in which each neuron is modeled by the Morris–Lecar equations (the ML-HCO model); and (2) a coupled phase model in which the state of each HCO is captured by its phase (the phase-HCO model). We show...

A comparison of traveling wave properties in minimal and biophysically detailed models of cardiac tissue using a novel software tool

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Models of cardiac tissue span a wide range of complexity, from minimal models to biophysically detailed models. It is often assumed that minimal models accurately capture the core behaviors of propagating action potentials in biophysically detailed models. However, it remains unclear whether additional physiological detail introduces qualitatively new behaviors. Dispersion relations quantify the existence, stability, and bifurcations of traveling waves, but their computation for biophysically detailed models has been limited by system complexity and computational cost. To overcome these challenges, we develop Traveling Wave Investigation Software Tool (TWIST), a numerical framework for the systematic computation of traveling wave solutions and their spectra. Using TWIST, we compute and compare dispersion relations in the FitzHugh-Nagumo, Beeler-Reuter, and nine-variable ten Tusscher-Panfilov models. Our analysis shows that increasing physiological detail can introduce substantial...

Self-organized synchronous oscillations in a network of excitable cells coupled by gap junctions.

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent evidence suggests that electrical coupling plays a role in generating oscillatory behaviour in networks of neurons; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. Using a cellular automata model proposed by Traub et al (Traub R D, Schmitz D, Jefferys J G and Draguhn A 1999 High-frequency population oscillations are predicted to occur in hippocampal pyramidal neural networks interconnected by axo-axonal gap junctions Neuroscience 92 407-26), we describe a novel mechanism for self-organized oscillations in networks that have strong, sparse random electrical coupling via gap junctions. The network activity is generated by random spontaneous activity that is moulded into regular population oscillations by the propagation of activity through the network. We explain how this activity gives rise to particular dependences of mean oscillation frequency on network connectivity parameters and on the rate of spontaneous activity, and we derive analytical expressions to...

Cytokine priming shifts mitochondrial architecture and extracellular vesicle cargo of feline placental mesenchymal stromal cells toward an immunosuppressive phenotype.

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVE: To characterize effects of inflammatory cytokine priming on viability, mitochondrial morphology, and extracellular vesicle (EV) cargo in feline placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). METHODS: Feline placenta-derived MSCs from 7 healthy cats were cultured under control, serum-deprived, or cytokine-stimulated (tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, IL-1, IL-6) conditions in vitro. Viability/apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry and mitochondrial morphology by confocal microscopy with MicroP/MATLAB; EVs were characterized by surface markers, RNA sequencing, and microRNA (miR) profiling. RESULTS: Viability exceeded 96% across all conditions, with no significant intergroup differences. Kiel 67 proliferation marker and metabolic activity were significantly reduced under serum-free and cytokine-stimulated conditions versus controls (both P < .001). Cytokine priming increased branching and simple tubular mitochondria, whereas serum deprivation increased fragmented...

Mechanism for cAMP Overshoot in Ventricular Myocytes Following β1-Adrenergic Stimulation

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mechanism for cAMP Overshoot in Ventricular Myocytes Following β1-Adrenergic Stimulation

Dendritic effects in networks of electrically coupled fast-spiking interneurons

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We examine how the location of weak electrical coupling affects phase-locking in a pair of model fast-spiking interneurons. Each model neuron consists of a somatic compartment and a passive dendritic compartment. At relatively low frequencies, the phase-locking structure for somatic and dendritic coupling is qualitatively the same: below a critical frequency, stable synchronous and anti-phase activity co-exist, and only synchrony is stable above this critical frequency. At higher frequencies, the synchronous state remains stable for somatic coupling, but for dendritic coupling, the synchronous state becomes unstable and anti-phase oscillations become stable.

A minimal single-channel model for the regularity of beating in the sinoatrial node.

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It has been suggested that the normal irregular beating of the heart is a manifestation of deterministically chaotic dynamics. Evidence proffered in support of this hypothesis includes a 1/f-like power spectrum, a small noninteger correlation dimension, and self-similarity of the time series. The major cause of the normal fluctuations in heart rate is the impingement of several neural and hormonal control systems upon the sinoatrial node, the natural pacemaker of the heart. However, intrinsic fluctuations of beat rate can be seen in the isolated node, devoid of all neural and hormonal inputs, and even in a single cell isolated from the node. The electrical activity in such a single cell is generated by ions flowing through discrete channels in the cell membrane.We decided to test the hypothesis that the fluctuations in beat rate in a single cell might be due to the fluctuations in the activity of this population of single channels. We thus assemble a model consisting of 6000 channels...

Dynamics of Spiking Neurons Connected by Both Inhibitory and Electrical Coupling

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We study the dynamics of a pair of intrinsically oscillating leaky integrate-and-fire neurons (identical and noise-free) connected by combinations of electrical and inhibitory coupling. We use the theory of weakly coupled oscillators to examine how synchronization patterns are influenced by cellular properties (intrinsic frequency and the strength of spikes) and coupling parameters (speed of synapses and coupling strengths). We find that, when inhibitory synapses are fast and the electrotonic effect of the suprathreshold portion of the spike is large, increasing the strength of weak electrical coupling promotes synchrony. Conversely, when inhibitory synapses are slow and the electrotonic effect of the suprathreshold portion of the spike is small, increasing the strength of weak electrical coupling promotes antisynchrony (see Fig. 10). Furthermore, our results indicate that, given a fixed total coupling strength, either electrical coupling alone or inhibition alone is better at...

Semiochemical inhibitors for protecting conifers from bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Western United States: research, development, and application

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In the western U.S., the research, development and application (RD&A) of semiochemical inhibitors for protecting conifers from bark beetles has focused on antiaggregation pheromones and, to a lesser extent, nonhost volatiles. The sequence begins with identifying potential inhibitors by searching relevant literature; sampling the volatile profiles of bark beetle extracts, frass, infested host materials, hosts, nonhosts, and the forest environment; and/or conducting gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection analyses of bark beetle antennae. Promising inhibitors are then evaluated for levels of inhibition in trapping and tree protection assays under field conditions. Additional assays are required to refine inhibitors and to inform the spacing and distribution of release devices. Factors affecting levels of tree protection include (a) the population density of the target bark beetle species, (b) forest structure and composition, (c) variability in bark beetle responses...

Wave-Block in Excitable Media Due to Regions of Depressed Excitability

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We study propagation failure using the one-dimensional scalar bistable equation with a passive "gap" region. By applying comparison principles for this type of equation, the problem of finding conditions for block is reduced to finding conditions for the existence of steady state solutions. We present a geometrical method that allows one to easily compute the critical gap length above which a steady state solution, and thus block, first occurs. The method also helps to uncover the general bifurcation structure of the problem including the stability of the steady state solutions. In obtaining these results, we characterize the relationship between the properties of the system and propagation failure. The method can easily be extended to other gap dynamics. We use it to show that block associated with any local inhomogeneity must be associated with a limit point bifurcation.

Investigating the feasibility of detecting counterfeit saffron using thermal imaging techniques

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Saffron, the world’s most valuable spice, faces significant fraud risks; this study investigates thermal imaging as a rapid, non-invasive method for its authentication, revealing key findings on distinct thermal properties differentiating pure from counterfeit saffron, highlighting its practical applications in quality control. Experiments were carried out under controlled conditions using saffron solutions prepared at three chamber temperatures (15, 25, and 35 ℃) and saffron solution concentrations (0.5, 2.5, and 4 g/200 mL). Thermal diffusion rates were calculated and analyzed to distinguish pure saffron from counterfeit solutions. The results showed that increasing saffron concentration from 2 g/200 mL to 4 g/200 mL enhanced the thermal diffusion rate by approximately 33%, while raising the chamber temperature from 15 ℃ to 35 ℃ led to a 48% increase. Counterfeit saffron (Saffron Ink™) consistently exhibited higher thermal diffusion...

Generalized Integrate-and-Fire Models of Neuronal Activity Approximate Spike Trains of a Detailed Model to a High Degree of Accuracy

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We demonstrate that single-variable integrate-and-fire models can quantitatively capture the dynamics of a physiologically detailed model for fast-spiking cortical neurons. Through a systematic set of approximations, we reduce the conductance-based model to 2 variants of integrate-and-fire models. In the first variant (nonlinear integrate-and-fire model), parameters depend on the instantaneous membrane potential, whereas in the second variant, they depend on the time elapsed since the last spike [Spike Response Model (SRM)]. The direct reduction links features of the simple models to biophysical features of the full conductance-based model. To quantitatively test the predictive power of the SRM and of the nonlinear integrate-and-fire model, we compare spike trains in the simple models to those in the full conductance-based model when the models are subjected to identical randomly fluctuating input. For random current input, the simple models reproduce 70-80 percent of the spikes...

The role of long-range coupling in crayfish swimmeret phase-locking

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

During forward swimming, crayfish and other long-tailed crustaceans rhythmically move four pairs of limbs called swimmerets to propel themselves through the water. This behavior is characterized by a particular stroke pattern in which the most posterior limb pair leads the rhythmic cycle and adjacent swimmerets paddle sequentially with a delay of roughly 25% of the period. The neural circuit underlying limb coordination consists of a chain of local modules, each of which controls a pair of limbs. All modules are directly coupled to one another, but the inter-module coupling strengths decrease with the distance of the connection. Prior modeling studies of the swimmeret neural circuit have included only the dominant nearest-neighbor coupling. Here, we investigate the potential modulatory role of long-range connections between modules. Numerical simulations and analytical arguments show that these connections cause decreases in the phase-differences between neighboring modules. Combined...

Biophysical drivers of mountain pine beetle outbreaks in lodgepole pine forests in the Intermountain West, U.S.

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, is among the most significant forest insect pests, particularly in lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud., forests in western North America. We established a network of 125, 0.081-ha circular plots in P. contorta forests in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming to document tree mortality and stand-level responses to D. ponderosae outbreaks. We found notable reductions in several key metrics but also observed significant variability in per-year (0–71%) and cumulative mortality (2–87%). We used this long-term monitoring dataset and employed generalized linear mixed effects modeling to determine the biophysical drivers of the variation in P. contorta mortality. Models were fitted to the entire (2005–2024) dataset, and to two truncated datasets: outbreak years only (2005–2012) and maximum per year P. contorta mortality per plot. Explanatory variables included tree, plot, and environmental factors (temperature and...

Chaotic dynamics in an ionic model of the propagated cardiac action potential

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We simulate the effect of periodic stimulation on a strand of ventricular muscle by numerically integrating the one-dimensional cable equation using the Beeler-Reuter model to represent the transmembrane currents. As stimulation frequency is increased, the rhythms of synchronization [1:1----2:2----2:1----4:2---- irregular----3:1----6:2----irregular----4:1----8:2----...----1:0] are successively encountered. We show that this sequence of rhythms can be accounted for by considering the response of the strand to premature stimulation. This involves deriving a one-dimensional finite-difference equation or "map" from the response to premature stimulation, and then iterating this map to predict the response to periodic stimulation. There is good quantitative agreement between the results of iteration of the map and the results of the numerical integration of the cable equation. Calculation of the Lyapunov exponent of the map yields a positive value, indicating sensitive dependence on...

Evaluation of a semiochemical tool for management of southwestern pine beetle, Dendroctonus barberi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in West Texas

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Southwestern pine beetle, Dendroctonus barberi Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a pest of ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws. (Pinales: Pinaceae), in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. D. barberi is closely related to the western pine beetle, D. brevicomis LeConte, but was reinstated as a distinct species in 2019. Verbenone Plus, a semiochemical blend of (-)-verbenone, acetophenone, (E )-2-hexen-1-ol, and (Z )-2-hexen-1-ol, was found to be inhibitory to D. brevicomis in 2009 and later reported to reduce mortality of P. ponderosa attributed to D. brevicomis. We evaluated the effects of Verbenone Plus on inhibition of D. barberi at the Davis Mountains Preserve, Texas, United States. A commercial formulation of (-)-verbenone (SPLAT Verb, EPA Reg. No. 80286-20, ISCA Inc., Riverside, California, United States) was used in all experiments. SPLAT Verb is a flowable matrix containing 10.0% (-)-verbenone by weight. Acetophenone, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, and...

Topological target patterns and population oscillations in a network with random gap junctional coupling

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent evidence suggests that electrical coupling could play a role in generating oscillatory behavior in networks of neurons, however, exact mechanisms have not been identified. Using a cellular automata model, we recently showed that a self-organizing process can generate regular population oscillations in a network with random spontaneous activity and random gap junction-like coupling. The network activity underlying the oscillations is topologically similar to target-pattern activity. Here, we show the process at work in a biophysical model. We demonstrate that population oscillations can also arise from reentrant behavior, but these oscillations look qualitatively different than those generated by the target-pattern-like activity.

The Biphasic Mystery: Why a Biphasic Shock is More Effective than a Monophasic Shock for Defibrillation

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We demonstrate that a biphasic shock is more effective than a monophasic shock at eliminating reentrant electrical activity in an ionic model of cardiac ventricular electrical activity. This effectiveness results from early hyperpolarization that enhances the recovery of sodium inactivation, thereby enabling earlier activation of recovering cells. The effect can be seen easily in a model of a single cell and also in a cable model with a ring of excitable cells. Finally, we demonstrate the phenomenon in a two-dimensional model of cardiac tissue.

N6-methyladenine DNA modification modulates pathogen virulence in nematodes

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding the global regulatory mechanisms that control pathogen virulence gene expression is essential for elucidating the molecular basis of pathogenicity. N6-methyladenine (6 mA) plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression in response to various environmental stresses; however, its role in pathogen virulence remains largely unexplored. Here, we report the widespread occurrence of 6 mA across 17 nematode isolates and map its genomic landscape in six notorious agriculturally important pathogen root-knot nematodes (RKNs). We demonstrated that 6 mA is characterized by a conserved GAG motif across nematodes, but exhibits species-specific distribution patterns and distinct effects on gene expression. In particular, its enrichment in transposable elements (TEs) differs between polyploid and diploid nematodes, suggesting lineage-specific epigenetic regulation potentially associated with polyploidy. We further identified two functional 6 mA demethylases, MiNMAD-1 and MiNMAD-2,...

Oak aging mitigates the sensory impact of smoke taint in Cabernet Sauvignon wine

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The wildfires that swept through Napa Valley in 2020 caused an estimated USD$3.7 billion economic loss to the grape and wine industry. The wines made from smoke-impacted grapes are often described as medicinal, smoky, and possessing a retronasal ashtray character. However, matrix differences among varieties and winemaking styles can impact smoke taint expression as well as the synergistic effects among the volatile phenols responsible for these off-flavors. Serial dilutions of non-impacted and impacted (intentionally smoked post-harvest) wines were used to create wines with differing levels of smoke impact for two wine regions (Napa and Lodi) and styles of Cabernet Sauvignon that were fermented and finished in stainless steel (SS) or subsequently aged in new oak barrels for 12 months. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS) were used to quantify free and total volatile phenols (VPs), and individual...

Haplotype-resolved telomere-to-telomere genome of Aphelenchus avenae implicates P5CS in nematode desiccation stress response

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The remarkable ability to survive desiccation and persist in a dry state is among nature's most fascinating adaptations, enabling certain organisms to withstand extreme dehydration without damage. This phenomenon has been widespread across diverse life forms, including plants, fungi, and nematodes. However, our understanding of its molecular basis, particularly in animals, remains limited. Aphelenchus avenae nematodes are notable for their exceptional tolerance to dehydration, and multiple genes related to this trait have been identified. However, the absence of a chromosome-scale, high-contiguity genome for A. avenae has been a limitation in the genome-wide identification of gene families potentially involved in desiccation tolerance. In this study, we assemble a high-quality, telomere-to-telomere haplotype genome of A. avenae Transcriptomic analyses reveal distinct sets of genes involved in responses to desiccation and freezing stress. Notably, under desiccation...

Order From Noise: What the Pacemaker Pays for Stochastic Resonance

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For more than a century, the origin of the heartbeat has remained stubbornly elusive. The classical view was deterministic: a dominant cluster of the fastest cells entrains its neighbors, and the sinoatrial node delivers a clean, periodic impulse through a coupled system of membrane and Ca2+ clocks.1 The paradigm has endured, in part, because of experimental limits of resolution. With conventional optical mapping, pacemaking at the node emerges and progresses smoothly and uniformly from an initiation site. At higher spatial and temporal resolution, cell‑to‑cell variability emerges, revealing the sinoatrial node as a loosely coupled, brain‑like network of diversely firing and non‑firing cells in which subthreshold Ca2+ and voltage fluctuations are dispersed throughout the node.2,3

Developmental dynamic transcriptomics reveals multiple effectors and transcription factors critical for Ditylenchus destructor parasitism

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundPlant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose a major threat to global agricultural production, yet fundamental research on their biology remains limited. The origin and evolutionary trajectory of PPNs remain elusive, largely due to the scarcity of chromosome-level genomic data. Among them, migratory PPNs are considered a key transitional form between free-living and obligate parasitic lifestyles, as they exhibit both plant parasitism and fungal feeding behaviors.ResultsIn this study, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of the sweet potato rot nematode Ditylenchus destructor and confirmed the presence of four chromosomes through Hi-C scaffolding and karyotype analysis. Comparative genomic analysis with two others migratory PPNs, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Aphelenchoides besseyi, revealed that the Nigon elements in B. xylophilus are largely conserved with those of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, while D. destructor and A. besseyi exhibit extensive Nigon element...

Evaluating Open Government Data as a Tool for Planning and Sustainability in U.S. Cities: Portals, Policies, and Plans

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Open Government Data (OGD) has the potential to support urban planning by increasing transparency, improving evidence-based decision-making, enhancing public participation, and monitoring progress toward sustainability goals. Despite this potential, the extent to which OGD supports planning and sustainability in practice remains unclear. This study evaluates the user-friendliness of OGD portals in 19 U.S. cities using four criteria identified in the literature: breadth of portal content, structure of governance, user-friendly support, and equitable user access. It also examines how cities incorporate OGD into OGD policies, general plans, and sustainability/climate action plans. This study was designed as an exploratory comparative case study of OGD practices, and the methods included portal assessment using four criteria, content analysis of OGD policies and plans, and semi-structured interviews with OGD and planning experts. The findings indicate that most OGD portals function...

Root-knot-nematode-derived mimics of RGF peptides hijack host signalling to orchestrate feeding site formation

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Root-knot nematodes establish long-term parasitic relationships with diverse hosts by inducing specialized feeding cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which nematodes manipulate this developmental reprogramming process remain largely unknown. Here we identify a class of ROOT MERISTEM GROWTH FACTOR (RGF)-like peptide effectors conserved in root-knot nematodes. MgRGF from Meloidogyne graminicola and MiRGF1 from M. incognita are expressed in subventral gland cells during early infection and secreted into the host apoplast. Functional analysis reveals that nematode RGFs are critical for feeding site development. Intriguingly, these peptides elicit host-specific outcomes in Arabidopsis and rice, involving both cell proliferation and expansion—two processes essential for establishing feeding cell identity. Further genetic and biochemical evidence demonstrates that nematode RGF peptides functionally mimic plant endogenous RGFs by hijacking the host RGI-receptor-mediated signalling...

Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Scientific assessments play a critical role in synthesizing evidence to support evidence-based decision-making in many sectors and topics. For climate change, large-scale assessments like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports help many different users—from national government to local governments, Indigenous Peoples and communities, the private sector, the social sector, and the scientific community itself—navigate the complex field of climate risks, impacts, and integrated solutions. While cocreation with users is essential to developing actionable assessments, this paper lays the groundwork for future processes by identifying many advancing and emerging areas of relevant knowledge ready for assessment or additional near-term research. Drawing on the expertise of many scholars who were formerly tasked with producing the Sixth NCA and authors of other national or subnational climate assessment reports,...

Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Scientific assessments play a critical role in synthesizing evidence to support evidence‐based decision‐making in many sectors and topics. For climate change, large‐scale assessments like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United States (U.S.) National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports help many different users—from national government to local governments, Indigenous Peoples and communities, the private sector, the social sector, and the scientific community itself—navigate the complex field of climate risks, impacts, and integrated solutions. While co‐creation with users is essential to developing actionable assessments, this paper lays the groundwork for future processes by identifying many advancing and emerging areas of relevant knowledge ready for assessment or additional near‐term research. Drawing on the expertise of many scholars who were formerly tasked with producing the Sixth NCA and authors of other national or sub‐national climate...

Comparative fitness of reemerging St. Louis encephalitis virus in vertebrate and mosquito cells, Culex tarsalis and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, and mice.

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The human pathogenic orthoflavivirus St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) reemerged in the western United States in 2015 after more than a decade of absence and has since expanded throughout California with sustained interannual transmission. This shift from the historically sporadic pattern of SLEV activity before 2003 raises the question of whether contemporary strains differ in fitness from earlier strains. To assess whether reemerging SLEV possesses enhanced infectivity or transmissibility, we compared five contemporary genotype III strains from California (2016-2023) with a historical genotype V strain from 2003. Growth kinetics were evaluated in mammalian, duck, and mosquito cells; vector competence was assessed in laboratory colonies of Culex tarsalis and Culex quinquefasciatus vectors; and SLEV RNA levels in blood were measured in collaborative cross recombinant intercross mice. Some genotype III strains produced higher titers than the historical genotype...

A chikungunya virus-like particle vaccine reduces chikungunya disease in cynomolgus macaques and protection is mediated by antibody transferred from vaccinated humans

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes periodic outbreaks and is endemic in more than 110 countries. VIMKUNYA, a CHIKV virus-like particle (CHIKV VLP) vaccine, was recently approved by regulators in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom. Efficacy of VIMKUNYA in endemic settings is difficult to evaluate due to outbreak unpredictability. We used cynomolgus macaques, which model human CHIKV viremia and disease, to assess CHIKV VLP vaccine efficacy. Doses as low as 1.25 mg of CHIKV VLP with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant and passively transferred IgG from vaccinated humans significantly reduced viremia, disease, and joint pathology. Despite having IgG doses yielding neutralizing titers below the established predicted protective threshold of ≥100, animals fared better than the CHIKV-infected control animals, suggesting clinical benefits may occur at lower antibody levels. These findings demonstrate immunogenicity and protective efficacy of CHIKV VLP and relevance of neutralizing...

A Humanoid Companion Robot in Residential Memory Care: Staff Perspectives During Early Implementation.

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

PURPOSE: To examine memory support staff perspectives during early integration of a humanoid companion robot in a residential memory care neighborhood. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design was used in a memory care neighborhood in Northern California. Data were collected from 15 staff participants through one pre-implementation focus group and three follow-up individual interviews. Interviews were conducted before and during the first 8 weeks of the robot's introduction and were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Six interdisciplinary team members performed thematic analysis through collaborative coding and team-based comparisons. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: Dynamics of Implementation Sense-Making, Ambivalent Imaginaries of the Robot, and Situated Interaction Work and Operational Burden. Staff reported varied readiness, recognized promise and limitations, and emphasized the need for staff as ongoing intermediaries between the robot and residents...

Genomic and Transcriptomic Insights into the Evolution and Parasitic Strategy of the Woody-Plant Nematode Pratylenchus vulnus

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus vulnus parasitizes a wide range of hosts, including woody perennials such as walnut (Juglans regia) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera), significantly damaging roots and reducing yields. Here, we present a high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of P. vulnus (61.7 Mb across six chromosomes). Comparative genomic analysis revealed high collinearity in protein-coding genes between P. vulnus and the root-knot nematode included in this analysis, Meloidogyne graminicola, indicating a close evolutionary relationship between these genera of plant parasites. Large chromosomal regions in P. vulnus lack synteny with other nematode genomes, have comparatively low GC content (<30%), and are enriched in genes with unique or lineage-specific functions. Transcriptome analysis highlighted dynamic, stage-specific expression of genes involved in parasitism, development, and metabolism. Additionally,...

Rococo Aesthetics and the Problem of Trompe L'Oeil

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This edited volume explores the notion of “artifice” in modern visual culture, ranging from the eighteenth century to the present, in countries around the globe.

The First Highly Contiguous Genome Assembly for the Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana)

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is a secondary cavity-nesting thrush that has experienced historical population declines, local extirpations, and more recent recoveries associated with nest box programs. Despite these regional successes, recent eBird estimates suggest continued range-wide declines and substantial geographic variation in population trajectories, making this species a useful system for future studies of demographic change, connectivity, and conservation genomics. However, genomic resources for western bluebirds remain limited, and no reference genome currently exists for any species in the genus Sialia. Here, we present the first high-quality de novo reference genome for S. mexicana. Using PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing from an adult female, we generated a highly contiguous, phased 1.3 Gb nuclear assembly with a contig N50 of 24.8 Mb and high BUSCO completeness of 98.3%. We annotated the nuclear genome using transcriptomic and protein evidence, identifying...

Vascular access management plan (VAMP): neonatal European vascular access team—ESPR Recommendation 1

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ImpactProper use of the Vascular Access Management Plan (VAMP) ensures choosing the right vascular access device from the start of therapy.The VAMP method offers a structured and patient-centered approach to vascular access in neonates.Implementation of the VAMP method ensures a more uniform practice regarding vascular access in neonates.Implementation of the VAMP method has the potential to greatly decrease the number of vascular access related complications in neonates.

Clinical, Electrocardiographic, Biochemical, and Echocardiographic Markers for Diagnosing Cardiac Dysfunction in Neonates with Hypoxic–Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Narrative Review

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background/Objectives: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a leading cause of neonatal death and long-term neurodisability. Cardiovascular dysfunction commonly accompanies HIE and influences neurological recovery, yet it is difficult to recognize because conventional clinical signs correlate poorly with the myocardial function. This review summarizes the current evidence on cardiac dysfunction in neonates with HIE, with particular attention to the diagnostic tools used to evaluate cardiovascular function and the clinical outcomes associated with myocardial injury. Methods: We conducted a narrative review informed by a systematic, reproducible search of four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) from 2000 to 2026, using a Population-Concept-Context framework to identify studies of term and near-term neonates (≥35 weeks gestation) with HIE or perinatal asphyxia reporting a measure of cardiac dysfunction (electrocardiographic, biomarker,...

Generalized robust adaptive-bandwidth MultiView manifold learning in high dimensions with noise

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Supplementary Material [6] includes proofs of all claims in the main article, and provides more numerical details. Multiview datasets are common in scientific and engineering applications, yet existing fusion methods offer limited theoretical guarantees, particularly in the presence of heterogeneous and high-dimensional noise. We propose Generalized Robust Adaptive-Bandwidth Multiview Diffusion Maps (GRAB-MDM), a new kernel-based diffusion geometry framework for integrating multiple noisy data sources. The key innovation of GRAB-MDM is a view-dependent bandwidth selection strategy that adapts to the geometry and noise level of each view, enabling a stable and principled construction of multiview diffusion operators. Under a common-manifold model, we establish asymptotic convergence results and show that the adaptive bandwidths lead to provably robust recovery of the shared intrinsic structure, even when noise levels and sensor dimensions differ across views. Numerical experiments...

USB-C Outlets for Plug Loads in 350V DC Buildings

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

USB-C has become the universal plug standard for charging consumer electronics, typically through AC/DC wall adapters. As new standards in USB power distribution allow USB-C ports to provide up to 240W at 48V, many discuss the possibility of USB-C emerging as a plug-load standard, especially in DC buildings. This work proposes the use of USB-C wall outlets to power the emerging USB-C ecosystem without need for a wall adapter. We first study the market feasibility of USB-C outlets through a series of customer discovery interviews. We then perform several experiments to evaluate the technical feasibility. These include a comparative evaluation of efficiency and a thermal experiment to study how the heat from outlet's conversion loss can be dissipated through an exterior wall section.

AI@ALS Workshop Report: Machine Learning Needs at the Advanced Light Source

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AI@ALS Workshop Report: Machine Learning Needs at the Advanced Light Source

Morning-to-evening decline in pulmonary diffusing capacity and spirometry

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pulmonary function tests are performed throughout the day, yet time-of-day effects on spirometry and pulmonary diffusing capacities for nitric oxide (DLNO) and carbon monoxide (DLCO) are poorly characterized, and DLNO's diurnal behavior is unknown. We examined whether these measurements vary in healthy men and derived within-day limits of change. Thirty-eight men (median age, 29.8 years) underwent up to six testing sessions during one waking day. Each session included spirometry (FVC, FEV₁, SVC, and FEV₁/FVC), followed by single-breath DLNO/DLCO testing to obtain DLCO, DLNO, alveolar volume (V_A), transfer coefficients KCO and KNO, and the DLNO/DLCO ratio. Time-of-day effects were assessed using linear mixed-effects models with subject-specific random intercepts; within-subject variability was quantified using the within-subject standard deviation. After quality filtering and multiplicity adjustment, FVC, FEV₁, SVC, DLNO, DLCO, and V_A decreased across the...

Combination of inclusive top-quark pair production cross-section measurements using ATLAS and CMS data at s = 7 and 8 TeV

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A combination of measurements of the inclusive top-quark pair production cross-section performed by ATLAS and CMS in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV at the LHC is presented. The cross-sections are obtained using top-quark pair decays with an opposite-charge electron–muon pair in the final state and with data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 5 fb−1 at s$$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 7 TeV and about 20 fb−1 at s$$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 8 TeV for each experiment. The combined cross-sections are determined to be 178.5 ± 4.7 pb at s$$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 7 TeV and 243.3−5.9+6.0$$ {243.3}_{-5.9}^{+6.0} $$ pb at s$$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 8 TeV with a correlation of 0.41, using a reference top-quark mass value of 172.5 GeV. The ratio of the combined cross-sections is determined to be R8/7 = 1.363 ± 0.032. The combined measured cross-sections and their ratio agree well with theory calculations using several parton distribution function (PDF) sets. The values of the top-quark...

Review of Particle Physics*

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Review summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 3,200 new measurements from 903 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as supersymmetric particles, heavy bosons, axions, dark photons, etc. Particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as Higgs Boson Physics, Supersymmetry, Grand Unified Theories, Neutrino Mixing, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Cosmology, Particle Detectors, Colliders, Probability and Statistics. Most of the 118 reviews are updated, including many that are heavily revised. The Review is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 includes the Summary Tables and 96 review articles. Volume 2 consists of the Particle Listings and contains also 22 reviews that address...

Hollow-Core Fiber-Enhanced Raman Instrument for Standard-Free Multi-Component Gas Analysis in Industrial Process Environments

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Multi-component gas analysis under industrial process conditions (elevated pressure, near-saturation humidity, dynamic composition) challenges established analytical modalities: infrared absorption cannot detect homonuclear diatomics (N2, O2), gas chromatography is offline, and electrochemical sensors drift under sustained humidity. This paper presents a hollow-core anti-resonant fiber-enhanced Raman spectrometer for simultaneous, standard-free detection of five process gases (N2, O2, CO2, ethanol vapor, H2O) and quantification of the three that define the bulk gas balance (N2, O2, CO2). A threegas normalization framework anchored to atmospheric N2 as an internal standard yields quantitative molar fractions from peak-area ratios using relative Raman cross-sections, without external calibration, pressure sensing, or absolute intensity reference. The instrument was deployed for six days on a temperature-controlled wine fermentation, in a research winery environment and powered down...

Erratum: Search for Bs0→μ+μ- and B0→μ+μ- decays with the full CDF Run II data set [Phys. Rev. D 87, 072003 (2013)]

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

V. Krutelyov, of Texas A&M University and the University of California at Santa Barbara, was erroneously omitted from the author list.

Pandemic-related financial hardship and disparities in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and purchasing among San Francisco Bay Area residents during COVID-19

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Some reports suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shifts to unhealthier diets. These unhealthier diets may include sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), which strongly contribute to diabetes and other chronic diseases. Using cross-sectional surveys in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA we sought to assess self-reported SSB consumption during the pandemic's shelter-in-place and self-reported changes in SSB purchasing from before to during the pandemic's shelter-in-place, stratifying by indices of pandemic-related financial hardship. Nearly 60% of our diverse sample (N = 943) reported that it was harder to pay for basics (like food and utilities) during shelter-in-place. Among those who found it harder to pay for basics and received financial assistance during shelter-in-place, we found a ten-fold higher frequency of daily SSB consumption compared to those not facing new financial hardship (2.76 [95% CI: 1.78, 3.74] versus 0.30 [95% CI: 0.23, 0.37] times/day)....

Trophic and Environmental Generalists Maintain Pollinator Network Functional Continuity by Switching Modules Through Time

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Plant‐pollinator networks are temporally dynamic and crucial for ecosystem functioning. Yet, the characteristics of species that allow networks to persist through a season remain poorly understood. We investigated plant‐pollinator interactions through an entire flowering season at four alpine meadows in SW China with a temporal multilayer network approach, where subnetworks representing successive time periods (layers) are interconnected via interlayer links. We show that temporal multilayer networks were highly modular, and that pollinator species' importance (versatility) in persistence through time of the multilayer network was correlated with their trophic and environmental niche space. Highly versatile pollinators persisted through time by switching between and occupying up to six network modules through time. These species with high versatility also had broad environmental and trophic niches, allowing them to maintain network functional stability throughout the flowering...

Trophic and Environmental Generalists Maintain Pollinator Network Functional Continuity by Switching Modules Through Time

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Trophic and Environmental Generalists Maintain Pollinator Network Functional Continuity by Switching Modules Through Time

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The ENIGMA Consortium: large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a collaborative network of researchers working together on a range of large-scale studies that integrate data from 70 institutions worldwide. Organized into Working Groups that tackle questions in neuroscience, genetics, and medicine, ENIGMA studies have analyzed neuroimaging data from over 12,826 subjects. In addition, data from 12,171 individuals were provided by the CHARGE consortium for replication of findings, in a total of 24,997 subjects. By meta-analyzing results from many sites, ENIGMA has detected factors that affect the brain that no individual site could detect on its own, and that require larger numbers of subjects than any individual neuroimaging study has currently collected. ENIGMA’s first project was a genome-wide association study identifying common variants in the genome associated with hippocampal volume or intracranial volume. Continuing work is exploring genetic associations...

Trophic and Environmental Generalists Maintain Pollinator Network Functional Continuity by Switching Modules Through Time

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Evaluating Propeller-Wing Interactional Noise Predictions from a Medium-Fidelity Approach