Recent ucm_postprints items

“Collaborative Research and Action for Climate Justice in California”

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How can university scholars and community activists effectively collaborate to produce generative, empowering, and materially impactful knowledge and actions concerning climate change and climate justice? In this paper, we report on a collaborative effort between climate justice non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and university faculty and students to conduct research to produce innovative ideas and insights about just transitions in California and to support social movement campaigns aimed at actually reducing greenhouse gas emissions by keeping fossil fuels in the ground. This collaboration was jointly initiated by faculty and students at a California university alongside leaders of local social movement organizations dedicated to climate justice, as a response to several proposed development projects that would expand oil extraction and fossil fuel use in that state. We argue that these efforts produced a climate justice gestalt that serves to amplify our productivity, power,...

Impacts of land use and fallowing on coccidioidomycosis incidence in California: A population-based longitudinal study

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) is a growing public health concern in the western U.S., with California reporting more than an eightfold rise in cases over the past two decades. As climate change, groundwater regulation, and prolonged drought drive major agricultural land-use shifts in the state, including widespread retirement of cultivated lands (i.e., fallowing), understanding their effects on this soil-borne fungal infection is critical. We linked 65,657 confirmed, geolocated cases (2008-2021) to high-resolution maps distinguishing natural vegetation, crop types, and fallowed fields to quantify how land use and land cover were associated with disease rates. Flexible statistical models showed that natural land covers, shrubland, barren ground, and grassland, were associated with higher incidence. Some agricultural uses (grain/hay, field crops, corn, and cotton) were associated with higher incidence, whereas others (orchards, rice, and truck crops/berries) were associated...

Northern peatland microbial communities exhibit resistance to warming and acquire electron acceptors from soil organic matter

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The response of microbial communities that regulate belowground carbon turnover to climate change drivers in peatlands is poorly understood. Here, we leverage a whole ecosystem warming experiment to elucidate the key processes of terminal carbon decomposition and community responses to temperature rise. Our dataset of 697 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) represents the microbial community from the surface (10 cm) to 2 m deep into the peat column, with only 3.7% of genomes overlapping with other well-studied peatlands. Community composition has yet to show a significant response to warming after 3 years, suggesting that metabolically diverse soil microbial communities are resistant to climate change. Surprisingly, abundant and active methanogens in the genus Candidatus Methanoflorens, Methanobacterium, and Methanoregula show the potential for both acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Nonetheless, the predominant pathways for anaerobic carbon decomposition include...

Functional Differentiation of Type II and Type I Collagen Articular Models in Synovial Fluid Film Formation and Recombinant Equine Lubricin Retention

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ABSTRACT: Collagen type II (Col‐II) and collagen type I (Col‐I) are major components of articular cartilage present at different ratios at its surface. Understanding how each of these components mediates the assembly of molecular films derived from synovial fluid (SF), the lubricant of synovial joints, is critical to explain the loss of mechanical performance in pathological conditions, guide the design of biomaterial implants meant to be in contact with SF, and develop molecular therapies to restore SF properties. This work demonstrates that Col‐II articular surface model assists in scaffolding SF‐derived films, while Col‐I model lacks SF film scaffolding capabilities. However, when Col‐II and Col‐I are exposed to recombinant equine lubricin (rEqLub), an analog of the major boundary lubricant in SF, both adsorbed and retained similar amounts. These insights, deduced from quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, diffuse reflectance circular dichroism,...

Student empowerment and creative classrooms: Making art when teaching about undocumented migration

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Student empowerment and creative classrooms: Making art when teaching about undocumented migration

Climate change hotspots in Africa: spatiotemporal trends of rainfall, temperature, and drought using GIS and statistical modelling

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, Africa faces substantial dangers from climate change repercussions. Using the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) TS 4.06 dataset, this study seeks to investigate climate variability in Africa over the last 120 years (1901–2021). This study also employs climate change data from the revised Meteorological Research Institute Earth System Model version 2.0 (MRI-ESM2.0) under the Shared Socio-economic Pathway SSP5–8.5 high-emissions scenario to conduct a spatial and temporal analysis of precipitation, temperature, and drought across Africa. The findings reveal that annual precipitation varies spatially and temporally from region to region. Central Africa receives the highest rainfall, followed by the West, East, and South African areas, with the North receiving the least. This study provides a comprehensive continent-wide analysis based on long-term observational and model data, contributing new insights at the Pan-African scale....

Modeling Large Dust Aerosols in the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Dust aerosols have a wide size distribution from less than 0.1 to over 100 μm and dominate Earth's atmospheric aerosol mass. However, most Earth system models (ESMs) inadequately represent dust aerosols larger than 10 μm in diameter, limiting the accuracy of the simulated dust cycle and climate impacts. Here, we introduce a new modeling framework that captures the full observed size distribution of dust aerosols, incorporating recent advances into a mineral‐resolved version of the Community ESM, while addressing known issues in previous versions. Comprehensive evaluation against diverse observations of bulk dust and component minerals demonstrates that the model reproduces the observed dust cycle across particle sizes. Incorporating the previously unrepresented large‐dust fractions substantially alters dust budget estimates, highlighting potential changes in simulated climate impacts and underscoring the importance of comprehensive size‐resolved dust modeling....

Gentrification, White Encroachment, and the Policing of Black Residents in Washington, DC

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When middle-class and White residents move into working-class and poor Black neighborhoods, are there increases in the frequency of arrests of Black people? There are a handful of published articles that examine quantitatively the relationship between gentrification and policing. These studies focus almost exclusively on Los Angeles and New York City and the focus on racialized policing is limited. The present study considers racialized policing in a city that was, until very recently, majority Black and explores the extent to which gentrification and racial change in Washington, DC are associated with enhanced policing of Black residents. A spatial regression analysis which models the association between gentrification, White encroachment, and the policing of Black residents using arrest data from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and a gentrification score based on American Community Survey data reveals clear racialized and spatial disparities in arrest rates in Washington,...

The Effect of Angler Education Materials on the Practice of Selective Harvest: Evidence From a Survey Experiment

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Effect of Angler Education Materials on the Practice of Selective Harvest: Evidence From a Survey Experiment

Phosphodiesterase 4D acts downstream of Neuropilin to control Hedgehog signal transduction and the growth of medulloblastoma.

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Alterations in Hedgehog (Hh) signaling lead to birth defects and cancers including medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor. Although inhibitors targeting the membrane protein Smoothened suppress Hh signaling, acquired drug resistance and tumor relapse call for additional therapeutic targets. Here we show that phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) acts downstream of Neuropilins to control Hh transduction and medulloblastoma growth. PDE4D interacts directly with Neuropilins, positive regulators of Hh pathway. The Neuropilin ligand Semaphorin3 enhances this interaction, promoting PDE4D translocation to the plasma membrane and cAMP degradation. The consequent inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) enhances Hh transduction. In the developing cerebellum, genetic removal of Neuropilins reduces Hh signaling activity and suppresses proliferation of granule neuron precursors. In mouse medulloblastoma allografts, PDE4D inhibitors suppress Hh transduction and inhibit tumor growth. Our...

Mesoporous peptide frameworks engineered from crystallizable collagen-mimetic peptide amphiphiles

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rational design of porous frameworks with tunable pore dimensions and chemical functionalities is a critical step toward their implementation in diverse applications. While traditional porous materials are typically constructed from abiotic components, there is increasing interest in employing biologically derived building blocks (e.g., peptides and proteins) that offer unmatched structural and functional diversity. Here, we report the construction of crystalline mesoporous frameworks that are self-assembled from amphiphilic collagen-mimetic peptides. Comprehensive structural characterization via microscopy, spectroscopy, and computational techniques provides insights into the assembly packing model, in which hexagonally packed channels are interconnected by antiparallel-aligned collagen triple helices via hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Lastly, we demonstrate the functional potential of aCMP frameworks through the encapsulation of various molecular guests,...

Vicennial metagenomic time series unveils evolutionary dynamics of giant viruses in a freshwater ecosystem

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Giant viruses play crucial ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems, yet their evolutionary dynamics in response to environmental changes, particularly in freshwater environments, are not well understood. We analyzed a 20-year time series (2000-2019) of 471 co-assembled metagenomes from Lake Mendota (USA) to reconstruct 1512 giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes, providing insights into viral genome evolution. Viruses in the order Imitervirales dominate the virome, remaining consistent across seasons and years. Our findings reveal gene duplication (23% of genes) and horizontal gene transfer (29% of genes) as key drivers of genomic innovation. A co-occurrence network analysis indicates increased virus-host interactions following the introduction of an invasive predatory zooplankton in 2009, highlighting potential hosts in Bigyra, Perkinsea, and Euglenozoa. While single nucleotide polymorphism analysis shows predominantly purifying selection in viral genes, there is a significant...

Non-coding structural variants disrupt FOXG1 transcriptional regulation in early neurodevelopment

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The FOXG1 transcription factor is a crucial regulator of embryonic brain development. Pathogenic FOXG1 variants cause FOXG1 syndrome. Although structural variants in the non-coding region downstream of FOXG1 have been reported in 38 individuals with similar characteristics, the regulatory pathomechanisms remain unknown. Here, we identify two non-coding structural variants in individuals with FOXG1 syndrome-like features, allowing us to delineate a ~ 124 kb commonly affected regulatory region. Using epigenomic profiling and in vivo enhancer assays, we characterize and validate regulatory elements within the commonly affected regulatory region and wider FOXG1 TAD. We see strong activation of previously validated forebrain enhancers, and identify an enhancer cluster and progenitor-specific enhancer region that are strongly activated during forebrain-directed neural progenitor cell differentiation, a process in which FOXG1 is an important regulator. Perturbation of these elements...

Assessing the Adverse Events of Roflumilast and Tapinarof Use in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and ObjectivesAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by intensely pruritic episodes and eczematous lesions. This disease is prevalent in up to 25% of children, with about half of these cases persisting into adulthood. This systematic review aims to examine two new topical therapies for AD, roflumilast and tapinarof, and investigate the adverse events associated with their use.MethodsA systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251066719). A search was performed in Scopus, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science on 2 June 2025. Randomized controlled trials were included if they reported adverse event outcomes in pediatric patients with AD after either roflumilast or tapinarof treatment; studies with mixed pediatric and adult patients were eligible for inclusion. Studies were excluded if they...

Guaranteed Income: A Policy Landscape Review of 105 Programs in the United States

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Cash assistance programs have been piloted as Basic or Guaranteed Income across the United States. This research asks how programs are being designed and evaluated, with implications for how collective program impacts are understood. To answer this question, we assemble and review 105 programs based in the United States, covering over 40,000 beneficiaries. We compare eligibility criteria, funding sources, distribution amounts, program administration, pilot duration, and evaluation measures. We find that just over half of the programs use income-based qualifications and most (84 %) have some form of place-based eligibility criteria defined by residence. The plurality of programs (28) are based in California (CA) and 16 operate at the county level. We also find that while the development of pilots often uses community development framing, funding and evaluation measures tend to be more aligned with either economic or public health intervention assessments. As multiple...

Hierarchical Temporal Structure in Carnatic Improvisation: Interaction and Rhythmic Constraint

Thu, 6 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hierarchical Temporal Structure in Carnatic Improvisation: Interaction and Rhythmic Constraint

Cultivating Collaborative Water Leaders: The Power of Experiential Learning

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

ABSTRACT Water systems in the American West are under mounting stress as climate change accelerates aridification and tensions grow over competing demands for scarce water resources. As socio‐ecological pressures compound, siloed thinking and governance undermine the development of innovative water management approaches. A new generation of water practitioners is rising to meet this challenge. But working within this complexity requires systems understanding, transdisciplinary expertise, cultural competence, and collaborative leadership. As a multidisciplinary group of graduate students and field program leaders working on water in the West, we argue that experiential learning offers a powerful pathway to prepare future water practitioners with the skills they need to address wicked water problems. In this Commentary we present a set of best practices, grounded in our shared experiential learning experience, to guide the design of inclusive and transformative field opportunities...

MAGAZ3NE: Confirming Dust Deficiency and Quiescent Nature of Ultramassive Galaxies at 3 < z < 4 with ALMA Observations

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A major challenge in identifying massive quiescent galaxies at z > 3 is distinguishing truly passive systems from dust-obscured star-forming galaxies, as both populations exhibit similar red ultraviolet-to-near-infrared colors. In this work, we present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band 7 continuum observations of five ultramassive galaxies (UMGs; log(M⋆/M⊙)>11 ) from the Massive Ancient Galaxies At z > 3 NEar-infrared survey, spectroscopically confirmed at zspec > 3. One UMG is weakly detected at 872 μm while the remaining four UMGs are undetected down to the 3σ depth. By incorporating ALMA constraints and far-infrared-to-radio photometry into the spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis, we demonstrate that all five UMGs are quiescent, lying significantly 1 dex below the star-forming main sequence. We estimate dust masses using both SED modeling and modified blackbody fitting, with consistent results between the two methods. Our results reveal...

Advancing FAIR data towards comparable, organized, predictive AI-ready data for community validation

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The interrogation of data across biological and environmental systems has become increasingly complex. Fortunately, communities are adopting the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles for individual datasets, and continue to develop domain-specific, machine-actionable standards. However, integrating FAIR data for meta-analysis across data resources is still challenging. Understanding how disparate datasets are organized remains a manual, time-consuming process. Updating FAIR databases to reflect changes in knowledge is slow, allowing stale annotations and incorrect relationships to propagate, amplified by Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems that harvest data. Building on FAIR, we argue that data should be iteratively updated and improved. FAIR + COPE (Comparable, Organized, Predictive, Engaged) takes FAIR data and makes it Comparable, rapidly Organized (applying / updating standards) for Predictive models, which can be validated and improved by an...

Collective States of Active Particles With Elastic Dipolar Interactions

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Many types of animal cells exert active, contractile forces and mechanically deform their elastic substrate, to accomplish biological functions such as migration. These substrate deformations provide a mechanism in principle by which cells may sense other cells, leading to long-range mechanical inter–cell interactions and possible self-organization. Here, inspired by cell mechanobiology, we propose an active matter model comprising self-propelling particles that interact at a distance through their mutual deformations of an elastic substrate. By combining a minimal model for the motility of individual particles with a linear elastic model that accounts for substrate-mediated, inter–particle interactions, we examine emergent collective states that result from the interplay of motility and long-range elastic dipolar interactions. In particular, we show that particles self-assemble into flexible, motile chains which can cluster to form diverse larger-scale compact structures with...

Surface-bound FXIII enhances deposition and straightness of fibrin fibers

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

Cross-linked fibrous networks are central to maintaining the structural integrity and functional relevance of many biological and engineered materials. Fibrin networks are the building blocks of blood clots, mediators of tissue injury and repair, and synthetic wound sealants. Cross-linking of fibrin fibers is catalyzed by the activated form of transglutaminase enzyme FXIIIa, which becomes available in plasma but is also readily presented on the surface of activated platelets and macrophages. The contribution of surface-bound FXIIIa to fibrin structure has not been well understood. In this work, we investigated the role of surface-bound FXIIIa on the formation and structure of fibrin fibers from FXIII-deficient plasma by confining the cross-linking reactions to the surface of microspheres. Quantitative microscopy revealed that cross-linking on FXIIIa-coated surfaces facilitates fibrin deposition following a sigmoidal kinetics, and that these fibers were straighter, longer, and...

Observed and projected contribution of cutoff lows to global precipitation

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

Abstract Cutoff lows (COL) are upper-level lows that are displaced from the jet stream and are often associated with a stagnant circulation that facilitates prolonged periods of precipitation and subsequent hydrologic hazards. Here, we quantify the contribution of COL to annual and seasonal precipitation totals, extremes, and hydrologic disasters across the globe, as well as explore how precipitation coincident with COL has changed in observations and is projected to change under future scenarios. Many locations received at least 20% of their annual precipitation coincident to COL across portions of the globe, with notable hotspots along the equatorward flank of the jet stream and in rain shadowed areas of the mid-latitudes. Further, regions – including the Mediterranean, southeastern Australia, the interior western United States (US), South Africa, and northeast China – had over a third of their three-day annual maximum precipitation events coincident with COL. We also show that...

Contribution of Tropical Cyclones to Hourly Precipitation Extremes in the Contiguous United States

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

Abstract Tropical cyclones (TCs) are major drivers of contiguous United States (CONUS) flooding, yet their contribution to hourly precipitation extremes remains poorly quantified. Here we link observations from 420 gauges (1980–2024) with TC track data to attribute extreme hourly precipitation to both local and remote TCs. Remote TC contributions are identified via atmospheric river (AR) objects using the TempestExtremes framework applied to a global AR database. We identify 254 TCs that contributed to extreme hourly precipitation, affecting 76% of stations. While local contributions from Atlantic TCs are prevalent in eastern CONUS, remote influences from Pacific TCs contribute to precipitation extremes in the rest of CONUS. The number of TCs resulting in extreme hourly precipitation has increased significantly in northeast and southeast CONUS since 1980. These results reveal that TC‐linked moisture represents a contributor to short‐duration precipitation extremes across...

Rapid contemporary shrinking and loss of ice-capped summits in the western United States

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

Ice-capped summits exist when the highest point of a mountain in late summer comprises ice and snow. For the last century, there have been five ice-capped summits in the contiguous United States, all in Washington State. In this study, we measured the contemporary elevations of these ice-capped summits and compared our findings to historical surveys and photographs to assess whether their elevations have changed and whether their ice caps are still intact. We hypothesized that ongoing impacts of climate change are altering even the highest elevation mountains in the western United States. Indeed, all five of these historically ice-capped summits have shrunk since ~1980, with four of the five shrinking by at least 6 m (20 ft) due to loss of snow and ice. As of 2024, only two of the five summits still had perennial ice as their highest point. Free-air temperatures for the ice-capped summits indicate significant late summer warming of 2.75°C since 1950 and increases in summer melt...

Computational design of low-volatility lubricants for space using interpretable machine learning.

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

The function and lifetime of moving mechanical assemblies (MMAs) in space depend on the properties of lubricants. MMAs that experience high speeds or high cycles require liquid-based lubricants due to their ability to reflow to the point of contact. However, only a few liquid-based lubricants have vapor pressures low enough for the vacuum conditions of space, each of which has limitations that add constraints to MMA designs. This work introduces a data-driven machine learning (ML) approach to predicting vapor pressure, enabling virtual screening and discovery of new space-suitable liquid lubricants. The ML models are trained with data from both high-throughput molecular dynamics simulations and experimental databases. The models are designed to prioritize interpretability, enabling the relationships between chemical structure and vapor pressure to be identified. Based on these insights, several candidate molecules are proposed that may have promise for future space lubricant applications...

FUELING TRANSITIONS: CALIFORNIA’S OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY DECLINE, AND ITS IMPLICATIONSFOR EMPLOYMENT, PROPERTY TAXES, AND COUNTY BUDGETS

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

FUELING TRANSITIONS: CALIFORNIA’S OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY DECLINE, AND ITS IMPLICATIONSFOR EMPLOYMENT, PROPERTY TAXES, AND COUNTY BUDGETS

Evolution of quantum geometric tensor of one-dimensional periodic systems after a quench

Mon, 6 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We investigate the postquench dynamics of the quantum geometric tensor (QGT) of one-dimensional periodic systems with a suddenly changed Hamiltonian and make connections to physical observables. The diagonal component with respect to the crystal momentum gives a metric corresponding to the variance of the time-evolved position, and its coefficient of the quadratic term in time is the group-velocity variance, signaling ballistic wavepacket dispersion. The other diagonal QGT component with respect to time reveals the energy variance. The off-diagonal QGT component features a real part as a covariance and an imaginary part representing a quench-induced curvature. Using the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model as an example, our numerical results of different quenches confirm that the postquench QGT is governed by physical quantities and local geometric objects from the initial state and postquench bands, such as the Berry connection, group velocities, and energy variance. Furthermore, the...

The public university as a potential just transition hub

Mon, 6 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: Public universities surrounded by frontline communities create the potential to serve as focal points for just transition strategies to address the climate crisis. University students from environmental justice communities can serve as just transition ambassadors as trusted messengers to facilitate equitable climate solutions and green workforce development. In the context of finite financial resources, state agencies and philanthropic foundations should consider prioritizing investing in units within universities working with disinvested and low-income populations. More specifically, investing in university labor centers offers the greatest likelihood of obtaining desired outcomes. A case study of the University of California, Merced, is presented as a model for designating public universities in regions with high densities of climate-vulnerable groups as hubs for implementing just transition practices.

Intermediate-temperature topological Uhlmann phase on IBM quantum computers

Sun, 5 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A spin-1 system can exhibit an intermediate-temperature topological regime with a quantized Uhlmann phase sandwiched by topologically trivial low- and high-temperature regimes. We present a quantum circuit consisting of system and ancilla qubits plus a probe qubit which prepares an initial state corresponding to the purified state of a spin-1 system at finite temperature, evolves the system according to the Uhlmann process, and measures the Uhlmann phase via expectation values of the probe qubit. Although classical simulations suggest the quantized Uhlmann phase is observable on International Business Machines (IBM’s) noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers, an implementation of the circuit without any optimization exceeds the gate count for the error budget and results in unresolved signals. Through a series of optimization with Qiskit and BQSKit, the gate count can be substantially reduced, making the jumps of the Uhlmann phase more visible. A recent hardware upgrade...

Electron thermalization in TDDFT and Ehrenfest molecular dynamics

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A non-equilibrium electronic state will, in general, thermalize toward an equilibrium state due to electron-electron interactions as well as interactions with ions. The description of such processes has remained unclear and controversial in time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), given that the occupation numbers remain fixed over time and that adiabatic functionals do not include explicit dissipation. Here, we study the explicit time propagation of graphene after ultrafast laser pulses, using the Octopus real-space code, with and without ionic motion in Ehrenfest molecular dynamics. This work has implications for the treatment of statistical mechanics in a TDDFT framework.

Cis-regulatory evolution shapes facial diversity in birds and mammals

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Birds and mammals exhibit extraordinary facial diversity, reflecting adaptations to distinct ecological niches and feeding strategies. While core face-building developmental programs are conserved and orchestrated by interactions between ectodermal organizers and the underlying mesenchyme, mechanisms driving facial shape variation remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate single-cell transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiling of mouse and chicken developing face to construct a comparative regulatory map. Although both ectodermal and mesenchymal populations display distinct regulatory features in each species, the mesenchyme exhibits markedly greater divergence, pointing to its central role in shaping facial morphology. We further reveal unexpected molecular complexity in the main face-shaping organizer, including a mouse-specific Shh/Wnt5a expression domain. At key morphogen loci (Bmp4, Fgf8, and Wnt5a), conserved and lineage-specific enhancers...

Climatology and trends of annual maximum subdaily precipitation in the Western United States

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

Short-duration precipitation extremes can threaten public safety and infrastructure by generating flash flooding and geophysical mass wasting events including mudslides and debris flows. Using two surface gauge-based precipitation datasets (1980-2024), we characterize the climatology of annual maximum subdaily precipitation and quantify trends across the western United States (WUS) – a topographically complex region with widely varying precipitation regimes prone to flash flooding. We find that 60.7% of WUS stations, including the vast majority of those located in the continental interior, typically experience 1-hr annual maximum precipitation (AMP) during summer and during the afternoon and evening hours (12:00-23:00 local time). Although most stations do not show statistically significant trends in 1-hr AMP intensity over the full period of record (1980-2024), a significant 10.3% domain-median increase in 1-hr AMP intensity was observed during 2000-2024. These changes largely...

Trends in the association between cannabis use disorder and suicidal ideation in the United States, 2014–2023

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective Amid rising cannabis use, declining perceived harm, and policy liberalization over the past 15 years, we examined whether the association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and past-year suicidal ideation among U.S. adults changed from 2014–2023 and varied by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Method Using data from 415,861 adults in the 2014–2023 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, we examined temporal association change between past-year suicidal ideation and CUD (≥2 of 9 harmonized DSM-5 criteria). Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic, social, clinical, and geographic covariates, tested whether survey year moderated the CUD–suicidal ideation association overall and in strata by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Results Adults with cannabis use disorder had 57% higher odds of past-year suicidal ideation than those without (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.44–1.72) across years. Joint Wald tests showed no evidence that the association changed over time overall (p =...

Despite rapid warming, seed production is not leading poleward migration in North American and European forests

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

To survive climate change, forest trees will have to shift seed production poleward. However, warming will not stimulate tree fecundity in the north if it is limited by other habitat variables. We evaluated the responses of tree fecundity to climate change for 292 tree species in North America and Europe, using response velocity, defined as (climate sensitivity) × (climate-change rate). The sensitivities to climate were estimated for each species and combined with rates of climate change to quantify how temperature, moisture deficits, and late freeze are influencing biogeographic shifts in tree reproduction. The results show that moisture deficit and late freeze, not annual temperature, drive changing seed production. Unlike annual temperature, which is increasing generally, change in these climate variables is not driving poleward shifts in seed production. These findings do not challenge the expectation that forests might eventually shift poleward. Rather, they show why current...

2D Magnetic Materials for Sensor Technologies