A introdução de espécies exóticas representa uma ameaça crescente à biodiversidade a nível mundial, especialmente em ecossistemas vulneráveis, como as Áreas Marinhas Protegidas (AMPs). Este estudo propõe um índice espacial para avaliar o risco de dispersão de espécies exóticas a partir de infraestruturas marítimas e identificar as AMPs mais vulneráveis no Arquipélago da Madeira. Os resultados indicam que o tráfego marítimo desempenha um papel central na proliferação dessas espécies, destacando a necessidade urgente de estratégias de gestão mais eficazes a fim de prevenir a introdução e proliferação de espécies exóticas no arquipélago.

Developing high-quality pharmacology multiple-choice questions (MCQs) is challenging in large part due to continually evolving therapeutic guidelines and the complex integration of basic science and clinical medicine in this subject area. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-4 have repeatedly demonstrated proficiency in answering medical licensing exam questions, prompting interest in their use for generating high stakes exam-style questions. This study evaluates the performance of ChatGPT-4o in generating USMLE-style pharmacology questions based on ASPET/AMSPC Knowledge Objectives and assesses the impact of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) on question accuracy and quality. Using standardized prompts, 50 questions (25 RAG, 25 non-RAG) were generated and subsequently evaluated by expert reviewers. Results showed higher accuracy for non-RAG questions (88.0% vs 69.2%), though the difference was not statistically significant. No significant differences were observed in other quality dimensions. These findings suggest that sophisticated LLMs can generate high-quality pharmacology questions efficiently without RAG, though human oversight remains crucial.

Aim: To investigate the association between chronic opioid prescribing (COP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospital admissions, utilising a retrospective cohort approach and linked dataset analysis. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed data from 24,260 adults aged 40 years and older, residing in the NHS Fife and NHS Tayside Health Board areas of Scotland, covering the years 2015 to 2021. COP participants were matched with unexposed controls. Statistical analysis included calculation of adjusted odds ratios (OR) to determine risk associations, alongside evaluation of potential pathways such as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation. Results: COP was associated with a greater than threefold increase in CVD hospital admissions (adjusted OR: 3.55, 95% CI 2.54–4.97). COP participants exhibited higher prevalence of risk factors, including elevated serum triglycerides, comorbid diabetes, and polypharmacy. Mechanisms such as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation were identified as potential pathways linking chronic opioid exposure to CVD. Conclusion: Chronic opioid prescribing significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular hospital admissions. Targeted harm reduction strategies and screening interventions are essential to mitigate CVD risk among long-term opioid users. Future research should focus on the influence of opioid type, dose, duration of exposure, and multimorbidity on CVD outcomes in COP populations.

AbstractNitrogen is a crucial macronutrient for plant growth, supplied in agroecosystems primarily as nitrate and ammonium. However, inefficient nitrogen use causes significant environmental losses in wheat, where only 48% of applied nitrogen is converted into biomass, but stabilized ammonium-based fertilization offers a promising strategy to reduce losses and enhance sustainability. Ammonium nutrition can confer agronomic benefits, including improved grain quality and stress tolerance in wheat, but high ammonium concentrations can be toxic, impairing plant growth and triggering physiological and molecular defense responses. This study aimed to investigate ammonium tolerance within a diverse panel of hexaploid winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) accessions from the Gediflux collection. Hydroponic screening revealed that while most wheat varieties preferred ammonium-nitrate, few genotypes exhibited superior biomass production under ammonium-rich conditions. RNA-seq analysis of two contrasting genotypes—one tolerant and one susceptible—uncovered distinct gene regulation patterns in the tolerant cultivar. Notably, at the leaf level, genes encoding chlorophyll-binding proteins and Rubisco were significantly upregulated, potentially enhancing photosynthetic capacity and biomass yield. Additionally, key genes involved in abscisic acid signaling, including PYL4 , PYL5 , and PYL6 , were upregulated, suggesting a crucial role in chloroplast protection and stress adaptation. To mitigate ammonium toxicity, the tolerant cultivar downregulated ammonium transport and storage-related genes, such asAMT2 , CAP1 , and TIP2;3 , indicating a controlled ammonium homeostasis mechanism that limits excessive uptake and vacuolar sequestration. In roots, auxin-responsive genes were predominantly upregulated in the tolerant cultivar, with ARF6 , ARF10 ,ARF16 , and ARF17 potentially contributing to root system reorganization for improved ammonium tolerance. Ammonium nutrition significantly influenced transcriptional regulation across roots and leaves, with the tolerant genotype exhibiting a stronger root response and increased involvement in trichome morphogenesis, shoot development, hormonal signaling, and stress adaptation. K-means clustering identified differentially expressed transcription factors, including bZIP and WRKY-domain TFs associated with stress signaling, as well as nitrogen metabolism-related TFs such as ERF2 and HRE1 . These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying ammonium tolerance in wheat, highlighting potential targets for breeding varieties with enhanced nitrogen use efficiency and stress resilience.

Aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of a 2-bladed vertical axis wind turbine operating at a chord-based Reynolds number of 1.5 × 10 5 are examined. Four tip speed ratios (TSRs) are considered (0.37, 1.12, 2.23, and 2.97), all at a fixed freestream velocity of 5.07 m/sec. Commercial software 3DS SIMULIA PowerFLOW, employing a Lattice Boltzmann/Very Large Eddy Simulation approach, is used to perform high-fidelity CFD simulation. Far-field noise levels are obtained via the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings acoustic analogy. Using Richardson extrapolation to compute grid convergence indices (GCI), thrust, lateral force, and overall sound pressure level (OSPL) display better convergence (GCI of 0.015%, 2.2%, and 0%, respectively) than torque (9.02%). Convergence improves at TSR=2.23 compared to 1.12 and 2.97 (GCI as low as 0.015% versus 1.501% and 0.104%). Upwind-to-downwind thrust ratios increase from 1.3 at TSR=0.37 to 17.6 at TSR=2.97, driven by intensified blade–wake interactions at higher TSRs. The unsteady loading that arises at these conditions also elevates noise levels, particularly near the most upstream azimuth sector (90 ◦ - 120 ◦), where blade loading peaks in a single rotation.

Aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of a 2-bladed Darrieus VAWT are investigated at a chord-based Reynolds number of 1.5 × 10 5. Four tip speed ratios (TSRs), 0.37, 1.12, 2.23, and 2.97, are simulated at a freestream velocity of 5.07 m/sec, reflecting an experimental campaign to validate the numerical findings. High-fidelity CFD is performed via a Lattice Boltzmann/Very Large Eddy Simulation (LB-VLES) approach, while the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW-H) analogy is used for far-field noise predictions, both implemented in the commercial software 3DS SIMULIA PowerFLOW 6-2020. Using Richardson Extrapolation method, thrust, lateral force, and overall sound pressure level (OSPL) exhibit stronger grid convergence (grid convergence index of 0.015%, 2.2%, and 0%, respectively) compared to torque (9.02%). Grid convergence is also optimal at a TSR of 2.23 compared to 1.12 and 2.97, with GCI values of 0.015% versus 1.501% and 0.104%, respectively. The blades in the downwind half consistently produce less thrust and torque than the upwind half due to intensified blade–wake interactions, with the upwind-to-downwind thrust ratio growing from 1.3 at TSR=0.37 to 17.6 at TSR=2.97. Noise increases across the whole frequency range as TSR rises, largely driven by higher unsteady loading.

Manuscript type : Letter to EditorTitle : Cutaneous Appendage Damage after Herpes ZosterAuthor : Xiang Chen, MD, Hangzhou Third People’s Hospital, Department of Dermatology, 38West Lake Avenue, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 904885193@qq.com; 、ORCID：0000-0002-4391-8044Funding : none.Conflict of Interest Disclosures : None reported.The author attest to obtaining written patient consent for the publication of recognizable patient photographs or other identifiable material, with the understanding that this information may be publicly available.The data from the study has not been previously published.Cutaneous Appendage Damage after Herpes ZosterXiang Chen*Herpes zoster（HZ）is characterized by a banded rash on the skin that corresponds to the affected nerves. 1The most common complication of HZ is posthumous neuralgia, rarely with damage to cutaneous appendages. Nail damage after HZ has not been reported in the literature, and hair loss has only been shown in few study. In this case series, we present the cases of two people who had damage to cutaneous appendages after HZ.A 59-year-old male with a history of tuberculosis went through HZ on the left upper limb and shoulder, accompanied by numbness, pain and poor movement. Subsequently, his herpes gradually healed, with received regular antiviral treatment. However, the condition of left upper limb did not significantly improve. It was amazing that all nails on the left hand were damaged and tarnished after half a month, without fungal infection（Figure 1A）. Due to an excruciating pain in the left upper limb and shoulder, he had to be took in shoulder joint release surgery. After the operation, the pain and range of motion were significantly improved. The growth of nail was recovered after 8 months (Figure 1B).A 54-year-old woman was presented with a painful vesicular dermatome eruption on right occipital lobe after a week when she got her kidneys. She was timely treated with antiviral therapy for HZ. Subsequently, the occipital rash subsided accompanied by hair loss appeared in the rash area. It has been 3 years since the onset of HZ although no hair has been observed at the site. There was no obvious enlargement of hair loss, and bright red spots can be seen in part（Figure 2A）. The dermoscopy showed that the disappeared hair follicle, cutaneous atrophy, no black spot sign and exclamation mark. The patient has been using topical mucopolysaccharide polysulfate for 9 months. The erythema on the scalp has darkened and the scalp has become softer, but no significant hair growth has been observed yet（Figure 2B）.Various nail changes in carpal tunnel syndrome have been reported in literature.2Based on the patient’s clinical manifestations, we believed that herpes zoster virus invaded the brachial plexus and cutaneous nerves. The vasomotor dysfunctions of the brachial plexus and cutaneous nerves as a consequence of severe inflammatory reaction can lead to trophic changes of the nails. We reviewed the literature about HZ and hair loss and find some information, such as post herpetic itch leading to frictional alopecia of eyebrow and scalp, alopecia due to hair pulling in region of post-herpetic neuralgia, alopecia areata and atrophic alopecia follow infection with varicella zoster virus. 3,4,5In our case, the patient had scarring alopecia in the region of HZ. Considering the patient with the history of kidney transplantation, is this alopecia related to transplanted anti-host disease? Unfortunately, the woman refused biopsy, which led to the unclear cause. In conclusion, cutaneous appendage damage after HZ is uncommon, and the mechanism of it needs to be further explored. In our view, tuberculosis infection and kidney transplantation may be high risk factors for cutaneous appendage injury after HZ.1. Kenneth S. Herpes Zoster. Annals of internal medicine 2018 08 07;169(3):ITC19-ITC31.2. Andjela E, Antonella T. Carpal tunnel syndrome and associated nail changes: Review and examples from the author’s practice. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2020 Dec;83(6):1724-1729.3. Shyam V, Deepak J. Post Herpetic Itch Leading to Frictional Alopecia of Eyebrow and Scalp-A Hitherto Undescribed Phenomenon. Indian dermatology online journal 2024 Jan-Feb;15(1):86-88.4. Chowdhry S, Gupta H, Dhali T K, Dsouza P. Alopecia due to hair pulling in region of post-herpetic neuralgia–pseudotrichotillomania? Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV 2014 Aug;28(8):1122-3.5. Lara H, Nazli N T, Arjen F N. Hair Loss after Varicella Zoster Virus Infection. Case reports in dermatology 2013 Jan;5(1):43-7.

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting root canal orifices using images captured with a dental operating microscope (DOM). A total of 80 human maxillary first and second molars were included in the study. After preparing traditional access cavities, root canal orifices were identified under a dental operating microscope (DOM) at 21.25x magnification. To ensure accurate identification, the number of root canal orifices was cross-verified by analyzing axial CBCT images. Following orifice identification, video recordings were obtained using the DOM, from which a total of 1,527 frames were randomly selected for analysis. The root canal orifices in these frames were manually labeled using CranioCatch labeling software (CranioCatch, Eskişehir, Turkey). A segmentation model for root canal orifice detection was developed using the YOLOv8x model and implemented with OpenCV, PyTorch, NumPy, Pandas, TensorBoard, and Seaborn libraries. A confusion matrix was employed to assess the model’s diagnostic performance by comparing predicted outcomes with actual observations. In the binary classification task, the system correctly identified 502 out of 526 root canal orifices, yielding an accuracy of 91%. There were 24 false negatives and 24 false positives. For the specific identification of the mesiobuccal 2 (MB2) canal, the algorithm detected MB2 in 63 out of 70 images, resulting in an accuracy rate of 80%. However, it missed MB2 in 7 images (7 false negatives) and misclassified 9 images, with surface irregularities mistaken for MB2 (9 false positives). The YOLO-based CNN demonstrated high accuracy and sensitivity in detecting root canal orifices from DOM images. This study highlights the potential of AI algorithms for real-time clinical assistance and their possible role in enhancing the training of dental students.

Green electrochemistry has emerged as a fundamental science in the pursuit of sustainable energy production and environmental remediation. This review covers recent advances in electrochemical technologies for sustainability, including renewable energy-driven electrolysis, waste-to-energy conversion, and eco-friendly electrode materials. The discussion involves a multifaceted range of energy production methods, such as the production of hydrogen from the electrolysis of water using non-toxic catalysts, and the development of bio-inspired electrochemical devices. Further, the discussion covers the electrochemical wastewater treatment, carbon dioxide reduction, and degradation of pollutants with a focus on the application of electrocatalysis and microbial fuel cells to minimize environmental pollution. The integration of technologies with renewable energy inputs, such as solar and wind energies, is investigated to enhance efficiency and viability for large-scale applications. The issues encountered, such as electrode degradation, scalability, and energy efficiency, are discussed in detail, along with the recent resolutions suggested in recent literature. The review emphasizes interdisciplinary research involving materials science, environmental engineering, and electrochemistry for the advancement of more sustainable and more efficient electrochemical solutions in the future.

Ventricular tachycardia due to an overdose of Tibetan drugs: a case report of aconitine poisoningPanjing Liu1,*; Mingyuan Niu1,*; Xiaobin Zhang2,3; Hui Han1,41Department of cardiovascular medicine, People’s Hospital of Shigatse City, Shigatse, Tibet, P. R. China.2Department of emergency, People’s Hospital of Shigatse City, Shigatse, Tibet, P. R. China.3Department of emergency, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.4Department of cardiovascular medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.*Panjing Liu and Mingyuan Niu contributed equally to this work.Correspondence to: Dr. Hui Han, Department of cardiovascular medicine, Ruijin Hospital, 197 Rui Jin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, P. R. China. E-mail: hanhui2000@qq.com

The fall armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda) is a globally significant pest that poses a serious threat to food crops such as corn, and traditional chemical control methods are facing the challenge of pest resistance development. In this study, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation technology was used to introduce the Vip3Aa7 gene into the inbred corn line B104, resulting in the successful development of the transgenic corn line Vip-5. Molecular biological analysis revealed that the Vip3Aa7 gene was stably integrated into the exon region of the Zm00001eb308540 gene on chromosome 7 of the maize genome in a single-copy form and continued to be inherited and expressed in the T 2 and T 3 generations of Vip-5. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses indicated that the Vip3Aa7 gene and its encoded protein exhibited stable expression levels in different corn tissues and developmental stages. Indoor bioassays and silk/leaf tests showed that Vip-5 corn exhibited high resistance to the fall armyworm, cotton bollworm, and cutworm, with corrected mortality rates reaching above 100%, 95.83%, and 62.50%, respectively. Field trials further confirmed the high resistance of Vip-5 corn to the fall armyworm. Additionally, non-target organism safety assessments revealed that the Vip3Aa7 protein had no significant negative impact on the two-spotted spider mite, Italian honeybee, and Daphnia. Agronomic trait analysis indicated that Vip-5 corn had no significant differences from the recipient control B104 line in major agronomic traits such as plant height, ear height, ear length, ear diameter, hundred-grain weight, and ear weight. In conclusion, Vip-5 corn line not only possesses excellent insect-resistant characteristics and environmental safety but also shows good application potential in corn insect-resistant breeding.

Currently, passive detection of airborne targets mainly centers on radiometer imaging with real apertures and pointwise sampling imaging based on micro-element grid division. The drawback of this imaging approach is the contradiction between temperature sensitivity and scanning rate. The faster the scanning rate is, the shorter the dwell time of the antenna beam at each position, and accordingly, the system temperature sensitivity will decline. Furthermore, the enlargement of the antenna aperture is constrained by many aspects. To further enhance the resolution of passive detection of airborne targets, this paper conducts a simulation study on the detection effect of synthetic aperture radiometers for airborne targets.

Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography of Changes in Respiratory Function Post-Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer: A Case Report

“Recurrent Rhinophyma: A case of triple Relapse and Therapeutic Challenges.”

Early infancy Graves’ disease management: insights from a case study and suggested practices.Running title: Graves’ disease management in early infancy.Mayra de Souza El Beck1, Alfio José Tincani2, Laura Sterian Ward3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medical Sciences- University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil, zip code 13083-887;0000-0003-0471-2374 ; maelbeck@gmail.com.Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences-State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil, zip code 13083-888; 0000-0001-6193-2686; tincani@unicamp.br.Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences-State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil, zip code 13083-888;0000-0003-1601-3220; ward@unicamp.br.

Assessing and monitoring genetic diversity is vital for understanding the ecology and evolution of natural populations but is often challenging in animal and plant species due to technically and physically demanding tissue sampling. Although environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a promising alternative to the traditional population genetic monitoring based on biological samples, its practical application remains challenging due to spurious sequences present in the amplicon data, even after data processing with the existing sequence filtering and denoising (error correction) methods. Here we developed a novel amplicon filtering approach that can effectively eliminate such spurious amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in eDNA metabarcoding data. A simple simulation of eDNA metabarcoding processes was performed to understand the patterns of read count (abundance) distributions of true ASVs and their polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-generated artifacts (i.e., false-positive ASVs). Based on the simulation results, the approach was developed to estimate the abundance distributions of true and false-positive ASVs using Gaussian mixture models and to determine a statistically based threshold between them. The developed approach was implemented as an R package, gmmDenoise, and evaluated using single-species eDNA metabarcoding datasets in which all or some true ASVs (i.e., haplotypes) were known. Example analyses using community (multi-species) eDNA datasets were also performed to demonstrate how gmmDenoise can be used to derive reliable intraspecific diversity estimates and population genetic inferences from noisy amplicon sequencing data. The gmmDenoise package is freely available in the GitHub repository (https://github.com/YSKoseki/gmmDenoise).

This study examines the functions of collective action for people who experienced a disasters. Data were collected through ethnography and individual interviews with 22 people who participated in a silent walk, an anniversary event for the earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023. The thematic analysis of the interviews and field reports identified the functions in three levels: First, at the individual level by contributing to people’s psychological well-being positively and giving people a sense of efficacy; second, at the community level by giving people a sense of shared identity with others; third, at the policy level by giving people a space to express their discontent with various political agendas. Additionally, the findings emphasize the necessity of policy-level change to ensure the sustainability of these transformations. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting that collective actions organized by people from public can be a significant step toward policy change.

Skin cancer, particularly malignant melanoma, is one of the most prevalent cancers globally, affecting millions annually. Traditional treatments like excision, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy often fail due to their invasiveness, toxicity, and poor drug delivery efficiency caused by skin barriers. Microneedles (MNs) offer a minimally invasive alternative, directly penetrating the skin to deliver drugs to tumor sites while minimizing side effects. However, their penetration depth is limited, and they do not address metastatic lesions. This study developed a gas motor-driven multi-responsive microneedle patch that significantly enhances subcutaneous drug penetration through a gas propulsion mechanism, greatly expanding the drug’s diffusion range. Combined with photothermal therapy and chemotherapy, this approach rapidly kills tumor cells locally, induces immunogenic cell death (ICD), and uses anti-PD-1 antibodies (aPD-1) targeting immune checkpoints to enhance efficacy, overcome tumor immune escape, and activate systemic immune responses, achieving remote tumor suppression through local treatment only.

Recent developments in environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis have facilitated the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrates. However, because DNA is rarely released into aquatic environments, an efficient sampling design for eDNA from terrestrial vertebrates has not yet been established. In this study, we targeted eDNA transported from land to rivers through surface runoff during rainfall in three rivers and one irrigation channel within the Kiyotake River system, Japan. We quantified the eDNA concentration of a specific terrestrial vertebrate using digital PCR and examined the efficiency of using filter papers with different pore sizes (0.7 µm and 2.7 µm). We also assessed the influence of various environmental factors (e.g., rainfall characteristics described by the parameters of Gaussian distribution, water turbidity) on eDNA detection across different rainfall events. During the surveys, target DNA was detected in 42 out of 47 samples, suggesting the feasibility of stable detection of terrestrial mammals from stormwater. Overall, compared with the glass fiber filter with larger pores (GF/D), the smaller pore size filters (GF/F) captured more eDNA. The generalized linear mixed model revealed that prolonged rainfall duration, turbidity, and pH had a significant positive effect on eDNA concentration, whereas the distance from the assumed point of entry into the river to the sampling point had a significant negative effect. These results suggest that the runoff and transport of eDNA from terrestrial areas to rivers are enhanced under prolonged rainfall conditions, although eDNA degrades while transported along a longer watercourse by biochemical decomposition and sedimentation.

A combination of Raman spectroscopy and multivariate modeling was applied to build classification models to assess water content in soybean biodiesel. The Raman signature region of water and the characteristic vibrational modes from –CH 2 and -CH 3 moieties were used to build the models, as they are chemically influenced by water presence in biodiesel. Also, through data mining of the biodiesel digital signature region, structural modifications associated with -CH 2, CH 3, and -C=C groups were found to be related to water presence. The fluorescence influence in modeling was also studied, a common Raman interference whose origin in biodiesel can be associated with species such as vitamin E, carotenoids, and chlorophylls. Overall, an accuracy higher than 80% was reached for all models, and an improvement in the figures of merit was observed when spectra with a fluorescence background were included in the models. Furthermore, those classifications based on discriminant analysis (Partial Least Squares and Interval Partial Least Squares) reached area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.92 and 0.94, indicating a very good performance for biodiesel classification in compliance with the Brazilian legislation (ANP n° 920/2023), whose limit value of water content is currently set in 200 mg kg -1.

Expression of IL-4 receptor alpha in ectopic lymphoid tissue in chronic rhinosinusitisKengo Kanai1,2), Hiroyuki Kusano3), Aiko Oka1), Marie Yamada1), Ryo Takagi1), Isao Suzaki4), Kojiro Hirano4), Junqin Bai5), Takayuki Shiomi3), Mitsuhiro Okano1)1) Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital2) Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji Hospital3) Department of Pathology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital4) Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Showa University, School of Medicine5) Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineORCID IDs of Kengo Kanai, Hiroyuki Kusano, Aiko Oka, Marie Yamada, Ryo Takagi, Isao Suzaki, Kojiro Hirano, Junqin Bai, Takayuki Shiomi and Mitsuhiro Okano are 0000-0002-6975-6688, 0009-0003-8847-4779, 0000-0002-3648-2879, 0009-0000-7810-8140, 0009-0007-3784-9306, 0000-0002-9078-1001, 0000-0002-4466-7953, 0000-0001-6012-2809, 0000-0002-4250-1204 and 0000-0002-4275-5781 respectively.

The Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) shelfbreak front is a bottom-trapped frontal system at the continental shelf edge, defined by its cross-shelf buoyancy gradient and as a watermass boundary between fresh Shelf and salty Slope Water. Frontal-induced upwelling of high-nutrient water acts as the foundation of a rich frontal ecosystem, spanning across trophic levels. Idealized modeling work suggests that bottom-trapped frontal systems tend to be found at shelfbreaks because regions of rapid change in bathymetric slope accommodate frontogenesis. Here, we provide observational evidence that the foot of the seasonally-averaged MAB buoyancy-gradient front is trapped at the shelfbreak at all times of year, using data from a multi-year cross-shelfbreak glider survey along 71°W. In contrast, watermass characteristics vary across the buoyancy-gradient front on seasonal timescales. Thus, canonical frontal proxies based on fixed watermass characteristics, such as the 34.5 PSU isohaline, should be applied with caution to identify the shelfbreak front since the location of the buoyancy-gradient front and the shelf-slope watermass boundary differ seasonally, particularly at the surface. The vertical extent of the buoyancy-gradient front is strongly controlled by seasonal stratification. During the summer, differences in seasonal pycnocline depth across the shelfbreak reverse the salinity-dominated cross-shelf buoyancy gradient within the seasonal thermocline while buoyancy gradients in the lower water column persist. Seasonal differences in the vertical frontal extent explain variability in the position of the baroclinic shelfbreak jet, even with the buoyancy-gradient front trapped in the same location all year.

Real-time monitoring of plant nutrient levels, particularly phosphate, is essential for optimizing plant growth and addressing nutrient imbalances in precision agriculture. Conventional sensors mostly suffer from poor stability, reproducibility, matrix effects, and high costs, limiting their scalability and practical application. To overcome these challenges, a deep learning (DL)-integrated remote-gate field-effect transistor (FET) sensor utilizing a plant-derived graphene electrode is introduced for enhanced performance and reliability. These solution-processed graphene electrodes composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from plant fibers are functionalized with phosphate-capturing ferritin and serve as the sensing surface, capacitively coupled to a commercial n-type FET, addressing device variability issues. DL integration significantly improved accuracy, enabling robust and precise phosphate detection. The sensor demonstrates a sensitivity of 14.1 mV/dec after the pH correction, a coefficient of variation (CV) of responses below 5%, and a 1 ng/mL detection limit. As a proof-of-concept, phosphate levels in Hoagland solution, a standard plant nutrient medium, were monitored, achieving an r2 of 0.951 and a CV of 5.39%. A handheld prototype system further demonstrates its potential for on-site continuous monitoring. This sustainable and cost-effective approach provides a scalable solution for real-time phosphate detection with high sensitivity and reproducibility, meeting agricultural demands.

Neutron stars, nature's densest laboratory, are a strange test bed for exploring the phase structure of strongly interacting matter under extreme conditions. Here we report a single framework that merges state-of-the-art effective field theories like chiral effective theory, dynamical mean-field treatments, and topological soliton models and numerical simulations at high resolution to construct a comprehensive equation of state (EoS) for neutron star matter. Our methodology bridges the gap between low-density hadronic domains and high-density deconfined quark phase by implementing a novel speedofsound interpolation framework that is firmly restricted by chiral effective theory and perturbative QCD predictions. Taking anisotropic pressure corrections, very strong magnetic fields, and rapid rotation into account, our framework accurately computes eminent macroscopic observables such as mass-radius relations, tidal deformabilities, and radial oscillation frequencies. Accurate simulations of binary neutron star mergers demonstrate that the development of quark-matter cores-marked by sudden polytropic index and sound speed jumps-imprints characteristic signatures on the post-merger gravitational wave spectrum. In particular, our research shows that such signatures in terms of alterations in the peaks of the dominant frequencies and alterations in the damping characteristics can be employed as a sensitive probe of the hadron-to-quark phase transition deep within the core of a neutron star. Our multimessenger approach synergistically combining state-of-the-art analytical techniques and observational data sets provides unprecedented knowledge of the microscopic properties of dense QCD matter. Not only do these discoveries further our understanding of the matter's underlying physics at supranuclear densities but also provide paths for experimental proof of quantum chromodynamics in its nonperturbative regime in the future using gravitational wave astrophysics and electromagnetic observations.