Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) is an ensemble of techniques for quantitative measurement of molecular dynamics and interactions. Recently, the introduction of small-format array detectors has opened up a new range of spatiotemporal information, allowing for more detailed analysis of system kinetics. However, there is currently no open-source software available for analyzing the high-dimensional FFS data […]
Continental-scale multi-omics reveals a distinct microbial-viral biome in sandy beach ecosystems structured by tidal zonation
Sandy beaches are dynamic coastal interfaces shaped by strong physical forcing and intense exchange between marine and terrestrial environments, yet their microbiomes remain poorly resolved at the genomic scale. Here we present a genome-resolved survey of microbial and viral communities across sandy beaches spanning a continental-scale latitudinal gradient along the Chinese coastline. By integrating cross-shore […]
Fast and reliable association discovery in large-scale microbiome studies and meta-analyses using PALM
Identifying microbial features associated with various covariates is a longstanding goal in microbiome research. Modern association studies incorporate ever-increasing microbial features, covariates, and datasets from diverse cohorts, yet the complexity of microbiome data challenges the analysis, often leading to poor replication of findings. We introduce PALM, a quasi-Poisson regression framework that enables fast and reliable […]
Mechanical evolution of 3T3 fibroblastic cells exposed to nanovibrational stimulation
Cells are mechanosensitive, responding to external mechanical stimulation. Nanovibrational stimulation has been shown to enhance cell contractility and actin stress fibre formation. These changes in morphology occur quickly, alongside associated mechanical changes. Here, the relationship between acute morphological and mechanical changes in NIH 3T3 fibroblastic cells in response to nanovibrational stimulation is presented. A 1 […]
Domesticated pennycress is a self-pollinated crop
CoverCress is a new winter annual oilseed crop developed from field pennycress within the past 20 years. Field pennycress is commonly considered to be self-pollinated but little basic research has been published and there is some misalignment of conclusions. Our experience working with pennycress plant growth in greenhouse and field conditions over the past 13 […]
Dynamic distortion of inferred reward probability shapes choice over time
Many choices are triggered by discrete events whose timing determines which options are rewarded. Without informative sensory evidence between events, behavior must rely on internal estimates of latent variables – most notably elapsed time and reward probability. Existing computational frameworks, including evidence-accumulation models, are not designed for this regime, leaving the principles of time-dependent choice […]
Accurate identification of invasive Aedes mosquito species using low-cost imaging and geometric wing morphometrics
Accurate species identification is crucial to assess the medical and veterinary relevance of a mosquito specimen, but it requires high experience of the observers and well-equipped laboratories. This study aimed to evaluate whether low-cost imaging in combination with geometric wing morphometrics can provide accurate identification of invasive, morphologically similar Aedes species. The right wings of […]
Impaired Motor Awareness of Balance Control is Associated with Postural Instability in Parkinson’s Disease
Background: Balance instability is a major contributor to disability and falls in people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) and is often insufficiently explained by motor impairment alone. Altered awareness of motor control has been suggested to contribute to sensorimotor dysfunction in PwP, but its relationship with balance performance is poorly understood. Objective: To determine whether awareness […]
Recovering membrane interaction kinetics of single molecules from 3D tracking data
Interactions between cytosolic biomolecules and the bacterial inner membrane are fundamental to many cellular processes, yet directly measuring their binding kinetics in living cells remains challenging. Conventional two-dimensional single-molecule tracking analyses can be insufficient, particularly when membrane association does not markedly alter the diffusion rate. Here, we present a method to recover membrane interaction kinetics […]
Reduced nutritional quality of plants due to climate change
The effect of climate change on the nutritional quality of plants is poorly understood even though it may have major implications for the food chain and ecosystems. Here we use a dataset covering > 1450 plant species to identify the factors driving plants nutritional properties and develop global projections. We reveal that plant type, CO2, […]
Modification-aware AI enables terminal chemical modifications for peptide design and discovers potent antimicrobials
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating global health threat, intensifying the urgent need for novel antibiotics. Here, we introduce Termini, a generative machine learning (ML) framework that integrates peptide generation, classification, and regression modules to systematically identify potent antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). A key feature of this pipeline is its explicit design of both N- and […]
Comprehensive study on ferredoxin isoforms in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Ferredoxins are central to cellular metabolism by mediating electron flow in energy conversion reactions. The focus of this study was to systematically examine twelve ferredoxin and ferredoxin-like proteins from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to identify their properties, activities, and functions in electron transfer. Using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we detected cluster types consistent with major […]