Annals Of The New York Academy Of Sciences[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Children as Alibi Corroborators for Adults.
Price HL, Evans AD, Nevokshonoff EA … +2 more , Kehn A, Wlodarczyk J
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41482693 · Full text
Despite how frequently adults are alone with children, we know little about children's ability to corroborate alibis. In two studies, we investigated children's ability to act as alibi corroborators. In both studies, two...
Despite how frequently adults are alone with children, we know little about children's ability to corroborate alibis. In two studies, we investigated children's ability to act as alibi corroborators. In both studies, two visitors (one male, one female) attended children's summer camps to present science activities to the children. In the pilot study (N = 83; M = 7.1 years), for half of the children, the female researcher left the room for one of the activities. Children were then interviewed about the adults' whereabouts either immediately or 1 day later. In the main study (N = 147; M = 9.40), the female researcher left the room for one activity in a more salient manner, and all children were interviewed 3 days later. Across both studies, though there was substantial variability, many children did not report that the female researcher left (pilot study, 82%; main study, 32%), despite direct questions about her presence. All inaccurate reports of an adult leaving were in response to the most direct (yes/no) question. These findings suggest that children are largely accurate in corroborating an alibi for someone who did not leave, but many children err when someone does leave. The present studies have implications for how to question children about an adult's whereabouts.
Food Macronutrient Composition Influences Attentional Bias Toward Food Cues.
Ballestero-Arnau M, Rodríguez-Herreros B, Moreno-Sánchez M … +1 more , Cunillera T
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41452062 · Full text
Food cues that appear in the visual field capture our attention easily and can influence eating behavior. The current study investigated the influence of food-related stimuli on visual attention, considering the macronut...
Food cues that appear in the visual field capture our attention easily and can influence eating behavior. The current study investigated the influence of food-related stimuli on visual attention, considering the macronutrient composition of food items. Images representing sweet and savory foods were employed, the latter consisting primarily of high-protein foods. The participants were primed with these images prior to performing the attentional task. We found that both sets of food images elicited an emotional attentional blink (EAB), but a stronger EAB was observed for the high-protein foods, and this observation was further supported by a negative correlation between the attentional bias (ABias) and the proportion of protein consumed by the participants before the experiment, with participants who consumed less protein exhibiting a stronger ABias toward high-protein foods. These findings suggest that an ABias might also arise to facilitate the consumption of high-protein foods when prior consumption of this macronutrient is low.
Global and Local Deviance Effects in the Processing of Temporal Patterns.
Giomo D, Brasselet R, Fortunato G … +1 more , Bueti D
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41440780 · Full text
Perceptual and sensorimotor events are often experienced as temporal patterns, that is, identified as sequences based on their temporal features. While current timing models propose separate mechanisms supporting the pro...
Perceptual and sensorimotor events are often experienced as temporal patterns, that is, identified as sequences based on their temporal features. While current timing models propose separate mechanisms supporting the processing of single intervals and temporal patterns, they leave partially unclear whether the latter entails the processing of both individual intervals and the overall structure of a pattern, or only one of these features. Here, we narrowed this question down by investigating how violations of regularity within the individual intervals of a temporal sequence (i.e., local violations) and in its overall structure (i.e., global violations) differentially affect its reproduction. We tested these violation effects in three experiments in which the sequences were experienced either in the visual or auditory domain and had either simple or complex structures. Results showed that the precision in reproducing simple visual and auditory patterns was primarily affected by local violations, whereas global violations mostly impacted the reproduction of visual patterns with complex structures. These detrimental effects were partially explained by rescaling and bias effects in the reproduced patterns. Overall, our findings indicate that the processing and reproduction of temporal patterns differentially weigh individual intervals and global structure, depending on sensory modality and, for visual patterns, on structural complexity.
Isometric Exercise Combined With Transcranial Electrical Stimulation Improves Conditioned Pain Modulation.
Guan Y, Lin X, Chen W … +3 more , Wang X, Chen S, Peng W
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41440595 · Publisher ↗
Exercise and primary motor cortex (M1) stimulation may alleviate pain by enhancing the endogenous pain-inhibitory system, with its efficacy assessed through conditioned pain modulation (CPM). This study examined whether...
Exercise and primary motor cortex (M1) stimulation may alleviate pain by enhancing the endogenous pain-inhibitory system, with its efficacy assessed through conditioned pain modulation (CPM). This study examined whether combining exercise with M1-targeted transcranial electrical stimulation enhances CPM more effectively than either intervention alone. Two randomized, sham-controlled experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1 (N = 70), participants completed a 3-min isometric handgrip exercise or quiet rest. In Experiment 2 (N = 140), participants received 20 min of M1-targeted transcranial random noise stimulation with direct current offset (tRNS + DC-offset) or sham stimulation, followed by either exercise or rest. CPM was assessed at baseline, immediately after, and 30 min post-intervention. Results showed that exercise alone did not significantly enhance CPM efficacy. In contrast, M1-targeted tRNS + DC-offset significantly enhanced CPM efficacy at both post-intervention time points. Critically, individuals with low baseline CPM showed greater benefits from the combination of tRNS + DC-offset and exercise compared to either exercise alone or tRNS + DC-offset alone, particularly at 30 min post-intervention. These results highlight the potential of combining motor cortex stimulation with exercise to optimize endogenous pain inhibition, particularly as a personalized, nonpharmacological intervention for individuals with impaired pain modulation.
Global Perspective on the Migration History and Current and Future Potential Distribution of Rattus tanezumi.
Wang Z, Fu B, Ren J … +10 more , Li S, Ji H, Wu Y, Fang X, Wang Z, Shang M, Wang Y, Liang Y, Liu X, Lu L
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41432424 · Publisher ↗
Rattus tanezumi is a highly invasive rodent that has spread rapidly worldwide in recent decades, yet its historical dispersal routes and potential suitable habitats remain insufficiently systematically assessed. This stu...
Rattus tanezumi is a highly invasive rodent that has spread rapidly worldwide in recent decades, yet its historical dispersal routes and potential suitable habitats remain insufficiently systematically assessed. This study reconstructed the migration history and projected the future distribution of the species by integrating MaxEnt and Biomod2 models. It aimed to reveal the dynamics of its invasion process in relation to climatic drivers, compare model differences, and evaluate the reliability of the predictions. We found that R. tanezumi spread primarily through shipping and transportation networks, often initially establishing in climatically suitable ports, with expansion limited by climatic boundaries. Current highly suitable areas occur in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. Analysis identified key climatic thresholds, with survival probability significantly increasing where the mean annual temperature is >10°C and the warmest quarter precipitation is >900 mm. While temperature seasonality had no significant effect, diurnal temperature range exhibited a negative impact, though its strength varied regionally. Contrary to traditional understanding, reliability-tested model projections suggest potential expansion into colder and higher-altitude regions under climate change. This study elucidates the species' invasion dynamics and provides a scientific basis for forecasting range shifts and guiding targeted control strategies.
Advanced Multivariate Catastrophe Model for Quantitative Analysis of Complex Systems With Case Studies and Validation.
Niu J, Wu JH
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41432372 · Publisher ↗
Quantitative prediction of state transitions, particularly in complex multivariable-coupled systems, represents a long-standing scientific challenge. Classical catastrophe theory, while conceptually powerful, is severely...
Quantitative prediction of state transitions, particularly in complex multivariable-coupled systems, represents a long-standing scientific challenge. Classical catastrophe theory, while conceptually powerful, is severely constrained in practice by its inherently qualitative nature and by limits on dimensionality. To overcome this bottleneck, we introduce the multivariate quantitative catastrophe model (MQCM). This framework, while preserving the core topological architecture of catastrophe theory, incorporates a power-law composite control function to integrate multiple physical parameters, enforcing dimensional homogeneity as a physical constraint. This approach elevates the theory from a paradigm of qualitative classification to one of robust quantitative prediction. The model's predictive capability is verified through two classical problems, blackbody radiation and the heat capacity of solids. In both cases, MQCM starts from a single unified parent formula and, using singularity analysis, independently derives the governing physical laws in the corresponding asymptotic limits. MQCM thus establishes a systematic, mathematically rigorous, and physically insightful framework for the quantitative application of catastrophe theory. The framework is particularly well-suited to complex systems that display distinct scaling laws on opposite sides of a critical point. This work opens a new avenue for understanding critical phenomena and lays a foundation for interdisciplinary applications in materials science, engineering, and beyond.
Stimulus Novelty Inhibits Reward Evaluation: EEG Evidence.
Li X, Yang Z, Liu G … +3 more , Zhao J, Yang W, Zheng Y
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41420469 · Publisher ↗
Rewards frequently occur in novel contexts, yet whether novelty facilitates or inhibits reward evaluation remains unclear. Using EEG, we investigated how stimulus novelty affects reward evaluation across two experiments....
Rewards frequently occur in novel contexts, yet whether novelty facilitates or inhibits reward evaluation remains unclear. Using EEG, we investigated how stimulus novelty affects reward evaluation across two experiments. Participants performed a monetary guessing task where gains and losses were delivered in either novel or familiar forms. In experiment 1 (N = 49), stimulus novelty was integrated into feedback valence as a feedback attribute; in experiment 2 (N = 50), it was separated from feedback valence as a contextual modulator. Time and time-frequency domain results revealed that stimulus novelty reduced reward-related signals when embedded in feedback (experiment 1), regardless of feedback valence. When stimulus novelty acted as a contextual modulator (experiment 2), it selectively attenuated neural responses to gains but not losses. Critically, this gain-specific inhibition diminished as stimulus novelty habituated with task exposure, regardless of novelty's role. Our findings elucidate how stimulus novelty constrains reward evaluation, supporting the novelty inhibition hypothesis.
Investigation of Musculoskeletal-Inspired Architecture and Honeycomb Lightweight Design for Electro-Hydraulic Humanoid Robot Legs.
Zhu H, Luo M, Lv Z … +5 more , Luo Y, Li J, Liu R, Lv P, Xue J
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41420466 · Publisher ↗
Humanoid robots operating in unstructured environments and under high-load conditions commonly face challenges such as limited locomotion performance and the difficulty of balancing structural strength with weight reduct...
Humanoid robots operating in unstructured environments and under high-load conditions commonly face challenges such as limited locomotion performance and the difficulty of balancing structural strength with weight reduction. This study proposes a novel bio-inspired electro-hydraulic humanoid robot that incorporates a parametric dynamic model based on the coupled muscle-tendon-bone characteristics of the human hip-knee-ankle complex. Leveraging a custom-designed, reverse-inverse kinematics framework, the leg morphology and electro-hydraulic actuator parameters are co-optimized to enhance agility and obstacle-crossing capabilities. To simultaneously ensure structural strength and mass control, honeycomb structures are designed for the leg components, achieving functional lightweighting while preserving balanced strength across different directions. Simulation analyses demonstrate that a 21.28% weight reduction is attainable while maintaining comparable out-of-plane equivalent elastic and shear moduli relative to the original structure, thus meeting the demands of complex loading and impact conditions. Experimental tests confirm that the robot exhibits robust environmental adaptability and stable locomotion during high-speed running at 10 km/h and obstacle traversal over 300 mm. The findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed configuration and bio-inspired strategy, providing theoretical support and an engineering paradigm for structural optimization and system integration in high-performance humanoid robots under complex task scenarios.
Photoinduced Metal-Free C-H Borylation via Thianthrenium Electron Donor-Acceptor Complexes.
Li WY, Lin Y, Wang Y … +5 more , Lv JJ, Jin H, Yu XC, Wang D, Wang ZJ
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41417425 · Publisher ↗
Herein, we report a photoinduced, metal- and photocatalyst-free protocol for site-selective C-H borylation via aryl thianthrenium (TT) salts, addressing key limitations of prior electron donor-acceptor (EDA)-based strate...
Herein, we report a photoinduced, metal- and photocatalyst-free protocol for site-selective C-H borylation via aryl thianthrenium (TT) salts, addressing key limitations of prior electron donor-acceptor (EDA)-based strategies. This approach leverages in situ-formed [EtN·Bpin] adducts with TT salts to generate a photoactive EDA complex, circumventing the need for exogenous electron donors and activating reagents while enabling exceptional tolerance of sensitive groups (cyano, aldehyde, amide) and complex natural products, with yields up to 95%. Its synthetic utility was validated by late-stage modification of bioactive molecules, and mechanistic studies confirmed the unique role of the EDA complex in driving the transformation without additional additives. This strategy represents a paradigm shift in metal-free borylation, combining operational simplicity with an expanded substrate scope and superior functional group compatibility.
Inconsistent Reporting of Alcohol Use Among Adolescents: Implications for Survey Validity.
Brisson R
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41410544 · Publisher ↗
Inconsistent reporting can bias research findings. However, cross-sectional research on adolescents' alcohol consumption seldom addresses this issue. This study estimated the percentage of inconsistent reporters of alcoh...
Inconsistent reporting can bias research findings. However, cross-sectional research on adolescents' alcohol consumption seldom addresses this issue. This study estimated the percentage of inconsistent reporters of alcohol use (AU) and inebriation experience (IE) among adolescents, identified correlates of inconsistent reporting, and examined how excluding inconsistent reporters affects AU and IE prevalence and the relationship between life satisfaction and both AU and IE. Data came from five surveys conducted quadrennially from 2006 to 2022 involving 42,772 adolescents aged 11-18. Measures of AU and IE varied across waves. Inconsistent reporting was identified through logical contradictions. The overall percentage of inconsistent reporters was about 19%, ranging from 2.6% in 2022 to 31.4% in 2014. Although no clear pattern emerged across time or analytic approaches, sex and school type were generally associated with inconsistent reporting. Effect sizes were small, however. Excluding inconsistent reporters mainly affected the prevalence of abstainers, very occasional users, and participants reporting no or very few IEs. It shifted the statistical significance status of 17.5% of the associations between life satisfaction and both AU and IE. In sum, inconsistent reporting compromises the validity of AU research and should be systematically addressed. Studies neglecting this issue should be interpreted cautiously.
From Finger Taps to Footsteps: Gait as a Model for Investigating and Training Rhythmic Abilities.
Ziane C, Dalla Bella S
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41410521 · Full text
Synchronization of movements to auditory rhythmic cues, such as music or metronomes, often occurs spontaneously. Nonetheless, important interindividual differences exist in auditory-motor synchronization (AMS). Effects o...
Synchronization of movements to auditory rhythmic cues, such as music or metronomes, often occurs spontaneously. Nonetheless, important interindividual differences exist in auditory-motor synchronization (AMS). Effects of rhythm on movements are partly modulated by rhythmic abilities, which include beat perception, motor production, and sensorimotor integration. These rhythmic abilities are often assessed using finger-tapping tasks, which can be performed in highly controlled environments and are easy to implement. In this article, we present limitations associated with finger-tapping tasks and propose gait as an alternative model for investigating and training rhythmic abilities. We focus on three key elements that differentiate gait from tapping and are critical in assessing AMS: the need to coordinate multiple effectors, emergent timing associated with continuous actions, and movement automaticity. Interestingly, cued-gait interventions (i.e., walking to rhythmic auditory cues for several weeks) have shown positive effects on all aspects of rhythmic abilities, while tapping interventions (e.g., playing tablet-based serious games) might lead to more limited transfer. In sum, gait offers a functionally rich behavioral model that can capture the complexity and ecological validity necessary to study and train AMS.
Characterization and Management of Benign Esophageal Strictures.
Angajala VT, Bellavance D, Lee J … +1 more , Mashimo H
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41404831 · Publisher ↗
Benign esophageal strictures can be complex or refractory to traditional dilation techniques, requiring frequent or repeated treatments. A range of approaches may be implemented to offer improved symptom relief and durab...
Benign esophageal strictures can be complex or refractory to traditional dilation techniques, requiring frequent or repeated treatments. A range of approaches may be implemented to offer improved symptom relief and durability, including self-expandable stents, intralesional injections, incisional therapies, and cryoablation. We review the essential anatomy of the esophagus, methods to evaluate characteristics of benign esophageal strictures (including endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, EndoFLIP, optical coherence tomography, and various radiological imaging), and potential underlying conditions important for understanding the characteristics and depth of the stricture that may be crucial in guiding optimal management. This review summarizes the current diagnostic and therapeutic landscape for benign (as opposed to malignant) esophageal strictures, highlighting the importance of an individualized approach based on symptoms, history, stricture etiology and characteristics, and local expertise to improve patient outcomes.
Rhythm Processing Across Development: Origins, Links to Language Processing, and Perspectives for Intervention.
Tillmann B, Goswami U, Moghimi S
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41400590 · Full text
A wealth of research has investigated rhythm processing in music and speech, revealing shared cognitive and neural correlates and potential transfer effects, as evidenced by shared benefits and shared processing difficul...
A wealth of research has investigated rhythm processing in music and speech, revealing shared cognitive and neural correlates and potential transfer effects, as evidenced by shared benefits and shared processing difficulties, as well as effects of stimulation and training programs. In this review article, we first discuss the empirical evidence of rhythm processing in adults and children and highlight the need to extend this investigation to early infancy. We next summarize new experimental evidence of rhythm processing in early infancy, with a focus on prematurely born infants who provide a model of early neurodevelopment. Finally, we present two longitudinal studies as concrete examples for investigating rhythm processing in healthy full-term infants for nonverbal and speech materials and its tracking over development (here up to 5 years). Altogether, this review aims to motivate new research investigating interindividual differences in rhythm processing in early infancy, along with implications for typical and atypical developmental contexts and potential diagnostic value. It provides evidence for the potential benefit of early rhythm-based training interventions, which may decrease the cascading effects of early atypical rhythm processing during development.
Synergistic Removal of Methylene Blue and Cr(VI) by Aminated Gasification Slag.
Wang H, Luoyang Y, Li X … +1 more , Zhang G
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41400566 · Publisher ↗
Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS) provides a stable, hierarchically porous framework, but its use as an adsorbent precursor is limited by energy-intensive, CO-emitting, high-temperature activation. Herein, we propose a...
Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS) provides a stable, hierarchically porous framework, but its use as an adsorbent precursor is limited by energy-intensive, CO-emitting, high-temperature activation. Herein, we propose a low-energy, three-step route-hydrothermal acid leaching, mild alkali treatment, and tetraethylenepentamine functionalization-to prepare an amine-modified bifunctional adsorbent (CSM-T5%). CSM-T5% delivers exceptional single-solute capacities (862.06 mg/g for methylene blue [MB] and 233.10 mg/g for Cr(VI)), which are further enhanced in binary systems to 1206.27 and 243.90 mg/g, respectively, through synergistic interactions. The material exhibits good reusability, retaining 71.37% MB and 63.68% Cr(VI) removal after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Mechanistic analysis shows that Cr(VI) removal involves adsorption coupled with in-situ reduction, while MB uptake is governed by electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding/π anchoring, and pore confinement; in binary systems, charge compensation and spatial site complementarity reinforce these pathways. This study unlocks the latent porosity of CGFS without high-temperature activation, offering a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for converting industrial residues into efficient adsorbents for complex wastewater treatment.
Novel Approach to Inter-Onset-Interval Ratio Uncovers Music-Like Rhythmic Patterns in Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) Warble Song.
van der Aa J, Koliander G, Fitch WT … +1 more , Hoeschele M
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41400486 · Full text
Rhythm is an essential part of human music. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in the production of rhythmicity in nonhuman animal vocalizations. Novel methods have found widespread rhythmic behaviors-including...
Rhythm is an essential part of human music. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in the production of rhythmicity in nonhuman animal vocalizations. Novel methods have found widespread rhythmic behaviors-including those with music-like properties-among nonhuman animals. Parrots appear to be uniquely flexible and self-motivated in engaging with rhythmic structures. Previous work has found evidence supporting rhythmic capabilities in the budgerigar, a small parrot; however, little is known about rhythmicity in their natural behavioral repertoire thus far. As such, we investigated the rhythmic structure of their complex learned warble song, developing an adapted statistical approach that addresses assumptions/biases found in other methods. After validating this method using human speech and song data, we found nonrandom and structured rhythmicity in the budgerigar warble song that shows similarities in rhythmicity to human music. We also identified two warble element pairs that seem to be essential for producing these budgerigar rhythms. The grouped rhythmic distributions observed in budgerigars appear to arise from different individual strategies, with differing uses of these element pairs among male individuals. These results, combined with earlier work, suggest that rhythmicity is an important aspect of budgerigar communication.
Krisanaklan Reduces Intestinal Anion and Fluid Secretion Through Inhibition of Na/K-ATPase and K Channel Activity.
Groeneweg TA, Baigal E, Leung A … +2 more , Kremers GJ, Bijvelds MJC
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41400434 · Full text
Krisanaklan (KK) is a traditional herbal remedy used to treat an array of gastrointestinal complaints, including infectious, secretory diarrhea (SD). We assessed the effect of KK on anion and fluid secretion across intes...
Krisanaklan (KK) is a traditional herbal remedy used to treat an array of gastrointestinal complaints, including infectious, secretory diarrhea (SD). We assessed the effect of KK on anion and fluid secretion across intestinal epithelia, and delineated its mode of action. KK inhibited cholera toxin/cAMP-dependent anion secretion across intestinal epithelial monolayers and native intestinal epithelium ex vivo. Similarly, KK reduced cAMP-dependent fluid secretion in intestinal organoids. KK inhibited Na,K-ATPase (NKA)-mediated, ouabain-sensitive ion transport and channel-mediated K efflux across the basolateral plasma membrane but did not block cAMP-dependent anion transport across the apical plasma membrane. KK also inhibited ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity, but did not affect cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation. KK reduced carrier-mediated amino acid uptake in Caco-2 cells and Na-coupled glucose transport in porcine intestine. Further, KK inhibited cGMP- and Ca-linked anion secretion across intestinal epithelial monolayers. We conclude that KK blocks intestinal epithelial anion and fluid secretion by inhibition of the NKA and K channels. Consequently, KK may ameliorate SD caused by enteric microbial pathogens. However, by inhibiting the activity of Na-dependent solute carriers, it is also predicted to counteract oral rehydration therapy, the current mainstay for SD therapy.
Transcriptomic Remodeling of Pulmonary Vein Sleeves Suggests a Role in Atrial Arrhythmogenesis in Thoroughbred Horses.
Arevalo-Turrubiarte M, Edling CE, Moller-Levet C … +6 more , Forbes B, Kemp V, Weir J, Marr C, Lewis R, Jeevaratnam K
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41395931 · Full text
The initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation have been associated with physiological alterations in myocardial sleeves of the pulmonary veins (PVs). Gene expression profiles of the myocardial sleeves of the PVs...
The initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation have been associated with physiological alterations in myocardial sleeves of the pulmonary veins (PVs). Gene expression profiles of the myocardial sleeves of the PVs in healthy (n = 3) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) (n = 6) thoroughbred horses (Equus caballus) were studied. Tissue collected from the left superior PV, adjacent to the left atrium, was analyzed by RNA sequencing. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis demonstrated positive enrichment of gene ontology biological processes related to muscle and endothelial cell development, cell shape, and structure organization in horses with PAF. Enrichment analysis of cellular and molecular functions showed upregulation of genes involved in transport and extracellular matrix components in horses with PAF. SCN5A and MYH7, which are associated with cardiac electrophysiology and contraction function, were both significantly upregulated in the PAF group (fold change 1.1 and 2.2, respectively). Cell deconvolution revealed a trend, although not significant, of increased numbers of fibroblasts. Our results suggest there are transcriptomic alterations in myocardial sleeves of PVs in horses with PAF, alterations related to both cardiac electrophysiology and tissue structure. These data shed further light on the potential role of PV myocardial sleeves in the pathophysiology of PAF.
Efficient Heat Dissipation Performance of Multifunctional Wearable Pressure Sensors Based on Metal-Organic Framework Composites.
Zhang B, Sun W
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41389029 · Publisher ↗
Wearable pressure sensors have become essential for monitoring human health and facilitating human-machine interaction. However, pressure sensors generate heat during operation, which may reduce their service life and le...
Wearable pressure sensors have become essential for monitoring human health and facilitating human-machine interaction. However, pressure sensors generate heat during operation, which may reduce their service life and lead to localized burns due to overheating. To address these issues, we employ metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to dope pressure sensors and investigate their effects on device performance. Here, wearable pressure sensors based on MOF/thermoplastic polyurethane/reduced graphene oxide (MOF/TPU/GAFF) are developed for rapid heat dissipation. We selected four MOFs with high thermal conductivity (Zr-MOF, Mn-MOF, MOF-5, and ZIF-8) and mixed them into a TPU/GAFF fiber film. The enhanced thermal conductivity of the modified TPU/GAFF matrix contributes to improved heat dissipation performance in the devices. Among the tested materials, the doped ZIF-8 composite film exhibits the most effective heat dissipation, with a heat exchange capacity 1.56 times higher than that of the undoped ZIF-8 composite film. Furthermore, the incorporation of ZIF-8 significantly enhances sensor sensitivity. The ZIF-8-based sensor demonstrates optimal performance, achieving a sensitivity of 0.27 kPa within the pressure range of 0-50 kPa, representing a 595.2% improvement compared to the sensor without ZIF-8. Overall, the sensor provides a wearable electronic platform with strong application potential in monitoring human health and speech recognition.
Decadal Meta-Analysis Confirms Bacillus spp. Optimizes Fish Intestinal Microbiota.
Yang Q, Jin Y, Yang L … +8 more , Hu R, Ma J, Wu Z, Yang T, Yang B, Li S, Cong W, Kang Y
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41387388 · Publisher ↗
Against the backdrop of reducing the use of antibiotics in aquaculture, the application of Bacillus spp. as probiotics has gained attention. Probiotics exert a beneficial impact on health by modulating the intestinal mic...
Against the backdrop of reducing the use of antibiotics in aquaculture, the application of Bacillus spp. as probiotics has gained attention. Probiotics exert a beneficial impact on health by modulating the intestinal microbiota, consequently influencing the growth and overall health status of fish. However, the effectiveness of Bacillus spp. supplementation as well as the specific changes of fish intestinal microbiota following variations in the species, amounts, and feeding forms of Bacillus spp. remain unanalyzed. We collected publicly available 16S rRNA gene sequence data (2012-2022) and used meta-analysis to combine and summarize the studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that Bacillus spp. supplementation significantly increased the α-diversity indices, including the Shannon index (p = 0.041), Simpson index (p = 0.002), and Pielou evenness index (p = 0.004), but did not affect the β-diversity index (p = 0.44). The Chao1 index was significantly influenced by different Bacillus spp., forms, treatment duration, and amounts (p < 0.01). Bacillus spp. supplementation also increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and enhanced the relative abundance of candidate probiotics, while reducing the relative abundance of potential pathogenic genera. These findings confirm Bacillus spp. positively regulate fish intestinal microbiota, offering evidence for their probiotic application in aquaculture.
Proteome-Wide Mendelian Randomization Implicates Shared Necroptosis-Ferroptosis Effectors in Causal Pathways of Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility.
Yan W, Jianhong W, Wen J … +1 more , Linming Z
Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41387240 · Publisher ↗
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder for which dysregulated ferroptosis and necroptosis have demonstrated pathological associations but these lack causal validation in disease susceptibility. T...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder for which dysregulated ferroptosis and necroptosis have demonstrated pathological associations but these lack causal validation in disease susceptibility. This study employed proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate causal links between ferroptosis/necroptosis pathways, their upstream regulators, immune interactions, and MS risk. Transcriptomic validation utilized bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq data. MR identified IFNA4 (OR = 0.24) and TNFAIP3 (OR = 2.0) as key causal ferroptosis/necroptosis-related proteins for MS risk. Analysis revealed 15 upstream regulators significantly associated with MS (FDR < 0.05; e.g., GZMA, CXCL3, APOE, CFB, CA6, KIR2DL2/3). Transcriptomic validation consistently identified ceruloplasmin (CP) as upregulated in MS microglia and lesions. Mediation analyses established two complete causal pathways: an IFNA4-mediated pathway wherein five upstream immune regulators (KIR2DL2, KIR2DL3, CFB, GZMA, and CA6) influence MS susceptibility through IFNA4 regulation, with all component effects statistically significant; and an APOE-driven pathway operating via TNFAIP3, demonstrating significant total effects and near-significant mediator-outcome effects on MS risk. While 59 immune traits were MS-associated, only TNFAIP3 showed a suggestive association with CD27⁺ memory B cells. This study establishes ferroptosis/necroptosis pathways as causal drivers of MS susceptibility, highlighting TNFAIP3, IFNA4, CP, and APOE as therapeutically actionable targets.
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