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Aluminum nitride (AlN) is an ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor whose large intrinsic band gap limits low-energy interband optical absorption. This work compares Ce substitution at the Al site, C substitution at the N site, and Ce-C co-substitution in wurtzite AlN to clarify how Ce 4f/5d states and C 2p states modify the local structure, band-edge electronic states, and optical response. Among five neutral CeAl-CN configurations considered in a 2 × 2 × 2 supercell, the nearest-neighbor Ce-C pair has the lowest total energy, with the other configurations lying 6.6-17.7 meV higher. The selected Ce-C pair also has a negative binding energy of -3.26 eV relative to the corresponding isolated single-substitution reference supercells. Structural relaxation shows lattice expansion after substitution, with the largest volume increase of 7.93% obtained for AlN:Ce-C. The calculated band gap of intrinsic AlN is 4.19 eV, whereas the effective electronic gaps of AlN:C, AlN:Ce, and AlN:Ce-C are 3.59, 2.18, and 2.04 eV, respectively. Since AlN:Ce-C is only 0.14 eV smaller in effective gap than AlN:Ce, the role of Ce-C co-substitution is interpreted mainly through defect-pair energetics, orbital redistribution, and local population changes rather than as a large additional band-gap narrowing. DOS/PDOS and population analyses show that C 2p states mainly modify the occupied valence-edge region, Ce 4f/5d states contribute near the band-edge and conduction-band regions, and Ce-C co-substitution induces finite spin population on C together with a nonzero Ce-C bond population. The scissors-corrected optical spectra show increased low-frequency dielectric and refractive responses, with ε₁(0)/n(0) changing from 3.805/1.951 for intrinsic AlN to 4.449/2.109 for AlN:Ce-C, while AlN:C gives the largest low-frequency values of 4.530/2.128. Additional low-energy interband absorption and attenuation features appear especially in AlN:C and AlN:Ce-C, associated with defect-related transitions involving C 2p and Ce-related states. These changes are interpreted as calculated interband optical-response redistribution within the present neutral-defect supercell framework, not as direct evidence of device-level optoelectronic performance. First-principles calculations were performed using the CASTEP module in Materials Studio. The exchange-correlation interaction was described using the generalized gradient approximation with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional, and on-the-fly-generated ultrasoft pseudopotentials were employed. Intrinsic AlN, AlN:Ce, AlN:C, and AlN:Ce-C were constructed from a fully relaxed 2 × 2 × 2 wurtzite AlN supercell containing 32 atoms. Single-doped models were constructed by replacing one Al or one N atom, corresponding to 6.25% substitution on the relevant sublattice. The co-doped model contains one CeAl-CN pair, corresponding to xCe = yC = 0.0625 in Al1-xCexN1-yCy, or a combined sublattice substitution level of 12.5%. A plane-wave cutoff energy of 700 eV and a 4 × 4 × 3 k-point mesh were used. Intrinsic AlN was calculated using non-spin-polarized GGA-PBE, C-doped AlN using spin-polarized GGA-PBE, and the Ce-containing systems using spin-polarized GGA-PBE + U. A Hubbard U correction of 5 eV was applied only to the Ce 4f orbitals. Band structures, TDOS/PDOS, Mulliken and Hirshfeld population analyses, representative bond populations, and optical properties were calculated. The dielectric function, complex refractive index, absorption coefficient, and reflectivity were obtained within the linear-response framework using a 2.01 eV scissors correction only for optical-property calculations.

Brown seaweeds, such as Padina sp., are reported to have significant potential for industrial applications due to their rich content of bioactive compounds. Despite their importance, they are not widely utilised due to insufficient biomass availability and are largely uncultivable because of their complex reproductive cycle. Hence, omics-based studies can provide a platform for future efficient biotechnological applications. However, genomic and transcriptomic insights into these seaweed species remain largely unexplored. In this study, a complementary genome and transcriptome assembly of the brown seaweed Padina tetrastromatica was generated to elucidate the gene repertoire and transcripts. The draft genome assembly comprised approximately 256.5 Mb across 55,222 transcripts (N50: 6,718 bp) with less than 20% coverage, while the de novo transcriptome assembly yielded 89,735 transcripts, with 86 and 92.5% completeness in Eukaryota and Stramenopiles assembly, respectively, based on Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) analysis. Functional annotation revealed the presence of 15 transcripts encoding enzymes such as fucosyltransferases, sulfotransferases and mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase related to fucoidan and mannitol biosynthesis, providing insights into the molecular framework underlying sulfated polysaccharide production. These findings contribute to understanding macroalgal carbohydrate metabolism and functional genomics and establish a resource that may support future metabolic engineering and synthetic biology efforts aimed at enhancing the production of macroalgal sugars in heterologous systems.

The determination of quartic force fields for use in vibrational second-order perturbation (VPT2) calculations, currently available in numerous electronic structure packages, becomes very expensive as the size of the molecule increases, especially if high-level coupled-cluster theory is used. Machine-learned potentials (MLPs) for large molecules and clusters offer a viable alternative to obtaining the quartic force field (QFF). Here, we report Fortran and Python software to determine the QFF and perform VPT2 calculations of energies from the MLPs. We describe this software and then apply it to H2O and protonated oxalate as the test cases. The Fortran software is applied to 21-atom aspirin using a fast MLP reported by us. Despite the fact that there are 32,509 unique cubic force constants for aspirin, the computer time to calculate them using this MLP is trivial, i.e., around 1 min. The new software provides an efficient way to calculate quantum anharmonic energies, using the established VPT2 methodology, for machine learned potentials of large molecules.

Caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently assume demanding roles immediately after SCI, placing them at risk for burden, depression, and diminished well-being. Few interventions have been tailored to support caregivers during this critical initial transition period. This randomized clinical trial developed and tested the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which provides structured telehealth support targeting caregiver psychosocial adjustment and care quality as they learn to be caregivers for the first time. The study recruited caregiver-care recipient dyads from two acute SCI units at an academic medical center and a Veterans Affairs hospital. Dyads (N = 31 completing follow-up) were randomized to TAP or usual care. The TAP consisted of five sessions (one in person before discharge, four via telehealth-to-home) combining structured education, a caregiver guidebook, and supportive problem-solving. Primary outcomes - caregiving quality, depression, relationship satisfaction, and positive affect and well-being - were assessed at baseline, 2, and 4 months post-discharge. Caregivers in the TAP group reported higher caregiving quality across the two follow ups (P = .041, ηp² = .141), a large effect. For all other caregiver and patient outcomes, TAP participants consistently demonstrated more favorable scores with small-to-medium effect sizes, though differences did not reach statistical significance. The TAP improved caregiver-reported caregiving quality and showed promising effect sizes across multiple psychosocial outcomes. Findings support the feasibility and potential utility of telehealth-based caregiver interventions during the transition from inpatient rehabilitation to home, warranting larger-scale trials.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03244098.

Both glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and bariatric surgery (BS) are interventions that result in weight loss prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to compare 90-day postoperative complications between TKA patients with a history of GLP-1 use versus those who underwent BS prior to TKA. Patients undergoing primary TKA for osteoarthritis from 2005 to 2025 were identified from the TriNetX Research Network. Patients who underwent BS 6 months to 1 year prior to TKA were propensity score-matched 1:1 to patients who initiated GLP-1 therapy during this same time period based on age, sex, race, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and body mass index (BMI) measured 6 weeks prior to weight-loss intervention. A total of 1650 patients were included in each cohort with 90-day follow-up. The risk of various 90-day complications associated with each weight-loss intervention was compared utilizing univariate analyses. Rates of individual medical and surgical complications were largely comparable between cohorts; however, compared with the BS group, the GLP-1 cohort had significantly lower rates of deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus (2.18% vs. 4.42%, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001), transfusion (0.30% vs. 1.03%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.016), any surgical complication (1.64% vs. 3.45%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.001), any medical complication (9.09% vs. 12.30%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.003) and readmission/emergency department visit (21.33% vs. 25.33%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.007). Compared to obese controls without intervention prior to TKA, both the BS and GLP-1 cohorts had comparable rates of all medical and surgical complications. There were largely comparable rates of complications between patients who underwent BS and those who initiated GLP-1 agonists prior to TKA, although GLP-1 use was associated with lower rates of select complications. Patients who choose GLP-1 agonists or BS can expect similar complication rates and comparable outcomes relative to obese patients who elect for no preoperative intervention prior to TKA. Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Despite the great success that Kohn-Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) has achieved, the delocalization error remains a major challenge for commonly used density functional approximations, resulting in systematic errors in ionization energies, electron affinities, band structures, and charge distributions. A recently developed localized orbital scaling correction (LOSC) method, namely, linear response LOSC (lrLOSC), addresses these challenges by incorporating a functional correction that includes the screening effect and orbital localization within the LOSC framework. The method has been shown to provide accurate descriptions of bulk systems and core-level binding energies in small molecular systems. In this work, we extend the applicability of lrLOSC to a broader range of molecular systems, spanning various sizes, with a focus on the corrections to valence orbital energies and total energies. To enable the calculation of large chemical systems, we developed an efficient implementation of lrLOSC with computational costs comparable with standard KS-DFT calculations. Numerical results show that while screening provides modest improvements for small molecules, it becomes critical for achieving high accuracy in larger molecules, from linear to three-dimensional systems. With the screening effect being well captured in a unified way, lrLOSC provides accurate descriptions for a wide range of chemical systems, including organic molecular systems of varying sizes and transition-metal oxide complexes, establishing it as a powerful tool for enhancing the reliability of computational simulations of chemical systems.

We tested whether viewing a top-down map before or while exploring an environment can facilitate spatial learning through first-person navigation. In three experiments, participants navigated in virtual environments to find a sequence of targets (exploration) and then performed three tasks to assess their spatial knowledge: scene and orientation-dependent pointing (SOP), judgments of relative direction (JRD), and map reconstruction. In separate sessions, we tested conditions with and without map viewing. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants viewed a structural map of the environment before performing exploration trials. Experiment 1 tested city environments with rectangular intersections, and Experiment 2 tested village environments with a main path and irregular side paths. We found no evidence that the structural map previews improved overall accuracy of spatial representations learned from navigation. Experiment 3 tested a village environment with more distinctive landmarks and presented a detailed map without targets labeled repeatedly throughout the exploration and still found no benefit from viewing a top-down map for first-person navigation in large-scale virtual spaces. We speculate that difficulty in translating between egocentric and allocentric representations might make it difficult to integrate information from a map and navigation experience.

The Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex includes pathogens of major relevance in both human and veterinary medicine. Despite growing knowledge of ITS diversity within the complex, data on circulating genotypes in animals remain scarce. We analyzed 348 T. mentagrophytes isolates obtained from companion animals in France in 2020 to describe ITS genotype distribution and assess the presence of T. indotineae and T. mentagrophytes ITS-genotype VII. Eight ITS genotypes were identified, with genotype III* largely predominant (62.4%), followed by genotypes III (22.4%) and II* (8.6%). No significant difference in genotype distribution was observed between cats and dogs. Genotype XXIV was exclusively detected in the three chinchilla isolates, while genotype XXVI-Uhrlass was identified in 17 cases. Three previously undescribed ITS genotypes were also recorded. Sequencing of tef1-&#x3b1; and tubb in a subset of isolates showed limited diversity within each ITS genotype, except for genotype III*, which exhibited several sequence variants. Mating-type analysis revealed both idiomorphs in the collection, although a single idiomorph was detected within each ITS genotype except genotype III*. Genotypes III and XXVI exhibited a restricted geographical distribution. Neither T. indotineae, T. mentagrophytes ITS-genotype VII, nor T. interdigitale ITS genotypes were identified. Our results highlight restricted genetic diversity among companion animal-derived isolates in France and support reduced genetic mixing among ITS genotypes, consistent with ongoing speciation processes within T. mentagrophytes species complex. Analysis of 348 Trichophyton mentagrophytes isolates from French companion animals revealed eight ITS genotypes, dominated by III*. No T. indotineae or T. mentagrophytes ITS- genotype VII was found. Genetic diversity and mixing were limited, supporting ongoing speciation within the complex.

The normal structure and function of inner-ear blood vessels, including the microvascular network of the stria vascularis (SV) within the blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB), are essential for auditory function. Despite this, the genetic and molecular characteristics of cochlear vasculature are largely unexplored. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes (PCs) from the adult mouse cochlea. We found a distinct genetic profile and a higher angiogenic potential than observed in the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Two subclasses of PCs were identified. Type 1 PCs, with high levels of &#x3b1;-smooth muscle actin (Acta2) and Tagln, are located on pre-/post-capillary zones. Type 2 PCs, characterized by low Tagln and high Kcnj8/Abcc9 levels, are found specifically in capillary regions. In an ex vivo explant model, both subclasses showed tip-like behavior during sprouting. Ligand-receptor analysis indicated active EC-PC communication. This communication is mediated by adhesive signals, gap junctions, and vesicle trafficking. Using dual fluorescent reporter mouse models, we showed for the first time that PCs can exhibit tip-associated phenotypic plasticity with detectable NG2/PECAM-1 overlap at the sprout front. This tip-associated state may occur from existing cells or progenitors within the vascular niche. Our findings define the molecular signature of cochlear vessels and identify PCs as targets to promote vascular regeneration. This could have implications for hearing restoration when cochlear blood flow is compromised.

We present a recent upgrade of the incoherent Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic for the Resonant Antenna Ion Device (RAID), a linear plasma source based on helicon excitation operated at the Swiss Plasma Center at Ecole Polytechnique F&#xe9;d&#xe9;rale de Lausanne. By operating in the visible range, which facilitates the recording of the spectrally resolved TS signal with a gated camera, this system has greatly enhanced the ability to characterize the plasmas generated by RAID in argon, helium, deuterium, and hydrogen. Parameter scans demonstrate good agreement with a Double Langmuir Probe (DLP) diagnostic, while highlighting the need for refinement of the DLP analysis routines in the presence of large magnetic fields. Detailed radial profiles of electron density and temperature are obtained in different working gases, in particular, in the challenging conditions of hydrogen, and can potentially provide new insights into helicon physics and plasma transport processes. This enhanced diagnostic capability establishes a solid foundation for future studies of helicon wave behavior, diagnostic development, and atomic physics investigations on RAID.

Antimony chalcogenides are highly promising thin-film photovoltaic materials. However, their quasi-one-dimensional structure inherently causes severe transport anisotropy. The thermodynamically stable [hk0] horizontal orientation induces van der Waals barriers that hinder carrier transport, whereas the kinetically favorable [hk1] vertical orientation constructs efficient charge pathways and dangling-bond-free "benign grain boundaries". Focusing on the thermodynamic and kinetic competition mechanisms during film growth, this review systematically summarizes recent optimization strategies for inducing the [hk1] preferred orientation. Four core approaches are highlighted: solvent and precursor engineering, deposition parameter optimization, interface and substrate engineering, and post-treatment reconstruction. Finally, we delineate the "structure-process-performance" relationship and provide perspectives on deep-level defect passivation, heterojunction band engineering, and flexible, large-area applications, aiming to guide the fabrication of high-efficiency antimony-based solar cells approaching their theoretical limit.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type of the tunica media and are central mediators of vascular wall integrity, governing tone, remodelling and the progression of arterial disease. Despite this, mechanobiology research has historically focused on endothelial cells, leaving VSMC-intrinsic mechanosensing comparatively unexplored. Critically, VSMC phenotypic transitions from contractile to synthetic, inflammatory, osteogenic and macrophage-like states are not merely transcriptional events but involve profound bioenergetic reprogramming, a dimension that has been largely overlooked in mechanobiology. VSMCs sense and transduce diverse mechanical stimuli including cyclic stretch, shear stress, matrix stiffness and hydrostatic pressure through specialized mechanosensors such as mechanosensitive ion channels or cell surface receptors including integrins, to orchestrate phenotypic switching and vascular remodelling. Dysregulated mechanotransduction contributes to hypertension, atherosclerosis, aneurysm formation and arterial stiffening. This review provides a unified synthesis of VSMC mechanobiology across four domains: (1) mechanical microenvironment, (2) phenotypic plasticity, (3) mechanosensing pathways and (4) emerging technologies. In parallel the review also discusses emerging technologies such as organ-on-a-chip platforms that are increasingly being used to investigate these processes. Importantly, it introduces a novel integrated framework linking VSMC mechanotransduction, metabolic reprogramming and atherogenesis, positioning VSMCs at the centre of vascular mechanobiology and identifying the mechano-metabolic signalling as a therapeutically underexplored driver of cardiovascular disease.