Extending the utility of the Tl isotope paleoredox proxy to carbonates

Thallium isotope ratios (205Tl/203Tl) recovered from ancient marine shales are able to provide novel information about Earth’s ocean oxygenation history. Here we demonstrate the potential to extend this utility to the ancient carbonate record. We present Tl concentration and isotope ratio data for modern and geologically recent carbonates from the Great Bahama Bank that capture initial carbonate deposition to diagenesis on multiple scales. Young carbonates from bank-top cores reveal bulk Tl isotope compositions (ε205Tl) that are either indistinguishable from today’s globally homogenous seawater value (ε205Tl = –6.0 ± 0.3‱) or within 0.4‱. Older carbonates from the deeper and diagenetically altered cores also oftentimes capture seawater ε205Tl values. Carbonates with high dolomite contents are the most reliable archives, revealing with only minor exception ε205Tl values within analytical error of modern seawater. Meteoric diagenesis predictably drives carbonate ε205Tl values higher and toward the average composition of global freshwaters (ε205Tl ≈ –2‱). Our findings suggest that properly screened ancient carbonates can be viable archives of past seawater ε205Tl values. These seawater ε205Tl values are set by past marine Tl isotope mass-balance, which is sensitive to manganese oxide burial on the seafloor and hence past levels of global bottom water ocean oxygenation

Osmolarity regulates C. elegans egg-laying behavior via chemosensory and biophysical mechanisms

Animals alter their behavior in response to changes in the environment. Upon encountering hyperosmotic conditions, the nematode worm C. elegans initiates avoidance and cessation of egg-laying behavior. While the sensory pathway for osmotic avoidance is well-understood, less is known about how egg laying is inhibited. We analyzed egg-laying behavior after acute and chronic shifts to and from hyperosmotic media. Animals on 400 mM sorbitol stop laying eggs immediately but then resume ∼3 hours later, after accumulating additional eggs in the uterus. Surprisingly, the hyperosmotic cessation of egg laying still occurred in known osmotic avoidance signaling mutants. Acute hyperosmotic shifts in hyperosmotic-resistant mutants overproducing glycerol also blocked egg laying, but these animals resumed egg laying more quickly than similarly treated wild-type animals. These results suggest that hyperosmotic conditions disrupt a 'high-inside' hydrostatic pressure gradient required for egg laying. Consistent with this hypothesis, animals adapted to hyperosmotic conditions laid more eggs after acute shifts back to normosmic conditions. Optogenetic stimulation of the HSN egg-laying command neurons in hyper-osmotic treated animals led to fewer and slower egg-laying events, an effect not seen following direct optogenetic stimulation of the postsynaptic vulval muscles. Hyperosmotic conditions also affected egg-laying circuit activity with the vulval muscles showing reduced Ca2+ transient amplitudes and frequency even after egg-laying resumes. Together, these results indicate that hyperosmotic conditions regulate egg-laying via two mechanisms: a sensory pathway that acts to reduce HSN excitability and neurotransmitter release, and a biophysical mechanism where a hydrostatic pressure gradient reports egg accumulation in the uterus

AI safety practices and public perception: Historical analysis, survey insights, and a weighted scoring framework

Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety has evolved in tandem with advances in technology and shifts in societal attitudes. This article presents a historical and empirical analysis of AI safety concerns from the mid-twentieth century to the present, integrating archival records, media narratives, survey data, landmark research, and regulatory developments. Early anxieties (rooted in Cold War geopolitics and science fiction) focused on physical robots and autonomous weapons. In contrast, contemporary debates focus on algorithmic bias, misinformation, job displacement, and existential risks posed by advanced systems, such as Large Language Models (LLMs). This article examines the impact of key scholarly contributions, significant events, and regulatory milestones on public perception and governance approaches. Building on this context, this study proposes an improved LLM safety scoring system that prioritizes existential risk mitigation, transparency, and governance accountability. Applying the proposed framework to leading AI developers reveals significant variation in safety commitments. The results underscore how weighting choices affect rankings. Comparative analysis with existing indices highlights the importance of nuanced, multidimensional evaluation methods. The paper concludes by identifying pressing governance challenges, including the need for global cooperation, robust interpretability, and ongoing monitoring of harm in high-stakes domains. These findings demonstrate that AI safety is not static but somewhat shaped by historical context, technical capabilities, and societal values—requiring the continuous adaptation of both policy and evaluation frameworks to align AI systems with human interests

Pelagic Sargassum-derived biofilm induction co-assembled contigs

Four gzipped files for co-assemblies of the quality control reads the four different experimental conditions from the pelagic Sargassum-derived biofilm induction experiment detailed Stiffler et al. 2025 in review. Reads were co-assembled into contigs with MEGAHIT

Contrasting approaches to estimate the epidemiology of uveitis in Canadian health administrative data

This study aims to investigate the age- and sex-standardized incidence and prevalence of uveitis in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2021. By employing various case definitions, the research seeks to discern trends in uveitis occurrence and provide a comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology. A retrospective cohort study utilizing health administrative data was conducted. Multiple case definitions were employed to capture the diverse epidemiological trends of uveitis. Annual age/sex standardized incidence and prevalence rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined using annual population denominators. The age- and sex-standardized incidence rates exhibited variations over the study period showing a general decline from 2000 to 2021, more notably in recent years. The case definition with one diagnosis code ever, estimated an incidence per 100,000 people of 184.4 (95% CI: 181.5-187.2) in 2000 and 109.2 (95% CI: 107.4-110.9) in 2021. The standardized prevalence exhibited a consistent upward trend, with the case definition requiring “at least one diagnosis code ever” recording 1,998.3 (1,989.1-2,007.5) in 2000 and 2,761.2 (2752.7-2769.7) in 2021 per 100,000 people. Lower incidence and prevalence rates were observed when employing case definitions requiring more stringent criteria with additional uveitis-related health encounters. The estimated trends showed declining standardized incidence, but a persistent increase in prevalence rates over time. These insights contribute valuable knowledge for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers on the rising prevalence of uveitis and implications for planning for appropriate health care provisions to meet growing demands for uveitis care

Moderating effects of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein along the Alzheimer's disease continuum

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) may contribute to Alzheimer's pathology at early disease stages. GFAP moderation of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neurodegeneration and cognition is unclear. We examined plasma GFAP moderation of AD biomarkers (amyloid beta [Aβ]-positron emission tomography [PET][A]; plasma phosphorylated tau-181 [p-tau181][T ]), neurodegeneration (plasma NfL[N ]; structural magnetic resonance imaging [MRI][N ]), and cognition (Cog ; Cog ) in two cohorts: University of California San Francisco (UCSF) (N = 212, 91.0% non-Hispanic/Latino White [NHLW], age = 74.7 [7.6] years, 75.9% cognitively unimpaired [CU]) and 1Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (1FLADRC; N = 582, 32.8% NHLW, age = 70.7 [8.5] years, 28.9% CU). Plasma GFAP consistently moderated A-T (UCSF: β = 0.46, p = 0.012; 1FLADRC: β = 0.12, p = 0.029). The association between elevated Aβ-PET and increased (p-tau) was strengthened at higher GFAP concentrations. In 1FLADRC, GFAP moderated T -N In UCSF, GFAP moderated T -Cog and N -Cog . Higher GFAP consistently related to worse neurodegeneration and cognition (main effects). Across demographically and clinically heterogeneous cohorts, plasma GFAP is a key moderator of AD and may help identify individuals at greatest risk of AD-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. AD biomarkers were measured in two demographically and clinically distinct cohorts. Plasma GFAP moderated Aβ-PET to p-tau associations in both UCSF and 1FLADRC. Cohort-dependent, GFAP moderated p-tau to neurodegeneration and cognition associations. All moderations revealed strengthened disease associations with higher plasma GFAP. Plasma GFAP may help identify individuals at greatest risk of AD-related decline

FIGIJ and NASPAG Advocacy Statement: Recognize Eating Disorders Early and Intervene

Eating disorders (EDs) are life-threatening biopsychosocial illnesses that impact a growing number of children, adolescents and young adults globally. Clinicians who address the reproductive health of adolescents and young adults are uniquely positioned to recognize EDs, with oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea often heralding the development or progression of disordered eating. Early detection and prompt referral to multidisciplinary care where available can lead to improved outcomes. FIGIJ, NASPAG and ACOG recognize menses as a key vital sign; an additional vital sign can include use of the growth chart to track changes that might indicate disordered eating. When weight or height cross 2 or more major percentiles, further assessment for disordered eating or other etiology is indicated