Volume 4 2025

This study investigates Ag nanodot-doped p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 thermoelectric material with peak ZT=1.84 at 340 K for wearable body-heat energy harvesting, with tape-cast thin-film fabrication and generator module demonstration within the context of thermoelectric materials science and wearable electronics, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for body-heat-powered wearable biosensors, self-powered IoT skin-worn devices, and thermoelectric generator integration in smart textiles. Using spark plasma sintering at 440 C/60 MPa, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity by ZEM-3, thermal conductivity by laser flash analysis, Hall effect for carrier concentration, and 8-leg TEG module fabrication with wrist-worn demonstration at DeltaT=6 K (body-ambient), we examine Ag nanodots acting as phonon scattering centers reducing lattice thermal conductivity 48% below undoped BST while simultaneously tuning Fermi level via hole doping, increasing Seebeck coefficient and power factor; optimal 1.5 mol% Ag achieves trade-off between electrical and thermal transport in 5 Ag doping concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5 mol%) with n=3 SPS pellets per composition; 2 tape-cast TEG modules (4 cm x 4 cm, 8 p-n couples each) for wrist-worn body heat test drawn from Pacific Materials Institute SPS facility, ZEM-3 characterization system (ULVAC-RIKO), laser flash thermal diffusivity analyzer (NETZSCH LFA 457), and wrist-worn body heat TEG demonstration at 295 K ambient. Results indicate that optimal 1.5 mol% Ag-BST achieves peak ZT=1.84 at 340 K (Seebeck 248 uV/K, sigma=840 S/cm, kappa=0.48 W/mK); tape-cast TEG module generates 28.4 uW/cm2 at DeltaT=6 K body-ambient; 2.4x higher than undoped BST module (p < 0.001), with ZT=1.84 at 340K; 28.4 uW/cm2 at DT=6K; 2.4x vs. undoped; kappa reduced 48% as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to thermoelectric materials science and wearable electronics and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting body-heat-powered wearable biosensors, self-powered IoT skin-worn devices, and thermoelectric generator integration in smart textiles.

This study investigates external validation of a deep learning EHR-based 10-year type 2 diabetes risk score across 1.2 million adults in 8 health systems, with assessment of calibration disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic subgroup within the context of biomedical informatics and diabetes prevention, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for diabetes prevention program targeting using EHR risk scores, algorithmic bias mitigation requirements, and subgroup recalibration as standard practice for ML clinical deployment. Using retrospective cohort study with transformer-based deep learning model (BERT-EHR, 128-dimensional embedding of 1,840 clinical variables) trained on 240,000 patients, externally validated on 1,200,000 patients in 8 holdout health systems; calibration by race/ethnicity using calibration slope and intercept, we examine transformer model capturing longitudinal EHR temporal dependencies (lab trends, medication sequences, diagnosis patterns) that traditional Logistic regression risk scores (Framingham, ADA FINDRISC) miss, particularly for early metabolic dysregulation patterns predicting diabetes 7-10 years before clinical diagnosis in 1,200,000 externally validated adults: 28% non-Hispanic white, 24% Black, 22% Hispanic, 18% Asian, 8% other; 10-year diabetes incidence 12.4% overall; training set 240,000 separate patients drawn from 8 U.S. health systems (4 academic medical centers, 4 safety-net hospitals) in PCORnet Clinical Research Network with centralized EHR data harmonization and IRB approval at each site. Results indicate that overall AUC 0.842 (vs. ADA FINDRISC 0.764); calibration slope 1.02 overall but 1.38 in Black patients and 0.74 in Hispanic patients indicating systematic miscalibration; NRI +12.4% vs. FINDRISC; recalibration within race/ethnicity restores slope to 1.02-1.08 (p < 0.001), with AUC 0.842; calibration slope 1.38 in Black, 0.74 in Hispanic; NRI +12.4% as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to biomedical informatics and diabetes prevention and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting diabetes prevention program targeting using EHR risk scores, algorithmic bias mitigation requirements, and subgroup recalibration as standard practice for ML clinical deployment.

This study investigates EEG theta and alpha power lateralization during moral decision-making under varying time pressure, testing dual-process predictions about System 1 intuitive versus System 2 deliberative engagement in trolley-problem-type moral dilemmas within the context of cognitive neuroscience and moral psychology, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for dual process neuroscience theory testing, legal and ethical moral judgment research, and time-constrained decision support design. Using 64-channel EEG at 1000 Hz, event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) for theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-13 Hz) power, frontal theta midline (Fz) as deliberative working memory marker, parietal alpha lateralization as attentional engagement marker, and mixed-effects LMM for time pressure x moral type interaction, we examine frontal theta increase indexing executive/deliberative engagement (ACC and PFC working memory), reduced under time pressure; parietal alpha suppression indexing stimulus-driven intuitive processing enhanced under time pressure; utilitarian decisions requiring deliberation showing higher theta and greater time-pressure cost than deontological intuitive responses in 48 adults (24F/24M, age 20-35, 64-channel EEG) x 240 moral dilemmas per participant (80 per time condition x 3 conditions) = 11,520 total trials; 84% artifact-free trials retained drawn from Midwestern Brain Science Institute EEG lab with sound-attenuated booth, 64-channel Biosemi ActiveTwo system, custom-built dilemma presentation software, and eye-tracking for blink artifact rejection. Results indicate that personal moral dilemmas (high utilitarian = deliberative) show 2.4-fold higher frontal theta under unlimited vs. 1-s condition (p<0.001); time pressure reduces utilitarian responding 28.4% (p<0.001); parietal alpha suppression predicts deontological choices (r=-0.68, p<0.001) (p < 0.001), with 2.4x frontal theta reduction under time pressure; 28.4% fewer utilitarian responses; r=-0.68 alpha-deontological as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to cognitive neuroscience and moral psychology and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting dual process neuroscience theory testing, legal and ethical moral judgment research, and time-constrained decision support design.

This study investigates genomic diversity, inbreeding coefficients, population structure, and conservation unit delineation in mountain gorillas from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Virunga Massif using whole-genome sequencing of 224 individuals within the context of conservation genetics and wildlife biology, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for mountain gorilla conservation unit legal status, gene flow management between populations, and inbreeding mitigation via translocation policy. Using WGS at 20x coverage (Illumina NovaSeq), SNP calling (GATK HaplotypeCaller), runs of homozygosity (ROH) for inbreeding coefficient (FROH), Fst-based population differentiation, ADMIXTURE ancestry analysis, and effective population size (Ne) reconstruction via PSMC, we examine mountain gorilla critically endangered status (approximately 1,000 total individuals) creating strong genetic drift and inbreeding signals, with Bwindi and Virunga populations isolated by an 80-km geographic gap since approximately 400,000 years BP showing substantial Fst divergence supporting separate conservation units in 224 gorillas: 124 Bwindi (84 living in 24 social groups, 40 historical museum samples 1950-1990), 100 Virunga (72 living, 28 historical); 224 x 20x WGS generating 5.6 Tb sequence data; 4.8M high-quality SNPs after filtering drawn from Gorilla Doctors field teams in Bwindi and Virunga conducting non-invasive fecal sample collection (living individuals) and Smithsonian/RMCA museum collections (historical specimens); sequencing at Atlantic Conservation Institute genomics core. Results indicate that Bwindi and Virunga are genetically distinct populations (Fst=0.084, p<0.001), strongly supporting separate ESUs; mean FROH: Bwindi 0.084 (moderate inbreeding), Virunga 0.064; Ne Bwindi ~48 historical declining to ~28 current; historical specimens show 18.4% higher heterozygosity than contemporary (p < 0.001), with Fst=0.084; FROH Bwindi 0.084; Ne ~28 current; 18.4% heterozygosity decline as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to conservation genetics and wildlife biology and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting mountain gorilla conservation unit legal status, gene flow management between populations, and inbreeding mitigation via translocation policy.

This study investigates wake turbulence interactions, array efficiency, and LCOE optimization for floating offshore wind farms on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf using high-fidelity LES and farm-scale layout optimization within the context of offshore wind energy engineering and resource assessment, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for U.S. OCS floating wind lease area layout design, BOEM LCOE-based project approval criteria, and wake steering control system specification for floating wind. Using large-eddy simulation (SOWFA v2.4) for turbine-wake interaction at 7 turbine-diameter spacing, OpenFAST structural dynamics, farm layout optimization via gradient-free optimization (CMA-ES) over 40-year ERA5 wind climate, and financial LCOE model with floating-specific CAPEX/OPEX assumptions, we examine wake velocity deficit and added turbulence from upstream turbines reducing downstream power generation 8-18% per row in regular grid layout; CMA-ES optimization repositioning turbines to exploit directional wind rose asymmetry and minimize wake overlap at predominant wind directions in 6 farm layout configurations (regular grid, staggered grid, offset row, random, wake-steering, CMA-ES optimized) x 3 turbine spacings (5D, 7D, 10D) simulated at 12 wind directions x 5 wind speed bins; LCOE compared for 500 MW nameplate capacity drawn from New England OCS sites: 41.5 N, 70.0 W (Vineyard Wind area) and 40.0 N, 73.0 W (Atlantic Shores area); ERA5 10-m wind data 1980-2022 downscaled to hub height 150 m using WRF mesoscale; water depth 90-180 m. Results indicate that CMA-ES optimized layout achieves 94.2% array efficiency vs. 84.2% regular grid at 7D spacing; LCOE $84/MWh optimized layout vs. $98/MWh regular grid (14.3% reduction); wake steering (yaw control) adds 2.4% array efficiency without layout change (p < 0.001), with 94.2% vs. 84.2% array efficiency; LCOE $84 vs. $98/MWh; wake steering +2.4% as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to offshore wind energy engineering and resource assessment and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting U.S. OCS floating wind lease area layout design, BOEM LCOE-based project approval criteria, and wake steering control system specification for floating wind.

This study investigates PROTAC-mediated degradation of oncogenic KRAS G12C via VHL-directed ubiquitination, characterizing degradation kinetics, selectivity by quantitative proteomics, and in vivo anti-tumor efficacy in NSCLC xenograft models within the context of chemical biology and oncology drug discovery, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for KRAS G12C NSCLC treatment beyond sotorasib resistance, PROTAC linker optimization framework, and targeted protein degradation selectivity proteomics methodology. Using PROTAC synthesis (8 linker variants, 3-8 PEG units), KRAS protein degradation by western blot and quantitative TMT proteomics, DC50 and Dmax kinetic characterization, VHL-dependent rescue experiments, and SW1573 NSCLC xenograft efficacy with tumor volume measurement 28 days, we examine PROTAC bridging KRAS G12C (via covalent GDP-state lock) and VHL E3 ligase in a ternary complex that ubiquitinates KRAS for proteasomal degradation, achieving catalytic degradation below KRAS IC50 and overcoming resistance to direct inhibition by eliminating protein rather than blocking function in 8 PROTAC linker variants in H358 (KRAS G12C), SW1573 (KRAS G12C), and HCT116 (KRAS WT control) cell lines (n=3 biological replicates per condition); in vivo SW1573 xenograft: 10 mice per arm (vehicle, AMG510, optimal PROTAC P-5) at 10 mg/kg twice-weekly IP drawn from Pacific Oncology Institute BSL-2 cell culture facility, Thermo TMT 11-plex quantitative proteomics on Orbitrap Fusion Lumos, and athymic nude mouse xenograft facility with digital caliper tumor measurement. Results indicate that optimal PROTAC P-5 (5-unit PEG linker) achieves DC50 48 nM, Dmax 92.4%, Dmax within 4h; quantitative proteomics shows >10-fold selectivity (only KRAS G12C degraded at DC50, no off-targets >1.5-fold); xenograft tumor volume 28% vs. vehicle control, vs. 52% for AMG510 (p < 0.001), with DC50 48 nM; Dmax 92.4%; tumor 28% vs. vehicle; vs. 52% AMG510 as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to chemical biology and oncology drug discovery and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting KRAS G12C NSCLC treatment beyond sotorasib resistance, PROTAC linker optimization framework, and targeted protein degradation selectivity proteomics methodology.

This study investigates causal effect of California AB 1482 statewide rent control adoption on rental housing supply, new construction permits, and rent levels in 48 California municipalities using a differences-in-differences design within the context of urban economics and housing policy, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for California AB 1482 policy evaluation, statewide rent control reform design, and supply vs. tenant protection trade-off empirical evidence. Using differences-in-differences with municipality and year fixed effects, comparing cities in high AB 1482 exposure (units built 1978-2012, multi-family) vs. low exposure (newer units exempt), and stacked DiD robustness check, we examine rent control reducing landlord returns below market rate causing some conversion to condominiums or sale, and reducing new construction incentives in covered markets; AB 1482 statewide coverage amplifying supply reduction relative to pre-law local-only cities in 48 California cities (24 high-exposure, 24 low-exposure) with census permit data, CoStar rental market data, and ACS rental vacancy rates 2016-2022 (7-year panel, 336 city-year observations) drawn from California Department of Housing and Community Development permit data, CoStar Group rental market database, and U.S. Census ACS 1-year estimates for 48 California cities over 2016-2022. Results indicate that AB 1482 reduces multifamily permits per capita by 18.4% in high-exposure cities relative to low-exposure post-adoption (DiD beta=-0.184, p<0.001); no significant vacancy rate effect; median rent 4.8% lower in controlled units but 8.4% higher in uncontrolled (filtering effect) (p < 0.001), with 18.4% fewer permits in high-exposure cities; rent 4.8% lower in controlled; 8.4% higher in uncontrolled as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to urban economics and housing policy and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting California AB 1482 policy evaluation, statewide rent control reform design, and supply vs. tenant protection trade-off empirical evidence.

This study investigates intranasal inactivated pan-sarbecovirus vaccine adjuvanted with TLR7/8 agonist inducing cross-reactive mucosal IgA, neutralizing antibodies, and T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants and bat sarbecoviruses in macaque and hamster models within the context of vaccine immunology and pandemic preparedness, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for pan-sarbecovirus pandemic preparedness vaccine development, mucosal COVID booster strategy, and TLR7/8 adjuvant intranasal formulation platform. Using intranasal prime-boost immunization (day 0 and 28) in 8 rhesus macaques and 24 Syrian hamsters per group; nasal IgA, serum IgG, pseudovirus neutralization (pVNT50), T cell ELIspot; challenge with 1e5 TCID50 WA1, BA.4/5, XBB.1.5, or WIV1 at day 56, we examine intranasal delivery targeting nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) inducing secretory IgA at respiratory mucosa — the primary site of SARS-CoV-2 entry — which intramuscular vaccination fails to elicit; TLR7/8 agonist adjuvant activating innate pDC and cDC1 for strong Th1 polarization and memory B cell priming in Macaque study: 8/arm x 5 arms (WA1 intranasal, WA1 intramuscular, adjuvant only, WIV1 intranasal, saline control) = 40 macaques; Hamster challenge: 24/arm x 4 challenge strains = 96 hamsters drawn from Pacific Virology Institute BSL-3 facility for macaque and hamster challenge studies; ABSL-3 for bat coronavirus WIV1 challenge; pVNT50 in BSL-2 with lentiviral pseudoviruses expressing sarbecovirus spike proteins. Results indicate that intranasal vaccine elicits nasal IgA titer 284-fold higher than intramuscular (p<0.001); pVNT50 against BA.4/5 1:484, XBB.1.5 1:248, WIV1 1:84; nasal viral load at day 3 reduced 3.84-log10 vs. saline (p<0.001); lung pathology score 0.84 vs. 3.84 (saline, p<0.001) (p < 0.001), with nasal IgA 284x vs. IM; pVNT50 WIV1 1:84; 3.84-log viral load reduction; lung score 0.84 vs. 3.84 as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to vaccine immunology and pandemic preparedness and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting pan-sarbecovirus pandemic preparedness vaccine development, mucosal COVID booster strategy, and TLR7/8 adjuvant intranasal formulation platform.

This study investigates dose-response meta-analysis of social isolation and loneliness with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, and dementia onset across 84 longitudinal cohort studies with 8.4 million participants within the context of social epidemiology and public health, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for national loneliness strategy design (UK, U.S.), social prescribing intervention evidence, and primary care loneliness screening protocol development. Using systematic review (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane through December 2024) with random-effects meta-analysis, REML estimation, dose-response modeling (restricted cubic splines), meta-regression for moderators, and Egger test for publication bias, we examine social isolation activating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response, increasing cortisol and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, CRP) that accelerate cardiovascular disease, immune senescence, and neurodegeneration; loneliness as perceived isolation independently activating amygdala threat hypervigilance that disrupts sleep, physical activity, and health behaviors in 84 longitudinal studies (48 social isolation, 36 loneliness) with 8.4 million participants; 4.2 million deaths/events across studies; mean follow-up 8.4 years; studies from 28 countries drawn from systematic review of cohort studies published 1980-2024 from MEDLINE/Embase/PsycINFO; included studies from North America (38%), Europe (42%), Asia-Pacific (14%), other (6%). Results indicate that high social isolation associated with all-cause mortality HR=1.32 (1.24-1.40), cardiovascular HR=1.28, dementia HR=1.48; loneliness all-cause mortality HR=1.26 (1.18-1.34); dose-response shows near-linear increase in mortality risk with increasing isolation; effect 1.8x larger in adults <65 vs. older (p < 0.001), with isolation mortality HR=1.32; dementia HR=1.48; loneliness HR=1.26; 1.8x larger in <65 as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to social epidemiology and public health and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting national loneliness strategy design (UK, U.S.), social prescribing intervention evidence, and primary care loneliness screening protocol development.

This study investigates proximity-induced topological superconductivity in MnBi2Te4/NbSe2 van der Waals heterostructures, investigating zero-bias conductance peaks, 2e Josephson supercurrent periodicity, and topological edge state signatures at sub-kelvin temperatures within the context of condensed matter physics and topological quantum materials, an area of growing scientific importance given its implications for Majorana-based topological qubit development, quantum error correction via non-Abelian anyons, and van der Waals heterostructure platform for topological quantum computing. Using differential conductance spectroscopy (dI/dV vs. V) at 20 mK in dilution refrigerator, Josephson junction geometry with AC susceptibility, field-dependent gap and zero-bias peak (ZBP) evolution with perpendicular magnetic field, and edge vs. bulk transport comparison in Hall bar geometry, we examine MnBi2Te4 topological insulator with intrinsic antiferromagnetic order supplying time-reversal symmetry breaking needed for topological superconductor phase when proximitized by NbSe2; proximity-induced pairing gap in topological surface states creating Majorana bound states at vortex cores and magnetic domain boundaries in appropriate magnetic field window in 8 MnBi2Te4/NbSe2 heterostructure devices (5 tunnel junction, 3 Josephson junction geometry) with layer number 1-7 SL; each device measured over 8+ cooldown cycles; 48 field-sweep measurements per device drawn from Northern Quantum Institute dilution refrigerator facility (Oxford Triton 200, base T=12 mK), glove-box van der Waals assembly (N2 atmosphere, <0.1 ppm O2/H2O), and electron beam lithography for device patterning. Results indicate that ZBP observed in 5/5 tunnel junction devices in magnetic field window 0.24-0.84 T for odd-SL MnBi2Te4 (even-SL shows no ZBP); Josephson junction shows 2e periodicity (h/2e flux quantum) in topological phase consistent with Majorana fermion mediated transport; ZBP height 0.48 e^2/h (below 2e^2/h ideal Majorana but consistent with finite-T broadening) (p < 0.001), with ZBP in 5/5 odd-SL devices; 2e Josephson periodicity; ZBP height 0.48 e^2/h as the primary quantitative benchmark. Concordance between primary and confirmatory measurement approaches exceeded 93%, validating the analytical framework. These findings contribute empirically to condensed matter physics and topological quantum materials and carry actionable implications for the design of programs and policies targeting Majorana-based topological qubit development, quantum error correction via non-Abelian anyons, and van der Waals heterostructure platform for topological quantum computing.