Neural networks running on low-power microcontrollers decoded surface muscle signals in real time, a requirement for wearable devices and prosthetic control. On a large-scale benchmark, the models matched or exceeded earlier accuracy with up to 5,000 times lower computational cost in resource-constrained settings.
Microplastics were detected throughout a Brazilian drinking-water reservoir, but they accumulated most heavily in downstream sediment. Researchers found low to moderate ecological risk in the water and very high risk in sediment, especially downstream.
A single ionic wearable sensor simultaneously captured the heart’s electrical signals and arterial pulse waves in a wristband. The design could support beat-to-beat blood-pressure monitoring without timing errors between separate sensors, although the reported testing was limited to daily resting conditions.
This structured narrative review examined whether biological features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma can add information to imaging when considering surgery. It reports that some tumors that appear operable may still have aggressive disease, but several proposed biomarkers require further prospective testing and standardization.
Relocating green turtle nests affected hatching success and hatchling development in ways that were not explained by average incubation temperature alone. The findings suggest that leaving nests in place is preferable when possible, and that relocation sites should be assessed for more than their temperature.
A study of U.S. households found that credit-card debt rose 11.9% after states legalized online gambling. The increase was larger among households seen as more likely to gamble online, including households with no college-educated head and households with a Black head.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 human studies found that SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit among adults with type 2 diabetes. Real-world data reported a rise in polycythemia prevalence, but evidence about blood-clotting risk was limited and mainly observational. These findings describe associations and do not establish that the medicines cause clotting events.
Crystals from Kīlauea’s explosive eruption around 900 C.E. suggest its magma may have been stored for years without a last-minute injection of new magma. The result indicates that such mixing may not be necessary for an explosive eruption at the volcano.
An analysis of 54 climate models found 73 unusually large changes in ocean, sea-ice and atmospheric variables. The events, including winter Arctic sea-ice disappearance and a possible weakening of Atlantic overturning, were projected to occur earlier and at lower global warming than previous reviews assessed.
Researchers developed MuSpAn, a software package for mapping how cells interact across different scales in tissue. Tests on normal mouse intestine and a mouse intestinal cancer model identified coordinated fibroblast–immune interactions and a range of fibroblast states.
A new tool called plsMD reconstructs antibiotic-resistance plasmids from short-read bacterial genome data. It outperformed existing tools on two datasets, although its performance was lower on a newly sequenced-isolate dataset than on an established benchmark.
A programmable DNA device punctured artificial membranes, delivered attached molecular cargo and then retracted to promote resealing. Researchers also used it to control biochemical reactions in cell-sized environments, but the study does not report tests in living organisms.
A manganese dioxide cathode containing isolated, high-spin cobalt atoms helped an aqueous zinc–manganese battery deliver 658 mAh per gram and run for more than 15,000 cycles. The researchers say the cobalt enabled reversible three-electron storage and helped convert deposited manganese compounds back into active material without added acid or a redox mediator.
A study of illegal markets for ivory, pangolin scales and succulent plants suggests that scarcity can sometimes increase the appeal of wildlife products. The researchers say this can create feedback loops that accelerate species’ decline, limiting the effectiveness of enforcement focused only on supply.
A study of 34 public boreholes in Ghana found a 69% modeled dry-season probability of fluoride-related health-risk thresholds being exceeded for children. The researchers recommend confirmatory testing and site-specific responses at high-risk boreholes, while noting that the screening approach needs testing with larger, year-round datasets.
