Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) has expanded in situ U-Pb geochronology. However, conventional circular or square ablation pits (>15 mu m) lack the resolution to resolve complex or narrow growth zones (<5-15 mu m). Depth profiling offers a unique solution by ablating through the surface of mineral grains, producing continuous, spatially resolved isotopic data. Current depth profiling analyses rely on manual, subjective identification of age signal plateaus, hindering efficiency and reproducibility. This study introduces the Automated Depth Profiling Technique (ADEPT), a quantitative workflow that includes data optimization, automated plateau segmentation, and rigorous screening to objectively identify growth zones and calculate U-Pb ages. Bayesian posterior validation of ADEPT showed >84% of data within one root mean square error. Applying ADEPT to 4,615 Himalayan leucogranite zircon depth profiles reveals that 74% of grains preserve 2-4 distinct age signal plateaus, confirming major age peaks at 45 +/- 2, 35 +/- 3, 19 +/- 4, and 9 +/- 2 Ma. Analysis of zircon age continuity (Delta Age, the difference between core/or mantle and rim ages) reveals a systematic eastward decrease across the Himalayan orogen. We interpret this trend as a record of thermal longevity of magma reservoir tied to the regional tectonic regime. Specifically, compressional and cooler settings foster more continuous zircon growth (i.e., smaller Delta Age), whereas extensional and warmer settings produce relatively discontinuous growth (i.e., larger Delta Age). ADEPT provides a robust and efficient tool for resolving complex mineral age histories and offers new insights into the magmatic and tectonic evolution of the Himalaya.
Enzymes of the CYP152 family have the potential to upgrade fatty acids to alpha-hydroxy acids by regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant and forming water as the sole by-product. To achieve such transformations with relevant productivity, a high tolerance towards hydrogen peroxide is required. By designing a minimal library targeting oxidation-prone residues with high solvent exposure and introducing mutations to improve expression/stability identified by a computational strategy (PROSS), the hydrogen peroxide tolerance of the CYP152 peroxygenase POSP alpha was improved up to four-fold. Of the 12 generated enzyme variants, V3-P04 demonstrated the most pronounced improvements across the investigated parameters, exceeding the parent in terms of hydrogen peroxide tolerance, expression yields, and specific activity for the alpha-hydroxylation of octanoic acid. The superior performance of variant V3-P04 was further underlined in preparative-scale experiments for the functionalisation of heptanoic acid (50 mM), octanoic acid (150 mM), nonanoic acid (100 mM), and 9-decenoic acid (75 mM) where it reached turnover numbers unmatched by the wildtype enzyme of up to 48 333.
Monopisthocotylan parasites have been proposed as tags for studying host population structure due to their direct life cycles and short generation times. However, their effectiveness in reflecting host population connectivity remains under scrutiny. The poorly-understood connectivity of fisheries stocks in Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world with a permanently stratified, relatively species-poor and well-delimited pelagic zone, serves as a case-study to test utility of parasites for fish stock identification. This study investigates the population structure of two Kapentagyrus species parasitizing dorosomatid fish in Lake Tanganyika, by analyzing variation in mitochondrial protein-coding genes across a geographic gradient. The study comprised 12 population genomic datasets from the central and southern subbasins of the lake sampled within the same week to account for host migration. We observed differences in geographic population structure of the two parasite species, with restricted gene flow in Kapentagyrus limnotrissae infecting a single dorosomatid species and smaller hosts preferring the littoral zone. Conversely, K. tanganicanus exhibited no geographical structure, reflecting its broader host range and preference for larger hosts preferring the pelagic zone. The results also highlight that other mitochondrial genes such as those from the dehydrogenase family or atp6 provide higher resolution for population genetic studies in these parasites than the frequently used cox1. The study also compared two sequencing strategies—individual versus pooled sequencing (PoolSeq)—for assessing population structure of monopisthocotylan parasites, and found that PoolSeq yielded similar results with lower demands on individual DNA quantity and sequencing costs. This work supports the use of host-specific, directly transmitted parasites as ecosystem tags and provides valuable insights into the role of host ecology and parasite life-history traits in shaping population dynamics.
This study examines cognitive warfare through the lens of critical neuroscience and situates it within peace research as a methodological contribution. Cognitive warfare-understood as the strategic modulation of perception, belief, and decision-making-highlights how the human mind has become a contested domain of contemporary conflict. The weaponization of neuroscience unfolds within sociocultural contexts where empirical findings, theoretical interpretations, and normative commitments are deeply entangled. Drawing on Johan Galtung’s epistemological triad of data, theory, and values, I propose a framework for analyzing cognitive warfare that makes explicit the normative dimensions of neuroscientific knowledge. This perspective highlights not only the weaponization of neuroscience itself, but also of its reputation: exaggerated claims and neuropolitical imaginaries can shape expectations, distort public discourse, and erode trust in science independently of actual technological capabilities. Applying this framework, the study examines resilience and solidarity as two domains in which empirical mechanisms, theoretical interpretations, and normative priors intersect. Cognitive warfare is shown to undermine resilience by destabilizing shared models of reality, while evolutionary and social dynamics demonstrate the long-term advantages of cooperation, reciprocity, and generosity over manipulation and defection. By integrating critical neuroscience with peace research, the article advances an expanded notion of peace as the safeguarding of mental and social autonomy-conditions under which cognition remains free from systematic manipulation and capable of sustaining cooperative forms of life.
Magneto-ionics is an energy-efficient approach to control the magnetic properties of a material by the application of a voltage. For instance, a voltage-induced switching between a ferromagnetic ON state and a magnetic OFF state can be achieved in Co by the reversible reduction/formation of Co (hydr-)oxides. In this work, we demonstrate that, in addition to this magneto-ionic effect based on oxygen species, a magneto-ionic effect based on hydrogen can be obtained by changing from pure Co to a Pd-Co alloy. To this end, we prepared a nanoporous Pd75Co25 alloy with a porous structure in the 10 nm range by dealloying of Al80(Pd75Co25)20. Initially, the nanoporous alloy is mostly oxidized and thus generates only a very weak magnetic signal, corresponding to an OFF state. Inducing the reduction of the Co (hydr-)oxides by applying a voltage results in a transition to a ferromagnetic ON state. Due to the macroscopic sample size, the ON state exhibits a considerable absolute magnetic moment in the order of 0.01 emu. This moment can be obtained within just a few minutes thanks to the nanoporous structure. A detailed electrochemical characterization reveals that the magnetization of the alloy is also significantly influenced by the absorption of hydrogen into the nanoporous material, which becomes apparent through an additional increase in the magnetization during the hydrogen desorption. This second magneto-ionic effect is faster and occurs within the time frame of seconds. Overall, the occurrence of these two magneto-ionic effects, which are based on different kinds of ionic species, opens up the possibility to adapt the magneto-ionic response by adjusting the composition of the Pd-Co alloy.
