Non-native species spreading naturally are associated with losses of native diversity and biotic homogenization. Conversely, the effect of non-native tree species used in plantations may vary, particu...

Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) exhibit exceptional catalytic efficiency due to their maximized atom utilization and precisely modulated metal-carrier interactions, which have attracted significant attention in the biomedical field. However, stability issues may impede the clinical translation of SAzymes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the applications of SAzymes in various biomedical fields, including disease diagnosis (e.g., biosensors and diagnostic imaging), antitumor therapy (e.g., photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and immunotherapy), antimicrobial therapy, and anti-oxidative stress therapy. More importantly, the existing challenges of SAzymes are discussed, such as metal atom clustering and active site loss, ligand bond breakage at high temperature, insufficient environment tolerance, biosecurity risks, and limited catalytic long-term stability. Finally, several innovative strategies to address these stability concerns are proposed—synthesis process optimization (space-limited strategy, coordination site design, bimetallic synergistic strategy, defect engineering strategy, atom stripping-capture), surface modification, and dynamic responsive design—that collectively pave the way for robust, clinically viable SAzymes.

Understanding how habitat structure and spatial configuration jointly influence species abundance is critical for conserving grassland birds in fragmented landscapes. We evaluated the effects of withi...

Rapid climate change is eliminating thermal barriers in mountain environments, facilitating the upward migration of invasive plant species into previously inhospitable alpine zones. To account for the...

The Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is a large arboreal rodent endemic to the Indian subcontinent. The present study was conducted to assess the parameters contributing to the nesting tree selection by the species in the moist deciduous forests of Bondla Zoological Park, Goa, India. We achieved our objective by modelling the presence/absence of a squirrel nest on a tree against ten variables selected through field observations and literature review. The measured variables were tree height, tree species, vegetation type, tree girth at breast height, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, canopy cover, presence of climbers, presence of parasitic plants, and canopy continuity. Our analysis indicated that all measured variables influenced the selection of a nesting tree by R. indica. The results of this study can aid in the development and implementation of conservation and management policies for this species in similar habitats within and outside the confinements of protected areas of the state.

In the geosciences, field measurements are key sources of data, alongside more traditional laboratory experiments. Regardless of the data’s source, pursuitworthiness is arguably not just a question of the intrinsic merit of the knowledge produced, but also the value of that knowledge in light of limited resources (e.g., time, money, and labor). There is a long tradition of research on this issue in the geosciences, going back to the work of the pragmatist philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. Motivated by his work as a government-funded geoscientist, Peirce developed a highly original theory of the “economy of research.” In this paper, we argue that Peirce’s views have been largely misunderstood, and offer an alternative interpretation of Peirce’s economy of research as an account of the pursuitworthiness of data. We argue that Peirce’s account is a forerunner of a current sophisticated data collection program in the geosciences, called targeted observation (or adaptive sampling), which is used to evaluate the pursuitworthiness of various possible measurements, experiments, or observations. We conclude by applying Peirce’s philosophical insights to assess the promise and limitations of targeted-observation programs in the geosciences today.