Analysis of 309 strains collected in eight countries indicates that the genus Escovopsis emerged 56.9 million years ago, but only began interacting with today’s mutualistic ants 38 million years ago, challenging the theory that they all emerged at the same time.

The Florida Museum of Natural History recently published “The Butterflies of California,” an online book that contains a history of butterfly collection and research in California, sections on the state’s geology, climate and plant communities, and detailed accounts of nearly 200 species and more than 400 subspecies.
 

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have attracted significant attention as sustainable energy technologies due to their efficient energy conversion and fuel flexibility. However, several challenges remain, such as low catalytic activity of fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA), insufficient mass transfer performance, and performance degradation caused by catalyst deactivation over long period of operation. These issues are especially significant at high current densities, limiting both efficiency and operational lifespan. Mesoporous carbon materials, characterized by a high specific surface area, tunable pore structure, and excellent electrical conductivity, are emerging as crucial components for enhancing power density, mass transfer efficiency, and durability of PEMFCs. This review first discusses the properties and advantages of mesoporous carbon and outlines various synthetic strategies, including hard template, soft template, and template-free approaches. It then comprehensively examines the applications of mesoporous carbon in PEMFCs, focusing on their effects on the catalyst and gas diffusion layer. Finally, it concludes with future perspectives, emphasizing the need for further research to fully exploit the potential of mesoporous carbon in PEMFCs.

A research group led by Drs. Shusuke Tada and Takashi Tsuyama at the Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, has demonstrated that overexpression of Cdc10-dependent transcript 1 (CDT1), a key regulator of DNA replication initiation, induces DNA damage and potentially results in genetic mutations. Although previous studies have linked CDT1 overexpression to cellular transformation and tumorigenesis, the underlying mechanism has remained unclear. The findings not only reveal the impact of CDT1 overexpression on DNA replication progression post initiation but also provide molecular insights into its role in cancer development.

Brain development during the initial years is critical, shaped by both environment and caregiver behaviors. To clarify the causal relationship between maternal psychological distress and neuropsychiatric developmental delays, researchers in Japan analyzed data from over 82,000 mother–child pairs in a large-scale nationwide cohort. They found that distress within 1 year postpartum had stronger effects on the toddler’s neurodevelopment than prenatal distress, emphasizing the importance of continuous maternal mental health support before and after childbirth.