To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular response to graded hypoxia, Wei Wang's team at Nanjing University, developed a quantitative regulatory network model of HIF-1α. By integrating dynamic simulations, bifurcation analysis, mechanistic prediction, and functional validation, the study systematically revealed that HIF-1α activation is a progressive process. This activation is primarily governed by the sequential inactivation of two classes of hydroxylases—prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH)—which orchestrate tiered cellular adaptive responses.

Groundwater input to coral reefs directly affects water chemistry and triggers a cascade of changes in the coastal ecosystem, according to a new study led by University of Hawaiʻi (UH) at Mānoa oceanographers. Freshwater from land that flows into the ocean beneath the sea surface, termed submarine groundwater discharge, was found to increase nutrient availability, change acidity of the seawater, and impact the process by which corals build their skeletons. This research, published recently in Ecological Monographs, provides critical insights into the complex interactions between the land and ocean

Prof. XU Shutao from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the team of Prof. WANG Meng and Prof. MA Ding from Peking University, developed a solid-state NMR technology to characterize the separation and recycling processes of real-life plastic waste mixtures.

Just the word “quantum” can make even seasoned science teachers break into a sweat. But a national pilot program led by The University of Texas at Arlington is helping take the mystery out of the subject for students and educators alike. This week, 50 high school students and science teachers gathered at Arlington Martin High School to dive into the topic through Quantum for All, a program launched by Karen Jo Matsler, a professor of practice and master teacher in UT Arlington’s UTeach program. 

The new issue of Optica Quantum is available. A Gold Open Access journal from Optica Publishing Group, Optica Quantum provides a home for high-impact research in quantum information science and technology enabled by optics and photonics.

Scientists at USC and Caltech, in collaboration with startup company Calcarea, have developed a promising shipboard system that could remove up to half of carbon dioxide emitted from shipping vessels by converting it into an ocean-safe solution.

Mamyshev oscillators (MOs) can emit high energy pulses using a laser generation technique known as harmonic mode-locking (HML). While MO employing HML has several advanced applications in varied fields, the physics behind their operation is not well-understood. In a recent breakthrough, researchers have examined the light buildup dynamics inside a MO. They found that this process is distinct from conventional pulse splitting effect, widely thought to underlie laser emission in MOs.