Lake sturgeon thriving in Coosa River

Reintroduced sturgeon are reproducing on their own, marking a milestone for repopulation effort

University of Georgia

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Lake sturgeon were once abundant in Georgia’s Coosa River before disappearing altogether. Now, an initiative to bring them back is showing major progress, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.

The lake sturgeon’s lineage can be traced back millions of years, all the way to the time of the dinosaurs. But due to a mix of pollution and overfishing, they were completely wiped out in the Coosa River.

In 2002, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources began a project to bring these ancient fish back. Every year, eggs from lake sturgeon in Wisconsin were brought to Georgia before being hatched and released into the Coosa River.

UGA researchers were tasked with monitoring the project’s progress, conducting an intensive netting study to capture and tag as many fish as possible.

“There was kind of a big question mark as to whether fish with the genetics of fish from up north would survive,” said Martin Hamel, lead author of the study and an associate professor in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “And even if they did survive, would they be able to reproduce on their own and have a self-sustaining population?”

The scientists now believe they have the answer.

“Not only are these fish surviving, but we’re showing evidence that they are capable of reproducing and that the young are able to survive on their own.”

Lake sturgeon continued hatching even when stocking stopped

The goal of the reintroduction project was to have the lake sturgeon reproduce without the aid of stocking, but measuring progress had its challenges. On average, male lake sturgeon don’t reach maturity until they’re 13 to 15 years old. Females take even longer to mature.

That means it takes a long time for lake sturgeon to reproduce. The annual stocking of the Coosa River makes it even more difficult to determine if lake sturgeon are procreating on their own.

But in 2020, stocking halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It doesn’t necessarily mean that the population has recovered, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

—Martin Hamel, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

In 2022 and 2023, UGA researchers sampled sections of lake sturgeons’ fins to estimate the fishes’ ages and gauge the progress of the reintroduction project. The age of some lake sturgeon suggested that they were hatched in 2020 – a year with no stocking. This was an unexpected outcome that would have never been observed without the disruption from the pandemic.

“That was kind of the smoking gun for confirming that these fish were reproducing in the wild on their own, which really is a huge benchmark for recovery,” said Hamel. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that the population has recovered, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

Researchers plan to continue monitoring sturgeon recovery

The researchers plan to revisit this method in a few years to see if natural reproduction is still taking place. For Hamel, it’s critical that these fish be saved.

“They’re really kind of a charismatic, unique fish, and they’ve been around for a really long time. They’re an integral part of the aquatic ecosystem,” said Hamel. “I feel privileged to be able to study them in areas where they were historically found and, for this particular project, being able to repopulate this previously lost population.”

The study was published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management and co-authored by Matthew Phillips, Savannah Perry, Brian Irwin and John Damer.

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Journal

North American Journal of Fisheries Management

DOI

10.1093/najfmt/vqaf037 

Article Title

First evidence of natural reproduction and recruitment of reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River, Georgia

 

RNA immunity: A silent defender against viruses in mammals

Nanjing University School of Life Sciences

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RNA immunity is a defense system against viruses, including the cross-species regulation of exogenous miRNAs and the endogenous RNA-based immune system. 

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Credit: Figure created by Zheng Fu with BioRender.com.

Mammalian immunity has long been thought to rely solely on proteins and specialized immune cells. However, a newly proposed concept—RNA immunity—is reshaping this perspective. In a recent publication in Science Bulletin, the research team from Nanjing University presents that small RNA molecules play a direct and specific role in fighting viral infections in mammals, acting alongside and independent of conventional immune responses. In contrast to the protein-based innate and adaptive immune systems, which depend on pattern recognition receptors, antibodies, and immune memory, RNA immunity relies on the base-pairing precision of small RNA fragments, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), to recognize and suppress viral genetic material.  While such systems are well-documented in lower species, the new review challenges the notion that mammals have abandoned RNA-based antiviral mechanisms. The authors compile extensive experimental and computational findings indicating that both endogenous RNA molecules produced by human cells and exogenous small RNAs derived from plants can bind directly to viral RNA sequences and inhibit viral replication.

 

 

Key highlights of the review include:

(1) Dual Layer RNA Defenses: Endogenous and Dietary Small RNAs Against Viruses

Evidence for the RNA immunity system has emerged abundantly from recent studies on SARS-CoV-2. Endogenous human miRNAs have been shown to target and suppress the expression of viral genes, with measurable effects observed in both cell culture systems and clinical patient samples. These miRNAs are produced intrinsically by host cells and can be rapidly mobilized in response to viral infection, enabling a broad-spectrum and immediate antiviral response. In this sense, endogenous RNA immunity closely parallels innate immunity—it is pre-existing, fast-acting, and capable of recognizing a wide array of viral targets through sequence complementarity. Exogenous small RNAs, such as plant-derived MIR2911 from honeysuckle, can enter the bloodstream after oral intake, travel via extracellular vesicles, and directly suppress viral gene expression. Clinical studies have shown that MIR2911 lowers SARS-CoV-2 viral load in patients. This form of RNA-based defense, acquired from external sources, resembles adaptive immunity and complements the endogenous RNA system, together forming a multilayered antiviral network with promising therapeutic potential.

(2)Decentralized Defense: A Cellular Blockchain Against Infection

Unlike the protein-dominated arms of immunity, RNA immunity is not restricted to immune cells. Much like the decentralized structure of blockchain technology underlying Bitcoin, where every node in the network contributes to verifying and securing transactions, every mammalian cell has the capacity to generate and release small RNAs that participate in antiviral defense—either directly or by sending them out in extracellular vesicles. This distributed and autonomous response system ensures that immunity is not solely reliant on a central authority like specialized immune organs or cells, but rather mobilizes the entire cellular network to recognize and neutralize viral threats. This architectural flexibility allows RNA immunity to be faster, more resilient to system failures, and capable of scaling up quickly—offering strategic advantages in the early stages of infection: it can act earlier than traditional immunity, respond more flexibly to viral mutations, and minimize off-target effects thanks to the specificity of nucleotide pairing.

(3) The Viral Counterstrike: A Molecular Arms Race Unfolding

Furthermore, the dynamic nature of RNA immunity is underscored by the fact that some RNA viruses have evolved their own small RNAs and suppressor proteins to evade or inhibit host RNA-based defenses, highlighting a coevolutionary arms race similar to that seen in protein-based immunity. Notably, virus-derived small RNAs have been identified in patient tissues and circulation system even before clinical symptoms emerge, which may actively modulate host cellular pathways and immune responses, functioning as regulatory elements that resemble antigens in their ability to trigger specific host reactions. Their presence in circulation before symptom onset suggests they may play an early and strategic role in shaping the trajectory of infection.

 

By naming and characterizing RNA immunity, the review highlights a previously underappreciated layer of host defender—one that is ancient in origin yet active and adaptable in humans today. Understanding and harnessing this RNA-based system may open new avenues in antiviral therapy, vaccine design, and cross-kingdom communication research.

 

The authors of this work include Zheng Fu, Liang Li, Yanbo Wang, Xin Yin, Xi Chen, Chao Yan, Chen-Yu Zhang of State Key Laboratory of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Center of Molecular Diagnostic and Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, NJU Advanced Institute of Life Sciences (NAILS), School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; and Dangsheng Li of Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.

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Journal

Science Bulletin

DOI

10.1016/j.scib.2025.07.024 

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

RNA immunity: an ancient defense mechanism preserved in mammalian cells

 

480 macrofungal species discovered in southeast Xizang, China: 8 new species, 115 edible, and 53 poisonous fungi

Tsinghua University Press

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The research group of fungal diversity and molecular evolution at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted in-depth research on more than 1,600 samples of macrofungi collected from 2019 to 2024 by means of species identification combining morphology and molecular systematics. The results showed that there were 480 species of macrofungi in this area, covering 7 classes, 17 orders, 67 families, and 158 genera of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, and 8 new species were described.

 

Fungal diversity patterns revealed taxonomic dominance at both family and genus levels. Among the 67 documented families, 15 were dominant (≥10 species each), collectively representing 22.39% of families and 64.58% of all species. Russulaceae was the most species-rich (79 species), followed by Agaricaceae (25), Cortinariaceae (25), Boletaceae (21), Inocybaceae (18), Hymenogastraceae (17), and Omphalotaceae (17). At the genus level, 23 of 158 genera (14.56%) contained ≥ 5 species each, accounting for 55.21% of total species diversity. Nine genera with more than 10 species were Lactarius (39), Russula (35), Cortinarius (25), Amanita (15), Entoloma (14), Inocybe (13), Mycena (12), Gymnopus (11), and Laccaria (11).

 

This study identified 480 fungal taxa. Within this assemblage, 115 edible (23.96%), 15 medicinal (3.13%), and 53 poisonous species (11.04%) were cataloged. Notable edible species included Tricholoma matsutake, Cantharellus cibarius, Cortinarius emodensis, Lactarius deliciosus, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus abieticola, and Ramaria pallida, etc. Eight species served dual purposes as both edible and medicinal fungi: Cordyceps militaris, Hericium erinaceus, Hericium rajendrae, Megacollybia clitocyboidea, Naematelia aurantialba, Pholiota spumosa, Sarcodon imbricatus, and Schizophyllum commune. Common poisonous fungi comprised Amanita altipes, Amanita liquii, Clitocybe phyllophila, Coprinopsis atramentaria, Cortinarius subsanguineus, Galerina marginata, Hypholoma fasciculare, Leccinum scabrum, Paragyromitra infula, and Russula emetica.

 

This study not only provides important data support for global biodiversity protection, but also helps to formulate more scientific and reasonable protection strategies. In addition, some species found in the study show remarkable economic value and medicinal potential, which opens up new possibilities for the development and utilization of biological resources. This study not only enriches our understanding of the ecosystem in southeast Xizang, but also provides a solid foundation for biodiversity protection and resource utilization in the future.

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Journal

Mycology: An International Journal on Fungal Biology

DOI

10.1080/21501203.2025.2525864 

Article Title

Diversity of macrofungi in southeast Xizang, China 2

 

New study on hope among U.S. youth reveals key to safer schools this fall

Florida Atlantic University

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A new study shows that hope is a powerful protective force for adolescents against bullying and cyberbullying.

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Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University

Given the current youth mental health crisis in the United States, many adolescents report experiencing low levels of hope – a longstanding concern that is even more pressing as the new school year begins. Substantial research over decades has established that higher levels of hope are linked with greater academic achievement, as well as improved emotional and physical health.

Now, a new study shows that hope does even more: it acts as a powerful protective force in the lives of children, helping to reduce both bullying and cyberbullying.

The study by Florida Atlantic University, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, surveyed a nationally representative group of more than 5,500 students in the U.S. aged 12 to 17. A key group of 2,472 students completed the Children’s Hope Scale, a brief assessment that measures two core components of hope: agency and pathways.

Agency reflects a child’s belief in reaching goals, while pathways measures their ability to find ways to do so. Students rated statements like “I think I am doing pretty well” and “I can think of many ways to get the things important to me,” from “none of the time” to “all of the time.” Responses were combined into a hope score from 0 to 30, with higher scores showing greater levels of hope.

Results, published in the journal Frontiers in Sociology, show that students with less hope were 56% more likely to cyberbully others than their peers over their lifetime, and 57% more likely over the last 30 days. Those with more hope were 36% less likely to cyberbully others over their lifetime and over the last 30 days when compared to their peers with lower levels of hope. The key takeaway? Hope matters. It buffers against the urge to aggress against others online and off.

“Hope acts as a powerful protective factor against both school bullying and cyberbullying among youth,” said Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D., lead author, a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, and a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University. “When young people believe in their ability to set meaningful goals and stay motivated to reach them, they are far less likely to lash out or harm others. Hope gives them a sense of direction – and that can make all the difference.”

Strengthening hope could therefore be a powerful strategy in preventing bullying, by helping young people build resilience, maintain self-control, and invest in their futures instead of harming others in the present. This insight opens important pathways for educators, parents and policymakers to support youth development in more hopeful, constructive ways.

“When youth struggle to imagine a positive future for themselves or lack confidence in their ability to achieve meaningful goals, they may become frustrated and more prone to acting out aggressively,” said Hinduja. “This lack of hope undermines their motivation to pursue positive outcomes and weakens the internal controls that usually guide behavior. Without these guiding forces, their willingness to harm others – whether face-to-face or online – increases.”

However, schools in the U.S. don’t often focus on teaching hope and similar “soft” skills, mostly because they lack the resources and know-how. Hinduja and co-author Justin Patchin, Ph.D., a professor of criminal justice, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, say that this is a missed opportunity because research shows that building social and emotional skills like hope can improve attendance, grades, wellbeing and more.

“Teaching hope isn’t just a feel-good initiative; it’s a practical, evidence-based way to help young people thrive,” said Hinduja. 

The researchers suggest hope can be meaningfully strengthened through brief, practical interventions – making it a realistic and powerful tool for educators and counselors. Even short sessions, such as one-on-one counseling, scenario-based activities, or small group work, can help students build hope by encouraging goal setting, problem-solving and motivation.

One effective method is hope therapy, a structured approach that guides youth to set meaningful goals, identify ways to reach them, and stay motivated along the way. Whether delivered individually or in group settings, this approach helps students develop a clearer sense of purpose and direction. Assigning students – especially those who have bullied others – positive, purposeful roles where they can contribute also can redirect their behavior in constructive ways.

“I have long believed in the power of positive youth development and our research reinforces that,” said Hinduja. “Hope doesn’t just make kids feel better – it can actually reduce the likelihood of them victimizing others. We need to prioritize hope-building whether through individual mentoring, group programs or school-wide initiatives. Intentionally fostering hope is incredibly important – not just to reducing bullying and cyberbullying, but also promoting healthier, happier and higher-achieving children.”

- FAU -

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, Florida Atlantic serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the Southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, Florida Atlantic embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. Florida Atlantic is designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report, and holds the designation of “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Florida Atlantic shares this status with less than 5% of the nearly 4,000 universities in the United States. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

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Journal

Frontiers in Sociology

DOI

10.3389/fsoc.2025.1576372 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The role of hope in bullying and cyberbullying prevention

 

Vitamin D during pregnancy may play a role in children’s cognitive development, ECHO study suggests

Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes

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About ECHO
The ECHO Cohort Consortium is a research program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO Cohort investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

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Credit: Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes

Higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy may be linked to better scores on cognitive tests, according to a new study by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort.

Researchers found that children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels while pregnant tended to perform better on cognitive tests assessing skills like problem-solving and processing new information at ages 7 to 12. However, vitamin D levels were not linked to skills based on learned knowledge, such as vocabulary. The association appeared strongest among children of Black mothers, and vitamin D levels measured earlier in pregnancy seemed most important for children’s brain development. Black people often have lower vitamin D levels because their skin has more pigment, which makes it harder for the skin to produce vitamin D from sunlight.

“Our study provides important new evidence that early pregnancy may be a critical period when vitamin D has the greatest potential to support cognitive development, said Melissa M. Melough, PhD, RD of the University of Delaware, Newark. “This highlights a key opportunity for clinicians to enhance screening and support for vitamin D supplementation before and during pregnancy. “

Vitamin D deficiency is common during pregnancy and has been linked to early brain development, but few studies have examined whether these effects continue into later childhood or differ by racial group. The researchers emphasize that while these findings add to growing evidence on the role of vitamin D in pregnancy, further studies are needed to determine the optimal dose and timing of supplementation to support cognitive development.

This collaborative research was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

About ECHO
The ECHO Cohort Consortium is a research program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO Cohort investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

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Journal

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Gestational vitamin D concentration and child cognitive development: a longitudinal cohort study in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program

Article Publication Date

1-Aug-2025

 

Climate change is altering nitrogen composition in Arctic rivers, study finds

Research shows shifting composition threatens marine ecosystems and highlights water quality impacts of global warming

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

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Climate change is starving the Arctic Ocean of essential nutrients, with the region's six largest rivers now delivering far less of the type of nitrogen that marine ecosystems need to survive, according to new research in one of Earth's most vulnerable regions.

The study, led by Bridger J. Ruyle of NYU Tandon School of Engineering, is published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, where it has been selected as an Editor's Choice. Ruyle completed the research as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

The study found that warming temperatures and thawing permafrost are fundamentally altering the chemistry of Arctic rivers. The result is that coastal food webs that have sustained Indigenous communities for millennia are being deprived of inorganic nitrogen, an essential nutrient, potentially triggering cascading effects throughout the Arctic Ocean ecosystem.

"This is a red flag for the Arctic," said Ruyle, who joined NYU Tandon in the summer of 2025 as an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Urban Engineering Department. "Rapid changes in river nitrogen chemistry could completely transform how these marine ecosystems function."

The research analyzed 20 years of data from six major Arctic rivers — the Yenisey, Lena, Ob', Mackenzie, Yukon, and Kolyma — which collectively drain two-thirds of the land area flowing into the Arctic Ocean. These rivers transport nitrogen that supports up to 66% of the ecosystem's primary production in coastal Arctic regions.

Between 2003 and 2023, Ruyle and colleagues documented declines in inorganic nitrogen accompanied by simultaneous increases in dissolved organic nitrogen, a far less bioavailable form of the element, in four of the six rivers. The findings reveal that warmer temperatures and increased precipitation caused by climate change are driving the shift in nitrogen composition through their effects on river discharge and permafrost thaw.

Using sophisticated statistical modeling, the researchers identified permafrost loss as the key factor explaining the diverging trends between organic and inorganic nitrogen in these rivers. The study combined 20 years of water chemistry data with environmental variables including temperature, precipitation, land cover, and permafrost extent to pinpoint the climate drivers behind the chemical shifts.

This Arctic rivers research represents Ruyle's broader research mission to understand how human activity, climate change, and natural processes interact to affect water quality globally. Among other areas of focus, his work includes tracking "forever chemicals" and pharmaceuticals in wastewater.

"Whether we're looking at PFAS contamination in drinking water or nitrogen cycling in Arctic rivers, the common thread is understanding how environmental changes propagate through water systems," Ruyle explained. His research explores how human activity, the biosphere, and climate change affect water quality, with particular focus on developing analytical tools to quantify chemical contamination and developing models using remote sensing data to assess climate impacts.

The Arctic findings have implications for ecosystem management and climate adaptation strategies. River transport of nitrogen is estimated to support up to 66% of primary production in Arctic coastal regions, making these compositional changes important for marine food webs and the Indigenous communities that depend on these resources.

The research also highlights the interconnected nature of global environmental challenges. As Ruyle noted in previous work on pharmaceutical contamination, climate-driven water scarcity could exacerbate water quality problems, as there's less dilution of contaminants during drought conditions. The Arctic study similarly shows how temperature and precipitation changes cascade through complex biogeochemical systems, resulting in water quality and ecosystem impacts

"This work demonstrates why we need to think about water quality and climate change as fundamentally linked challenges," Ruyle said. " As climate change intensifies, we must understand these interconnections to protect both human health and ecosystem integrity."

Along with Ruyle, the paper's authors are Julian Merder of the University of Canterbury, New Zealand; Robert G.M. Spencer of Florida State University; James W. McClelland of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole; Suzanne E. Tank of the University of Alberta; and Anna M. Michalak of Carnegie Institution for Science.

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation through grants for the Arctic Great Rivers Observatory.

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Journal

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

DOI

10.1029/2025GB008639 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Changes in the Composition of Nitrogen Yields in Large Arctic Rivers Linked to Temperature and Precipitation