Density-dependent network structuring within and across wild animal systems.

Theory predicts that high population density leads to more strongly connected spatial and social networks, but how local density drives individuals' positions within their networks is unclear. This gap reduces our ability to understand and predict density-dependent processes. Here we show that density drives greater network connectedness at the scale of individuals within wild animal populations.

A Journey between Neurons and Astrocytes: A Tribute to Giorgio Carmignoto.

The intimate relation between astrocytes and blood vessels was proposed by Camillo Golgi in 1870. Santiago Ramon y Cajal subsequently introduced the idea of astrocytes as regulators of functional hyperaemia accompanying neuronal activity in 1895. In 2003 Giorgio Carmignoto, Micaela Zonta, Tullio Pozzan and their colleagues revealed mechanisms of astrocytic control over vasodilatation.

Household air pollution exposure in adult women is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness: A cross-sectional study of the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network trial.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, disproportionately affecting people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Biomass fuels used for cooking in LMICs contribute significantly to household air pollution (HAP), which has been associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and other pathways linked to atherosclerosis. We evaluate the association between HAP exposure and atherosclerosis by use of carotid artery ultrasound.

Constitutive metabolomic profile of a transgressive segregant of rice with superior salinity tolerance potentials due to unique morphological features and well-modulated growth.

Understanding the nature of non-parental phenotypes created by transgressive segregation is important in creating novel genetic recombinants that can withstand different environmental conditions for crop production. FL510, a transgressive salinity-tolerant rice genotype from a cross between IR29 (salt-sensitive) and Pokkali (salt-tolerant), has tolerance mechanisms active under control conditions and improves survival upon the onset of salinity. This study compares normal-state metabolomes and lipidomes of FL510 with its parents.

Waterbody connectivity: Linking science and policy for improved waterbody protection.

Connectivity-the flows and exchanges of organisms, materials, and energy within and among watersheds-is a central paradigm in ecosystem science. Changes in those connections have consequences for ecosystem functioning and water quality downstream and upstream. Therefore, connectivity is a cornerstone for federal water protection under the United States Clean Water Act (CWA).

Ex situ reared black-footed ferrets exhibit altered sperm DNA methylation.

Many endangered species rely on ex situ management for survival when external threats exist on the landscape. Yet ex situ settings pose challenges through space limitation, altered environment, and diet. This can lead to environmentally-determined inbreeding depression, where ex situ animals exhibit reduced reproductive fitness compared to their in situ counterparts, despite originating from the same genetic stock.

The long reach of Hermann J. Muller: How Muller influenced the development and content of secondary school biology curricula.

The Cold War provided incentive for radiation geneticists from the United States (U.S.) to offer guidance on scientific/public health issues.

Engaging Councillors to Address Structural and Social Drivers of HIV Infections in Blantyre City: A Formative Study.

Background: Blantyre city is among the jurisdictions in Malawi with the highest rates of people living with HIV and new HIV infections, driven by numerous structural factors. The Malawi National AIDS Commission hypothesized that local elected officials may be uniquely positioned to understand and address structural drivers of HIV infection in their communities. However, these leaders have been disengaged in HIV prevention efforts over time.

Comparative Embryology and Transcriptomics of Asellus infernus, an Isopod Crustacean From Sulfidic Groundwater.

Sulfidic caves are harsh and extreme environments characterized by limited oxygen, low pH, and the presence of hydrogen sulfide. Amazingly, animals can live in sulfidic caves, one such animal being Asellus infernus, a representative of the Asellus aquaticus species complex, originating from Movile Cave and from old wells that represent windows of access to a sulfidic groundwater ecosystem located in southeast Romania. Little previous work has been done on lab-reared populations of A.

Seasonal contact and migration structure mass epidemics and inform outbreak preparedness in a vulnerable marine mammal.

Infectious diseases have detrimental impacts across wildlife taxa. Despite this, we often lack information on the complex spatial and contact structures of host populations, reducing our ability to understand disease spread and our preparedness for epidemic response. This is also prevalent in the marine environment, where rapid habitat changes due to anthropogenic disturbances and human-induced climate change are heightening the vulnerability of marine species to disease.

Findings from a disease prioritization and tabletop exercise to evaluate transboundary One Health capacities between Jordan and Iraq.

Background: The One Health Systems Transboundary Assessment for Priority Zoonoses (OHTAPZ) tool was developed to address the need for a multisectoral approach in assessing transboundary zoonotic disease threats within and across shared land borders. This study sought to implement recommendations from the tool's initial pilot and revise it for further application.

Methods: This revised methodology included an expanded stakeholder identification process in Phase 1, an interactive tabletop exercise for assessment in Phase 2, and a partner-led strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis in Phase 3.

Associations between Fecal Contamination of the Household Environment and Enteric Pathogen Detection in Children Living in Maputo, Mozambique.

Environmental exposure to enteric pathogens is generally assessed using fecal indicators but relationships between markers of fecal contamination and actual exposure to enteric pathogens remain poorly characterized. We investigated whether and two human fecal markers (HF183 and Mnif) in urban Mozambican household soil and drinking water were associated with detection of eight bacteria, three viruses, and three protozoa measured by multiplex reverse-transcription PCR and soil transmitted helminths assessed by microscopy in stool samples from children. We used mixed-effects logistic regression with marginal standardization to obtain a pooled estimate of the overall indicator-pathogen relationship while simultaneously estimating pathogen-specific associations that accounted for assessing multiple pathogens per sample.

Pathways to an Intergovernmental Panel on Pandemics: lessons from the IPCC and IPBES.

Pandemics pose a global threat to human wellbeing, justice, economies, and ecosystems and are comparable with other planetary crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss in terms of urgency and impact. The global community would benefit from a dedicated scientific synthesis body to assess pandemic risks and solutions. In this Personal View, we explore proposals for an Intergovernmental Panel on Pandemics and assess potential pathways to its creation.

Tracking conditioned fear in pair-housed mice using deep learning and real-time cue delivery.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex and prevalent neuropsychiatric condition that arises in response to exposure to a traumatic event. A common diagnostic criterion for PTSD includes heightened physiological reactivity to trauma-related sensory cues, in safe or familiar environments. Understanding complex PTSD criteria requires new pre-clinical paradigms and technologies that integrate sensory physiology (e.

Otolaryngology Residents' Perceptions of Pregnancy and Parental Leave During Training.

Objective: To evaluate the experiences and perspectives of otolaryngology residents regarding current parental leave (PL) practices, incorporating insights from both male and female trainees to assess institutional policies and support mechanisms.

Methods: A 43-item anonymous survey was distributed to 125 ACGME-accredited otolaryngology residency programs, yielding responses from 105 residents (response rate: 29%). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to evaluate perceptions of PL policies, barriers to leave, and postpartum support.

A biphasic trajectory for maize stalk mechanics shaped by genetic, environmental, and biotic factors.

Stalk mechanical properties impact plant stability and interactions with pathogenic microorganisms. The evaluation of stalk mechanics has focused primarily on the end-of-season outcomes and defined differences among inbred and hybrid maize genotypes. However, there is a gap in understanding how these different end-of-season outcomes are achieved.

Scholarly Success of Orthopaedic Surgeons Participating in Traveling Fellowships.

Background: Orthopaedic traveling fellowship programs provide surgeons with valuable opportunities for professional growth and specialized learning. However, there has been limited research on the impact of such programs on scholarly success and career advancement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the demographic, academic, and scholarly outcomes of traveling fellowship participants.

Comprehensive overview of the complex gut microbiota-miRNA crosstalk in immunocompromised pediatric patients.

Immunocompromised pediatric patients, particularly those diagnosed with leukemia, often experience immune suppression due to prolonged use of immunosuppressive medication and chemotherapy. Consequently, these patients are highly vulnerable to infections caused by both pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. To prevent such infections, antibiotics and antifungals are routinely administered as prophylactic treatments.

Alternatively activated monocyte-derived myeloid cells promote extracellular pathogen persistence within pulmonary fungal granulomas.

Inhaled fungal pathogens often generate granuloma-contained latent infections that can reactivate to cause invasive disease. However, the mechanisms underlying the inability to generate sterilizing immunity against latent infection remains poorly understood. Here, we leveraged spatial transcriptomics and flow cytometry to characterize the immune dynamics and cellular architecture of cryptococcal granulomas.

Population genomics of a sailing siphonophore reveals genetic structure in the open ocean.

The open ocean is a vast, highly connected environment, and the organisms found there have been hypothesized to represent massive, well-mixed populations. Of these, the man-o'-war or bluebottle (Physalia) is uniquely suited to long-distance travel, using its gas-filled float and muscular crest to catch the wind and sail the sea surface. We tested the hypothesis of a global, panmictic Physalia population by sequencing whole genomes of 151 samples and found five distinct lineages, with multiple lines of evidence indicating strong reproductive isolation, despite range overlap.

Environmental and geographical factors influence malaria transmission in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

The malaria burden remains largely concentrated in sub- Saharan Africa. South Africa, a country within this region, has made significant progress toward malaria elimination. However, malaria continues to be endemic in three of its nine provinces: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which are located in the northern part of the country and share borders with Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Prebiotics in animal nutrition: Harnessing agro-industrial waste for improved gut health and performance.

This review provides an overview of the current research on prebiotics and their applications in animal nutrition and health. Various types of prebiotics are introduced and classified, with an analysis of agro-industrial residues as sources. The potential of prebiotics as substrates for the growth and/or activity of probiotic microorganisms, as well as their applications in animal feeds, were examined.

Metabolism and Growth Preferences in Physiologically Relevant Skin-like Conditions.

Unlabelled: is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant yeast with high capacity of skin colonization in healthcare settings, which can lead to subsequent infections with high mortality rates. Given the recent emergence of at least four distinct clades at the global scale, little remains known about how is so adept at growing on skin and the key genes and pathways it utilizes to metabolize the scarce nutrients available. Here, we identify the roles that conventional and alternative carbon metabolism genes and metabolic pathways have in facilitating growth through laboratory-based experiments and bioinformatics analyses.

Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets.

The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals but no clear pathway for how zero loss of important biodiversity areas and halting human-induced extinction of threatened species will be achieved. We assembled a multi-taxa tracking dataset (11 million geopositions from 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species) to provide a global assessment of space use of highly mobile marine megafauna, showing that 63% of the area that they cover is used 80% of the time as important migratory corridors or residence areas. The GBF 30% threshold (Target 3) will be insufficient for marine megafauna's effective conservation, leaving important areas exposed to major anthropogenic threats.