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In this study, we report a biological temperature-sensing electrical regulator in the cytochrome c oxidase of the Devil Worm, Halicephalobus mephisto. This extremophile metazoan was isolated 1.3 km underground in a South African goldmine, where it adapted to heat and potentially to hypoxia, making its mitochondrial sequence a likely target of adaptational change. We obtained the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of this organism and show through dN/dS analysis evidence of positive selection in H. mephisto cytochrome c oxidase subunits. Seventeen of these positively selected amino acid substitutions were located in proximity to the H- and K-pathway proton channels of the complex. Surprisingly, the H. mephisto cytochrome c oxidase completely shuts down at low temperatures (20 °C), leading to a 4.8-fold reduction in the transmembrane proton gradient (ΔΨm) compared to optimal temperature (37 °C). Direct measurement of oxygen consumption found a corresponding 4.6-fold drop at 20 °C compared to 37 °C. Correspondingly, the lifecycle of H. mephisto takes four times longer at low temperature than at higher. This elegant evolutionary adaptation creates a finely-tuned mitochondrial temperature sensor, allowing this ectothermic organism to maximize its reproductive success across varying environmental temperatures. Here, an evolutionary adaptation converting mitochondrial respiration into a thermometer is reported. The adaptive changes center around the proton channels of cytochrome c oxidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an arboreal animal, tree frogs face diverse challenges when landing on perches, including variations in substrate shape, diameter, flexibility, and angular distribution, with potentially significant consequences for failed landings. Research on tree frog landing behavior on perches, especially concerning landing on vertical substrates, remains limited. This study investigated the landing strategies (forelimb, abdomen, and hindlimb) of tree frogs on vertical perches, considering perch diameter. Although all three strategies were observed across perches of different diameters, their frequencies differed. Forelimb landing was most common across all perch diameters, with its frequency increasing with perch diameter, while abdomen and hindlimb landing strategies were more prevalent on smaller diameter perches. During the process from take‐off to landing, the body axis underwent some deviation owing to the asymmetric movement of the left and right limbs; however, these deviations did not significantly differ among landing strategies. Additionally, different landing strategies led to variations in the landing forces, with abdominal landings generating significantly higher impact forces than the other two strategies. These findings provide insights into the biomechanics and biological adaptations of tree frogs when landing on challenging substrates, such as leaves or branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions carry substantial practical and scientific importance and represent natural evolutionary experiments on contemporary timescales. Here, we investigated genomic diversity and environmental adaptation of the crop pest Drosophila suzukii using whole-genome sequencing data and environmental metadata for 29 population samples from its native and invasive range. Through a multifaceted analysis of this population genomic data, we increase our understanding of the D. suzukii genome, its diversity and its evolution, and we identify an appropriate genotype–environment association pipeline for our dataset. Using this approach, we detect genetic signals of local adaptation associated with nine distinct environmental factors related to altitude, wind speed, precipitation, temperature, and human land use. We uncover unique functional signatures for each environmental variable, such as the prevalence of cuticular genes associated with annual precipitation. We also infer biological commonalities in the adaptation to diverse selective pressures, particularly in terms of the apparent contribution of nervous system evolution to enriched processes (ranging from neuron development to circadian behavior) and to top genes associated with all nine environmental variables. Our findings therefore depict a finer-scale adaptive landscape underlying the rapid invasion success of this agronomically important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In physiology education, students must learn to recognize and construct causal explanations. This challenges students, in part, because causal explanations in biology manifest in different varieties. Unlike other natural sciences, causal mechanisms in physiology support physiological functions and reflect biological adaptations. Therefore, students must distinguish between questions that prompt a proximate or an ultimate explanation. In the present investigation, we aimed to determine how these different varieties of student knowledge coordinate within students' written explanations. Prior research in science education demonstrates that students present specific challenges when distinguishing between proximate and ultimate explanations: students appear to conflate the two or construct other nonmechanistic explanations. This investigation, however, demonstrates that analytic frameworks can distinguish between students' proximate and ultimate explanations when they are provided explanatory scaffolds that contextualize questions. Moreover, these scaffolds and prompts help students distinguish between physiological functions and the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underpin them. Together, these findings deliver insight into the context-sensitive nature of student knowledge in physiology education and offer an analytic framework for identifying and characterizing student knowledge in physiology. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Why ask why? How questions posed in physiology task students with developing their mechanistic reasoning. Why questions sometimes undermine this reasoning. Prior research, however, also illustrates that framing the context of a question explicitly supports students in distinguishing between question types. We further illustrate how providing such context in the form of explanatory scaffolds and prompts allows students to tap different and useful varieties of knowledge when constructing written explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are known to dominate adverse ecological conditions due to their diverse adaptations and resilient biological traits, with their immune systems playing a crucial role in this dominance. Traditionally, insects were thought to lack adaptive immune responses due to their inability to produce antibodies and transfer immunity across generations. However, recent research using insects as model organisms has challenged this notion, revealing that prior exposure to sublethal doses of pathogens or pathogen‐derived materials can protect against subsequent lethal exposures—a phenomenon known as ‘immune priming’. Evidence of bacterial, fungal and viral immune priming across different insect species highlights various types of priming, including trans‐stadial (across life stages) and trans‐generational (across generations) priming. Despite differing views on immune priming, its potential applications in agriculture are considerable, especially in biological control, the utilization of beneficial insects and sustainable pest management. This review explores the intricate dynamics of immune priming in insects, comparing it to vertebrate immunity and investigates its mechanisms, potential agricultural applications and future prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of oxygenic photosynthesis is primarily driven by two multiprotein complexes known as photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). PSII facilitates the light-induced reactions of water-splitting and plastoquinone reduction, while PSI functions as the light-driven plastocyanin-ferredoxin oxidoreductase. In contrast to the highly conserved structure of PSII among all oxygen-evolving photosynthetic organisms, the structures of PSI exhibit remarkable variations, especially for photosynthetic organisms that grow in special environments. In this review, we make a concise overview of the recent investigations of PSI from photosynthetic microorganisms including prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae from the perspective of structural biology. All known PSI complexes contain a highly conserved heterodimeric core; however, their pigment compositions and peripheral light-harvesting proteins are substantially flexible. This structural plasticity of PSI reveals the dynamic adaptation to environmental changes for photosynthetic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic synthesis of specific active substances is an important foundation for biological adaptations to various stresses. In this study, we investigated the metabolic response of the medicinal herb Artemisia argyi to UV-B radiation through transcriptome and metabolome analysis. In all tested samples, there were 544 shared differentially expressed genes, most of which were linked to the metabolism of flavonoids and fatty acids. A total of 283 differential metabolites were identified and classified into 10 categories, with flavonoids being the largest category. Through an integrated analysis of genes and metabolites involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, flavonoids were predicted to be critical for the adaptation of A. argyi to UV radiation. The increased plant hormones methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid were considered as key regulatory approaches for catalyzing the large-scale synthesis of flavonoids. We explored this by investigating the flavonoid production of A. argyi grown at different altitudes. It showed that total flavonoid content of A. argyi planted in high-altitude areas was 45% higher than that in low-altitude areas. These findings not only deepen our understanding of flavonoid anabolism and its regulation but also provide a reliable strategy for improving flavonoid content in the genus Artemisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a mapping between the emergent biological properties and the repository of network structures has been of great relevance in systems and synthetic biology. Adaptation is one such biological property of paramount importance that promotes regulation in the presence of environmental disturbances. This paper presents a nonlinear systems theory-driven framework to identify the design principles for perfect adaptation with respect to external disturbances of arbitrary magnitude. Based on the prior information about the network, we frame precise mathematical conditions for adaptation using nonlinear systems theory. We first deduce the mathematical conditions for perfect adaptation for constant input disturbances. Subsequently, we translate these conditions to specific necessary structural requirements for adaptation in networks of small size and then extend to argue that there exist only two classes of architectures for a network of any size that can provide local adaptation in the entire state space, namely, incoherent feed-forward (IFF) structure and negative feedback loop with buffer node (NFB). The additional positiveness constraints further narrow the admissible set of network structures. This also aids in establishing the global asymptotic stability for the steady state given a constant input disturbance. The proposed method does not assume any explicit knowledge of the underlying rate kinetics, barring some minimal assumptions. Finally, we also discuss the infeasibility of certain IFF networks in providing adaptation in the presence of downstream connections. Moreover, we propose a generic and novel algorithm based on non-linear systems theory to unravel the design principles for global adaptation. Detailed and extensive simulation studies corroborate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Understanding limiting factors of phenotypic plasticity is essential given its critical role in shaping biological adaptation and evolution in changing environments. It has been proposed that the pattern of phenotypic correlation could constrain trait plasticity. However, the interplay between phenotypic plasticity and integration has remained contentious.We experimentally simulated climate warming in juveniles of three subalpine tree species by exposing them to three‐year in situ open‐top chambers (OTCs), and then measured functional plasticity of 72 eco‐physiological traits to evaluate whether phenotypic integration constituted an intrinsic constraint to plasticity. We also tested the relationship between the differences in plasticity and maintenance in trait integration.Phenotypic plasticity was positively associated with integration in deciduous tree species under warming. The difference in the plasticity of two paired traits could predict their integration in different environments, where traits displaying more similar plasticity were more likely to be correlated.Our study showed no indication that phenotypic integration constrained plasticity. More importantly, we demonstrated that differential plasticity between traits might result in a notable reorganization of the trait associations, and that warming commonly induced a tighter phenotype. Our study provides new insights into the interplay between phenotypic plasticity and integration in subalpine trees under climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: I outline a unified framework to study the evolution of information across biological and non-biological realms. Will biology, including humans, benefit or suffer from new information developments, including artificial intelligence (AI)? First, are biology and information different? Life is an ordered form that reproduces, with variation, and any ordered arrangement, biological or not, potentially contains information. Ordered forms existed when Earth was just a ball of chemicals, and some chemicals reproduced. So, biological and non-biological information might be components of a unified process, 'PanEvolution' ('Pan-Evo'), based on the same operations for living or non-living entities—innovation, transmission/replication, adaptation, and movement. This can produce separate groups: 'species'. In current panspeciation, biological information—especially in our brains—is moving into its own environment. Harm to biology might be minimal if humans and AI both behave intelligently because vastly different environments are optimal for humans and AI-containing machines. This would be the first speciation-like event involving humans for millennia, but it will not be particularly hostile if humans learn how to evaluate information and cooperate to minimise the effect of both human stupidity and artificial simulated stupidity (ASS—failed AI). Integrated thinking about technological and biological evolution might lead to better developments. Many people wonder whether biology, including humans, will benefit or experience harm from new developments in information such as artificial intelligence (AI). Here, it is proposed that biological and non-biological information might be components of a unified process, 'Panevolution' or 'Pan-Evo', based on four basic operations—innovation, transmission, adaptation, and movement. Pan-Evo contains many types of variable objects, from molecules to ecosystems. Biological innovation includes mutations and behavioural changes; non-biological innovation includes naturally occurring physical innovations and innovation in software. Replication is commonplace in and outside biology, including autocatalytic chemicals and autonomous software replication. Adaptation includes biological selection, autocatalytic chemicals, and 'evolutionary programming', which is used in AI. The extension of biological speciation to non-biological information creates a concept called 'Panspeciation'. Panevolution might benefit or harm biology, but the harm might be minimal if AI and humans behave intelligently because humans and the machines in which an AI resides might split into vastly different environments that suit them. That is a possible example of Panspeciation and would be the first speciation event involving humans for thousands of years. This event will not be particularly hostile to humans if humans learn to evaluate information and cooperate better to minimise both human stupidity and artificial simulated stupidity (ASS—a failure of AI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciliated and non-ciliated mechanosensory cells in invertebrates have intricate cytoskeletal structures that, combined with microtubules, act as a mechanical link between external stimulus and signal processing. As a result, they can perceive forces like touch, cuticle deformation, gravity and sound. Through the expression of antibodies against serotonin (5-HT), calbindin, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and a-smooth muscle actin (aSMA), this research aims to investigate mechanosensory cells in the integument of Lumbricus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) in an evolutionary perspective. In the epidermis, we discovered isolated mechanosensory cells that were immunopositive to every antibody examined. Our findings improve the knowledge and the evolution of annelid sensory biology adding new insights on the sensory signal transduction and help to better understand the morpho-structural adaptations of invertebrate skin on an evolutionary scale and to give more taxonomic data for species distinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic code consists of 61 codons coding for 20 amino acids. These codons are recognized by transfer RNAs (tRNAs) that bind to specific codons during protein synthesis. All organisms utilize less than all 61 possible anticodons due to base pair wobble: the ability to have a mismatch with a codon at its third nucleotide. Previous studies observed a correlation between the tRNA pool of bacteria and the temperature of their respective environments. However, it is unclear if these patterns represent biological adaptations to maintain the efficiency and accuracy of protein synthesis in different environments. A mechanistic mathematical model of mRNA translation is used to quantify the expected elongation rates and error rate for each codon based on an organism's tRNA pool. A comparative analysis across a range of bacteria that accounts for covariance due to shared ancestry is performed to quantify the impact of environmental temperature on the evolution of the tRNA pool. We find that thermophiles generally have more anticodons represented in their tRNA pool than mesophiles or psychrophiles. Based on our model, this increased diversity is expected to lead to increased missense errors. The implications of this for protein evolution in thermophiles are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphid genomic resources enable the study of complex life history traits and provide information on vector biology, host adaption and speciation. The currant–lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri(Hemiptera: Aphididae) (Mosley)) is a cosmopolitan pest of outdoor lettuce (Lactuca sativa (Asterales: Asteraceae) (Linnaeus)). Until recently, the use of resistant cultivars was an effective method for managing N. ribisnigri. A resistant cultivar containing a single gene (Nr‐locus), introduced in the 1980s, conferred complete resistance to feeding. Overreliance of this Nr‐locus in lettuce resulted in N. ribisnigri's ability to break resistance mechanism, with first reports during 2003. Our work attempts to understand which candidate gene(s) are associated with this resistance‐breaking mechanism. We present two de novo draft assembles for N. ribisnigri genomes, corresponding to both avirulent (Nr‐locus susceptible) and virulent (Nr‐locus resistant) biotypes. Changes in gene expression of the two N. ribisnigri biotypes were investigated using transcriptomic analyses of RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) data to understand the potential mechanisms of resistance to the Nr‐locus in lettuce. The draft genome assemblies were 94.2% and 91.4% complete for the avirulent and virulent biotypes, respectively. Out of the 18,872 differentially expressed genes, a single gene/locus was identified in N. ribisnigri that was shared between two resistant‐breaking biotypes. This locus was further explored and validated in Real‐Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR) experiments and has predicted localisations in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. This is the first study to provide evidence that a single gene/locus is likely responsible for the ability of N. ribisnigri to overcome the Nr‐locus resistance in the lettuce host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian clocks, internal mechanisms that generate 24-hour rhythms, play a crucial role in coordinating biological events with day-night cycles. In light-deprived environments such as caves, species, particularly isolated obligatory troglobites, may exhibit evolutionary adaptations in biological rhythms due to light exposure. To explore rhythm expression in these settings, we conducted a comprehensive literature review on invertebrate chronobiology in global subterranean ecosystems, analyzing 44 selected studies out of over 480 identified as of September 2023. These studies revealed significant taxonomic diversity, primarily among terrestrial species like Coleoptera, with research concentrated in the United States, Italy, France, Australia, and Brazil, and a notable gap in African records. Troglobite species displayed a higher incidence of aperiodic behavior, while troglophiles showed a robust association with rhythm expression. Locomotor activity was the most studied aspect (>60%). However, approximately 4% of studies lacked information on periodicity or rhythm asynchrony, and limited research under constant light conditions hindered definitive conclusions. This review underscores the need to expand chronobiological research globally, encompassing diverse geographical regions and taxa, to deepen our understanding of biological rhythms in subterranean species. Such insights are crucial for preserving the resilience of subsurface ecosystems facing threats like climate change and habitat loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS), have significant inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity, with poor response to standard neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Achieving a favorable pathologic response (FPR ≥ 95%) from RT is associated with improved patient outcome. Genomic adjusted radiation dose (GARD), a radiation-specific metric that quantifies the expected RT treatment effect as a function of tumor dose and genomics, proposed that STS is significantly underdosed. STS have significant radiomic heterogeneity, where radiomic habitats can delineate regions of intra-tumoral hypoxia and radioresistance. We designed a novel clinical trial, Habitat Escalated Adaptive Therapy (HEAT), utilizing radiomic habitats to identify areas of radioresistance within the tumor and targeting them with GARD-optimized doses, to improve FPR in high-grade STS. Methods: Phase 2 non-randomized single-arm clinical trial includes non-metastatic, resectable high-grade STS patients. Pre-treatment multiparametric MRIs (mpMRI) delineate three distinct intra-tumoral habitats based on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) sequences. GARD estimates that simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) doses of 70 and 60 Gy in 25 fractions to the highest and intermediate radioresistant habitats, while the remaining volume receives standard 50 Gy, would lead to a > 3 fold FPR increase to 24%. Pre-treatment CT guided biopsies of each habitat along with clip placement will be performed for pathologic evaluation, future genomic studies, and response assessment. An mpMRI taken between weeks two and three of treatment will be used for biological plan adaptation to account for tumor response, in addition to an mpMRI after the completion of radiotherapy in addition to pathologic response, toxicity, radiomic response, disease control, and survival will be evaluated as secondary endpoints. Furthermore, liquid biopsy will be performed with mpMRI for future ancillary studies. Discussion: This is the first clinical trial to test a novel genomic-based RT dose optimization (GARD) and to utilize radiomic habitats to identify and target radioresistance regions, as a strategy to improve the outcome of RT-treated STS patients. Its success could usher in a new phase in radiation oncology, integrating genomic and radiomic insights into clinical practice and trial designs, and may reveal new radiomic and genomic biomarkers, refining personalized treatment strategies for STS. Trial registration: NCT05301283. Trial status: The trial started recruitment on March 17, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasite local adaptation has been a major focus of (co)evolutionary research on host–parasite interactions. Studies of wild host–parasite systems frequently find that parasites paired with local, sympatric host genotypes perform better than parasites paired with allopatric host genotypes. In contrast, there are few such tests in biological control systems to establish whether biological control parasites commonly perform better on sympatric pest genotypes. This knowledge gap prevents the optimal design of biological control programs: strong local adaptation could argue for the use of sympatric parasites to achieve consistent pest control. To address this gap, we tested for local adaptation of the biological control bacterium Pasteuria penetrans to the root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne arenaria, a global threat to a wide range of crops. We measured the probability and intensity of P. penetrans infection on sympatric and allopatric M. arenaria over the course of 4 years. Our design accounted for variation in adaptation across scales by conducting tests within and across fields, and we isolated the signature of parasite adaptation by comparing parasites collected over the course of the growing season. Our results are largely inconsistent with local adaptation of P. penetrans to M. arenaria: in 3 of 4 years, parasites performed similarly well in sympatric and allopatric combinations. In 1 year, however, infection probability was 28% higher for parasites paired with hosts from their sympatric plot, relative to parasites paired with hosts from other plots within the same field. These mixed results argue for population genetic data to characterize the scale of gene flow and genetic divergence in this system. Overall, our findings do not provide strong support for using P. penetrans from local fields to enhance biological control of Meloidogyne. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide and typically tends to manifest at an older age. Marked heterogeneity in time-dependent functional decline in older adults results in varying grades of clinically manifest patient fitness or frailty. The biological age-related adaptations that accompany functional decline have been shown to modulate the non-malignant cells comprising the tumor microenvironment (TME). In the current work, we studied the association between biological age and TME characteristics in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods: We comparatively assessed intratumoral histologic stroma quantity, tumor immune cell infiltrate, and blood leukocyte and thrombocyte count in 72 patients stratified over 3 strata of biological age (younger <70 years, fit older ≥70 years, and frail older adults ≥70 years), as defined by a geriatric assessment. Results: Frailty in older adults was predictive of decreased intratumoral stroma quantity (B = −14.66% stroma, p = 0.022) relative to tumors in chronological-age-matched fit older adults. Moreover, in comparison to younger adults, frail older adults (p = 0.032), but not fit older adults (p = 0.302), demonstrated a lower blood thrombocyte count at the time of diagnosis. Lastly, we found an increased proportion of tumors with a histologic desert TME histotype, comprising low stroma quantity and low immune cell infiltration, in frail older adults. Conclusion: Our results illustrate the stromal-reprogramming effects of biological age and provide a biological underpinning for the clinical relevance of assessing frailty in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, further justifying the need for standardized geriatric assessment in geriatric cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The underrepresentation of human genomic resources from Southern Chinese populations limited their health equality in the precision medicine era and complete understanding of their genetic formation, admixture, and adaptive features. Besides, linguistical and genetic evidence supported the controversial hypothesis of their origin processes. One hotspot case was from the Chinese Guangxi Pinghua Han people (GPH), whose language was significantly similar to Southern Chinese dialects but whose uniparental gene pool was phylogenetically associated with the indigenous Tai-Kadai (TK) people. Here, we analyzed genome-wide SNP data in 619 people from four language families and 56 geographically different populations, in which 261 people from 21 geographically distinct populations were first reported here. Results: We identified significant population stratification among ethnolinguistically diverse Guangxi populations, suggesting their differentiated genetic origin and admixture processes. GPH shared more alleles related to Zhuang than Southern Han Chinese but received more northern ancestry relative to Zhuang. Admixture models and estimates of genetic distances showed that GPH had a close genetic relationship with geographically close TK compared to Northern Han Chinese, supporting their admixture origin hypothesis. Further admixture time and demographic history reconstruction supported GPH was formed via admixture between Northern Han Chinese and Southern TK people. We identified robust signatures associated with lipid metabolisms, such as fatty acid desaturases (FADS) and medically relevant loci associated with Mendelian disorder (GJB2) and complex diseases. We also explored the shared and unique selection signatures of ethnically different but linguistically related Guangxi lineages and found some shared signals related to immune and malaria resistance. Conclusions: Our genetic analysis illuminated the language-related fine-scale genetic structure and provided robust genetic evidence to support the admixture hypothesis that can explain the pattern of observed genetic diversity and formation of GPH. This work presented one comprehensive analysis focused on the population history and demographical adaptative process, which provided genetic evidence for personal health management and disease risk prediction models from Guangxi people. Further large-scale whole-genome sequencing projects would provide the entire landscape of southern Chinese genomic diversity and their contributions to human health and disease traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nighttime object detection is challenging due to dim, uneven lighting. The IIHS research conducted in 2022 shows that pedestrian anti-collision systems are less effective at night. Common solutions utilize costly sensors, such as thermal imaging and LiDAR, aiming for highly accurate detection. Conversely, this study employs a low-cost 2D image approach to address the problem by drawing inspiration from biological dark adaptation mechanisms, simulating functions like pupils and photoreceptor cells. Instead of relying on extensive machine learning with day-to-night image conversions, it focuses on image fusion and gamma correction to train deep neural networks for dark adaptation. This research also involves creating a simulated environment ranging from 0 lux to high brightness, testing the limits of object detection, and offering a high dynamic range testing method. Results indicate that the dark adaptation model developed in this study improves the mean average precision (mAP) by 1.5−6% compared to traditional models. Our model is capable of functioning in both twilight and night, showcasing academic novelty. Future developments could include using virtual light in specific image areas or integrating with smart car lighting to enhance detection accuracy, thereby improving safety for pedestrians and drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth's long-term climate is driven by the cycling of carbon between geologic reservoirs and the atmosphere-ocean system. Our understanding of carbon-climate regulation remains incomplete, with large discrepancies remaining between biogeochemical model predictions and the geologic record. Here, we evaluate the importance of the continuous biological climate adaptation of vegetation as a regulation mechanism in the geologic carbon cycle since the establishment of forest ecosystems. Using a model, we show that the vegetation's speed of adaptation to temperature changes through eco-evolutionary processes can strongly influence global rates of organic carbon burial and silicate weathering. Considering a limited thermal adaptation capacity of the vegetation results in a closer balance of reconstructed carbon fluxes into and out of the atmosphere-ocean system, which is a prerequisite to maintain habitable conditions on Earth's surface on a multimillion-year timescale. We conclude that the long-term carbon-climate system is more sensitive to biological dynamics than previously expected, which may help to explain large shifts in Phanerozoic climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The underrepresentation of Hmong-Mien (HM) people in Asian genomic studies has hindered our comprehensive understanding of the full landscape of their evolutionary history and complex trait architecture. South China is a multi-ethnic region and indigenously settled by ethnolinguistically diverse HM, Austroasiatic (AA), Tai-Kadai (TK), Austronesian (AN), and Sino-Tibetan (ST) people, which is regarded as East Asia's initial cradle of biodiversity. However, previous fragmented genetic studies have only presented a fraction of the landscape of genetic diversity in this region, especially the lack of haplotype-based genomic resources. The deep characterization of demographic history and natural-selection-relevant genetic architecture of HM people was necessary. Results: We reported one HM-specific genomic resource and comprehensively explored the fine-scale genetic structure and adaptative features inferred from the genome-wide SNP data of 440 HM individuals from 33 ethnolinguistic populations, including previously unreported She. We identified solid genetic differentiation between HM people and Han Chinese at 7.64‒15.86 years ago (kya) and split events between southern Chinese inland (Miao/Yao) and coastal (She) HM people in the middle Bronze Age period and the latter obtained more gene flow from Ancient Northern East Asians. Multiple admixture models further confirmed that extensive gene flow from surrounding ST, TK, and AN people entangled in forming the gene pool of Chinese coastal HM people. Genetic findings of isolated shared unique ancestral components based on the sharing alleles and haplotypes deconstructed that HM people from the Yungui Plateau carried the breadth of previously unknown genomic diversity. We identified a direct and recent genetic connection between Chinese inland and Southeast Asian HM people as they shared the most extended identity-by-descent fragments, supporting the long-distance migration hypothesis. Uniparental phylogenetic topology and network-based phylogenetic relationship reconstruction found ancient uniparental founding lineages in southwestern HM people. Finally, the population-specific biological adaptation study identified the shared and differentiated natural selection signatures among inland and coastal HM people associated with physical features and immune functions. The allele frequency spectrum of cancer susceptibility alleles and pharmacogenomic genes showed significant differences between HM and northern Chinese people. Conclusions: Our extensive genetic evidence combined with the historical documents supported the view that ancient HM people originated from the Yungui regions associated with ancient "Three-Miao tribes" descended from the ancient Daxi-Qujialing-Shijiahe people. Then, some have recently migrated rapidly to Southeast Asia, and some have migrated eastward and mixed respectively with Southeast Asian indigenes, Liangzhu-related coastal ancient populations, and incoming southward ST people. Generally, complex population migration, admixture, and adaptation history contributed to the complicated patterns of population structure of geographically diverse HM people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southward expansion of East Asian farmers profoundly influenced the social evolution of Southeast Asia by introducing cereal agriculture. However, the timing and routes of cereal expansion in key regions are unclear due to limited empirical evidence. Here we report macrofossil, microfossil, multiple isotopic (C/N/Sr/O) and paleoproteomic data directly from radiocarbon-dated human samples, which were unearthed from a site in Xingyi in central Yunnan and which date between 7000 and 3300 a BP. Dietary isotopes reveal the earliest arrival of millet ca. 4900 a BP, and greater reliance on plant and animal agriculture was indicated between 3800 and 3300 a BP. The dietary differences between hunter-gatherer and agricultural groups are also evident in the metabolic and immune system proteins analysed from their skeletal remains. The results of paleoproteomic analysis indicate that humans had divergent biological adaptations, with and without farming. The combined application of isotopes, archaeobotanical data and proteomics provides a new approach to documenting dietary and health changes across major subsistence transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable biological and evolutionary adaptations of insects to plants are largely attributed to the powerful chemosensory systems of insects. The tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) is a destructive invasive pest with a global distribution that poses a serious threat to the production of nightshade crops, especially tomatoes. Functional plants can attract or repel insect pests by releasing volatiles that interact with the olfactory system of insects, thereby reducing the damage of insect pests to target crops. However, there is limited research on the interaction between T. absoluta olfactory genes and functional plants. In this study, 97 members of the putative odorant-binding protein (OBP) family have been identified in the whole genome of T. absoluta. Phylogenetic analysis involving various Lepidopteran and Dipteran species, including D. melanogaster, revealed that OBP gene families present conserved clustering patterns. Furthermore, the Plus-C subfamily of OBP showed extremely significant expansion. Moreover, the expression levels of the OBP genes varied significantly between different developmental stages; that is, the highest number of OBP genes were expressed in the adult stage, followed by the larval stage, and fewer genes were expressed in high abundance in the egg stage. On the other hand, through a Y-tube olfactometer, we identified a functional plant—Plectranthus tomentosa—that significantly repels adult and larval T. absoluta. Finally, we screened the OBP genes in response to tomato and P. tomentosa volatiles at the genomic level of T. absoluta using RT-qPCR. These results laid a good foundation for controlling T. absoluta with functional plants and further studying olfactory genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Aglais urticae (Lepidoptera, Nymphalid) is a common butterfly distributed in temperate regions worldwide. The nettle Urtica cannabina (Urticaceae) is key to the survival of the small tortoiseshell, which provides its primary food source. This species is also a toxic plant listed in the Chinese Flora Atlas database, as it has poisonous roots and leaves. However, the phytophagous insect has evolved different adaptations against the plant′s defense system. This study aims to identify the genes linked to feeding strategies and adaptations of Aglais urticae's larval feeding preference and detoxifying mechanism, and it may serve as an approach to help us understand the molecular process of its in vivo detoxification and find its related genes. Overall, these results provide the basis for future work on the detoxification and development of phytophagous insects by identifying the detoxification mechanism of A. urticae and their development-related genes in holometabolous insects. Herbivorous insects and host plants have developed a close and complex relationship over a long period of co-evolution. Some plants provide nutrients for insects, but plants' secondary metabolites also influence their growth and development. Urtica cannabina roots and leaves are poisonous, yet Aglais urticae larvae feed on them, so we aimed to clarify the mechanism enabling this interaction. At present, studies on the detoxification mechanism of the A. urticae are rare. In our study, first, we used the A. urticae larval odor selection behavior bioassay and choice feeding preference assay to analyze the feeding preferences of A. urticae on its host plant, U. cannabina. Next, we used transcriptome sequencing to obtain the unigenes annotated and classified by various databases, such as KEGG and GO. In this study, we found that U. cannabina could attract A. urticae larvae to feed via scent, and the feeding preference assay confirmed that larvae preferred U. cannabina leaves over three other plants: Cirsium japonicum, Cannabis sativa, and Arctium lappa. The activity of detoxifying enzymes GST and CarE changed in larvae that had consumed U. cannabina. Furthermore, through transcriptomic sequencing analysis, 77,624 unigenes were assembled from raw reads. The numbers of differentially expressed genes were calculated using pairwise comparisons of all life stages; the expression of detoxification enzyme genes was substantially higher in larvae than in the pupal and adult stages. Finally, we identified and summarized 34 genes associated with detoxification enzymes, such as UDP-glucose 4-epimerase gene, 5 Glutathione S-transferase genes, 4 Carboxylesterase genes, 4 Cytochrome P450 genes, 10 ATP-binding cassette genes, 4 Superoxide dismutase, and Peroxidase. Moreover, we identified 28 genes associated with the development of A. urticae. The qRT-PCR results were nearly consistent with the transcriptomic data, showing an increased expression level of four genes in larvae. Taken together, this study examines the correlation between A. urticae and host plants U. cannabina, uncovering a pronounced preference for A. urticae larvae toward host plants. Consistent with RNA-seq, we investigated the mechanism of A. urticae's interaction with host plants and identified detoxification-related genes. The present study provides theoretical support for studying insect adaptation mechanisms and biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although growing urbanization has direct negative consequences for local biodiversity, several native species have been observed maintaining populations in urban environments. Understanding which factors influence the ability of native species to persist in urban environments is crucial, both for the study of biological adaptation and of urban planning. The quantification of the proportion of juvenile individuals can be a good proxy for assessing the long-term persistence of urban populations. We present comparative data about spatial and temporal variations in the age-class structure in two suburban and two forest populations of the Cuban endemic lizard Anolis homolechis, obtained during a 20-month survey. We found a four-fold lower proportion of juveniles in the suburban habitat compared to the forest one. There was, however, no evidence for differential female fecundity between the two habitats, as assessed by the proportion of gravid females. Conversely, the rate of tail autotomy (an antipredator behavior) was significantly higher in the suburban juveniles compared to the forest ones, possibly reflecting a higher exposure to predators and, particularly, inter- and intraspecific cannibalism. However, tail loss at initial capture or habitat type had no effect on the probability of recapture of juveniles. We discuss the potential causes and consequences of a modified age-class structure in urbanized environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with serious complications and increased mortality. Weight loss (WL) through lifestyle changes results in modest WL long-term possibly due to compensatory biological adaptations (increased appetite and reduced energy expenditure) promoting weight gain. Bariatric surgery was until recently the only intervention that consistently resulted in ≥ 15% WL and maintenance. Our better understanding of the endocrine regulation of appetite has led to the development of new medications over the last decade for the treatment of obesity with main target the reduction of appetite. The efficacy of semaglutide 2.4 mg/week—the latest glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor analogue—on WL for people with obesity suggests that we are entering a new era in obesity pharmacotherapy where ≥15% WL is feasible. Moreover, the WL achieved with the dual agonist tirzepatide (GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) for people with type 2 diabetes and most recently also obesity, indicate that combining the GLP-1 with other gut hormones may lead to additional WL compared with GLP-1 receptor analogues alone and in the future, multi-agonist molecules may offer the potential to bridge further the efficacy gap between bariatric surgery and the currently available pharmacotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota consists of a vast and diverse assemblage of microorganisms that play a pivotal role in maintaining host health. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the human gut microbiota remains uncultivated. Plasmids, a type of MGE, assume a critical function in the biological evolution and adaptation of bacteria to varying environments. To investigate the plasmids present within the gut microbiota community, we used the transposon-aided capture method (TRACA) to explore plasmids derived from the gut microbiota. In this study, fecal samples were collected from two healthy human volunteers and subsequently subjected to the TRACA method for plasmid isolation. Then, the complete sequence of the plasmids was obtained using the genome walking method, and sequence identity was also analyzed. A total of 15 plasmids were isolated. At last, 13 plasmids were successfully sequenced, of which 12 plasmids were highly identical to the plasmids in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database and were all small plasmids. Furthermore, a putative novel plasmid, named pMRPHD, was isolated, which had mobilized elements (oriT and oriV) and a potential type II restriction–modification (R–M) system encoded by DNA cytosine methyltransferase and type II restriction enzyme (Ban I), whose specific functions and applications warrant further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiences of overseas territories and how their varying degrees of self‐governance influence climate (in)action are overlooked topics, even though these places are often highly impacted by climate change. Analysing the situation of the Dutch Kingdom demonstrates some of these challenges. The Kingdom consists of the European Netherlands and the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curacao, St Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba. Out of these, the Caribbean islands are the most vulnerable to climate change, while the European Netherlands has contributed the most to it. This can be seen as climate injustice. Access to mitigation and adaptation mechanisms mentioned in international agreements could be beneficial to these Caribbean islands. However, the international climate change agreements have only entered into force for the European part of the Kingdom and not the Caribbean part due to a territorial limitation. This has several consequences, and this paper highlights two. First, the requirement that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced does not apply to the islands, which leaves room for unsustainable activities but also overlooks their need for adaptation and compensation for loss and damage. Second, access to climate finance instruments is limited as the Dutch Caribbean islands are seen as part of the Kingdom and therefore do not qualify for international assistance. Within the European Union, funds are available but access to these is not guaranteed, as the experience with recovery after Hurricane Irma demonstrates. These examples show that the issues around climate justice have been insufficiently resolved. There is a need for a long‐term climate strategy within the Kingdom along with complementary funding. Until then, climate litigation could assist in enforcing a duty of care by local governments and the Kingdom to protect inhabitants by using the human rights framework. This would also create a roadmap for other territories in similar circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theobroma cacao is very important in the economy of many tropical countries, especially in Ecuador. The development and production of Theobroma cacao have been limited by the attack of diseases, pests, and currently by the impact caused by the water deficit. The loss of water in the crop causes a low production of the plantations. In addition, when genetic diversity is scarce, the possible combinations of genes capable of conferring biological adaptation and, consequently, the capacity to adapt to environmental variations, are reduced. Therefore, a viable option is to identify genes capable of conferring adaptation to water deficit stress. The objective of this research was to characterize genes of Theobroma cacao in response to water deficit. The sequencing and characterization of genes related to water stress were achieved and, finally, the hybridization profile of the genes (ABA, ODC, DEH, and ABS) in response to Actin (ACT) was analyzed. The ABS gene hybridized 100 % with DNA from rootstock EET399 in roots and 80 % with DNA from graft T24 in leaves. The OCD gene hybridized 80 % with DNA from rootstock IMC 67 and 25 % with the T800 graft in leaves. The DEH gene hybridized below the normalizing gene (ACT) in both rootstock EET400 (10 %) in root DNA and graft T12 (5 %) in leaves. Finally, the ABA gene did not hybridize with the DNA of the CCN51 rootstock or with the graft (T801) in both roots and leaves, respectively. This research is key to understand some molecular mechanisms of T. cacao in response to water deficit and can be considered as a viable strategy to reduce crop agronomic losses under the current environmental scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a detailed, in-depth analysis of the anatomy, topography, and branching patterns of the meningeal arteries in dromedary camels, a subject that has not previously been thoroughly studied in animals, providing insight into the intricate biological adaptations that allow them to survive in harsh environments. By precisely examining 20 heads obtained from freshly slaughtered dromedaries, we revealed the origins and topologies of the rostral, middle, and caudal meningeal arteries using advanced casting techniques for precise rendering. Our findings indicate that the rostral meningeal artery derives from the external ethmoidal artery and primarily supplies the rostrodorsal region of the frontal lobe. The middle meningeal artery provides blood to approximately two-thirds of the brain meninges. The caudal meningeal artery is derived from the occipital artery and supplies the meninges covering the cerebellum, caudal part of the falx cerebri, and tentorium cerebelli. Significantly, our study revealed the presence of accessory branches originating from the rostral epidural rete mirabile, a finding not previously described in the existing literature. These branches supply the meninges of the frontal and lateral regions of the frontal lobes. This novel study advances our understanding of the meningeal arteries in dromedaries and has significant implications for advancements in veterinary neuroscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is global consensus that we must immediately prioritize climate change adaptation—change in response to or anticipation of risks from climate change. Some researchers and policymakers urge 'transformative change', a complete break from past practices, yet report having little data on whether new practices reduce the risks communities face, even over the short term. However, researchers have some leads: human communities have long generated solutions to changing climate, and scientists who study culture have examples of effective and persistent solutions. This theme issue discusses cultural adaptation to climate change, and in this paper, we review how processes of biological adaptation, including innovation, modification, selective retention and transmission, shape the landscapes decision-makers care about—from which solutions emerge in communities, to the spread of effective adaptations, to regional or global collective action. We introduce a comprehensive portal of data and models on cultural adaptation to climate change, and we outline ways forward. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change adaptation needs a science of culture'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing is associated with a decline in autophagy and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can breach the capacity of antioxidant systems. Resulting oxidative stress can cause further cellular damage, including DNA breaks and protein misfolding. This poses a challenge for longevous organisms, including humans. In this review, we hypothesise that in the course of human evolution selective autophagy receptors (SARs) acquired the ability to sense and respond to localised oxidative stress. We posit that in the vicinity of protein aggregates and dysfunctional mitochondria oxidation of key cysteine residues in SARs induces their oligomerisation which initiates autophagy. The degradation of damaged cellular components thus could reduce ROS production and restore redox homeostasis. This evolutionarily acquired function of SARs may represent one of the biological adaptations that contributed to longer lifespan. Inversely, loss of this mechanism can lead to age‐related diseases associated with impaired autophagy and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human lifespan has increased from a median of 46.5 years in 1950 to 71.7 years in 2022. As people age, one of the inevitable consequences is a decline in kidney function and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which can have direct or indirect effects on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of many drugs. Numerous equations have been developed to generate estimated GFR (eGFR) using the two principal biomarkers: serum creatinine and serum cystatin C. However, the trajectory of changes with aging is dissimilar in these equations. In addition, there is recognition that chronological age (lifespan) often does not reflect biological age (healthspan) as an essential parameter in kidney function equations. In the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in quantifying biological age and new commercially available assays have entered the marketplace. In this narrative review, we illustrate how dominant equations of eGFR model the fractional change in this parameter very differently across chronological age. In addition, we review various biological age indicators (aging clocks) and challenges to their application in clinical practice. Importantly, by comparing vancomycin's mean clearance as a drug with limited metabolism and unchanged elimination between two age milestones in some recent population pharmacokinetic models, we show how efforts to quantify kidney function in older adults optimally remain under‐explored, particularly those at the upper end of their lifespan. We also propose considering new models that integrate biological age as a new pathway to improve precision drug dosing in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological age, measured via epigenetic clocks, offers a unique and useful tool for prevention scientists to explore the short- and long-term implications of age deviations for health, development, and behavior. The use of epigenetic clocks in pediatric research is rapidly increasing, and there is a need to review the landscape of this work to understand the utility of these clocks for prevention scientists. We summarize the current state of the literature on the use of specific epigenetic clocks in childhood. Using systematic review methods, we identified studies published through February 2023 that used one of three epigenetic clocks as a measure of biological aging. These epigenetic clocks could either be used as a predictor of health outcomes or as a health outcome of interest. The database search identified 982 records, 908 of which were included in a title and abstract review. After full-text screening, 68 studies were eligible for inclusion. While findings were somewhat mixed, a majority of included studies found significant associations between the epigenetic clock used and the health outcome of interest or between an exposure and the epigenetic clock used. From these results, we propose the use of epigenetic clocks as a tool to understand how exposures impact biologic aging pathways and development in early life, as well as to monitor the effectiveness of preventive interventions that aim to reduce exposure and associated adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution by natural selection and adaptation are core concepts in biology that students must see and correctly understand their meaning. However, using these concepts in evidence-based learning strategies in the classroom is a difficult task. Here, we present a 5E lesson plan to address the Next Generation Science Standards performance expectation HS-LS4-4, to "construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations." The Functional Frogs lesson provides multiple hands-on activities to engage students in the development of hypotheses, collection and analysis of empirical data on frog swimming, presentation of results, and construction of explanations supported by evidence for the results. The lesson's central idea is for students to understand the trait values that provide an advantage in the aquatic environment, increasing a frog's survival. The link between morphological changes and survival is used to explain how natural selection acts on populations, leading to adaptive evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract:Introduction: The present study examined the psychometric properties of a Greek adaptation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3; Taylor et al., 2007). Method: We translated the ASI-3 following a forward-backward method and then, in addition to measures of anxiety and depression (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995; Lyrakos et al., 2011), we administered it to a nonclinical general population sample (N = 611) recruited online. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a bifactor model with three orthogonal group factors best fit the data, followed by a correlated three-factor model. An examination of the dimensionality of the ASI-3 and the reliability of its dimensions suggested the presence of a reliable, strong AS general factor and comparatively weaker group factors. The ASI-3 appears to measure AS invariantly across gender. We report preliminary evidence for its convergent, discriminant, and divergent validity. Conclusion: The Greek adaption of the ASI-3 revealed adequate psychometric properties. Future studies should explore its criterion-related validity by administering the Greek adaptation of the ASI-3 to clinical samples and explore its relationship to other key constructs of anxiety sensitivity's nomological network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Plastid genomes (plastomes) have long been recognized as highly conserved in their overall structure, size, gene arrangement and content among land plants. However, recent studies have shown that some lineages present unusual variations in some of these features. Members of the cactus family are one of these lineages, with distinct plastome structures reported across disparate lineages, including gene losses, inversions, boundary movements or loss of the canonical inverted repeat (IR) region. However, only a small fraction of cactus diversity has been analysed so far. Methods Here, we investigated plastome features of the tribe Opuntieae, the remarkable prickly pear cacti, which represent one of the most diverse and important lineages of Cactaceae. We assembled de novo the plastome of 43 species, representing a comprehensive sampling of the tribe, including all seven genera, and analysed their evolution in a phylogenetic comparative framework. Phylogenomic analyses with different datasets (full plastome sequences and genes only) were performed, followed by congruence analyses to assess signals underlying contentious nodes. Key Results Plastomes varied considerably in length, from 121 to 162 kbp, with striking differences in the content and size of the IR region (contraction and expansion events), including a lack of the canonical IR in some lineages and the pseudogenization or loss of some genes. Overall, nine different types of plastomes were reported, deviating in the presence of the IR region or the genes contained in the IR. Overall, plastome sequences resolved phylogenetic relationships within major clades of Opuntieae with high bootstrap values but presented some contentious nodes depending on the dataset analysed (e.g. whole plastome vs. genes only). Congruence analyses revealed that most plastidial regions lack phylogenetic resolution, while few markers are supporting the most likely topology. Likewise, alternative topologies are driven by a handful of plastome markers, suggesting recalcitrant nodes in the phylogeny. Conclusions Our study reveals a dynamic nature of plastome evolution across closely related lineages, shedding light on peculiar features of plastomes. Variation of plastome types across Opuntieae is remarkable in size, structure and content and can be important for the recognition of species in some major clades. Unravelling connections between the causes of plastome variation and the consequences for species biology, physiology, ecology, diversification and adaptation is a promising and ambitious endeavour in cactus research. Although plastome data resolved major phylogenetic relationships, the generation of nuclear genomic data is necessary to confront these hypotheses and assess the recalcitrant nodes further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptability to changing environments is one of the universal characteristics of living organisms. Because individual modes of adaptation are diverse, a unified understanding of these diverse modes is essential to comprehend adaptation. Adaptations can be categorized from at least two perspectives with respect to information. One is the passivity and activity of adaptation and the other is the type of information transmission. In Darwinian natural selection, organisms are selected among randomly generated traits under which individual organisms are passive in the sense that they do not process any environmental information. On the other hand, organisms can also adapt by sensing their environment and changing their traits. This is an active adaptation in that it makes use of environmental information. In terms of information transfer, adaptation through phenotypic heterogeneity, such as bacterial bet-hedging, is intragenerational in which traits are not passed on to the next generation. In contrast, adaptation through genetic diversity is intergenerational. The theory of population dynamics enables us to unify these various modes of adaptations and their properties can be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using techniques from quantitative genetics and information thermodynamics. In addition, such methods can be applied to situations where organisms can learn from past experiences and pass them on from generation to generation. In this work, we introduce the unified theory of biological adaptation based on population dynamics and show its potential applications to evaluate the fitness value of information and to analyze experimental lineage tree data. Finally, we discuss future perspectives for its development. This review article is an extended version of the Japanese article in SEIBUTSU BUTSURI Vol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We approach the question 'What is consciousness?' in a new way, not as Descartes' 'systematic doubt', but as how organisms find their way in their world. Finding one's way involves finding possible uses of features of the world that might be beneficial or avoiding those that might be harmful. 'Possible uses of X to accomplish Y' are 'affordances'. The number of uses of X is indefinite (or unknown), the different uses are unordered, are not listable, and are not deducible from one another. All biological adaptations are either affordances seized by heritable variation and selection or, far faster, by the organism acting in its world finding uses of X to accomplish Y. Based on this, we reach rather astonishing conclusions: 1. Artificial general intelligence based on universal Turing machines (UTMs) is not possible, since UTMs cannot 'find' novel affordances. 2. Brain-mind is not purely classical physics for no classical physics system can be an analogue computer whose dynamical behaviour can be isomorphic to 'possible uses'. 3. Brain-mind must be partly quantum—supported by increasing evidence at 6.0 to 7.3 sigma. 4. Based on Heisenberg's interpretation of the quantum state as 'potentia' converted to 'actuals' by measurement, where this interpretation is not a substance dualism, a natural hypothesis is that mind actualizes potentia. This is supported at 5.2 sigma. Then mind's actualizations of entangled brain-mind-world states are experienced as qualia and allow 'seeing' or 'perceiving' of uses of X to accomplish Y. We can and do jury-rig. Computers cannot. 5. Beyond familiar quantum computers, we discuss the potentialities of trans-Turing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of fixed orthodontic appliances on oxidative stress (OS) and genotoxicity from oral epithelial cells. Materials and methods: Samples of oral epithelial cells were obtained from fifty-one healthy voluntary subjects who had an indication for orthodontic treatment. The samples were obtained before treatment and after 6 and 9 months of treatment. OS was evaluated by quantitating 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and by performing relative gene expression with antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). DNA degradation and instability were evaluated by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fragment analysis for human identification. Results: The quantitation results showed that 8-OHdG increased during treatment, although this increase was not statistically significant. SOD increased by 2.5- and 2.6-fold after 6 and 9 months of treatment, respectively. CAT increased by threefold after 6 months of treatment, while after 9 months of treatment, the expression level decreased to a level similar to that before treatment. DNA degradation was found in 8% and 12% of DNA samples after 6 and 9 months of treatment, respectively, while DNA instability was detected in only 2% and 8% of DNA samples after 6 and 9 months of treatment, respectively. Conclusions: The results showed that OS and genotoxicity slightly changed after treatment with a fixed orthodontic appliance; in addition, a biological adaptation response to the treatment may occur after 6 months. Clinical relevance: OS and genotoxicity in the buccal cavity are risk factors for oral and systemic diseases. This risk may be reduced through antioxidant supplementation, by using thermoplastic materials, or by reducing the orthodontic treatment time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) have significant inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity with poor response to standard neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Achieving a favorable pathologic response (FPR≥95%) from RT is associated with improved patient outcomes. Genomic adjusted radiation dose (GARD), a radiation-specific genomic metric that quantifies the expected RT treatment effect as a function of tumor dose, proposed that STS is considerably underdosed. STS have significant radiomic heterogeneity, where radiomic habitats can delineate regions of intra-tumoral hypoxia and radioresistance. We designed a novel phase II clinical trial, Habitat Escalated Adaptive Therapy (HEAT), utilizing radiomic habitats to identify areas of radioresistance within the tumor and target them with predetermined GARD doses, to improve FPR in high-grade STS. The study is a phase 2 non-randomized single-arm clinical trial (NCT05301283) that includes adults with resectable non-metastatic deep high-grade STS. Pre-treatment multiparametric MRIs (mpMRI) delineate three distinct intra-tumoral habitats based on apparent diffusion coefficient maps (ADC) and dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) sequences. GARD estimates that neoadjuvant RT with a simultaneous integrated boost of 70 and 60 Gy in 25 fractions to the highest and intermediate radioresistant habitats, while the remaining volume receives standard 50Gy, would lead to a >3-fold FPR increase to 24%. An mpMRI taken between week 2-3 of treatment will be used for biological plan adaptation to account for tumor response. Surgery was planned 3-12 weeks after RT completion, evaluating FPR and margin status. Patients were assessed for acute toxicity up to 4 months post-surgery. With a Fleming's three-stage optimal design, a total of 5 FPRs among the first 13 patients enrolled, or 7 in the first 36 patients, would be a statistically significant success. A total of 14 patients were screened with 13 enrolled. The median patient age was 61 (21-85 years) with a tumor size of 15.6 cm (7.5-29cm). All patients had grade 3 lower extremity STS, with the most common histology being undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (81%). All patients completed protocol specified RT and 11 proceeded to surgery, all of whom were resected with clear margins, with primary closure in 91%. The trial was deemed an early success with a total of 7 (64%; 95% CI = 0.308-0.891) achieving an FPR, along with 72% and 91% achieving ≥90% and ≥80% response, respectively. Most common acute toxicities were grade 3 wound complications (45%) and grade 2 RT dermatitis (31%). The integration of a genomic-based RT dose optimization (GARD) and radiomic habitat directed dose escalation has led to the highest reported pathologic response rates in STS. This novel approach ushers in a new phase in radiation oncology, integrating genomic and radiomic insights into clinical practice and future trial designs, personalizing treatment for STS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The prevalence of asthma continues to increase every year. Asthma is the leading chronic disease. Inflammation, both acute and chronic, is closely related to the action of cytokines (pro- and anti-inflammatory). T-helper 2 lymphocytes release IL-4, which triggers the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which set the stage for allergy and activate inflammatory cells. The regulators of this process are T helper-1 lymphocytes, which produce cytokines (IFN-gamma) that suppress Th-2 activity. Disturbances in the ratio of Th-1/Th-2 lymphocyte clones are a subject of debate in the early detection of asthma and the prediction of the development of this disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of IL-4 and γ-interferon in the blood serum of children with transient wheeze and asthma. Material and methods. 121 children were included in the study. The patients were divided into groups: group 1 - children with transient wheezing (TW) (n = 81), group 2 - children with doctor-diagnosed asthma (DDA) (n = 15), group 3 - healthy children (n = 25). IL-4 and γ-interferon in blood serum were analyzed by ELISA using commercial kits (human IL-4 and human γ-interferon "Vector Best-Ukraine"). Data were analyzed using Statsoft Statistica version 8 (Tulsa, OK) and the MedCalc version 17.2 statistical program. The planned clinical trials were conducted after obtaining the approval of the local ethics committee (date: February 1, 2015; number: 2015/01) and were conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, as amended in October 2013. This article was conducted within the framework of the Department of Pediatrics No. 2 of Kharkiv National Medical University «Medical and biological aspects of adaptation of children with somatic pathology to modern conditions. Prediction of asthma control in children taking into account inflammatory markers and the state of the airway barrier of the lungs» (state registration number 0120U102471). Results. It was found that in children of the first and second groups, in the midst of clinical manifestations of wheezing, IL-4 levels significantly increased and serum γ-interferon levels decreased. The highest levels of IL-4 and the lowest levels of serum γ-interferon were found in patients with DDA. Serum levels of IL-4 above 15.33 pg/mL and γ-interferon below 98.62 pg/mL in children with wheezing episodes may be considered as a possible indicator of asthma development. Conclusions. Serum IL-4 and γ-interferon are involved in the regulation of allergic inflammatory processes in the body. A statistically significant increase in IL-4 levels and a decrease in γ-interferon levels in the blood serum of patients with asthma is likely to indicate the development of a chronic form of inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space colonization represents the most insidious challenge for mankind, as numerous obstacles affect the success of space missions. Specifically, the absence of gravitational forces leads to systemic physiological alterations, with particular emphasis on the musculoskeletal system. Indeed, astronauts exposed to spaceflight are known to report a significant impairment of bone microarchitecture and muscle mass, conditions clinically defined as osteoporosis and sarcopenia. In this context, space medicine assumes a crucial position, as the development of strategies to prevent and/or counteract weightlessness-induced alterations appears to be necessary. Furthermore, the opportunity to study the biological effects induced by weightlessness could provide valuable information regarding adaptations to spaceflight and suggest potential treatments that can preserve musculoskeletal health under microgravity conditions. Noteworthy, improving knowledge about the latest scientific findings in this field of research is crucial, as is thoroughly investigating the mechanisms underlying biological adaptations to microgravity and searching for innovative solutions to counter spaceflight-induced damage. Therefore, this narrative study review, performed using the MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases, aims to summarize the most recent evidence regarding the effects of real and simulated microgravity on the musculoskeletal system and to discuss the effectiveness of the main defence strategies used in both real and experimental settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature embraces enormous resources for biomimicry yet faces many challenges, including embodying and simulating environmental systems and processes into technical systems within the built environment. Also, imitation and mimicry strategies focus on separate parts rather than a complete system as an organism as a single unit in its environment. Therefore, the research aims to reduce the harmful effects of buildings and preserve biodiversity and energy through a systematic design technique for biomimicry to identify appropriate adaptation mechanisms from nature and inspire their functions, processes, and forms to integrate architecture and biology. Accordingly, the study addressed biomimicry through its entrances, classes, and levels depending on the desired result. The problems encountering biomimicry application and its adaptation mechanisms were explained. Then, the information and characteristics required from nature were classified according to three biomimicry classes to implement environmental concepts and treatments. Likewise, the study compared the biomimicry strategies to choose the most suitable one for the design processes. Thus, it confirmed the correlation between green buildings and biomimicry. Finally, a systematic technique was derived and established to incorporate and collaborate between two approaches for simulating nature to identify the appropriate biological systems for attaining green building, improving design processes, and making decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variants underlying traits that become either non-adaptive or selectively neutral are expected to have altered evolutionary trajectories. Uncovering genetic signatures associated with phenotypic loss presents the opportunity to discover the molecular basis for the phenotype in populations where it persists. Here we study circalunar clocks in populations of the marine midge Clunio marinus. The circalunar clock synchronizes development to the lunar phase, and it is set by moonlight and tidal cycles of mechanical agitation. Two out of ten studied populations have lost their sensitivity to mechanical agitation while preserving sensitivity to moonlight. Intriguingly, the F1 offspring of the two insensitive populations regained the sensitivity to mechanical entrainment, implying a genetically independent loss of the phenotype. By combining quantitative trait locus mapping and genome-wide screens, we explored the genetics of this phenotypic loss. QTL analysis suggested an oligogenic origin with one prevalent additive locus in one of the strains. In addition, it confirmed a distinct genetic architecture in the two insensitive populations. Genomic screens further uncovered several candidate genes underlying QTL regions. The strongest signal under the most prominent QTL contains a duplicated STAT1 gene, which has a well-established role in development, and CG022363, an ortholog of the Drosophila melanogaster CG32100 gene, which plays a role in gravitaxis. Our results support the notion that adaptive phenotypes have a complex genetic basis with mutations occurring at several loci. By dissecting the most prevalent signals, we started to reveal the molecular machinery responsible for the entrainment of the circalunar clock. Author summary: Biological clocks allow organisms to synchronize their physiology and behaviour with their environment. A key part of this mechanism are reliable environmental cues that play a role in setting the clock. Here we study the circalunar clock of Clunio marinus, a marine insect that inhabits the intertidal zone. The circalunar clock is set by moonlight as well as mechanical agitation caused by the tides. Interestingly, in two out of ten studied Clunio populations, mechanical agitation was not sufficient to set the circalunar clock. We found that this loss of sensitivity has a genetic basis. Furthermore, we use the insensitive populations as natural mutants. Finding the mutations that lead to the loss of sensitivity allows us to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the setting of the yet unexplored molecular clockwork. Additionally, by uncovering the genetic basis for the loss of sensitivity in two independent populations, we get insights into the processes underlying the evolutionary adaptation of biological clocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Yungui Plateau in Southwest China is characterized by multi-language and multi-ethnic communities and is one of the regions with the wealthiest ethnolinguistic, cultural and genetic diversity in East Asia. There are numerous Tai-Kadai (TK)-speaking populations, but their detailed evolutionary history and biological adaptations are still unclear. Results: Here, we genotyped genome-wide SNP data of 77 unrelated TK-speaking Zhuang and Dong individuals from the Yungui Plateau and explored their detailed admixture history and adaptive features using clustering patterns, allele frequency differentiation and sharing haplotype patterns. TK-speaking Zhuang and Dong people in Guizhou are closely related to geographically close TK and Hmong-Mien (HM)-speaking populations. Besides, we identified that Guizhou TK-speaking people have a close genetic relationship with Austronesian (AN)-speaking Atayal and Paiwan people, which is supported by the common origin of the ancient Baiyue tribe. We additionally found subtle genetic differences among the newly studied TK people and previously reported Dais via the fine-scale genetic substructure analysis based on the shared haplotype chunks. Finally, we identified specific selection candidate signatures associated with several essential human immune systems and neurological disorders, which could provide evolutionary evidence for the allele frequency distribution pattern of genetic risk loci. Conclusions: Our comprehensive genetic characterization of TK people suggested the strong genetic affinity within TK groups and extensive gene flow with geographically close HM and Han people. We also provided genetic evidence that supported the common origin hypothesis of TK and AN people. The best-fitted admixture models further suggested that ancestral sources from northern millet farmers and southern inland and coastal people contributed to the formation of the gene pool of the Zhuang and Dong people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the directions of adaptation of the civil legislation of Ukraine in the field of inheritance with EU law, as well as the institution of inheritance in Ukraine. The purpose of this article is to study and determine the main directions and conditions for adapting and approximating the Ukrainian civil legislation regulating inheritance in relation to the law of the European Union countries. The methods used to study this topic include: the dialectical method, legal recognition method, comparative legal method, formal legal method, historical method, hermeneutical method, structural and functional method. During the research, the concepts of "inheritance" and "adaptation" were defined; the history of the development of inheritance relations was studied, from the regulation of Roman law to the present; the characterization of the institute of inheritance law in Ukraine, including its main components; the directions of adaptation of national legislation in the field of inheritance to the legal standards of the European Union countries were determined. The practical significance of the results obtained is expressed in the possibility of applying the scientific provisions and conclusions of the article for further improvement of legislation in the field of inheritance, as well as effective adaptation of Ukrainian legislation in the field of inheritance to the standards of European Union law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Exercise produces stimulus response and biological adaptation to the body and impacts on microRNAs expression levels in skeletal muscle and myocardium. Different exercise types can induce different biological adaptations. In comparison, muscle centrifugation contractile movement is more positive on muscle stimulation relative to centripetal contractile movement. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that influence biological processes by regulating post-transcriptional gene expression. Circulating microRNAs in most body fluids are stabilized and highly sensitive and specific to exercise type and intensity. OBJECTIVE: To review the effects of different exercise types on circulating microRNAs expression levels and analyze the possibility of circulating miRNAs as a biomarker of the skeletal muscle in response and adaptation to exercise, in order to provide a reference for exercise training and interventions during exercisepromoting health. METHODS: The literature on miRNAs in skeletal muscle, circulating microRNAs, and effect of exercise on microRNAs were retrieved in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP, with “exercise; myomiRNAs; ci-miRNAs; HIIT; biomarker” as English keywords and “exercise, miRNAs, myomiRNAs, ci-miRNAs, response, biomarker” as Chinese keywords. After full-text read and analysis, 86 eligible articles were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The expression levels of circulating microRNAs will increase or decrease with the changes in exercise type and intensity, and has a great potential to become a biomarker of exercise response and adaptation. Further explorations are still warranted on the specific changes in the specific expression level of circulating microRNAs and its biological significance in exercise and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]