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Abstract Clustering can identify the natural structure that is inherent to measured data. For single-cell omics, clustering finds cells with similar molecular phenotype after which cell types are annotated. Leiden clustering is one of the algorithms of choice in the single-cell community. In the field of spatial omics, Leiden is often categorized as a “non-spatial” clustering method. However, we show that by integrating spatial information at various steps Leiden clustering is rendered into a computationally highly performant, spatially aware clustering method that compares well with state-of-the art spatial clustering algorithms.

Mangrove restoration efforts have increased in order to help combat their decline globally. While restoration efforts often focus on planting seedlings, underlying chronic issues, including disrupted hydrological regimes, can hinder restoration success. While improving hydrology may be more cost-effective and have higher success rates than planting seedlings alone, hydrological restoration success in this form is poorly understood. Restoration assessments can employ a functional equivalency approach, comparing restoration areas over time with natural, reference forests in order to quantify the relative effectiveness of different restoration approaches. Here, we employ the use of baseline community ecology metrics along with stable isotopes to track changes in the community and trophic structure and enable time estimates for establishing mangrove functional equivalency. We examined a mangrove system impacted by road construction and recently targeted for hydrological restoration within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida, USA. Samples were collected along a gradient of degradation, from a heavily degraded zone, with mostly dead trees, to a transition zone, with a high number of saplings, to a full canopy zone, with mature trees, and into a reference zone with dense, mature mangrove trees. The transition, full canopy, and reference zones were dominated by annelids, gastropods, isopods, and fiddler crabs. Diversity was lower in the dead zone; these taxa were enriched in 13C relative to those found in all the other zones, indicating a shift in the dominant carbon source from mangrove detritus (reference zone) to algae (dead zone). Community-wide isotope niche metrics also distinguished zones, likely reflecting dominant primary food resources (baseline organic matter) present. Our results suggest that stable isotope niche metrics provide a useful tool for tracking mangrove degradation gradients. These baseline data provide critical information on the ecosystem functioning in mangrove habitats following hydrological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to analyze ecotourism in the Danube Delta in 2023 versus 2019 using the data from National Institute of Statistics. The methodology included description of the main ideas from the studied literature, data processing using fixed indices, polynomial regression equations, R square, comparisons, and showing the results in graphics and tables. The results showed that ecotourism niches in the Delta are: bird watching, wildlife watching and studying, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, cycling, trekking, boat tours on the canals, admiring the sunrise and sunset, tasting the specific dishes of the local gastronomy, enjoying taking part to the local traditional folk events, visiting the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve for getting knowledge and enriching the scientific horizon. In this way, both tourists and the locals become aware of the importance of ecotourism for the sustainable development of the environment, the preservation of biodiversity and assuring the economic and social development of the residents and their communities. In 2023, in the Danube Delta, there were 493 accommodation units by 94% more than in 2019. Also, in 2023, the number of beds reached 10,942, being by 51.8% higher versus 2019. In 2023, the Delta received 136,979 eco-tourists (82.3 % of the 2019 level. Romanians are dominant with a share of 93.4%. Foreigners' weight was only 43.8% in 2023 of the 2019 level. In consequence, the overnight stays were 286,255 in 2023, by 25.4% smaller and the Romanians' share was only 80%. The main causes are the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020 and the war in Ukraine. In 2023, 5,621 tourists, of which 72.4% Romanians visited the Biosphere Reserve. The key aspects which need more attention in the future are: investing more in infrastructure, assuring labor force according to the needs, diversification of facilities and tourism activities, making the resident population to be more involved in the management of natural resources and solving the community problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) give rise to all cell types of the hematopoietic system through various processes, including asymmetric divisions. However, the contribution of stromal cells of the hematopoietic niches in the control of HSPC asymmetric divisions remains unknown. Using polyacrylamide microwells as minimalist niches, we show that specific heterotypic interactions with osteoblast and endothelial cells promote asymmetric divisions of human HSPCs. Upon interaction, HSPCs polarize in interphase with the centrosome, the Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes positioned close to the site of contact. Subsequently, during mitosis, HSPCs orient their spindle perpendicular to the plane of contact. This division mode gives rise to siblings with unequal amounts of lysosomes and of the differentiation marker CD34. Such asymmetric inheritance generates heterogeneity in the progeny, which is likely to contribute to the plasticity of the early steps of hematopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometrial stem/progenitor cells are a type of stem cells with the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. They exist in the endometrium and form niches with their neighbor cells and extracellular matrix. The interaction between endometrial stem/progenitor cells and niches plays an important role in maintaining, repairing, and regenerating the endometrial structure and function. This review will discuss the characteristics and functions of endometrial stem/progenitor cells and their niches, the mechanisms of their interaction, and their roles in endometrial regeneration and diseases. Finally, the prospects for their applications will also be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Owadów-Brzezinki palaeontological site is known for its very well-preserved fossils of Late Jurassic vertebrates, such as numerous fossil fish teeth and occasional dental bones. Some of these represent well-studied taxa, including the most common large predatory fish, with notable examples of caturoids (such as Strobilodus sp.) and pachycormids (Orthocormus teyleri). The current study presents the microstructure and histological features of the teeth of the selected specimens of the above taxa. They are determined through examinations of tooth cross-sections under thin microscopic observations and by the usage of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The above inspections, combined with aspects of external tooth morphology, allowed us to determine the palaeoecology of the aforementioned taxa of large predatory fish. It is concluded that examined Caturoidea displayed a rather homogenous dentition belonging to the intermediate cut/slash guild, characterized by an internal orthodentin histology with prominent incremental Andresen growth lines of differing form, indicating living in a highly variable, unstable environment. The teeth of pachycormid specimen (O. teyleri) can be characterized as having denteon-based orthodentin histology, with a rapid rate of tooth eruption and a heterodont, elongated specialist dentition of the piercing guild. The observed structural differences in the teeth suggest a different niche distribution between the taxa studied. They help to explain how these predatory ray-finned fishes may have coexisted both in the local environment of the Owadów-Brzezinki and in the wider, more global context of Late Jurassic shallow marine environments. In addition, the tooth samples are characterised by pronounced surface bioerosion with traces of Mycellites ossifragus durophagous fungal activity, indicating an intense bioerosion caused by these microorganisms after the death of the fish.

Heterogeneity in forests might promote biodiversity not only through an increase in niche volume but also through other processes, such as an increase in resources and their spatial distribution. However, negative relationships between heterogeneity and biodiversity have also been observed, which may indicate that heterogeneity acts as a filter for some species. This study examined the effects of different facets of heterogeneity in forest stands, i.e. deadwood, plant diversity, forest stand structure, and micro-scale topography, on the ecological (functional-phylogenetic) diversity and redundancy of nine animal groups: moths, true bugs, different functional groups of beetles, spiders, birds, and bats. Overall, we found positive effects of heterogeneity on ecological diversity and redundancy. Although the effect of heterogeneity at the local scale was moderate compared with the general effect of region, greater heterogeneity could be beneficial to some species groups and lead to more resilient species communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the development of hematological malignancies, specifically focusing on B-cell lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The TME consists of various cell types that support the growth and survival of malignant cells, impacting treatment response. The authors emphasize the importance of targeting the TME in tumor immunotherapy and suggest potential therapeutic approaches. They also discuss the role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in tumor development and the potential of TAM immunotherapy in solid tumors. Additionally, the article examines the interaction between AML cells and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) in promoting leukemogenesis and suggests targeting the Notch signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic strategy. The authors also discuss the impact of the metabolic niche within the TME on immune cell function and propose that understanding this modulation could lead to more effective targeted therapies for antitumor immune responses. [Extracted from the article]

Acute oak decline is a high-impact disease causing necrotic lesions on the trunk, crown thinning and the eventual death of oak. Four bacterial species are associated with the lesions—Brenneria goodwinii, Gibbsiella quercinecans, Rahnella victoriana and Lonsdalea Britannica—although an epi-/endophytic lifestyle has also been suggested for these bacteria. However, little is known about their environmental reservoirs or their pathway to endophytic colonisation. This work aimed to investigate the ability of the four AOD-associated bacterial species to survive for prolonged periods within rhizosphere soil, leaves and acorns in vitro, and to design an appropriate method for their recovery. This method was trialled on field samples related to healthy and symptomatic oaks. The in vitro study showed that the majority of these species could survive for at least six weeks within each sample type. Results from the field samples demonstrated that R. victoriana and G. quercinecans appear environmentally widespread, indicating multiple routes of endophytic colonisation might be plausible. B. goodwinii and L. britannica were only identified from acorns from healthy and symptomatic trees, indicating they may be inherited members of the endophytic seed microbiome and, despite their ability to survive outside of the host, their environmental occurrence is limited. Future research should focus on preventative measures targeting the abiotic factors of AOD, how endophytic bacteria shift to a pathogenic cycle and the identification of resilient seed stock that is less susceptible to AOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued exploration of the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in little-studied ecological niches represents a fundamental activity to understand the diffusion and biotechnological significance of this heterogeneous class of prokaryotes. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lpb. plantarum) strains were isolated from Tunisian vegetable sources, including fermented olive and fermented pepper, and from dead locust intestines, which were subsequently evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4267 and Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4031, as well as against some fungi, including Penicillium expansum, Aspergilus niger, and Botrytis cinerea. In addition, their resistance to oro-gastro-intestinal transit, aggregation capabilities, biofilm production capacity, adhesion to human enterocyte-like cells, and cytotoxicity to colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line were determined. Further, adhesion to tomatoes and the biocontrol potential of this model food matrix were analyzed. It was found that all the strains were able to inhibit the indicator growth, mostly through organic acid production. Furthermore, these strains showed promising probiotic traits, including in vitro tolerance to oro-gastrointestinal conditions, and adhesion to abiotic surfaces and Caco-2 cells. Moreover, all tested Lpb. plantarum strains were able to adhere to tomatoes with similar rates (4.0–6.0 LogCFU/g tomato). The co-culture of LAB strains with pathogens on tomatoes showed that Lpb. plantarum could be a good candidate to control pathogen growth. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to guarantee their use as probiotic strains for biocontrol on food matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Little is known about the ability of individual species to grow successfully outside of their realized niche. Here, the vitality of two epiphytic bryophyte and two epiphytic lichen species were assessed in their fundamental and realized niches in the Pacific Northwest coniferous forest at low, mid, and high elevations. Methods: Two lowland epiphytic bryophyte species (Frullania nisquallensis, Neckera douglasii) and one lowland epiphytic lichen species (Usnea longissima) were transplanted to sites at mid and high elevations. One high‐elevation epiphytic lichen species (Hypogymnia rugosa) was transplanted to mid and low elevations. Results: The fundamental and realized niches of F. nisquallensis and U. longissima are similar, and they can both survive outside of their realized niches. For N. douglasii, dispersal limitations could shape its distribution along elevation and local microclimate conditions could be important for its vitality. Conclusions: Certain bryophyte and lichen species can survive outside of their realized niches, information that can contribute to knowledge about species niches along elevational gradients. Future studies should focus on cryptogam species interactions in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a long time after the end of large-scale student unrest in the 1970s Japan stood out by a comparatively low level of protest. Yet spectacular waves of mass-protest returned with the anti-nuke mobilizations following the 2011 Fukushima meltdown and other 'post-2011' movements. In this paper I develop an analytical framework inspired by the multi-level perspective in transition studies to illuminate two questions: how can the relatively low level of protest in Japan before 2011 – in particular the so called 'ice age' of protest from the 1970s to the early 2000s – be explained, and what enabled the recovery of protest afterwards, starting in the early 2000s and leading up to the post-2011 protest cycle? I point to the crucial role played on the one hand by niches in the form of social movement spaces in fostering oppositional discourses and on the other hand by landscape changes that destabilized the established politico-cultural regime. A crucial role was played by the creative work of freeter activists in social movement spaces during the 1990s who reinvented activism in response to stigmatization of open protest after the collective trauma of the perceived defeat of the New Left in the 1970s. This creative work was a precondition for the rise of protest movements in the early 2000s which in turn prepared the way for the post-2011 protest wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between biology and the psy disciplines (psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy) is a complex one. Many scholars have criticized how these disciplines have been biologized in the 20th century, especially since the emergence of psychopharmacology, neuroscience, and genetic research. However, biology is not just a laboratory-based science of chemical compounds, scanners, and DNA sequencing, but also a field science based on observations of organisms in their milieus. In this paper, we draw a contrast between laboratory-based biology with a focus on brains and genes, and an ecology-based biology with a focus on lives and niches. Our argument is philosophical in nature – building partly on Wittgenstein as a "philosopher of life" – to the effect that the psy sciences need not just less biologization of the former kind, but also more biologization of the latter kind to avoid a prevalent mentalism. Not least when it comes to an understanding of psychological distress, which can favorably be viewed situationally and coupled to human lives in ecological niches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Owadów-Brzezinki palaeontological site is known for its very well-preserved fossils of Late Jurassic vertebrates, such as numerous fossil fish teeth and occasional dental bones. Some of these represent well-studied taxa, including the most common large predatory fish, with notable examples of caturoids (such as Strobilodus sp.) and pachycormids (Orthocormus teyleri). The current study presents the microstructure and histological features of the teeth of the selected specimens of the above taxa. They are determined through examinations of tooth cross-sections under thin microscopic observations and by the usage of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The above inspections, combined with aspects of external tooth morphology, allowed us to determine the palaeoecology of the aforementioned taxa of large predatory fish. It is concluded that examined Caturoidea displayed a rather homogenous dentition belonging to the intermediate cut/slash guild, characterized by an internal orthodentin histology with prominent incremental Andresen growth lines of differing form, indicating living in a highly variable, unstable environment. The teeth of pachycormid specimen (O. teyleri) can be characterized as having denteon-based orthodentin histology, with a rapid rate of tooth eruption and a heterodont, elongated specialist dentition of the piercing guild. The observed structural differences in the teeth suggest a different niche distribution between the taxa studied. They help to explain how these predatory ray-finned fishes may have coexisted both in the local environment of the Owadów-Brzezinki and in the wider, more global context of Late Jurassic shallow marine environments. In addition, the tooth samples are characterised by pronounced surface bioerosion with traces of Mycellites ossifragus durophagous fungal activity, indicating an intense bioerosion caused by these microorganisms after the death of the fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidimensional approaches examining complex trait-niche relationships are crucial to understand community assembly. This is particularly important across habitat transformation gradients because specialists are progressively substituted by generalists and, despite increasing functional homogenization, in both specialist and generalist communities niche partitioning is apparent. Here, in line with the continuum hypothesis, we expected that divergent trait-niche relationships would arise in passerine assemblages across the natural-to-urban transformation gradient. More specifically, we expected that traits linking form to function would be more important in less transformed habitats, while population density and traits linked to dispersal and dominance would predominate in more transformed habitats. Accordingly, we found that beak length and its interaction with tarsus length correlated significantly with isotopic niches in natural and rural habitats, where specialists predominate. Conversely, body size and aggressiveness only showed significant relationships with isotopic niches with increasing habitat transformation, where generalists prevail. Interestingly, we recorded a mix of these processes in rural habitats, which acted as a frontier between these two domains. Our study is thus important in showing that a complex combination of morphological and behavioral traits determine niche characteristics, and that these relationships are dynamic across habitat transformation gradients.

Seagrass meadows provide essential ecosystem services globally in the context of climate change. However, seagrass is being degraded at an accelerated rate globally due to ocean warming, ocean acidification, aquaculture, and human activities. The need for more information on seagrasses’ spatial distribution and health status is a serious impediment to their conservation and management. Therefore, we propose a new hybrid machine learning model (RF-SWOA) that integrates the sinusoidal chaos map whale optimization algorithm (SWOA) with a random forest (RF) model to accurately model the suitable habitat of potential seagrasses. This study combines in situ sampling data with multivariate remote sensing data to train and validate hybrid machine learning models. It shows that RF-SWOA can predict potential seagrass habitat suitability more accurately and efficiently than RF. It also shows that the two most important factors affecting the potential seagrass habitat suitability on Hainan Island in China are distance to land (38.2%) and depth to sea (25.9%). This paper not only demonstrates the effectiveness of a hybrid machine learning model but also provides a more accurate machine learning model approach for predicting the potential suitability distribution of seagrasses. This research can help identify seagrass suitability distribution areas and thus develop conservation strategies to restore healthy seagrass ecosystems.

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy of transvaginal repair and hysteroscopic resection in improving niche associated postmenstrual spotting.MethodsThe improvement rate of postmenstrual spotting in women who underwent transvaginal repair or hysteroscopic resection treatment was assessed retrospectively in patients accepted at the Niche Sub-Specialty Clinic in International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital between June 2017 and June 2019. Postoperative spotting symptom within one year after surgery, pre- and postoperative anatomical indicators, women' satisfaction with menstruation and other perioperative parameters were compared between the two groups.Results68 patients in the transvaginal group and 70 patients in the hysteroscopic group were included for analysis. The improvement rate of postmenstrual spotting in the transvaginal group at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months after surgery was 87%, 88%, 84%, and 85%, significantly higher than 61%, 68%, 66%, and 68% in the hysteroscopic group, respectively (P 0.05). After surgery, the disappearance rates of the niche are 68% in transvaginal group and 38% in hysteroscopic group, however, hysteroscopic resection had shorter operative time and hospitalization duration, less complications, and lower hospitalization costs.ConclusionBoth treatments can improve the spotting symptom and anatomical structures of uterine lower segments with niches. Transvaginal repair is better in thickening the residual myometrium than hysteroscopic resection, however, hysteroscopic resection has shorter operative time and hospitalization duration, less complications, and lower hospitalization costs.

Acute oak decline is a high-impact disease causing necrotic lesions on the trunk, crown thinning and the eventual death of oak. Four bacterial species are associated with the lesions—Brenneria goodwinii, Gibbsiella quercinecans, Rahnella victoriana and Lonsdalea Britannica—although an epi-/endophytic lifestyle has also been suggested for these bacteria. However, little is known about their environmental reservoirs or their pathway to endophytic colonisation. This work aimed to investigate the ability of the four AOD-associated bacterial species to survive for prolonged periods within rhizosphere soil, leaves and acorns in vitro, and to design an appropriate method for their recovery. This method was trialled on field samples related to healthy and symptomatic oaks. The in vitro study showed that the majority of these species could survive for at least six weeks within each sample type. Results from the field samples demonstrated that R. victoriana and G. quercinecans appear environmentally widespread, indicating multiple routes of endophytic colonisation might be plausible. B. goodwinii and L. britannica were only identified from acorns from healthy and symptomatic trees, indicating they may be inherited members of the endophytic seed microbiome and, despite their ability to survive outside of the host, their environmental occurrence is limited. Future research should focus on preventative measures targeting the abiotic factors of AOD, how endophytic bacteria shift to a pathogenic cycle and the identification of resilient seed stock that is less susceptible to AOD.

The continued exploration of the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in little-studied ecological niches represents a fundamental activity to understand the diffusion and biotechnological significance of this heterogeneous class of prokaryotes. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lpb. plantarum) strains were isolated from Tunisian vegetable sources, including fermented olive and fermented pepper, and from dead locust intestines, which were subsequently evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4267 and Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4031, as well as against some fungi, including Penicillium expansum, Aspergilus niger, and Botrytis cinerea. In addition, their resistance to oro-gastro-intestinal transit, aggregation capabilities, biofilm production capacity, adhesion to human enterocyte-like cells, and cytotoxicity to colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line were determined. Further, adhesion to tomatoes and the biocontrol potential of this model food matrix were analyzed. It was found that all the strains were able to inhibit the indicator growth, mostly through organic acid production. Furthermore, these strains showed promising probiotic traits, including in vitro tolerance to oro-gastrointestinal conditions, and adhesion to abiotic surfaces and Caco-2 cells. Moreover, all tested Lpb. plantarum strains were able to adhere to tomatoes with similar rates (4.0–6.0 LogCFU/g tomato). The co-culture of LAB strains with pathogens on tomatoes showed that Lpb. plantarum could be a good candidate to control pathogen growth. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to guarantee their use as probiotic strains for biocontrol on food matrices.

Eccrine sweat gland (SG) restrictedly exists in mouse foot pads indicating that mouse plantar dermis (PD) contains the SG lineage-restricted niches. However, it is still unclear how these niches can affect stem cell fate towards SG. In this study, we tried to find the key cues by which stem cells sense and interact with the SG lineage-specific niches both in vivo and in vitro. Firstly, we used transcriptomics RNA sequencing analysis to screen differentially expressed genes between SG cells and epidermal stem cells (ES), and used proteomic analysis to screen differentially expressed proteins between PD and dorsal dermis (DD). Notch1 was found differentially expressed in both gene and protein levels, and was closely related to SG morphogenesis based on Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Secondly, the spatial-temporal changes of Notch1 during embryonic and post-natal development of SG were detected. Thirdly, mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were introduced into SG-like cells in vitro in order to further verify the possible roles of Notch1. Results revealed that Notch1 was continuously down-regulated along with the process of SG morphogenesis in vivo, and also along with the process that MSCs differentiated into SG-like cells in vitro. Hence, we suggest that Notch1 possibly acts as with roles of "gatekeeper" during SG development and regulates the interactions between stem cells and the SG lineage-specific niches. This study might help for understanding mechanisms of embryonic SG organogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disentangling regional and local drivers of species richness in communities is a long-term focus of ecology. Regional species pools affect local communities by providing their constituent species. Additionally, the amount and variety of resources enhance diversity locally. Here, we investigated whether the same ecological factor (vegetation complexity) shapes both regional and local species richness and thus drives local diversity both indirectly (via pool size) and directly (via facilitating the coexistence of species). We studied passerine birds of woodlands and forests in eastern Australia. We quantified regional species pool size and sampled local bird communities at 63 transects spanning 3,000 km. We estimated canopy height both regionally using satellite imagery and locally using vegetation sampling in the field. We studied how species pool size changed with regional canopy height and water availability, and how local species richness changed with pool size and local canopy height. Local species richness increased with both local canopy height and the size of the regional species pool. Pool size, in turn, increased with regional canopy height, which itself increased with water availability. Moreover, local species richness expressed as a proportion of the regional pool also increased with local canopy height. In sum, vegetation complexity indexed by canopy height had a doubly positive effect on local species richness: indirectly by promoting a large regional species pool and directly by facilitating the coexistence of disproportionately many species locally. Regional pools were larger in tall forests probably due to the legacy of extensive moist forests that once covered most of Australia, thus providing a sizeable potential for speciation, diversification, and species persistence. Local species richness was greater in tall, more productive forests with more vegetation layers likely due to more and varied resources (i.e., more potential niches), allowing the coexistence of more individuals and species of consumers.

• Sustainability transitions research and policy treat households in a narrow way. • A new conceptual model for deliberate household experimentation is presented. • Households appreciate the opportunity to experiment. • Households find low-waste living very difficult. • Future research and policy should explore the model in more domains and territories. Sustainability transitions research and policy treat households and the home in a narrow way. The paper reviews niche-based experimentation and social-practice theory informed sustainability transitions literature to develop a novel framework for deliberate household experimentation. The usefulness of the framework is explored in an action research project on low-waste living in Melbourne. Data was collected through interviews, weekly self-reports and three participatory workshops. The research confirms the usefulness of the framework and offers reflections on deliberate household experimentation. The conclusion is that similar to other niche spaces, household niches are instrumental in demonstrating, learning about, advocating for and critiquing different aspects of sustainability transitions. But in contrast to other niche spaces, households are deeply embedded in the everyday life of what matters to people. If the transition to low-waste living is to be successful, it needs to be planned from the perspective of everyday household life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, accumulating evidence has elucidated the important role of T cells with stem-like characteristics in long-term maintenance of T cell responses and better patient outcomes after immunotherapy. The fate of TSL cells has been correlated with many physiological and pathological human processes. In this review, we described present advances demonstrating that stem-like T (TSL) cells are central players in human health and disease. We interpreted the evolutionary characteristics, mechanism and functions of TSL cells. Moreover, we discuss the import role of distinct niches and how they affect the stemness of TSL cells. Furthermore, we also outlined currently available strategies to generate TSL cells and associated affecting factors. Moreover, we summarized implication of TSL cells in therapies in two areas: stemness enhancement for vaccines, ICB, and adoptive T cell therapies, and stemness disruption for autoimmune disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidimensional approaches examining complex trait-niche relationships are crucial to understand community assembly. This is particularly important across habitat transformation gradients because specialists are progressively substituted by generalists and, despite increasing functional homogenization, in both specialist and generalist communities niche partitioning is apparent. Here, in line with the continuum hypothesis, we expected that divergent trait-niche relationships would arise in passerine assemblages across the natural-to-urban transformation gradient. More specifically, we expected that traits linking form to function would be more important in less transformed habitats, while population density and traits linked to dispersal and dominance would predominate in more transformed habitats. Accordingly, we found that beak length and its interaction with tarsus length correlated significantly with isotopic niches in natural and rural habitats, where specialists predominate. Conversely, body size and aggressiveness only showed significant relationships with isotopic niches with increasing habitat transformation, where generalists prevail. Interestingly, we recorded a mix of these processes in rural habitats, which acted as a frontier between these two domains. Our study is thus important in showing that a complex combination of morphological and behavioral traits determine niche characteristics, and that these relationships are dynamic across habitat transformation gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpreting tissue architecture plays an important role in gaining a better understanding of healthy tissue development and disease. Novel molecular detection and imaging techniques make it possible to locate many different types of objects, such as cells and/or mRNAs, and map their location across the tissue space. In this review, we present several methods that provide quantification and statistical verification of observed patterns in the tissue architecture. We categorize these methods into three main groups: Spatial statistics on a single type of object, two types of objects, and multiple types of objects. We discuss the methods in relation to four hypotheses regarding the methods' capability to distinguish random and non-random distributions of objects across a tissue sample, and present a number of openly available tools where these methods are provided. We also discuss other spatial statistics methods compatible with other types of input data.

Interpreting tissue architecture plays an important role in gaining a better understanding of healthy tissue development and disease. Novel molecular detection and imaging techniques make it possible to locate many different types of objects, such as cells and/or mRNAs, and map their location across the tissue space. In this review, we present several methods that provide quantification and statistical verification of observed patterns in the tissue architecture. We categorize these methods into three main groups: Spatial statistics on a single type of object, two types of objects, and multiple types of objects. We discuss the methods in relation to four hypotheses regarding the methods' capability to distinguish random and non-random distributions of objects across a tissue sample, and present a number of openly available tools where these methods are provided. We also discuss other spatial statistics methods compatible with other types of input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy production by means of ATP synthesis in cancer cells has been investigated frequently as a potential therapeutic target in this century. Both (an)aerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) have been studied. Here, we review recent literature on energy production in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) and leukemic stem cells (LSCs) versus their normal counterparts, neural stem cells (NSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), respectively. These two cancer stem cell types were compared because their niches in glioblastoma tumors and in bone marrow are similar. In this study, it became apparent that (1) ATP is produced in NSCs and HSCs by anaerobic glycolysis, whereas fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is essential for their stem cell fate and (2) ATP is produced in GSCs and LSCs by OXPHOS despite the hypoxic conditions in their niches with FAO and amino acids providing its substrate. These metabolic processes appeared to be under tight control of cellular regulation mechanisms which are discussed in depth. However, our conclusion is that systemic therapeutic targeting of ATP production via glycolysis or OXPHOS is not an attractive option because of its unwanted side effects in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shape and spatial organization -the anatomy- of a tissue profoundly influences its function. Knowledge of the anatomical relationships between parent and daughter cells is necessary to understand differentiation and how the crosstalk between the different cells in the tissue leads to physiological maintenance and pathological perturbations. Blood cell production takes place in the bone marrow through the progressive differentiation of stem cells and progenitors. These are maintained and regulated by a heterogeneous microenvironment composed of stromal and hematopoietic cells. While hematopoiesis has been studied in extraordinary detail through functional and multiomics approaches, much less is known about the spatial organization of blood production and how local cues from the microenvironment influence this anatomy. Here, we discuss some of the studies that revealed a complex anatomy of hematopoiesis where discrete local microenvironments spatially organize and regulate specific subsets of hematopoietic stem cells and/or progenitors. We focus on the open questions in the field and discuss how new tools and technological advances are poised to transform our understanding of the anatomy of hematopoiesis.

The shape and spatial organization -the anatomy- of a tissue profoundly influences its function. Knowledge of the anatomical relationships between parent and daughter cells is necessary to understand differentiation and how the crosstalk between the different cells in the tissue leads to physiological maintenance and pathological perturbations. Blood cell production takes place in the bone marrow through the progressive differentiation of stem cells and progenitors. These are maintained and regulated by a heterogeneous microenvironment composed of stromal and hematopoietic cells. While hematopoiesis has been studied in extraordinary detail through functional and multiomics approaches, much less is known about the spatial organization of blood production and how local cues from the microenvironment influence this anatomy. Here, we discuss some of the studies that revealed a complex anatomy of hematopoiesis where discrete local microenvironments spatially organize and regulate specific subsets of hematopoietic stem cells and/or progenitors. We focus on the open questions in the field and discuss how new tools and technological advances are poised to transform our understanding of the anatomy of hematopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cornea comprises a pool of self-regenerating epithelial cells that are crucial to preserving clarity and visibility. Limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs), which live in a specialized stem cell niche (SCN), are crucial for the survival of the human corneal epithelium. They live at the bottom of the limbal crypts, in a physically enclosed microenvironment with a number of neighboring niche cells. Scientists also simplified features of these diverse microenvironments for more analysis in situ by designing and recreating features of different SCNs. Recent methods for regenerating the corneal epithelium after serious trauma, including burns and allergic assaults, focus mainly on regenerating the LESCs. Mesenchymal stem cells, which can transform into self-renewing and skeletal tissues, hold immense interest for tissue engineering and innovative medicinal exploration. This review summarizes all types of LESCs, identity and location of the human epithelial stem cells (HESCs), reconstruction of LSCN and artificial stem cells for self-renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the habitat preferences of various bryophytes on a landscape in which calcareous and granitic rocks interdigitate. On both substrates, plots were placed in sunny dry locations, shady dry locations, and along streams in wet locations. In other words, six habitat types were studied in a factorial design involving edaphics × moisture. Wet granitic habitat had the highest species richness, whereas wet calcareous habitat had the lowest species richness. In dry sites, shady plots had higher richness than sunny plots, regardless of edaphics. Particular species varied widely in their preferences with at least one species being an indicator for each of the six habitats, e.g.: "fan-form tubers Bryaceae" was specialized on granitic wet habitat; Grimmia lisae was specialized on granitic shady habitat; Grimmia montana was specialized on granitic sunny habitat; Didymodon tophaceous was specialized on calcareous wet habitat; Orthotrichum cupulatum + hallii was specialized on calcareous shady habitat; Grimmia anodon was specialized on calcareous sunny habitat. The composition of the bryophyte assemblages was very strongly affected by the interaction of calcareous-versus-granitic × dry-versus-wet; the wet calcareous assemblage was the most distinctive. To the extent possible, we classified the various species into guilds (e.g., the calcicolous rheophyte guild) taking into account generalization versus specialization. In summary, we found remarkable interactions between edaphics and wetness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various services based on sharing have recently emerged in cities across the globe. They entail promises of a more sustainable mode of transportation. Through an in-depth case study, this paper follows the undertakings within a recent demonstration project aimed at implementing a residential bike-sharing service. The involved actors succeeded in presenting a functional service but failed to make the service commercially viable. Consequently, the configuration did not spread beyond the niche level. Based on this finding, the paper identifies a risk in enforcing progressive solutions to becoming commercialised, and urges public actors to play a greater role in steering the transition towards a more sustainable future transport system. By shedding light on the process of failing, the paper contributes important lessons concerning the setup of future bike-sharing systems that can challenge the automobility regime.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics poses enormous health and economic burdens to our society, and it is of the essence to explore old and new ways to deal with these problems. Here we review the current status of multi-resistance genes and how they spread among bacteria. We discuss strategies to deal with resistant bacteria, namely the search for new targets and the use of inhibitors of protein-protein interactions, fragment-based methods, or modified antisense RNAs. Finally, we discuss integrated approaches that consider bacterial populations and their niches, as well as the role of global regulators that activate and/or repress the expression of multiple genes in fluctuating environments and, therefore, enable resistant bacteria to colonize new niches. Understanding how the global regulatory circuits work is, probably, the best way to tackle bacterial resistance.

In the autumn season of 2017, four mud brick structures designated as AS 103 were excavated in the area of the south-eastern part of the New Kingdom temple (AS 70–73). It is a complex of four corridor chapels/tombs (in an area of 15.0 × 12.7 m), with single or composed niches in the western inner walls. One of the niches in Corridor Chapel 1 was cased with red-painted wooden planks. Shafts were detected in front of the niches, a fairly uncommon phenomenon in Egyptian tomb architecture. The term “hollow tomb with a shaft below a niche” is being proposed for this new tomb (sub)type. A preliminary study of the pottery leads to the conclusion that the tombs were built from the east to the west, with Corridor Chapels 4, 3 and 2 built successively in the Third Dynasty and Corridor Chapel 1 in the Fifth Dynasty. Even though they were funeral structures, not many burials were excavated: the remains of a single human body have been found. The structures did not contain many finds, either. However, four white limestone offering basins were uncovered in situ. One of them was inscribed with the female name Nfr.t-jw=s. It is evident that the excavations have brought to light new insights into burial practices of non-elite people of the Old Kingdom period. In the context of Abusir South, AS 103 represents the first thoroughly excavated complex of such a type of tombs. Based on preliminary probing, similar structures are very likely located nearby, continuing in all directions.

In this paper I aim to study rap in Buenos Aires after 2001 observing the link between social and aesthetic aspects, from a perspective of ‘mediation’ and ‘worlds of art’. For this purpose, I analyze its origins in times of socio-economic crisis and the importance that the democratization of digital technology has had in its unraveling. I observe the development of diverse niches (related to class, generation or aesthetics cleavages), and a process of popularization related to freestyle-improvisation and trap as a sub-genre. As I will show, there is a diversification and a fast popularization associated with digitalization and self-management events, giving rise to home recording studios and video clips uploaded to the internet. Also, I point out the role of the State, big shows organizers, journalists, streaming agencies and major record labels. Finally, I propose that the internal differences in this music do not refer directly to homologies between social classes and different styles of rap.

Abstract Background Estuaries are primary habitats that serve as feeding and nursery grounds for most juvenile marine fish. However, estuaries have been used as fishing grounds by the artisanal fishers in Tanzania. The slow-growing predatory fish at juvenile and sub-adult stages are among the most frequently caught species that functionally enhance multiple linkages of energy pathways within the food web. Stomach contents and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) were used to describe the nutritional sources and trophic niches between the co-existing benthic, predatory species, Carangoides chrysophrys and Epinephelus malabaricus in the Pangani estuary, Tanzania. Results The findings indicated significant inter-specific variations in dietary composition (PERMANOVA, p = 0.001, pseudo-F = 15.81). The prey-specific index of relative importance (%PSIRI) indicated that juvenile shrimps (%PSIRI = 51.4) and Teleostei (%PSIRI = 26.5) were the main diets of C. chrysophrys while brachyura (%PSIRI = 38.8), juvenile shrimps (%PSIRI = 25.6) and Teleostei (%PSIRI = 23.3) were important diets of E. malabaricus. The isotope mixing models indicated that the predatory fish species accumulate nutrients derived from similar autotrophic sources, microphytobenthos, seagrass and macro-algae via consumption of small fish, including clupeids and mugilids. Yet, they significantly showed different isotopic niche width with varying degree of niche overlap across the longitudinal estuary gradient. This situation was justified by the presence of basal food sources among the estuarine zones that isotopically were different. Conclusion The reliance of both predators on clupeids and mugilid preys that are trophically linked with estuarine and marine basal food sources, is an indication of low estuarine food webs’ connectivity to the fresh water related food web. This situation is most likely threatening the stability of the estuarine food web structure. Management strategies and plans in place should be cautiously implemented to ensure the balanced anthropogenic freshwater use in the catchment and fishing activities, for the maintenance of the Pangani estuarine ecosystem health.

Aim: Mycorrhizal fungi associate with the majority of plant species with large consequences on ecosystem nutrient, carbon and water cycling. Two main types of mycorrhizal fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, dominate terrestrial ecosystems. Most global distribution modelling of AM and EM associations describe the distribution of AM and EM plants, and not fungi directly. However, significant functional trait variation occurs within AM and EM fungal guilds. Therefore, modelling range sizes and determinants of these ranges of fungi directly is likely to create spatial maps that are a better proxy of ecosystem function than guild‐level lumping of AM and EM plant distributions. Location: Global. Taxa: Arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Methods: Here I calculated the ranges of 164 AM and 67 EM fungal taxa at the global scale and related range sizes to differences in spore sizes as a proxy of dispersal potential. If dispersal limitation affects range sizes, I expected that EM fungi with smaller spores would have larger ranges than AM fungi with larger spores. If spore size was not related to range size, this would indicate factors other than passive dispersal control global mycorrhizal fungal ranges. Results: Overall, AM fungal taxa had larger ranges than EM fungal taxa. AM fungi also had larger spore sizes than EM fungi. Range sizes within both AM and EM fungal taxa were phylogenetically conserved; closely related AM and EM fungi have similar range sizes. Closely related EM fungi also had similar spore sizes. However, spore size was not related to range size for either mycorrhizal fungal guild after phylogenetic correction, except for EM fungi in the Northern hemisphere. Main Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that range size for both mycorrhizal fungal guilds is for the most part not determined by dispersal limitation, suggesting instead that environmental tolerance or plant host distributions determine mycorrhizal fungal ranges. Future surveys of the same plant species across environmental gradients will elucidate abiotic versus host plant influence on mycorrhizal fungal niches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longevity of plasma cells is dependent on their ability to access and reside in so‐called survival niches that are predominantly located in the bone marrow. It is proposed that by some process a small fraction of the plasma cells generated in response to new antigen challenges can enter into the long‐lived repertoire by displacing existing plasma cells. Several lines of research show that this process is not stochastic as not all resident, long‐lived plasma cells appear equally likely to be displaced. The basis of these differences might reside in the niches, the plasma cells or a combination of both factors that intersect to create a distribution of susceptibility to replacement and lifespans. In this review, I consider factors that might vary in plasma cells and thus influence their access to niches and the ability of newly generated plasma cells to survive over the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green Burial is a burial method which uses biodegradable materials to entomb the dead body instead of cremating by using embalmed liquid. It aims to let the body return to the nature naturally. With an ageing population, there is an increase of demand on columbarium and niches in Hong Kong, and green burial has been introduced as a more sustainable option to bury the deceased. The current paper has summarised the official documents regarding the green burial programme proposed by the Hong Kong government. The reason why people do not prefer green burial may be due to the Chinese traditional belief and the lack of education. Methods of delivery of message and social media coverage are issues leading to people not being encouraged to use green burial. United States and Singapore develop improved approaches in performing green burial. The effect in promoting green burial services is evaluated in this study and recommendations on improving the way of promotion are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial taxonomy dealing with identification and characterization of prokaryotes like bacteria and archaea has always been a major area of research all over the world. Exploring diversity of microbes and description of novel species with different genes and secondary compounds is of utmost importance for better future and sustenance of life. India having an enormous range of ecosystems and diverse species inhabiting these niches is considered to be one of the richest biodiversity regions of the world. During the last decade, with newer methodologies and better technology, the prokaryotic taxonomy from India has extended our inventory of microbial communities in specific niches. However, there still exist some limitations in classifying the microbes from India as compared to that is done world-over. This review enlists the taxonomic description of novel taxa of prokaryotes from India in the past decade. A total of 378 new bacterial species have been classified from different habitats in India in the last ten years and no descriptions of archaeal species is documented till date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine two dominant processes of organizational interdependence—imitation and resource competition—and develop a theory that integrates predictions about firms' propensity to change market locations based on both. The cornerstone of the model is the argument that both processes operate concurrently and are driven by the departure of peer firms from a shared resource space. I also argue that the imitation effect, which reflects shared perceptions and interpretations among ecologically proximate peers, hinges on the competitive intensity faced by each individual organization in its market location. Analyses of U.S. automobile manufacturers' moves between the industry's three main market segments confirm the predictions of the theory and point to the merits of using an ecological approach to the evolution of market segmentation and the formation of industry structure. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Care-providing parents of immigrants fill a labor market niche in the receiving economy. My research examines the intergenerational support for working women in immigrant families in the United States. Using panel data derived from the Current Population Survey (CPS), I find that having a coresiding parent increases the labor force participation probability of foreign-born women with children by about 7.4 percent, and that the effects differ by birth region and educational level. I use a difference-in-differences approach to reinforce the finding that coresiding parents significantly alleviate the short-term labor force participation decline of foreign-born females after their transition to motherhood.