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COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world researchers the urgent need for new sources and novel pharmaceuticals not only for existing diseases but also for both seasonal epidemics and future pandemics. Pharmaceutical drug discoveries for the past fifty years depended deeply on the procedure of empirical transmission of a huge number of pure bioactive compounds to provide new leads. The screening of extracts or isolating compounds is a common way to discover novel biologically active molecules. Most of the valuable Blue-Green algal metabolites are concentrated in their biomass. For existence in nature, Blue-Green algae (BGA) secrete and contain various organic substances like proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, pigments, primary and secondary metabolites, and these compounds are explored for potential biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral (including the anti-SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19), anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, protease inhibitory activity, anti-inflammatory activity, etc. Due to their diverse application, pharmaceutical companies have shown commercial interest in the Blue-green algal group for the discovery and development of novel molecules to combat deadly diseases for the benefit of society and mankind. The current review paper highlights and discusses the diverse pharmaceutical potential of laboratory-grown cultures of BGA along with comprehensive and current knowledge on bioactive compounds discovered by researchers globally. © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

This study aimed to determine the shift in willingness regarding the COVID-19 vaccine after the second wave. The study attempts to understand the willingness towards COVID-19 vaccination by assessing the public's knowledge, concerns, and attitude regarding the vaccine. Between May 16 to May 28, 2021, the individuals of the general population were invited to fill the online questionnaire. Total 711 participants had given their informed consent and completed the questionnaire on their background and vaccination behavior-related variables such as knowledge, practices, and their concerns regarding the vaccine. Before the launching of the vaccine, people were less likely to get vaccinated (63.6%);however, once the second wave hit India, attitudes towards vaccines shifted dramatically, and the figure increased to 84.4%. A significant proportion of the population is now willing to take the vaccine. There are several socio-demographic differences regarding knowledge and concerns related to vaccines, especially in age and gender groups. The success of a COVID-19 vaccination program is determined not just by the vaccine's efficacy, but also by its uptake. To ensure optimum vaccination uptake, there is an immediate need for the most effective policy and communication. © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

In an online interview, Nobel Laureate David Baltimore, Ph.D., reflected on his contributions to biomedical science that have had a major influence on the fields of molecular biology, virology, cancer, and immunology. Dr. Baltimore is President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology. Among other notable works, he discovered the critical nuclear transcription factor NF Kappa B and the Rag1 and Rag2 proteins that rearrange adaptive immune cell receptors. His career path, he says, evolved naturally, as math and science came easily to him. As a high school student, he participated in a summer program at the Jackson Lab in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he says he came away feeling that experimental biology was exciting and rewarding. “That's where I discovered that the frontiers of science, were not so distant; that I could actually make a discovery that nobody else in the world knew about,” he says. And that he did. Independently, he and Howard Temin discovered the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase revising the canon of cellular information transfer. They published back-to-back papers in Nature demonstrating that this enzyme in virus particles could transcribe RNA to DNA. Both received a Nobel Prize for this work. In reflecting on his early experience evaluating how to work with recombinant DNA and how we should scientifically and safely approach gain of function research, he says, “We have to be very honest with ourselves about what might hold danger, and we have to control our instinct … to do anything we can to generate progress and understanding of life. …At the same time, we don’t want to hold back progress, and so there is a balancing.” Dr. Baltimore also discussed his optimism about vectored immunoprophylaxis as a strategy for prevention of HIV and his doubt that scalable strategies will be able to cure HIV. He also reflected on his philosophy for the training of young scientists and the successful training program that he developed at the Whitehead Institute.

As APS President‐elect, I participated in the Williamsburg Retreat in 1989 to address the issue of keeping member societies in FASEB. The Retreat led to focusing on public affairs and reducing society dues. As APS President, I met with leadership of ASBMB to convince them to remain in the restructured FASEB. As the first elected President of the new FASEB in 1992, I organized member societies to participate in NIH Strategic Plan meeting to maintain the priority of funding of unsolicited investigator‐initiated research instead of a top‐down approach. A new Office for Policy Analysis and Research was established to pursue proactive public affairs activities and strategic thinking. In response to qualitative and quantitative threats to biomedical research funding, I worked with FASEB member societies and the Public Affairs office to mobilize letter‐writing and a petition drive to the President and Members of US Congress, resulting in >20,000 signatures. This led to a 6.1% increase of FY94 funding, instead of a cut. When FASEB’s annual meeting was changed to Experimental Biology (EB), I worked with EB to ensure the smooth transition. I organized Tang Prize Lectures which became the highly successful EB plenary lectures. My involvement with FASEB was helpful in the formation of NIBIB in 2001 and recruitment of BMES as a member society in 2008.

The identification of bacteria plays an essential role in multiple areas of research. Those areas include experimental biology, food and water industries, pathology, microbiology, and evolutionary ...

The people of India have a wide variety of eating habits that vary according to ethnicity, geography, and culture. The consumption of meat primarily covers the protein requirement of the Indians, and three out of four are non-vegetarians. There is a need to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated countrywide lockdown on the meat consumption pattern of the Indian non-vegetarians. A countrywide survey was conducted among the consumers to study the impact of COVID-19 on the meat consumption pattern using a self-administered electronic questionnaire distributed through emails and online social networking platforms. A total of 416 responses were collected from the consumers belonging to different states and union territories. The data were analyzed as per the standard procedure. The meat consumption pattern of the non-vegetarians was found to be altered during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown period. The majority of the consumers could not obtain a sufficient quantity of meat and meat products during the lockdown period due to various reasons such as the increased cost and decreased availability of livestock. The myths and rumors associated with meat consumption and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 further weakened the meat trade in certain areas. Based on the findings of this survey, it is safe to confirm that the meat consumption pattern among Indian consumers was affected badly during the countrywide lockdown. © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

The food we eat plays a key aspect in determining our overall health and immunity. Improving our immunity during the Covid-19 pandemic is challenging for all age groups. So this study focused on formulating a ready to drink called probiotic fruit yogurt from less utilized passion fruits (Passiflora edulis), as a good option to build resilience in the body against infections and also to help the planters of Thandikudi hills, Tamil Nadu to promote their harvest into a valuable product. Passion fruits were procured and handled in a very hygienic manner. The formulation of stirred fruit yogurts was carried out in three different ratios (10%, 15%, and 20% pulp). These samples were standardized by sensory evaluation (9 points hedonic scale) and physicochemical parameters (pH). Fruit yogurt made from 20% passion fruit pulp scored the highest value in the mean score (8.5±0.17) for sensory evaluation except for texture. The pH value of the passion fruit yogurt was 3.5 found and it was more acidic compared to the plain yogurt value of 3.7 because of the addition of fruit pulp which was balanced by the addition of sugar/stevia. The acceptability of the stirred probiotic fruit yogurt with 20% pulp was mainly because of the flavoring compounds of the yellow passion fruit (P. edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg). © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

The recent outbreak of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) and the surge in accelerating the development of a vaccine to fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus has imposed greater challenges to humanity worldwide. There is lack of research into the production of effective vaccines and methods of treatment against viral infections. As of now, strategies encompassing antiviral drugs and corticosteroids alongside mechanical respiratory treatment are in practice as frontline treatments. Though studies have reported that microalgae possess antiviral properties, only a few cases have presented the existence of antiviral compounds such as algal polysaccharides, lectins, aggluttinins, scytovirin, algal lipids such as sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), monogalactosyldiacylglycerides (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerides (DGDG), and algal biopigments especially chlorophyll analogues, marennine, phycobiliproteins, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin that are derived from marine and freshwater microalgae. Given the chemodiversity of bioactive compounds from microalgae and the present scenario, algal biotechnology is seen as a prospective source of antiviral and anti-inflammatory compounds that can be used to develop antiviral agents. Microalgae with potential as antivirals and microalgae derived functional compounds to treat viral diseases are summarized and can be used as a reference in developing algae-derived antivirals to treat SARS-CoV-2 and other similar viruses. © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

The current pandemic COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly around the world. Many countries are still at the peak of infection. The prolonged lockdown has caused a serious impact on the socio-economy of the whole world. There is a growing concern about the link between animal’s based food product with all the contagious diseases as most of the pandemic are initiated from farming animals. The micro study of the virus or bacteria could trace the infectious pathway of the contagious diseases and find substantial problem-solving solutions. Nevertheless, the root cause of the diseases remained unknown. Because of this, it is essential to evaluate the root cause of the disease in the macro-scope of study. By discovering the designated function of all the microorganisms from the insight perspective of the Theory of Changes and other Taoism theories, we could define the effective problem-solving solution. The result of the finding has discovered that the microorganisms which bring the so called “contagious diseases” are the cure for Mother Nature to resume its equilibrium. They are the agents of decomposition and transformation of Mother Nature. Coronavirus, other viruses, and bacteria are the essential microorganisms being created by nature to decompose the excessive animals’ dead bodies that awash in the environment into smaller particles or subtracts, transforming them into useful nutrients to be absorbed and restored by Mother earth. After identifying the deadly microorganism as the cure for Mother Nature and recognizing the harm that we have done to Mother Nature, we could find out the root cause of the problem and solve the problem fundamentally. © 2021, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences. All rights reserved.

Advances in proteomic methodologies based on quantitative mass spectrometry are now transforming pharmacology and experimental biology more broadly. The present review will discuss several examples based on work in the author’s laboratory, which focuses on delineating relationships between G protein–coupled receptor signaling and trafficking in the endocytic network. The examples highlighted correspond to those discussed in a talk presented at the 2019 EB/ASPET meeting, which was organized by Professor Joe Beavo to commemorate his receipt of the Julius Axelrod Award. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT GPCRs are allosteric machines that signal by interacting with other cellular proteins, and this, in turn, is determined by a complex interplay between the biochemical, subcellular localization, and membrane trafficking properties of receptors relative to transducer and regulatory proteins. The present minireview highlights recent advances and challenges in elucidating this dynamic cell biology and toward delineating the cellular basis of drug action at the level of defined GPCR interaction networks using proteomic approaches enabled by quantitative mass spectrometry.

The conversion of bacterial CRISPR/Cas defense system into a simple and efficient tool for genome manipulations brought experimental biology into new dimensions. Suddenly, genome editing reached many groups most of which were interested in it but not able to employ the available time- and labor-consuming approaches of the pre-CRISPR era. In plant biology and biotechnology, CRISPR/Cas gene editing became the second most important technology after plant transformation. Actually, it relies on the available array of methods of gene delivery. While sufficient for most purposes, the classic gene transfer methods might become a problem for some experimental settings. The main obstacle is that they include DNA delivery and, frequently, its subsequent integration into cellular genome. For this reason novel methods to achieve gene editing without the need of stable transformation and even without DNA delivery were developed. These new approaches include in vitro ribonucleoprotein complexes formulations (delivered by microinjection, particle bombardment, electroporation, liposomes etc.), use of virus-like particles and employment of bacterial secretory systems for Cas/gRNA delivery. The first attempts to achieve DNA-free editing were made less than ten years ago. Later, different types of animal and plant cells were addressed. In this mini review we try to summarize the current developments and emerging trends in the field of DNA-free editing in plants.

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused substantial disruptions to health services due to overburdening the health system Hence, there are severe obstructions in tuberculosis (TB) services in India's primary health care and hospital settings Several restrictions, such as lockdown, self-isolations, and other public health guidelines to prevent viral transmission, impacted the delivery of essential facilities for TB management A significant reduction in tuberculosis testing in the public health sector has been noticed, which is an alarming situation in India However, there are several risks in managing TB due to rising cases of COVID-19 but maintaining the most critical prevention activities and healthcare services for tuberculosis could substantially reduce the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic This review focuses on the impact and challenges of COVID-19 on tuberculosis Further, the strategies to eradicate tuberculosis in the era of COVID-19 are also discussed © 2020, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences All rights reserved

The outbreak of COVID-19 seems to be the worst pandemic of history The pandemic sprouting from China has created an uncertain situation globally The rapid prevalence of this infectious agent has severely paralyzed every discipline of life at the domestic and international global levels within a few months after onset The exponential growth of COVID-19 infected admissions in hospitals has oversaturated hospitals capacity, especially in developing and third world countries Despite efforts of global communities and organizations, several developed countries are especially more affected due to a good economy and more intercontinental traveling Due to extensive geographical spread, rapid transmission inclination, and severity of disease caused by COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” The ripple influence of this pandemic has brought potential challenges to worldwide health-care systems It might trigger a “far-reaching” global economic crisis if the virus spread is not strictly curbed Therefore, the scientific concern has heightened on this novel Corona virus This review intends to show a complete, updated, and streamlined picture of the COVID-19 pandemic The first half of this review discusses the basic molecular virology of COVID-19, pathogenesis, immune response, and its transmission The second part light on clinical features, diagnostic techniques, and facilities in Pakistan Finally, along with the prevention and possible treatment of COVID-19, the opportunities and future perspectives are also discussed In particular, the aim of this review is the true portrayal of RT-PCR testing in Pakistan © 2020, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences All rights reserved

В последние годы высокими темпами проводятся исследования, связанные с поиском и изучением механизма действия новых и применяющихся в медицине ноотропных средств. Представляют интерес исследования, связанные с поиском новых комбинированных лекарственных средств ноотропного действия на основе субстанций D-гамма-пантотената кальция и янтарной кислоты, обладающих нейрометаболическими, атигипоксическими и адаптогенными свойствами. Целью настоящего исследования являлись разработка и обоснование оптимальных составов и технологий изготовления таблеток, обладающих ноотропным действием, и стандартизация предложенных лекарственных форм, содержащих пантогам и янтарную кислоту.Способ приготовления таблеточной смеси: все компоненты отвешивали в необходимом количестве, в ступку вносили пантогам, затем янтарную кислоту и растирали до однородного белого порошка. Прессование таблеток проводили на ручном прессе при давлении 120 мн/м2. Нанесение покрытия осуществлялось на лабораторной установке псевдоожиженного слоя с одной форсункой в перфорированном барабане объёмом 1000 мл. Полученные таблетки оценивали согласно требованиям по Государственной Фармакопее XIII, XIV. Сравнение таблеток пантогама сянтарной кислотой, полученных методом прямого прессования и влажного гранулирования, показало, что метод прямого прессования позволяет получать таблетки с хорошими физико-механическими показателями и биодоступностью. Для количественного определения пантогама в таблетках разработаны методики, основанные на кислотно-основном титровании, спектрофотометрическом определении. Проведена валидация методики количественного определения янтарной кислоты в лекарственных формах.На основании изучения физико-химических, технологических свойств субстанций и вспомогательных веществ обоснованы и разработаны составы и технология получения таблеток, содержащих пантогам и янтарную кислоту. 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Применение синхротронной ИК-микроспектроскопии для анализа интеграции биомиметических композитов с нативнойтвердой тканью зуба человека. Конденсированные среды и межфазные границы. 2019;21(2): 262–277.DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/kcmf.2019.21/76423. Ельцова Н. О., Будко Е. В. Применение ВЭЖХ совместно с оптическими и термическими мето-дами в комплексном анализе межкомпонентных взаимодействий фармацевтических композиций.Сорбционные и хроматографические процессы. 2019;19(4): 474–480. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/sorpchrom.2019.19/786

Jerzy Andrzej Chmurzyński (1929-2019) Profesor Jerzy Andrzej Chmurzyński (1929 -.2019), wybitny polski etolog, entomolog i filozof, pracował głównie w Instytucie Biologii Doświadczalnej im. Marcelego Nenckiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Warszawie. Jego terenowe badania obejmowały przede wszystkim doświadczenia badające zachowania wardzanki (Bembix rostrata; Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) obserwowane podczas powrotu do gniazda oraz seksualnego pościgu samca za samicą. Prowadził też laboratoryjne badania reakcji fotycznych różnych much z rodzajów Musca, Calliphora and Lucilia. Był jednym ze światowych pionierów teoretycznych badań poświęconych biologicznym korzeniom zjawisk estetycznych. Był tez autorem licznych innych publikacji poświęconych, między innymi, kwestiom etycznym, porównawczym badaniom zachowań i procesów poznawczych zwierząt i ludzi, oraz historii nauk behawioralnych. Był jednym z autorów ważnego polskiego podręcznika nauk behawioralnych i pierwszym Prezesem Polskiego Towarzystwa Etologicznego.

The facts and figures related to the 80-year history of formation and development of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University are provided. The main stages of foundation, development of the faculty, achievements of the teaching staff in educational and research work are highlighted. The structural elements of the faculty are characterized: the department of botany and zoology, general biology and methods of instruction of natural sciences, chemistry and methods of its teaching, laboratory of biology and ecology “Holytskyi botany and entomology preserve of the university", agrobiological laboratory, “Educational laboratory of morphology and systematics of plants - herbarium”, educational and methodical room “Zoological Museum”, laboratory of ecobiotechnologies and basics of health, laboratory of experimental biology, Botanical Garden, within which the Biblical Botanical Garden was launched in 2019. The following qualifications and majors are enlisted, in particular: bachelor’s degree - 014 Secondary education (Biology), 014 Secondary education (Biology and human health), 014 Secondary education (Chemistry), 014 Secondary education (Natural sciences), 202 Plant protection and quarantine; master’s degree - 014 Secondary education (Biology and human health), 014 Secondary education (Chemistry), 014 Secondary education (Natural sciences), 091 Biology, 102 Chemistry. Considerable attention is paid to scientific work, in particular research laboratories: cytoembryology, plant physiology and microbiology, ecological biochemistry, comparative biochemistry and molecular biology, ecology and biotechnology, ecotoxicology and bioindication, chemistry of unsaturated compounds, as well as scientific and methodological center of natural sciences. It should be emphasized that the faculty creates ample opportunities for postgraduate work, and PhD studies both TNPU-based and in other educational and scientific institutions, as well as for scientific publications in «Scientific Notes of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. Series: Biology.» (category B) and “Scientific notes of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. Series: Chemistry ". Career counselling is an integral part of work carried out at the faculty. Prospects for further development of the faculty are outlined.

This review is a trial to summarize the history of plant taxonomy to understand the situation of the taxonomical works and their progression. Taxonomy starts as an artificial classification and gradually with the increase of knowledge, civilization and facilities, plant taxonomy developed. Here, the most affected steps in the progression of plant taxonomy have been mentioned. Starting from the oldest period of using vegetative, floral and anatomical characters to the most recent works on palynology, chemotaxonomy and molecular biological data. Thinking of the modern plant taxonomy has been mentioned in response to the environmental changes and peoples thinking. Experimental biology and breeding experiments must be done to understand the way of speciation and to protect the wild species from extinction. Taxonomy must be cooperating with ecology for better understanding of the changing in the taxonomic characters and to precise identifications. Taxonomists have to survey the vegetation and try to find ways to protect the plants. We have to understand the relationships between the taxa in the populations. We have to modulate our thinking according to the new situation. Meanwhile the environmental conditions and their effect on plant characters must be kept in mind, as new species may arise and other extinct

The paper presents the results of a study of salt tolerance in some different eco-geographical samples of the cotton germplasm collection of the Institute of Genetics and Experimental Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to the results obtained, the studied samples were divided into several groups depending on their salt tolerance. Salt tolerant and unstable samples were found in all studied ecological and geographical groups, but differed in the frequency of distribution.

Ignacio Guillén Galve Miguel A. Vela-Tafalla University of Zaragoza, Spain ABSTRACT The digital multimedia environment where research communication develops nowadays has important consequences for EAP course design (Pérez-Llantada 2016), since speaking and visuals are ever more decisive for communicative success (Crawford-Camiciottoli and Fortanet-Gómez 2015). However, intonation manuals have remained virtually unchanged for decades, reflecting a time of limited access to actual academic intonation in use. To countervail this situation, we draw on Hafner’s (2018) multimodal analysis of experimental biology Video Methods Articles by examining the intonation used in an exploratory corpus of the Researcher’s Introduction section, identified as the most hybrid in generic nature. Our analysis suggests that traditional Hallidayan intonation explained in handbooks like Hewings (2007) and Brazil (1994) fails to capture phenomena observed in our corpus. These intonational phenomena (mostly deviations from traditional tonicity) have been found to be consistent with genre-specific factors like communicative purpose and move structure. Consequently, a broader revision of academic intonation materials is proposed.

The article studies the activity of the peroxidase enzyme in cereals and barks of some varieties of soy plants. The soy (plant) samples we studied were obtained in the conditions of the Tashkent region at the experimental field of the Institute of genetics and plant experimental biology in the village of Durmen. 11 samples out of 40 examined on electrophoregrams did not show the presence of the studied enzymes. Further research is needed to clarify the results.

Antibody-antigen interactions represent one of the most exploited biomolecular interactions in experimental biology. While numerous techniques harnessed immobilized antibodies for nanoscale fluorescence imaging, few utilized their reversible binding kinetics. Here, we investigated noncovalent interactions of the monoclonal hemagglutinin (HA) epitope tag antibody, 12CA5, in the fixed cellular environment. We observed that the use of a chaotropic agent, potassium thiocyanate (KSCN), promoted the dissociation of the 12CA5 antibody fragment (Fab), which already displayed faster dissociation compared to its immunoglobulin G (IgG) counterpart. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed notable root-mean-square deviations and destabilizations in the presence of KSCN, while the hydrogen-bonding network remained primarily unaffected at the antigen-binding site. The reversible interactions enabled us to achieve a superresolution molecular census of local populations of 3xHA tagged microtubule fibers with improved molecular quantification consistency compared to single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques utilizing standard immunofluorescence staining for sample labeling. Our technique, termed superresolution census of molecular epitope tags (SR-COMET), highlights the utilization of reversible antibody-antigen interactions for SMLM-based quantitative superresolution imaging.

Summary Plant epidermis are multifunctional surfaces that directly affect how plants interact with animals or microorganisms and influence their ability to harvest or protect from abiotic factors. To do this, plants rely on minuscule structures that confer remarkable properties to their outer layer. These microscopic features emerge from the hierarchical organization of epidermal cells with various shapes and dimensions combined with different elaborations of the cuticle, a protective film that covers plant surfaces. Understanding the properties and functions of those tridimensional elements as well as disentangling the mechanisms that control their formation and spatial distribution warrant a multidisciplinary approach. Here we show how interdisciplinary efforts of coupling modern tools of experimental biology, physics, and chemistry with advanced computational modeling and state-of-the art microscopy are yielding broad new insights into the seemingly arcane patterning processes that sculpt the outer layer of plants., Graphical abstract, Biological sciences; Bioengineering; Biologically inspired engineering; Biotechnology; Plant biotechnology; Biophysics; Plant biology; Plant morphology; Plant anatomy; Materials science

C. elegans nematodes are a well-established model organism in numerous fields of experimental biology. In nature, C. elegans live in a rich 3-dimensional environment. However, their behavior has been assessed almost exclusively on the open, flat surface of NGM (Nematode Growth Medium) plates, the golden standard for C. elegans culture in the lab. We present two methods to build 3-dimensional behavioral arenas for C. elegans, by casting, and by directly 3D printing NGM hydrogel. The latter is achieved by using a highly customized fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printer, modified to employ NGM hydrogel as ink. The result is the advancement of 3-dimensional complexity of behavioral assays. To demonstrate the potential of our method, we use the 3D-printed arenas to assess C. elegans physical barriers crossing. C. elegans decision to cross physical obstacles is affected by aging, physiological status (i.e., starvation), and prior experience. The 3D-printed structures can be used to spatially confine C. elegans behaviors, i.e., egg laying. We consider these findings a decisive step toward characterizing C. elegans 3-dimensional behavior, an area long overlooked due to technical constrains. We envision our method of 3D-printing NGM arenas as a powerful tool in behavioral neurogenetics, neuroethology, and invertebrate model organisms’ neurobiology.

European mistletoe (Viscum album) is a hemiparasitic flowering plant that is known for its very special life cycle and extraordinary biochemical properties. Particularly, V. album has an unusual mode of cellular respiration that takes place in the absence of mitochondrial complex I. However, insights into the molecular biology of V. album so far are very limited. Since the genome of V. album is extremely large (estimated 600 times larger than the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana) it has not been sequenced up to now. We here report sequencing of the V. album gene space (defined as the space including and surrounding genic regions, encompassing coding as well as 5' and 3' non-coding regions). mRNA fractions were isolated from different V. album organs harvested in summer or winter and were analyzed via single-molecule real-time sequencing. We determined sequences of 39 092 distinct open reading frames encoding 32 064 V. album proteins (designated V. album protein space). Our data give new insights into the metabolism and molecular biology of V. album, including the biosynthesis of lectins and viscotoxins. The benefits of the V. album gene space information are demonstrated by re-evaluating mass spectrometry-based data of the V. album mitochondrial proteome, which previously had been evaluated using the A. thaliana genome sequence. Our re-examination allowed the additional identification of nearly 200 mitochondrial proteins, including four proteins related to complex I, which all have a secondary function not related to respiratory electron transport. The V. album gene space sequences are available at the NCBI.

Early-life experiences can shape life histories and population dynamics of wild animals. To examine whether stressful stimuli experienced in early life resulted in carryover effects in later life stages, we conducted several experimental manipulations and then monitored wild fish with passive integrated transponder tags during juvenile out-migration and adult return migration. In total, 3,217 juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) were subjected to one of six manipulations: chase to exhaustion, thermal challenge, food deprivation, low-concentration cortisol injection, high-concentration cortisol injection, and sham injection, plus a control group. Cortisol and food deprivation treatments were previously shown to have short-term effects on juveniles, such as lower survival to out-migration and changes in migration timing. However, it remained unknown whether any of the six manipulations had effects that carried over into the adult phase. We therefore investigated whether these extrinsic manipulations, as well as intrinsic factors (size and condition), affected probability of return as adults and time spent at sea. Of the 1,273 fish that out-migrated, 146 returned as adults. We failed to detect any effect of treatments on return rates, while high-concentration cortisol weakly affected time spent at sea in one tagging event. We also found that juvenile condition was positively correlated to likelihood of adult return in only one tagging event. Overall, our findings did not identify either intrinsic factors or extrinsic stressful early-life experiences that have strong effects on fish that survive to adulthood. This suggests that some species may be more resilient than others to stressful stimuli encountered early in life.

Dietary restriction (DR) is one of the most potent ways to extend health- and lifespan. Key progress in understanding the mechanisms of DR, and ageing more generally, was made when dietary protein, and more specifically essential amino acids (EAA), were identified as the key dietary component to restrict to obtain DR’s health and lifespan benefits. This role of dietary amino acids has strongly influenced work on ageing mechanisms, especially in nutrient sensing, e.g. Tor and insulin(-like) signalling networks. Experimental biology in Drosophila melanogaster has been instrumental in generating and confirming the now dominant hypothesis that EAA availability is central to ageing. Here, we expand on previous work testing the involvement of EAA in DR through large scale (N=6,238) supplementation experiments across four diets and two genotypes in female flies. Surprisingly, we find that EAA are not essential to DR’s lifespan benefits. Importantly, we do identify the fecundity benefits of EAA supplementation suggesting the supplemented EAA were bioavailable. Furthermore, we find that the effects of amino acids on lifespan vary by diet and genetic line studied and that at our most restricted diet fecundity is constrained by other nutrients than EAA. We suggest that DR for optimal health is a concert of nutritional effects, orchestrated by genetic, diet and environmental interactions. Our results question the universal importance of amino acid availability in the biology of ageing and DR.

An important objective of experimental biology is the quantification of the relationship between predictor and response variables, a statistical analysis often termed variance partitioning (VP). In this paper, a series of simulations is presented, aiming to generate quantitative estimates of the expected statistical uncertainty of VP analyses. We demonstrate scenarios with considerable uncertainty in VP estimates, such that it significantly reduces the statistical reliability of the obtained results. Especially when a predictor variable of a dataset shows a low between-group variance, VP estimates may show a high margin of error. This becomes particularly important when the respective predictor variable only explains a small fraction of the overall variance, or the number of replicates is particularly small. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the expected error of VP estimates of a dataset can be approximated by bootstrap resampling, giving researchers a tool for the quantification of the uncertainty associated with an arbitrary VP analysis. The applicability of this method is demonstrated by a re-analysis of the Oribatid mite dataset introduced by Borcard and Legendre in 1994 and the Barro Colorado Island tree count dataset by Condit and colleagues. We believe that this study may encourage biologists to approach routine statistical analyses such as VP more critically, and report the error associated with them more frequently., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures

This review highlights the gaps in knowledge and methodological challenges discussed during the Experimental Biology 2019 expert panel session titled "Moving the Needle on Hypertension: What Knowledge Is Needed?" Hypertension is a critical public health burden. Despite a demonstrated benefit of blood pressure reduction on measures of hypertension-related morbidity and mortality, rates for successful blood pressure control remain low. Dietary sodium reduction has been shown to reduce both systolic blood pressure by approximately 3.2 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 2.3 mm Hg, depending on baseline blood pressure and degree of sodium reduction. The updated Dietary Reference Intakes for adults released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine include a Chronic Disease Risk Reduction sodium intake level of 2300 mg/d, highlighting the importance of dietary sodium intake in reducing elevated blood pressure and indicating that reducing intakes to this level is expected to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. The average US daily sodium intake of 3400 mg/d is well above the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction of 2300 mg/d, suggesting that dietary sodium reduction has the potential to significantly improve public health. Although the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report presents intake recommendations based on a systematic, comprehensive, and thorough evaluation of the evidence, several challenges to moving the needle on hypertension remain. Success will require a more advanced understanding of sodium and potassium physiology, as well as development of the tools needed to effectively address existing research gaps and reduce barriers to sodium intake reduction.

26 species of Tenebrionidae are recorded for Buryatia (Transbaikalia) based on the published data, collection of the Laboratory of Ecology and Animal Systematics, the Institute of General and Experimental Biology, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LES AIOEB SB RAS, Ulan-Ude), collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg (ZIN), and material collected by the expeditions of the Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, in the Western Transbaikalia in 2018 and 2019 aimed at investigation of the westernmost populations of Ulmus japonica.

Swimming in schools affords several advantages for fish, including enhanced ability to escape from predators, searching for food, and finding correct migratory routes. However, the role of hydrodynamics in coordinated swimming is still not fully understood due to a lack of data-driven approaches to disentangle causes from effects. In an effort to elucidate the mechanisms underlying fish schooling, we propose an empirical study that integrates information theory and experimental biology. We studied the interactions between an actively pitching airfoil and a fish swimming in a flow. The pitching frequency of the airfoil was varied randomly over time, eliciting an information-rich interaction between the airfoil and the fish. Within an information-theoretic framework, we examined the information content of fish tail beating and information transfer from the airfoil to the fish. The proposed framework may help improve our understanding of the role of hydrodynamics in fish swimming, thereby supporting hypothesis-driven studies on the hydrodynamic advantages of fish schooling.

The embryonic and larval stages of amphibian development are promising model objects for developmental biology, experimental biology, and medicine. However, the existing methods of laboratory research do not take into account the biological features of model amphibian species. In addition, not enough attention is paid to standardizing the experimental conditions and minimizing the experimenter’s influence on their results. The fact that the experimental research methodology developed for one amphibian species cannot be used for similar research on another species without significant modification with consideration of the biology of this object is also not accounted for. The article summarizes the results of many years of research devoted to the study of factors that influence the results of laboratory experiments on the embryonic developmental stages of the common toad Bufo bufo. By the example of this species, new methodological approaches to laboratory research have been developed, allowing consideration for the species’ particular biological features, minimization in the heterogeneity of the effects from previously uncontrolled factors, and standardizing the conditions for conducting experiments. Maintaining the temperature at 15–17°C throughout the experiment, taking regular measurements at regular intervals (8 h), and conducting each test at two values of the initial egg density (recommended 30 and 120 eggs in a single string per standard aquarium) is recommend. When setting up experiments, one should take into account the influence of not only “bulk” but also “surface” and “linear” densities. It is also shown that any additional effects of the experimenter on the embryos associated with the removal of dead individuals performed during the experiments can have a significant impact on the result; therefore, such effects should be minimized.

Elasmobranch populations face worldwide declines owing to anthropogenic stressors, with lethal and sub-lethal consequences. Oxygen uptake rates ( $$ \dot{M} $$ O2, typically measured in mg O2 kg−1 h−1) can be quantified as proxies of whole-organism aerobic metabolic rates and are relevant to fisheries management and conservation through aerobic performance’s relationship with fitness and spatial ecology. The purpose of this review was to better understand how $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 has been and can be applied to predict how elasmobranch populations will respond to current and future anthropogenic stressors. We identified 10 studies spanning 9 elasmobranch species that quantified $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 to understand elasmobranch populations’ responses to exposure to anthropogenic stressors. Studies measuring responses to climate change stressors (ocean warming and acidification, declining oxygen content, increasing storm frequency) were most common. Studies with relevance to fisheries stressors used $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 to approximate energetic costs of capture and estimate recovery times in bycatch scenarios. Ecotourism encounters were investigated in the context of increases in energetic requirements owing to anthropogenic disruption of diel activity cycles. Furthermore, we discuss how an understanding of $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 in elasmobranchs has been and can be applied to predict populations’ responses to anthropogenic stressors with deliverables for improving species management and conservation. Specifically, $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 can be applied to predict population-level responses to stressors by quantifying associations between $$ \dot{M} $$ O2 and fitness-related processes, spatial ecology, and impact on ecosystem function (via bioenergetics modelling). This review is meant to serve as a call-to-action to further bridge the gap between experimental biology and elasmobranch conservation in the “good Anthropocene”.

The history of the experimental stations of the Institute of Experimental Biology organized near Moscow by N.K. Kol’tsov, the founder of the Institute, is analyzed, and the role of these stations in the development of Russian genetics is investigated. Under the conditions of postrevolutionary chaos, the transfer of research outside the city allowed scientists to continue working, simultaneously determining a number of features of the Moscow school of geneticists, in particular, the characteristic combination of experimental and naturalistic (field) research. These features were peculiarly reflected in the works of A.S. Serebrovskii who formulated the idea of ​​the “gene fund,” and S.S. Chetverikov, his students and followers, who demonstrated the genetic “heterogeneity” of free-living populations and their difference from Drosophila laboratory lines.

The journal is retracting Journal of Experimental Biology (2020) 223, [jeb224642][1] ([doi:10.1242/jeb.224642][2]). This is because the original research paper featured in this Inside JEB article has been retracted by the authors (see [doi:10.1242/jeb.230763][3]). We apologise to readers for any

This special issue is a collection of papers submitted by authors invited to participate in the 2020 Society for Experimental Biology meeting on the theme of 'Dynamic Organisation of the Nucleus Ac...

Adam Hardy, winner of the 2020 Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize. With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to rage, labs closed and field seasons cancelled, many early-career researchers need the community's support more than ever. Journal of Experimental Biology has a history of

Recombination-mediated genetic engineering, also known as recombineering, is the genomic incorporation of homologous single-stranded or double-stranded DNA into bacterial genomes. Recombineering and its derivative methods have radically improved genome engineering capabilities, perhaps none more so than multiplex automated genome engineering (MAGE). MAGE is representative of a set of highly multiplexed single-stranded DNA-mediated technologies. First described in Escherichia coli, both MAGE and recombineering are being rapidly translated into diverse prokaryotes and even into eukaryotic cells. Together, this modern set of tools offers the promise of radically improving the scope and throughput of experimental biology by providing powerful new methods to ease the genetic manipulation of model and non-model organisms. In this Primer, we describe recombineering and MAGE, their optimal use, their diverse applications and methods for pairing them with other genetic editing tools. We then look forward to the future of genetic engineering. This Primer by Wannier and colleagues summarizes the methodology, analysis and utility of recombineering and multiplex automated genome engineering (MAGE) in microbial species. In addition, this Primer examines advanced techniques that pair MAGE with other tools to improve editing efficiency.

The study analysed the characteristics of articles published by the Indian Scientists in the field of Animal Behaviour, a total 10030 Publications retrieved from the Scopus online database were analysed. There were as many as 120 countries actively engaged research with Indian researchers, which produced 10,030 publications during the study period. The most productive and the highest number of Collaboration with the United States of America (844), followed by Next the UK with 253, Germany (184), Australia (114), Japan (111) and Saudi Arabia (107). Among these institutions, Panjab University, Punjab topped in the list with 431 publications (57 H-Index) followed by Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Bangalore with 349 (34 H-index) publications and University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences India with 332 publications (H-Index-23) and Banaras Hindu University with 304 Publications(38 H-Index). The most preferred journals were: Indian Journal of Experimental Biology topped in the list with 301(Cite Score-3.0, SJR-0.227 and SNIP-0.512) articles followed by PLOS ONE with 180(Cite Score- 5.2, SJR-1.023 and SNIP-1.205) articles, Indian Journal Of Physiology And Pharmacology with 151 articles, European Journal Of Pharmacology 116(Cite Score-5.5, SJR-0.988 and SNIP-0.957) articles. However, the Indian based articles were kept rising from 1999 to 2020. The most prolific authors are: Kulkarini with 148 Publications from University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences India, Chandigarh, India followed by Chopra (17), Gadagkar (60), Bhattacharya (57), Singh (48), Mahesh(47), Kokare (45), Kumar P. (44) and Archunan (43) and Kumar V. respectively. The study noted that Bharathidasan University faculty G. Archunan presence in top ten authors.

4 Pags.- 1 Fig. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited., This article comments on: Lakhssassi N, Zhou Z, Liu S, Piya S, Cullen MA, El Baze A, Knizia D, Patil GB, Badad O, Embaby MG, Meksem J, Lakhssassi A, Ghazaleh A, Hewezi T, Meksem K. 2020. Soybean TILLING-by-sequencing+ reveals the role of novel GmSACPD members in unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis while maintaining healthy nodules. Journal of Experimental Botany 71, 6969–6987. Manipulating seed oil content and composition is a major goal for plant biotechnologists. However, some of these modifications generate undesired effects, affecting plant growth and yield, and, thereby, decreasing market value. In this work, Lakhssassi et al. (2020) describe the application of an improved TILLING technique (TILLING-bysequencing+ ) that was successful in obtaining soybean lines with mutations in novel members of the GmSACPD family. These lines showed higher stearic acid levels without compromising nodulation and growth yield. This work shows how powerful the joint utilization of conventional TILLING techniques and next-generation sequencing can be, helping breeders and biotechnologists to overcome metabolic bottlenecks or undesirable growth phenotypes., The author gratefully acknowledges support from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), grant RTC2017-6461–3, and from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN), grant RTI2018-097755-B-100. Funding from Gobierno de Aragón (Proyectos en áreas prioritarias-RIS3, grants LMP243-18 and A09-20R; Function of genes and plant proteins) is also acknowledged.

This chapter discusses assorted generalizations of population models as they apply to cellular models and various inadequacies in currently available models, particularly as applied to the mathematical modeling of cellular aging processes. It examines, from first principles, the issues of modeling a population of cells, always with the idea in mind that we wish to make a model of cellular aging. The chapter analyses the problem of modeling conjointly growing cellular populations. The chapter focuses on the questions arising in modeling of the aging-cancer interface. It considers three important aspects of modeling a cell population: the flux operator, the net flux or balance function and the new appearance or birth term. The chapter also focuses on issues arising in the mathematical modeling of the cellular processes arising in the experimental biology of aging. These issues are crucial to the formulation and to the subsequence analysis/study of any models arising in this area of research.

SynopsisPlants and animals have evolved solutions for a wide range of mechanical problems, such as adhesion and dispersal. Several of these solutions have been sources for bio-inspiration, like the Lotus Effect for self-cleaning surfaces or Velcro for adhesion. This symposium brought together plant and animal biomechanics researchers who tackle similar problems in different systems under the unifying theme of structure–function relations with relevance to bio-inspiration. For both communities it holds true that the structural systems, which have evolved in the respective organisms to address the mechanical challenges mentioned above, are often highly complex. This requires interdisciplinary research involving “classical” experimental biology approaches in combination with advanced imaging methods and computational modeling. The transfer of such systems into biomimetic technical materials and structures comes with even more challenges, like scalability issues and applicability. Having brought all these topics under one umbrella, this symposium presented the forefront of biophysical basic and application-oriented international research with the goal of facilitation knowledge transfer across systems and disciplines.

A powerful way to evaluate scientific explanations (hypotheses) is to test the predictions that they make. In this way, predictions serve as an important bridge between abstract hypotheses and concrete experiments. Experimental biologists, however, generally receive little guidance on how to generate quality predictions. Here, we identify two important components of good predictions – criticality and persuasiveness – which relate to the ability of a prediction (and the experiment it implies) to disprove a hypothesis or to convince a skeptic that the hypothesis has merit. Using a detailed example, we demonstrate how striving for predictions that are both critical and persuasive can speed scientific progress by leading us to more powerful experiments. Finally, we provide a quality control checklist to assist students and researchers as they navigate the hypothetico-deductive method from puzzling observations to experimental tests.

There was an error published in [Journal of Experimental Biology (2015) 218, 2394-2401][1] ([doi:10.1242/jeb.118059][2]). The authors mistakenly transposed the citations of two references on p. 2400 in the Materials and Methods. The corrected text before equations 12 and 13 should read: ‘The

A study was conducted to identify some Cameroonian Meloidogyne species by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Meloidogyne isolates from various host crops in fifteen localities of the South West, West, and North West Provinces of Cameroon, were cultured on susceptible tomato in a greenhouse in Munster, Germany. DNA was extracted from Meloidogyne second-stage juveniles extracted from the tomato roots, and used in the PCR as template. The PCR product was loaded onto a 2% agarose gel, and the DNA bands on the gel visualised under short-wave (254 nm) ultraviolet transillumination. The Meloidogyne species were identified by comparing their DNA fragment sizes with the molecular weight marker in the same gel. Three sizes of DNA amplification products were obtained: 1200 base pairs (bp), 1500 bp, and 420 bp corresponding, respectively, to M. incognita, M. hapla, and M. arenaria . No DNA amplification was observed using the M. javanica specific primers. Meloidogyne incognita was the most common species; M. hapla was found in areas of high altitudes such as Pastoral, Djutitsa (West Province) and Bambui Upper Farm (North West Province); while M. arenaria was identified only in peanut (A. hypogaea), its principal host. Une etude a ete menee pour identifier quelques especes camerounaises de Meloidogyne a l'aide de l'amplification de l'ADN par la technique de « PCR » (i.e. « polymerase chain reaction »). Les isolats de Meloidogyne provenant de diverses plantes hotes provenant de quinze localites dans les provinces du Sud-Ouest, de l'Ouest, et du Nord-Ouest au Cameroun, ont ete eleves sur la tomate sensible dans une serre a Munster, Allemagne. L'ADN a ete extrait des larves de deuxieme stade de Meloidogyne obtenues des racines de la tomate, et utilise dans la « PCR » comme matrice. Le produit de l'amplification a ete analyse sur gel d'agarose 2%, et les bandes de l'ADN visualisees sous trans-illumination ultraviolette a 254 nm. Les especes de Meloidogyne ont ete identifiees en comparant la taille (en paires de base, bp) des fragments de l'ADN avec les marqueurs de poids moleculaires dans le meme gel. Trois produits d'amplification de l'ADN ont ete obtenues : les fragments de 1200 paires de bases (pb), 1500 pb, et 420 pb, correspondant respectivement, a M. incognita, M. hapla, et M. arenaria. Aucune amplification d'ADN n'etait observee lorsque les amorces specifiques a M. javanica etaient utilisees. vMeloidogyne incognita etait l'espece la plus repandue ; M. hapla etait rencontree dans les zones de de hautes altitudes telle que Pastoral, Djutitsa et Bambui Upper Farm ; tandis que M. arenaria n'etait identifiee que dans l'arachide (A. hypogaea), son hote principal. Cameroon Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 3 (1) 2007: pp. 30-36

Montanoa tomentosa aqueous crude extract has been used for the last five centuries for the induction of labor, regulation of fertility, treatment of postpartum bleeding problems and to induce menses. In the present study, the hypothesis that the aqueous crude extract of M. tomentosa alleviates the metritis of dairy cows was tested. Adult Holstein Friesian dairy cows were diagnosed by gynaecological palpation as positive to postpartum metritis and single individual treatments of M. tomentosa or oxytetracycline were intra-uterine administered. Results showed that intrauterine administration of crude extracts of M. tomentosa alleviates the postpartum metritis without altering the ovarian activity. Present data reveal an emmenagogue action of the M. tomentosa extract in dairy cows that suffer postpartum metritis. Cameroon Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 3 (1) 2007: pp. 46-49