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Practical approaches have become a standard in many scientific disciplines, including population genetics. By analysing properly selected datasets, students can calculate parameters and draw conclusions about genetic diversity, differentiation and evolution of populations with higher efficiency than if based exclusively on theoretical lessons. However, preparing the appropriate datasets is a hard task and a wrong selection can spoil a well-intended activity. Here we present SimHyb 2, a software tool specifically intended to support a full understanding of evolutionary forces by students and to help the teacher to prepare adequate datasets and examples for practice. It simulates the course of a mixed population under user-defined reproductive and evolutionary conditions, providing fully traceable pedigrees of individuals. SimHyb2 is specifically intended for the analysis of long-term hybridisation and introgression, covering a gap in the software available to date. Outputs can be easily adapted for downstream analysis with other popular tools as GenAlEx or Structure. Thus, SimHyb 2 is very suitable for project-based-learning approaches: students can produce their own datasets in different scenarios of genetic drift, migration, selective advantage, and reproductive success. Satisfactory results from its ongoing utilisation in higher education and research are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant mitochondria are crucial for species evolution, phylogenetics, classification, and identification as maternal genetic material. However, the presence of numerous repetitive sequences, complex structures, and a low number of genes in the mitochondrial genome has hindered its complete assembly and related research endeavors. In this study, we assembled two mitochondrial genomes of alfalfa varieties of Zhongmu No.1 (299,123 bp) and Zhongmu No.4 (306,983 bp), based on a combination of PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C sequences. The comparison of genome assemblies revealed that the same number of mitochondrial genes, including thirty-three protein-coding genes, sixteen tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes existed in the two varieties. Additionally, large fragments of repetitive sequences were found underlying frequent mitochondrial recombination events. We observed extensive transfer of mitochondrial fragments into the nuclear genome of Zhongmu No.4. Analysis of the cox1 and rrn18s genes in 35 Medicago accessions revealed the presence of population-level deletions and substitutions in the rrn18s gene. We propose that mitochondrial structural reorganizations may contribute to alfalfa evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dalbergia cultrata Pierre Graham ex Benth (D. cultrata) is a precious rosewood tree species that grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. In this study, we used PacBio long-reading sequencing technology and Hi-C assistance to sequence and assemble the reference genome of D. cultrata. We generated 171.47 Gb PacBio long reads and 72.43 Gb Hi-C data and yielded an assembly of 10 pseudochromosomes with a total size of 690.99 Mb and Scaffold N50 of 65.76 Mb. The analysis of specific genes revealed that the triterpenoids represented by lupeol may play an important role in D. cultrata's potential medicinal value. Using the new reference genome, we analyzed the resequencing of 19 Dalbergia accessions and found that D. cultrata and D. cochinchinensis have the latest genetic relationship. Transcriptome sequencing of D. cultrata leaves grown under cold stress revealed that MYB transcription factor and E3 ubiquitin ligase may be playing an important role in the cold response of D. cultrata. Genome resources and identified genetic variation, especially those genes related to the biosynthesis of phytochemicals and cold stress response, will be helpful for the introduction, domestication, utilization, and further breeding of Dalbergia species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin signaling plays a critical role in regulating various aspects of insect biology, including development, reproduction, and the formation of wing polyphenism. This leads to differentiation among insect populations at different levels. The insulin family exhibits functional variation, resulting in diverse functional pathways. Aphis gossypii Glover, commonly known as the cotton‐melon aphid, is a highly adaptable aphid species that has evolved into multiple biotypes. To understand the genetic structure of the insulin family and its evolutionary diversification and expression patterns in A. gossypii, we conducted studies using genome annotation files and RNA‐sequencing data. Consequently, we identified 11 insulin receptor protein (IRP) genes in the genomes of the examined biotypes. Among these, eight AgosIRPs were dispersed across the X chromosome, while two were found in tandem on the A1 chromosome. Notably, AgosIRP2 exhibited alternative splicing, resulting in the formation of two isoforms. The AgosIRP genes displayed a high degree of conservation between Hap1 and Hap3, although some variations were observed between their genomes. For instance, a transposon was present in the coding regions of AgosIRP3 and AgosIRP9 in the Hap3 genome but not in the Hap1 genome. RNA‐sequencing data revealed that four AgosIRPs were expressed ubiquitously across different morphs of A. gossypii, while others showed specific expression patterns in adult gynopara and adult males. Furthermore, the expression levels of most AgosIRPs decreased upon treatment with the pesticide acetamiprid. These findings demonstrate the evolutionary diversification of AgosIRPs between the genomes of the two biotypes and provide insights into their expression profiles across different morphs, developmental stages, and biotypes. Overall, this study contributes valuable information for investigating aphid genome evolution and the functions of insulin receptor proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Insulin signaling plays a critical role in regulating various aspects of insect biology, including development, reproduction, and the formation of wing polyphenism. This leads to differentiation among insect populations at different levels. The insulin family exhibits functional variation, resulting in diverse functional pathways. Aphis gossypii Glover, commonly known as the cotton‐melon aphid, is a highly adaptable aphid species that has evolved into multiple biotypes. To understand the genetic structure of the insulin family and its evolutionary diversification and expression patterns in A. gossypii, we conducted studies using genome annotation files and RNA‐sequencing data. Consequently, we identified 11 insulin receptor protein (IRP) genes in the genomes of the examined biotypes. Among these, eight AgosIRPs were dispersed across the X chromosome, while two were found in tandem on the A1 chromosome. Notably, AgosIRP2 exhibited alternative splicing, resulting in the formation of two isoforms. The AgosIRP genes displayed a high degree of conservation between Hap1 and Hap3, although some variations were observed between their genomes. For instance, a transposon was present in the coding regions of AgosIRP3 and AgosIRP9 in the Hap3 genome but not in the Hap1 genome. RNA‐sequencing data revealed that four AgosIRPs were expressed ubiquitously across different morphs of A. gossypii, while others showed specific expression patterns in adult gynopara and adult males. Furthermore, the expression levels of most AgosIRPs decreased upon treatment with the pesticide acetamiprid. These findings demonstrate the evolutionary diversification of AgosIRPs between the genomes of the two biotypes and provide insights into their expression profiles across different morphs, developmental stages, and biotypes. Overall, this study contributes valuable information for investigating aphid genome evolution and the functions of insulin receptor proteins.

Plant mitochondria are crucial for species evolution, phylogenetics, classification, and identification as maternal genetic material. However, the presence of numerous repetitive sequences, complex structures, and a low number of genes in the mitochondrial genome has hindered its complete assembly and related research endeavors. In this study, we assembled two mitochondrial genomes of alfalfa varieties of Zhongmu No.1 (299,123 bp) and Zhongmu No.4 (306,983 bp), based on a combination of PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C sequences. The comparison of genome assemblies revealed that the same number of mitochondrial genes, including thirty-three protein-coding genes, sixteen tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes existed in the two varieties. Additionally, large fragments of repetitive sequences were found underlying frequent mitochondrial recombination events. We observed extensive transfer of mitochondrial fragments into the nuclear genome of Zhongmu No.4. Analysis of the cox1 and rrn18s genes in 35 Medicago accessions revealed the presence of population-level deletions and substitutions in the rrn18s gene. We propose that mitochondrial structural reorganizations may contribute to alfalfa evolution.

The completion of more and more high-quality cabbage genome sequencing attempts provides an important reference genome sequence for resequencing a large proportion of B. oleracea populations. This has laid a foundation for the study of the population diversity of B. oleracea and the excavation of genes related to important agronomic traits. Here, we performed genome resequencing of 91 B. oleracea accessions from 14 countries. We produced a total of 983.84 Gb of high-quality sequencing data, and the average sequencing depth of the genomes was over 15.71 among the 91 accessions. A total of 3,432,341 high-quality SNPs were detected in these B. oleracea accessions. A phylogenetic tree indicated that the leaf ball shapes of "Gaobian" accessions and most "Jianqiu" accessions converge with "Bianqiu" accessions, while "Yuanqiu" accessions were individually assigned to a branch. The principal component analysis (PCA) result was consistent with the phylogenetic relationships. The LD distance of "Yuanqiu" was 38.69 Kb, while that of "Bianqiu" was 30.16 Kb. This result indicated that the linkage degree of the "Yuanqiu" population is greater than that of the "Bianqiu" population, which may indicate that the "Yuanqiu" population has received more positive selection. Our analysis showed that, for the 91 accessions, the best population structure number was four. A total of 560 genes were identified across the 203 selected sweep regions identified in the "Yuanqiu" accessions. Similarly, 682 genes were identified across the 304 selective sweep regions in the "Bianqiu" accessions. Finally, several functional terms were identified via enrichment analysis of the genes in the selective sweep regions. In conclusion, this study will provide rich resources for studies on gene function related to leaf ball development and the population diversity of B. olearcea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we explored the effects of short-term evolution on a barley population selected through evolutionary breeding, which evolved under five environmental conditions for three years: three environments were favorable for growing barley while two were affected by either extreme cold and freeing periods or scarce precipitations. Molecular characterization was performed using 281 SNPs on a total of 545 individuals. Our results demonstrate that populations characterized by high yield and yield stability can also hold sufficient genetic variability to quickly adapt to different climatic conditions attaining specific adaptation, of great relevance in low input and organic agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an exploratory study of the evolution of demography and the already identified impacts of the COVID pandemic on demography in the world and in Brazil. The article aimed to identify the effects of the COVID pandemic on demographics, and the results indicate a drop in the birth rate, an acceleration of population aging, and an increase in excess deaths. It was not possible to identify an immediate drop in the total population or identify quantitative trends. The introduction takes up the importance of the topic for the development of public policies; then, aspects of demography as a social phenomenon are addressed, and an attempt is made to evaluate, at the global, national and regional levels, the evolution of the birth rate and life expectancy, associating, in the course of the document, the already mapped effects of COVID on the desire to have children, on the birth rate, and on the death rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, China's urbanization has primarily involved trans-regional migration from inland areas to major city regions along the coast or within the interior. As urban-rural disparities diminish, China has transitioned to intra-regional urbanization. However, there remains a gap in understanding the effects of this transition of urban-rural relations within China. This study focuses on counties as the fundamental research unit, examining net migration of the Huang-Huai-Hai Area. The spatial differentiation and its influencing factors were analyzed using ArcGIS and linear regression techniques. The results indicated a shift in the net migration trend of counties' populations in the Huang-Huai-Hai Area around 2010. The phenomenon of "counterurbanization" after 2010 changed the underlying rationale for population net migration. Counties' net migration was affected by both their relationship with cities and internal county factors. The close connection with cities promoted population growth in the counties. In-situ urbanization was vital for county development. The industrial structural adjustments were pivotal in population retention. The healthcare and education resources affected the migration patterns. The "counterurbanization" in this area could create new urban-rural dynamics. The revitalization of county populations meant significant implications for rural revitalization. This study, which is one of the first studies ever of the phenomenon of counterurbanization in a developing country, can provide insights for the development of integrated urban-rural areas and rural revitalization efforts. • This article analyzes driving forces for the shift from intra-national/trans-regional to intraregional urbanization in China. • This article confirms that the net migration trend of counties' population in Huang-Huai-Hai Area changed around 2010. • This article proposes that the "counterurbanization" after 2010 changed the driving logic of population net migration. • This article argues that "counterurbanization" in Huang-Huai-Hai is a result of industrial relocation and rural urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used to trace population evolution and apply to forensic identification due to the characteristics including lack of recombination, higher copy number and matrilineal inheritance comparing with nuclear genome DNA. In this study, mtDNA control region sequences of 91 Kirgiz individuals from the Northwest region of China were sequenced to identify genetic polymorphisms and gain insight into the genetic background of the Kirgiz ethnic group. MtDNA control region sequences of Kirgiz individuals presented relatively high genetic polymorphisms. The 1,122 bp sequences of mtDNA control region could differ among unrelated Kirgiz individuals, which suggested the mtDNA control region sequences have a good maternal pedigree tracing capability among different Kirgiz individuals. The neutrality test, mismatch distribution, Bayesian phylogenetic inference, Bayesian skyline analysis, and the median network analyses showed that the Kirgiz group might occurred population expansion, and the expansion could be observed at about ∼53.41 kilo years ago (kya) when ancestries of modern humans began to thrive in Eurasia. The pairwise population comparisons, principal component analyses, and median network analyses were performed based on haplogroup frequencies or mtDNA control region sequences of 5,886 individuals from the Kirgiz group and the 48 reference populations all over the world. And the most homologous haplotypes were found between Kirgiz individuals and the East Asian individuals, which indicated that the Kirgiz group might have gene exchanges with the East Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a valuable medicinal legume, which occurs widely in arid and semi-arid regions. G. uralensi s demand has risen steeply due to its high medical and commercial value. Interpret genome-wide information can stimulate the G. uralensis development as far as its increased bioactive compound levels, and plant yield are concerned. In this study, leaf nutrient concentration and photosynthetic chlorophyll index of G. uralensis were evaluated to determine the G. uralensis growth physiology in three habitats. We observed that G. uralensis nutrient levels and photosynthesis differed significantly in three regions (p < 0.05). Whole-genome re-sequencing of the sixty G. uralensis populations samples from different habitats was performed using an Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform to elucidate the distribution patterns, population evolution, and genetic diversity of G. uralensis. 150.06 Gb high-quality clean data was obtained after strict filtering. The 895237686 reads were mapped against the reference genome, with an average 89.7% mapping rate and 87.02% average sample coverage rate. A total of 6985987 SNPs were identified, and 117970 high-quality SNPs were obtained after filtering, which were subjected to subsequent analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on interindividual SNPs and phylogenetic analysis based on interindividual SNPs showed that the G. uralensis samples could be categorized into central, southern, and eastern populations, which reflected strong genetic differentiation due to long periods of geographic isolation. In this study, a total of 131 candidate regions were screened, and 145 candidate genes (such as Glyur001802s00036258, Glyur003702s00044485, Glyur001802s00036257, Glyur007364s00047495, Glyur000028s00003476, and Glyur000398s00034457) were identified by selective clearance analysis based on Fst and θπ values. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of 110 GO terms including carbohydrate metabolic process, carbohydrate biosynthetic process, carbohydrate derivative biosynthetic process, and glucose catabolic process (p < 0.05). Alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and fatty acid degradation pathways were significantly enriched (p < 0.05). This study provides information on the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and population adaptability of the medicinal legumes, G. uralensis. The data obtained in this study provide valuable information for plant development and future optimization of breeding programs for functional genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The caper bush Capparis spinosa L. one of the most economically important species of Capparaceae, is a xerophytic shrub that is well adapted to drought and harsh environments. However, genetic studies on this species are limited because of the lack of its reference genome. Findings We sequenced and assembled the Capparis spinosa var. herbacea (Willd.) genome using data obtained from the combination of PacBio circular consensus sequencing and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture. The final genome assembly was approximately 274.53 Mb (contig N50 length of 9.36 Mb, scaffold N50 of 15.15 Mb), 99.23% of which was assigned to 21 chromosomes. In the whole-genome sequence, tandem repeats accounted for 19.28%, and transposable element sequences accounted for 43.98%. The proportion of tandem repeats in the C. spinosa var. herbacea genome was much higher than the average of 8.55% in plant genomes. A total of 21,577 protein-coding genes were predicted, with 98.82% being functionally annotated. The result of species divergence times showed that C. spinosa var. herbacea and Tarenaya hassleriana separated from a common ancestor 43.31 million years ago. Conclusions This study reported a high-quality reference genome assembly and genome features for the Capparaceae family. The assembled C. spinosa var. herbacea genome might provide a system for studying the diversity, speciation, and evolution of this family and serve as an important resource for understanding the mechanism of drought and high-temperature resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agent-based simulation is a useful approach for the analysis of dynamic population evolution. In this field, the existing models mostly treat the migration behavior as a result of utility maximization, which partially ignores the endogenous mechanisms of human decision making. To simulate such a process, this article proposes a new cognitive architecture called the two-layered integrated decision cycle (TiDEC) which characterizes the individual’s decision-making process. Different from the previous ones, the new hybrid architecture incorporates deep neural networks for its perception and implicit knowledge learning. The proposed model is applied in China and U.S. population evolution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the cognitive computation is used in such a field. Computational experiments using the actual census data indicate that the cognitive model, compared with the traditional utility maximization methods, cannot only reconstruct the historical demographic features but also achieve better prediction of future evolutionary dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used to trace population evolution and apply to forensic identification due to the characteristics including lack of recombination, higher copy number and matrilineal inheritance comparing with nuclear genome DNA. In this study, mtDNA control region sequences of 91 Kirgiz individuals from the Northwest region of China were sequenced to identify genetic polymorphisms and gain insight into the genetic background of the Kirgiz ethnic group. MtDNA control region sequences of Kirgiz individuals presented relatively high genetic polymorphisms. The 1,122 bp sequences of mtDNA control region could differ among unrelated Kirgiz individuals, which suggested the mtDNA control region sequences have a good maternal pedigree tracing capability among different Kirgiz individuals. The neutrality test, mismatch distribution, Bayesian phylogenetic inference, Bayesian skyline analysis, and the median network analyses showed that the Kirgiz group might occurred population expansion, and the expansion could be observed at about ∼53.41 kilo years ago (kya) when ancestries of modern humans began to thrive in Eurasia. The pairwise population comparisons, principal component analyses, and median network analyses were performed based on haplogroup frequencies or mtDNA control region sequences of 5,886 individuals from the Kirgiz group and the 48 reference populations all over the world. And the most homologous haplotypes were found between Kirgiz individuals and the East Asian individuals, which indicated that the Kirgiz group might have gene exchanges with the East Asian populations.

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a valuable medicinal legume, which occurs widely in arid and semi-arid regions. G. uralensis demand has risen steeply due to its high medical and commercial value. Interpret genome-wide information can stimulate the G. uralensis development as far as its increased bioactive compound levels, and plant yield are concerned. In this study, leaf nutrient concentration and photosynthetic chlorophyll index of G. uralensis were evaluated to determine the G. uralensis growth physiology in three habitats. We observed that G. uralensis nutrient levels and photosynthesis differed significantly in three regions (p < 0.05). Whole-genome re-sequencing of the sixty G. uralensis populations samples from different habitats was performed using an Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform to elucidate the distribution patterns, population evolution, and genetic diversity of G. uralensis. 150.06 Gb high-quality clean data was obtained after strict filtering. The 895237686 reads were mapped against the reference genome, with an average 89.7% mapping rate and 87.02% average sample coverage rate. A total of 6985987 SNPs were identified, and 117970 high-quality SNPs were obtained after filtering, which were subjected to subsequent analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on interindividual SNPs and phylogenetic analysis based on interindividual SNPs showed that the G. uralensis samples could be categorized into central, southern, and eastern populations, which reflected strong genetic differentiation due to long periods of geographic isolation. In this study, a total of 131 candidate regions were screened, and 145 candidate genes (such as Glyur001802s00036258, Glyur003702s00044485, Glyur001802s00036257, Glyur007364s00047495, Glyur000028s00003476, and Glyur000398s00034457) were identified by selective clearance analysis based on Fst and θπ values. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of 110 GO terms including carbohydrate metabolic process, carbohydrate biosynthetic process, carbohydrate derivative biosynthetic process, and glucose catabolic process (p < 0.05). Alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and fatty acid degradation pathways were significantly enriched (p < 0.05). This study provides information on the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and population adaptability of the medicinal legumes, G. uralensis. The data obtained in this study provide valuable information for plant development and future optimization of breeding programs for functional genes.

The completion of more and more high-quality cabbage genome sequencing attempts provides an important reference genome sequence for resequencing a large proportion of B. oleracea populations. This has laid a foundation for the study of the population diversity of B. oleracea and the excavation of genes related to important agronomic traits. Here, we performed genome resequencing of 91 B. oleracea accessions from 14 countries. We produced a total of 983.84 Gb of high-quality sequencing data, and the average sequencing depth of the genomes was over 15.71 among the 91 accessions. A total of 3,432,341 high-quality SNPs were detected in these B. oleracea accessions. A phylogenetic tree indicated that the leaf ball shapes of “Gaobian” accessions and most “Jianqiu” accessions converge with “Bianqiu” accessions, while “Yuanqiu” accessions were individually assigned to a branch. The principal component analysis (PCA) result was consistent with the phylogenetic relationships. The LD distance of “Yuanqiu” was 38.69 Kb, while that of “Bianqiu” was 30.16 Kb. This result indicated that the linkage degree of the “Yuanqiu” population is greater than that of the “Bianqiu” population, which may indicate that the “Yuanqiu” population has received more positive selection. Our analysis showed that, for the 91 accessions, the best population structure number was four. A total of 560 genes were identified across the 203 selected sweep regions identified in the “Yuanqiu” accessions. Similarly, 682 genes were identified across the 304 selective sweep regions in the “Bianqiu” accessions. Finally, several functional terms were identified via enrichment analysis of the genes in the selective sweep regions. In conclusion, this study will provide rich resources for studies on gene function related to leaf ball development and the population diversity of B. olearcea.

The rapid industrialization and the lack of technological innovation over the past 40 years have caused serious environmental pollution and waste of resources. Therefore, it remains an urgent challenge to coordinate technological innovation, resource consumption, environmental quality, and high-quality industrial development in China. Using the data of Shaanxi Province from 2005 to 2019, in this paper, we adopt the 4-population grey Lotka-Volterra model (GLV) to study the competition and cooperation among technological innovation (TI), resource consumption (RE), environmental quality (EE), and industrial development quality (IQ). We also discuss the equilibrium point and stability of the GLV model and further verify its accuracy. We conduct an empirical study of the data of Shaanxi Province, and the results demonstrate that (1) TI is able to improve EE, increase IQ, and promote RE; (2) conserving resources has a positive effect on TI, EE, and IQ; (3) although EE could prevent TI and IQ, it can reduce RE; and (4) IQ can effectively reduce RE and improve EE; however, it hinders TI. (5) The result of equilibrium analysis reveals that the evolution of the four factors will tend to reach a stable equilibrium point in the future, that is, realizing co-evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular automata studies have been instrumental in computational and biological studies for simulating life contours based on simple rule-based strategies. Game of Life (GoL) presented us with one of the earliest automata studies that led the way in exemplifying non-linear spatial representations, such as large-scale population evolution scenarios depicting species dominance, species equilibrium, and species extinction. However, the GoL was driven by interactions among vegetative entities comprising live and die states only. This paper extends GoL to gendered-GoL (g-GoL) in which male phenotypes and female phenotypes interact in an extended world to procreate. Using the g-GoL, we have demonstrated many evolution contours by applying gender-based dependence rules. Evolution scenarios have been simulated with skewed gender ratios that favor the birth of male offspring. Preference for a male child is common in certain cultures; therefore, empirical data realized with skewed gender settings in g-GoL can reveal the long-term impact of non-egalitarian gender societal structures. Our model provides a tool for the study of emergent life contours and brings awareness on current gender imbalances to strengthen multi-disciplinary research inquiry in the areas of social practices, mathematical modeling, and use of computational technologies.

The first part of the study has as it’s main objective to expose a brief socio-demographic analysis on the problem of aging population, both in Romania and in other European Union countries. The second part of the study follows the implications that the aging population phenomenon has on the Romanian state pension system. Also, the paper proposes an investigation of the risks to which the population aged 65 years and over is exposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on specific comorbidities. To form an overview of these aspects, it will be used secondary data research, with information from public institutions such as: the National Institute of Statistics; Ministry of Internal Affairs; National House of Public Pensions; The Government of Romania; Financial Supervisory Authority; Eurostat; World Health Organization; United Nations Organization; Organization for Economic Co-operationand Development; as well as specific legislation and updated specialized literature. The last part of the study offers a series of conclusions which will result in several general solutions to the aging population problem.

The main stem node number (MSN) is a trait related to geographic adaptation, plant architecture and yield potential of soybean. The QTL-allele constitution of the Chinese Cultivated Soybean Population (CCSP) was identified using the RTM-GWAS (restricted two-stage multi-locus genome-wide association study) procedure, from which a QTL-allele matrix was established and then separated into submatrices to explore the genetic structure, evolutionary differentiation, breeding potential and candidate genes of MSN in CCSP. The MSN of 821 accessions varied from 8.8 to 31.1, with an average of 16.3 in Nanjing, China (32.07° N, 118.62° E), where the MSNs of all the materials could be evaluated in a standardized manner. Among the six geo-seasonal subpopulations, the MSN varied from 21.7 in a southern summer-autumn-sowing subpopulation (SA-IV) down to 13.5 in a northeastern spring-sowing subpopulation (SP-I). The materials were genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA-sequencing. Totally 142 main-effect QTLs (73.24% new) with 560 alleles contributing 72.98% to the phenotypic variance were identified. The evolutionary QTL-allele changes in MSN from SA-IV through SP-I showed that inheritance (78.93% of alleles) was the primary factor influencing the evolution of this trait, followed by allele emergence (19.64% alleles), allele exclusion (1.43% alleles), and recombination among retained alleles. In the evolutionary changes, 70 QTLs, including 12 newly emerged QTLs, with 118 alleles were involved. An increase potential of 2–8 nodes was predicted and 112 candidate genes were annotated and preliminarily verified with χ2-tests in the CCSP. The RTM-GWAS showed powerful in detecting QTL-allele system, assessing evolution factors, predicting optimal crosses and identifying candidate genes in a germplasm population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a model of selection by a sex-limited trait expressed in females. The model was modified to describe natural selection for such a trait in ecologically limited populations with an age structure. Simulation results are aimed at explaining the existing genetic variety in litter size in different (natural and artificial) populations of Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus). The model assumes that the maintenance of polymorphism in litter size is associated with periodic changes in availability of food for natural populations of Arctic foxes and significantly depends on a parameter describing the relative survival advantage of individuals from small litters during years with low food supply. The work shows that selection by a sex-limited trait maintains the litter size polymorphism in a wider range of values of this parameter than selection by a trait not limited by sex, which is described by the classical selection model for the case where the survival and fecundity of an individual are determined only by its own genotype, regardless of sex. It is known that the presence of an age or stage structure in a population significantly increases the chances of maintaining genetic variety in a nonstationary environment. A generalization of the proposed selection model for a population with two stages of development made it possible to show that polymorphism in litter size is possible within even wider ranges of values of the considered parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jackal is included in the Canidae Gray, 1821 family, falling under the order Carnivora Bowdich 1821. It is an invasive species whose range has spread from the Balkan Peninsula to the North, in Romania. In the South-eastern part of Moldavia (Galați County) it arrived from the Southeast, as the first individuals came from Dobrogea. The area populated by the species continuously extended towards the North and then towards the Northwest. If 6 decades ago, when it was first spotted, the distribution area of the jackal was very small in the Southeast of the county, in 2005 it had already exceeded half of its territory, and today it is reported throughout most of the county. It is a harmful mammal, affecting both wild and domestic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of the study has as it’s main objective to expose a brief sociodemographic analysis on the problem of aging population, both in Romania and in other European Union countries. The second part of the study follows the implications that the aging population phenomenon has on the Romanian state pension system. Also, the paper proposes an investigation of the risks to which the population aged 65 years and over is exposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on specific comorbidities. To form an overview of these aspects, it will be used secondary data research, with information from public institutions such as: the National Institute of Statistics; Ministry of Internal Affairs; National House of Public Pensions; The Government of Romania; Financial Supervisory Authority; Eurostat; World Health Organization; United Nations Organization; Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development; as well as specific legislation and updated specialized literature. The last part of the study offers a series of conclusions which will result in several general solutions to the aging population problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A discrete-time model of a structured population dynamics considering both density-dependent regulation and natural selection is studied. In the model, the dynamics of two population groups corresponding to different development stages is described, and birth rate limitation is considered. Fertility is assumed to change during microevolution. The stability loss of nontrivial fixed points was shown to realise according to the Neimark–Sacker scenario and the Feigenbaum one. Bifurcations, dynamic modes and possible shifting for the proposed model are explored. Bistability and multistability are also revealed. The phase space structure of bistability and multistability areas in which a variation in population sizes or population genotype compositions can lead to shift in the dynamic modes is examined using attraction basins. The multistability of genetic structure dynamics is also investigated. The presence of multistability fundamentally increases the quantity and variety of possible evolutionary scenarios and makes them dependent on both parameter values and initial conditions. In particular, shifting dynamic mode in a population can occur because of an increase in an individual's reproductive potential during natural evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most frequently diagnosed Microsporidia of humans and most animals. However, there is no information on E. bieneusi infection of pigs in Tibet and Henan, China. In this study, 1,190 fecal samples were collected from pigs in Tibet and Henan and screened for the presence of E. bieneusi. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi infection was 54.2% (645/1,190), with differences in prevalence observed among geographical areas, ages, and pig breeds. Moreover, 10 E. bieneusi genotypes were identified based on internal transcribed spacer region genotyping, including eight known genotypes (EbpC, EbpA, CHG19, CHC5, Henan‐III, I, D, and H) and two novel genotypes (XZP‐I and XZP‐II). Multilocus sequence typing revealed 18, 7, 17, and 13 genotypes at minisatellite/microsatellite loci MS1, MS3, MS4, and MS7, respectively. Strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) and few numbers of recombination events, suggest a clonal structure of the E. bieneusi population examined in this study. The low pairwise genetic distance (FST) and gene flow (Nm) values indicated limited gene flow in the E. bieneusi population from different hosts, with phylogenetic, structure, and median‐joining network analyses all indicating the existence of host and geographical isolation. The identification of isolates belonging to nine human‐pathogenic genotypes indicates that pigs play an important role in the dissemination of E. bieneusi, improving our present understanding of E. bieneusi epidemiology in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dalbergia cultrata Pierre Graham ex Benth ( D. cultrata ) is a precious rosewood tree species that grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. In this study, we used PacBio long-reading sequencing technology and Hi-C assistance to sequence and assemble the reference genome of D. cultrata . We generated 171.47 Gb PacBio long reads and 72.43 Gb Hi-C data and yielded an assembly of 10 pseudochromosomes with a total size of 690.99 Mb and Scaffold N50 of 65.76 Mb. The analysis of specific genes revealed that the triterpenoids represented by lupeol may play an important role in D. cultrata 's potential medicinal value. Using the new reference genome, we analyzed the resequencing of 19 Dalbergia accessions and found that D. cultrata and D. cochinchinensis have the latest genetic relationship. Transcriptome sequencing of D. cultrata leaves grown under cold stress revealed that MYB transcription factor and E3 ubiquitin ligase may be playing an important role in the cold response of D. cultrata . Genome resources and identified genetic variation, especially those genes related to the biosynthesis of phytochemicals and cold stress response, will be helpful for the introduction, domestication, utilization, and further breeding of Dalbergia species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Huang, Li, Lin, Liu, Zong, Li and Zheng.)

Agent based modelling is nowadays widely used in transport and the social science. Forecasting population evolution and analysing the impact of hypothetical policies are often the main goal of these developments. Such models are based on sub-models defining the interactions of agents either with other agents or with their environment. Sometimes, several models represent phenomena arising at the same time in the real life. Hence, the question of the order in which these sub-models need to be applied is very relevant for simulation outcomes. This paper aims to analyse and quantify the impact of the change in the order of sub-models on an evolving population modelled using TransMob. This software simulates the evolution of the population of a metropolitan area in South East of Sydney (Australia). It includes five principal models: ageing, death, birth, marriage and divorce. Each possible order implies slightly different results mainly driven by how agents' ageing is defined with respect to death. Furthermore, we present a calendar-based approach for the ordering that decreases the variability of final populations. Finally, guidelines are provided proposing general advices and recommendations for researchers designing discrete time agent-based models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand response (DR) has been recognized as a powerful tool to relieve energy imbalance in the smart grid. Most previous works have ignored the irrational behavior of energy consumers in DR project implementation. Accordingly, in this paper, we focus on solving two questions during the execution of DR. Firstly, considering the bounded rationality of residential users, a population dynamic model is proposed to describe the decision behavior on whether to participate in the DR project, and then the evolutionary process of consumers participating in DR is analyzed. Secondly, for the DR participants, they have to compete dispatching amounts for maximal profit in a day-ahead bidding market, hence, a non-cooperative game model is proposed to describe the competition behavior, and the uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium is analyzed with mathematical proof. Then, the distributed algorithm is designed to search the evolutionary result and the Nash equilibrium. Finally, a case study is performed to show the effectiveness of the formulated models.

The Collective Intelligent Design Ecosystem is a dynamic ecosystem founded on an online design platform that leverages collective intelligence to support the creation of novel products. The system's primary components are its users and designers. Maintaining the system's sustainability requires expanding the scale of the designer and user populations as it evolves to stabilize. However, the unity of ecological interactions between various populations is fragmented in contemporary studies of population-scale evolution, and the parameterization of evolutionary models is illogical. To overcome this gap, this research provides a population evolution model of collective intelligent design incorporating participants' intra- and interspecific ecological connections. The model's validity is verified by the evolutionary simulation of 110 designers and 5990 users of China's largest collective intelligence design platform, the Zhubajie platform, and illuminating conclusions are in turn drawn from this simulation. First, the designer's influence on the user is greater than the user's impact on the designer. Second, keeping current members engaged is more crucial to the system's viability than luring in new ones. Third, fostering collaboration among designers while retaining user competitiveness can promote system growth. Fourth, decreasing the reliance between particular designers and users might hasten the system's evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]