Article
Biology
Lacie Newton, Ethan Tolman, Manpreet Kohli, Jessica L. Ware
Summary: This paper discusses the evolutionary research on Odonata, focusing on flight behavior, color, vision, and aquatic juvenile lifestyles. Recent genomics studies provide new insights into the evolution of these traits. The paper also evaluates data at multiple taxonomic levels and compares genomes across Odonata, identifying the features of the new data. Finally, it discusses the future research directions in Odonata genomics, including the current questions being tackled.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Kathleen M. Munley, Jonathan C. Trinidad, Gregory E. Demas
Summary: Studying the hormonal basis of non-reproductive social behaviors in animals is relatively limited. This study found that the pineal hormone melatonin affects non-breeding season aggression by regulating the activity of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, a key enzyme involved in androgen synthesis. Specifically, male hamsters showed increased adrenal 3 beta-HSD activity in response to short-day photoperiods and melatonin, while females exhibited reductions in both adrenal and neural 3 beta-HSD activity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tiia Karkkainen, Michael Briga, Toni Laaksonen, Antoine Stier
Summary: Telomere length is increasingly used as a biomarker for long-term somatic state and future survival prospects, but the within-individual repeatability varies between studies. Measurement method plays a significant role in repeatability estimates, with TRF-based studies showing higher repeatability compared to qPCR-based studies. Additionally, biological factors did not significantly explain variation in repeatability, highlighting the need to separate technical and biological factors in future research.
Article
Biology
Gabriel A. B. Marais, J-F Lemaitre
Summary: Sex chromosomes play a crucial role in establishing the differences in longevity between males and females. This study explores the relationship between sex chromosomes and longevity differences in plants, and finds a trend that supports the predictions made based on knowledge accumulated in animals, despite the limitations in the dataset.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ben A. Flanagan, Ning Li, Suzanne Edmands
Summary: Impaired mitochondrial function can lead to senescence and the ageing phenotype. Sex differences in ageing depend on mitonuclear interactions in the absence of sex chromosomes, and the adult sex ratio may be attributed to complex mitonuclear interactions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Walter A. Rocca, Brandon R. Grossardt, Cynthia M. Boyd, Alanna M. Chamberlain, William Bobo, Jennifer L. St Sauver
Summary: This study used multimorbidity percentiles to describe the distribution of multimorbidity across different age groups and demonstrated the utility of this tool in predicting mortality. Results showed that there was an increased risk of mortality at 1 and 5 years for individuals in the fourth and fifth quintiles of multimorbidity, and the risk was greater for younger age groups and women.
Review
Cell Biology
Marta Okninska, Michal Maczewski, Urszula Mackiewicz
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases, especially sudden cardiac death triggered by ventricular arrhythmia, have a significant impact on global mortality. This study highlights the influence of age and sex on the susceptibility to life-threatening arrhythmias during acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The research indicates that changes in the aging process, such as increased fibrosis and alterations in electrophysiological parameters, have pro-arrhythmic significance, particularly in male individuals.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Duanfang Cai, Hongli Zhang, Yilin Wang
Summary: This study aimed to examine the link between handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry and mortality risk among older Chinese adults. The results showed that low HGS with or without asymmetry was significantly associated with a higher risk of death in older Chinese males. This suggests that HGS asymmetry could be a useful marker for mortality risk in older adults.
GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Liang-Jong Wang, Yen-Wei Chou, Jen-Pan Huang
Summary: Phylogeographic studies reveal the impact of spatial genetic structure and geographical processes on genetic diversity and divergence. This study focuses on the sampling design and its effect on phylogeographic inference using a Taiwanese damselfly as a case study. Results show that sampling design plays a significant role in phylogeographic inferences, particularly in understanding the impact of physical barriers on population isolation.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Leo D. Westbury, Charlotte Beaudart, Olivier Bruyere, Jane A. Cauley, Peggy Cawthon, Alfonso J. Cruz-Jentoft, Elizabeth M. Curtis, Kristine Ensrud, Roger A. Fielding, Helena Johansson, John A. Kanis, Magnus K. Karlsson, Nancy E. Lane, Laetitia Lengele, Mattias Lorentzon, Eugene McCloskey, Dan Mellstrom, Anne B. Newman, Claes Ohlsson, Eric Orwoll, Jean-Yves Reginster, Eva Ribom, Bjorn E. Rosengren, John T. Schousboe, Eric J. Shiroma, Nicholas C. Harvey, Elaine M. Dennison, Cyrus Cooper
Summary: The performance of recent sarcopenia definitions in terms of thresholds employed, concordance in individuals, and prediction of important health-related outcomes such as death is limited. This study addressed these limitations in a large multinational cohort study.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Chae-Hui An, Kyeong-Sik Cheon, Ji-Eun Jang, Hwang-Goo Lee
Summary: In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of Macromia manchurica for the first time. The mitochondrial genome of M. manchurica is 15,560 bp and contains thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and an AT-rich region. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that M. amphigena is the closest relative to M. manchurica within the order Odonata.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Goran Miladinov
Summary: This study examines the impact of mortality rates and population growth on population ageing in nine European LUMIs, suggesting that the ageing process may be influenced by the negative effects of population growth and adult mortality. The research confirms the strong ties between mortality, population growth, and population ageing mechanisms, emphasizing that the acceleration of mortality will depend primarily on the level of population growth.
Article
Entomology
Wade B. Worthen, Mekhi D. Harrell
Summary: This study shows that in the damselfly Calopteryx maculata, territorial males with higher site fidelity and agonistic behavior tend to perch at lower heights and are more responsive to low-flying intruders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ODONATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Marta Okninska, Aleksandra Paterek, Joanna Bierla, Elzbieta Czarnowska, Michal Maczewski, Urszula Mackiewicz
Summary: The study revealed that males, especially older individuals, have a higher susceptibility to arrhythmias in cases of acute ischemia, regardless of the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Older males showed a significantly higher number of arrhythmic episodes compared to young males and females, independent of age.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Lian Chen, John J. Wiens
Summary: Research shows that multicellularity and sexual reproduction contribute to accelerating species proliferation, with multicellularity having a stronger effect than sexual reproduction. Differences in diversification rates among species are closely related to patterns of species richness.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Robert J. Williams, Alison M. Dunn, Gavin Hanke, Joel W. Dixon, Christopher Hassall
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jonatan Rodriguez, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera, Luis Gonzalez
Summary: The presence of the invasive plant Carpobrotus edulis has altered herbivore communities by changing plant-herbivore interactions and increasing the abundance of herbivores in invaded coastal sites. Native snails have been found to damage the flowers of C. edulis, potentially reducing its seed production. Understanding the impacts of introduced species on invertebrate communities is crucial for effective long-term management strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Maria Olalla Lorenzo-Carballa, Rosser W. Garrison, Andrea C. Encalada, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: This study used molecular and morphological analyses to determine the specific identity of dragonflies in the Galapagos Islands, identifying them as a continental species Tramea calverti rather than the previously considered T. cophysa. This shows that the species named after Darwin is a valid species inhabiting both the Galapagos islands and continental America.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Dalia Ivette Galicia-Mendoza, Iago Sanmartin-Villar, Oscar Garcia-Miranda, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: The study found that territorial damselflies are larger, and ordinary least squares and reduced major axis regressions provided different results in some analyses. Aggressive species have less steep allometric slopes than non-aggressive species.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Juan R. Coca, Alberto Soto, Cristina Mesquita, Rui Pedro Lopes, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: The study proposes a comprehensive biosociological framework to enhance understanding of the evolution of social niche construction, while also aiding in explaining the concepts of sociotype in non-human organisms and various aspects of social or presocial behavior through the concept of ethodiversity.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
A. Cordero-Rivera, R. Roucourt Cezario, R. Guillermo-Ferreira, V. Marques Lopez, I. Sanmartin-Villar
Summary: The paper by Bramble argues for the moral right to act to minimize the pain and fear inflicted by predators on their prey, proposing two alternative solutions: genetically modifying predators into herbivores or painlessly killing them. However, these alternatives are deemed nonsensical not only scientifically, but also ethically.
ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Iago Sanmartin-Villar, M. Olalla Lorenzo-Carballa, Haomiao Zhang, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: Ischnura praematura can be distinguished from other species mainly by its abdominal and thoracic morphology and coloration, with distinctive features such as an elevated posterior lobe of the prothorax and dorsal triangular protuberances on the mesostigmal plates. Genetic analyses support the morphological distinctiveness of this species, forming a well-supported, monophyletic clade with closely related species such as Ischnura asiatica, Ischnura ezoin, and Ischnura pumilio. In the field, mature females exhibit reluctance to mate, with males observed mating with newly emerged females.
Article
Zoology
Anais Rivas-Torres, Bindiya Rashni, Hilda Waqa-Sakiti, Marika Tuiwawa, Maria Olalla Lorenzo-Carballa, Christopher D. Beatty, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: The newly described species Nesobasis rito is distinguished from related congeners by its caudal appendages and ligula morphology. Genetic analyses also support the distinct status of N. rito as a well-supported monophyletic clade. The distribution of N. rito differs significantly from its most similar congeners, found only on Vanua Levu while others are found on different islands.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Freya Addison, Thomas Dally, Elizabeth J. Duncan, James Rouse, William L. Evans, Christopher Hassall, Ryan R. Neely
Summary: In this study, electromagnetic modelling was used to investigate the radar cross section (RCS) of a volant animal. High-resolution modelling of insects was found to have advantages over previous ellipsoidal models, and the composition of wings and separation of body, wings, legs, and antennae were found to impact the RCS of the specimen.
Article
Zoology
Iago Sanmartin-Villar, Xin Yu, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: Population structure affects individuals' interactions and trade-offs, and male-biased populations tend to increase intrasexual competition and reduce female resource acquisition. This study found that under male-biased conditions, mating duration increased in males but resource acquisition and fertility decreased in females. The offspring of females exposed to male-biased conditions showed greater differences in exploration behavior.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
M. Olalla Lorenzo-Carballa, Iago Sanmartin-Villar, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: Despite technological progress, taxonomical issues remain for certain species in remote and understudied areas. A study on the damselfly species Ischnura aurora examined morphological and genetic differences between Asian and Australo-Pacific forms, and identified two taxonomic units and a potential third unit. The study highlights the importance of linking DNA sequence data with voucher specimens and careful examination of DNA sequence data in taxonomical studies.
Article
Ecology
Oloyede A. Adekolurejo, Matthew Floyd, Alison M. Dunn, Paul Kay, Andrew P. Dean, Christopher Hassall
Summary: The combined effects of increased water temperature and microcystin concentrations as co-stressors on survival and ecological processes in freshwater species are unclear. We tested the individual and combined effects of three water temperatures and a range of microcystin and crude extract concentrations on survival, growth inhibition, grazing and predation rates in three freshwater species. Our findings highlight the importance of complex ecological mechanisms by which warming can exacerbate toxic effects of cyanobacterial bloom extracts on survival and functions among species in eutrophic freshwaters.
Article
Ecology
Anais Rivas-Torres, Viviana Di Pietro, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: In some species, males use weapons to harm females, but females of the damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum have developed a genital adaptation in the form of a vulvar spine. This spine is not harmful to the male, but rather it stimulates males to increase their investment in copulation. The presence of the spine allows females to control the duration of copulation.
Article
Biology
Benjamin Pile, Daniel Warren, Christopher Hassall, Lee E. Brown, Alison M. Dunn
Summary: Climate warming and invasive species can impact the key process of shredding and survival in freshwater ecosystems. Increasing temperature can initially enhance shredding rates, but excessive temperature can decrease it. Invasive species can process more leaf litter, but excessive resource consumption may have negative consequences for ecosystem function.
Article
Entomology
Cornelio A. Bota-Sierra, Camilo Florez-V, Federico Escobar, Juliana Sandoval-H, Rodolfo Novelo-Gutierrez, Gustavo A. Londono, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera
Summary: Forests in tropical mountains are crucial habitats for odonate biodiversity. Odonate assemblages in the Tatama Mountains in Colombia showed highest richness at lower elevations, with a higher number of endemic species in forests. Richness and endemism decreased with elevation, while forest odonates had narrower elevation ranges.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ODONATOLOGY
(2021)