Article
Environmental Sciences
Royall McMahon Ward, Emily M. Casper, J. Alan Clark, Mark L. Botton
Summary: Microplastic transfer between horseshoe crabs and migratory shorebirds through consumption of crab eggs was examined in Jamaica Bay, New York. Microplastics were found in all samples, with unfertilized and fertilized eggs containing significantly higher numbers than shorebird fecal pellets, beach sand, and bay water. The presence of microplastics in unfertilized eggs suggests maternal transfer during oogenesis. Shorebirds feeding on horseshoe crab eggs could be ingesting a substantial burden of microplastics, most of which appears to be retained rather than eliminated.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan M. Waters, Steven Ni, Graham A. Mcculloch
Summary: Deforestation is a major threat to biodiversity, but the biological impacts of this disturbance are not fully understood. In New Zealand, deforestation has led to fragmented forest stands, providing an opportunity to study anthropogenic biological change. This study used freshwater environmental DNA (eDNA) data to test for biological shifts related to deforestation. The results showed consistent differences in species composition and function between forested and deforested areas, indicating the emergence of a new 'deforested' assemblage. These findings demonstrate that environmental change can drive predictable biological shifts over large geographic regions, and highlight the power of eDNA analysis in assessing anthropogenic ecosystem change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ehud Rinott, Anat Yaskolka Meir, Gal Tsaban, Hila Zelicha, Alon Kaplan, Dan Knights, Kieran Tuohy, Matthias Uwe Scholz, Omry Koren, Meir J. Stampfer, Dong D. Wang, Iris Shai, Ilan Youngster
Summary: The study found that the Mediterranean diet has significant effects on gut microbiota and cardiometabolic health, particularly the Green-MED diet. The Green-MED diet induces beneficial changes in gut microbiota composition and enzymatic functions, which are associated with improvements in body weight and cardiometabolic biomarkers.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Megevand, Pauline Kreienbuhl, Dimitri Theuerkauff, Jehan-Herve Lignot, Elliott Sucre
Summary: This study investigated the behavioral and metabolic responses of the fiddler crab to short-term exposure to domestic polluted wastewater. The results indicate that the crabs exhibit changes in behavior and metabolism when exposed to short-term pulses of wastewater.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fei Lu, Pengfei Liang, Bei Fan, Qingwen Zhu, Tao Xue, Zhenzhen Liu, Renfeng Wang, Yukai Zhang, Xinyu Zhang, Wei Li, Shujuan Wang, Jun Chen, Dingjun Zha
Summary: Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic auditory neuropathy is caused by a genetic etiology. Through candidate gene screening and exome sequencing, we identified a compound heterozygous missense variant in the TNN gene of affected patients in a pedigree. Our findings demonstrate that tenascin-W plays an essential role in the development and function of spiral ganglion neurons in the murine auditory system, and abnormal expression of tenascin-W can affect the function of the auditory system.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ranish Shakya, Laurent Ahiablame
Summary: This study provides a synthesis of GI planning and adoption in 16 cities around the world, with a focus on key socio-economic benefits associated with GI adoption and the analytical procedures used to quantify these benefits. The benefits identified and reported in this study are qualitative rather than quantitative.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yejin Yun, Sang Soo Park, Soyoung Lee, Heeyoung Seok, Seongyeol Park, Sang-Yeon Lee
Summary: In this study, we identified a family with compound heterozygous variants in ClC-K channels using whole-genome sequencing. These variants are associated with non-syndromic hearing loss, expanding our understanding of genotypes and phenotypes associated with ClC-K channels. The findings highlight the complexity of ClC-K channel diseases and emphasize the importance of in-depth analysis of the CLCNKA_CLCNKB intergenic region.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bruce J. Stephen, Meg Begley-Irish
Summary: This article presents the results of a long-term monitoring study conducted from 2011 to 2021 on the populations of Carcinus maenas (European Green Crab) in an intertidal region of a cobble beach in Maine. The number of Green Crabs collected varied between 129 and 474 individuals per sample event. Crabs were collected twice a year, with a total annual collection ranging from 389 to 798 individuals. Additionally, only 7 individuals of Hemigrapsus sanguineus (Asian Shore Crab) were collected in 2019 and 2021. No significant relationships were found between Green Crab densities and sea-water temperature, average carapace width, or collection year.
NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Philip Harrer, Matej Skorvanek, Volker Kittke, Ivana Dzinovic, Friederike Borngraeber, Mirja Thomsen, Vanessa Mandel, Tatiana Svorenova, Miriam Ostrozovicova, Kristina Kulcsarova, Riccardo Berutti, Hauke Busch, Fabian Ott, Robert Kopajtich, Holger Prokisch, Kishore R. Kumar, Niccolo E. Mencacci, Manju A. Kurian, Alessio Di Fonzo, Sylvia Boesch, Andrea A. Kuehn, Ulrike Bluemlein, Katja Lohmann, Bernhard Haslinger, David Weise, Robert Jech, Juliane Winkelmann, Michael Zech
Summary: The study found that variants in EIF4A2 are associated with dystonia, causing spasms and tremors from adolescence to adulthood. In patient cells, the expression of EIF4A2 was reduced, and the levels of IMP1 were abnormally increased. In addition, EIF4A2 deletion variants were also identified in two other dystonia-affected pedigrees. These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized dominant dystonia-tremor syndrome related to EIF4A2 haploinsufficiency.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carlos A. M. Barboza, Gustavo Mattos, Abilio Soares-Gomes, Ilana Rosental Zalmon, Leonardo Lopes Costa
Summary: Sandy beaches are essential ecosystems providing services for millions of people, but are threatened by human disturbance and climate change. Research shows that burrow density on sandy beaches is closely related to human modification and environmental changes.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Sarah J. Nancollas, Iain J. McGaw
Summary: The study found that tidal crabs demonstrated better physiological adaptations during emersion compared to non-tidal crabs, with the former showing lower metabolic costs and maintaining aerobic metabolism. Tidal crabs also exhibited higher levels of haemocyanin, which may help them sustain oxygen transport and buffer pH changes during emersion.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lucas S. Kumosa, Jens Schouenborg
Summary: When implanting devices into the brain, temporary compression-induced hypoxia can lead to adverse alterations in surrounding tissues, such as neuronal apoptosis and reduced metabolic components. By implementing an implantation method that relaxes compressive forces, the damaging effects can be mitigated, resulting in neurons that resemble naive tissues. Additionally, astrocyte proliferation was more pronounced in hypoxic, compressive insertions, with processes potentially interacting with nearby neuronal nuclei. This finding, more prevalent in less hypoxic, force-relaxed insertions, may suggest a novel protective mechanism.
Article
Microbiology
Kristina D. A. Mojica, Michael J. Behrenfeld, Megan Clay, Corina P. D. Brussaard
Summary: For nearly a century, phytoplankton spring blooms have been largely explained by abiotic factors, but recent research shows that grazing and viral lysis are the main causes of mortality. Light conditions can affect division rates and biomass accumulation, supporting the Disturbance-Recovery Hypothesis.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haifeng Zhang, Rujian Wang, Zhengbing Han, Yongming Sun, Gaojing Fan, Jun Zhao, Ji Hu, Jian Ren, Jianming Pan
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal variations in the siliceous microbiota fluxes and radiolarian assemblages in Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica. The results showed strong seasonality in the radiolarian assemblages and fluxes, with low numbers in winter and high numbers in summer. Two dominant assemblages were identified, which represented primary productivity and the extension of Ice Shelf Water in Prydz Bay.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jingwen Tian, Hyo Kyun Chung, Ji Sun Moon, Ha Thi Nga, Ho Yeop Lee, Jung Tae Kim, Joon Young Chang, Seul Gi Kang, Dongryeol Ryu, Xiangguo Che, Je-Yong Choi, Masayuki Tsukasaki, Takayoshi Sasako, Sang-Hee Lee, Minho Shong, Hyon-Seung Yi
Summary: Defects in muscle mitochondrial OxPhos promote bone marrow inflammation in mice, leading to decreased bone mass. Muscle mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to bone marrow inflammatory cytokine secretion via the CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling axis, which is critical for inducing low bone mass.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2022)