Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masuelli Sofia, Real Sebastian, Campoy Emanuel, Maria Teresita Branham, Diego Matias Marzese, Salomon Matthew, Gerardo De Blas, Arias Rodolfo, Levin Michael, Roque Maria
Summary: This study discovered differential DNA methylation and bioelectric differences between left-sided and right-sided breast tumors, which were associated with tumor proliferation. These findings provide new targets for future breast cancer therapeutic approaches.
MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Surgery
David K. Chong, Mithila Somasundaram, Emily Ho, Nicolas S. Dhooghe, David M. Fisher
Summary: Left and right complete cleft lips have anthropometric differences, with right cleft lips showing greater deficiencies in lateral lip element development.
PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Patrick Friedrich, Kaustubh R. Patil, Lisa N. Mochalski, Xuan Li, Julia A. Camilleri, Jean-Philippe Kroell, Lisa Wiersch, Simon B. Eickhoff, Susanne Weis
Summary: This study introduces a novel framework based on machine learning for identifying the characterizing features that underlie hemispheric differences. The analysis shows that both left and right hemispheres can be accurately classified in both low-dimensional and high-dimensional representations. Utilizing a feature selection algorithm helps to determine the voxels that contribute most to accurate classification.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Helena Verhelst, Thijs Dhollander, Robin Gerrits, Guy Vingerhoets
Summary: Language is predominantly lateralised to the left hemisphere in over 90% of the population. Research using fixel-based analysis found a consistent pattern of white matter lateralisation, with the arcuate fasciculus showing leftward lateralisation regardless of functional language dominance. In addition, a significant group difference in lateralisation was observed in the forceps minor, with leftward lateralisation in the LLD group and rightward lateralisation in the RLD group.
Article
Cell Biology
Melanie Tingler, Amelie Brugger, Kerstin Feistel, Axel Schweickert
Summary: This study reveals the role of Dmrt2 transcription factor in LRO ciliogenesis and sLRO cell specification in the formation of the vertebrate left-right axis, as well as its functional connection to somitogenesis and LR determination.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jennifer Kreis, Celine Marie Camuto, Carolin Charlotte Elsner, Sebastian Vogel, Philipp Vick
Summary: Gastrulation is a crucial developmental process that involves tissue rearrangements and patterning events to shape the emerging vertebrate organism. This study reveals the involvement of Rab7 in dorsal mesoderm patterning, which is crucial for FGF-dependent mesoderm specification and left-right asymmetry.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Kadeen Forrest, Alexandria C. Barricella, Sonny A. Pohar, Anna Maria Hinman, Jeffrey D. Amack
Summary: Human laterality disorders are caused by embryonic developmental issues. Studying the development of LRO (left-right organizer) in zebrafish models helps us understand the origins of laterality disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Maria Isabella Negretti, Nina Boese, Natalia Petri, Stanislav Kremnyov, Nikoloz Tsikolia
Summary: The development of visceral left-right asymmetry in bilateria relies on initial symmetry breaking and subsequent molecular patterning. The expression of the transcription factor pitx2 on the left side is facilitated by the asymmetric expression of the nodal morphogen in the left lateral plate mesoderm. The mechanisms leading to the asymmetric nodal domain differ depending on the mode of symmetry breaking.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kelly A. Smith, Veronica Uribe
Summary: The heart is laterally asymmetric, with left-right patterning visible at organism, organ, cellular, and molecular levels. Defects in left-right patterning can have severe consequences, especially on the heart. Genetic studies show that cardiac asymmetry is influenced by left-right patterning and intrinsic laterality.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEVELOPMENT AND DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Shoji Tanaka, Eiji Kirino
Summary: The primary role of auditory cortical areas is to process actual sounds, but this study found that these areas are also activated during imagined music performance, suggesting their involvement in musical imagery. Functional connectivity analysis revealed a significant enhancement in the auditory network during imagined music performance, with increased connectivity to brain regions associated with cognitive, memory, and emotional information processing.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Adam S. Sprouse Blum, Nina Y. Riggins, Denise P. Hersey, Gary S. Atwood, Benjamin Littenberg
Summary: In this scoping review, the authors explore the unilateral nature of migraine by summarizing the differences between left-sided and right-sided migraine. The review finds that left-sided and right-sided migraine differ across multiple domains, suggesting that the pathophysiology of left- and right-migraine may not be identical.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Christopher J. Derrick, Adrian Santos-Ledo, Lorraine Eley, Isabela Andhika Paramita, Deborah J. Henderson, Bill Chaudhry
Summary: The establishment of left-right axis is crucial for the placement, morphogenesis, and function of internal organs. Cilia-driven fluid flow in the embryonic node is proposed to be dependent on left-right specification. The JNK gene family plays an important role in the development and function of the zebrafish node, determining the length of nodal cilia, generating flow in the node, and restricting southpaw to the left lateral plate mesoderm.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Kenichi Shibuya, Rina Kasuga, Naoto Sato, Risa Santa, Chihiro Homma, Mana Miyamoto
Summary: Research shows that people's aesthetic preferences for image orientation are influenced by their left/right reading habits. Food images presented in a direction that is easier to grasp and bring to the mouth are preferred by participants. This suggests that the orientation of food images can impact preferences and that people tend to prefer images that are easy to interact with.
FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Leah T. Johnstone, Emma M. Karlsson, David P. Carey
Summary: Neuroscientific techniques show that left-handers have more unusual cerebral asymmetries for language compared to right-handers, with left-handers demonstrating less lateralization for language, faces, and bodies when they have typical cerebral asymmetries.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yara Abdou, Medhavi Gupta, Mariko Asaoka, Kristopher Attwood, Opyrchal Mateusz, Shipra Gandhi, Kazuaki Takabe
Summary: Left sided breast cancer is more prevalent than right sided breast cancer and is associated with more aggressive biology and worse prognosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Wesley P. Clawson, Michael Levin
Summary: The rich variety of biological forms and behaviours on Earth is the result of evolutionary history, with accidental and selective influences. However, our understanding of the origin of anatomical novelty, the relationship between genome and form, and strategies for large-scale structure and function control is still limited. The analysis of new and unique living forms is crucial to uncover deep design principles of life. The concept of goal-seeking and problem-solving behavior in various environments is proposed as a powerful invariant across possible beings. The creation and analysis of novel living forms will be an essential testbed for the emerging field of diverse intelligence, with implications in regenerative medicine, robotics, and ethics.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Lakshwin Shreesha, Michael Levin
Summary: Biological genotypes are not directly responsible for phenotypes; developmental physiology acts as a control layer between genomes and abilities determined by selection. Cellular competency plays a key role, as cells have complex behavior capabilities inherited from unicellular organisms. In an evolutionary simulation using artificial embryogeny, we found that even minimal cellular ability to improve position in the embryo enhances evolutionary search performance. Increasing behavioral competency masks raw fitness encoded by structural genes, with selection favoring developmental problem-solving capacities. This feedback loop explains the divergence of genome from anatomy in species like planaria, and suggests strategies for engineering novel systems.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Michael Levin
Summary: Each of us undergoes a remarkable journey from basic matter to complex mind, starting as a quiescent oocyte and gradually transforming into an adult with metacognitive processes. We are not a singular self, but rather a collective intelligence comprising countless cells working together to generate a coherent cognitive being. The ability to turn physiological competencies into large-scale behavioral intelligences extends beyond the brain's electrical dynamics and has deep connections to embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer suppression. Understanding the bioelectric dynamics underlying the construction of complex bodies and brains is crucial for comprehending the evolution and design of diverse intelligences across Earth's phylogenetic history.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael Levin
Summary: The layer of developmental physiology, operating between genotype and phenotype, plays a critical role in evolution. Cellular capabilities derived from ancestral unicellular organisms contribute to the evolutionary process in multicellular organisms. The multiscale competency architecture of biological structures, encompassing cells, tissues, and organs, allows for regulative plasticity and adaptation across metabolic, transcriptional, physiological, and anatomical problem spaces.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Javier Cervera, Michael Levin, Salvador Mafe
Summary: Cells coordinate their activities towards multicellular goals through efficient information processing mechanisms. Bioelectrical signals encode instructive rules at multiple scales, influencing transcription and morphogenesis. Biophysical models suggest that bi-stable and oscillatory bioelectrical memories can form pattern memories instructive for morphological outcomes. Multicellular aggregates exhibit spatio-temporal distributions of ions and activators correlated with electric potential patterns, forming dynamic subsystems with cells sharing the same bioelectrical state. Manipulating these subsystems allows for retrieval or rewriting of pattern memories, influencing morphology.
PHYSICS REPORTS-REVIEW SECTION OF PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Douglas Blackiston, Sam Kriegman, Josh Bongard, Michael Levin
Summary: Advancements in science and engineering expose the limitations of classical approaches, necessitating the re-evaluation of conceptual categories and resolution of conflicting boundaries to facilitate experimental approaches. This essay addresses critiques regarding the intersection of developmental biology, computer science, and robotics, and explores how recent advances have transformed our understanding across fields. By embracing the convergence of disciplines, the essay argues that insights can be gained on issues of multiscale control and the relationship between form and function, leading to practical applications in regenerative medicine and synthetic living machines.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anna Ciaunica, Evgeniya V. Shmeleva, Michael Levin
Summary: Significant efforts have been made to understand how mental and cognitive processes are supported by neural mechanisms in the brain. This paper suggests a promising approach to understand human cognition by considering how neurons work together with other types of cells, such as immune cells, for self-organization and adaptive behavior. The focus is on immune cellular processing as a complement to neuronal processing, challenging the idea that neurons are the exclusive cells responsible for learning and cognition. Ultimately, the paper argues that cognition should not be limited to the neural system in the brain, but should be seen as a multiscale web of dynamic information processing distributed across various cellular and network systems throughout the body.
FRONTIERS IN INTEGRATIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Santosh Manicka, Kathleen Johnson, Michael Levin, David Murrugarra
Summary: The extent of nonlinearity in the regulation of biological systems affects their susceptibility to therapy and control. Analysis of 137 published Boolean network models revealed that biological regulation tends to be less nonlinear than expected on average, but cancer and disease networks can exhibit higher levels of nonlinearity and variability. This variation is attributed to differences in the distribution of information among different orders of regulatory nonlinearity.
NPJ SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Joshua Bongard, Michael Levin
Summary: The applicability of computational models to the biological world is being debated, with the suggestion to adopt an observer-dependent view rather than strict boundaries between categories. Living systems are polycomputing, simultaneously performing multiple functions in the same place, which challenges prediction and control. Understanding and harnessing polycomputing can have significant impacts on fields like regenerative medicine, robotics, and computer engineering.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Chris Fields, Filippo Fabrocini, Karl Friston, James F. Glazebrook, Hananel Hazan, Michael Levin, Antonino Marciano
Summary: Living systems are confronted with environmental complexity and limited access to free-energy resources. To survive under these circumstances, a control system is necessary to activate and deploy perception and action resources in a context specific way. This article introduces the free-energy principle (FEP), active inference, and discusses how control problems arise in active inference systems. The authors illustrate that when systems execute active inference according to the FEP, their control flow systems can be represented as tensor networks (TNs), which can be implemented within the framework of quantum topological neural networks.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL AND MULTI-SCALE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Chris Fields, Filippo Fabrocini, Karl Friston, James F. Glazebrook, Hananel Hazan, Michael Levin, Antonino Marciano
Summary: Living systems face environmental complexity and limited access to free-energy resources, necessitating a control system that can activate perception and action resources in a context-specific way. This article introduces the free-energy principle and active inference as a solution to the control problem in active inference systems. It also reviews the classical and quantum formulations of the free-energy principle.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL AND MULTI-SCALE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Juanita Mathews, Alan (Jaelyn) Chang, Liam Devlin, Michael Levin
Summary: Many aspects of health and disease are modeled using protein pathways, which exhibit interesting capabilities such as trainability and context-sensitive information processing. Understanding the functionality and tractability of pathways beyond the mechanistic details of proteins and drugs is crucial for addressing health and disease. Exploiting tools and concepts from cognitive sciences may provide a new roadmap for overcoming the limitations of current pharmacological strategies and inferring future therapeutic interventions.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mustafa B. A. Djamgoz, Michael Levin
Article
Biology
Chris Fields, Michael Levin
Summary: Using the Free Energy Principle, we demonstrate that bidirectional information exchange between a system and its environment can generate complexity, resulting in the emergence of hierarchical computational architectures in systems operating away from thermal equilibrium. In this context, the environment enhances its ability to predict system behavior by increasing the morphological complexity of the system, leading to larger-scale, more macroscopic behaviors. Therefore, we propose that life is thermodynamically favorable, and when creating artificial living systems, human engineers act as generic environments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sofia Masuelli, Sebastian Real, Patrick McMillen, Madeleine Oudin, Michael Levin, Maria Roque
Summary: Breast cancer is a complex disease with diverse subtypes and clinical outcomes. The study found differential methylation profiles and membrane potentials between left- and right-sided breast tumors. This study aimed to identify the ion channels responsible for this phenomenon and determine associated phenotypic features. The results showed that left-sided tumors had a more depolarized state and identified a signature of 6 ion channel genes associated with the side. This study provides new insights into breast cancer biology and highlights the need for further investigation into potential differential treatment options.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
James A. Klarevas-Irby, Damien R. Farine
Summary: Little is known about how animals overcome temporal constraints on movement during dispersal. This study used GPS tracking of vulturine guineafowl and found that dispersers showed the greatest increase in movement at the same times of day when they moved the most prior to dispersal. These findings suggest that individuals face the same ecological constraints during dispersal as they do in daily life and achieve large displacements by maximizing movement when conditions are most favorable.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Simone Ciaralli, Martina Esposito, Stefano Francesconi, Daniela Muzzicato, Marco Gamba, Matteo Dal Zotto, Daniela Campobello
Summary: Male cuckoos may transfer nest location information to females as a nonmaterial nuptial gift through specific postures and behaviors, potentially influencing mating choices of female cuckoos.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anne E. Aulsebrook, Rowan Jacques-Hamilton, Bart Kempenaers
Summary: Accelerometry and machine learning have been used to quantify mating behaviors of captive male ruffs. Different machine learning methods were compared and evaluated for their classification performance. The study highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls in classifying mating behaviors using accelerometry and provides recommendations and considerations for future research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Maria G. Smith, Joshua B. LaPergola, Christina Riehl
Summary: This study analyzed individual contributions to parental care in the greater ani bird and found that workload inequality varied between groups of two and three pairs. However, there was no clear evidence of division of labour within the groups, suggesting individual differences in overall work performed.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Noah M. T. Smith, Reuven Dukas
Summary: Winner and loser effects are observed in many animals, and recent experiments suggest that they may also occur in humans. In two experiments involving video games and reading comprehension, participants who won in the first phase performed significantly better in the second phase compared to those who lost. The effect size was larger in the video game experiment, and men and women showed similar magnitudes of winner and loser effects.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bianca J. L. Marcellino, Peri Yee, Shannon J. Mccauley, Rosalind L. Murray
Summary: This study examines the trade-off between mating effort and thermoregulatory behavior in dragonflies in response to temperature changes, and investigates the effect of wing melanin on these behaviors. The results indicate that as temperature increases, dragonflies reduce their mating effort and increase their thermoregulatory behavior.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Rafael Rios Moura, Paulo Inacio Prado, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: This study examined the escape behavior and decision-making of Aglaoctenus castaneus spiders on different substrates. It was found that spiders inhabiting injurious substrates displayed shorter flight initiation distances and lower sensitivity to predators.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Luigi Baciadonna, Cwyn Solvi, Francesca Terranova, Camilla Godi, Cristina Pilenga, Livio Favaro
Summary: In this study, it was found that African penguins could use ventral dot patterns to recognize their lifelong partner and nonpartner colonymates. This challenges the previous assumption of limited visual involvement in penguin communication, highlighting the complex and flexible recognition process in birds.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nick A. R. Jones, Jade Newton-Youens, Joachim G. Frommen
Summary: Environmental conditions, particularly temperature, have a significant impact on animal behavior. This study focused on aggression in Neolamprologus pulcher fish and found that aggression rates increased with temperature at lower levels, but decreased after reaching a peak. Additionally, the influence of high temperatures on aggression changed over time during the trials. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the short-term effects of temperature on aggression and highlight the importance of considering non-linear changes in thermal performance.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bruno Herlander Martins, Andrea Soriano-Redondo, Aldina M. A. Franco, Ines Carry
Summary: Human activities have affected the availability of resources for wildlife, particularly through the provision of anthropogenic food subsidies at landfill sites. This study explores the influence of age on landfill attendance and foraging behavior in white storks. Adult storks visit landfills more frequently and show dominance over juveniles in food acquisition. Juveniles have limited access to landfill resources and are forced to use lower quality areas.
