MaxTemp: A Method to Maximise Precision of the Temporal Method for Estimating N in Genetic Monitoring Programs.

We introduce a new software program, MaxTemp, that increases precision of the temporal method for estimating effective population size (N) in genetic monitoring programs, which are increasingly used to systematically track changes in global biodiversity. Scientists and managers are typically most interested in N for individual generations, either to match with single-generation estimates of census size (N) or to evaluate consequences of specific management actions or environmental events. Systematically sampling every generation produces a time series of single-generation estimates of temporal F ( , which can then be used to estimate N; however, these estimates have relatively low precision because each reflects just a single episode of genetic drift.

My Ancestors Were One-Celled Organisms.

This first-person essay explores wonder in the medical encounter from a patient's point of view, considering times when medical technology has given the author insight into her body and the wonder that has been evoked by these experiences. Two medical encounters are detailed: one in which post-polio vocal cord weakness was explored using a miniature camera, which evoked a sense of wonder at the process of evolution; and the second in which an MRI of the author's skull became a memento mori. The author reflects on the long processes of genetic mutation from single-celled organism to human being, and on the devolution after death to food for bacteria and insects.

Salivary Gland Volume Predicts Malnutrition in Irradiated Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Prospective Analysis.

Background/aim: Xerostomia following (chemo-) radiotherapy (CRT) is common in head and neck (HNC) patients. This prospective study focused on investigating the link between salivary gland function and the onset of malnutrition in HNC patients.

Patients And Methods: Between 2018 and 2020, 61 HNC patients scheduled for curative CRT were prospectively recruited.

nSMase2-mediated exosome secretion shapes the tumor microenvironment to immunologically support pancreatic cancer.

The pleiotropic roles of nSMase2-generated ceramide include regulation of intracellular ceramide signaling and exosome biogenesis. We investigated the effects of eliminating nSMase2 on early and advanced PDA, including its influence on the microenvironment. Employing the KPC mouse model of pancreatic cancer, we demonstrate that pancreatic epithelial nSMase2 ablation reduces neoplasia and promotes a PDA subtype switch from aggressive basal-like to classical.

Lessons learnt on infectious bronchitis virus lineage GI-23.

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is the first coronavirus discovered in the world in the early 1930s and despite decades of extensive immunoprophylaxis efforts, it remains a major health concern to poultry producers worldwide. Rapid evolution due to large poultry population sizes coupled with high mutation and recombination events and the reliance of the antiviral immune response on specific antibodies against the epitopes of the S1 glycoprotein, render the control of IBV extremely challenging. The numerous and rapidly evolving genetic and antigenic IBV types are currently classified based on the whole S1 gene sequence, into 36 lineages clustered in eight genotypes.