Theory of morphodynamic information processing: Linking sensing to behaviour.

The traditional understanding of brain function has predominantly focused on chemical and electrical processes. However, new research in fruit fly (Drosophila) binocular vision reveals ultrafast photomechanical photoreceptor movements significantly enhance information processing, thereby impacting a fly's perception of its environment and behaviour. The coding advantages resulting from these mechanical processes suggest that similar physical motion-based coding strategies may affect neural communication ubiquitously.

Phylosymbiosis and Elevated Cancer Risk in Genetically Depauperate Channel Island Foxes.

Examination of the host-associated microbiome in wildlife can provide critical insights into the eco-evolutionary factors driving species diversification and response to disease. This is particularly relevant for isolated populations lacking genomic variation, a phenomenon that is increasingly common as human activities create habitat 'islands' for wildlife. Here, we characterised the gut and otic microbial communities of one such species: Channel Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis).

Biofilm dispersal patterns revealed using far-red fluorogenic probes.

Bacteria frequently colonize niches by forming multicellular communities called biofilms. To explore new territories, cells exit biofilms through an active process called dispersal. Biofilm dispersal is essential for bacteria to spread between infection sites, yet how the process is executed at the single-cell level remains mysterious due to the limitations of traditional fluorescent proteins, which lose functionality in large, oxygen-deprived biofilms.

A Rare Cutaneous Manifestation of Systemic Sclerosis.

Unlabelled: A 43-year-old male with a history of intravenous drug use and alcohol consumption presented to the emergency department with three-month history of failure to thrive. The patient exhibited a constellation of constitutional symptoms including cough, weight loss, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. The skin examination revealed multiple subcutaneous hyperpigmented, indurated plaques and nodules on the trunk and arms.

Pneumococcal extracellular vesicles mediate horizontal gene transfer via the transformation machinery.

Bacterial cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), the function of which is a matter of intense investigation. Here, we show that the EVs secreted by the human pathogen (pneumococcus) are associated with bacterial DNA on their surface and can deliver this DNA to the transformation machinery of competent cells. These findings suggest that EVs contribute to gene transfer in Gram-positive bacteria and, in doing so, may promote the spread of drug resistance genes in the population.