An evolutionarily conserved pathway mediated by neuroparsin-A regulates reproductive plasticity in ants.

Phenotypic plasticity displayed by an animal in response to different environmental conditions is supposedly crucial for its survival and reproduction. The female adults of some ant lineages display phenotypic plasticity related to reproductive role. In pharaoh ant queens, insemination induces substantial physiological/behavioral changes and implicates remarkable gene regulatory network (GRN) shift in the brain.

The gene expression network regulating queen brain remodeling after insemination and its parallel use in ants with reproductive workers.

Caste differentiation happens early in development to produce gynes as future colony germlines and workers as present colony soma. However, gynes need insemination to become functional queens, a transition that initiates reproductive role differentiation relative to unmated gynes. Here, we analyze the anatomy and transcriptomes of brains during this differentiation process within the reproductive caste of Insemination terminated brain growth, whereas unmated control gynes continued to increase brain volume.

Enhanced Wear Performance of Cu-Carbon Nanotubes Composite Coatings Prepared by Jet Electrodeposition.

Cu-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite coatings with high CNT content and uniformly distributed CNTs were successfully prepared via jet electrodeposition. Pristine CNTs, without any treatment like acid functionalization, were used. Anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used to increase the wettability of the CNTs and improve the content of incorporated CNTs.

Ultrathin two-dimensional metals with fully exposed (111) facets.

Large-size ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) metals with a fully exposed (111) surface have been synthesized by a heat-pressing process. As a result of the compact (111) surface arrangement, an ultrathin Pt 5 nm 2D metal exhibits a superior methanol electro-oxidation performance than an as-sputtered Pt 5 nm thin film (1.8, 2.