Female oviposition decisions are influenced by the microbial environment.

In ovipositing animals, egg placement decisions can be key determinants of offspring survival. One oviposition strategy reported across taxa is laying eggs in clusters. In some species, mothers provision eggs with diffusible defence compounds, such as antimicrobials, raising the possibility of public good benefits arising from egg clustering.

Structure of subcortico-cortical tracts in middle-aged and older adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Middle-aged and older adults with autism spectrum disorder may be susceptible to accelerated neurobiological changes in striato- and thalamo-cortical tracts due to combined effects of typical aging and existing disparities present from early neurodevelopment. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we employed diffusion-weighted imaging and automated tract-segmentation to explore striato- and thalamo-cortical tract microstructure and volume differences between autistic (n = 29) and typical comparison (n = 33) adults (40 to 70 years old). Fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tract volumes were measured for 14 striato-cortical and 12 thalamo-cortical tract bundles.

Ageing effects of social environments in 'non-social' insects.

It is increasingly clear that social environments have profound impacts on the life histories of 'non-social' animals. However, it is not yet well known how species with varying degrees of sociality respond to different social contexts and whether such effects are sex-specific. To survey the extent to which social environments specifically affect lifespan and ageing in non-social species, we performed a systematic literature review, focusing on invertebrates but excluding eusocial insects.

A useful cognitive motor dual task paradigm in prodromal and manifest Huntington's disease.

Introduction: Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience increased difficulty with balance throughout disease progression. Adding a simultaneous cognitive task to a balance assessment, referred to as a dual task (DT) paradigm, may have a deleterious effect on balance, which can be expressed in terms of a Dual Task Cost (DTC), relative to a single task (ST) condition. The aim of this study is to explore whether a cognitive-motor DT paradigm uncovers balance deficits in prodromal (Pro-HD) and manifest HD, compared to healthy adults (HA).

Advancing Primary Care Access: Exploring the Impact of the Virtual Waiting Room on the Quadruple Aim.

Background: Community health centers grapple with high no-show rates, posing challenges to patient access and primary care provider (PCP) utilization.

Aim: To address these challenges, we implemented a virtual waiting room (VWR) program in April 2023 to enhance patient access and boost PCP utilization.

Setting: Academic community health center in a small urban city in Massachusetts.