Infanticide is driven by unfamiliarity with offspring location and associated with androgenic shifts in mimic poison frogs.

Infanticide is widespread across the animal kingdom, but the physiological drivers of infanticide versus care or neglect are relatively unexplored. Here, we identified salient environmental and physiological antecedents of infanticide in the mimic poison frog (Ranitomeya imitator), a biparental amphibian. We explored potential environmental cues influencing infant-directed behavior by evaluating changes in the frequency of food provisioning and tadpole mortality after either cross-fostering tadpoles between family units or displacing tadpoles within the terraria of their parents.

Infanticide is driven by unfamiliarity with offspring location and associated with androgenic shifts in mimic poison frogs.

Infanticide is widespread across the animal kingdom, but the physiological drivers of infanticide versus care or neglect are relatively unexplored. Here, we identified salient environmental and physiological antecedents of infanticide in the mimic poison frog (), a biparental amphibian in which female parents feed their tadpoles unfertilized eggs. Specifically, we explored potential environmental cues influencing infant-directed behavior by evaluating changes in the frequency of food provisioning and tadpole mortality after either cross-fostering tadpoles between family units or displacing tadpoles within the terraria of their parents.

Diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and therapeutic interventions: A systematic review of insights from preclinical animal models.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review article is to evaluate the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) utilizing preclinical animal models. The review focused on studies assessing SNHL in diabetic animal models, elucidating the mechanisms of DM-associated SNHL, and exploring the response of diabetic animal models to noise overexposure. We also discussed studies investigating the efficacy of potential therapeutic strategies for amelioration of DM-associated SNHL in the animal models.

Differential pheromone profile as a contributor to premating isolation between two sympatric sibling fruit fly species.

Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) and Bactrocera neohumeralis (Hardy) are sibling fruit fly species that are sympatric over much of their ranges. Premating isolation of these close relatives is thought to be maintained in part by allochrony-mating activity in B. tryoni peaks at dusk, whereas in B.

Analysis of Cephalometric Differences of the Midface and Upper Face in Males and Females: A Radiographic Study.

Gender affirmation facial surgery (GAFS) is an important component in treating gender dysphoria among transgender individuals by addressing gender incongruence of the face. There is a paucity of literature describing objective characterizations of the anatomic differences between male and female faces. In this study, cephalometric measurements were taken on routine CT imaging performed on cisgender patients between 2017 and 2020.

Water Availability and Temperature as Modifiers of Evaporative Water Loss in Tropical Frogs.

Water plays a notable role in the ecology of most terrestrial organisms due to the risks associated with water loss. Specifically, water loss in terrestrial animals happens through evaporation across respiratory tissues or the epidermis. Amphibians are ideal systems for studying how abiotic factors impact water loss since their bodies often respond quickly to environmental changes.

Unveiling the Enigma of a Colonic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Ileocolic Intussusception: A Case Report.

Intussusception in adults is rare and is often associated with a pathologic lead point. While colonic adenocarcinoma is a common cause, well-differentiated colonic neuroendocrine tumors are exceedingly rare. We present a unique case of an ileocolic intussusception due to a distal ascending colonic neuroendocrine tumor, emphasizing the diagnostic challenges and importance of prompt intervention.

Epigenetics of Genes Preferentially Expressed in Dissimilar Cell Populations: Myoblasts and Cerebellum.

While studying myoblast methylomes and transcriptomes, we found that had a remarkable preference for expression in both myoblasts and cerebellum. To understand how widespread such a relationship was and its epigenetic and biological correlates, we systematically looked for genes with similar transcription profiles and analyzed their DNA methylation and chromatin state and accessibility profiles in many different cell populations. Twenty genes were expressed preferentially in myoblasts and cerebellum (Myob/Cbl genes).

Redefining online biology education: a study on interactive branched video utilisation and student learning experiences.

This study evaluated the use of interactive, branched videos compared with traditional passive linear delivery for enhancing student engagement and learning in online courses. Undergraduate biology students were provided with either branched decision-based or linear videos on cell biology and protein purification as self-guided or consolidation activities. While the interactive branched videos did not improve learning gains, thematic analysis revealed that students found them more enjoyable and preferable for revision.

Biomarkers and Strain Echocardiography for the Detection of Subclinical Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Anthracyclines.

The optimal surveillance and management strategies for breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline therapy are limited by our incomplete understanding of the role of biomarkers heralding the onset of cardiotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a temporal correlation between cardiac biomarkers and subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. Thirty-one females between 46 and 55 years old with breast cancer treated with anthracycline chemotherapy were prospectively enrolled.

Mechanistic Insight into the Early Stages of Toroidal Pore Formation by the Antimicrobial Peptide Smp24.

The antimicrobial peptide Smp24, originally derived from the venom of , is a promising candidate for further drug development. However, before doing so, greater insight into the mechanism of action is needed to construct a reliable structure-activity relationship. The aim of this study was to specifically investigate the critical early stages of peptide-induced membrane disruption.

Reflections on the Teaching Symposium at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2023.

The Microbiology Society Education and Outreach Network (EON) recently hosted the Teaching Symposium at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference, sponsored by . The presence of the Symposium as an established parallel session within the wider Annual Conference reflects the importance of high-quality, contemporary microbiology education and outreach delivered in an enthusiastic and inclusive manner. At the 2023 Symposium, a variety of pedagogical research projects in higher education learning, teaching and assessment, as well as public engagement projects, were showcased through invited talks, offered talks, flash talks and posters.

University student-led public engagement event: increasing audience diversity and impact in a non-science space.

There is a wealth of innovation in microbiology outreach events globally, including in the setting where the public engagement is hosted. Previous data indicate an underrepresentation of marginalized ethnic groups attending UK science-based public engagement events. This project engaged our student cohort, encompassing a diverse range of ethnic groups, to create an integrated art and science event within an existing series of adult education evenings.

Home security cameras as a tool for behavior observations and science affordability.

Reliably capturing transient animal behavior in the field and laboratory remains a logistical and financial challenge, especially for small ectotherms. Here, we present a camera system that is affordable, accessible, and suitable to monitor small, cold-blooded animals historically overlooked by commercial camera traps, such as small amphibians. The system is weather-resistant, can operate offline or online, and allows collection of time-sensitive behavioral data in laboratory and field conditions with continuous data storage for up to four weeks.

Genetic variation for rectal gland volatiles among recently collected isofemale lines and a domesticated strain of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Divergence between populations in mating behaviour can function as a potent premating isolating mechanism and promote speciation. However, very few cases of inherited intraspecific variation in sexual signalling have been reported in tephritid fruit flies, despite them being a highly speciose family. We tested for such variation in one tephritid, the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Qfly).

Rapid determination of solid-state diffusion coefficients in Li-based batteries via intermittent current interruption method.

The galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) is considered the go-to method for determining the Li diffusion coefficients in insertion electrode materials. However, GITT-based methods are either time-consuming, prone to analysis pitfalls or require sophisticated interpretation models. Here, we propose the intermittent current interruption (ICI) method as a reliable, accurate and faster alternative to GITT-based methods.

Infectious and Inflammatory Sinonasal Diseases.

Rhinosinusitis is a commonly encountered disease. Imaging is not typically required in acute uncomplicated rhinosinusitis; however, it is integral in the evaluation of patients who present with prolonged or atypical symptoms or when acute intracranial complications or alternate diagnoses are suspected. Knowledge of the paranasal sinus anatomy is important to understand patterns of sinonasal opacification.

Multivariate analysis of food consumption profiles in crisis settings.

Preventing malnutrition is one of the primary objectives of many humanitarian agencies, and household surveys are regularly employed to monitor food insecurity caused by political, economic, or environmental crises. Consumption frequencies for standard food groups are often collected to characterize the depth of food insecurity in a community and measure the impact of food assistance programs, producing a vector of bounded, correlated counts for each household. While aggregate indicators are typically used to summarize these results with a single statistic, they can be difficult to interpret and provide insufficient detail to judge the effectiveness of assistance programs.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic synergism of biocides and quorum-sensing inhibitors against uropathogenic Escherichiacoli.

Background: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are a primary cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), often forming mature recalcitrant biofilms on the catheter surface. Anti-infective catheter coatings containing single biocides have been developed but display limited antimicrobial activity due to the selection of biocide-resistant bacterial populations. Furthermore, biocides often display cytotoxicity at concentrations required to eradicate biofilms, limiting their antiseptic potential.

Analysis of Cephalometric Points in Male and Female Mandibles: An Application to Gender-Affirming Facial Surgery.

Gender-affirming facial surgery is a common intervention for transgender patients because of its ability to decrease the frequency of misgendering. Many anatomic targets can be addressed, but the mandible is the primary aspect of the lower third of the face that is manipulated during these procedures. This study's objective is to quantify the differences in cephalometric measurements between male and female mandibles on maxillofacial imaging, with the goal of identifying surgical targets for gender affirmation.

A non-academic perspective on the future of lithium-based batteries.

In the field of lithium-based batteries, there is often a substantial divide between academic research and industrial market needs. This is in part driven by a lack of peer-reviewed publications from industry. Here we present a non-academic view on applied research in lithium-based batteries to sharpen the focus and help bridge the gap between academic and industrial research.

Promoter-Adjacent DNA Hypermethylation Can Downmodulate Gene Expression: in the Muscle Lineage.

TBX15, which encodes a differentiation-related transcription factor, displays promoter-adjacent DNA hypermethylation in myoblasts and skeletal muscle (psoas) that is absent from non-expressing cells in other lineages. By whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq), these hypermethylated regions were found to border both sides of a constitutively unmethylated promoter. To understand the functionality of this DNA hypermethylation, we cloned the differentially methylated sequences (DMRs) in CpG-free reporter vectors and tested them for promoter or enhancer activity upon transient transfection.

Surgical Techniques for the Repair of Webbed Neck: A Scoping Review.

Webbed neck is a rare condition characterized by bilateral subcutaneous bands, which extend from approximately the mastoid to the acromion. Given its rarity, the literature lacks a review of the techniques used in the repair of this condition. We performed a scoping review to define and summarize the surgical techniques been used in the treatment of webbed neck, with the goal of better equipping the surgeons' armamentarium.