Do the Shuffle: Expanding the Synthetic Biology Toolkit for Shufflon-like Recombination Systems.

Naturally occurring DNA inversion systems play an important role in the generation of genetic variation and adaptation in prokaryotes. Shufflon invertase (SI) from plasmid R64, recognizing asymmetric sites, has been adopted as a tool for synthetic biology. However, the availability of a single enzyme with moderate rates of recombination has hampered the more widespread use of SIs.

Non-employment over the working life: Implications for cognitive function and decline in later life.

Objectives: Disuse theory predicts that cognitive function is vulnerable to transitions that remove factors that support cognitive skills. We sought to investigate whether non-employment over the working life was associated with cognitive function and decline in later life (≥60 years old), and possible gender differences in the association.

Study Design: Longitudinal study.

Creating Community Through Storytelling: Building a Village of Support for Children.

For children navigating complex psychological and emotional challenges, the concept of community extends far beyond the walls of their home. Storytelling can be a powerful tool to foster a broader "village" of support, drawing on the rich network of extended family, neighbors, teachers, and cultural traditions that shape a child's world. Through sharing and listening to stories, children not only find comfort and connection but also discover a sense of pride in their cultural heritage and a deeper understanding of their identity.

Costs and benefits of maternal nest choice: Trade-offs between brood survival and thermal stress in bees.

Optimal nest site selection is crucial in animals whose offspring are completely dependent on the shelter of a nest. Parental decisions influencing nest thermal conditions are particularly important because temperature strongly influences juvenile activity, metabolism, growth, developmental rate, survival, and adult body size. In small ectotherms such as bees, maternal decisions to nest in sun-exposed or shady sites can lead to marked differences in thermal microenvironments inside nests.

From pilot study to practice: Integrating medical students into COVID-19 contact tracing in a hospital setting.

This paper addresses a timely and significant issue in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact tracing played a crucial role in reducing transmission rates. The challenges faced in inpatient settings are valuable to explore.