Publications by authors named "Nancy Chen"

Land and natural resource use in addition to climate change can restrict populations to degraded and fragmented habitats, catalyzing extinction through the reinforced interplay of small population size and genetic decay. Translocating individuals is a powerful strategy for overcoming direct threats from human development and reconnecting isolated populations but is not without risks. Habitat Management Plan analyses under section 7 of the U.

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Structural variants (SVs) are widespread in vertebrate genomes, yet their evolutionary dynamics remain poorly understood. Using 45 long-read de novo genome assemblies and pangenome tools, we analyze SVs within three closely related species of North American jays (, scrub-jays) displaying a 60-fold range in effective population size. We find rapid evolution of genome architecture, including ~100 Mb variation in genome size driven by dynamic satellite landscapes with unexpectedly long (> 10 kb) repeat units and widespread variation in gene content, influencing gene expression.

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Isolation caused by anthropogenic habitat fragmentation can destabilize populations. Populations relying on the inflow of immigrants can face reduced fitness due to inbreeding depression as fewer new individuals arrive. Empirical studies of the demographic consequences of isolation are critical to understand how populations persist through changing conditions.

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Solid-state lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries show promise for future electric mobility due to their high energy density potential. However, high internal impedance, Li polysulfide shuttling, and dendrite formation exist. Herein, we present a Li-rich cellulosic solid-state electrolyte (SSE) that, when paired with a sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) cathode, leads to durable Li-S batteries for use in the room temperature to 50 °C range.

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Article Synopsis
  • Telehealth interventions are important for aiding patients with chronic conditions like heart failure and type 2 diabetes by improving health outcomes through structured conversations about lifestyle management.
  • This study analyzed 729 telehealth calls made over a year to 50 heart failure patients, focusing specifically on lifestyle management topics and how these discussions related to their healthcare usage.
  • The research assessed the content and structure of lifestyle-focused calls compared to those not solely about lifestyle, while also evaluating the nurses’ perspectives on the effectiveness and follow-up needed for these calls, ultimately relating them to patient admissions in the healthcare system.
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Inbreeding, or breeding with close relatives, often decreases individual fitness, but mate choice in many species can increase inbreeding risk. Inbreeding is more likely in species with limited dispersal, such as cooperative breeders where non-parental individuals-often offspring from previous broods-provide parental care and frequently breed close to home. We leverage 32 years of data from a population of Florida Scrub-Jays ( ), an avian cooperative breeder, to investigate whether mate choice, and its lifetime fitness outcomes, affects inbreeding tolerance.

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Article Synopsis
  • The Florida Scrub-Jay, a threatened bird species, serves as a significant model for studying evolution and ecology through extensive individual monitoring and genetic analysis.
  • Researchers created a detailed linkage map with 4,468 SNPs and a chromosome-level genome assembly for the species, totaling 1.33 Gb in length, which includes complete autosomes and sex chromosomes.
  • The high-quality genome assembly, with a BUSCO completeness score of 97.1%, features 17,964 identified protein-coding genes, which equips scientists with valuable resources for exploring the evolutionary dynamics of endangered species.
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Background: Epigenetic changes link medical, social, and environmental factors with cardiovascular and kidney disease and, more recently, with cancer. The mechanistic link between metabolic health and epigenetic changes is only starting to be investigated. In our in vitro and in vivo studies, we performed a broad analysis of the link between hyperinsulinemia and chromatin acetylation; our top "hit" was chromatin opening at H3K9ac.

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This study assesses the quality of retinal images captured using a non-mydriatic fundus camera within a teleophthalmologic platform in Taiwan. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of non-mydriatic fundus cameras for remote retinal screening and identify factors impacting image quality. From June 2020 to August 2022, 629 patients from five rural infirmaries underwent ophthalmic examinations, with fundus images captured without pupil dilation.

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Hybrid zones occur in nature when populations with limited reproductive barriers overlap in space. Many hybrid zones persist over time, and different models have been proposed to explain how selection can maintain hybrid zone stability. More empirical studies are needed to elucidate the role of ecological adaptation in maintaining stable hybrid zones.

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Sex-biased demography, including sex-biased survival or migration, can alter allele frequency changes across the genome. In particular, we can expect different patterns of genetic variation on autosomes and sex chromosomes due to sex-specific differences in life histories, as well as differences in effective population size, transmission modes, and the strength and mode of selection. Here, we demonstrate the role that sex differences in life history played in shaping short-term evolutionary dynamics across the genome.

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During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, teleophthalmology provided access to eye care for rural populations. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of and satisfaction with an integrated real-time videoconferencing module. This project incorporated ophthalmic instruments and telecommunication devices and provided on-site consultations via videoconferencing.

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Isolation caused by anthropogenic habitat fragmentation can destabilize populations. Populations relying on the inflow of immigrants can face reduced fitness due to inbreeding depression as fewer new individuals arrive. Empirical studies of the demographic consequences of isolation are critical to understand how populations persist through changing conditions.

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Hybrid zones occur in nature when populations with limited reproductive barriers overlap in space. Many hybrid zones persist over time, and different models have been proposed to explain how selection can maintain hybrid zone stability. More empirical studies are needed to elucidate the role of ecological adaptation in maintaining stable hybrid zones.

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Distinct pedagogical approaches within medical curricula in France and in the U.S. reflect a growing recognition of the importance of nutrition to address major public health challenges.

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Pineapple () and ornamental bromeliads are commercially induced to flower by treatment with ethylene or its analogs. The apex is transformed from a vegetative to a floral meristem and shows morphological changes in 8 to 10 days, with flowers developing 8 to 10 weeks later. During eight sampling stages ranging from 6 h to 8 days after treatment, 7961 genes were found to exhibit differential expression (DE) after the application of ethylene.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to investigate the link between dental disease and postoperative infective complications (POICs) in patients undergoing major surgery.
  • The research involved pre-surgical dental evaluations and identified factors like the length of hospital stay and dental issues (such as decayed teeth and tongue plaque) as key predictors for developing POICs.
  • Findings suggest that preoperative dental assessments could help in assessing risks and potentially improving postoperative recovery outcomes for patients.
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Species ranges are set by limitations in factors including climate tolerances, habitat use, and dispersal abilities. Understanding the factors governing species range dynamics remains a challenge that is ever more important in our rapidly changing world. Species ranges can shift if environmental changes affect available habitat, or if the niche or habitat connectivity of a species changes.

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Mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II) is a rare lysosomal storage disease characterized by deficient activity of iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S), leading to pathological accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in tissues. We used iduronate-2-sulfatase knockout ( KO) mice to investigate if liver-directed recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors (rAAV8-LSP-h) encoding human I2S (hI2S) could cross-correct I2S deficiency in KO mouse tissues, and we then assessed the translation of mouse data to non-human primates (NHPs). Treated mice showed sustained hepatic hI2S production, accompanied by normalized GAG levels in somatic tissues (including critical tissues such as heart and lung), indicating systemic cross-correction from liver-secreted hI2S.

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Infectious diseases can cause steep declines in wildlife populations, leading to changes in genetic diversity that may affect the susceptibility of individuals to infection and the overall resilience of populations to pathogen outbreaks. Here, we examine evidence for a genetic bottleneck in a population of American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) before and after the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV). More than 50% of marked birds in this population were lost over the 2-year period of the epizootic, representing a 10-fold increase in adult mortality.

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Idiopathic sclerosing orbital inflammation (ISOI) is a distinct entity among other orbital diseases. It is characterized by marked fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration that can damage orbital structures. Clinical manifestations were variable, including ocular and periocular redness, proptosis, and pain.

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We organized this special issue to highlight new work and review recent advances at the cutting edge of 'wild quantitative genomics'. In this editorial, we will present some history of wild quantitative genetic and genomic studies, before discussing the main themes in the papers published in this special issue and highlighting the future outlook of this dynamic field.

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