1,365 results
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2. Review Paper: Linking Brain Biology to Intellectual Endowment: A Review on the Associations of Human Intelligence With Neuroimaging Data.
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Dizaji, Aslan Satary, Vieira, Bruno Hebling, Khodaei, Mohmmad Reza, Ashrafi, Mahnaz, Parham, Elahe, Hosseinzadeh, Gholam Ali, Garrido Salmon, Carlos Ernesto, and Soltanianzadeh, Hamid
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FUNCTIONAL magnetic resonance imaging , *DIFFUSION magnetic resonance imaging , *BRAIN imaging , *ENDOWMENTS , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Human intelligence has always been a fascinating subject for scientists. Since the inception of Spearman's general intelligence in the early 1900s, there has been significant progress towards characterizing different aspects of intelligence and its relationship with structural and functional features of the brain. In recent years, the invention of sophisticated brain imaging devices using Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has allowed researchers to test hypotheses about neural correlates of intelligence in humans. This review summarizes recent findings on the associations of human intelligence with neuroimaging data. To this end, first, we review the literature that has related brain morphometry to intelligence. Next, we elaborate on the applications of DWI and restingstate fMRI on the investigation of intelligence. Then, we provide a survey of literature that has used multimodal DWI-fMRI to shed light on intelligence. Finally, we discuss the state-of-theart of individualized prediction of intelligence from neuroimaging data and point out future strategies. Future studies hold promising outcomes for machine learning-based predictive frameworks using neuroimaging features to estimate human intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2021
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3. Tumor Biology's struggle to survive: A tough lesson for cancer and oncology research journals.
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Teixeira da Silva, Jaime A.
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CANCER research , *PAPER mills , *BIOLOGY , *TUMORS , *STRUGGLE - Abstract
Tumor Biology, owned by the International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers and currently published by IOS Press, lost its Clarivate impact factor of 3.650 in 2017. It has been plagued by over 100 retractions due to paper mills (including a batch of 15 papers published between 2014 and 2016 that were retracted at the end of 2021), faked peer reviews, and forged research. According to PubMed, the number of papers published by Tumor Biology has been reduced to a mere trickle, dropping from 707 in 2017 to 66 in 2018. It is unclear how Tumor Biology will be able to recover from such disastrous reputational damage and whether there is even merit in continuing its publication. Other journals for cancer and oncology research would do well to observe this case closely and learn from its mistakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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4. Immunometabolism and atherosclerosis: perspectives and clinical significance: a position paper from the Working Group on Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology of the European Society of Cardiology.
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Ketelhuth, Daniel F J, Lutgens, Esther, Bäck, Magnus, Binder, Christoph J, Bossche, Jan Van den, Daniel, Carolin, Dumitriu, Ingrid E, Hoefer, Imo, Libby, Peter, O'Neill, Luke, Weber, Christian, and Evans, Paul C
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BIOLOGY , *ATHEROSCLEROSIS , *PAPER arts , *TEAMS in the workplace , *THERAPEUTICS - Abstract
Inflammation is an important driver of atherosclerosis, and the favourable outcomes of the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcome Study (CANTOS) trial revealed the large potential of anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, especially in patients with a pro-inflammatory constitution. However, the complex immune reactions driving inflammation in the vascular wall in response to an atherosclerotic microenvironment are still being unravelled. Novel insights into the cellular processes driving immunity and inflammation revealed that alterations in intracellular metabolic pathways are strong drivers of survival, growth, and function of immune cells. Therefore, this position paper presents a brief overview of the recent developments in the immunometabolism field, focusing on its role in atherosclerosis. We will also highlight the potential impact of immunometabolic markers and targets in clinical cardiovascular medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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5. Mitochondria: a new intervention target for tumor invasion and metastasis.
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Zhou, Quanling, Cao, Tingping, Li, Fujun, Zhang, Ming, Li, Xiaohui, Zhao, Hailong, and Zhou, Ya
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MITOCHONDRIAL DNA , *PHENOMENOLOGICAL biology , *METASTASIS , *CELLULAR signal transduction , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Mitochondria, responsible for cellular energy synthesis and signal transduction, intricately regulate diverse metabolic processes, mediating fundamental biological phenomena such as cell growth, aging, and apoptosis. Tumor invasion and metastasis, key characteristics of malignancies, significantly impact patient prognosis. Tumor cells frequently exhibit metabolic abnormalities in mitochondria, including alterations in metabolic dynamics and changes in the expression of relevant metabolic genes and associated signal transduction pathways. Recent investigations unveil further insights into mitochondrial metabolic abnormalities, revealing their active involvement in tumor cell proliferation, resistance to chemotherapy, and a crucial role in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. This paper comprehensively outlines the latest research advancements in mitochondrial structure and metabolic function. Emphasis is placed on summarizing the role of mitochondrial metabolic abnormalities in tumor invasion and metastasis, including alterations in the mitochondrial genome (mutations), activation of mitochondrial-to-nuclear signaling, and dynamics within the mitochondria, all intricately linked to the processes of tumor invasion and metastasis. In conclusion, the paper discusses unresolved scientific questions in this field, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and novel perspectives for developing innovative strategies targeting tumor invasion and metastasis based on mitochondrial biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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6. The Carbon Footprint of Conference Papers.
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Spinellis, Diomidis and Louridas, Panos
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ECOLOGICAL impact , *CONFERENCE papers , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *SOCIAL impact , *CLIMATE change , *ENVIRONMENTAL economics , *ECONOMIC policy - Abstract
The action required to stem the environmental and social implications of climate change depends crucially on how humankind shapes technology, economy, lifestyle and policy. With transport CO2 emissions accounting for about a quarter of the total, we examine the contribution of CO2 output by scientific travel. Thankfully for the reputation of the scientific community, CO2 emissions associated with the trips required to present a paper at a scientific conference account for just 0.003% of the yearly total. However, with CO2 emissions for a single conference trip amounting to 7% of an average individual’s total CO2 emissions, scientists should lead by example by demonstrating leadership in addressing the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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7. Expanding the understanding of telomere biology disorder with reports from two families harboring variants in ZCCHC8 and TERC.
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Nitschke, Nikolaj Juul, Jelsig, Anne Marie, Lautrup, Charlotte, Lundsgaard, Malene, Severinsen, Marianne Tang, Cowland, Jack Bernard, Maroun, Lisa Leth, Andersen, Mette Klarskov, and Grønbæk, Kirsten
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TELOMERES , *BIOLOGY , *PULMONARY fibrosis , *BLOOD diseases , *LIVER enzymes , *BONE marrow - Abstract
Telomere biology disorder (TBD) can present within a wide spectrum of symptoms ranging from severe congenital malformations to isolated organ dysfunction in adulthood. Diagnosing TBD can be challenging given the substantial variation in symptoms and age of onset across generations. In this report, we present two families, one with a pathogenic variant in ZCCHC8 and another with a novel variant in TERC. In the literature, only one family has previously been reported with a ZCCHC8 variant and TBD symptoms. This family had multiple occurrences of pulmonary fibrosis and one case of bone marrow failure. In this paper, we present a second family with the same ZCCHC8 variant (p.Pro186Leu) and symptoms of TBD including pulmonary fibrosis, hematological disease, and elevated liver enzymes. The suspicion of TBD was confirmed with the measurement of short telomeres in the proband. In another family, we report a novel likely pathogenic variant in TERC. Our comprehensive description encompasses hematological manifestations, as well as pulmonary and hepatic fibrosis. Notably, there are no other reports which associate this variant to disease. The families expand our understanding of the clinical implications and genetic causes of TBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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8. Tracking species recovery status to improve U.S. endangered species act decisions.
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Davis, Olivia N., Molano‐Flores, Brenda, Li, Ya‐Wei, Allen, Maximilian L., Davis, Mark A., Mengelkoch, Jean M., Parkos, Joseph J., Porreca, Anthony Paul, Fournier, Auriel M. V., Tiemann, Jeremy, Bried, Jason, Marcum, Paul B., Carroll‐Cunningham, Connie J., Janssen, Eric D., Ulaszek, Eric F., McIntyre, Susan, Price, Edward P. F., Nieset, Julie, Beveroth, Tara, and Di Giovanni, Alexander
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BIOLOGICAL extinction , *ENDANGERED species , *LISTING of securities , *SPECIES , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Currently 1677 species are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), yet only a small percentage have been delisted due to recovery. In the fall of 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed delisting 23 species due to extinction. Tracking changes in species 'recovery status over time is critical to understanding species' statuses, informing adaptive management strategies, and assessing the performance of the ESA to prevent further species loss. In this paper, we describe four key obstacles in tracking species recovery status under the ESA. First, ESA 5‐year reviews lack a standardized format and clear documentation. Second, despite having been listed for decades, many species still suffer major data gaps in their biology and threats, rendering it difficult if not impossible to track progress towards recovery. Third, many species have continued declining after listing, yet given the above (1 & 2), understanding potential causes (proximate and/or ultimate) can be difficult. Fourth, many species currently have no path to clear recovery, which represents a potential failing of the process. We conclude with a discussion of potential policy responses that could be addressed to enhance the efficacy of the ESA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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9. 50th anniversary and recent decade achievements of the Hokkaido University Neutron Source (HUNS) facility with cold-fast neutrons and high-energy electrons/X-rays.
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Sato, Hirotaka, Kamiyama, Takashi, Nagakura, Hiroki, Sato, Ko-ichi, Ohnuma, Masato, and Furusaka, Michihiro
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NEUTRONS , *X-rays , *ASTROPHYSICS , *BIOLOGY , *CRYSTALLINITY - Abstract
In this paper, present status, scientific strategy, recent decade achievements and future perspectives of HUNS with cold, thermal, epithermal, fast neutrons and high-energy electrons/X-rays are presented. Time-of-flight small-angle cold neutron scattering with SAXS is useful for extended-duration materials and foods analysis. Irradiations using fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, 32 MeV electrons and MeV-class X-rays are used for not only soft error test of system-level semiconductor devices but also astrophysics and medical biology. Time-of-flight neutron imaging can accept big sample, system-level sample and many samples for crystalline microstructure and temperature analyses in steel, car and cultural heritage research fields. The reasons of such great activities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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10. A systematic comparative study of popular biomimetic intelligence techniques.
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SHIVANI and GUPTA, Satinder Bal
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SWARM intelligence , *EVOLUTIONARY algorithms , *BIOMIMETIC materials , *BIOMIMETICS , *COMPARATIVE studies , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Biomimetics is an emerging field that allows mimicry of living organisms in nature to develop different techniques so as to solve hard and complex problems related to optimization. The different techniques developed in this field takes inspiration from biology or nature. Biology acts as a powerful tool for imitating, copying, learning, understanding and inspiring the development of new systems and models. The different techniques discussed in this paper include techniques based on evolutionary algorithms, neural network and swarm intelligence. All these techniques are biologically inspired and provide good accuracy. The accuracy of all these algorithms can be increased by using them in hybrid form with other techniques and using different datasets. The comparative analysis of these techniques is done using advantages, disadvantages and applications of these techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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11. The Biological Production of Spacetime: A Sketch of the E-series Universe.
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Nomura, Naoki
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SPACETIME , *BIOLOGY ,UNIVERSE - Abstract
Space and time, which should properly be taken conjointly, are both communicatively produced and created with certain contextual perspectives—they are not independent physical entities. The standpoint of production makes the relationship between space and time comprehensible. They can either be mental-subjective, physical-objective, or social-intersubjective. Social and intersubjective (or E-series) spacetime might shed new light on biological thinking. For general readers, this paper provides a clue regarding an alternative conceptualization of spacetime based on biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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12. Visualizing Genomic Medicine: An Introduction to General Biology.
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Babian, Caryn and Kumar, Sudhir
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GENETIC mutation , *BIOLOGY teachers , *BIOLOGY , *CELL membranes , *CYSTIC fibrosis , *SYNTHETIC biology - Abstract
The emerging field of genomic medicine offers an opportunity for biology and anatomy teachers to bring the topics of DNA, genetics, molecular processes, and evolution together into one experience. Through the genomic medicine paradigm, students see the unbroken connection between small biological topics such as mutations and their potential connection to disease phenotypes. In this paper, we present as a main example cystic fibrosis, which is an often-studied genetic disease in general biology class, for examination through the genomic medicine lens. Concepts such as genes, the plasma membrane, variation, mutations, the nucleus, and chromosomes can be used in a narrative and visual approach to genetics through the genomic medicine standpoint to engage and connect students with next-generation genomics and with the fundamental unit of life—the cell. It is through the genomic medicine lens that the cell's context and relationship to the evolving world takes place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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13. Neo-Thomism and Evolutionary Biology: Arintero and Donat on Darwin.
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Recio, Gonzalo Luis and Del Carril, Ignacio Enrique
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TWENTIETH century , *THOMISM , *CATHOLICS , *PAPACY , *EVOLUTIONARY theories , *BIOLOGY , *MYSTICISM - Abstract
Pope Leo XIII's publication of Aeterni Patris (1879) was a major factor in the great revival of Thomistic thought in the late 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. Among the authors that took up the challenge implicit in the Pope's document of bringing Aquinas and his thought into the intellectual debates of the times we find two interesting proposals. The first is that of Juan González Arintero, a Spanish Dominican, and the second one is that of Josef Donat, a Jesuit born and raised in the Austrian Empire. Arintero is mostly known in Catholic circles for his influential works on mysticism, but in fact he devoted much of his early work to the subject of evolution, and how it could interact with the Catholic faith in general, and with Thomism in particular. Donat is the author of a Summa Philosophiae Christianae, a collection that was widely read in Catholic seminaries well into the 20th century. In this paper we will focus on the differing ways in which these authors tackled the problems and questions presented by Darwinian evolutionism to the post-Aeterni Patris Thomism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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14. Voyage of the argonauts in the pelagic realm: physiological and behavioural ecology of the rare paper nautilus, Argonauta nouryi.
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Rosa, Rui and Seibel, Brad A.
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OCTOPUSES , *ECOLOGY , *BIOLOGY , *SEXUAL dimorphism in animals , *HABITATS - Abstract
Rosa, R., and Seibel, B. A. 2010. Voyage of the argonauts in the pelagic realm: physiological and behavioural ecology of the rare paper nautilus, Argonauta nouryi. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1494–1500.The metabolic demands of a rare paper nautilus, Argonauta nouryi, in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) are evaluated. After adjusting for temperature and size, the rates of oxygen consumption and of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic potential (as evidenced by citrate synthase and octopine dehydrogenase activities, respectively) of A. nouryi were much higher than those in holopelagic octopods that exhibit float-and-wait predation strategies. In fact, the rates were similar to those found in small epipelagic squids and benthic octopods. The critical oxygen partial pressure was 4.9 kPa at 20°C, suggesting that the strong oxygen minimum layer found at intermediate depths in the ETP may constrain the vertical distribution of A. nouryi to the upper few metres of the water column. We also report the occurrence of a chain of shelled females at the surface, in which each animal was attached, as if on the benthos, to the next individual in the chain. Although it may constitute an effective strategy to increase the rates of mate encounter in the vast open ocean, there may be an important ecological trade-off for such behaviour, namely the increase in visibility at the surface with concomitant attraction of predators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
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- 2010
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15. Citation Patterns of a Controversial and High-Impact Paper: Worm et al. (2006) “Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services”.
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Branch, Trevor A.
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MARINE ecology , *MARINE biodiversity , *SPECIES diversity , *POPULATION biology , *POPULATION dynamics , *BIOLOGICAL extinction , *FISHERIES - Abstract
Citation patterns were examined for Worm et al. 2006 (Science 314∶787–790), a high-impact paper that focused on relationships between marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. This paper sparked much controversy through its projection, highlighted in the press release, that all marine fisheries would be collapsed by 2048. Analysis of 664 citing papers revealed that only a small percentage (11%) referred to the 2048 projection, while 39% referred to fisheries collapse in general, and 40% to biodiversity and ecosystem services. The 2048 projection was mentioned more often in papers published soon after the original paper, in low-impact journals, and in journals outside of fields that would be expected to focus on biodiversity. Citing papers also mentioned the 2048 projection more often if they had few authors (28% of single-author papers vs. 2% of papers with 10 or more authors). These factors suggest that the more knowledgeable the authors of citing papers were about the controversy over the 2048 projection, the less likely they were to refer to it. A noteworthy finding was that if the original authors were also involved in the citing papers, they rarely (1 of 55 papers, 2%) mentioned the 2048 projection. Thus the original authors have emphasized the broader concerns about biodiversity loss, rather than the 2048 projection, as the key result of their study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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16. Selected papers from the 13th Annual Bio-Ontologies Special Interest Group Meeting.
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Soldatova, Larisa N., Sansone, Susanna-Assunta, Stephens, Susie M., and Shah, Nigam H.
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ONTOLOGY , *PHARMACOGENOMICS , *LIFE sciences , *MEDICINE , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Over the years, the Bio-Ontologies SIG at ISMB has provided a forum for discussion of the latest and most innovative research in the application of ontologies and more generally the organisation, presentation and dissemination of knowledge in biomedicine and the life sciences. The ten papers selected for this supplement are extended versions of the original papers presented at the 2010 SIG. The papers span a wide range of topics including practical solutions for data and knowledge integration for translational medicine, hypothesis based querying , understanding kidney and urinary pathways, mining the pharmacogenomics literature; theoretical research into the orthogonality of biomedical ontologies, the representation of diseases, the representation of research hypotheses, the combination of ontologies and natural language processing for an annotation framework, the generation of textual definitions, and the discovery of gene interaction networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2011
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17. Patterns of Citations of Open Access and Non-Open Access Conservation Biology Journal Papers and Book Chapters.
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CALVER, MICHAEL C. and BRADLEY, J. STUART
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CONSERVATION biology , *CITATION of archival materials , *WILDLIFE conservation , *BIBLIOMETRICS , *BIOLOGY , *CITATION analysis , *PRESERVATION of archival materials , *BIBLIOGRAPHICAL citations ,DEVELOPING countries - Abstract
Open access (OA) publishing, whereby authors, their institutions, or their granting bodies pay or provide a repository through which peer-reviewed work is available online for free, is championed as a model to increase the number of citations per paper and disseminate results widely, especially to researchers in developing countries. We compared the number of citations of OA and non-OA papers in six journals and four books published since 2000 to test whether OA increases number of citations overall and increases citations made by authors in developing countries. After controlling for type of paper (e.g., review or research paper), length of paper, authors’ citation profiles, number of authors per paper, and whether the author or the publisher released the paper in OA, OA had no statistically significant influence on the overall number of citations per journal paper. Journal papers were cited more frequently if the authors had published highly cited papers previously, were members of large teams of authors, or published relatively long papers, but papers were not cited more frequently if they were published in an OA source. Nevertheless, author-archived OA book chapters accrued up to eight times more citations than chapters in the same book that were not available through OA, perhaps because there is no online abstracting service for book chapters. There was also little evidence that journal papers or book chapters published in OA received more citations from authors in developing countries relative to those journal papers or book chapters not published in OA. For scholarly publications in conservation biology, only book chapters had an OA citation advantage, and OA did not increase the number of citations papers or chapters received from authors in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2010
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18. Evolution of restraint in a structured rock--paper-scissors community.
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Nahum, Joshua R., Harding, Brittany N., and Kerr, Benjamin
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NATURAL selection , *ALTRUISM , *ESCHERICHIA coli , *BIOLOGY , *BACTERIAL evolution - Abstract
It is not immediately clear how costly behavior that benefits others evolves by natural selection. By saving on inherent costs, individuals that do not contribute socially have a selective advantage over altruists if both types receive equal benefits. Restrained consumption of a common resource is a form of altruism. The cost of this kind of prudent behavior is that restrained individuals give up resources to less-restrained individuals. The benefit of restraint is that better resource management may prolong the persistence of the group. One way to dodge the problem of defection is for altruists to interact disproportionately with other altruists. With limited dispersal, restrained individuals persist because of interaction with like types, whereas it is the unrestrained individuals that must face the negative long-term consequences of their rapacity. Here, we study the evolution of restraint in a community of three competitors exhibiting a nontransitive (rock-paper-scissors) relationship. The nontransitivity ensures a form of negative feedback, whereby improvement in growth of one competitor has the counterintuitive consequence of lowering the density of that improved player. This negative feedback generates detrimental long-term consequences for unrestrained growth. Using both computer simulations and evolution experiments with a nontransitive community of Escherichia coil, we find that restrained growth can evolve under conditions of limited dispersal in which negative feedback is present. This research, thus, highlights a set of ecological conditions sufficient for the evolution of one form of altruism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2011
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19. Combined Enzymatic and Physical Deinking Methodology for Efficient Eco-Friendly Recycling of Old Newsprint.
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Virk, Antar Puneet, Puri, Minakshi, Gupta, Vijaya, Capalash, Neena, and Sharma, Prince
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DEINKING (Waste paper) , *ENZYMATIC analysis , *RECYCLED newspapers , *PAPER industry , *SONICATION , *ALKALOPHILIC bacteria - Abstract
Background: The development in the deinking process has made recycled fiber a major part of the raw material for pulp and paper industry. Enzymes have revolutionized the deinking process obtaining brightness levels surpassing conventional deinking processes. This study explores the deinking efficiencies of bacterial alkalophilic laccase (L) and xylanase (X) enzymes along with physical deinking methods of microwaving (MW) and sonication (S) for recycling of old newsprint (ONP). Methods and Results: The operational parameters viz. enzyme dose, pH and treatment time for X and L deinking were optimized statistically using Response Surface Methodology. Laccase did not require any mediator supplementation for deinking. Deinking of ONP pulp with a combination of xylanase and laccase enzymes was investigated, and fiber surface composition and morphological changes were studied using X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Compared to the pulp deinked with xylanase (47.9%) or laccase (62.2%) individually, the percentage reduction of effective residual ink concentration (ERIC) was higher for the combined xylanase/laccase-deinked pulp (65.8%). An increase in brightness (21.6%), breaking length (16.5%), burst factor (4.2%) tear factor (6.9%), viscosity (13%) and cellulose crystallinity (10.3%) along with decrease in kappa number (22%) and chemical consumption (50%) were also observed. Surface appeared more fibrillar along with changes in surface functional groups. A combination of physical and enzymatic processes (S-MW-XL) for deinking further improved brightness (28.8%) and decreased ERIC (73.9%) substantially. Conclusion: This is the first report on deinking of ONP with laccase without any mediator supplementation. XL pretreatment resulted in marked improvement in paper quality and a new sequence being reported for deinking (S-MW-XL) will contribute further in decreasing chemical consumption and making the process commercially feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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20. The Entropy of Entropy: Are We Talking about the Same Thing?
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Nielsen, Søren Nors and Müller, Felix
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THERMODYNAMIC functions , *ENERGY dissipation , *ENTROPY , *RESEARCH personnel , *EDUCATIONAL background , *THERMODYNAMICS - Abstract
In the last few decades, the number of published papers that include search terms such as thermodynamics, entropy, ecology, and ecosystems has grown rapidly. Recently, background research carried out during the development of a paper on "thermodynamics in ecology" revealed huge variation in the understanding of the meaning and the use of some of the central terms in this field—in particular, entropy. This variation seems to be based primarily on the differing educational and scientific backgrounds of the researchers responsible for contributions to this field. Secondly, some ecological subdisciplines also seem to be better suited and applicable to certain interpretations of the concept than others. The most well-known seems to be the use of the Boltzmann–Gibbs equation in the guise of the Shannon–Weaver/Wiener index when applied to the estimation of biodiversity in ecology. Thirdly, this tendency also revealed that the use of entropy-like functions could be diverted into an area of statistical and distributional analyses as opposed to real thermodynamic approaches, which explicitly aim to describe and account for the energy fluxes and dissipations in the systems. Fourthly, these different ways of usage contribute to an increased confusion in discussions about efficiency and possible telos in nature, whether at the developmental level of the organism, a population, or an entire ecosystem. All the papers, in general, suffer from a lack of clear definitions of the thermodynamic functions used, and we, therefore, recommend that future publications in this area endeavor to achieve a more precise use of language. Only by increasing such efforts it is possible to understand and resolve some of the significant and possibly misleading discussions in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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21. Chemotaxis and reactions in biology.
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Kiselev, Alexander, Nazarov, Fedor, Ryzhik, Lenya, and Yao Yao
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CHEMOTAXIS , *BIOLOGY , *ECOLOGY , *IMMUNE system , *CHEMOKINES - Abstract
Chemotaxis plays a crucial role in a variety of processes in biology and ecology. Quite often it acts to improve efficiency of biological reactions. One example is the immune system signalling, where infected tissues release chemokines attracting monocytes to fight invading bacteria. Another example is reproduction, where eggs release pheromones that attract sperm. A macro scale example is flower scent appealing to pollinators. In this paper we consider a system of PDEs designed to model such processes. Our interest is to quantify the effect of chemotaxis on reaction rates compared to pure reaction-diffusion. We limit consideration to surface chemotaxis, which is well motivated from the point of view of many applications. Our results provide the first insight into situations where chemotaxis can be crucial for reaction success, and where its effect is likely to be limited. The proofs are based on new analytical tools; a significant part of the paper is dedicated to building up the linear machinery that can be useful in more general settings. In particular, we establish precise estimates on the rates of convergence to the ground state for a class of Fokker--Planck operators with potentials that grow at a logarithmic rate at infinity. These estimates are made possible by a new sharp weak weighted Poincaré inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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22. Review of the Genus Sycanus Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae), from China Based on DNA Barcoding and Morphological Evidence †.
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Zhao, Ping, Chen, Suyi, Liu, Yingqi, Wang, Jianyun, Chen, Zhuo, Li, Hu, and Cai, Wanzhi
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GENETIC barcoding , *ASSASSIN bugs , *HEMIPTERA , *AGRICULTURAL pests , *AESTHETICS - Abstract
Simple Summary: The reduviid genus Sycanus Amyot & Serville, 1843, possesses higher aesthetic value and plays a crucial role as a natural enemy in the control of agricultural and forestry pests. However, Sycanus from China has not undergone a comprehensive review for over four decades. Based on both molecular data and morphological evidence, we conducted a systematic review of the 14 Chinese Sycanus species, including a description of three new species. Due to the variability of body coloration and morphological similarity among closely related species, unresolved issues and debates still persist in the taxonomic study of the genus Sycanus from China. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation for Sycanus in China based on a COI DNA barcoding dataset comprising 81 samples. The results revealed that all the samples could be classified into 12 species by integrating molecular analyses with morphological comparison. This paper provides a comprehensive systematic review of the Sycanus species found in China, including descriptions of three new species: S. taiwanensis Zhao & Cai sp. nov., S. flavicorius Li & Cai sp. nov., and S. hainanensis Wang & Cai sp. nov. Furthermore, it is proposed that S. croceovittatus Dohrn, 1859, S. leucomesus Walker, 1873, and S. villicus Stål, 1863, are three synonyms of S. bifidus (Fabricius, 1787); S. bicolor Hsiao, 1979, is a synonym of S. versicolor Dohrn, 1859; and S. hsiaoi Maldonado-Capriles, 1990, is a synonym of S. marginellus Putshkov, 1987. Additionally, brief biological information is provided for two species, S. falleni Stål, 1863, and S. croceus Hsiao, 1979. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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23. Mitochondria at the Nanoscale: Physics Meets Biology—What Does It Mean for Medicine?
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Mourokh, Lev and Friedman, Jonathan
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BIOLOGY , *MITOCHONDRIAL pathology , *HUMAN body , *MITOCHONDRIAL membranes , *MITOCHONDRIA , *AUTISM spectrum disorders - Abstract
Mitochondria are commonly perceived as "cellular power plants". Intriguingly, power conversion is not their only function. In the first part of this paper, we review the role of mitochondria in the evolution of eukaryotic organisms and in the regulation of the human body, specifically focusing on cancer and autism in relation to mitochondrial dysfunction. In the second part, we overview our previous works, revealing the physical principles of operation for proton-pumping complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Our proposed simple models reveal the physical mechanisms of energy exchange. They can be further expanded to answer open questions about mitochondrial functions and the medical treatment of diseases associated with mitochondrial disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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24. Advancing ethnobiology for the ecological transition and a more inclusive and just world: a comprehensive framework for the next 20 years.
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Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino, Maroyi, Alfred, Ladio, Ana H., Pieroni, Andrea, Abbasi, Arshad Mehmood, Toledo, Bárbara Arias, Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid, Hallwass, Gustavo, Soldati, Gustavo Taboada, Odonne, Guillaume, Vandebroek, Ina, Vallès, Joan, Hurrell, Julio Alberto, Pardo de Santayana, Manuel, La Torre-Cuadros, María de los Ángeles, Silva, María Teresa Pulido, Jacob, Michelle Cristine Medeiros, da Fonseca-Kruel, Viviane Stern, and Ferreira Júnior, Washington Soares
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CONSERVATION of natural resources , *AFRICANS , *MINORITIES , *RESEARCH methodology , *PRIORITY (Philosophy) , *PRACTICAL politics , *COMMUNITIES , *ECOLOGY , *ECOSYSTEMS , *BIOLOGY , *INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,RESEARCH evaluation - Abstract
This opinion piece, written by ethnobiologists from different parts of the world, emphasizes the importance of ethnobiology research in advancing contemporary biology, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and, especially, contributing to the ecological transition and more just and inclusive world. To achieve these goals, it is essential to develop research and collaborate with social groups that live in close relationship with nature in research activities, such as Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), as well as Afro-descendants and other Marginalized, Minority or Minoritized Communities (AMMC). Ethnobiology can identify and provide locally appropriate solutions to local problems, enabling sustainable resource management at the landscape level. The text explores important aspects that need to be considered to guide the future of ethnobiology in the next 20 years, aiming to integrate and amplify previous discussions held in the discipline and identify points that demand ongoing attention. This paper highlights reflections from diverse researchers, emphasizing how ethnobiology can embrace different perspectives and employ rigorous analysis of complex phenomena toward effective policies and practices. This approach holds the potential to address the challenges the planet is currently facing in the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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25. 96th National Congress of the Italian Society for Experimental Biology: L'Aquila, Italy, 25-28 April 2024.
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SKIN aging , *WOUND healing , *BLOOD-brain barrier , *BIOELECTRONICS , *BIOLOGY , *ADIPOGENESIS , *SCIENTIFIC knowledge , *SEXUAL cycle , *MEDICAL sciences - Abstract
This journal article provides information about the upcoming 96th National Congress of the Italian Society for Experimental Biology, which will take place in L'Aquila, Italy from April 25-28, 2024. The article includes a table of contents for the journal issue, featuring various topics such as anthropology, aging, environment and health, aquatic environments, biology of reproduction and infertility, regenerative medicine, micro- and nanovesicles, neuroscience, nutrition, oncology, cell stress, and miscellaneous subjects. Additionally, the article includes summaries of three research papers: one on the relationship between comparative anthropology and urban biodiversity in forensic practice, another on the use of infrared spectroscopy in analyzing the preservation state of archaeological remains, and a third on dental morphology and its impact on periodontal disease in primates. The article also discusses two studies on the potential benefits of using probiotic Streptococcus thermophilus and Artemisia absinthium extract as skincare and mouthwash ingredients, respectively. These studies provide insights into the potential applications of probiotics and herbal extracts in improving skin health and oral hygiene. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
26. Personalization of Therapy in High-Grade Serous Tubo-Ovarian Cancer—The Possibility or the Necessity?
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Wilczyński, Jacek, Paradowska, Edyta, and Wilczyński, Miłosz
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OVARIAN cancer , *GENITALIA , *TUMOR microenvironment , *POSSIBILITY , *CLINICAL trials , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
High-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer (HGSTOC) is the most lethal tumor of the female genital tract. The foregoing therapy consists of cytoreduction followed by standard platinum/taxane chemotherapy; alternatively, for primary unresectable tumors, neo-adjuvant platinum/taxane chemotherapy followed by delayed interval cytoreduction. In patients with suboptimal surgery or advanced disease, different forms of targeted therapy have been accepted or tested in clinical trials. Studies on HGSTOC discovered its genetic and proteomic heterogeneity, epigenetic regulation, and the role of the tumor microenvironment. These findings turned attention to the fact that there are several distinct primary tumor subtypes of HGSTOC and the unique biology of primary, metastatic, and recurrent tumors may result in a differential drug response. This results in both chemo-refractoriness of some primary tumors and, what is significantly more frequent and destructive, secondary chemo-resistance of metastatic and recurrent HGSTOC tumors. Treatment possibilities for platinum-resistant disease include several chemotherapeutics with moderate activity and different targeted drugs with difficult tolerable effects. Therefore, the question appears as to why different subtypes of ovarian cancer are predominantly treated based on the same therapeutic schemes and not in an individualized way, adjusted to the biology of a specific tumor subtype and temporal moment of the disease. The paper reviews the genomic, mutational, and epigenetic signatures of HGSTOC subtypes and the tumor microenvironment. The clinical trials on personalized therapy and the overall results of a new, comprehensive approach to personalized therapy for ovarian cancer have been presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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27. An epistemic argument for evolutionary dispositions.
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VILLEGAS, CRISTINA and CARBONELL, FELIPE MORALES
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PHILOSOPHICAL literature , *ARGUMENT , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
The use of dispositions has been put into question many times in the philosophical literature, especially with regards to how dispositional attributions can be justified. Yet, dispositions are an important part not only of our everyday talk but also of our scientific practices. In this paper, we develop an argument that infers the epistemic justification of dispositional talk from its indispensability for carrying out basic epistemological projects, and we apply it to the use of dispositions in evolutionary biology. For doing this, we first advocate for a function-based strategy for the epistemic justification of dispositional attributions. We next review the functional role of some key dispositional notions in evolutionary biology, such as fitness and evolvability. Then, we show that alternative non-dispositional substitutes of these dispositions fail to fulfill their roles to the same degree. We conclude that the use of dispositions is justified in evolutionary biology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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28. RESEARCH PAPER Local-regional relationships and the geographical distribution of species.
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Arita, Hector T. and Rodriguez, Pilar
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BIODIVERSITY , *SPECIES , *MAMMALS , *ECOLOGY , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Local-regional (LR) species diversity plots were conceived to assess the contribution of regional and local processes in shaping the patterns of biological diversity, but have been used also to explore the scaling of diversity in terms of its alpha, beta, and gamma components. Here we explore the idea that patterns in the geographical ranges of species over a continent can determine the shape of small region to large region (SRLR) plots, which are equivalent to LR plots when comparing the diversity of sites at two regional scales. To test that idea, we analysed the diversity patterns at two regional scales for the mammals of North America, defined as the mainland from Alaska and Canada to Panama. We developed a theoretical model relating average range size of species over a large-scale region with its average regional point species diversity (RPD). Then, we generated a null model of expected SRLR plots based on theoretical predictions. Species diversities at two scales were modelled using linear and saturation functions for Type I and Type II SRLR relationships, respectively. We applied the models to the case of North American mammals by examining the regional diversity and the RPD for 21 large-scale quadrats (with area equal to 160,000 km2), arranged along a latitudinal gradient. Our model showed that continental and large-scale regional patterns of distribution of species can generate both types of SRLR relationship, and that these patterns can be reflected in LR plots without invoking any kind of local processes. We found that North American nonvolant mammals follow a Type I SRLR relationship, whereas bats follow a Type II pattern. This difference was linked to patterns in which species of the two mammalian groups distribute in geographical space. Traditional LR plots and the new SRLR plots are useful tools in exploring the scaling of species diversity and in showing the relationship between distribution and diversity. Their usefulness in comparing the relative role of local and regional processes is, however, very limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2004
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29. RESEARCH PAPER Latitudinal gradient in species richness of the New World Triatominae (Reduviidae).
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Rodriguero, Marcela S. and Gorla, David E.
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CONENOSES , *INSECTS , *SPECIES , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
To quantify the latitudinal gradient in species richness in the New World Triatominae and to explore the species-energy and area hypotheses as possible causes. The gradient was studied for North and South America, between 43° N and 32° S. A database was constructed containing the geographical distribution of the 118 New World Triatominae species based on data extracted from several published sources. Species richness was recorded as the number of species present within 5° latitudinal bands. We used univariate and multivariate models to analyse the relationship between area within each latitudinal belt, land surface temperature, and potential evapotranspiration as explanatory variables, and species richness. All variables were georeferenced and data were extracted using a GIS. Species richness of Triatominae increases significantly from the poles towards the Equator, peaking over the 5°−10 ° S latitudinal band. It increases according to a linear model, both north and south of the Equator, although a quadratic model fits better to southern hemisphere data. Richness correlates with habitable geographical area, when it is analysed through a nonlinear multiple regression factoring out latitude, only in the southern hemisphere. Regarding the species-energy hypothesis, a multiple regression analysis controlling the effect of latitude shows a significant relationship between temperature and species richness. This effect is more pronounced in the southern hemisphere. Species richness shows a strong longitudinal trend south of the Equator (increasing to the east), but not north of the Equator. This differential pattern is reflected in significant interactions between longitude and both latitude and temperature in models of the species richness of the New World Triatominae. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a latitudinal gradient in species richness has been shown and analysed for obligate haematophagous organisms, and it shows that the species–energy hypothesis can account for this phenomenon. This relationship is stronger in the southern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2004
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30. Editorial: Special Issue—Understanding and Targeting Heart Failure: From Biology to Therapeutics.
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Pu, Jun, Zhu, Wuqiang, and Ye, Lei
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HEART failure , *BIOLOGY , *CYTOLOGY , *MANGANESE porphyrins , *THERAPEUTICS , *MOLECULAR biology - Abstract
This editorial discusses the prevalence of heart failure worldwide and the advancements in molecular and cellular biology that are transforming our understanding and treatment of the condition. The special issue includes nine papers that highlight recent advances in understanding the transcriptome profile in cardiovascular diseases and providing novel treatments for promoting cardiac repair. The papers cover topics such as the transcriptomic profile of endothelial cells in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the impact of inflammation in remote zones after myocardial infarction, the effectiveness of manganese porphyrin compound for cardiac arrest, the role of HIF2α and ARNT signaling in endothelial cells, strategies to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation, the characterization of the common marmoset as a primate model for cardiovascular disease, and the link between heart failure and cognitive impairment. The authors express their gratitude to the contributors and reviewers of the special issue. [Extracted from the article]
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- 2023
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31. Examples of Neutro-Hyperstructures on Biological Inheritance.
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Agusfrianto, Fakhry Asad, Al-Tahan, Madeleine, Hariri, Mariam, and Mahatma, Yudi
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HEREDITY , *BLOOD groups , *ABO blood group system , *ANIMAL coloration , *GENETICS , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
In 1934, Marty introduced the concept of hyperstructures, which serves as a generalization of algebraic structures. Hyperstructures have applications in various fields, including biology, where they prove useful for analyzing the different types of hyperstructures in inheritance. On the other hand, NeutroHyperstructures combine Neutrosophic sets with hyperstructures, offering a promising avenue to handle uncertainty in inheritance analysis. Inspired by the intriguing variety of hyperstructures observed in inheritance phenomena, this paper takes on the purpose of thoroughly examining the types of NeutroHyperstructures present in multiple biological inheritance examples. The study focuses on analyzing inheritance patterns in Mirabilis Jalapa flowers, Shorthorn Cattle coat color, and blood types (ABO, ABO with rhesus, MN, MN with rhesus, and the Kidd system) through the lens of NeutroHyperstructures. Through this meticulous analysis, the research aims to contribute significant insights into the genetic inheritance processes, unveiling the role of NeutroHyperstructures in governing diverse biological traits. The findings offer valuable implications for the field of mathematical biology, presenting novel perspectives on inheritance modeling and establishing the potential of NeutroHyperstructures to effectively address uncertainty in genetics and inheritance studies. This study fosters a deeper understanding of complex biological inheritance and opens new avenues for practical applications in the realm of genetics and related disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
32. Complexity Theory in Biology and Technology: Broken Symmetries and Emergence.
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Ellis, George F. R. and Di Sia, Paolo
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COMPLEXITY (Philosophy) , *SYMMETRY breaking , *MODULAR construction , *VARIATIONAL principles , *PROPERTIES of matter - Abstract
This paper discusses complexity theory, that is, the many theories that have been proposed for emergence of complexity from the underlying physics. Our aim is to identify which aspects have turned out to be the more fundamental ones as regards the emergence of biology, engineering, and digital computing, as opposed to those that are in fact more peripheral in these contexts. In the cases we consider, complexity arises via adaptive modular hierarchical structures that are open systems involving broken symmetries. Each emergent level is causally effective because of the meshing together of upwards and downwards causation that takes place consistently with the underlying physics. Various physical constraints limit the outcomes that can be achieved. The underlying issue concerns the origin of consciousness and agency given the basis of life in physics, which is structured starting from symmetries and variational principles with no trace of agency. A possible solution is to admit that consciousness is an irreducible emergent property of matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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33. The Bicoid Morphogen Papers (II): Account from Wolfgang Driever.
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Driever, Wolfgang
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DROSOPHILA , *IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY , *MORPHOGENESIS , *CELLS , *BIOLOGY , *EMBRYOLOGY - Abstract
This article presents information on a gradient of bicoid (bcd) protein in drosophila embryos. According to the concept of positional information, the concentration of a morphogen instructs cells within an embryonic field of their position. The cells then interpret this information by an appropriate program of differentiation. Several models have been proposed that describe the generation of stable gradients of morphogens which could specify subregions of the embryo in a concentration-dependent manner.
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- 2004
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34. Microbial responses towards biochar application in potentially toxic element (PTE) contaminated soil: a critical review on effects and potential mechanisms.
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Yang, Xiao, You, Miao, Liu, Siyan, Sarkar, Binoy, Liu, Zhaoshu, and Yan, Xiulan
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BIOCHAR , *MICROBIOLOGY , *BIOLOGY , *MICROORGANISMS - Abstract
Soil harbors a huge diversity of microorganisms and serves as the ecological and social foundation of human civilization. Hence, soil health management is of utmost and consistent importance, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. One of the most hazardous contaminants in soil matrix is potentially toxic elements (PTEs), which can cause stress in soil indigenous microorganisms and severely jeopardize soil health. Biochar technology has emerged as a promising means to alleviate PTE toxicity and benefit soil health management. Current literature has broadly integrated knowledge about the potential consequences of biochar-amended soil but has focused more on the physical and chemical responses of the soil system than microbiological attributes. In consideration of the indispensable roles of soil microbials, this paper first introduces PTE-induced stresses on soil microbials and then proposes the mechanisms of biochar's effects on soil microbials. Finally, microbial responses including variations in abundance, interspecific relationships, community composition and biological functions in biochar-amended soil are critically reviewed. This review thus aims to provide a comprehensive scientific view on the effect of biochar on soil microbiological health and its management. Highlights: Sketched a mechanistic overview of PTE-induced stress towards soil microorganisms. Demonstrated a synopsis of biochar impacts on soil microbiota from both direct and indirect pathways. Discussed the development prospects of biochar technology aiming for a healthier agro-ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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35. Efficient, Formal, Material, and Final Causes in Biology and Technology.
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Ellis, George F. R.
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TELEOLOGY , *CAUSATION (Philosophy) , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
This paper considers how a classification of causal effects as comprising efficient, formal, material, and final causation can provide a useful understanding of how emergence takes place in biology and technology, with formal, material, and final causation all including cases of downward causation; they each occur in both synchronic and diachronic forms. Taken together, they underlie why all emergent levels in the hierarchy of emergence have causal powers (which is Noble's principle of biological relativity) and so why causal closure only occurs when the upwards and downwards interactions between all emergent levels are taken into account, contra to claims that some underlying physics level is by itself causality complete. A key feature is that stochasticity at the molecular level plays an important role in enabling agency to emerge, underlying the possibility of final causation occurring in these contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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36. Revisiting Nature's "Unifying Patterns": A Biological Appraisal.
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Lecointre, Guillaume, Aish, Annabelle, Améziane, Nadia, Chekchak, Tarik, Goupil, Christophe, Grandcolas, Philippe, Vincent, Julian F. V., and Sun, Jian-Sheng
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- *
BIOMIMICRY , *BIOLOGISTS - Abstract
Effective bioinspiration requires dialogue between designers and biologists, and this dialogue must be rooted in a shared scientific understanding of living systems. To support learning from "nature's overarching design lessons" the Biomimicry Institute has produced ten "Unifying Patterns of Nature". These patterns have been developed to engage with those interested in finding biologically inspired solutions to human challenges. Yet, although well-intentioned and appealing, they are likely to dishearten biologists. The aim of this paper is to identify why and propose alternative principles based on evolutionary theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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37. The Biology of Chronic Pain and Its Implications for Pain Neuroscience Education: State of the Art.
- Author
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Zimney, Kory, Van Bogaert, Wouter, and Louw, Adriaan
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CHRONIC pain , *ART education , *SCIENTIFIC literature , *BIOLOGY , *ARTS education - Abstract
Pain is an individualized experience for the person suffering from chronic pain. Significant strides have been made in the last few decades in understanding various biological changes that coincide with chronic pain. This state-of-the-art overview looks at the current evidence related to the biology of chronic pain and the implications these findings have on the delivery of pain neuroscience education (PNE). The paper summarizes the various (epi)genetic, neural, endocrine, and immune factors discovered and explored in the scientific literature concerning chronic pain. Each of these biological factors has various implications for the content and delivery of PNE. We discuss the future directions these biological factors have for the clinical implementation of PNE by linking the importance of behavior change, optimizing the learning environment, and using an individualized multimodal treatment approach with PNE. In addition, future directions for research of PNE based on these biological factors are provided with importance placed on individualized patient-centered care and how PNE can be used with traditional modes of care and growing trends with other care methods. PNE was originally and continues to be rooted in understanding chronic pain biology and how that understanding can improve patient care and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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38. Editorial: Recent advances in biology and fertility studies of paddy field soil.
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Asakawa, Susumu, Nishida, Mizuhiko, Adhya, Tapan Kumar, and Inubushi, Kazuyuki
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PADDY fields , *BIOLOGY , *RICE farming , *SOILS , *GREENHOUSE gases , *UPLAND rice - Abstract
This document is an editorial from the journal "Biology & Fertility of Soils" discussing recent advances in the study of biology and fertility in paddy field soil. Paddy fields are flooded during rice cultivation, which affects the activities of microorganisms and microbial community structures. The editorial highlights the importance of understanding the biology and fertility of paddy field soil for sustainable rice production. The special issue of the journal includes research papers on topics such as nutrient cycles, decomposition of organic matter, greenhouse gas production, and interactions between microbes and rice plants. The authors express gratitude to the contributors and hope that the contents of the special issue provide new insights into this field of study. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
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39. Stability of Logical Dynamic Systems With a Class of Constrained Switching.
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Ding, Xueying, Lu, Jianquan, and Li, Haitao
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DYNAMICAL systems , *DYNAMIC stability , *LOGIC , *STABILITY criterion - Abstract
In this paper, a novel constrained switching rule, called “time-triggered logical switching” (TTLS) is considered for switched logical dynamic systems (SLDSs). Compared with the general time-triggered switching, the activation mode of TTLS cannot be arbitrary and is pre-allocated according to the logic operation, which is more practical. The TTLS is described as an LDS, and according to the characteristics of LDS, the stability analysis of SLDSs with TTLS is converted into the stability analysis of SLDSs under the logical switching cycle sequences. Firstly, based on the equivalent algebraic form of SLDSs with TTLS, combining the Lyapunov theory of LDS with average dwell-time method, several sufficient conditions are put forward for ensuring the point stability of the considered SLDSs. Then, by defining the switching cycle invariant subset and constructing a new system, the set stability analysis of the original system is transformed into the point stability analysis of the new system, and further, the obtained results for the point stability analysis are applied to the set stability analysis. At last, the validity of obtained results is illustrated by simulation on gene and protein signaling activity patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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40. Time of day as a critical variable in biology.
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Nelson, Randy J., Bumgarner, Jacob R., Liu, Jennifer A., Love, Jharnae A., Meléndez-Fernández, O. Hecmarie, Becker-Krail, Darius D., Walker II, William H., Walton, James C., DeVries, A. Courtney, and Prendergast, Brian J.
- Subjects
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BIOLOGY , *LIFE sciences , *BIOLOGICAL systems , *NOCTURNAL animals , *NOBEL Prizes , *CIRCADIAN rhythms - Abstract
Background: Circadian rhythms are important for all aspects of biology; virtually every aspect of biological function varies according to time of day. Although this is well known, variation across the day is also often ignored in the design and reporting of research. For this review, we analyzed the top 50 cited papers across 10 major domains of the biological sciences in the calendar year 2015. We repeated this analysis for the year 2019, hypothesizing that the awarding of a Nobel Prize in 2017 for achievements in the field of circadian biology would highlight the importance of circadian rhythms for scientists across many disciplines, and improve time-of-day reporting. Results: Our analyses of these 1000 empirical papers, however, revealed that most failed to include sufficient temporal details when describing experimental methods and that few systematic differences in time-of-day reporting existed between 2015 and 2019. Overall, only 6.1% of reports included time-of-day information about experimental measures and manipulations sufficient to permit replication. Conclusions: Circadian rhythms are a defining feature of biological systems, and knowing when in the circadian day these systems are evaluated is fundamentally important information. Failing to account for time of day hampers reproducibility across laboratories, complicates interpretation of results, and reduces the value of data based predominantly on nocturnal animals when extrapolating to diurnal humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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41. Subjective Information and Survival in a Simulated Biological System.
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Barker, Tyler S., Pierobon, Massimiliano, and Thomas, Peter J.
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BIOLOGICAL systems , *INFORMATION theory , *UNICELLULAR organisms , *INFORMATION retrieval , *INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems - Abstract
Information transmission and storage have gained traction as unifying concepts to characterize biological systems and their chances of survival and evolution at multiple scales. Despite the potential for an information-based mathematical framework to offer new insights into life processes and ways to interact with and control them, the main legacy is that of Shannon's, where a purely syntactic characterization of information scores systems on the basis of their maximum information efficiency. The latter metrics seem not entirely suitable for biological systems, where transmission and storage of different pieces of information (carrying different semantics) can result in different chances of survival. Based on an abstract mathematical model able to capture the parameters and behaviors of a population of single-celled organisms whose survival is correlated to information retrieval from the environment, this paper explores the aforementioned disconnect between classical information theory and biology. In this paper, we present a model, specified as a computational state machine, which is then utilized in a simulation framework constructed specifically to reveal emergence of a "subjective information", i.e., trade-off between a living system's capability to maximize the acquisition of information from the environment, and the maximization of its growth and survival over time. Simulations clearly show that a strategy that maximizes information efficiency results in a lower growth rate with respect to the strategy that gains less information but contains a higher meaning for survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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42. RESULTS REGARDING PRIMULA OFFICINALIS HILL. TECHNOLOGY AND POSIBILITY FOR INTRODUCTION INTO CULTURE.
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(NASTASE), Sorina NIȚU and CONSTANTINESCU, Emilia
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ENDANGERED plants , *SCIENTIFIC literature , *AROMATIC plants , *GENITALIA , *PRIMROSES , *MOUNTAIN meadows - Abstract
The oldest form of treatment, over time, was phytotherapy, which was probably born with human being. Popular medicine has developed on an empirical basis in the context of a magical world where analogy and coincidence have played an important role in choosing remedy plants. Regarding the multiple biological effects of Primula officinalis Hill., the scientific literature highlighted anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory and strong antiviral properties. Glycosides contained in this plant have a role in the treatment of kidney and biliary disorders, bronchitis and some gastrointestinal diseases. Primrose is an endangered plant in many Western European countries. In Romania, the plant is found in hills, pastures and alpine meadows up to about 2300-2400 m altitude. Research regarding introduction to culture are ongoing at National Institute of Research and Development for Potato and Sugar Beet Braşov. This paper presents the results obtained regarding the cultivation technology and the establishment of the possibility for introduction into culture. To establish these experiences, the plants were harvested from the spontaneous flora in 2016 and then acclimated to the greenhouses in the Technology Department, Laboratory of medicinal and aromatic plants. In the second experimental year, during the vegetation, observations and measurements were made in dynamics on each experimental variant to highlight the phenological stages regarding the formation of vegetative and generative organs in Primula officinalis (the emergence, the development of the foliar apparatus, the initiation of the floral buttons, the appearance of flowering stems, flowering, capsule and seed formation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
43. The Biology of Placebo and Nocebo Effects on Experimental and Chronic Pain: State of the Art.
- Author
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Rossettini, Giacomo, Campaci, Francesco, Bialosky, Joel, Huysmans, Eva, Vase, Lene, and Carlino, Elisa
- Subjects
- *
PLACEBOS , *CHRONIC pain , *NOCEBOS , *BIOLOGY , *SCIENTIFIC literature - Abstract
(1) Background: In recent years, placebo and nocebo effects have been extensively documented in different medical conditions, including pain. The scientific literature has provided strong evidence of how the psychosocial context accompanying the treatment administration can influence the therapeutic outcome positively (placebo effects) or negatively (nocebo effects). (2) Methods: This state-of-the-art paper aims to provide an updated overview of placebo and nocebo effects on pain. (3) Results: The most common study designs, the psychological mechanisms, and neurobiological/genetic determinants of these phenomena are discussed, focusing on the differences between positive and negative context effects on pain in experimental settings on healthy volunteers and in clinical settings on chronic pain patients. Finally, the last section describes the implications for clinical and research practice to maximize the medical and scientific routine and correctly interpret the results of research studies on placebo and nocebo effects. (4) Conclusions: While studies on healthy participants seem consistent and provide a clear picture of how the brain reacts to the context, there are no unique results of the occurrence and magnitude of placebo and nocebo effects in chronic pain patients, mainly due to the heterogeneity of pain. This opens up the need for future studies on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Complementary approaches to obtaining thermodynamic parameters from protein ligand systems-challenges and opportunities.
- Author
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Sarter, Mona, Niether, Doreen, Wiegand, Simone, Fitter, Joerg, and Stadler, Andreas M.
- Subjects
- *
PROTEIN analysis , *BIOLOGY , *THERMODYNAMICS , *ENTROPY , *PARAMETER estimation - Abstract
Protein ligand interactions play an important role in biology. Increasingly the aim is to understand and influence protein ligand binding. The binding process is heavily influenced by its thermodynamic parameters. In order to understand how the whole system thermodynamics work it is important to characterise the individual contribution of each of the systems components. While the change in conformational entropy of the protein can be determined using QENS complementary methods are necessary in order to characterise all components. This paper will describe the challenges that can occur when combining the different methods, as well as how they can be overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Energy- and Area-Efficient CMOS Synapse and Neuron for Spiking Neural Networks With STDP Learning.
- Author
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Joo, Bomin, Han, Jin-Woo, and Kong, Bai-Sun
- Subjects
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ARTIFICIAL neural networks , *SYNAPSES , *COMPLEMENTARY metal oxide semiconductors , *ASSOCIATIVE learning , *MEMBRANE potential - Abstract
This paper proposes CMOS synapse and neuron for use in spiking neural networks to perform cognitive functions in a bio-inspired manner. The proposed synapse can trace the eligibility of the timing relationship between pre- and post-synaptic spikes, supporting a bio-plausible local learning rule called the spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) in an energy- and area-efficient manner. The proposed neuron can support neural functions such as synaptic current integration, threshold-based firing, neuronal leaking, membrane potential resetting, and adjustable refractory period with improved energy and area efficiency. The STDP curve shape of the synapse and the firing rate of the neuron can be adjusted as desired. Their variability due to process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations can also be minimized. The proposed CMOS neuron and synapse circuits were designed in a 28-nm CMOS process. The performance evaluation results indicate that the proposed synapse reduces energy consumption and area by up to 94% and 43% compared to conventional CMOS synapses. They also indicate that the proposed neuron achieves energy and area reductions of 37% and 23%, respectively, compared to conventional CMOS neurons. An associative neural network composed of the proposed neuron and synapse was designed to verify that they together work well for performing a cognitive function of associative learning and inferencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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46. The Biology of Stress Intolerance in Patients with Chronic Pain—State of the Art and Future Directions.
- Author
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Wyns, Arne, Hendrix, Jolien, Lahousse, Astrid, De Bruyne, Elke, Nijs, Jo, Godderis, Lode, and Polli, Andrea
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CHRONIC pain , *AUTONOMIC nervous system , *HYPOTHALAMIC-pituitary-adrenal axis , *BIOLOGY , *CHRONIC diseases - Abstract
Stress has been consistently linked to negative impacts on physical and mental health. More specifically, patients with chronic pain experience stress intolerance, which is an exacerbation or occurrence of symptoms in response to any type of stress. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unsolved. In this state-of-the-art paper, we summarised the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the two major stress response systems in stress intolerance. We provided insights into such mechanisms based on evidence from clinical studies in both patients with chronic pain, showing dysregulated stress systems, and healthy controls supported by preclinical studies, highlighting the link between these systems and symptoms of stress intolerance. Furthermore, we explored the possible regulating role for (epi)genetic mechanisms influencing the ANS and HPA axis. The link between stress and chronic pain has become an important area of research as it has the potential to inform the development of interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals living with chronic pain. As stress has become a prevalent concern in modern society, understanding the connection between stress, HPA axis, ANS, and chronic health conditions such as chronic pain is crucial to improve public health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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47. Reproductive Biology and Pollination Ecology of Fritillaria michailovskyi Fomin (Liliaceae), Endemic to East Anatolia (Turkey).
- Author
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Aslay, Meral, Yıldız, Faruk, Kaya, Ozkan, and Bita-Nicolae, Claudia
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BIOLOGICAL evolution , *POLLINATION , *FRITILLARIA , *POLLEN , *BIOLOGY , *ORNAMENTAL plants - Abstract
Fritillaria is highly endangered in their natural habitats, and these species are perennial bulbous plants with an important medicinal and ornamental value whose reproductive strategies and adaptive evolution mechanisms are still not fully clear. Therefore, the reproductive strategies of endemic species, like Fritillaria michailovskyi Fomin are important to detect the community structure and the diversity patterns of ornamental plants. The current paper on the reproductive strategy of F. michailovskyi, a rare endemic species, was carried out at the Erzincan Horticultural Research Institute, Turkey. Our results indicate that the flowering stages of F. michailovskyi may be divided into eight phases. According to pollination experiments and the pollen/ovule ratio, and the self-incompatibility index (SII) in an ex-situ population, F. michailovskyi indicated high levels of xenogamy and self-incompatibility. It was determined that the pollination of F. michailovskyi mostly depended on pollen vectors, and the effective pollinators of F. michailovskyi were Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris. In addition, average seed number, seed germination, and average seed viability were found as 144, 46%, and 67%, respectively. The stigma receptivity, pollen grains, and pollen viability were detected as 83%, 252,000, and 95%, respectively. Our study is the first report providing a detailed explanation of the reproductive strategy of this rare endemic species, which could aid in the genetic evolution and conservation of this valuable taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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48. The biospeleological work of Carl L. Hubbs (1894-1979): an appraisal.
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Romero Jr., Aldemaro and Moseley, Max
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CAVES , *TAXONOMY , *BIOLOGY - Abstract
Carl Leavitt Hubbs (1894-1979) was a prominent and internationally renowned American ichthyologist whose publications include taxonomic descriptions of several North American blindfishes including the Mexican Cave Characin. His archived personal papers reveal a wide-ranging interest in the biology and evolutionary origins of cave and blindfishes, and his discussions and disputes with colleagues about their taxonomy. He also took opportunities to collect other fauna from American caves during the inter-war decades. Drawing upon his unpublished archive and other relevant sources his biospeleological work is chronicled in detail and discussed in the context of his other work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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49. Pain, Life, and God: Theodicy Informed by Biology and Evolutionary Medicine.
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Horvat, Sasa
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GOD , *REFLECTION (Philosophy) , *BIOLOGY , *THEODICY - Abstract
Pain is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Since the beginnings of philosophical thought, the question of the nature and origin of pain has developed. However, it also raises the question of how an omnipotent and morally perfect God can allow so much pain and suffering in the world. In this paper, we analyze the findings of biology and evolutionary medicine to better understand the phenomenon of pain. Based on these insights, we then seek to enrich theological and theodicean reflections on the relationship between pain, humans, and God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
- Full Text
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50. Editorial for the Special Issue of Axioms "Calculus of Variations, Optimal Control and Mathematical Biology: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Delfim F. M. Torres on the Occasion of His 50th Birthday".
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Martins, Natália, Almeida, Ricardo, Silva, Cristiana J., and Sidi Ammi, Moulay Rchid
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MATHEMATICAL programming , *FRACTIONAL calculus , *BIOLOGY , *APPLIED sciences , *MATHEMATICAL analysis , *BIOMATHEMATICS , *CALCULUS of variations - Abstract
Calculus of Variations In the paper I On a Non-Newtonian Calculus of Variations i , Delfim F. M. Torres presents, for the first time in the literature, a non-Newtonian calculus of variations that involves the minimization of a function defined by a non-Newtonian integral with a Lagrangian depending on the non-Newtonian derivative. This publication is an editorial for the Special Issue of Axioms "Calculus of Variations, Optimal Control and Mathematical Biology: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Delfim F. M. Torres on the Occasion of His 50th birthday". This Special Issue is dedicated to Professor Delfim F. M. Torres on the occasion of his 50th birthday, as recognition of his significant contributions to Mathematics, in particular in the calculus of variations, optimal control, and mathematical biology. [Extracted from the article]
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- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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