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Although equal sex ratio is ubiquitous and represents an equilibrium in evolutionary theory, biased sex ratios are predicted for certain local conditions. Cases of sex ratio bias have been mostly reported for single species, but little is known about its evolution above the species level. Here, we surveyed progeny sex ratios in 23 species of the nematode genus Caenorhabditis, including 19 for which we tested multiple strains . For the species with multiple strains, five species had female-biased and two had non-biased sex ratios in all strains, respectively. The other 12 species showed polymorphic sex ratios across strains. Female-biased sex ratios could be due to sperm competition whereby X-bearing sperm outcompete nullo-X sperm during fertilization. In this model, when sperm are limited allowing all sperm to be used, sex ratios are expected to be equal. However, in assays limiting mating to a few hours, most strains showed similarly biased sex ratios compared with unlimited mating experiments, except that one C. becei strain showed significantly reduced female bias compared with unlimited mating. Our study shows frequent polymorphism in sex ratios within Caenorhabditis species and that sperm competition alone cannot explain the sex ratio bias.

SummaryNatural quantitative variation in developmental processes must be driven by allelic variation. Yet, the genotype-phenotype relationships underlying developmental system variation are understudied due to their inherent complexity. Taking advantage of the simpleCaenorhabditis elegansgermline stem cell system, we characterized natural differences in the germ stem cell niche activity of two distinct wild isolates—measured as differences in germline progenitor zone (PZ) size. Through quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, we detected multiple candidate causal loci, including two large-effect QTL on chromosomes II and V. Resolving the chromosome V QTL, we show that the isolate with a smaller PZ exhibits a unique 148 bp deletion in the promoter region of the Notch ligand,lag-2, a central signal promoting germ stem cell fate and proliferation. As predicted, introducing this deletion into the isolate with a large PZ resulted in a smaller PZ. Unexpectedly, re-introducing the deleted ancestral sequence in the isolate with a smaller PZ further reduced PZ size. Using allelic replacement lines, we show that these contradictory phenotypic effects are due to epistatic interactions among thelag-2promoter, the chromosome II QTL, and additional loci in the genome. Although thelag-2deletion appeared to explain natural variation in germ stem cell niche activity, its effects across multiple genetic backgrounds were unpredictable due to higher-order epistasis. Studying the genetic architecture of quantitative developmental systems without taking into account its natural variation may be misleading, emphasizing the need for a better integration of developmental and quantitative genetics.

PurposeDrawing upon social exchange theory and psychological contract (PC) research, this study aims to examine the impact of supervisors' fulfillment/non-fulfillment of transactional psychological contract (TPC) and relational psychological contract (RPC) promises on employees' reactions (e.g. feelings of violation, trust in the supervisor and organizational commitment) in a non-Western context, namely, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachAn experimental field design was used with a sample of employees (N = 234) from a wide range of nationalities and work backgrounds. Four conditions were developed by manipulating the fulfillment of three TPC promises (e.g. competitive salary) and three RPC promises (e.g. sufficient power and responsibility). Participants were randomly assigned to the four conditions and asked to complete the study materials as if they were experiencing a real employment situation with a real organization. Hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis of covariance and follow-up univariate analysis with Bonferronipost hoccomparisons.FindingsThis study demonstrated that a supervisor's failure to fulfill promises pertinent to both TPC and RPC, or one of them, generated negative reactions among participants. Based on a comparison of means analysis, this study also established that breach of TPC promises produced a higher negative impact than breach of RPC promises on perceptions of breach, feelings of violation, trust in the supervisor, organizational perceptions, organizational commitment and recommendation intentions. Furthermore, these findings revealed that a supervisor's breach of RPC promises has no significant incremental (additive) effect above a supervisor's breach of TPC promises. On the other hand, a supervisor's breach of TPC promises has a significant incremental (additive) effect above a supervisor's breach of RPC promises.Originality/valueThis study is one of the very few studies that examined and established, under a controlled setting, the differential effects of fulfillment/non-fulfillment of both TPC and RPC promises on employees' breach perceptions, emotions, attitudes and behavioral intentions.

Although equal sex ratio is ubiquitous and represents an equilibrium in evolutionary theory, biased sex ratios are predicted for certain local conditions. Cases of sex ratio bias have been mostly reported for single species, but little is known about its evolution above the species level. Here, we surveyed progeny sex ratios in 23 species of the nematode genus Caenorhabditis, including 19 for which we tested multiple strains. For the species with multiple strains, 5 species had female-biased and 2 had non-biased sex ratios in all strains, respectively. The other 12 species showed polymorphic sex ratios across strains. Female-biased sex ratios could be due to sperm competition whereby X-bearing sperm outcompete nullo-X sperm during fertilization. In this model, when sperm are limited allowing all sperm to be used, sex ratios are expected to be equal. However, in assays limiting mating to a few hours, most strains showed similarly biased sex ratios compared to unlimited mating experiments, except that one C. becei strain showed significantly reduced female bias compared to unlimited mating. Our study shows frequent polymorphism in sex ratios within Caenorhabditis species and that sperm competition alone cannot explain the sex ratio bias.

Complexes of poly(phenylene methylene) (PPM) with silver(I) ions and tricarbonylchromium(0) moieties, respectively, were synthesized. 13C NMR spectra indicate interaction of phenylene groups with silver(I) and chromium(0), and peak broadening implies dynamic behavior of the silver(I) complexes, with all phenylene groups temporarily involved in coordination, in contrast to the chromium complexes. About 5–10% of the phenylene groups are coordinated to metal atoms. 1H NMR and IR spectra, in the case of chromium(0), and the solubility of silver salts in the presence of PPM provide further evidence of coordination. The complexes are soluble in chloroform, but the silver complexes decay in tetrahydrofuran (second-order kinetics were observed in an example). The photoluminescence (fluorescence) of PPM is maintained upon complexation, although coordination of silver(I) seems to favor the so-called blue phase of PPM relative to the green phase by a factor of approximately two in PL spectra. The pronounced absorption of the tricarbonylchromium(0) units interferes with the blue phase, which almost disappears at a concentration of 50 mg/mL in PLE spectra, whereas the emission maximum of the green phase is hardly affected. This leads to a confinement of the emitted wavelength range of PPM. Thus, the perceived optical emission of PPM can be modified by coordinated entities. ISSN:2073-4360

The study analyzes the impact of terrorism on Malaysia’s tourism demand. Panel data from the 25 top source countries, covering the period from 2000Q4 to 2017Q4 is obtained from the Global Terrorism Database, and the Malaysian Tourism Board (MyTourismData). For analysis, a panel Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) procedure is employed. The results indicate that an increase in terrorism activity in Malaysia depresses international arrivals to the country. Furthermore, spillover effects from terrorism activity in neighboring South East Asian countries are identified. Increased terrorism activity in Thailand is found to boost tourist arrivals in Malaysia from each of the four source continents (Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia) as well as overall. However, increased terrorism activity in Indonesia depresses arrivals from each of the four source continents as well as overall, possibly due to closer physical and cultural proximity. Increase in terrorism activity in Philippines generally creates a negative effect on Malaysia tourism arrivals except for fatalities which induces a positive effect from North America and Oceania. It is suggested Malaysia should coordinate counter terrorism strategies with Indonesia and Philippines to reduce negative spillover. Malaysia tourism providers should also emphasize differentiation of Malaysia tourism products from Indonesian and Philippine products. Future research should assess how terrorism attack patterns affect tourism demand across different nationalities.

Complexes of poly(phenylene methylene) (PPM) with silver(I) ions and tricarbonylchromium(0) moieties, respectively, were synthesized.

Across diverse taxa, selfing species have evolved independently from outcrossing species thousands of times. The transition from outcrossing to selfing significantly decreases the effective population size, effective recombination rate, and heterozygosity within a species. These changes lead to a reduction in genetic diversity, and therefore adaptive potential, by intensifying the effects of random genetic drift and linked selection. Within the nematode genus Caenorhabditis, selfing has evolved at least three times and all three species, including in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, show substantially reduced genetic diversity relative to outcrossing species. Selfing and outcrossing Caenorhabditis species are often found in the same niches, but we still do not know how selfing species with limited genetic diversity can adapt to these environments. Here, we examine the whole-genome sequences from 609 wild C. elegans strains isolated worldwide and show that genetic variation is concentrated in punctuated hyper-divergent regions that cover 20% of the C. elegans reference genome. These regions are enriched in environmental response genes that mediate sensory perception, pathogen response, and xenobiotic stress response. Population genomic evidence suggests that genetic diversity in these regions has been maintained by long-term balancing selection. Using long- read genome assemblies for 15 wild strains, we show that hyper-divergent haplotypes contain unique sets of genes and show levels of divergence comparable to levels found between Caenorhabditis species that diverged millions of years ago. These results provide an example for how species can avoid the evolutionary “dead end” associated with selfing.

This review covers the book titled “Board of directors: A review of practices and empirical research”, edited by Stefano Dell’Atti, Montserrat Manzaneque, and Shab Hundal (Virtus Interpress, 2020; ISBN: 978-617-7309-16-0). The focus of this review is particularly on board diversity and sustainability issues that, in the reviewer’s opinion, are two challenges that will keep boards of directors busy in the years to come. It also highlights the contribution of this book to the ongoing discussion on key issues relating to board of directors

Across diverse taxa, selfing species have evolved independently from outcrossing species thousands of times. The transition from outcrossing to selfing decreases the effective population size, effective recombination rate and heterozygosity within a species. These changes lead to a reduction in genetic diversity, and therefore adaptive potential, by intensifying the effects of random genetic drift and linked selection. Within the nematode genus Caenorhabditis, selfing has evolved at least three times, and all three species, including the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, show substantially reduced genetic diversity relative to outcrossing species. Selfing and outcrossing Caenorhabditis species are often found in the same niches, but we still do not know how selfing species with limited genetic diversity can adapt to these environments. Here, we examine the whole-genome sequences from 609 wild C. elegans strains isolated worldwide and show that genetic variation is concentrated in punctuated hyper-divergent regions that cover 20% of the C. elegans reference genome. These regions are enriched in environmental response genes that mediate sensory perception, pathogen response and xenobiotic stress response. Population genomic evidence suggests that genetic diversity in these regions has been maintained by long-term balancing selection. Using long-read genome assemblies for 15 wild strains, we show that hyper-divergent haplotypes contain unique sets of genes and show levels of divergence comparable to levels found between Caenorhabditis species that diverged millions of years ago. These results provide an example of how species can avoid the evolutionary dead end associated with selfing.

Wild populations of the model organism C. elegans represent a valuable resource, allowing for genetic characterization underlying natural phenotypic variation. Here we provide a simple protocol on how to sample and rapidly identify C. elegans wild isolates. We outline how to find suitable habitats and organic substrates, followed by describing isolation and identification of C. elegans live cultures based on easily recognizable morphological characteristics, molecular barcodes, and mating tests. This protocol uses standard laboratory equipment and requires little prior knowledge of C. elegans biology.

This paper aims to discuss how developing human capital can have a direct positive effect on operational performance. The case study method is used to address the sustainability issues a Lebanon-based retail e-commerce company is facing. We utilize the socio-economic qualimetrics methodology to discuss the corporate change from within the enterprise at all levels and with the contribution of all the participants in the firm. The focus of the case study is on qualitative, quantitative, and financial aspects through competitiveness enhancement and operational effectiveness metrics. The findings of this intervention research contribute to the literature insofar as enhancing the social capital of a retail e-commerce organization positively impacts its performance.

Numerous mergers and acquisitions, and the rise of MNCs with global customer bases have exposed the German board of directors to a variety of cultures. Despite the obvious relevance for corporate governance, the effect that cultural diversity of boards exerts on firm performance, Germany has been a blank spot in this literature. Using a sample of 101 German publicly listed companies, this empirical study answers if the level of cultural variety and cultural distance in boards of directors have an influence on firm performance. The results of this study indicate that cultural variety in boards of directors has a linear, negative influence on operational firm performance (as measured by ROI and ROE). This reinforces the fundamental assertion that executives’ cultural values shape their mindsets and orientations, and thus influence their decision-making. The results of this study, therefore, indicate that cultural diversity is an important diversity dimension that further on should be given careful consideration in research. Based on the findings, we argue against the blindfold implementation of (political) regulations in the area of board diversity.

Viruses 14(2), 381 (2022). doi:10.3390/v14020381 special issue: "Veterinary Infectious Diseases / Topic Editors: Dr. Chao-Nan Lin, Dr. Peck Toung Ooi", Published by MDPI, Basel

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the individual and combined benefit of vitamin D, omega-3, and a simple home strength exercise program on the risk of any invasive cancer.Design: The DO-HEALTH trial is a three-year, multicenter, 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design double-blind, randomized-controlled trial to test the individual and combined benefit of three public health interventions.Setting: The trial was conducted between December 2012 and December 2017 in five European countries.Participants: Generally healthy community-dwelling adults ≥70 years were recruited.Interventions: Supplemental 2000 IU/day of vitamin D3, and/or 1 g/day of marine omega-3s, and/or a simple home strength exercise (SHEP) programme compared to placebo and control exercise.Main outcome: In this pre-defined exploratory analysis, time-to-development of any verified invasive cancer was the primary outcome in an adjusted, intent-to-treat analysis.Results: In total, 2,157 participants (mean age 74.9 years; 61.7% women; 40.7% with 25-OH vitamin D below 20 /ml, 83% at least moderately physically active) were randomized. Over a median follow-up of 2.99 years, 81 invasive cancer cases were diagnosed and verified. For the three individual treatments, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs, 95% CI, cases intervention versus control) were 0.76 (0.49–1.18; 36 vs. 45) for vitamin D3, 0.70 (0.44–1.09, 32 vs. 49) for omega-3s, and 0.74 (0.48–1.15, 35 vs. 46) for SHEP. For combinations of two treatments, adjusted HRs were 0.53 (0.28–1.00; 15 vs. 28 cases) for omega-3s plus vitamin D3; 0.56 (0.30–1.04; 11 vs. 21) for vitamin D3 plus SHEP; and 0.52 (0.28–0.97; 12 vs. 26 cases) for omega-3s plus SHEP. For all three treatments combined, the adjusted HR was 0.39 (0.18–0.85; 4 vs. 12 cases).Conclusion: Supplementation with daily high-dose vitamin D3 plus omega-3s, combined with SHEP, showed cumulative reduction in the cancer risk in generally healthy and active and largely vitamin D–replete adults ≥70 years.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT01745263.

Complexes of poly(phenylene methylene) (PPM) with silver(I) ions and tricarbonylchromium(0) moieties, respectively, were synthesized. 13C NMR spectra indicate interaction of phenylene groups with silver(I) and chromium(0), and peak broadening implies dynamic behavior of the silver(I) complexes, with all phenylene groups temporarily involved in coordination, in contrast to the chromium complexes. About 5–10% of the phenylene groups are coordinated to metal atoms. 1H NMR and IR spectra, in the case of chromium(0), and the solubility of silver salts in the presence of PPM provide further evidence of coordination. The complexes are soluble in chloroform, but the silver complexes decay in tetrahydrofuran (second-order kinetics were observed in an example). The photoluminescence (fluorescence) of PPM is maintained upon complexation, although coordination of silver(I) seems to favor the so-called blue phase of PPM relative to the green phase by a factor of approximately two in PL spectra. The pronounced absorption of the tricarbonylchromium(0) units interferes with the blue phase, which almost disappears at a concentration of 50 mg/mL in PLE spectra, whereas the emission maximum of the green phase is hardly affected. This leads to a confinement of the emitted wavelength range of PPM. Thus, the perceived optical emission of PPM can be modified by coordinated entities., Polymers, 14 (17), ISSN:2073-4360

The role of bovine CD46 in the host cell entry of BVDV has been established for more than a decade. By generating novel MDBK CD46 knock-out clones, we confirm previously reported data on the CD46 motives important for BVDV binding and the importance of the G479R exchange within BVDV Erns to gain independence of bovine CD46 during entry. The comparison of different knock-out genotypes revealed a high variability of cellular susceptibility for a BVDV encoding the G479R exchange. These data highlight the effect of clonal selection of knock-outs on virus susceptibility, which should be considered when planning knock-out experiments.

Maintaining reproduction in highly variable, often stressful, environments is an essential challenge for all organisms. Even transient exposure to mild environmental stress may directly damage germ cells or simply tax the physiology of an individual, making it difficult to produce quality gametes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a large fraction of germ cells acts as nurse cells, supporting developing oocytes before eventually undergoing so-called physiological germ cell apoptosis. Although C. elegans apoptosis has been extensively studied, little is known about how germline apoptosis is influenced by ecologically relevant environmental stress. Moreover, it remains unclear to what extent germline apoptosis contributes to maintaining oocyte quality, and thus offspring viability, in such conditions. Here we show that exposure to diverse environmental stressors, likely occurring in the natural C. elegans habitat (starvation, ethanol, acid, and mild oxidative stress), increases germline apoptosis, consistent with previous reports on stress-induced apoptosis. Using loss-of-function mutant alleles of ced-3 and ced-4, we demonstrate that eliminating the core apoptotic machinery strongly reduces embryonic survival when mothers are exposed to such environmental stressors during early adult life. In contrast, mutations in ced-9 and egl-1 that primarily block apoptosis in the soma but not in the germline, did not exhibit such reduced embryonic survival under environmental stress. Therefore, C. elegans germ cell apoptosis plays an essential role in maintaining offspring fitness in adverse environments. Finally, we show that ced-3 and ced-4 mutants exhibit concomitant decreases in embryo size and changes in embryo shape when mothers are exposed to environmental stress. These observations may indicate inadequate oocyte provisioning due to the absence of germ cell apoptosis. Taken together, our results show that the central genes of the apoptosis pathway play a key role in maintaining gamete quality, and thus offspring fitness, under ecologically relevant environmental conditions.

This article discusses why the composition of emergency fiscal packages in response to the COVID-19 pandemic make it important for governments to monitor and manage their balance sheets going forward. It analyses current practices with transparency and risk analysis concerning balance sheet-based measures drawn from case studies of nine OECD countries. It then identifies further steps governments should consider to increase transparency and strengthen risk analysis on COVID-19 related balance sheet-based policies that will help to strengthen fiscal frameworks.

Although equal sex ratio represents an equilibrium in evolutionary theory, cases of sex ratio bias are accumulating, mostly reported in single species. Here, we surveyed progeny sex ratios in 23 species of the nematode genus Caenorhabditis. In experiments where males and females had unlimited access to each other (unlimited mating), we found 15 species out of the 23 species had female(hermaphrodite)-biased sex ratios. Phylogenetic mapping indicates female-bias to represent the ancestral state, with the occurrence of seven independent transitions from female-bias to non-bias along the phylogeny. As sperm competition could underlie the female bias, we also assayed progeny sex ratios in an experiment where mating was limited to a few hours. Of the 15 species that showed female-biased ratios under unlimited mating, six species showed no sex ratio bias when mating was limited. This result is consistent with sperm competition whereby X-bearing sperm take precedence over nullo-X during fertilization, yielding more female progeny when sperm are unlimited but equal sex ratio when sperm are limited. The other nine species showed sex ratio bias in both experiments, but the day-by-day profiles suggest sperm competition may also play a role. Our study shows that sex ratio evolution within Caenorhabditis nematodes is dynamic and that sex ratio bias is common not only in parasites as previously found but also in free-living nematodes. Our results also suggest that sperm competition could be a mechanism underlying sex ratio bias.

Oomycetes are a group of eukaryotic organisms that includes many important pathogens of animals and plants. Within this group, the Haptoglossa genus is characterised by the presence of specialised gun cells carrying a harpoon-like infection apparatus. While several Haptoglossa pathogens have been morphologically described, there are currently no host systems developed to study the infection process or host responses in the lab. In this study, we report that Haptoglossa species are potent natural pathogens of Caenorhabditis nematodes. Using electron microscopy, we characterise the infection process in C. elegans and demonstrate that the oomycete causes excessive tissue degradation upon entry in the body cavity, whilst leaving the host cuticle intact. We also report that the host transcriptional response to Haptoglossa infection shares similarities with the response against the oomycete Myzocytiopsis humicola, a key example of which is the induction of chitinase-like (chil) genes in the hypodermis. We demonstrate that this shared feature of the host response can be mounted by pathogen detection without any infection, as previously shown for M. humicola. These results highlight similarities in the nematode immune response to natural infection by phylogenetically distinct oomycetes.

BackgroundThe Coronavirus disease 19 (Covid-19) pandemic has caused more than a million deaths and new treatments are urgently needed. Factors associated with a worse Covid-19 prognosis include old age (> 65 years), ethnicity, male sex, obesity and people with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory diseases. Further, vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with acute respiratory failure due to Covid-19. Vitamin D deficiency is a modifiable risk factor, which - according to a recent clinical case series – has the prospect of reducing hospital stay, intensive care and fatal outcomes. Vitamin D has potent immunomodulatory property sand its supplementation might improve important outcomes in critically ill and vitamin D deficient Covid-19 patients. Despite the evidence that supports an association between vitamin D deficiency and Covid-19 severity, there is uncertainty about the direct link. The aim of the trial is therefore to assess if high dose vitamin D supplementation has a therapeutic effect in vitamin D deficient patients with Covid-19.MethodsRandomized, placebo-controlled double blind, multi-centre study trial to compare a high single dose of vitamin D (140’000 IU) followed by treatment as usual (TAU) (VitD + TAU) with treatment as usual only (placebo + TAU) in patients with Covid-19 and vitamin D deficiency.DiscussionVitamin D substitution in patients with Covid-19 and vitamin D deficiency should be investigated for efficacy and safety. The objective of the study is to test the hypothesis that patients with vitamin D deficiency suffering from Covid-19 treated under standardized conditions in hospital will recover faster when additionally treated with high dose vitamin D supplementation. Latest studies suggest, that vitamin D supplementation in patients with Covid-19 is highly recommended to positively influence the course of the disease. With this randomised controlled trial, a contribution to new treatment guidelines shall be made.Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04525820 and SNCTP: 2020 − 01401

The latest 2019 Issue 4 of Volume 8 is devoted to interesting topics in the field of governance as well as regulation that will be very relevant for 2020 and beyond: financial reporting, the multi-factor partitioning model, corporate governance in Middle East and Africa, valuation methods, impact finance, Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Bonds

The first issue of 2020 is composed by five papers addressing interesting topics attempting to highlight the corporate governance ability needed to face the rapid increase of using artificial intelligence (AI) in some business; the influence of corporate governance on Asian firm performance; the joint effect of fiscal rule and corporate governance on explaining the procyclicality of fiscal policy on Asia-Pacific development and emerging countries; and whether the increase in institutional investors has encouraged investee companies to establish better corporate governance structure.

This article analyzes the correlation between compliance to the Austrian Code of Corporate Governance and financial success of Austrian stock listed companies. It uses a sample of 52 Austrian companies that are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange and corporate data collected from company publications such as annual reports, financial reports, corporate governance reports and company websites. Three accounting measures – return on assets, return on equity and net profit margin – were chosen in order to proxy the financial performance of a company. The period under review ranges from 2008 to 2016, whereas particular attention is given to the years 2010 to 2016. A corporate governance compliance score has been established on the comply or explain basis and recommendation rules of the Austrian Code of Corporate Governance in order to measure a company’s ability of implementing ‘good’ corporate governance practices. In line with research for other countries, this study finds no statistical evidence that a correlation exists between high compliance to the Austrian Code of Corporate Governance and financial success of companies listed on the Austrian Stock Exchange. The paper highlights the uniqueness of the Austrian Corporate Governance system when compared to other systems and gives arguments why companies comply with corporate governance recommendations.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a university sustainability rating framework and uses it to evaluate the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.FindingsThe results of the study demonstrate that notwithstanding growing concerns over sustainability issues; higher education institutions have been slow to adopt sustainability reporting practices including publishing consistent and periodic reports, receiving third-party assurance and integrating sustainability reporting into university’s sustainability management systems.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of the study suggest that the quality of sustainability reporting varies quite significantly, and important dimensions such as education and outreach programs are ill-treated in universities’ sustainability reports. The quality presents a tremendous challenge for sustainability reporting as more organizations are joining the sustainability reporting process, the quality would become a differentiator and competitive advantage, the study concludes. Two main limitations were identified. First, the number of reports examined were limited and are not representative of all higher education institutions. Second, data from other sources, like websites, were not factored in the analysis, as the study focuses on evaluating the comprehensiveness of sustainability reporting in higher education institutions.Practical implicationsThe results provide useful insights into comprehensiveness (one aspect of quality of sustainability reporting) in higher education institutions and help to better navigate the future trends in sustainability reporting practices of universities.Originality/valueSustainability reporting is well established in the corporate environment; however, the extent to which it has been adopted and its quality in universities remains relatively unexamined. The study attempts to fill the research gap in the quality of sustainability reporting (comprehensiveness) in higher education institutions to better navigate the future trends in sustainability reporting practices of universities.

Often conflicts arises between stakeholders of a firm. Instances where one stakeholder’s needs conflict with the rights of other stakeholders can put managers in a precarious situation. Strict adherence to contract rules, for example, may be the absolute right of the firm but at the same time enforcement of that contractual right or rule may be unduly damaging to another stakeholder. Managers in these situations may seek to find a balancing act between the two conflicting sides in order to maintain the balance that prioritizes the competing and conflicting responsibilities. The following case study, based on an actual managerial decision in an industrial setting, seeks to bring the lessons of balancing competing interests into harmony, as best as possible, in order to pursue the survival and success of the enterprise while realizing that all stakeholders are vital to the said success and survival.

With 450,000 km2 Kobresia (syn. Carex) pygmaea dominated pastures in the eastern Tibetan highlands are the world's largest pastoral alpine ecosystem forming a durable turf cover at 3000–6000 m a.s.l. Kobresia's resilience and competitiveness is based on dwarf habit, predominantly below-ground allocation of photo assimilates, mixture of seed production and clonal growth, and high genetic diversity. Kobresia growth is co-limited by livestock-mediated nutrient withdrawal and, in the drier parts of the plateau, low rainfall during the short and cold growing season. Overstocking has caused pasture degradation and soil deterioration over most parts of the Tibetan highlands and is the basis for this man-made ecosystem. Natural autocyclic processes of turf destruction and soil erosion are initiated through polygonal turf cover cracking, and accelerated by soil-dwelling endemic small mammals in the absence of predators. The major consequences of vegetation cover deterioration include the release of large amounts of C, earlier diurnal formation of clouds, and decreased surface temperatures. These effects decrease the recovery potential of Kobresia pastures and make them more vulnerable to anthropogenic pressure and climate change. Traditional migratory rangeland management was sustainable over millennia, and possibly still offers the best strategy to conserve and possibly increase C stocks in the Kobresia turf. (Less)

Context: MF is characterized by bone marrow fibrosis (BMF), ineffective hematopoiesis, splenomegaly, and debilitating symptoms. Expression of PIM-1 is significantly upregulated in MF hematopoietic cells, indicating that PIM-1 is a potential therapeutic target in MF. TP-3654, an oral small-molecule investigational PIM-1 kinase inhibitor with favorable selectivity against other kinases, has been shown to inhibit proliferation and increase apoptosis in murine and human hematopoietic cells expressing the JAK2V617F mutation. TP-3654 alone and in combination with ruxolitinib normalizes leukocyte counts and reduces spleen size and BMF in JAK2V617F and MPLW515L murine MF models. Objective: To evaluate TP-3654 monotherapy in patients with MF. Design: Phase I, open-label, dose-escalation study (NCT04176198). Setting: Multicenter, US only. Patients or Other Participants: Key eligibility criteria include primary or secondary MF (post-polycythemia vera-MF/post-essential thrombocythemia-MF); intermediate-2/high-risk MF per Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS); previously failed or are ineligible to receive Janus kinase inhibitors (e.g., ruxolitinib, fedratinib); grade ≥2 BMF; platelet count ≥50x109/L; absolute neutrophil count ≥1x109/L; peripheral blood blast counts Interventions: Patients receive oral TP-3654. Dose escalation, performed using a Bayesian Logistic Regression Model with Escalation with Overdose Control, will continue until identification of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended phase II dose (RP2D) is achieved. Dose expansion will follow. Main Outcomes Measures: Primary objectives: to determine MTD and/or identify the RP2D of TP-3654 monotherapy. Secondary objectives: to assess preliminary activity (spleen volume reduction, symptom improvement, and BMF reduction), determine QT interval changes, and establish the pharmacokinetic profile. Exploratory objectives: to study pharmacodynamic markers in peripheral blood and BM biopsies. This study is currently recruiting.

A single-nucleotide change underlies the transition from environmentally induced to genetically encoded matricidal hatching., Genetic assimilation—the evolutionary process by which an environmentally induced phenotype is made constitutive—represents a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology. Thought to reflect adaptive phenotypic plasticity, matricidal hatching in nematodes is triggered by maternal nutrient deprivation to allow for protection or resource provisioning of offspring. Here, we report natural Caenorhabditis elegans populations harboring genetic variants expressing a derived state of near-constitutive matricidal hatching. These variants exhibit a single amino acid change (V530L) in KCNL-1, a small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel subunit. This gain-of-function mutation causes matricidal hatching by strongly reducing the sensitivity to environmental stimuli triggering egg-laying. We show that reestablishing the canonical KCNL-1 protein in matricidal isolates is sufficient to restore canonical egg-laying. While highly deleterious in constant food environments, KCNL-1 V530L is maintained under fluctuating resource availability. A single point mutation can therefore underlie the genetic assimilation—by either genetic drift or selection—of an ancestrally plastic trait.

Objectives Malnutrition is highly prevalent in patients with aging-related vulnerability defined by very old age (≥80 y), physical frailty or cognitive impairment, and increases the risks for morbidity and mortality. The effects of individualized nutritional support for patients with aging-related vulnerability in the acute hospital setting on mortality and other clinical outcomes remains understudied. Methods For this secondary analysis of the randomized-controlled Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), we analyzed data of patients at a nutritional risk (Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score ≥3 points) with aging-related vulnerability, randomized to receive protocol-guided individualized nutritional support to reach specific protein and energy goals (intervention group) or routine hospital food (control group). The primary endpoint was all-cause 30-d mortality. Results Of the 881 patients with aging-related vulnerability, 23.4% presented with a frailty syndrome, 81.8% were age ≥80 y and 15.3% showed cognitive impairment. Patients with aging-related vulnerability receiving individualized nutritional support compared with routine hospital food showed a >50% reduction in the risk of 30-day mortality (60 of 442 [13.6%] versus 31 of 439 [7.1%]; odds ratio: 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.31–0.76; P = 0.002). Significant improvements were also found for long-term mortality at 180 days, as well as functional outcomes and quality of life measures. Conclusions Malnourished patients with aging-related vulnerability show a significant and clinically relevant reduction in the risk of mortality and other adverse clinical outcomes after individualized in-hospital nutritional support compared to routine hospital nutrition. These data support the early screening of patients with aging-related vulnerability for nutritional risk, followed by a nutritional assessment and implementation of individualized nutritional interventions.

Mating systems have profound effects on genetic diversity and compatibility. The convergent evolution of self-fertilization in threeCaenorhabditisspecies provides a powerful lens to examine causes and consequences of mating system transitions. Among the selfers,C. tropicalisis the least genetically diverse and most afflicted by outbreeding depression. We generated a chromosomal-scale genome forC. tropicalisand surveyed global diversity. Population structure is very strong, and islands of extreme divergence punctuate a genomic background that is highly homogeneous around the globe. Outbreeding depression in the laboratory is caused largely by multiple gene drive elements, genetically consistent with maternal toxin/zygotic antidote systems. Driver loci harbor novel and duplicated genes, and their activity is modified by mito-nuclear background. Segregating drivers dramatically reduce fitness, and simulations show that selfing limits their spread. Frequent selfing inC. tropicalismay therefore be a strategy to avoid drive-mediated outbreeding depression.

Summary Toxin-antidote elements (TAs) are selfish genetic dyads that spread in populations by selectively killing non-carriers. TAs are common in prokaryotes, but very few examples are known in animals. Here, we report the discovery of maternal-effect TAs in both C. tropicalis and C. briggsae, two distant relatives of C. elegans. In C. tropicalis, multiple TAs combine to cause a striking degree of intraspecific incompatibility: five elements reduce the fitness of >70% of the F2 hybrid progeny of two Caribbean isolates. We identified the genes underlying one of the novel TAs, slow-1/grow-1, and found that its toxin, slow-1, is homologous to nuclear hormone receptors. Remarkably, although previously known TAs act during embryonic development, maternal loading of slow-1 in oocytes specifically slows down larval development, delaying the onset of reproduction by several days. Finally, we found that balancing selection acting on linked, conflicting TAs hampers their ability to spread in populations, leading to more stable genetic incompatibilities. Our findings indicate that TAs are widespread in Caenorhabditis species and target a wide range of developmental processes and that antagonism between them may cause lasting incompatibilities in natural populations. We expect that similar phenomena exist in other animal species.

Summary Background and aims The nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002) is a validated screening tool for malnutrition. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of the NRS 2002 and its individual components regarding long-term mortality and adverse outcomes in a well-characterized cohort of medical inpatients. Methods We performed a 5-year follow-up investigation of patients included in the investigator-initiated, prospective, randomized controlled multicenter EFFORT trial that evaluated the effects of individualized nutritional intervention vs. standard hospital food. We used multivariable cox regression analyses adjusted for randomisation arm, study centre, comorbidities and main admission diagnosis to investigate associations between NRS 2002 total scores at time of hospital admission and several long-term outcomes. Results We had confirmed mortality data over the mean follow-up time of 3.2 years in 1874 from the initial cohort of 2028 EFFORT patients. Mortality showed a step-wise increase in patients with NRS 3 (289/565 [51.2%]) and NRS 4 (355/717 [49.6%]) to 59.5% (353/593) in patient with NRS≥5 corresponding to an adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.28 (95%CI 1.15 to 1.42, p ≤ 0.001) for mortality after one year and 1.13 (95%CI 1.05 to 1.23, p = 0.002) for the overall time period. All individual components of NRS including disease severity, food intake, weight loss and BMI provided prognostic information regarding long-term mortality risk. Conclusion Nutritional risk mirrored by a NRS 2002 total score is a strong and independent predictor of long-term mortality and morbidity in polymorbid medical inpatients particularly in patients with high nutritional risk with an NRS ≥5 points.

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The posters were created as part of an information campaign for ORCID at the University of Zurich. All images are freely available under a public domain license. Please remove the UZH logo and the links in case of any subsequent use. Regarding the use of the ORCID logo, please refer to the Trademark and iD Display Guidelines of ORCID: https://orcid.org/trademark-and-id-display-guidelines

Mating systems have profound effects on genetic diversity and compatibility. The convergent evolution of self-fertilization in three Caenorhabditis species provides a powerful lens to examine causes and consequences of mating system transitions. Among the selfers, Caenorhabditis tropicalis is the least genetically diverse and most afflicted by outbreeding depression. We generated a chromosomal-scale genome for C. tropicalis and surveyed global diversity. Population structure is very strong, and islands of extreme divergence punctuate a genomic background that is highly homogeneous around the globe. Outbreeding depression in the laboratory is caused largely by multiple Medea-like elements, genetically consistent with maternal toxin/zygotic antidote systems. Loci with Medea activity harbor novel and duplicated genes, and their activity is modified by mito-nuclear background. Segregating Medea elements dramatically reduce fitness, and simulations show that selfing limits their spread. Frequent selfing in C. tropicalis may therefore be a strategy to avoid Medea-mediated outbreeding depression.

Retailers serve as the main interface between business and society. This study explores the Corporate Social Responsibility priorities and performance of the largest 23 global retailers. This set of global retailers, who have a major impact on society, were studied in terms of social, environmental and sustainability practices and strategy, and there performance was analysed and evaluated. The study uses a four-dimensional Social, Economic, Environmental, Supply Chain model for sustainability performance evaluation. We rely on data collected from annual reports, and find that global retailers have addressed the business-society interface in relatively balanced ways for the different dimensions of CSR. Further, our findings indicate that global retailers in different regions have different CSR priorities. In particular, the data indicates that the US retailers place a lower priority on supply chain sustainability performance, followed by the Australians, while European retailers place a higher priority. The study concludes that while global retailers all pay attention to the same dimensions of CSR and do so differently in the different regions, the variation and lack of significant progress indicates that there is a role for stronger government regulation. This study contributes to the literature by shifting the analysis from country to a global level, is more objective in relying on reported data rather than interviews or surveys and provides a new analytical tool., Corporate social responsibility; Retail; Strategy; Sustainability; Supply chain; SDG; Sustainable development; Technology management; Entrepreneurship; Business policy; Management; Globalization; Industrialization

Across diverse taxa, selfing species have evolved independently from outcrossing species thousands of times. The transition from outcrossing to selfing significantly decreases the effective population size, effective recombination rate, and heterozygosity within a species. These changes lead to a reduction in genetic diversity, and therefore adaptive potential, by intensifying the effects of random genetic drift and linked selection. Within the nematode genusCaenorhabditis, selfing has evolved at least three times and all three species, including in the model organismCaenorhabditis elegans, show substantially reduced genetic diversity relative to outcrossing species. Selfing and outcrossingCaenorhabditisspecies are often found in the same niches, but we still do not know how selfing species with limited genetic diversity can adapt to these environments. Here, we examine the whole-genome sequences from 609 wildC. elegansstrains isolated worldwide and show that genetic variation is concentrated in punctuated hyper-divergent regions that cover 20% of theC. elegansreference genome. These regions are enriched in environmental response genes that mediate sensory perception, pathogen response, and xenobiotic stress response. Population genomic evidence suggests that genetic diversity in these regions has been maintained by long-term balancing selection. Using long-read genome assemblies for 15 wild strains, we show that hyper-divergent haplotypes contain unique sets of genes and show levels of divergence comparable to levels found betweenCaenorhabditisspecies that diverged millions of years ago. These results provide an example for how species can avoid the evolutionary “dead end” associated with selfing.

Highlights • We provide a comparative analysis of social health systems with budgetary targets. • Targets raise the providers’ cost responsibility and their awareness for cost-benefit considerations. • Clear negotiating structures and including principal healthcare players are key to success. • Adjusting targets to morbidity and medical progress is necessary to avoid side-effects. • Accompanying measures such as incentive-compatible remuneration schemes and quality monitoring are important., Growing healthcare expenditure is a major concern for policy makers and calls for effective cost containment measures. For the decentralized Swiss healthcare system, ranking second among OECD countries in healthcare spending, a group of experts has proposed budgetary targets as key measure. In order to substantiate this proposal, we review the literature and analyse experiences with budgetary targets in comparable social health insurance systems, such as Germany and the Netherlands. Budgetary targets raise the cost responsibility and prompt providers to give greater weight to cost-benefit considerations. Our analysis suggests that the involvement of all principal healthcare players and clear decision-making and negotiating structures are key to successful implementation. Risks of rationing, lower quality incentives or conservation of structures have to be countered with taking into account age-related morbidity and medical progress when setting the budgetary targets. Accompanying measures such as incentive-compatible remuneration schemes and quality monitoring are of paramount importance.

Genetic assimilation – the evolutionary process by which an ancestral environmentally sensitive phenotype is made constitutive – is a fundamental concept in biology. Its evolutionary relevance is debated, and our understanding of its prevalence, and underlying genetics and molecular mechanisms, is poor. Matricidal hatching is an extreme form of maternal provisioning induced by adverse conditions, which varies among Caenorhabditis elegans populations. We identified wild isolates, sampled from natural populations across multiple years and locations, that express a derived state of near-constitutive matricidal hatching. A single amino acid change in kcnl-1 , encoding a small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel subunit, explains most of this variation. A gain-of-function mutation altering the S6 transmembrane domain causes inappropriate activation of the K + channel, leading to reduced vulval muscle excitability, and thus reduced expulsion of embryos, irrespective of environment. Using reciprocal allelic replacements, we show that this amino acid change is sufficient to induce constitutive matricidal hatching whilst re-establishing the ancestral protein abolishes matricidal hatching and restores egg-laying, thereby doubling lifetime reproductive fitness under benign conditions. While highly deleterious in the laboratory, experimental evolution showed that KNCL-1(V530L) is maintained under fluctuating resource availability. Selection on a single point mutation can therefore underlie the genetic assimilation of an ancestrally plastic trait with drastic life-history consequences.; Genetic assimilation-the evolutionary process by which an ancestral environmentally sensitive phenotype is made constitutive-is a fundamental concept in biology. Its evolutionary relevance is debated, and our understanding of its prevalence, and underlying genetics and molecular mechanisms, is poor. Matricidal hatching is an extreme form of maternal provisioning induced by adverse conditions, which varies among Caenorhabditis elegans populations. We identified wild isolates, sampled from natural populations across multiple years and locations, that express a derived state of near-constitutive matricidal hatching. A single amino acid change in kcnl-1, encoding a small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel subunit, explains most of this variation. A gain-of-function mutation altering the S6 transmembrane domain causes inappropriate activation of the K + channel, leading to reduced vulval muscle excitability, and thus reduced expulsion of embryos, irrespective of environment. Using reciprocal allelic replacements, we show that this amino acid change is sufficient to induce constitutive matricidal hatching whilst re-establishing the ancestral protein abolishes matricidal hatching and restores egg-laying, thereby doubling lifetime reproductive fitness under benign conditions. While highly deleterious in the laboratory, experimental evolution showed that KNCL-1(V530L) is maintained under fluctuating resource availability. Selection on a single point mutation can therefore underlie the genetic assimilation of an ancestrally plastic trait with drastic life-history consequences.

Adaptive developmental plasticity is a common phenomenon across diverse organisms and allows a single genotype to express multiple phenotypes in response to environmental signals. Developmental plasticity is thus thought to reflect a key adaptation to cope with heterogenous habitats. Adaptive plasticity often relies on highly regulated processes in which organisms sense environmental cues predictive of unfavourable environments. The integration of such cues may involve sophisticated neuro-endocrine signaling pathways to generate subtle or complete developmental shifts. A striking example of adaptive plasticity is found in the nematode C. elegans, which can undergo two different developmental trajectories depending on the environment. In favourable conditions, C. elegans develops through reproductive growth to become an adult in three days at 20 °C. In contrast, in unfavourable conditions (high population density, food scarcity, elevated temperature) larvae can adopt an alternative developmental stage, called dauer. dauer larvae are highly stress-resistant and exhibit specific anatomical, metabolic and behavioural features that allow them to survive and disperse. In C. elegans, the sensation of environmental cues is mediated by amphid ciliated sensory neurons by means of G-coupled protein receptors. In favourable environments, the perception of pro-reproductive cues, such as food and the absence of pro-dauer cues, upregulates insulin and TGF-β signaling in the nervous system. In unfavourable conditions, pro-dauer cues lead to the downregulation of insulin and TGF-β signaling. In favourable conditions, TGF-β and insulin act in parallel to promote synthesis of dafachronic acid (DA) in steroidogenic tissues. Synthetized DA binds to the DAF-12 nuclear receptor throughout the whole body. DA-bound DAF-12 positively regulates genes of reproductive development in all C. elegans tissues. In poor conditions, the inhibition of insulin and TGF-β signaling prevents DA synthesis, thus the unliganded DAF-12 and co-repressor DIN-1 repress genes of reproductive development and promote dauer formation. Wild C. elegans have often been isolated as dauer larvae suggesting that dauer formation is very common in nature. Natural populations of C. elegans have colonized a great variety of habitats across the planet, which may differ substantially in environmental conditions. Consistent with divergent adaptation to distinct ecological niches, wild isolates of C. elegans and other nematode species isolated from different locations show extensive variation in dauer induction. Quantitative genetic and population-genomic approaches have identified many quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with differences in dauer induction as well as a few underlying causative molecular variants. In this review, we summarize how C. elegans dauer formation is genetically regulated and how this trait evolves- both within and between species.Génétique et évolution de la plasticité développementale chez le nématode C. elegans : induction environnementale du stade dauer.La plasticité phénotypique est un phénomène très courant au cours duquel des phénotypes différents sont exprimés en fonction de facteurs environnementaux. La plasticité, lorsque qu’elle est dite « adaptative », permet aux organismes de faire face à des habitats hétérogènes. Bien que les mécanismes moléculaires régulant la plasticité développementale soient de mieux en mieux compris, nous n’avons encore que peu d’informations sur les bases moléculaires de la variation naturelle et de l’évolution de la plasticité. Le nématode C. elegans présente un exemple emblématique de plasticité adaptative car cette espèce a la capacité d’entrer dans un stade larvaire alternatif appelé « dauer » lorsque les conditions environnementales sont défavorables. Durant ce stade de diapause, les larves peuvent survivre pendant environ trois mois en milieu extrême et reprendre leur développement lorsque les conditions s’améliorent. Nous passons ici en revue les mécanismes moléculaires régulant l’entrée en dauer ainsi que les récents progrès réalisés dans la caractérisation de la variation naturelle et l’évolution de l’induction de ce stade de résistance chez C. elegans comme chez d’autres espèces de nématodes.

International audience; Adaptive developmental plasticity is a common phenomenon across diverse organisms and allows a single genotype to express multiple phenotypes in response to environmental signals. Developmental plasticity is thus thought to reflect a key adaptation to cope with heterogenous habitats. Adaptive plasticity often relies on highly regulated processes in which organisms sense environmental cues predictive of unfavourable environments. The integration of such cues may involve sophisticated neuro-endocrine signaling pathways to generate subtle or complete developmental shifts. A striking example of adaptive plasticity is found in the nematode C. elegans, which can undergo two different developmental trajectories depending on the environment. In favourable conditions, C. elegans develops through reproductive growth to become an adult in three days at 20 °C. In contrast, in unfavourable conditions (high population density, food scarcity, elevated temperature) larvae can adopt an alternative developmental stage, called dauer. dauer larvae are highly stress-resistant and exhibit specific anatomical, metabolic and behavioural features that allow them to survive and disperse. In C. elegans, the sensation of environmental cues is mediated by amphid ciliated sensory neurons by means of G-coupled protein receptors. In favourable environments, the perception of pro-reproductive cues, such as food and the absence of pro-dauer cues, upregulates insulin and TGF-β signaling in the nervous system. In unfavourable conditions, pro-dauer cues lead to the downregulation of insulin and TGF-β signaling. In favourable conditions, TGF-β and insulin act in parallel to promote synthesis of dafachronic acid (DA) in steroidogenic tissues. Synthetized DA binds to the DAF-12 nuclear receptor throughout the whole body. DA-bound DAF-12 positively regulates genes of reproductive development in all C. elegans tissues. In poor conditions, the inhibition of insulin and TGF-β signaling prevents DA synthesis, thus the unliganded DAF-12 and co-repressor DIN-1 repress genes of reproductive development and promote dauer formation. Wild C. elegans have often been isolated as dauer larvae suggesting that dauer formation is very common in nature. Natural populations of C. elegans have colonized a great variety of habitats across the planet, which may differ substantially in environmental conditions. Consistent with divergent adaptation to distinct ecological niches, wild isolates of C. elegans and other nematode species isolated from different locations show extensive variation in dauer induction. Quantitative genetic and population-genomic approaches have identified many quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with differences in dauer induction as well as a few underlying causative molecular variants. In this review, we summarize how C. elegans dauer formation is genetically regulated and how this trait evolves- both within and between species.

International audience; Environmental signals often control central life history decisions, including the choice between reproduction and somatic maintenance. Such adaptive developmental plasticity occurs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, where environmental cues govern whether larvae will develop directly into reproducing adults or arrest their development to become stress-resistant dauer larvae. Here, we identified a natural variant underlying enhanced sensitivity to dauer-inducing cues in C. elegans: a 92-bp deletion in the cis-regulatory region of the gene eak-3. This deletion reduces synthesis or activity of the steroid hormone dafachronic acid (DA), thereby increasing environmental sensitivity for dauer induction. Consistent with known pleiotropic roles of DA, this eak-3 variant significantly slows down reproductive growth. We experimentally show that, although the eak-3 deletion can provide a fitness advantage through facilitated dauer production in stressful environments, this allele becomes rapidly outcompeted in favorable environments. The identified eak-3 variant therefore reveals a trade-off in how hormonal responses influence both the pace of developmental timing and the way in which environmental sensitivity controls adaptive plasticity. Together, our results show how a single mutational event altering hormonal signaling can lead to the emergence of a complex life history trade-off.

The surprising optical properties of the non--conjugated polymer poly(phenylene methylene) (PPM) and its derivatives—that is, absorption in the 350–450 nm and photoluminescence (PL) in the 400–600 nm spectral regions—have been attributed to chromophores formed by homoconjugation along the polymer chain. The enabling role of homoconjugation, however, was hitherto ascertained primarily by excluding alternative origins of luminescence. The present study offers direct evidence for homoconjugation by employing optical and vibrational spectroscopy to investigate the interplay between microstructure and solid-state optical properties of PPM and its derivative poly(2,4,6-trimethylphenylene methylene) (PTMPM). In particular, polarized Raman and PL spectroscopy of melt-drawn fibers reveal a preferentially perpendicular orientation of the phenylene rings relative to the fiber axis, while, simultaneously, a preferentially parallel orientation of the transition dipole moment. PL spectroscopy under applied hydrostatic pressure yields a nearly 4-fold increase in PL intensity at 8 GPa, together with a surprising absence of excimer emission. These characteristics, being highly atypical of conventional -conjugated polymers, highlight the different origin of the optical properties of poly(phenylene methylene)s as well as unique opportunities for applications., The authors thank Drs Nathan Cheetham (Imperial College London) and Johannes Gierschner (IMDEA Nanociencia) for stimulating discussions. A.P. is indebted to the Great European Lockdown (GEL) network for enabling Prof. Paul Smith (ETH Zürich) to comprehensively review this manuscript on one of his lesser favored topics, for which he is also thanked sincerely. The Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades is gratefully acknowledged for its support through grant no. SEV-2015-0496 in the framework of the Spanish Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence Program and through grant PGC2018-095411-B-100 (RAINBOW). We also thank the Catalan agency AGAUR for grant 2017-SGR-00488. AFL acknowledges a FPI fellowship (BES-2016-076913) from the Spanish Ministerio cofinanced by the European Social Fund and the Ph.D. program in Materials Science from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in which he is enrolled. Financial support is also acknowledged from the European Research Council through project ERC CoG648901.

Studying how molecular pathways respond to ecologically relevant environmental variation is fundamental to understand organismal development and its evolution. Here we characterize how starvation modulates Caenorhabditis elegans vulval cell fate patterning – an environmentally sensitive process, with a nevertheless robust output. Past research has shown many vulval mutants affecting EGF-Ras-MAPK, Delta-Notch and Wnt pathways to be suppressed by environmental factors, such as starvation. Here we aimed to resolve previous, seemingly contradictory, observations on how starvation modulates levels of vulval induction. Using the strong starvation suppression of the Vulvaless phenotype of lin-3/egf reduction-of-function mutations as an experimental paradigm, we first tested for a possible involvement of the sensory system in relaying starvation signals to affect vulval induction: mutation of various sensory inputs, DAF-2/Insulin or DAF-7/TGF-β signaling did not abolish lin-3(rf) starvation suppression. In contrast, nutrient deprivation induced by mutation of the intestinal peptide transporter gene pept-1 or the TOR pathway component rsks-1 (the ortholog of mammalian P70S6K) very strongly suppressed lin-3(rf) mutant phenotypes. Therefore, physiologically starved animals induced by these mutations tightly recapitulated the effects of external starvation on vulval induction. While both starvation and pept-1 RNAi were sufficient to increase Ras and Notch pathway activities in vulval cells, the highly penetrant Vulvaless phenotype of a tissue-specific null allele of lin-3 was not suppressed by either condition. This and additional results indicate that partial lin-3 expression is required for starvation to affect vulval induction. These results suggest a cross-talk between nutrient deprivation, TOR-S6K and EGF-Ras-MAPK signaling during C. elegans vulval induction.