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Genetic cardiomyopathies are disorders of the cardiac muscle, most often explained by pathogenic mutations in genes encoding sarcomere, cytoskeleton, or ion channel proteins. Clinical phenotypes such as heart failure and arrhythmia are classically treated with generic drugs, but aetiology‐specific and targeted treatments are lacking. As a result, cardiomyopathies still present a major burden to society, and affect many young and older patients. The Translational Committee of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and the Working Group of Myocardial Function of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) organized a workshop to discuss recent advances in molecular and physiological studies of various forms of cardiomyopathies. The study of cardiomyopathies has intensified after several new study setups became available, such as induced pluripotent stem cells, three‐dimensional printing of cells, use of scaffolds and engineered heart tissue, with convincing human validation studies. Furthermore, our knowledge on the consequences of mutated proteins has deepened, with relevance for cellular homeostasis, protein quality control and toxicity, often specific to particular cardiomyopathies, with precise effects explaining the aberrations. This has opened up new avenues to treat cardiomyopathies, using contemporary techniques from the molecular toolbox, such as gene editing and repair using CRISPR‐Cas9 techniques, antisense therapies, novel designer drugs, and RNA therapies. In this article, we discuss the connection between biology and diverse clinical presentation, as well as promising new medications and therapeutic avenues, which may be instrumental to come to precision medicine of genetic cardiomyopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using the thin‐film transistor (TFT) technology, the oligo nucleotides array has been proved to be achieved in‐situ on a throughput matrix backplane of 16*16, with oligonucleotide lengths reaching 150mers, and the yield of each oligo has surpassed tens of fmol per pixel. This TFT‐based methods effectively balance the synthesis throughput with the loading capacity and offer a significantly lower cost for higher quality DNA for various applications in molecular biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a curriculum for an upper‐level molecular biology course‐based undergraduate research laboratory class funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER grant that focuses on identifying new small proteins in the bacterium, Escherichia coli. Our CURE class has been continually offered each semester for the last 10 years, with multiple instructors collaboratively developing and implementing their own pedagogical approach while maintaining the same overall scientific goal and experimental strategy. In this paper, we delineate the experimental strategy for our molecular biology CURE laboratory class, describe a range of pedagogical approaches implemented by multiple instructors, and provide recommendations for teaching the class. The purpose of our paper is to share our experiences both in developing and teaching a molecular biology CURE laboratory class based on small protein identification and in creating a curriculum and support system that allows traditional, non‐traditional, and under‐represented students to participate in authentic research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research activities would be better served if they were communicated in a manner that is openly accessible to the public and all researchers. The research we share is often limited to representative data included in research papers—science would be much more efficient if all reproducible research data were shared alongside detailed methods and protocols, in the paradigm called Open Science. On the other hand, one primary function of research journals is to select manuscripts of good quality, verify the authenticity of the data and its impact, and deliver to the appropriate audience for critical evaluation and verification. In the current paradigm, where publication in a subset of journals is intimately linked to research evaluation, a hypercompetitive "market" has emerged where authors compete to access a limited number of top‐tier journals, leading to high rejection rates. Competition among publishers and scientific journals for market dominance resulted in an increase in both the number of journals and the cost of publishing and accessing scientific papers. Here we summarize the current problems and potential solutions from the development of AI technology discussed in the seminar at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic is a huge challenge to education systems. Most governments around the world have temporarily closed schools, universities, and colleges. At the same time, teachers and students are encouraged to use the online and distance learning programs and platforms as an alternative. In the present study, we proposed a series of innovative solutions in Medical Molecular Biology education during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China, including a flipped classroom model, live streaming course, chat Apps, and scientific papers on COVID‐19 as additional learning material. Our results demonstrated that these innovations not only help teachers to maintain the teaching process as usual but also be useful for protecting students from psychological trauma. Our study indicates that online education with a well‐designed workflow for conducting provides an alternative approach for teachers to maintain quality education during the onset of the emerging crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, a variety of policies and measures has implemented to enhance the scientific research and innovation ability of medical students, but in the process of practice, there are many problems, such as they lack of independent topic selection ability, weak scientific research skills, lack of autonomous learning ability, the research results are simple and ineffective, limited teacher guidance time and so on. This paper attempted to build an effective model for the promotion of medical students' scientific research and innovation ability, in order to establish an efficacy evaluation model of the "Medical students' Innovative Scientific Research Program." Undergraduates, graduate assistants, and tutors were interviewed with the Behavioral Event Interview technique, and a questionnaire of efficacy evaluation characteristics concluded from the interviews was formed. The questionnaire was conducted on medical students in the Medical students' Innovative Scientific Research Program, and the constructed model was analyzed using reliability analysis, validity analysis, and variation analysis. At the same time, the experimental teaching models are summarized and combed, and compared with other methods such as independent sample test. The results show the model could effectively evaluate the efficacy of the Medical students' Innovative Scientific Research Program and its teaching model is effective in cultivating medical students' learning and scientific research ability. It can provide theoretical support and practical reference for the evaluation and reform of the teaching modes related to the cultivation of scientific and innovative ability of medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical immunosensors comprise the merging of two different disciplines: molecular biology and electrochemistry. This review explains in depth the main parts of electrochemical immunosensors and how the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been integrated into sophisticated "lab‐on‐a‐chip" and "point‐of‐care" devices. It also reviews how nanotechnology has been a powerful tool for achieving lower detection limits, more signal amplification, and constructing label‐free devices. It finally explores the new perspectives on electrochemical immunosensors to integrate them in novel paper microfluidic devices called EμPADs. Colleagues introducing themselves to the topic for the first time will find in this review a comprehensive revision of how the basics of the technology have given rise to the emerging topic of EμPADs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been numerous calls for improved pedagogical practices in biological education, and there is a clear need for such improvements in ecology and related curricula. Most ecology‐related texts lack pedagogy and are designed to be content‐rich. National initiatives, such as Vision & Change, provide guidance on undergraduate biology education, including increasing use of evidence‐based active learning, and taking a more conceptual and science practice skills approach. Biology education research is rich with evidence‐based teaching practices, which reveal that active learning approaches implemented in thoughtful ways lead to strong learning gains relative to lecture‐based course delivery. CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypothesis, Analyze and interpret data, Think of the next Experiment) integrates evidence‐based active pedagogical practices into one approach to STEM education that focuses heavily on the process of science and science practice skills rather than content delivery by replacing the textbook with selected journal articles. The approach focuses on deep reading and analysis of primary literature; immersing students in the literature is an advantage of the pedagogy. CREATE was developed and tested in other biological disciplines (genetics and molecular biology) that have long been at the forefront of pedagogical best practices in biology. We transformed two upper‐level undergraduate ecological courses (Conservation Biology, and Biodiversity and Ecology) into CREATE courses. We provide examples of assignments, student work, and assessments of the approach, illustrating the various ways CREATE can be successfully implemented. The approach can be adopted in part, to ease into it and test it out, or in whole. We recommend that ecology teachers consider making their courses more active, if they have not already done so; adopting pedagogical practices embedded within CREATE can be a way to achieve active learning. The CREATE approach and other evidence‐based pedagogical best practices lead to strong learning gains and more inclusive learning environments. National initiatives, such as Vision & Change, provide guidance on undergraduate biology education, including increasing use of evidence‐based active learning. CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypothesis, Analyze and interpret data, Think of the next Experiment) integrates evidence‐based active pedagogical practices into one approach that focuses on the process of science, science practice skills, and deep reading of the primary literature. We transformed two upper‐level undergraduate ecological courses (Conservation Biology, and Biodiversity and Ecology) into CREATE courses and provided examples of assignments, student work, and assessments, illustrating the various ways in which CREATE can be successfully implemented. The CREATE approach and other evidence‐based pedagogical best practices lead to strong learning gains and more inclusive learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a letter to the editor in response to a recent paper on the genetic analysis of ancient Patagonians. The authors respectfully disagree with the conclusions of the previous study, specifically regarding the genetic connections with other South American regions. They argue that the phylogenetic analysis does not support the claimed affiliations with Peruvian populations and propose an alternative explanation for the genetic patterns observed. The authors also express their preference for using median-joining networks in phylogenetic analysis. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: This narrative review illuminates on the application of single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) in periodontitis and highlights the probability of relating cell population and gene signatures to the pathogenesis of the disease for a better diagnosis. Methods: An electronic search of the literature in the PubMed database for the keywords, "single cell sequencing" OR "spatial transcriptomics" and "periodontitis" OR "gingiva" OR "oral mucosa" yielded 486 research articles and reviews. After filtering duplicates and careful curation, 22 papers conducted in humans were retained. Results: The molecular mechanisms underlying periodontitis are complex and involve the interaction of multiple cells and various gene expressions. Most residing cells in periodontal tissues participate in maintaining homeostasis and health, while in addition to infiltrating immune cells contribute to the fight against the bacterial insult. Conclusion: scRNA‐seq and ST have provided new insights into the cellular and molecular changes associated with periodontitis for a better diagnosis and clinical outcome. New functions of cells and genes are revealed with these techniques; however, no cells or gene signatures are attributed to periodontitis so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated and projected‐based laboratory course was described, integrating interconnected knowledge points and biochemistry and molecular biology techniques on a research project‐based system. The program, which served as an essential extension of theoretical courses to practice, was conducted with a sophomore of basic medical science who had completed the course in medical biochemistry and molecular biology. This course engaged students in learning "genetic manipulation" and "recombinant DNA technology" to understand the target gene's role in disease mechanics, thus altering evaluation and treatment for clinical disease. Students could master applied and advanced techniques, such as cell culture, transfection, inducing exogenous fusion protein expression, purifying protein and its concentration assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western bot analysis. This laboratory exercise links laboratory practices with the methods of current basic research. Students need to complete the experimental design report and laboratory report, which could be advantageous for improving their ability to write lab summaries and scientific papers in the future. The reliability and validity analyses were conducted on the questionnaire, and we examined students' satisfaction with the course and their gains from the course. The student feedback was generally positive, indicating that the exercise helped consolidate theoretical knowledge, increase scientific research enthusiasm, and provide a powerful tool to be a better person and make informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses zone electrophoresis, one of the most frequently used tools in molecular biology, to explore two ideas derived from Hans-Jörg Rheinberger's reflections on experiments. First, the constraining role played by technical objects--instrumentation and material conditions--in the production of knowledge or epistemic things. Second, the production of interconnected experimental systems by such technical objects, which results in the unexpected entanglement of research fields and experimental cultures. By the beginning of the 1960s, the inception of zone electrophoresis in laboratories around the world transformed--some say, revolutionized--the study of proteins. Even today, electrophoresis continues to open research venues and questions in biomedicine, molecular biology, human genetics, and in the field of molecular evolution. In my essay, I seek to look at the interconnected lives of zone electrophoresis and address the broader social, and even global context, in which this apparently humble technique became a salient tool in the production of biological knowledge. In so doing, I aim to take the past and present of the history and historiography of experimental systems to the future, where experiments and technologies are interrogated as they are used in different geographies and contexts, including contexts of poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promise of using immersive technologies in learning has increasingly been attracting researchers' and practitioners' attention. However, relevant empirical works are usually conducted in fully controlled Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories, as opposed to conventional settings. This quasi‐experimental study compares the effectiveness of video learning resources to that of stereoscopic 360° VR, as supplements to the traditional instructional approach. The potential of such methods was examined in high school settings, in the context of the 'Life and Evolution' module, with participants (n = 70) divided equally into control and experimental groups. As a point of reference (control condition), we considered the adoption of Video Learning Resources, as students are more acquainted with this instructional method. In the intervention approach (experimental condition), students adopted the use of low‐end mobile‐VR (VeeR Mini VR Goggles). The key findings indicate differences in the learning motivation, confidence and satisfaction, but no statistically significant difference was identified regarding the factual or conceptual knowledge gains. The study offers insights on the potential of the investigated technologies in the subject of secondary school Biology and further provides implications for theory and practice. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicResearchers' interest over the potential of Virtual Reality on different STEM disciplines is increasing consistently.An increasing number of efforts can be identified discussing the integration of multimedia learning resources in the secondary school context.Empirical studies on the subject of Biology are focusing on students' academic performance and achievement but not on learning motivation and satisfaction.What this paper addsThis quasi‐experimental study comparatively examines academic performance, with the focus being on learning motivation and satisfaction, across different modalities (stereoscopic 360° Virtual Reality applications‐VR, Video Learning Recourses‐VLR).The findings demonstrate that both instructional methods are sufficient in enhancing students' knowledge acquisition and academic performance.The adoption of stereoscopic 360° VR influences students' learning motivation and impacts long‐term memory retention.Implications for practice and policyEducators are advised to consider the systematic adoption of "immersive" multimedia tools to enhance the subject of Biology as they can greatly encourage scientific inquiry.Instructional designers are advised to adopt open educational resources aligned to the curriculum of the local context.Educational researchers are advised to integrate stereoscopic 360°‐VR solutions in the conventional classroom settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms known as psychrophiles/psychrotrophs, which survive in cold climates, constitute majority of the biosphere on Earth. Their capability to produce cold‐active enzymes along with other distinguishing characteristics allows them to survive in the cold environments. Due to the relative ease of large‐scale production compared to enzymes from plants and animals, commercial uses of microbial enzyme are alluring. The ocean depths, polar, and alpine regions, which make up over 85% of the planet, are inhabited to cold ecosystems. Microbes living in these regions are important for their metabolic contribution to the ecosphere as well as for their enzymes, which may have potential industrial applications. Cold‐adapted microorganisms are a possible source of cold‐active enzymes that have high catalytic efficacy at low and moderate temperatures at which homologous mesophilic enzymes are not active. Cold‐active enzymes can be used in a variety of biotechnological processes, including food processing, additives in the detergent and food industries, textile industry, waste‐water treatment, biopulping, environmental bioremediation in cold climates, biotransformation, and molecular biology applications with great potential for energy savings. Genetically manipulated strains that are suitable for producing a particular cold‐active enzyme would be crucial in a variety of industrial and biotechnological applications. The potential advantage of cold‐adapted enzymes will probably lead to a greater annual market than for thermo‐stable enzymes in the near future. This review includes latest updates on various microbial source of cold‐active enzymes and their biotechnological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a profile of David L. Des Marais, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. Des Marais discusses his interest in plant science, which was sparked by observing plants in Death Valley National Park. He also explains his decision to pursue a career in research and his motivation for mentoring students. Des Marais considers his father, a retired geochemist, to be a role model and discusses his favorite papers from the New Phytologist journal. He concludes by sharing his favorite plant, the Coastal Redwood. [Extracted from the article]

This review aims to provide an update on the current scientific understanding of various aspects of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) formation, diagnostic procedures, transmission, ecological effects, pathophysiology and management strategies. In terms of production and financial benefits, the WSSV has been the most virulent in shrimp and several other crustacean sectors around the globe. It spreads vertically from diseased broodstock to post‐larvae and horizontally by cannibalism, invertebrate vectors, freshwater and sediments. In the transfer of white spot disease (WSD) in newly stocked ponds, the survivability of WSSV in sediment is the most important variable. In typical cultural conditions, it is a highly infectious pathogen capable of inflicting total death within 3–10 days after an outbreak. Some of the current biosecurity strategies used to keep diseases out of shrimp ponds such as pond water disinfection, quarantine of new stocks before stocking and broader usage of specific pathogen‐free shrimp. The sequencing and characterisation of various WSSV strains have provided details about pathogen biology, pathogenicity and disease. To develop successful control methods, knowledge of these characteristics is essential. In several shrimp‐producing countries in Asia and the Americas, the infections produced by the WSSV have had disastrous socio‐economic consequences. As a result of international trade or migration of diseased species, the World Animal Health Organization recognised several illnesses as posing a substantial hazard to farmed shrimp. WSD is receiving much scientific research due to the potential economic effects of the virus. Research is now being done to understand better the molecular biology and pathophysiology of WSSV, as well as how to treat and prevent the virus. However, further study should be conducted in countries with more resilient host species to understand their role in mitigating disease impacts since these revelations may aid in developing a WSD treatment. The goal of this paper is to focus the molecular techniques reported till now to detect WSSV on shrimp more conveniently. Moreover, the implication of biosecurity measures to control and prevent WSSV on shrimp also mentioned along with the latest prevention application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thomas Cavalier‐Smith, born in London, U.K., on October 21, 1942, was a Professor of Evolutionary Biology in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford at the time of his death on March 19, 2021. Credited with at least 235 research works and over 20,000 citations, Cavalier‐Smith was a well‐known and widely respected scientist who took a bold and detailed approach to understanding major transitions in evolution, including the role of endosymbiosis. He was noted for his willingness to question theories and constantly accumulate and evaluate data, motivated by science for the sake of science. This paper reviews Thomas Cavalier‐Smith's major accomplishments, examines his theoretical approaches, and provides highlights from the "Tree of Life Symposium" sponsored by the International Society of Protistologists (ISOP) and the International Society of Evolutionary Protistology (ISEP) on June 21, 2021, to celebrate Tom's life and work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of quantitative genetics and molecular genetics is transforming research in the behavioural sciences. The ability to measure inherited DNA differences directly has led to polygenic scores and to new methods to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. This issue provides examples of how these advances can be appllied to research on gene‐environment interplay in developmental psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yoselin Benitez Alfonso, a professor in interdisciplinary plant sciences at the University of Leeds, shares her journey and passion for plant science. Growing up in Cuba, she developed a love for nature and later pursued a degree in chemistry in Spain. Despite not having a biology background, she taught herself plant biology and became interested in plasmodesmata research. She is motivated by her love for research, the success of her students, and the impact of her contributions to teaching and diversity. She considers her father and various mentors as role models and enjoys reading papers on plasmodesmata research and plant symbiosis. Her favorite plant is the olive tree due to its symbolism, climate resilience, and economic significance. Yoselin is also involved in the Black in Plant Science Network and has received recognition for her leadership and academic achievements. [Extracted from the article]

SUMMARY: In a recent paper in Nature, Edith Heard from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) suggested that molecular biologists should 'reconnect with nature' by diversifying sampling locations. Although this approach has its own benefits, we suggest that advanced methods should rather be used to take hypothesis‐based experiments to nature, thereby supplying a much‐needed context for experimentation under controlled conditions. Following the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) revolution, this approach has become accessible to many research groups. For the past several years we have developed the groundwork and initiated such experimentation. This included the assembly of a mobile laboratory on a four‐wheel drive truck and examining genome‐edited metabolic mutants in wild tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), grown in nature. Our findings included both targeted answers to focused questions, but also surprising results that could only be reached while working in natural settings. Significance Statement: With the fast development of accessible genome editing technologies and phenotyping platforms, scientists should use these cutting‐edge tools to carry out hypothesis‐based experiments in nature, thereby supplying a much needed context for experimentation under controlled conditions. Once embraced by the broad research community, this approach combining designed experimentation in natural settings and the ability to bring the lab to the trialing site is likely to expose scientists to different, yet unexplored spaces of biological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human is the host of the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) especially in childhood and adolescence. Most of them are asymptomatic infection and self‐limiting. However, for those patients who suffer from immune dysfunction, EBV infection will be life‐threatening. Epstein‐Barr virus‐associated hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis (EBV‐HLH) is one of the severe effects. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of EBV‐HLH and other EBV infectious diseases are mentioned in this paper. The molecular biology mechanism and complications of EBV‐HLH are equally briefly presented. It also provides a practical method for the genetic diagnosis of such diseases and the differential diagnosis with other human immunodeficiency diseases for medical scientists in routine clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating BDNF (serum-, platelet- and plasma-derived) and cerebral blood flow (duplex ultrasound) was quantified in 12 healthy human participants (6 male, 6 female), employing a cross-over design following (1) 20 h of fasting, (2) light prolonged exercise, (3) short duration, intense exercise, and (4) combined fasting and intense exercise. Can exercise prevent the age-related decline in adaptive homeostasis? Exercise and aging impact kynurenine/tryptophan pathway and acylcarnitine metabolite pools in skeletal muscle of older adults. An important take-home message from this study is that the exercise-induced response of a variety of muscle metabolite pools, including acylcarnitine and ketone bodies, was similar among the groups studied here, suggesting that the metabolic benefits of exercise can be achieved in both young older humans. [Extracted from the article]

Since the 1990s, journals have become increasingly online and open access. In fact, about 50% of articles published in 2021 were open access. The use of preprints (i.e., non‐peer‐reviewed articles) has also increased. However, there is limited awareness of these concepts among academics. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire‐based survey among members of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan. The survey was conducted between September 2022 and October 2022, with 633 respondents, 500 of whom (79.0%) were faculty members. In total, 478 (76.6%) respondents had published articles as open access, and 571 (91.5%) wanted to publish their articles in open access. Although 540 (86.5%) respondents knew about preprints, only 183 (33.9%) had posted preprints before. In the open‐ended section of the questionnaire survey, several comments were made about the cost burdens associated with open access and the difficulty of how academic preprints are handled. Although open access is widespread, and recognition of preprints is increasing, some issues remain that need to be addressed. Academic and institutional support, and transformative agreement may help reduce the cost burden. Guidelines for handling preprints in academia are also important for responding to changes in the research environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) and VHL mutation play a crucial role in the management of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), such as guiding adjuvant chemotherapy and improving clinical outcomes. However, the time‐consuming and expensive high‐throughput sequencing methods severely limit their clinical applicability. Predicting intratumoral heterogeneity poses significant challenges in biology and clinical settings. Our aimed to develop a self‐supervised attention‐based multiple instance learning (SSL‐ABMIL) model to predict TMB and VHL mutation status from hematoxylin and eosin‐stained histopathological images. Methods: We obtained whole slide images (WSIs) and somatic mutation data of 350 ccRCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas for developing SSL‐ABMIL model. In parallel, 163 ccRCC patients from Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium cohort was used as independent external validation set. We systematically compared three different models (Wang‐ABMIL, Ciga‐ABMIL, and ImageNet‐MIL) for their ability to predict TMB and VHL alterations. Results: We first identified two groups of populations with high‐ and low‐TMB (cut‐off point = 0.9). In two independent cohorts, the Wang‐ABMIL model achieved the highest performance with decent generalization performance (AUROC = 0.83 ± 0.02 and 0.8 ± 0.04 in predicting TMB and VHL, respectively). Attention heatmaps revealed that the Wang‐ABMIL model paid the highest attention to tumor regions in high‐TMB patients, while in VHL mutation prediction, non‐tumor regions were also assigned high attention, particularly the stromal regions infiltrated by lymphocytes. Conclusions: Our results indicated that SSL‐ABMIL can effectively extract histological features for predicting TMB and VHL mutation, demonstrating promising results in linking tumor morphology and molecular biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a multifactorial disease that is part of today's epidemic and also increases the risk of other metabolic diseases. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) provide one tier of regulatory mechanisms to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Although lncRNAs are a significant constituent of the mammalian genome, studies aimed at their metabolic significance, including obesity, are only beginning to be addressed. Here, a developmentally regulated lncRNA, termed as obesity related (Obr), whose expression in metabolically relevant tissues such as skeletal muscle, liver, and pancreas is altered in diet‐induced obesity, is identified. The Clone 9 cell line and high‐fat diet‐induced obese Wistar rats are used as a model system to verify the function of Obr. By using stable expression and antisense oligonucleotide‐mediated downregulation of the expression of Obr followed by different molecular biology experiments, its role in lipid metabolism is verified. It is shown that Obr associates with the cAMP response element‐binding protein (Creb) and activates different transcription factors involved in lipid metabolism. Its association with the Creb histone acetyltransferase complex, which includes the cAMP response element‐binding protein (CBP) and p300, positively regulates the transcription of genes involved in lipid metabolism. In addition, Obr is regulated by Pparγ in response to lipid accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is a life‐threatening, inherited, nonhypertensive arteriole disease of the brain. Therapeutic strategy for CARASIL is limited because its pathogenesis is not clear. We previously reported the first family with CARASIL in China, which involves a high‐temperature requirement serine protease gene mutation (HtrA1L364P). Based on this previous study, we constructed a CARASIL mouse model (Mut‐hHtrA1L364P mouse, hereinafter referred to as Mut). This paper aimed to systematically study the behavior, pathology, and molecular biology of Mut mice and explore the pathogenesis and possible therapeutic strategies of CARASIL. Methods: Food maze and water maze experiments were used in the behavioral studies. Pathological studies were carried out by arteriole labeling staining and electron microscopy. The mRNA and protein expression levels of the key factors of TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway (TGF‐β, Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4) in the brain of the model mice were detected by immunohistochemistry, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), and Western blot assay. Results: The food maze and water maze experiment data showed significant differences between the Mut and wild‐type (WT) mice in the first time to find food, the time to contact the escape table for the first time, and the number of times to travel in the escape table quadrant (p < 0.001). The results of vascular labeling staining showed that some small arteries in the brain of Mut mice lost normal structure. The results of electron microscopy showed that the cell morphologies in the cortex and hippocampus of Mut mice were abnormal; the number of synapses was reduced; the walls of capillaries, venules, and arterioles thickened; lumen stenosis and other abnormal phenomenon occurred; and lipofuscin deposition and autophagosomes were found in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry, RT‐PCR, and Western Blot results showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF‐β, Smad2, and Smad3 in the brain of Mut mice increased to different degrees. Conclusions: The most significant innovation of this study is the first study on the pathogenesis of CARASIL disease using model animals. The Mut mice can well simulate the pathogenesis of CARASIL in behavioral and pathological aspects. The TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway, which is involved in the pathogenesis of CARASIL, is abnormally upregulated in the brain of Mut mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this special interview series, we profile members of The FEBS Journal editorial board to highlight their research focus, perspectives on the journal and future directions in their field. Rudi Beyaert is Full Professor in Molecular Biology at the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, of the University of Ghent (Belgium). He also serves as Vice‐Science Director of the Center for Inflammation Research of the VIB in Ghent, where he is heading the Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation. He has served as an Editorial Board Member of The FEBS Journal since 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cliff Tabin, a renowned researcher, has been recognized for his contributions to the field of biology. He has been elected to prestigious organizations such as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization, and the Royal Society of London. Tabin's interest in biology began during his time at MIT, where he worked on projects involving molecular genetics. He later transitioned to studying the developmental basis of evolutionary models, particularly focusing on the genetic changes responsible for the distinct sizes and morphologies of Darwin's Finches. Tabin's most significant achievement is his mentorship of numerous successful young scientists who have made significant advances in their independent research. He values giving his trainees the freedom to explore their own ideas and encourages them to choose interesting and important questions to address. Tabin's favorite paper is a 1984 study that used in situ hybridizations to confirm genetic predictions about the activity of a developmental gene in Drosophila embryos, which solidified his belief in the power of genetics to understand development and evolutionary mechanisms. [Extracted from the article]

In the treatment of refractory corneal ulcers caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antibacterial drugs delivery faces the drawbacks of low permeability and short ocular surface retention time. Hence, novel positively‐charged modular nanoparticles (NPs) are developed to load tobramycin (TOB) through a one‐step self‐assembly method based on metal‐phenolic network and Schiff base reaction using 3,4,5‐trihydroxybenzaldehyde (THBA), ε‐poly‐ʟ‐lysine (EPL), and Cu2+ as matrix components. In vitro antibacterial test demonstrates that THBA‐Cu‐TOB NPs exhibit efficient instantaneous sterilization owing to the rapid pH responsiveness to bacterial infections. Notably, only 2.6 µg mL−1 TOP is needed to eradicate P. aeruginosa biofilm in the nano‐formed THBA‐Cu‐TOB owing to the greatly enhanced penetration, which is only 1.6% the concentration of free TOB (160 µg mL−1). In animal experiments, THBA‐Cu‐TOB NPs show significant advantages in ocular surface retention, corneal permeability, rapid sterilization, and inflammation elimination. Based on molecular biology analysis, the toll‐like receptor 4 and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathways are greatly downregulated as well as the reduction of inflammatory cytokines secretions. Such a simple and modular strategy in constructing nano‐drug delivery platform offers a new idea for toxicity reduction, physiological barrier penetration, and intelligent drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides concise summaries of various scientific studies on a wide range of topics, including genetic diseases, biosensor systems, drug development, therapeutic targets, defense responses in plants, and more. The studies offer valuable insights into their respective fields and were conducted in different countries. For example, one study explores the potential use of microRNAs as a treatment for intracellular infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, while another study analyzes pathogenic transthyretin variants associated with genetic amyloidosis. Additionally, the document highlights innovative educational approaches, such as an undergraduate course that integrates UN Sustainable Development Goals and critical thinking, as well as an online biochemistry course for medical students using case studies. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides a schedule of plenary lectures covering a range of topics in biology and biochemistry, offering valuable insights for researchers in these fields. It also discusses various topics related to biochemistry and genetics, providing insights into potential applications in medicine and biotechnology. The text explores research on cellular organelles, the role of RNA molecules in the brain, and the development of biosensors for environmental monitoring. The study on the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on obesity and neurodegeneration using zebrafish as a model found that BPA induced obesity in the zebrafish and affected their brain function, suggesting a possible link between BPA exposure, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases. [Extracted from the article]

Tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs), encompassing M1 and M2 subtypes, exert significant effects on osteosarcoma (OS) progression and immunosuppression. However, the impacts of TAM‐derived biomarkers on the progression of OS remains limited. The GSE162454 profile was subjected to single‐cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing analysis to identify crucial mediators between TAMs and OS cells. The clinical features, effects and mechanisms of these mediators on OS cells and tumour microenvironment were evaluated via biological function experiments and molecular biology experiments. Phosphodiesterase 4C (PDE4C) was identified as a pivotal mediator in the communication between M2 macrophages and OS cells. Elevated levels of PDE4C were detected in OS tissues, concomitant with M2 macrophage level, unfavourable prognosis and metastasis. The expression of PDE4C was observed to increase during the conversion process of THP‐1 cells to M2 macrophages, which transferred the PDE4C mRNA to OS cells through exosome approach. PDE4C increased OS cell proliferation and mobility via upregulating the expression of collagens. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between elevated levels of PDE4C and increased TIDE score, decreased response rate following immune checkpoint therapy, reduced TMB and diminished PDL1 expression. Collectively, PDE4C derived from M2 macrophages has the potential to enhance the proliferation and mobility of OS cells by augmenting collagen expression. PDE4C may serve as a valuable biomarker for prognosticating patient outcomes and response rates following immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document contains abstracts from various scientific studies covering a range of topics in biology and related disciplines. The studies investigate maternal overnutrition and its potential link to liver disease and cancer in offspring, the inhibition of NLRP1 inflammasome activation for neuroprotection, the effects of a nicotinic intermediate on Alzheimer's disease, the use of artificial thymic organoids to study T-cell development, the inhibition of siderophore biosynthesis for Mycobacterium abscessus infections, machine learning for early prediction of ovarian cancer, transcriptomic study of nicotine catabolism, natural variation and cellular morphology patterns in epithelial cysts, new treatments for cell quiescence in acute myeloid leukemia, the impact of endocrine disruptors on cortical development, and more. These summaries provide a brief overview of the research findings and can serve as a starting point for library patrons conducting research in these areas. [Extracted from the article]

This document contains summaries of various research studies related to bone health and osteoporosis. The studies cover a range of topics, including the relationship between bone mineral density and body composition in postmenopausal women, the effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior on bone mineral density in older adults, and the association between dietary patterns and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Other studies explore the use of calcium isotopes as an indicator of bone metabolism, the treatment of iron transfusion-induced hypophosphatemic osteomalacia, and the correlation between p16ink4a expression in T-cells and chronological age as a biomarker of cellular senescence. These studies provide valuable insights into the factors influencing bone health and density in different populations. [Extracted from the article]

Fracture healing is a complex staged repair process in which the mechanical environment plays a key role. Bone tissue is very sensitive to mechanical stress stimuli, and the literature suggests that appropriate stress can promote fracture healing by altering cellular function. However, fracture healing is a coupled process involving multiple cell types that balance and limit each other to ensure proper fracture healing. The main cells that function during different stages of fracture healing are different, and the types and molecular mechanisms of stress required are also different. Most previous studies have used a single mechanical stimulus on individual mechanosensitive cells, and there is no relatively uniform standard for the size and frequency of the mechanical stress. Analyzing the mechanisms underlying the effects of mechanical stimulation on the metabolic regulation of signaling pathways in cells such as in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and osteoclasts is currently a challenging research hotspot. Grasping how stress affects the function of different cells at the molecular biology level can contribute to the refined management of fracture healing. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the relevant literature and describe the effects of mechanical stress on cells associated with fracture healing, and their possible signaling pathways, for the treatment of fractures and the further development of regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 23 and September 24, 2021, the international conference entitled "The latest achievements in biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology - 50 years of history of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland" was held in Kraków, Poland (https://jubileuszwbbib.confer.uj.edu.pl/en%5fGB/). The conference was organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Institute of Molecular Biology, which was then transformed into the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology (https://wbbib.uj.edu.pl/en GB/start-en). The latest achievements in biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology - 50 years of history of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Increased BMI has been identified as a risk factor for most pregnancy complications, but the underlying metabolic factors mediating the detrimental effects of BMI are largely unknown. We aimed to compare metabolic profiles in overweight/obese women (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m2) and normal weight/underweight women (BMI < 25 kg/m2) across gestation. We also explored how gestational weight gain (GWG) affected maternal metabolic profiles. Material and methods: Exploratory nested case–control study based on a prospective longitudinal cohort of women who were healthy prior to pregnancy and gave birth at Oslo University Hospital from 2002 to 2008. The sample consisted of 48 women who were overweight/obese and 59 normal‐weight/underweight women. Plasma samples from four time points in pregnancy (weeks 14–16, 22–24, 30–32 and 36–38) were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 91 metabolites were measured. Linear regression models were fitted for each of the metabolites at each time point. Results: Overweight or obese women had higher levels of lipids in very‐low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL), total triglycerides, triglycerides in VLDL, total fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, leucine, valine, and total branched‐chain amino acids in pregnancy weeks 14–16 compared to underweight and normal‐weight women. Docosahexaenoic acid and degree of unsaturation were significantly lower in overweight/obese women in pregnancy weeks 36–38. In addition, overweight or obese women had higher particle concentration of XXL‐VLDL and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) at weeks 14–16 and 30–32. GWG did not seem to affect the metabolic profile, regardless of BMI group when BMI was treated as a dichotomous variable, ≥25 kg/m2 (yes/no). Conclusions: Overweight or obese women had smaller pregnancy‐related metabolic alterations than normal‐weight/underweight women. There was a trend toward higher triglyceride and VLDL particle concentration in overweight/obese women. As this was a hypothesis‐generating study, the similarities with late‐onset pre‐eclampsia warrant further investigation. The unfavorable development of fatty acid composition in overweight/obese women, with possible implication for the offspring, should also be studied further in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of intravital imaging to study muscle damage and response to therapy in a mouse model of Pompe disease. Pompe disease is a lysosomal glycogen storage disorder that primarily affects muscle tissues. The researchers used a newly developed gene therapy approach and applied intravital microscopy to visualize and quantify the effectiveness of the treatment in live animals. They found that the gene therapy resulted in a reversal of pathology in multiple tissues, including the limb and tongue muscles. This study provides valuable insights into the disease progression and the potential of gene therapy as a treatment option for Pompe disease. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, Kapetanovic I et al i . address the question of how LPS activation can lead to mitochondrial fission in macrophages and show that the Tlr4-MyD88-Drp1 pathway mediates the LPS-induced fission. To address this novel question, Patton I et al i . evaluated how dendritic cells (DC) responded to clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant I Staphylococcus aureus i (MRSA) that were also daptomycin resistant or sensitive (DapR or DapS). The I Immunology & Cell Biology i Publication of the Year Awards have been established for outstanding studies submitted by first authors who are financial members of the Australian & New Zealand Society for Immunology Inc. in the year of the article's publication. [Extracted from the article]

As an undergraduate biochemistry student, I am fortunate to have encountered Professor Voet's influential textbooks early on in my studies. I used the Voet and Voet "Biochemistry" textbook in graduate school. With the death of Donald Voet in April of this year, the biochemistry community lost one of its stars. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: DNA mismatch repair; endonuclease; intrinsically disordered region; MutL homologs EN DNA mismatch repair endonuclease intrinsically disordered region MutL homologs 1 2 2 08/29/23 20230901 NES 230901 The polymerases that copy DNA are very good at their job, pairing adenines with thymines and cytosines with guanines at breakneck speed. DNA mismatch repair, endonuclease, intrinsically disordered region, MutL homologs These steps rely on a precise choreography of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions, powered by cycles of ATP binding and hydrolysis in several of the proteins.[1] Mismatch recognition is coupled to downstream events by homologs of the I Escherichia coli i MMR protein, MutL. [Extracted from the article]

Age‐associated alterations in bladder control affect millions of older adults, with a heavy burden added to families both economically and in quality of life. Therapeutic options are limited with poor efficacy in older adults, lending to a growing need to address the gaps in our current understanding of urinary tract aging. This review summarizes the current knowledge of age‐associated alterations in the structure and function of the brain–bladder axis and identifies important gaps in the field that have yet to be addressed. Urinary aging is associated with decreased tissue responsiveness, decreased control over the voiding reflex, signaling dysfunction along the brain–bladder axis, and structural changes within the bladder wall. Studies are needed to improve our understanding of how age affects the brain–bladder axis and identify genetic targets that correlate with functional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the precise role of molecular factors present in venous leg ulcer exudate will expedite the identification of biomarkers that can optimally guide treatment. However, there is now no standardized approach for collecting, processing and storing wound fluid samples for molecular analyses. This scoping review was conducted to integrate and summarize the multiple types of methods being used currently in studies of venous leg ulcers for collecting, processing and storing wound fluid prior to analysis. PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and Scopus databases were searched for eligible studies between 2012 and 2022. Nineteen studies were selected for this scoping review. Five primary methodological categories for wound fluid sampling were identified. The most commonly used collection method involved extracting the fluid from various absorbent materials, and the majority of studies centrifuged wound fluid before storing it at ultra‐low temperatures. This review found the wound fluid sampling methods among the included studies to be heterogeneous. Moreover, the data revealed no definitive patterns. There is a critical need to develop standardized wound fluid sampling methods in research to facilitate accurate comparisons of biomarker data across studies and a more rapid determination of biomarkers that can most effectively guide delivery of tailored venous leg ulcer treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertrophic scars (HS) often affect the normal function and appearance of the skin and bring adverse effects to the body and mind of patients, being a challenge in the fields of burns and plastic surgery as well as rehabilitation. Despite significant efficacy of centella triterpenes cream for treating HS clinically, its pharmacodynamics and molecular targets are still unclear. Therefore, the network pharmacology analysis combined with in vitro cell molecular biology experiments was used to explore the mechanism and targets of centella triterpenes cream treating HS in this study. Methods: First, target genes of asiaticoside (AC) were obtained from the databases including the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, similarity ensemble approach, SwissTargetPrediction and TargetNet, and HS targets were acquired from the databases like Disgenet, GeneCards, and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. The common targets of AC‐HS were obtained through plotting a Venn diagram. Subsequently, STRING 11.0 was employed for analyzing the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of the common targets, and cytoscape 3.9.0 for analyzing the connectivity of PPI and plotting the network diagram of "drug‐component‐target". Additionally, a modified tissue culture method was applied to separate primary normal fibroblasts (NFs) in human skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs). HSFs after 24‐h AC treatment were subjected to MTT assay to detect cell viability, scratch assay to assess cell migration ability, and western blot to test the protein expression levels of STAT3, p‐STAT3, transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1), collagen I (COL 1), fibronectin 1 (FN1), and alpha‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA). Results: In network pharmacology analysis, 134 pharmacodynamic targets of AC and 2333 HS targets were obtained after retrieving the database, 50 AC‐HS common targets were obtained by a Venn diagram, and a total of 178 edges and 13 core genes such as JUN and STAT3 were acquired by PPI analysis. In vitro experiments showed that the phosphorylation level of STAT3 (p‐STAT3) was increased in HSFs. In addition to reducing p‐STAT3 in HSFs, AC significantly inhibited the cell viability and migration of HSFs and downregulated the protein levels of TGF‐β1, COL 1, FN 1, and α‐SMA. Conclusion: STAT3 can be activated in HS. AC may exert its pharmacological effects of inhibiting TGF‐β1 signal transduction and regulating extracellular matrix remodeling in HS by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation. However, the specific molecular mechanism of AC remains to be verified through further experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the extraordinary progress has been made in molecular biology, the prevention of cancer remains arduous. Most solid tumours exhibit both spatial and temporal heterogeneity, which is difficult to be mimicked in vitro. Additionally, the complex biochemical and immune features of tumour microenvironment significantly affect the tumour development. Molecular imaging aims at the exploitation of tumour‐associated molecules as specific targets of customized molecular probe, thereby generating image contrast of tumour markers, and offering opportunities to non‐invasively evaluate the pathological characteristics of tumours in vivo. Particularly, there are no "standard markers" as control in clinical imaging diagnosis of individuals, so the tumour pathological characteristics‐responsive nanoprobe‐based quantitative molecular imaging, which is able to visualize and determine the accurate content values of heterogeneous distribution of pathological molecules in solid tumours, can provide criteria for cancer diagnosis. In this context, a variety of "smart" quantitative molecular imaging nanoprobes have been designed, in order to provide feasible approaches to quantitatively visualize the tumour‐associated pathological molecules in vivo. This review summarizes the recent achievements in the designs of these nanoprobes, and highlights the state‐of‐the‐art technologies in quantitative imaging of tumour‐associated pathological molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daratumumab interference with blood-compatibility testing after autologous stem cell transplantation The patient completed treatment with Daratumumab in October 2021 having received no blood transfusions throughout this time. In March 2022, 6 months after last dose of Daratumumab, two separate pre-transfusion samples were tested in the patient's referring hospital and showed no interference with serological tests, giving a negative red cell antibody screen. [Extracted from the article]

Originally, we used live-cell confocal microscopy to evaluate the inhibition of protein prenylation on living cells expressing GFP sensors. During my PhD I had to purify prenylated GFP-sensors that were modified I in planta i to analyze the nature of the isoprenoid group transferred onto the protein. However, anthranoids that are active against I Plasmodium i and I Leishmania i were screened and because these compounds were metabolized into a range of fluorescent molecules, we were unable to unmix the signal from them and our GFP sensor through standard confocal microscopy. [Extracted from the article]

Chronic wounds remain a therapeutic and financial challenge for physicians and the health care systems. Innovative, inexpensive and effective treatment methods would be of immense value. The sublesional fat grafting could be such treatment, although effectiveness and safety have only been assessed in a few randomised clinical trials. The fat graft was obtained by liposuction, washed with the Coleman method and then injected sublesional and into the wound margins after surgical debridement. For the control group, saline solution was used instead of fat. The primary endpoint was to determine the wound size reduction in both groups. The wounds were measured preoperatively, intraoperatively and 3, 7, 21 and 60 days after the intervention. A p‐value of <0.05 was considered significant. Furthermore, histology and microbiology of the wounds and pain were assessed. A temporary effect of the treatment was observed after 14 and 21 days. The wound size reduction was significantly larger in the intervention group, whereas after 60 days, no significant difference was detected between both groups. No adverse events could be reported and the pain level was almost equal in the control and intervention group. Sublesional fat grafting temporarily enhanced healing of chronic wounds. The procedure was safe and the pain level was low. Repeated interventions could lead to complete wound closure, which should be determined in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some species, permanent curtailment of reproduction part‐way through the lifespan of adult females is a feature of their evolved life history. The existence of such a post‐reproductive life stage is apparently rare; reasonably robust evidence for this is confined to only six species (humans, Asian elephants and four whales). That it occurs at all appears to contradict our view of natural selection operating to maximize fitness and special circumstances must exist to explain its occurrence. We evaluate the main hypotheses posited to explain the evolution of this life stage, why it occurs in a restricted group of animals, and why only in females. We bring together literature from multiple biological disciplines and levels of enquiry, ranging through evolutionary ecology, developmental biology, physiology, neuroscience, molecular biology, and human medicine. We conclude that while time‐limited fertility is not in itself adaptive, the duration of subsequent survival is likely to be linked to inclusive fitness benefits. We present a new hypothesis which posits that the duration of female fertility in certain long‐lived, highly encephalised species, with no post‐natal oogenesis, is limited by the need for intense screening of oocyte mitochondria. This is required to support endothermy coupled with the very high energy requirement for the development and maintenance of the exceptionally large brain size required for complex social living. This limits the number and shelf‐life of oocytes, creating an antagonistically pleotropic effect that is beneficial to the production of high performing offspring but carries the later life cost of time‐limited female fertility. But the end of the fertile period is no time to die. Inclusive fitness benefits arising from protracted parental care of offspring, overlapping generations, and kin group structures means that continued survival of post‐reproductive females is favoured by selection. We suggest further lines of research to test these ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the significant impact of regular physical activity/exercise (PA/PE) on health, disease prevention, and its potential role in enhancing resilience. It emphasizes the relevance of PA/PE in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, where not meeting PA guidelines has been associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 complications.