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The paper industry faces two critical challenges: the scarcity of raw materials and the environmental impact of chemical waste pollution. Addressing the first challenge involves harnessing alternative, sustainable raw materials, while the second challenge can be mitigated through the adoption of bio-bleaching processes, which significantly reduce chemical consumption while enhancing paper brightness and quality. This study proposes a solution to both challenges by using non-woody Calotropis procera (Ankara) and a xylanase-producing microbial consortium for sustainable handmade paper production, a combination not extensively explored in prior research. To evaluate this approach, the process was divided into three stages. In stage I, Ankara fibre was pulped through open hot digestion. In stage II, the pulp was subjected to bio-bleaching in two experimental setups: Set I (without sucrose) and Set II (with sucrose) for 5 days. In stage III, chemical bleaching was used to improve the final brightness of the treated pulps. A novel comparison was made between the bio-bleaching efficiency of an individual isolate g5 (BI) and a bacterial consortium (BC). This research highlighted that bio-bleaching with the consortium effectively removed lignin (140±60 mg/l) and colour (1830±50 PCU), especially in the presence of sucrose, compared to using a single xylanase isolate. Pulp residue/filtrate collected at each stage was estimated based on parameters such as colour and lignin content. After stage III (chemical bleaching), the release of colour and lignin in pulp filtrate was higher in BI compared to BC, indicating the consortium's effectiveness during bio-bleaching, which leaves fewer degradable lignin structures for the chemical bleaching stage. Papers crafted from consortium-treated pulp also exhibited higher brightness than those treated with the isolate. This study reveals the synergistic effect of microbial consortia, leading to more efficient lignin degradation and enhanced bio-bleaching capabilities, supporting the development of greener industrial processes. Ultimately, this study demonstrates a unique and eco-friendly approach to papermaking, combining C. procera and enzymatic bio-bleaching to reduce dependency on hazardous chemicals and support sustainable industry practices.

Abstract Background Lignocellulosic biomasses produced from agriculture and forest-based industries are the cheapest or negative-cost biomass with a great potential for biotransformation to value-added bioproducts. Paper mill sludge, an important lignocellulosic biomass creates an environmental threat, which requires financial input for disposal. Thus, this study was aimed to isolate a novel bacterial strain capable of degrading cellulosic biomass including paper mill sludge to produce reducing sugar and other value-added bioproducts. Results A novel bacterial strain Arthrobacter woluwensis TDS9 isolated from the soil was screened for its cellulolytic activity using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the sole carbon source. The incubation period, temperature, pH, carbon, and nitrogen sources are the most important factors ruling the CMCase and sugar productions of the strain A. woluwensis TDS9, and an alkaline pH (pH 8.0) led to enhanced sugar production up to 1100.09 μg/mL after 72 h of incubation at 25°C in a medium containing 1.5% CMC and 1.25% beef extract. The optimal conditions for maximum CMCase activity were defined, and the potassium ion boosted the CMCase activity up to 1.06 U/mL when the enzymatic reaction was performed for 30 min at 50°C and pH 8 using CMC as a substrate. Moreover, the strain A. woluwensis TDS9 produced 433.33 μg/mL reducing sugar from 1% pretreated paper mill sludge. Significant alterations in the structural arrangement of cellulosic fiber of paper mill sludge observed under microscope after each step of chemical treatment process helped for loosening the cellulose fibers and increased the saccharification for enzymatic hydrolysis. Endoglucanase IV (33 KDa) and beta-glucosidase II (53 KDa) were identified in crude enzyme based on the zymogram analysis and substrate specificity. Conclusions The research has for the first time proved that this A. woluwensis TDS9 strain can efficiently convert cellulose. Therefore, the strain TDS9 could be a potential candidate for cellulase production in an industrial biotransformation process of paper mill sludge to produce reducing sugar. This sugar stream can be further used as a substrate to produce biofuels and other organic acids using another microorganism, which represents a greener alternative to add value to the paper production helping paper mill industries.

The dialogue between population genetics and evolutionary biology, which historically followed separate paths, has now developed into a complex and interdisciplinary field of study [...]

From the beginning of the paper-making process, the pulp and paper industry has utilized a large amount of water and generated a vast amount of highly polluted wastewater. The paper industry faces global pressure to reduce water use and lower environmental pollution. However, traditional physicochemical methods of wastewater treatment need high energy input, and their ecological impact is questionable. Due to the zero discharged policy, the industries urgently require novel eco-friendly, sustainable, and efficient treatment techniques. Microbial technology is the most recommended option to treat wastewater and support sustainable growth. The present article describes the overview of traditional and novel methods, including membrane bioreactor (MBR) and moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology's with their current state and their limits for treating pulp and paper wastewater. It is expected to integrate the novel methods with advanced hybrid technology to fulfill wastewater treatment criteria and prospects. Furthermore, coupling MBR and MBBR technology make energy and water recovery possible, and recycling wastewater will be economically and environmentally feasible.

Immunogenicity has imposed a challenge to efficacy and safety evaluation of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-based gene therapies. Mild to severe adverse events observed in clinical development have been implicated with host immune responses against AAV gene therapies, resulting in comprehensive evaluation of immunogenicity during nonclinical and clinical studies mandated by health authorities. Immunogenicity of AAV gene therapies is complex due to the number of risk factors associated with product components and pre-existing immunity in human subjects. Different clinical mitigation strategies have been employed to alleviate treatment-induced or -boosted immunogenicity in order to achieve desired efficacy, reduce toxicity, or treat more patients who are seropositive to AAV vectors. In this review, the immunogenicity risk assessment, manifestation of immunogenicity and its impact in nonclinical and clinical studies, and various clinical mitigation strategies are summarized. Last, we present bioanalytical strategies, methodologies, and assay validation applied to appropriately monitor immunogenicity in AAV gene therapy-treated subjects.

Polistes hebraeus (Smith) is a common paper wasp species of subfamily Polistinae. The clinical potential allergic reaction after stings and valuable venom components of P. hebraeus make it a medical importance species. Here, the mitochondrial genome of P. hebraeus was analyzed. The mitogenome was 19,262 bp in length including 22 transfer RNAs (tRNA) and 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNA). The protein coding gene (PCGs) number and order are consistent with existing records of Polistidae. The nucleotide composition is AT: 84.5% and CG: 15.5% which are largely similar with other complete Polistidae mitogenome (15.27 ∼ 19.16%). The available mitogenome resources of Polistidae species and P. hebraeus were used to construct the phylogenetic tree. It showed that the genus Polistes could clearly seperated from Parapolybia, and the relationship in Polistes was consistent with previous studies. This mitogenome resource can contribute to further phylogenetic and taxonomic study on paper wasp.

Abstract For researchers, writing a paper is an essential task, and it is crucial for them to have an environment to facilitate the paper writing process. In addition, writing in English is more difficult for many non-native English speakers. The Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS) provides researchers in the life sciences with several text-mining related services, such as Allie and inMeXes, which were developed to facilitate paper writing. Allie is an abbreviation database that shows researchers expanded forms and several relevant data, such as the papers that contain the abbreviations and their corresponding expanded forms. Since a large amount of abbreviations are coined, remembering their meanings is difficult, even in one’s research field. Therefore, Allie helps one lookup abbreviations. inMeXes is an incremental search service for English phrases appearing in PubMed. Researchers can learn English phrases used in life science papers, such as the use of prepositions or widely used phrases that contain a specific word. Allie and inMeXes are updated monthly and yearly, respectively, to provide the latest information.

Social interactions have large effects on individual physiology and fitness. In the immediate sense, social stimuli are often highly salient and engaging. Over longer time scales, competitive interactions often lead to distinct social ranks and differences in physiology and behavior. Understanding how initial responses lead to longer-term effects of social interactions requires examining the changes in responses over time. Here we examined the effects of social interactions on transcriptomic signatures at two times, at the end of a 45-minute interaction and 4 hours later, in female Polistes fuscatus paper wasp foundresses. Female P. fuscatus have variable facial patterns that are used for visual individual recognition, so we separately examined the transcriptional dynamics in the optic lobe and the non-visual brain. Results demonstrate much stronger transcriptional responses to social interactions in the non-visual brain compared to the optic lobe. Differentially regulated genes in response to social interactions are enriched for memory-related transcripts. Comparisons between winners and losers of the encounters revealed similar overall transcriptional profiles at the end of an interaction, which significantly diverged over the course of 4 hours, with losers showing changes in expression levels of genes associated with aggression and reproduction in paper wasps. On nests, subordinate foundresses are less aggressive, do more foraging and lay fewer eggs compared to dominant foundresses and we find losers shift expression of many genes in the non-visual brain, including vitellogenin, related to aggression, worker behavior, and reproduction within hours of losing an encounter. These results highlight the early neurogenomic changes that likely contribute to behavioral and physiological effects of social status changes in a social insect.

Theodosius Dobzhansky famously wrote in 1973 that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” [...]

Competency in mathematics is needed to respond to the vast employment opportunities available in the STEM sectors. These employment opportunities all require basic foundational mathematics skills, yet there is a shortfall of mathematics abilities due, in-part, to mathematics anxiety. Mathematics anxiety can surface as fear and avoidance of mathematics and has been linked to low mathematics performance and ability (Ashcraft, 2002; Luttenberger et al., 2018). This thought paper (Snell, n.d.), paper begins with a synthesis of research on mathematics anxiety including the known causal factors: cognitive/affective, social, and genetic as well as the recently proposed causal factor, missed opportunity (Brewster & Miller, 2020). Missed opportunity refers to cases where an individual who is capable academically to comprehend mathematics but has missed the opportunity to learn basic foundational skills in mathematics. Missing the opportunity to learn foundational concepts in mathematics places great stress, which can result in feelings of anxiety. Next, a synthesis of interventions for mathematics anxiety such as mindfulness exercises (Brunyé et al., 2013) and expressive writing (Brewster & Miller, 2022; Park et al., 2014) are discussed, which led to the realization that interventions are more complex than previously reported given that other factors can affect interventions such as duration of writing, quality of instruction, or additional stressors causing anxiety, including test anxiety. Knowing the causal factors influencing an individual's mathematics anxiety may prove beneficial to designing more focused and influential interventions.

When students think of evolution, they might imagine T. rex, or perhaps an abiotic scene of sizzling electrical storms and harsh reducing atmospheres, an Earth that looks like a lunar landscape. Natural selection automatically elicits responses that include "survival of the fittest," and "descent with modification," and with these historical biological catch phrases, one conjures up images of large animals battling it out on the Mesozoic plane. Rarely do teachers or students apply these same ideas to cancer and the evolution of somatic cells, which have accrued mutations and epigenetic imprinting and relentlessly survive and proliferate. Our questions in this paper include the following: Can cancer become an important teaching model for students to explore fundamental hypotheses about evolutionary process? Can the multi-step somatic cancer model encourage visualizations that enable students to revisit and reenter previous primary concepts in general biology such as the cell, mitosis, chromosomes, genetic diversity, ecological diversity, immune function, and of course evolution, continually integrating their biology knowledge into process and pattern knowledge? Can the somatic cancer model expose similar patterns and protagonists, linking Darwinian observations of the natural world to our body? And, can the cancer clone model excite critical thinking and student hypotheses about what cancer is as a biological process? Does this visually simple model assist students in recognizing patterns, connecting their biological curriculum dots into a more coherent learning experience? These biological dynamics and intercepting aptitudes of cells are amplified through the cancer model and can help shape the way biology students begin to appreciate the interrelatedness of all biological systems while they continue to explore pivotal points of biological fuzziness, such as the microbiome, limitations of models, and the complex coordination of genomic networks required for the function of even a single cell and the realization of phenotypes. In this paper we use clonal evolution of cancer as a model experience for students to recreate how a single, non-germline cell appears to shadow the classic pattern of natural selection in body cells that have gone awry. With authentic STEAM activities students can easily crossover and revisit previous biological topics and the ubiquitous nature of natural selection as seen in the example of somatic cells that result in a metastasizing tumor, giving students insight into natural selection's accommodating and tractable patterns throughout the planet.

Background: The most impactful research on pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains unknown. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the characteristics and impact of the 100 most-cited articles on pediatric T1D. Materials and Methods: Using a predefined bibliometric strategy, the Scopus database was searched for high-cited papers (HCPs) published from 2001 to 2020. Articles were evaluated for data on the publication year, countries, authors, journals, topics, and types. Social network analysis was performed to visualize the interaction among countries, organizations, and authors using VOSviewer software. Results: The top 100 HCPs received 390 to 4634 citations, averaging 773.5 citations per paper (CPP). The funded HCPs (n = 50) had a higher impact (CPP 791.5). The majority of HCPs (n = 83) were collaborative. Classifying by research type, 65 studies were clinical (n = 65), risk factors (n = 27), epidemiology (n = 26), pathophysiology (n = 16), treatment outcome (n = 13), genetics (n = 12), complications (n = 3), quality of life (n = 2), and prognosis (n = 1). The number of authors involved was 1,101, affiliated with 545 organizations in 27 countries; the USA (n = 64) and the UK (n = 24) were the most productive countries, whereas Australia and the UK were the most impactful. D.M. Nathan and J.M. Lawrence were the most prolific authors, while P. Raskin and J.M. Lachin were the most impactful. Conclusions: High-income countries such as the USA, UK, and Australia contribute significantly to high-impact pediatric T1D research. Funding and collaboration improve the impact of citations in publications. Less researched areas such as treatment outcomes, genetics, complications, quality of life, and prognosis should be the focus of future research on pediatric T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in case studies and surveys by researchers of second language acquisition (SLA) and cognitive (neuro-)science to probe into the group of exceptionally talented multilingual learners or polyglots who can understand and speak an impressive number of multiple foreign languages other than their own mother tongue. The current paper reviews these latest developments and elucidates the phenomenon of (hyper-)polyglottism by tracing and analyzing its definitions and synthesizing and highlighting the key findings of case studies and large-scale surveys. Specifically, we aim to illuminate the complex and intricate relationships between hyperpolyglots' exceptional multilingual talents and their individual differences in language aptitude and other cognitive abilities such as IQ, personality traits, motivational characteristics, and language genetic variations, as well as their brain mechanisms and neural networks. The present paper calls upon concerted efforts from multiple disciplines to determine the critical cognitive abilities and pivotal developmental stages underlying the exceptional performance of these multilingual talents and hyperpolyglots.

R.A. Fisher's 1922 paper On the dominance ratio has a strong claim to be the foundation paper for modern population genetics. It greatly influenced subsequent work by Haldane and Wright, and contributed 3 major innovations to the study of evolution at the genetic level. First, the introduction of a general model of selection at a single locus, which showed how variability could be maintained by heterozygote advantage. Second, the use of the branching process approach to show that a beneficial mutation has a substantial chance of loss from the population, even when the population size is extremely large. Third, the invention of the concept of a probability distribution of allele frequency, caused by random sampling of allele frequencies due to finite population size, and the first use of a diffusion equation to investigate the properties of such a distribution. Although Fisher was motivated by an inference that later turned out to lack strong empirical support (a substantial contribution of dominance to quantitative trait variability), and his use of a diffusion equation was marred by a technical mistake, the paper introduced concepts and methods that pervade much subsequent work in population genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging field of genomic medicine offers an opportunity for biology and anatomy teachers to bring the topics of DNA, genetics, molecular processes, and evolution together into one experience. Through the genomic medicine paradigm, students see the unbroken connection between small biological topics such as mutations and their potential connection to disease phenotypes. In this paper, we present as a main example cystic fibrosis, which is an often-studied genetic disease in general biology class, for examination through the genomic medicine lens. Concepts such as genes, the plasma membrane, variation, mutations, the nucleus, and chromosomes can be used in a narrative and visual approach to genetics through the genomic medicine standpoint to engage and connect students with next-generation genomics and with the fundamental unit of life -- the cell. It is through the genomic medicine lens that the cell's context and relationship to the evolving world takes place.

Introduction: The majority of peppers in the US for fresh market and processing are handpicked, and harvesting can account for 20-50% of production costs. Innovation in mechanical harvesting would increase availability; lower the costs of local, healthy vegetable products; and perhaps improve food safety and expand markets. Most processed peppers require removal of pedicels (stem and calyx) from the fruit, but lack of an efficient mechanical process for this operation has hindered adoption of mechanical harvest. In this paper, we present characterization and advancements in breeding green chile peppers for mechanical harvesting. Specifically, we describe inheritance and expression of an easy-destemming trait derived from the landrace UCD-14 that facilitates machine harvest of green chiles. Methods: A torque gauge was used for measuring bending forces similar to those of a harvester and applied to two biparental populations segregating for destemming force and rate. Genotyping by sequencing was used to generate genetic maps for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses. Results: A major destemming QTL was found on chromosome 10 across populations and environments. Eight additional population and/or environment-specific QTL were also identified. Chromosome 10 QTL markers were used to help introgress the destemming trait into jalapeño-type peppers. Low destemming force lines combined with improvements in transplant production enabled mechanical harvest of destemmed fruit at a rate of 41% versus 2% with a commercial jalapeńo hybrid. Staining for the presence of lignin at the pedicel/fruit boundary indicated the presence of an abscission zone and homologs of genes known to affect organ abscission were found under several QTL, suggesting that the easy-destemming trait may be due to the presence and activation of a pedicel/fruit abscission zone. Conclusion: Presented here are tools to measure the easy-destemming trait, its physiological basis, possible molecular pathways, and expression of the trait in various genetic backgrounds. Mechanical harvest of destemmed mature green chile fruits was achieved by combining easy-destemming with transplant management.

Abstract Background Broussonetia papyrifera is an economically significant tree with high utilization value, yet its cultivation is often constrained by soil contamination with heavy metals (HMs). Effective scientific cultivation management, which enhances the yield and quality of B. papyrifera, necessitates an understanding of its regulatory mechanisms in response to HM stress. Results Twelve Metallothionein (MT) genes were identified in B. papyrifera. Their open reading frames ranged from 186 to 372 bp, encoding proteins of 61 to 123 amino acids with molecular weights between 15,473.77 and 29,546.96 Da, and theoretical isoelectric points from 5.24 to 5.32. Phylogenetic analysis classified these BpMTs into three subclasses: MT1, MT2, and MT3, with MT2 containing seven members and MT3 only one. The expression of most BpMT genes was inducible by Cd, Mn, Cu, Zn, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, particularly BpMT2e, BpMT2d, BpMT2c, and BpMT1c, which showed significant responses and warrant further study. Yeast cells expressing these BpMT genes exhibited enhanced tolerance to Cd, Mn, Cu, and Zn stresses compared to control cells. Yeasts harboring BpMT1c, BpMT2e, and BpMT2d demonstrated higher accumulation of Cd, Cu, Mn, and Zn, suggesting a chelation and binding capacity of BpMTs towards HMs. Site-directed mutagenesis of cysteine (Cys) residues indicated that mutations in the C domain of type 1 BpMT led to increased sensitivity to HMs and reduced HM accumulation in yeast cells; While in type 2 BpMTs, the contribution of N and C domain to HMs’ chelation possibly corelated to the quantity of Cys residues. Conclusion The BpMT genes are crucial in responding to diverse HM stresses and are involved in ABA signaling. The Cys-rich domains of BpMTs are pivotal for HM tolerance and chelation. This study offers new insights into the structure-function relationships and metal-binding capabilities of type-1 and − 2 plant MTs, enhancing our understanding of their roles in plant adaptation to HM stresses.

The objective of this paper is to analyze the nesting success and nest building behavior of myna, Acridotheres tristis, using paper/plastic Myna in artificial nest. The boxes were placed at different sites, including University Town, Rahat Abad and Qadir Abad in Peshawar City, Pakistan. The artificial nests were designed 56 × 22 cm and 21 × 16 cm in dimension with respective opening of 8 cm and 7 cm. Total number of artificial nests were 55, therein, number of successful next recorded 42 and unsuccessful 13. Artificial nests were installed in breeding season of common myna. Total nesting success was 85.71 in March-April; 68.18 in May-June and 78.94 in July-August 2022. Nest losses were recorded during six months (March to August). Total success rate (%) was 76.36% and the mean (± SD) number of plastic collected as nesting material per day was 18.8 ± 3.12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding genetics, an important topic in the study of biology, is critical for scientific literacy in agriculture, health, and forensic investigations. However, it has been observed that teachers find genetics difficult to teach and pupils do not perform well in it. Teachers can use expository teaching or active learning methods, but the secondary school curriculum in Malawi advocates the latter. The aim of this study was to find out how genetics is taught and how teachers justify their choice of method. This study used a multi-case design involving six teachers and observed their Mendelian genetics lessons and asked them to justify their choice of teaching method. The findings show that teachers mostly use expository methods utilizing lecture and question and answer teaching techniques. Contextual factors such as large classes, limited teaching time, and lack of resources were cited as reasons for their choice of expository techniques. In addition, they said that the topic was abstract and learners could not construct their own understanding. Furthermore, they indicated that they did not know what activities to arrange for the learners. The paper discusses the difficulties experienced in implementing active learning methods in teaching genetics and recommends possible avenues for teacher education and further research in Malawi.