Functional Adaptation Research Articles

Deep Crotonylproteomics Analysis of High-Altitude Exposure Hearts in Mice.

The potential molecular mechanisms of short-term adaptation and long-term structural deteriorations in the cardiac structure in response to high altitude remain not fully understood. This study aims to investigate changes in the crotonylproteome in the hearts of mice exposed to high altitude at different time points. The hearts were obtained from mice living at the lowland and 3, 10, and 30 days after arriving at a plateau. Crotonyllysolylated proteins were subsequently comprehensively evaluated. Among the identified 13,731 crotonyllysine sites, 11,140 were quantified. Furthermore, 1247 differentially expressed crotonyllysine sites on 764 proteins in 46 pathways were analyzed, and the results showed that the abundance of crotonylation increased with the increase of exposure time to altitude. Functional enrichment analysis showed that most of these significantly altered crotonylated proteins were enriched in the regulation of metabolism and myocardial function, indicating that these enriched biological processes may be involved in the acute adaptation and chronic remodeling of cardiac function and structural changes at a high altitude. Our study uncovers some crotonylation-affected processes and pathways in the heart's response to high-altitude exposure, giving novel insights into molecular processes of cardiac function and structure changes at high altitude (ProteomeXchange identifier: PXD044178).

Mitochondrial Genome Analysis of Babesia ovis (Apicomplexa: Babesiidae) Endemic in Sheep in Türkiye.

This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the mitochondrial genome of Babesia ovis, a significant pathogen in ovine babesiosis in Türkiye. The B. ovis mitochondrial genome is a linear monomeric molecule of 6015 bp with an A + T content of 70.5%, featuring terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) at both ends. It encodes three essential proteins (Cox1, Cox3, and Cob) and six fragments of large subunit rRNA genes. Comparative analysis revealed high sequence identity with Babesia sp. Xinjiang (87.5%) and Babesia sp. Dunhuang (87.5%), suggesting a close evolutionary relationship. The study highlights the conservation of mitochondrial gene content across Babesia and Theileria species, emphasizing their utility in phylogenetic studies. The findings also suggest that TIR variability plays a role in mitochondrial genome size differences, influencing species-specific adaptations. This research provides valuable insights into the evolution and functional adaptations of B. ovis and underscores the potential of mitochondrial genomic data in enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for babesiosis. Further exploration of mitochondrial genomes in Babesia species is essential for understanding their biology and developing effective control measures.

Host trees partially explain the complex bacterial communities of two threatened saproxylic beetles.

Microorganisms are integral to ecosystem functioning and host adaptation, yet the understanding of microbiomes in diverse beetle taxa remains limited. We conducted a comprehensive study to investigate the microbial composition of two red flat bark beetle species, Cucujus haematodes and C. cinnaberinus, and assessed the influence of host taxonomic relatedness and host tree species on their microbiomes. We sampled 67 larvae of two Cucujus taxa taken from 11 host tree species. 16S rRNA V4 fragment sequencing revealed distinct microbial communities associated with each Cucujus species, with host tree species significantly influencing microbiome composition. Alpha and beta diversity metrics indicated significant differences between microbial communities in both beetle and host tree species. Principal component analysis indicated distinct clustering based on host tree species but not for beetle species. This overlap could be attributed to the similar ecology of both Cucujus species. The detection of various bacteria, among which some have already been reported in saproxylophagous beetles, suggests that the red flat bark beetles ingest the bacteria via foraging on other wood-dwelling invertebrates. Our findings show the complex interplay between host taxonomy, microhabitat and microbial composition in Cucujus, providing insights into their ecological roles and conservation implications. This research helps to fill the gap in understanding the microbial dynamics of saproxylic beetles, sheds light on factors shaping their microbiomes and highlights the importance of considering both host species and environmental conditions when studying insect-microbe interactions in forest ecosystems.

RNA editing-induced structural and functional adaptations of NAD9 in Triticum aestivum under drought stress.

Mitochondria are essential organelles in eukaryotic cells, producing ATP through the electron transport chain to supply energy for cellular activities. Beyond energy production, mitochondria play crucial roles in cellular signaling, stress responses, and the regulation of reactive oxygen species. In plants, mitochondria are one of the keys to responding to environmental stresses which can significantly affect crop productivity, particularly in crops like wheat. RNA editing, a post-transcriptional RNA modification process in mitochondria, is linked to regulating these stress responses. This study explores RNA editing patterns in the nad9 gene of wheat drought-tolerant (Giza168) and drought-sensitive (Gemmiza10) wheat cultivars under drought stress to understand plant adaptation mechanisms. RNA-seq data for these cultivars were analyzed using CLC Genomic Workbench to identify RNA editing sites in the nad9 gene, examining subsequent amino acid changes and predicting secondary structure modifications. These RNA editing sites were validated using qRT-PCR on drought-treated seedlings at 0, 2, and 12 hours post-treatment. Protein models were generated using AlphaFold, with functional predictions and structure verification conducted using various bioinformatics tools to investigate the effect of RNA editing on protein level. The results showed significant RNA editing events, especially C-to-T conversions, in the nad9 gene across different drought exposure times. Giza168 had 22 editing sites, while Gemmiza10 had 19, with several showing significant differences between control and stress conditions. RNA editing influenced the NAD9 protein's secondary structure, particularly beta sheets, and 3D modeling highlighted the structural impacts of these edits. The N-terminal region of NAD9 contained important regulatory motifs, suggesting a complex regulatory environment. This study reveals key editing sites that differ between drought-tolerant and sensitive wheat cultivars, impacting NAD9 protein structures and highlighting the role of RNA editing in enhancing drought resilience. Additionally, the study suggests potential regulatory mechanisms, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination that influence mitochondrial stability and function.

Family Resources and Parental Problem-Solving Skills Mediate Family Functioning and Family Adaptation in Families of Children With Cancer.

To explore the mediating roles of family resources (at the individual [parental self-efficacy], family [family resilience] and social level [social support]) and parental problem-solving skills in the association between family functioning and family adaptation in families of children with cancer. A cross-sectional study. This study recruited 318 parents of children with cancer from three tertiary hospitals in mainland China. Self-report questionnaires were used to collect data on key variables, including family functioning, parental self-efficacy, family resilience, social support, parental problem-solving skills and family adaptation. Data analyses were carried out using descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical linear regression and bootstrapping. Family functioning was significantly and positively correlated with family adaptation. Family resources (parental self-efficacy at the individual level, family resilience at the family level or social support at the social level) and parental problem-solving skills both independently mediated the relationship between family functioning and family adaptation. Additionally, family resources at all three levels mediated the relationship through their effects on cumulatively parental problem-solving skills, constructing a chain mediating model. The study underscores the significance of family functioning, family resources at the individual, family and social levels and parental problem-solving skills in promoting adaptation in families of children with cancer. It highlights the need for family-centred interventions targeted at these factors to improve family adaptation. This study extended related theories and previous studies to confirm the mediating role of family resources and parental problem-solving skills, both independently and sequentially. Moreover, parental problem-solving skills were confirmed as key elements that can be incorporated into future interventions, suggesting that problem-solving skills training may serve as a highly promising program for families of children with cancer. This study was reported according to the STROBE checklist. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Heart Rate Variability in Basketball: The Golden Nugget of Holistic Adaptation?

The main aim of this narrative review is to assess the existing body of scientific literature on heart rate variability (HRV) in relation to basketball, focusing on its use as a measure of internal load and vagal nerve responses. Monitoring HRV offers insights into the autonomic function and training-induced adaptations of basketball players. Various HRV measurement protocols, ranging from short-term to longer durations, can be conducted in different positions and conditions, such as rest, training, and sleep, to determine this key metric. Consistency and individualization in measurement protocols, responding to the athlete’s specific characteristics, is crucial for reliable HRV data and their interpretation. Studies on HRV in basketball have explored psychological adaptation, training effects, individual differences, recovery, and sleep quality. Biofeedback techniques show positive effects on HRV and anxiety reduction, potentially enhancing performance and stress management. The scientific literature on HRV in basketball could benefit from studies involving longer monitoring periods to identify significant trends and results related to training and recovery. Longitudinal HRV monitoring in teams with intense travel schedules could reveal the impact on athletes of all levels and ages, and, in this regard, individualized interpretation, considering the subjective recovery and fitness levels of athletes, is recommended to optimize training programs and performance. HRV provides insights into training and competitive loads, aiding in determining exercise intensities and training status. Additionally, HRV is linked to recovery and sleep quality, offering valuable information for optimizing player performance and well-being. Overall, HRV is a reliable tool for adjusting training programs to meet the specific needs of basketball players.

Dairy and nondairy proteins as nano-architecture structures for delivering phenolic compounds: Unraveling their molecular interactions to maximize health benefits.

Phenolic compounds are recognized for their benefits against degenerative diseases. Clinical and nutritional applications are limited by their low solubility, stability, and bioavailability, compromising their efficacy. Natural macromolecules, such as lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins, employed as delivery systems can efficiently overcome these limitations. In this sense, proteins are attractive due to their biocompatibility and dynamic structure properties, functional adaptability and self-assembly capabilities, offering stability, efficient encapsulation, and controlled release. This review explores the potential use of dairy proteins, caseins, and whey proteins, and, alternatively, nondairy proteins, gelatin, human serum albumin, maize zein, and soybean proteins, in building wall materials for the delivery of phenolic compounds. To optimize performance, aspects, such as protein-phenolic affinity and complex stability/activity, should be considered when designing particle nano-architecture. Molecular interactions between protein-phenolic compound complexes are, thus, further discussed, as well as the effects of temperature and pH and strategies to stabilize and preserve nano-architecture and retain phenolic compound activity. All proteins harbor one or more putative binding sites, shared or not, depending on the phenolic compound. Preservation techniques are still a case-to-case study, as no behavior patterns among different complexes are noted. Safety aspects necessary for the marketing of nanoproducts, such as characterization, toxicity assessments, and post-market monitoring as defined by the European Food Safety Authority and the Food and Drug Administration, are discussed, evidencing the need for a unified regulation. This review broadens our understanding and opens new opportunities for the development of novel protein-based nanocarriers to obtain more effective and stable products, enhancing phenolic compound delivery and health benefits.

Functional Adaptation in the Brain Habenulo-Mesencephalic Pathway During Cannabinoid Withdrawal.

The mesolimbic reward system originating from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain shows a profound reduction in function during cannabinoid withdrawal. This condition may underlie aversive states that lead to compulsive drug seeking and relapse. The lateral habenula (LHb) exerts negative control over the VTA via the GABA rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg), representing a potential convergence point for drug-induced opponent processes. We hypothesized that the LHb-RMTg pathway might be causally involved in the hypodopaminergic state during cannabinoid withdrawal. To induce Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dependence, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with THC (15 mg/kg, i.p.) twice daily for 6.5-7 days. Administration of the cannabinoid antagonist rimonabant (5 mg/kg, i.p.) precipitated a robust behavioral withdrawal syndrome, while abrupt THC suspension caused milder signs of abstinence. Extracellular single unit recordings confirmed a marked decrease in the discharge frequency and burst firing of VTA dopamine neurons during THC withdrawal. The duration of RMTg-evoked inhibition was longer in THC withdrawn rats. Additionally, the spontaneous activity of RMTg neurons and of LHb neurons was strongly depressed during cannabinoid withdrawal. These findings support the hypothesis that functional changes in the habenulo-mesencephalic circuit are implicated in the mechanisms underlying substance use disorders.

The impact of exercise intensity and duration for swim training-induced adaptations in cardiac structure and function in women with mild hypertension.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of swim training intensity and duration on cardiac structure and function in mildly hypertensive women. Sixty-two mildly hypertensive women were randomized to 15 weeks of either (1) high-intensity swimming (HIS, n = 21), (2) moderate-intensity swimming (MOD, n = 21) or (3) control (CON, n = 20). Training sessions occurred three times per week. Cardiac measurements were conducted using echocardiography pre- and post-intervention. Both the HIS and MOD groups demonstrated significant within-group increases in left ventricular mass: 7.3% [1.2; 13.2] (p = 0.02) for HIS and 6.2% [0.5; 11.8] (p = 0.03) for MOD. The MOD group also demonstrated a significant increase in left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole by 2.4% [0.2; 4.6] (p = 0.03).Post-hoc analysis of diastolic function markers revealed reduced mitral valve A velocity in both HIS (-14% [-25; -3], p = 0.02) and MOD (-13% [-23; -3], p = 0.01), leading to increased mitral valve E/A ratios of 27% [10; 47] (p = 0.003) and 22% [5; 40] (p = 0.01), respectively. Additionally, only MOD demonstrated increased left atrial diameter of 4.9% [0.7; 9.1] (p =0.02). A significant time×group effect (p = 0.02) existed for global longitudinal strain, which increased by 1.6% [0.2; 3.0] (p = 0.03) in MOD only. In conclusion, swim training for 15 weeks increased left ventricular mass and improved markers of diastolic function in mildly hypertensive women. These independent of exercise intensity and duration in mildly hypertensive women.

Brainwave Patterns and Metabolic Adaptations in Rowers Crossing the Atlantic: A Case Series Pilot Study.

This pilot study was designed to test the hypothesis that quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) measurements reflect physiological adaptations for brain energy reallocation. The study focused on a team of three well-matched male rowers participating in a 30-day, 2,650-mile continuous transatlantic rowing competition, examining the effects of extreme, prolonged stress on brain function and metabolic adaptations. Measurements at the start and finish lines included body weight, height, waist circumference, body fat, and a panel of hormones and biochemical markers. Post-race qEEG parameters were recorded under eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions. qEEG data were compared to a reference population (ages 6-90 years) and to an age-matched 27-year-old male medical student serving as a control subject. qEEG analysis evaluated voltage amplitudes, wave distribution patterns, theta-to-beta ratios (TBR), and coherence levels. Hormonal changes and oxidative stress markers were also assessed before and after race. Two rowers exhibited post-race dominance of high-frequency beta activity, while one displayed co-dominance of delta and beta waves. Compared to the control subject (TBR = 1.25), the rowers' low TBRs (< 0.2) indicated high vigilance and low relaxation during EC conditions. Cortisol levels increased in all rowers and were associated with beta coherence >1 SD above the reference mean. Testosterone decreased in two rowers but increased in one; the smallest cortisol increase corresponded with the largest testosterone decrement. Decreases in oxidative stress markers correlated with a shift from right- to left-sided alpha asymmetry, consistent with redistribution of alpha wave energy to the nondominant hemisphere. This pattern was also observed in the control subject. Increased testosterone in one rower was linked to a decrease in the percentage of sites exhibiting normal theta frequencies, indicating a potential role for testosterone in brain energy reallocation. The findings suggest that qEEG measurements reflect physiological adaptations in response to extreme stress, supporting the hypothesis that metabolic energy is reallocated to optimize vigilance and performance. The observed correlations between hormonal changes, oxidative stress markers, and qEEG parameters provide preliminary evidence of mechanisms for brain energy reallocation. These insights highlight the potential for qEEG to identify biomarkers of stress adaptation and lay the groundwork for larger studies to further elucidate these mechanisms.

A multi-comprehensive approach to assess the responses of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1919) to a simulation of a diesel-oil mixture spill

Oil spills are a major cause of pollution impacting marine ecosystems. In this work, the effects of short-term exposure to three different concentrations of a hydrocarbon mixture (HC) that simulated the action of such an event were investigated on Mytilus galloprovincialis specimens. Physiological effects were measured using a battery of biomarkers consisting of cellular activity (phagocytosis), immune-related enzymes, chaperonins (HSP70 and HSC70), and histomorphological alterations. Different concentrations of HC led to a significant decrease in phagocytosis, especially following high concentrations. Immune-related enzymes evaluated in hemolymph and digestive gland extract showed up-regulation, suggesting the activation of antioxidant, detoxicant, and inflammatory responses. Morphological alterations of digestive gland tubules were observed after exposure to the HC. HSP70 and HSC70 activity was up regulated following the treatments, indicating their involvement in maintaining organism homeostasis. In addition, the diversity and composition of hemolymph and digestive gland microbiota exposed to HC were analyzed by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach to evaluate the connection with hydrocarbon contamination. Metagenomic analysis revealed significant differences in the hemolymph and digestive gland microbiota composition between mussels exposed and unexposed to HC. Exposure to increasing HC concentrations had a positive effect on microbial diversity with clear adaptative responses, an increase in the relative abundance of several known degrading bacterial genera, including Alcanivorax, Roseovarius, Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Oleibacter. These results show the utility of a multi-comprehensive approach to evaluating functional adaptation in terms of immunological dysfunctions and microbiota alteration in the sentinel organism M. galloprovincialis.

Genetic and functional adaptations and alcohol-biased signaling in the mediodorsal thalamus of alcohol dependent mice.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a significant health concern characterized by an individual's inability to control alcohol intake. With alcohol misuse increasing and abstinence rates declining, leading to severe social and health consequences, it is crucial to uncover effective treatment strategies for AUD by focusing on understanding neuroadaptations and cellular mechanisms. The mediodorsal thalamus (MD) is a brain region essential for cognitive functioning and reward-guided choices. However, the effects of alcohol (ethanol) dependence on MD neuroadaptations and how dependence alters MD activity during choice behaviors for alcohol and a natural reward (sucrose) are not well understood. Adult C57BL/6J mice treated with chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure were used to assess genetic and functional adaptations in the MD. Fiber photometry-based recordings of GCaMP6f expressed in the MD of C57BL/6J mice were acquired to investigate in vivo neural adaptations during choice drinking sessions for alcohol (15%) and either water or sucrose (3%). There were time-dependent changes in cFos and transcript expression during acute withdrawal and early abstinence. Differentially expressed genes were identified in control mice across different circadian time points and when comparing control and alcohol dependent mice. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the alcohol-sensitive genes revealed disruption of genes that control glial function, axonal myelination, and protein binding. CIE exposure also increased evoked firing in MD cells at 72 hours of withdrawal. In alcohol-dependent male and female mice that show increased alcohol drinking and preference for alcohol over water, we observed an increase in alcohol intake and preference for alcohol when mice were given a choice between alcohol and sucrose. Fiber photometry recordings demonstrated that MD activity is elevated during and after licking bouts for alcohol, water, and sucrose, and the signal for alcohol is significantly higher than that for water or sucrose during drinking. The elevated signal during alcohol bouts persisted in alcohol dependent mice. These findings demonstrate that CIE causes genetic and functional neuroadaptations in the MD and that alcohol dependence enhances alcohol-biased behaviors, with the MD uniquely responsive to alcohol, even in dependent mice.

Impact of cardiovascular risk factors in cardiac (reverse) remodelling induced by pregnancy

Abstract Introduction Haemodynamic overload during pregnancy induces cardiac remodelling, characterised by cardiac hypertrophy and chamber enlargement, associated with deterioration of diastolic function, despite preservation of the systolic function. After delivery, the woman's heart undergoes reverse remodelling(RR), and myocardial function and structure normalise to their pre-gravid state. The impact of cardiovascular risk factors(CRF) in cardiac remodelling and RR, namely, on cardiac function and structure, is variable and remains to be clarified. Purpose To characterise cardiac remodelling and RR during pregnancy and postpartum, respectively, and to investigate CRF's impact in these processes. Methods This prospective cohort study included volunteer pregnant women (healthy [H group] or obese and/or hypertensive and/or with gestational diabetes [CRF group]) recruited in two tertiary centres between 2019 and 2022. Women were evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography at the 1st trimester [1T,10-15 weeks, baseline], 3rd trimester [3T,30-35 weeks, peak of cardiac remodelling] of pregnancy as well as at the 1st, 6th and 12th month after delivery (during RR). Blood samples were collected in each evaluation moment to quantify plasma troponin I (cTnI), procollagen I COOH-terminal propeptide (PICP), ST2/IL33-receptor, C-reactive protein (CRP) and relaxin-2 by ELISA. Generalised linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the extent of RR and its potential predictors. Results We included 130 pregnant women with a median age of 33 [30,36] years, 41.5% with at least one CRF. As shown in Table 1, pregnant women developed cardiac hypertrophy with significant atrial and ventricular enlargement from 1T to 3T in both groups. A significant rise in filling pressures was also documented. During postpartum, a significant regression of cardiac hypertrophy and dilation was verified in the two study groups, accompanied by a significant decrease of E/e’ as soon as 1 month after delivery. These cardiac anatomical and functional adaptations induced by pregnancy were accompanied by a significant reduction in plasma cTnI, PICP, ST2/IL33-receptor, CRP and relaxin-2 levels from 3T to 6-months after delivery. Compared to the healthy pregnant women, the CRF group showed higher relative wall thickness (RWT) for all time points of the follow-up period, with similar values of indexed cardiac mass and volumes. Pregnant women with CRF revealed higher E/e’, contrasting with lower ejection fraction and worse global longitudinal strain. Conclusion The significant cardiac reverse remodelling occurred as soon as 1 month after delivery, returning to basal values 6 months postpartum, supported by a significant reduction of levels of plasma biomarkers related to myocardial injury, repair, fibrosis, and inflammation. Pregnant women with CRF showed higher RWT, impaired relaxation and subclinical LV dysfunction when compared with healthy women at all time points of the study.

Developmental-status-aware transcriptional decomposition establishes a cell state panorama of human cancers

BackgroundCancer cells evolve under unique functional adaptations that unlock transcriptional programs embedded in adult stem and progenitor-like cells for progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. However, it remains challenging to quantify the stemness-aware cell state of a tumor based on its gene expression profile.MethodsWe develop a developmental-status-aware transcriptional decomposition strategy using single-cell RNA-sequencing-derived tissue-specific fetal and adult cell signatures as anchors. We apply our method to various biological contexts, including developing human organs, adult human tissues, experimentally induced differentiation cultures, and bulk human tumors, to benchmark its performance and to reveal novel biology of entangled developmental signaling in oncogenic processes.ResultsOur strategy successfully captures complex dynamics in developmental tissue bulks, reveals remarkable cellular heterogeneity in adult tissues, and resolves the ambiguity of cell identities in in vitro transformations. Applying it to large patient cohorts of bulk RNA-seq, we identify clinically relevant cell-of-origin patterns and observe that decomposed fetal cell signals significantly increase in tumors versus normal tissues and metastases versus primary tumors. Across cancer types, the inferred fetal-state strength outperforms published stemness indices in predicting patient survival and confers substantially improved predictive power for therapeutic responses.ConclusionsOur study not only provides a general approach to quantifying developmental-status-aware cell states of bulk samples but also constructs an information-rich, biologically interpretable, cell-state panorama of human cancers, enabling diverse translational applications.

Lessons from long‐term research: Diptera species turnover and dominance shifts with respect to climate‐driven changes

Abstract The diverse pressures of climate change have influenced many habitats, especially freshwater ones, due to their greater sensitivity to stressors. Aquatic Diptera make up more than 50% off all aquatic insect species described, which makes them an ideal group to monitor changing climate as their diverse assemblages can reflect functions within the entire community. The aim of this research was to identify variations in the aquatic dipteran community during a 15‐year period at a tufa barrier in a karst barrage lake system and to determine the environmental factors that have the highest influence on this community. We analysed monthly data collected between 2007 and 2021, when we collected adult specimens using 6 pyramid‐type emergence traps. In total, 167 taxa from 13 different families were gathered. NMDS based on Bray–Curtis similarity analysis amongst assemblages revealed the segregation of samples based on different current velocities and substrates, indicating the importance of microhabitats in dipteran community structuring. Dipteran taxa indicative of specific 5‐year time periods within the research were identified and were associated with changes in environmental conditions especially discharge. The threshold indicator taxa analysis revealed specific species' responses to changing discharge rates. The study shows that discharge rate, not water temperature, is the critical factor shaping dipteran composition, whether by removing or adding taxa to the community. Species turnover showed an overall decrease in species numbers, that is, species richness, throughout the research period. We conclude that changes in the dipteran community, because of the vast functional traits, niches, adaptations and species diversity of the group, are not visible when analysing just the diversity indices. When determining environmental influence on the community in long‐term research, they should be combined with other data such as the overall abundance, the total number of species, as well as the species turnover.

Single-Cell Meta-Analysis Uncovers the Pancreatic Endothelial Cell Transcriptomic Signature and Reveals a Key Role for NKX2-3 in PLVAP Expression.

The pancreatic vasculature displays tissue-specific physiological and functional adaptations that support rapid insulin response by β-cells. However, the digestive enzymes have made it difficult to characterize pancreatic endothelial cells (ECs), resulting in the poor understanding of pancreatic EC specialization. Available single-nuclei/single-cell RNA-sequencing data sets were mined to identify pancreatic EC-enriched signature genes and to develop an integrated atlas of human pancreatic ECs. We validated the findings using independent single-nuclei/single-cell RNA-sequencing data, bulk RNA-sequencing data of isolated ECs, spatial transcriptomics data, immunofluorescence, and RNAScope of selected markers. The TF (transcription factor) NKX2-3 was expressed in HUVECs via gene transfection, and the expression of pancreatic EC-enriched signature genes was assessed via RT-qPCR. We defined a pancreatic EC-enriched gene signature conserved across species and developmental stages that included genes involved in ECM (extracellular matrix) composition (COL15A1 and COL4A1), permeability and barrier function (PLVAP, EHD4, CAVIN3, HSPG2, ROBO4, HEG1, and CLEC14A), and key signaling pathways (S1P, TGF-β [transforming growth factor-β], RHO-RAC GTPase, PI3k-AKT, and PDGF [platelet-derived growth factor]). The integrated atlas revealed the vascular hierarchy within the pancreas. We identified and validated a specialized islet capillary subpopulation characterized by genes involved in permeability (PLVAP and EHD4), immune-modulation (FABP5, HLA-C, and B2M), ECM composition (SPARC and SPARCL1), IGF (insulin-like growth factor) signaling (IGFBP7), and membrane transport (SLCO2A1, SLC2A3, and CD320). Importantly, we identified NKX2-3 as a key TF enriched in pancreatic ECs. DNA-binding motif analysis found NKX2-3 motifs in ≈40% of the signature genes. Induction of NKX2-3 in HUVECs promoted the expression of the islet capillary EC-enriched genes PLVAP and SPARCL1. We defined a validated transcriptomic signature of pancreatic ECs and uncovered their intratissue transcriptomic heterogeneity. We showed that NKX2-3 acts upstream of PLVAP and provided a single-cell online resource that can be further explored by the community: https://vasconcelos.shinyapps.io/pancreatic_endothelial/.

Induced discomfort promotes executive function while walking with(out) an artificial neuromuscular impairment.

Neuromotor disorders can degrade one's ability to locomote and attend to salient stimuli in the environment. Many disorders are physiologically complex, making it difficult to tease apart interactions between motor adaptation and executive function processes. We address this challenge by giving participants a controlled artificial impairment, using electrical stimulation to produce an uncomfortable disruption in normal muscular coordination during locomotion. While adapting to this gait perturbation, participants performed an executive function task containing neutral and affectively charged stimuli. The artificial impairment was counterbalanced against control and sham (discomfort-only stimulation) walking conditions. Our twofold hypothesis that discomfort would selectively tax hot, emotionally charged executive function and motor adaptation would challenge cold, logical executive function was not supported. However, we found that the discomfort experienced with both stimulation conditions improved participants' ability to inhibit distracting information, enhancing this aspect of executive function, and the effect did not depend on whether the task was affectively charged. Moderate discomfort during physical activity may have improved inhibitory control by increasing arousal, a known factor mediating executive function. These results show that using a sensorimotor perturbation that acts internally and bridges multiple physiological domains, including discomfort, can reveal effects not seen with purely environmental manipulations. The broader implications are that when high cognitive performance is needed during physical activity, it may be beneficial to, quite literally, operate outside one's comfort zone.NEW & NOTEWORTHY When locomotor and cognitive tasks compete for shared neural resources, cognitive-motor interference may impair performance in both domains. To understand how impairments that cause pain or change neuromotor control impact cognition during locomotion, we gave healthy adults an uncomfortable, artificial neuromuscular impairment while they walked and completed a task dependent on ignoring distracting stimuli. We found that discomfort enhanced participants' ability to ignore distractions, providing new insight into the mediators of cognition during impaired movement.

The long-term effect of biochar application to Vitis vinifera L. reduces fibrous and pioneer root production and increases their turnover rate in the upper soil layers.

Fibrous and pioneer roots are essential in the uptake and transport of water and nutrients from the soil. Their dynamic may be influenced by the changing of soil physicochemical properties due to the addition of biochar, which, in turn, has been shown to improve plant growth and productivity in the short term. However, the long-term effects of biochar application on root dynamics are still widely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term effects of biochar application on grapevine fibrous and pioneer root dynamics and morphological traits in relation to soil characteristics. To this aim, grapevine plants amended in 2009 and 2010 respectively with one and two doses of biochar, were analyzed in their fibrous and pioneer root production and turnover rate, standing biomass, length, and specific root length, over two growing seasons. Our findings demonstrate that in the long term, biochar application significantly increased soil pH, nutrient availability, and water-holding capacity causing a decrease in the production of fibrous and pioneer roots which is reflected in a reduction of the root web characterized though by a higher turnover rate. Furthermore, we observed that these root morpho-dynamical changes were of higher magnitude in the upper soil layers (0-20 cm) and, at least in the long term, with no significant difference between the two doses. These results suggest that in the long term, biochar can be a powerful tool for improving soil quality, which in turn lowers carbon-cost investment toward the root production and maintenance of a reduced root web that might be directed into grapevine growth and productivity. Such effects shed some light on the root plastic and functional adaptation to modified soil conditions facilitated by the long-term application of biochar, which can be used for implementing adaptive agricultural practices to face the current climate change in a frame of sustainable agricultural policies.

Mechano-adaptive meta-gels through synergistic chemical and physical information-processing

Global functional adaptation after local mechanical stimulation, as in mechanobiology and the mimosa plant, is fascinating and ubiquitous in nature. This is achieved by locally sensing mechanical deformation with precise thresholds, processing this information via biochemical circuits, followed by downstream actuation. The integration of such embodied intelligence allowing for mechano-to-chemo-to-function information-processing remains elusive in man-made systems. By merging the fields of chemical circuits and metamaterials, we introduce adaptive metamaterial hydrogels (meta-gels) that can accurately sense mechanical stimuli (local touch and global strain), transmit this information over long distances via reaction-diffusion signaling, and induce downstream mechanical strengthening by growing nanofibril networks, or soft robotic actuation through competitive swelling. All elements of the sensor-processor-actuator system are embedded in the device, functioning autonomously without external feeding reservoirs. Our concept enables designing advanced life-like materials systems that synergistically combine two worlds – chemical circuits for chemical information-processing and metamaterial unit cells for physical information-processing.

A stakeholder perspective on contested urban heritage and heritage tourism

While there is consensus among researchers that stakeholder participation is critical for heritage development, conflicts between stakeholders can exist and create an arena of contestation. Limited studies have addressed the issue of contested heritage and conflict mitigation in heritage tourism. Examining contested urban heritage in Dalian, China, this study investigates stakeholder conflict using means-end-chain analysis to reveal conflicting perspectives and visions. Furthermore, it uses tourisation theory to assess the tourism potential of each identified development scenario. Findings reveal how a focus on functional adaptation can help to achieve compromise between “dismantler” and “preservationist” polarities to gain agreement between stakeholders. This study enhances the understanding of stakeholder conflict related to contested heritage and contributes to stakeholder theory by addressing conflict mitigation and consensus building. By highlighting the heterogeneity within traditionally defined stakeholder groups, the study suggests using attitudinal groups as a strategy for stakeholder categorization and identification of common ground. It further demonstrates how a value-based approach can help to understand the shaping of stakeholders’ views and foster consensus, laying the foundation for collaborative planning in urban heritage tourism.