Developmental Dynamics Research Articles

Developmental proteome dynamics in granulosa and thecal layers from growing follicles to pre-ovulatory duck follicles.

Granulosa and thecal layer cells play important roles in the post-hatching follicular growth in laying birds. To examine the biochemical processes of granulosa and thecal layers associated with follicular growth, the technique of data independent acquisition was used in this study to explore protein profiling in granulosa and thecal layers from growing follicles in laying ducks. We identified and quantitatively analyzed 8032 proteins in granulosa cells and 9552 proteins in thecal layer cells. Hierarchical clustering of the resulting profiles revealed differential changes of expression of proteins linked to cell metabolism, signaling, cell junction, especially in steroid synthesis, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, and gap junction signaling pathway at different stages of follicles. The highest expression of proteins related to gap junction and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway occurred in granulosa cells of 3-6mm or 6-8mm follicles. In granulosa cells, decreases in the enzymes that catalyze the transformation of estrone into estradiol and proteins related to calcium transport and apoptosis occurred during follicular growth. As follicles grew, proteins related to androgens biosynthesis and involved in gap junction and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway decreased in the thecal layer cells. Three main group functional clusters extracted from the protein-protein interaction network, were mainly responsible for apoptosis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway. These proteomic data provide a holistic framework for understanding how diverse biochemical processes in granulosa cells and thecal layer cells are coordinated at the cellular level during follicular growth in laying birds.

Mouse Nucleolus-Like Body Supports Transcription and Enhances Processing of rRna in Porcine Enucleolated Oocytes

Abstract Fully-grown mammalian oocytes contain morphologically evident but transcriptionally inactive nucleoli called “nucleolus-like bodies” (NLBs). These nuclear structures are essential for early embryonic development. Removing oocyte NLBs (enucleolation) before their activation leads to developmental failure, mainly at the time point of embryonic genome activation. The present study examined the developmental and expression dynamics of embryos derived from intra- (pig) and interspecies (mouse) nucleolus (NLB) transferred porcine oocytes after parthenogenetic activation. Activation of rDNA transcription and pre-rRNA processing in NLB re-injected embryos was observed by real-time qRT-PCR analysis, targeting the expression rates of 45S rRNA and levels of 18S rRNA. Reinjection of NLBs from mouse or porcine GV oocytes into the enucleolated MII stage porcine oocytes supported the embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage after their activation. Intra- and intergeneric NLB transferred embryos demonstrated rDNA transcription initiation at the 8-cell stage, corresponding with the embryonic genome activation in porcine parthenogenetic embryos (control). The measured levels of 18S rRNA in these experimental embryos showed delayed initiation of pre-rRNA processing at the blastocysts stage compared with the control (8-cell stage). However, the porcine embryos with re-injected mouse NLB displayed significantly higher levels of 18S rRNA than the control and experimental intraspecies group. In conclusion, NLBs from different mammal species (mouse) can enhance the quality of enucleolated porcine oocytes and thus support their early embryonic development after activation.

Foraging and inertia: Understanding the developmental dynamics of overt visual attention.

During early life, we develop the ability to choose what we focus on and what we ignore, allowing us to regulate perception and action in complex environments. But how does this change influence how we spontaneously allocate attention to real-world objects during free behaviour? Here, in this narrative review, we examine this question by considering the time dynamics of spontaneous overt visual attention, and how these develop through early life. Even in early childhood, visual attention shifts occur both periodically and aperiodically. These reorientations become more internally controlled as development progresses. Increasingly with age, attention states also develop self-sustaining attractor dynamics, known as attention inertia, in which the longer an attention episode lasts, the more the likelihood increases of its continuing. These self-sustaining dynamics are driven by amplificatory interactions between engagement, comprehension, and distractibility. We consider why experimental measures show decline in sustained attention over time, while real-world visual attention often demonstrates the opposite pattern. Finally, we discuss multi-stable attention states, where both hypo-arousal (mind-wandering) and hyper-arousal (fragmentary attention) may also show self-sustaining attractor dynamics driven by moment-by-moment amplificatory child-environment interactions; and we consider possible applications of this work, and future directions.

Multicilia dynamically transduce Shh signaling to regulate choroid plexus functions.

Choroid plexus is a major site for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production, characterized by a multiciliated epithelial monolayer that regulates CSF production. We demonstrate that defective choroid plexus ciliogenesis or Intraflagellar transport yields neonatal hydrocephalus, at least in part, due to increased water channel Aqp1 and ion transporter Atp1a2 expression. We demonstrate choroid plexus multicilia as sensory cilia, transducing both canonical and non-canonical Shh signaling. Interestingly, it is the non-canonical Shh signaling that represses Aqp1 and Atp1a2 expression by Smo/Gαi/cAMP pathway. Choroid plexus multicilia exhibit unique ciliary ultrastructure, carrying features of both primary and motile cilia. Unlike most cilia that elongate during maturation, choroid plexus ciliary length decreases during development, causing a decline of Shh signaling intensity in developing choroid plexus, a derepression of Aqp1 and Atp1a2, and ultimately, an increased CSF production. Hence, developmental dynamics of choroid plexus multicilia dampens the Shh signaling intensity to promote CSF production.

A subpopulation of cortical neurons altered by mutations in the autism risk gene DDX3X.

Cell fate decisions during cortical development sculpt the identity of long-range connections that subserve complex behaviors. These decisions are largely dictated by mutually exclusive transcription factors, including CTIP2/Bcl11b for subcerebral projection neurons and BRN1/Pou3f3 for intra-telencephalic projection neurons. We have recently reported that the balance of cortical CTIP2-expressing neurons is altered in a mouse model of DDX3X syndrome, a female-biased neurodevelopmental disorder associated with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and significant motor challenges. Here, we studied the developmental dynamics of a subpopulation of cortical neurons co-expressing CTIP2 and BRN1. We found that CTIP2+BRN1+ neurons are born during early phases of neurogenesis like other CTIP2+ neurons, peak in expression during perinatal life, and persist in adult brains. We also found that CTIP2+BRN1+ neurons are excessive in number in prenatal and mature cortical motor areas of Ddx3x mutant mice, translating into altered laminar distribution of subcerebral projection neurons extending axons to the brainstem. These findings underscore the critical role of molecular specification during cortical development in health and disease.

Cortical arealization of interneurons defines shared and distinct molecular programs in developing human and macaque brains

Cortical interneurons generated from ganglionic eminence via a long-distance journey of tangential migration display evident cellular and molecular differences across brain regions, which seeds the heterogeneous cortical circuitry in primates. However, whether such regional specifications in interneurons are intrinsically encoded or gained through interactions with the local milieu remains elusive. Here, we recruit 685,692 interneurons from cerebral cortex and subcortex including ganglionic eminence within the developing human and macaque species. Our integrative and comparative analyses reveal that less transcriptomic alteration is accompanied by interneuron migration within the ganglionic eminence subdivisions, in contrast to the dramatic changes observed in cortical tangential migration, which mostly characterize the transcriptomic specification for different destinations and for species divergence. Moreover, the in-depth survey of temporal regulation illustrates species differences in the developmental dynamics of cell types, e.g., the employment of CRH in primate interneurons during late-fetal stage distinguishes from their postnatal emergence in mice, and our entropy quantifications manifest the interneuron diversities gradually increase along the developmental ages in human and macaque cerebral cortices. Overall, our analyses depict the spatiotemporal features appended to cortical interneurons, providing a new proxy for understanding the relationship between cellular diversity and functional progression.

A zebrafish model of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) deficiency-derived congenital disorders.

Congenital NAD deficiency disorder (CNDD) is a multisystem condition in which cardiac, renal, vertebral, and limb anomalies are most common, but anomalies in all organ systems have been identified. Patients with this condition have biallelic pathogenic variants involving genes in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthesis pathway leading to decreased systemic NAD+ levels. CNDD anomalies mimic the clinical features described in vertebral-anal-cardiac-tracheoesophageal fistula-renal-limb (VACTERL) association raising the possibility that CNDD and VACTERL association possess similar underlying causes. However, the mechanism by which NAD+ deficiency causes CNDD developmental anomalies has not been determined, nor has NAD+ deficiency been definitively linked to VACTERL association. Therefore, additional animal models amenable to detailed observation of embryonic development are needed to address the causes and progression of congenital anomalies in both CNDD and VACTERL association. Here, we describe a zebrafish model of NAD+ disruption to begin to model CNDD and VACTERL association phenotypes, assessing developmental anomalies in real-time. Treatment of zebrafish embryos with 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole (ATDA), a teratogen known to disrupt NAD+ metabolism, resulted in neural tube, craniofacial, cardiac, and tail defects. These defects were rescued by the administration of nicotinamide (NAM) in a dose-dependent manner. Our work establishes zebrafish as a useful model for investigating the mechanistic causes and developmental dynamics of CNDD and VACTERL association. Further, as VACTERL association has been linked to teratogens, our zebrafish model provides a platform to assess these agents.

From Trauma to Resilience: A Comprehensive Review of Counseling and Intervention Methods for PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a multifaceted mental health condition stemming from exposure to traumatic events, characterized by symptoms such as flashbacks, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and emotional instability. This study explores the complexities of PTSD, its symptoms, and impacts across psychological, physiological, and social dimensions. Utilizing a Library Research methodology, the study examines existing literature to identify gaps in age-specific interventions, the application of therapeutic approaches in non-clinical settings, and the role of family involvement in recovery. Effective treatments, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), are highlighted for their success in reducing PTSD symptoms and fostering resilience. Counseling emerges as a critical intervention, particularly when combined with holistic approaches that incorporate spiritual and community support. The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategies to address PTSD’s wide-ranging effects, advocating for targeted interventions that align with developmental, contextual, and familial dynamics to enhance recovery and overall well-being.

Aesthetic evaluation underpinning brand love relationship development: an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis and multivariate analysis.

Brand love is a crucial construct in marketing strategies. Building brand love can generate stable profits for enterprises. Although the marketing literature points out that aesthetic factors contribute to establishing the relationship as a trigger, to what stage of the relationship do they influence the minds of consumers? The present study attempts to reveal the involvement of aesthetic experiences in brand love developmental dynamics. Using the activation likelihood estimation method, we address this issue by assessing overlapping brain regions between brand love at each stage and aesthetic experiences. We adopted three major meta-analytic decoding analysis modules to objectively interpret these brain regions, namely, Neurosynth, NeuroQuery, and the Behavioral Analysis plugin (BrainMap platform). Moreover, we performed a correspondence analysis to identify relationships of mental processes between aesthetic experiences and brand love in each developmental stage of brand love. Our results suggest that the same neural mechanism and mental processes may be underlaid between brand love and aesthetic experiences across all stages. Although reward- and emotion-related mental processes are commonly underlaid between brand love at the first-half stage and aesthetic experiences, exteroceptive and interoceptive signals may drive those mental processes between the early and migration stages of brand love, respectively, and aesthetic experiences. Overlapping regions of brand love at the stable stage and aesthetic experiences may be associated with semantic processing. We demonstrate that several brain regions overlapped between brand love and aesthetic experiences across all the brand love developmental stages. Therefore, aesthetic experiences might be associated with the mental processes of brand love development through all the developmental stages. Our results suggest that aesthetic experiences are essential elements for developing brand-love relationships. Our findings indicate that marketers should recognize that aesthetic experiences play a crucial role in building a bond between brands and consumers, not only when choosing brands. Thus, marketers need to design visual strategies from the view of nurturing brand-love relationships.

Developmental Dynamics of School and Sport Burnout From Upper Secondary School to Early Adulthood Among Student-Athletes.

Burnout is a significant concern for student-athletes, affecting both their academic and athletic performance. This study examined the developmental dynamics of school and sport burnout among Finnish student-athletes across upper secondary school and into early adulthood. Using a structural equation modeling framework with the Cholesky decomposition method, we found that higher levels of school burnout at the beginning of upper secondary school predicted higher levels of sport burnout at later time points. School burnout in the final year of upper secondary school was found to predict higher sport burnout in early adulthood. Although no differences were observed in the development of burnout between sexes or sport types, females experienced consistently higher levels of sport burnout than males, and individual sports athletes reported more burnout than those in team sports during their final year. Early interventions targeting school burnout are essential to reducing sport burnout in transitioning student-athletes.

High-resolution mapping of cell cycle dynamics during steady-state Tcell development and regeneration invivo.

Control of cell proliferation is critical for the lymphocyte life cycle. However, little is known about how stage-specific alterations in cell cycle behavior drive proliferation dynamics during Tcell development. Here, we employed invivo dual-nucleoside pulse labeling combined with the determination of DNA replication over time as well as fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator mice to establish a quantitative high-resolution map of cell cycle kinetics of thymocytes. We developed an agent-based mathematical model of Tcell developmental dynamics. To generate the capacity for proliferative bursts, cell cycle acceleration followed a "stretch model" characterized by the simultaneous and proportional contraction of both G1 and S phases. Analysis of cell cycle phase dynamics during regeneration showed tailored adjustments of cell cycle phase dynamics. Taken together, our results highlight intrathymic cell cycle regulation as an adjustable system to maintain physiologic tissue homeostasis and foster our understanding of dysregulation of the Tcell developmental program.

Tackling Hominin Tickling: Bonobos Share the Social Features and Developmental Dynamics of Play Tickling With Humans.

It is under debate whether intersubjectivity-the capacity to experience a sense of togetherness around an action-is unique to humans. In humans, heavy tickling-a repeated body probing play that causes an automatic response including uncontrollable laughter (gargalesis)-has been linked to the emergence of intersubjectivity as it is aimed at making others laugh (self-generated responses are inhibited), it is often asymmetrical (older to younger subjects), and it elicits agent-dependent responses (pleasant/unpleasant depending on social bond). Intraspecific tickling and the related gargalesis response have been reported in humans, chimpanzees, and anecdotally in other great apes, potentially setting the line between hominids and other anthropoids. Here we investigated this phenomenon in bonobos and predicted that in this species (sharing with humans and chimpanzees the last common ancestor) the presence of tickling would be modulated depending on the players' age, play session initiators, and familiarity. In April-June 2018, we collected videos on play sessions-including tickling-on a bonobo group housed at La Vallée des Singes (France). We showed that tickling received decreased while tickling performed increased with age, with tickling being mostly directed from older to younger individuals. Moreover, tickling was mostly performed by the individuals that started the play interaction and most of it occurred in strongly bonded dyads, particularly mother-infant ones. Bonobo tickling features, especially age profile and social modulation, mirror those of heavy tickling in humans thus suggesting a common evolutionary origin and shared patterns of basic intersubjectivity in hominins.

Bibliometric Analysis of The 40 Years Literature On Vertebral Fractures With Science Mapping Method

Each year, over 1.5 million individuals in the United States are diagnosed with vertebral compression fractures. The concept of bibliometrics pertains to the analysis of bibliographic data. The examination and visualization of the literature within a scientific discipline or its subcategories is referred to as science mapping. This study represents a comprehensive analysis of the literature on vertebral fractures. In our research, the Web of Science database was utilized for analyses, encompassing the period from 1980 to 2022. The analyses were divided into four categories: performance analysis, keyword analysis, thematic analysis, and co-citation network analysis. Word Cloud, Frequency Table, Trend Topics, and Co-occurrence Networks were examined. Thematic Maps and Thematic Evolution Maps were also constructed. Furthermore, a co-citation network analysis of articles was conducted. The analyzed articles were authored by 9,020 researchers. The annual increase in the number of publications was recorded as 9.54%. The average number of citations per document was 44.05. Approximately 18.7% of the articles were published through international collaborations, with Europe standing out prominently in this regard. Genant HK was identified as the author with the highest h- and g-indices. The most active institution was the University of California, San Francisco. The most frequently used keywords included Vertebral Fracture, Osteoporosis, and Bone Mineral Density. Over the past 40 years, the scientific literature on spinal fractures has been analyzed through science mapping. The developmental dynamics of this field have been identified.

NEW «PARASITIC CLASS»: ON THE CONCEPT OF MIKHAIL VOSLENSKY

The article explores the phenomenon of the nomenklatura as a unique socio-political institution in the context of democratic transformations within post-Soviet societies. An analysis of Mikhail Voslensky’s works reveals the mechanisms of nomenklatura functioning and aids in understanding the structural challenges of overcoming the totalitarian legacy. The core of the article focuses on a comparative analysis of Voslensky’s concept. Born in Ukraine, Voslensky had a successful career within the Soviet system before emigrating to West Germany in 1972. His seminal work, «Nomenklatura» (1980), presents a critical analysis of the revolutionary movement’s transformation into a new ruling class. Voslensky identifies the nomenklatura as a distinct class that uses a system of privileges to maintain its dominance and exert social control. He meticulously documents the institutional mechanisms of nomenklatura domination, uncovering the interplay between party hierarchy and material privileges. Particular attention is paid to the subordination of the security forces to party control through mechanisms of the Central Committee, which minimized risks to the nomenklatura system. The article includes a comparative analysis of Voslensky’s and Milovan Djilas’s approaches to the «new class» of socialist societies. Unlike Djilas, who believed in the potential of «true» communism, Voslensky fully breaks away from the system. He refutes the thesis about the nomenklatura’s modernizing role, pointing instead to the robust developmental dynamics of pre-revolutionary Russia. The study identifies limitations and shortcomings in Voslensky’s concept. Despite his profound analysis of the Soviet nomenklatura, Voslensky failed to recognize similar mechanisms of social stratification within Western democracies. His excessive idealization of the West hindered the application of his theory to a broader context of elite formation in various state systems. Additionally, Voslensky’s research, rooted primarily in personal experience, does not adequately explore the historical and cultural nature of the nomenklatura, its genesis, or potential analogs in other systems. Nonetheless, his theoretical contributions provide a valuable foundation for developing new models of democratic governance.

Адаптация к новой реальности: обзор международных исследований специфики развития детей, оставшихся без попечения родителей, в замещающих семьях и при усыновлении

<p>This article analyzes the challenges encountered during the adoption of children or their placement in substitute families across various countries, with a focus on their adaptation, psychosocial development, cognitive abilities, and social integration. To achieve the objectives of this research, the scope was not limited to adopted children but extended to children deprived of parental care who were placed in alternative forms of family care (substitute families—such as guardianship families, including foster families). Foreign researchers differentiate between foster children: “substitute family” — raised in a foster or substitute family, “adopted children” — adopted, “looked after children” — under guardianship, “foster families” — temporary stay in families, (an analogue is the system of state care in Russia), who are waiting for a suitable family for upbringing and long-term residence. The possibility of studying this category of children is associated with the practice of open adoption prevalent in most countries. In contrast, the secrecy of adoption in Russia impedes the ability to track the developmental dynamics of children, particularly those adopted at an early age. The study examines key factors influencing the well-being of adopted children and children under kinship guardianship, including the impact of cultural differences, models of adoption (open and closed), early traumatic experiences, and the level of support provided to foster families. Special attention is paid to medical aspects, academic performance, psychological issues, and potential behavioral deviations. An analysis of international data identifies the primary challenges faced by adopted children, such as legal troubles, emotional instability, and difficulties in social integration. It is revealed that the source of psychological trauma in most cases lies in the pre-adoption period of the child's life, which often includes factors collectively referred to as adverse childhood experiences. Parental attention and warmth in relationships can significantly mitigate the challenges faced by children. The article underscores the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, including collaboration between government institutions, NGOs, and educational organizations, to minimize the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences and improve the quality of life for children.</p>

Epigenomic and 3D genomic mapping reveals developmental dynamics and subgenomic asymmetry of transcriptional regulatory architecture in allotetraploid cotton

Although epigenetic modification has long been recognized as a vital force influencing gene regulation in plants, the dynamics of chromatin structure implicated in the intertwined transcriptional regulation of duplicated genes in polyploids have yet to be understood. Here, we document the dynamic organization of chromatin structure in two subgenomes of allotetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) by generating 3D genomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets from 12 major tissues/developmental stages covering the life cycle. We systematically identify a subset of genes that are closely associated with specific tissue functions. Interestingly, these genes exhibit not only higher tissue specificity but also a more pronounced homoeologous bias. We comprehensively elucidate the intricate process of subgenomic collaboration and divergence across various tissues. A comparison among subgenomes in the 12 tissues reveals widespread differences in the reorganization of 3D genome structures, with the Dt subgenome exhibiting a higher extent of dynamic chromatin status than the At subgenome. Moreover, we construct a comprehensive atlas of putative functional genome elements and discover that 37 cis-regulatory elements (CREs) have selection signals acquired during domestication and improvement. These data and analyses are publicly available to the research community through a web portal. In summary, this study provides abundant resources and depicts the regulatory architecture of the genome, which thereby facilitates the understanding of biological processes and guides cotton breeding.

Dynamics of postnatal bone development and epiphyseal synostosis in the caprine autopod.

Bones develop to structurally balance strength and mobility. Bone developmental dynamics are influenced by whether an animal is ambulatory at birth (i.e., precocial). Precocial species, such as goats, develop advanced skeletal maturity in utero, making them useful models for studying the dynamics of bone formation under mechanical load. Here, we used microcomputed tomography and histology to characterize postnatal bone development in the autopod of the caprine lower forelimb. The caprine autopod features two toes, fused by metacarpal synostosis (i.e., bone fusion) prior to birth. Our analysis focused on the phalanges 1 (P1) and metacarpals of the goat autopod from birth through adulthood (3.5 years). P1 cortical bone densified rapidly after birth (half-life using one-phase exponential decay model (τ1/2 = 1.6 ± 0.4 months), but the P1 cortical thickness increased continually through adulthood (τ1/2 = 7.2 ± 2.7 mo). Upon normalization by body mass, the normalized polar moment of inertia of P1 cortical bone was constant over time, suggestive of structural load adaptation. P1 trabecular bone increased in trabecular number (τ1/2 = 6.7 ± 2.8 mo) and thickness (τ1/2 = 6.6 ± 2.0 mo) until skeletal maturity, while metacarpal trabeculae grew primarily through trabecular thickening (τ1/2 = 7.9 ± 2.2 mo). Unlike prenatal fusion of the metacarpal diaphysis, synostosis of the epiphyses occurred postnatally, prior to growth plate closure, through a unique fibrocartilaginous endochondral ossification. These findings implicate ambulatory loading in postnatal bone development of precocial goats and identify a novel postnatal synostosis event in the caprine metacarpal epiphysis.

Integrative analysis of the 3D genome and epigenome in mouse embryonic tissues.

While a rich set of putative cis-regulatory sequences involved in mouse fetal development have been annotated recently on the basis of chromatin accessibility and histone modification patterns, delineating their role in developmentally regulated gene expression continues to be challenging. To fill this gap, here we mapped chromatin contacts between gene promoters and distal sequences across the genome in seven mouse fetal tissues and across six developmental stages of the forebrain. We identified 248,620 long-range chromatin interactions centered at 14,138 protein-coding genes and characterized their tissue-to-tissue variations and developmental dynamics. Integrative analysis of the interactome with previous epigenome and transcriptome datasets from the same tissues revealed a strong correlation between the chromatin contacts and chromatin state at distal enhancers, as well as gene expression patterns at predicted target genes. We predicted target genes of 15,098 candidate enhancers and used them to annotate target genes of homologous candidate enhancers in the human genome that harbor risk variants of human diseases. We present evidence that schizophrenia and other adult disease risk variants are frequently found in fetal enhancers, providing support for the hypothesis of fetal origins of adult diseases.

Chromium-histidine complex enhances reproductive physiology and development in Drosophila melanogaster by modulating oxidative stress.

The interaction of metal ions with biological systems plays a critical role in cellular functions, including oxidative stress regulation and metabolic health. This study aimed to explore the effects of the chromium-histidine complex [Cr(hist)3] on reproductive success, developmental processes, and oxidative stress defence in Drosophila melanogaster. Wild-type D. melanogaster flies were exposed to Cr(hist)3 at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20µg/ml, and physiological parameters-including fecundity, fertility, developmental timelines, and antioxidant enzyme activity-were measured. Our results indicate that Cr(hist)3 at 15µg/ml optimally enhanced reproductive health and developmental efficiency. Specifically, fecundity and fertility increased by 15.6% and 15.5%, respectively, and egg-to-adult viability improved by 15.6% compared to controls. Developmental timelines were shortened, with larval and pupal periods reduced by 7.6% and 7.1%. Additionally, Cr(hist)3 treatment led to a significant downregulation of lipid peroxidation (MDA) by 17.54% and upregulation in antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, and superoxide dismutase), indicating improved cellular defence against oxidative damage. Flies treated with 15µg/ml Cr(hist)33 also exhibited a 9.7% increase in lifespan. These findings suggest that Cr(hist)3 enhances reproductive success and developmental dynamics through oxidative stress regulation, highlighting its potential for applications in insect health and stress management. This study contributes to the understanding of metal ion interactions in biological systems and their physiological effects.

Advancing Statistical Methodologies for Composite Phenotype Analysis in Genome-Wide Association Studies

Genome wide association studies (GWAs) have revolutionized our understanding of the genetic basis of complex traits by linking specific genetic variants to phenotypes. However, the analysis of composite phenotypes derived from multiple interrelated variables presents unique challenges, particularly in maintaining statistical power and interpretability. Conventional approaches often analyze each trait independently at a single time point, potentially neglecting the underlying correlations and developmental dynamics across different growth stages, which could significantly enhance the detection power of genetic associations. This study presents a novel statistical approach that combines phenotypic data from different plant developmental stages using a compressed linear mixed model (CLMM) to efficiently link the genotypes to phenotypes. The CLMM offers computational efficiency by leveraging dimensionality reduction and data compression techniques, making it suitable for analyzing large-scale GWAs datasets. This capability is crucial given the rapidly growing volume of genomic data. The data used in this study was obtained from Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)-Gatersleben, Germany, database. It includes maize phenomic data and 50K SNPs data for 262 maize inbred lines. The modelling was done in R-statistical software following the guidelines of the Gapit tool. Plant growth was assessed at three time points: 11, 26 and 42 days after sowing (DAS). The models were compared using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Information Criterion (BIC). The results showed that the model based incorporating plant volume, plant height, and plant surface area provided a better fit to the data compared to the models based on plant volume and plant surface area or plant height and plant volume. This is evidenced by lower AIC value of 1967.630 and BIC value of 1999.870 for the model incorporating three phenotypic traits (plant volume, Height and Surface area), compared to the AIC of 2008.560 and BIC of 2040.795 and AIC of 2312.930 for the model based on two phenotypic traits (plant volume and surface area) and BIC of 2351.321 for the for the model based on two phenotypic traits (plant height and volume). In the GWAs analysis, the results showed that the model incorporating three phenotypic traits (plan volume, height and area) detected the highest number of SNPs, with a total of 22 SNPs identified, compared to 11 SNPs detected using the model based on two phenotypic traits (plant surface area and volume) and 9 SNPs for the model based on two phenotypic traits (plant height and volume) across all growth stages considered. These findings suggest that combining traits to generate composite phenotypes in GWAS across different growth time points provides a robust framework that enhances the detection of genetic associations while preserving the biological relevance of the relationships between traits. This approach has significant implications for future GWAS, particularly in the study of complex traits, where understanding the interplay of multiple phenotypic variables is crucial for unraveling the genetic basis of complex traits.