General Organization Research Articles

High-density recording reveals sparse clusters (but not columns) for shape and texture encoding in macaque V4.

Macaque area V4 includes neurons that exhibit exquisite selectivity for visual form and surface texture, but their functional organization across laminae is unknown. We used high-density Neuropixels probes in two awake monkeys (one female and one male) to characterize shape and texture tuning of dozens of neurons simultaneously across layers. We found sporadic clusters of neurons that exhibit similar tuning for shape and texture: ∼20% exhibited similar tuning with their neighbors. Importantly, these clusters were confined to a few layers, seldom 'columnar' in structure. This was the case even when neurons were strongly driven, and exhibited robust contrast invariance for shape and texture tuning. We conclude that functional organization in area V4 is not columnar for shape and texture stimulus features and in general organization maybe at a coarser stimulus category scale (e.g. selectivity for stimuli with vs without 3D cues), and a coarser spatial scale (assessed by optical imaging), rather than at a fine scale in terms of similarity in single neuron tuning for specific features. We speculate that this may be a direct consequence of the great diversity of inputs integrated by V4 neurons to build variegated tuning manifolds in a high-dimensional space.Significance Statement In the primary visual cortex of the macaque monkey, studies have demonstrated columnar functional organization, i.e. shared tuning across layers for stimulus orientation, spatial frequency, ocular dominance, etc. In mid and higher level visual form processing stages, where neurons exhibit high-dimensional tuning, functional organization has been harder to evaluate. Here, leveraging the use of the high-density Neuropixels probes to record simultaneously from dozens of neurons across cortical layers, we demonstrate that functional organization is not columnar for shape and texture tuning in area V4, a midlevel stage critical for form processing. Our results contribute to the debate about the functional significance of cortical columns providing support to the idea that they emerge due to one-to-many representational expansion.

Digitalization as a determinant of transformations in the cognitive subsystem of the psyche

Introduction. The purpose of the work was to study the theoretically and practically urgent problem of transformations of the cognitive and metacognitive spheres of personality under the influence of digitalization factors, as well as to identify and explain the psychological consequences to which they lead in relation to educational activities. Materials and methods of research. The most valid and reliable methods developed in modern metacognitivism were used – the “Metacognitive Awareness of Activity” technique (G. Schrow, R. Denison); MAI method D. Everson; a method for diagnosing an individual measure of the development of reflexivity (A.V. Karpov, V.V. Ponomareva), as well as the author’s methods for diagnosing an individual measure of the development of metathinking and metamemory. Methods of mathematical and statistical processing (ANOVA) and methods based on the methodology of structural psychological analysis were used. The study involved 192 students from different universities in Yaroslavl. Research results. For the first time, it has been established that the determinative influence of digitalization factors on the metacognitive sphere of the individual is fundamentally diversified, since it combines both positive and negative tendencies. In relation to 5 of the 8 parameters studied, it is negative, in relation to 1 – positive and statistically significant at a fairly high level of significance – not lower than p < 0.05, in relation to 2 – neutral. As a result, a fundamentally new, hitherto undescribed phenomenon is established, which is designated as a syndrome of decreased metacognition. Discussion of results and conclusion. A number of new data have been obtained that reveal and explain the general pattern consisting in the existence of a significant determinative influence of digitalization factors on the metacognitive sphere of the individual, both in general and in the context of educational activities. The discovered influence is also fundamentally diversified – complex, since it is carried out at two main levels – analytical and structural. The essence of the analytical level of determination is that there is a significant and quite significant decrease in the degree of development of individual components of the metacognitive sphere – the main secondary cognitive processes and their corresponding qualities. The specificity of the structural level of determination is that similar – also significant and significant transformations occur in terms of general organization – the structuring and integration of these components into integrity.

Psychosocial Workloads and Resilience of Heads of Municipal Public Health Authorities in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceptions of Operational Organization, Communication, and Measures.

Healthcare professionals are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues during epidemics, as evidenced by the COVID-19 crisis. German public health authorities, crucial for disease prevention, faced significant strain from chronic understaffing and resource limitations exacerbated by the pandemic. The study was designed as a cross-sectional, observational online survey. This study conducted an online needs assessment survey among heads of municipal public health authorities in Thuringia, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, and Berlin between June and November 2023. Of the 191 contacted authorities, 74 responses (38.7%) were analyzed, focusing on professional demands, recognition, stress resilience, general life satisfaction, operational organization, and communication during the pandemic. Validated scales such as ERI, RS-13, L-1, and the COVID-19 add-on module of the COPSOQ were utilized. Statistical tests included descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, Chi-Square tests, linear regression, T-tests, and ANOVA with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Respondents were mainly from North Rhine-Westphalia (43.3%) and Bavaria (24.3%), predominantly female (54.1%), and had a mean age of 52.7 years. The majority were medical specialists (71.9%). The RS-13 mean score was 72.66 (SD = 12.42), with 58.9% demonstrating high stress resilience. Public health degree holders showed the highest resilience. The ER-ratio indicated high effort versus reward for 96.7% of heads. Larger districts showed lower ER-ratios, suggesting resilient organizational structures. The study highlights high psychosocial workload and resilience among German public health authority heads during COVID-19, suggesting the need for optimized crisis management and scalable staffing for future pandemics and crises.

Expression of Mgp in Calcification Leiomyoma uterus in postmenopausal women

The Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is an extracellular polypeptide that can inhibit calcification in tissues that express Mgp molecules. An analysis employing histology and immunohistochemistry unveiled the general architecture and detected calcification within the fibroid. The study included gathering twelve samples after confirming through histological examination that the samples were affected by fibroid cysts. Each of these specimens was conserved in a 10% formalin solution. A histological examination was performed using two dyes, hematoxylin and eosin, to demonstrate the general histological organization. The Van Kossa stain was employed to detect the buildup of calcium anions in the tissue. Moreover, the immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the elevated expression of Mgp in the myofibers of leiomyoma-affected myometrium tissue.

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Genomic and Expressed Repertoire of the T-Cell Receptor Beta Chain in Equus caballus

In this paper, we report a comprehensive and consistent annotation of the locus encoding the β-chain of the equine T-cell receptor (TRB), as inferred from recent genome assembly using bioinformatics tools. The horse TRB locus spans approximately 1 Mb, making it the largest locus among the mammalian species studied to date, with a significantly higher number of genes related to extensive duplicative events. In the region, 136 TRBV (belonging to 29 subgroups), 2 TRBD, 13 TRBJ, and 2 TRBC genes, were identified. The general genomic organization resembles that of other mammals, with a V cluster of 135 TRBV genes located upstream of two in-tandem aligned TRBD-J-C clusters and an inverted TRBV gene at the 3′ end of the last TRBC gene. However, the horse b-chain repertoire would be affected by a high number of non-functional TRBV genes. Thus, we queried a transcriptomic dataset derived from splenic tissue of a healthy adult horse, using each TRBJ gene as a probe to analyze clonotypes encompassing the V(D)J junction. This analysis provided insights into the usage of the TRBV, TRBD, and TRBJ genes and the variability of the non-germline-encoded CDR3. Our results clearly demonstrated that the horse β-chain constitutes a complex level of variability, broadly like that described in other mammalian species.

EFFECTS OF SPINAL TRANSECTION AND LOCOMOTOR SPEED ON MUSCLE SYNERGIES OF THE CAT HINDLIMB.

It was suggested that during locomotion, the nervous system controls movement by activating groups of muscles, or muscle synergies. Analysis of muscle synergies can reveal the organization of spinal locomotor networks and how it depends on the state of the nervous system, such as before and after spinal cord injury, and on different locomotor conditions, including a change in speed. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of spinal transection and locomotor speed on hindlimb muscle synergies and their time-dependent activity patterns in adult cats. EMG activities of 15 hindlimb muscles were recorded in 9 adult cats of either sex during tied-belt treadmill locomotion at speeds of 0.4, 0.7, and 1.0 m/s before and after recovery from a low thoracic spinal transection. We determined EMG burst groups using cluster analysis of EMG burst onset and offset times and muscle synergies using non-negative matrix factorization. We found five major EMG burst groups and five muscle synergies in each of six experimental conditions (2 states × 3 speeds). In each case, the synergies accounted for at least 90% of muscle EMG variance. Both spinal transection and locomotion speed modified subgroups of EMG burst groups and the composition and activation patterns of selected synergies. However, these changes did not modify the general organization of muscle synergies. Based on the obtained results, we propose an organization for a pattern formation network of a two-level central pattern generator that can be tested in neuromechanical simulations of spinal circuits controlling cat locomotion.

Structural aspects of cognitive decline syndrome

The article presents the results of a study of the impact of digitalization on the formation and development of one of the main subsystems of the psyche that is cognitive subsystem. The determinative influence of digitalization on its formation, significant in degree and complex in nature, has been revealed. It is shown that it is carried out at two main and mutually complementary levels: analytical and structural. The essence of the analytical level of determination is that, in general, there is a significant decrease in the degree of formation of individual components of the cognitive subsystem: basic cognitive processes and their corresponding qualities. The specificity of the structural level of determination is that similarly - also significant and essential transformations are carried out in terms of general organization - structuring and integration of these components into integrity. On the basis of this, the position is justified, according to which the previously established syndrome of cognitive decline includes not only the reduction of individual parameters of the cognitive subsystem, but also the transformation of their overall structure. At the same time, an important specific pattern of structural transformations of the cognitive subsystem under the influence of digitalization factors is that it develops mainly in terms of changing the degree (measure) of its organization and integration, and not in terms of its qualitative restructuring. On the contrary, it remains quite invariant and resistant to the determinative influence of digitalization factors.

ANALYSIS OF THE READINESS OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR THE SYSTEMATIC APPLICATION OF A HUMOROUS APPROACH

Background. Pedagogical innovations aimed at the formation of a competitive national educational system require a primary analysis of the prevailing conditions "on the ground" for further successful practical implementation. The domestic general education school system is not flexible and adaptable to modern challenges and requirements, which forces teachers and practitioners to adapt any author's concepts and developments to existing realities and significantly affects the success of widespread application. Purpose. To determine the degree of readiness of the teaching staff and secondary school students to introduce humorous means and techniques into the educational process. Methods. The main method used is the analysis of the empirical data obtained during the diagnostic stage of experimental work at MBOU Gymnasium No. 123 in Barnaul. The processing and systematization of the information revealed during the survey and concretizing conversations made it possible to analyze the prevailing conditions for the use of humor in the middle and senior levels of a general education organization. Results. The results of diagnostics of the formed readiness of the teaching and student staff in the field of application of the humorous approach are presented and interpreted. The positive attitude of school students to the use of humor in the framework of pedagogical communication is determined. Insufficient awareness of teachers about the essence of the humorous approach and the possibilities of its application has been revealed. The willingness to master new pedagogical tools and techniques to reduce the distance in the «teacher-student» relationship has been demonstrated. Practical implications. They can be used to update the educational system, introduce new approaches to learning based on the active use of pedagogical communication.

Appointing of Judges According to the Islamic Fiqah, Romano-Germanic and Common Law Legal Systems

Among the most important factors that influence the freedom and independence of the judiciary is the method of recruiting and appointing judges and the methods appointing have been determined for them, and these methods are very different, but the understanding of these differences and the discovery of necessary reforms are very helpful in solving judicial corruption, which in the Islamic judicial system, qualified judges are usually appointed by the Caliph and sometimes appointed by the Caliph's representative. Also, in exceptional cases, they can be appointed by the senior judge, dominated person (rebellious Amir) and the infidel ruler, and their dismissal is also related to the Caliph, and the reason behind this is to preserve the independence of the judiciary and be free from any kind of pressure, coercion and illegitimate requests in their work and affairs, but in the in those law-system countries which are influenced by the common law, judges are usually appointed from among experienced lawyers. The position of a judge is considered a kind of reward because appointed person has done the job of a lawyer in the courts for a long time and has gained experience that is why they have this authority. But in Romano-Germanic law system, the judges are appointed from among the university students. The purpose of this applied and comparative study and writing is the selection and appointment of judges according to the Islamic jurisprudence, the system of selection and appointment of judges in the United States representing the Common Law, and the selection of judges in France representing the Romano-Germanic. This study and research use the bibliographic and descriptive method, where the freely appointment of judges by judicial in the law system of America and the method of appointment are the important discussions. In the federal system of the United States, according to the federal constitution, each state has special laws that accept and determine the general organization of forces and the conditions and methods of selecting judges based on their political and philosophical views. The judicial organization of one state will be different from the judicial organization of another state. Unlike the United States of America, judges in France are selected from among the students of high schools (universities). The difference is that the judges of the general courts are national Judiciary School students and judges of administrative courts are mainly selected and recruited from among senior expert students and also from general law students who have studied in the National Administrative school, and after theoretical and theoretical lessons, they complete their work-study stage in the French State Council, which then divides their employment with a large institution (Dewan of Accounts), which is led by the National Administrative Seminary. People with high marks in the exam are recruited to the French Council of State, who will then continue to work as judges in the courts.

أثر الأنماط القيادية على تحسين الأداء الوظيفي: دراسة حالة المؤسسة العامة للتأمينات الاجتماعية في منطقة الرياض

The study aims to know the extent of the impact of leadership styles in improving job performance within the General Organization for Social Insurance in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by using the descriptive analytical approach and designing and distributing an electronic questionnaire to a number of leaders and employees in the organization. The sample was selected randomly. The study concluded with a number of results, the most important of which are: different leadership styles are practiced in the General Organization for Social Insurance in Riyadh, but the autocratic style came in first place, followed by the democratic style and the free style, and all of these styles are practiced to an average degree. Also, elements of improving job performance are practiced in the General Organization for Social Insurance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to an average degree. Based on the previous results, the study recommended the following: the need for the General Organization for Social Insurance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to get rid of leadership styles that would limit performance improvement and achieve job creativity. Also, the need to train leaders in the General Organization for Social Insurance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on positive leadership styles

Investigating the Causes of Work-Related Injuries and their Impact on the Employee Health and Safety in Organizations in GCC Region

Ensuring employee health and safety has been considered the top priority by OSHA. Although employee health and safety has an been considered paramount in ensuring effective company operations around the world yet limited efforts are being taken by the organizations to enhance employee health and safety. This research paper aims to explore the various industrial hazards and their impact on the employee health and safety in the GCC region. This research uses primary and secondary data, Qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques to test the hypothesis. Descriptive statistics including relationship charts, frequency analysis, and ANOVA testing were included to reach the conclusion. The response was received 100 responses from different industries in GCC region to whom the survey was disseminated. The researcher has also used open publicly available data through the published information by the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI). The results conclude close inverse relationship between the dependent and independent variables where the (Independent variable) is Employee safety and health and the dependent variables are electric hazard, fire hazards, fall hazards, ergonomics hazards. The reduction in the hazards will lead to increase in the employee safety and health.

Engagement of early career researchers in collaborative assessments of IPCC reports: achievements and insights

The participation of a diverse –in terms of geography, discipline and gender– group of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in the peer review process can help alleviate the workload of senior researchers and counteract the perceptual biases that the latter tend to show. Moreover, ECRs can benefit from developing skills that are often not included in educational programs. From 2018 to 2021, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, in collaboration with other associations, organized six group reviews of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports by a total of more than 600 ECRs from over 70 different countries. This study aims to evaluate this group review in terms of its contribution to the production of scientific knowledge, and as a career development opportunity for ECRs. The data analyzed consists of application forms, review comments, and feedback surveys that were collected during each review process. The results of this study show that, overall, the group reviews were a success in terms of the experience of ECRs and their contribution to the peer review of the IPCC reports. Most survey respondents considered the general organization of the group reviews satisfactory and expressed interest in participating in future group reviews. However, most participants did not engage in discussions with their peers, which constitutes a missed opportunity to engage in active learning and the shared production of knowledge. ECRs made a significant contribution to the review of the IPCC reports by producing an average of 2,422 ± 532 comments per group review, 36% of which were substantive. PhD students were shown to be as proficient reviewers as postdoctoral researchers and faculty reviewers. More importantly, the diversity of reviewers in terms of geography and discipline, together with the fact that they are ECRs, can help produce more balanced scientific reports since they bring new perspectives, thus counteracting the biases that senior researchers have. These group reviews could be improved by providing more comprehensive training and facilitating communication among reviewers so that they can engage in meaningful exchanges. We conclude that the IPCC should formalize the inclusion of ECRs in future reviews of the IPCC reports.

Nuclear Facilities Maintenance Culture Development Study

Maintenance is an essential part of the assets and facilities in the organization/company. This deserves serious attention because it is necessary for organizational/company resources, especially for aging nuclear facilities/installations. Maintenance is the main program used to manage company assets and facilities. A lack of asset and facility maintenance culture increases management and maintenance costs. A maintenance culture is needed to improve maintenance skills, tenacity, and perseverance. Maintenance culture is recognized as an essential aspect to improve the quality of maintenance work to maintain structures, systems, and components (SSC) so that they are ready for use at any time/when needed, as well as part of the implementation of aging management programs to extend the life of assets and facilities. This paper will discuss the development of the maintenance culture and review poor maintenance cultures and their solutions. This paper aims to develop a maintenance culture to prevent premature aging and extend the life of assets and facilities. Factors developing maintenance culture include leadership, communication, rewards and recognition, responsibility, rules and standards, empowerment, motivation, involvement, policies, work strategy and planning, teamwork, training and education, awareness, and organizational structure. Corruption, poor leadership, attitude problems, and lack of policy cause poor maintenance culture. The solution to a poor maintenance culture is selecting the right people, improving job skills and knowledge, repairing equipment, ensuring machine/equipment readiness, good planning, scheduling, and general organization, measuring performance, motivating and encouraging desire, and providing sufficient funding. Maintenance culture has an impact on facility performance. Keywords: maintenance culture, nuclear organization, assets, nuclear facility

Трехмерная модель наставничества для личностно-профессионального становления молодых педагогов в образовательных организациях

This article discusses a new model of mentoring in a general education organization, which is aimed at adaptation, development of not only professional, but also personal development of a young teacher. There are three vectors of the mentoring model, and functions and features are described for each. The authors show the logic of changing one vector to another and the signs of their transition. The development of a young teacher is considered from two angles: «vertical» and «horizontal».

A qualitative, multi-centre approach to the current state of digitalisation and automation of surveillance in infection prevention and control in German hospitals

BackgroundHealthcare associated infections (HAI) pose a major threat to healthcare systems resulting in an increased burden of disease. Surveillance plays a key role in rapidly identifying these infections and preventing further transmissions. Alas, in German hospitals, the majority of surveillance efforts have been heavily relying on labour intensive processes like manual chart review. In order to be able to identify further starting points for future digital tools and interventions to aid the surveillance of HAI we aimed to gain an understanding of the current state of digitalisation in the context of the general surveillance organisation in German clinics across all care-levels. The end user perspective of infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals was chosen to identify digital interventions that have the biggest impact on the daily surveillance work routines of IPC professionals. Perceived impediments in the advancement of surveillance digitalisation should be explored.MethodsFollowing the development of an interview guideline, eight IPC professionals from seven German hospitals of different care levels were questioned in semi- structured interviews between December 2022 and January 2023. These included questions about general surveillance organisation, access to digital data sources, software to aid the surveillance process as well as current issues in the surveillance process and implementation of software systems. Subsequently, after full transcription, the interview sections were categorized in code categories (first deductive then inductive coding) and analysed qualitatively.ResultsResults were characterised by high heterogeneity in terms of general surveillance organisation and access to digital data sources. Software configuration of hospital and laboratory information systems (HIS/LIS) as well as patient data management systems (PDMS) varied not only between hospitals of different care levels but also between hospitals of the same care level. Outside research projects, neither fully automatic software nor solutions utilising artificial intelligence have currently been implemented in clinical routine in any of the hospitals.ConclusionsAccess to digital data sources and software is increasingly available to aid surveillance of HAI. Nevertheless, surveillance processes in hospitals analysed in this study still heavily rely on manual processes. In the analysed hospitals, there is an implementation and funding gap of (semi-) automatic surveillance solutions in clinical practice, especially in healthcare facilities of lower care levels.

ImplementationOf Dispute Resolutionin the Field Copyright Upon Signing of the Beijing Treaty

Indonesia became a WIPO member country on December 18 2012 co-signed the Beijing Treaty at the World Intellectual General Assembly forum Property Organization in Geneva Switzerland. Implementation of the Beijing Treaty in Indonesia itself is quite interesting to study because the creative industry is in the form of performances Audiovisual in Indonesia itself is a profession so it is needed protection of copyright in the form of moral and economic rights to works audiovisuals, especially those broadcast or shown through media facilities technology. The legal research method used in this research is research normative juridical which is research conducted or aimed only at written regulations with the nature of descriptive analysis research which is a method that functions to describe or provide an overview of the object under study. The data source used is secondary data with analysis quantitative data. The government is expected to make clear policies regarding protection and classification and definition of AudioVisual Works in Indonesia because with Current technological developments make AudioVisual Works increasingly popular developing so that now a clear policy regarding protection is needed AudioVisual work that is in accordance with technological developments, Background The Beijing Treaty itself is linked to several conventions such as the Rome Convention so that the WPPT should be a basis for the government to create policies in the form of statutory regulations to protect works AudioVisual broadcast via electronic media or digital media and The current problems of creative industry players, especially in the field of work AudioVisual regarding the protection and recognition of AudioVisual's works aired through electronic media regarding this matter, it is hoped that the government will which has ratified the Beijing Treaty to create implementing regulations related to registration or recognition mechanisms and claims to the rights of perpetrators The creative industry is specifically related to performers of AudioVisual Works

Pengaturan Tata Hukum di Indonesia Kalau di Tinjau dari Kondisi Kekinian

An important part of Indonesian constitutional law is the development of state law. This article discusses the development of the legal system, especially the constitution, laws, statutory regulations, statutory regulations and regional regulations. In this case, it is important to examine how public institutions such as the government, DPR, and judiciary are involved in making, implementing, and enforcing laws. Teksini uses legal methods and library research strategies in his research, namely legal research which focuses on legal principles, including agreements, statutes, principles, norms and rules. The constitution is a list of articles governing the general organization of the state, functions, business and administration of public institutions, the territory of the state, the situation of local communities and human rights. We can not only understand what the Constitution is, but also what it teaches. One thing we can learn from constitutions is that diifferent ideas and methods are used from one country to another in implementing the constitution. Understanding changes in laws and regulations can help identify trends, issues, and reforms that can strengthen Indonesia's legal system. Apart from that, the constitution has many functions. One of its goals is to increase our citizens' interest in the Constitution by encouraging them to read the Constitution. The main goal is to increase public awareness of the Constitution.

Midgut morphology of the predator mosquito Lutzia bigoti (Diptera: Culicidae) and its implications for feeding behavior

Lutzia mosquitoes (Theobald, 1903) are predaceous during their larval stages, but the adult feeding is not clearly understood, especially in relation to blood feeding. In case these mosquitoes are harmless to humans and related animals, they can be useful in biological control of mosquito vectors of pathogens. Investigating the midgut morphology is a good strategy to understand the feeding behavior of this species. The midgut in Lutzia bigoti Bellardi, 1862 displays two distinct portions, a thin anterior midgut and a more dilated posterior midgut. Digestive cells form a single epithelium in the midgut. These cells have long and packed microvilli at their apex and membrane infoldings at their basal portion, the basal labyrinth. The epithelium is supported by a basal lamina. Regarding their cytoplasm, it is noteworthy the abundance of mitochondria, distributed in an apical-basal fashion, and also a whirl-shaped endoplasmic reticulum in the posterior midgut. Basal cells are also found in the midgut of L. bigoti, resembling regenerative cells. The general organization of L. bigoti's midgut closely resembles that of numerous hematophagous mosquitoes previously documented. However, it diverges due to the presence of a peritrophic matrix even when exclusively fed on sugary solutions. Peculiar aspects of L. bigoti’s midgut are discussed and compared to those of other mosquito species.

Ultrastructural Organization and Metal Elemental Composition of the Mandibles in Two Ladybird Species.

The mandibles are among the most important appendages of insects' mouthparts. Their morpho-functional organization is correlated with the variation in dietary preferences. In this study, we investigated the ultrastructural organization and metal composition of the mandibles of two ladybird species with different dietary habits: Harmonia axyridis (an entomophagous species) and Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata (a phytophagous species). The ultrastructural organization was studied using Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, whereas the metal composition was investigated using Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Significant differences were observed in the general organization and metal enrichment pattern between the two species. The mandibles of H. axyridis are large and present a molar part with two teeth, with the apical one showing a bifid apex. In contrast, S. vigintiquatuorpunctata exhibited a molar region with several teeth on its apical part. The study revealed significant differences in metal content between the teeth and the prostheca of H. axyridis. Mn was the most abundant element in teeth, whereas Cl was more abundant in the prostheca. In the case of S. vigintiquatuorpunctata, Si was the most abundant element in the prostheca, while Mn was more present in the teeth. A comparison between the two species revealed that both teeth and prostheca showed significant variation in the elemental composition. These findings underscore the role of dietary preferences in shaping the structural and metal composition variations in the mandibles of these two ladybird species.

Cryo-electron tomography reveals the packaging pattern of RuBisCOs in Synechococcus β-carboxysome

Carboxysomes are large self-assembled microcompartments that serve as the central machinery of a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). Biogenesis of carboxysome requires the fine organization of thousands of individual proteins; however, the packaging pattern of internal RuBisCOs remains largely unknown. Here we purified the intact β-carboxysomes from Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and identified the protein components by mass spectrometry. Cryo-electron tomography combined with subtomogram averaging revealed the general organization pattern of internal RuBisCOs, in which the adjacent RuBisCOs are mainly arranged in three distinct manners: head-to-head, head-to-side, and side-by-side. The RuBisCOs in the outermost layer are regularly aligned along the shell, the majority of which directly interact with the shell. Moreover, statistical analysis enabled us to propose an ideal packaging model of RuBisCOs in the β-carboxysome. These results provide new insights into the biogenesis of β-carboxysomes and also advance our understanding of the efficient carbon fixation functionality of carboxysomes.