A family concept for the genus Stomachicola Yamaguti, 1934 (Digenea: Hemiuroidea) and new hemiuroid species from marine fishes of Vietnam.

Faecal DNA detection and molecular identification of nematodes of veterinary relevance in invasive raccoons and raccoon dogs in Central Europe.

New morphological features and phylogenetic insights of Dioctophyme renale from wild carnivores and a domestic dog in South America.

First molecular identification of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, Ligula intestinalis, and Taenia hydatigena infecting wildlife canine and avian hosts from the Astrakhan Region, Russia.

Insight into the mechanism of natural preservatives (rosmarinic acid and phytic acid) against quality deterioration of Pacific white shrimp through interactions with hemocyanin.

The Congo River, with the highest diversity of riverine fishes in Africa, only recently established its contemporary outlet into the Atlantic around the Miocene-Pliocene transition (∼5 millions of years ago; Ma). Yet, its role in shaping ichthyofaunal diversification across central Africa through interactions with adjacent Atlantic coastal rivers remains unexplored at both regional and local scales. The African characiform family Alestidae, with lineages distributed across the entire region, offers an ideal system to investigate inland-coastal biogeographic connections. However, phylogenetic relationships within Alestidae remain unresolved, particularly with respect to two key genera, Brachypetersius and Nannopetersius, which inhabit both regions of interest. Applying likelihood and species-tree inferences using 1,759 nuclear ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and 13 protein-coding genes of mitochondrial genomes from 42 alestid taxa, we resolve both Brachypetersius and Nannopetersius as polyphyletic and identify a distinct clade warranting recognition as a new genus: Clavocharax. External morphological and osteological data from museum specimens corroborate this finding by providing diagnostic characters for the new genus. Our molecular and morphological data also support the revalidation of Clupeocharacinae as an inclusive subfamily, encompassing the new genus and seven other West and Central African genera, marking the first phylogenetically supported subfamily within Alestidae. Divergence time estimates suggest that Clavocharax originated in the early Miocene (23.2-15.0Ma), coinciding with climatic shifts and potential river capture events across the region of the Congo River outflow and lower Guinean coastal systems. Ancestral range estimation implicates Miocene climatic and geological events, including the formation of Congo's current Atlantic outlet, in driving repeated geodispersal and diversification across inland and coastal drainages. This study highlights the influence of historical hydrological connectivity on African freshwater fish diversity and resolves previous gaps in our understanding of regional ichthyofaunal evolution and biogeography.

Microbiome alterations and host-pathogen interactions in paratuberculosis: A one health perspective.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a hazard for coastal environments worldwide; identifying screening thresholds of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) associated with increased risk of HABs is a management priority. Molecular surveillance of coastal phytoplankton and bivalve biotoxins could be used to link chl-a with HAB risk, but requires an understanding of whether the HAB risks increase uniformly as chl-a rises, or whether some taxa are disproportionately favored, and if these relationships vary by season. In this study, we present a novel use of molecular abundance data to investigate the scientific bases for estuarine chl-a thresholds protective against HABs. In San Francisco Bay (SFB), California, the relationship between molecular relative abundance (as measured by 18S metabarcoding) of nine different HAB taxa, absolute quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) abundance, and mussel toxin concentrations of a subset of the taxa were investigated for thresholds as a function of increasing chl-a. Our results show most HAB taxa did not increase in absolute or relative abundance during SFB's spring bloom interval, when chl-a levels were highest (>10 µg/L) but the assemblage was dominated by non-harmful diatoms. However, several flagellated, mixotrophic taxa did increase above their molecular baseline in fall, and the combined probability of any HAB occurring above baseline was elevated when chl-a reached ∼4.6 µg/L in the fall. This work demonstrates the promise of molecular approaches in disentangling the seasonally complex interplay between stressors and phytoplankton/HAB community responses and has the potential to provide clearer, more cost-effective monitoring and mitigation strategies for managers.

A combination of recent advancements in molecular recording devices and sequencing technologies has made it possible to generate lineage tracing data on the order of thousands of cells. Dynamic lineage recorders are able to generate random, heritable mutations which accumulate continuously on the timescale of developmental processes; this genetic information is then recovered using single-cell RNA sequencing. These data have the potential to hold rich phylogenetic information due to the irreversible nature of the editing process, a key feature of the employed CRISPR-based systems that deviates from traditional assumptions about molecular mutation processes. Recent technologies have furthermore made it possible for mutations to be acquired sequentially. Understanding the information content of these recorders remains an open area of investigation. Here, we model a sequentially-edited recording system and analyse the experimental conditions over which exact phylogenetic reconstruction occurs with high probability. We find, using simulation and theory, explicit parameter regimes over which simple and efficient distance-based reconstruction methods can accurately resolve the cellular phylogeny. We furthermore illustrate how our theoretical results could be used to help inform experimental design.

The dinophyte family Amphidomataceae, comprising the genera Azadinium and Amphidoma, includes several species known to produce azaspiracids (AZAs), a group of lipophilic marine biotoxins associated with shellfish poisoning. Despite their ecological relevance and the increasing number of newly described species in recent years, their diversity is likely still underestimated, and knowledge of their global distribution and biogeography remains limited. Based on detailed morphological and phylogenetic analyses of strains from Korea and Japan, we describe Azadinium fusiforme sp. nov., a taxon that corresponds to the phylogenetic position of a strain previously reported from Japan. Light and scanning electron microscopy revealed that Az. fusiforme possesses a unique combination of morphological traits that distinguish it from its congeners. Notably, the ventral pore is located on the left side of the first apical plate, the pyrenoid is consistently positioned in the posteriormost part of the cell, the nucleus is elongated and centrally located, and pronounced thickenings occur along the sutures between the lateral and dorsal apical plates. Molecular data place Az. fusiforme in a well-supported, distinct clade within Azadinium, clearly supporting its designation as a new species. Mass spectrometric analyses showed no evidence of AZA production in any of the Az. fusiforme strains. This study contributes to a more fundamental understanding of the species diversity, distribution, and potential toxicity of Amphidomataceae in the Asia-Pacific region.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Brevimulticaecum sinensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Ascaridoidea) from Alligator sinensis (Crocodilian: Alligatoridae).

Diversity, phylogeny, and biogeography of the subgenus Japonigekko (Gekkonidae: Gekko).

Wearable microneedle sensors for continuous interstitial fluid monitoring.

Caprifoliaceae is a cosmopolitan plant family encompassing a large number of species, with significant economic and ecological values. Species divergence and adaptation in Caprifoliaceae are not well understood due to extensive hybridization and rapid radiation. Here, we assembled and compared the complete mitochondrial genomes of Kolkwitzia amabilis and Triplostegia glandulifera, which are distributed in distinct habitats with unique life forms, to elucidate the structural variation of mitogenomes and their implications for species divergence and environmental adaptation. The mitochondrial genome of K. amabilis consists of two circular molecules with sizes of 540,375bp and 197,940bp, respectively, while T. glandulifera has a single circular genome of 642,933bp. The two genomes exhibit a similar preference for A/U bases in codon usage, mainly driven by natural selection, but present significant differences in mode and the number of repeat types. Among 25 shared genes in six Caprifoliaceae species, atp1 had the highest nucleotide diversity; meanwhile, atp4, ccmB, and mttB were under positive selection. Notably, rps7 in T. glandulifera had potentially undergone species-specific positive selection. A phylogenetic tree of Caprifoliaceae species based on 19 conserved protein-coding genes (PCGs) showed that K. amabilis and T. glandulifera formed a sister group, providing molecular evidence at the mitogenome level for the systematic classification of plants in this family. Furthermore, analyses of ancestral genome reconstruction indicated that both mitogenomes exhibited significant gene order rearrangements and gene deletions, and their duplication patterns of nad1 and nad2 genes differed from those of other Caprifoliaceae species, suggesting that dynamic structural changes were an important feature of mitogenome evolution in Caprifoliaceae. In conclusion, the firstly reported mitogenomes of two distinctive species provided important molecular data for phylogenetic, genomic evolution, potential divergence and adaption in Caprifoliaceae.

ABSTRACT A new species, Vaginatispora bharatensis, is reported from the forest area of Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, India, based on morphological and molecular data (28S, 18S, ITS [internal transcribed space], tef1-α [translation elongation factor 1-alpha], rpb2 [RNA polymerase II second largest subunit], and β-tub [beta-tubulin] sequences). V. bharatensis is the first anamorphic report of the genus Vaginatispora based on conidial form collected from the wild. The species is introduced in this paper as a novel species, with comprehensive description, illustration, and multigene phylogenetic analysis.

The rare X-linked female-restricted Hardikar syndrome (HDKR, OMIM # 301068) is characterized by multiple congenital anomalies including orofacial clefts, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and cardiac anomalies, but cognitive and neurobehavioral development is rarely impaired. HDKR is caused by heterozygous frameshift, splice or nonsense variants in the MED12 gene. Besides HDKR, MED12 pathogenic variants cause a broad spectrum of developmental disorders, collectively referred to as MED12-related disorders, including Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome or FG syndrome type 1 (OKS, OMIM #305450), Lujan-Fryns syndrome (MRXSLF, OMIM #309520), X-linked Ohdo syndrome (OHDOX, OMIM #300895) and isolated intellectual disability. Here we report four individuals with HDKR, including the first of maternally inherited HDKR, and we review molecular and clinical data from 33 individuals with HDKR and 215 individuals with other MED12-related disorders retrieved through a literature and public database search. We highlight sella turcica cysts as a new Hardikar syndrome-related feature, and we introduce clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of individuals with HDKR.

Refining prognostication in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: From clinical models to artificial intelligence.

African freshwaters are inhabited by many endemic fishes. However, little is known about the associated myxozoan diversity. The present paper describes a new parasite species of Henneguya Thélohan, 1892 infecting Distichodus mossambicus Peters, 1852, an endemic freshwater fish species commonly found in the Congo Basin. Fish were collected from the Kadey River at Mindourou, a village in the East Region of Cameroon. To study the new Henneguya species, morphological analysis using light microscopy was combined with a phylogenetic analysis of small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. White and elongated plasmodia were found in the gill lamellae. The myxospore body was 11.5 ± 0.2 (mean ± SD) (range: 10.4-12.7) µm long, 3.3 ± 0.1 (2.7-3.9) µm wide, and 2.3 ± 0.1 (1.9-2.9) µm thick. The caudal appendages were 22.1 ± 0.4 (20.1-25.9) µm long and the total length of the new species was 29.7 ± 0.3 (27.5-32.3) µm. The 2 pyriform polar capsules were of the same size, 3.7 ± 0.1 (3.2-4.2) µm long and 1.0 ± 0.03 (0.9-1.2) µm wide. Phylogeny of the SSU rDNA showed the new Henneguya species within a subclade composed exclusively of unidentified Myxobolidae infecting African Citharinoidei fish. Further work characterizing myxozoan species using both morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic data is required to better understand myxozoan diversity in Africa.

Predicting drug-target binding remains a central challenge in computational drug discovery, particularly due to the need for models that jointly capture molecular topology, chemical substructures, and protein sequence dependencies. We propose MSCMF-DTB, an end-to-end deep learning framework supporting both drug-target interaction (DTI) classification and drug-target affinity (DTA) regression. On the drug side, molecular graphs generated with RDKit are encoded using a DenseGCN module, while a parallel fingerprint channel captures fragment-level and compositional features. On the protein side, contextualized embeddings from TAPE-BERT are processed through a multi-scale 1D CNN to extract local sequence patterns. Cross-modal drug-protein relationships are modeled using cross-attention mechanism coupled with a tensor network for higher-order feature interaction. The fused representations are fed into an MLP for final prediction. Extensive experiments demonstrate that MSCMF-DTB achieves competitive and consistent performance across small- and large-scale datasets (Human, C. elegans, GPCR, BioSNAP, and DrugBank for DTI, and DAVIS and KIBA for DTA). Notably, on the large-scale DrugBank dataset for DTI prediction, MSCMF-DTB improved AUC and Recall by up to 3.2% and 6.1%, respectively, compared with the second-best model (DrugBAN). For DTA prediction, the model achieved stable performance on the large and heterogeneous KIBA dataset, with an MSE of 0.146, a Concordance Index of 0.886, and an rm² of 0.765. Attention-based interpretability further shows that the model learns biologically meaningful interaction regions. Finally, a cold-start case study indicates that MSCMF-DTB successfully identifies experimentally validated inhibitors to AKT1, illustrating its practical utility in virtual screening and drug repurposing.

Thermal boundaries of survival: A case study in a marine invertebrate.