Response Of Organism Research Articles

Integrating Biological Early Warning Systems with High-Resolution Online Chemical Monitoring in Wastewater Treatment Plants.

Detection of micropollutants (MPs) in wastewater effluents using traditional toxicity tests or chemical analysis with discrete samples is challenging due to concentration dynamics. This study evaluates a continuous monitoring approach for detecting MPs in wastewater effluents using a combination of biological early warning systems (BEWS). Three BEWS with Chlorella vulgaris, Daphnia magna, and Gammarus pulex were operated in parallel in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant. Concentrations of MPs were monitored by simultaneous online chemical analysis using high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (MS2Field). Over 5 weeks, behavioral changes observed in the BEWS occasionally exceeded acute toxicity thresholds, triggering alarms. These changes were related to MPs identified by the MS2Field, to abiotic factors, or to operational parameters of the BEWS. For one toxic event, behavioral responses were linked to a pesticide, not authorized in Switzerland, at concentrations close to literature EC50 values. Verification tests confirmed that the pesticide in the effluent was the most likely cause for the organism response. The study demonstrates the potential of BEWS as a stand-alone technique for detecting contamination peaks in wastewater, and identifies key limitations and critical factors that need to be addressed to optimize the use of BEWS in wastewater monitoring.

Soil and Sediment Organisms as Bioindicators of Pollution

This review examines the role of soil and sediment organisms as bioindicators in environmental pollution assessment. As fundamental elements of terrestrial ecosystems, soils harbour a rich and diverse biodiversity that plays a key role in regulating ecological processes. The use of bioindicators provides a sensitive and specific approach to detecting the effects of chemical, biological, and physical pollutants on soil health. The review presents a detailed analysis of the types of contaminants commonly encountered, the soil organisms used as bioindicators, and the criteria for selecting the most appropriate bioindicators. It also discusses assessment methods, including soil sampling and analysis techniques, and the biological and ecological indices used to measure contamination. Regional case studies illustrate the practical application of bioindicators for assessing soil quality in different geographical contexts. The review also highlights current challenges to the use of bioindicators, such as technical limitations and the variability of organism responses, and suggests perspectives for future research, including technological innovation and the integration of bioindicators into environmental policy.

Investigating the impact of social media advertising and risk factors on customer online buying behavior: a trust-based perspective

In the realm of ever-changing e-commerce, understanding the dynamics of customer online buying behavior (COBB) is pivotal. This study investigates the impact of risk factors—financial risk (FR), time risk (TR), and psychological risk (PR) along with social media advertising (SMA) on COBB with the mediating effect of trust. Grounded on the stimulus–organism–response theory, the research targets diverse segments including students, businessmen, employees, working women, and housewives. To ensure a high response rate, an online questionnaire was distributed via email, WhatsApp, and social media groups of online buyers. Convenience sampling was used to collect primary data from 350 respondents. Data analysis that employed the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, normality testing, and regression analysis, was performed for reliability, validity and hypothesis testing. The findings underscore the significant negative impact of risk factors (FR, TR, PR) on building customer trust and subsequent online shopping behavior. Social media advertising has a positive and significant impact on trust and COBB. Furthermore, trust emerged as a significant determinant of COBB, thereby validating its pivotal role in online consumer decision-making processes. Moreover, trust mediates the relationship between risk factors, SMA and COBB. This study consists of both practical and theoretical contributions, offering insights into the nuanced interplay between risk perceptions, SMA effectiveness, trust dynamics, and COBB. These insights are essential for marketers, policymakers, and researchers navigating the evolving landscape of e-commerce.

Assessing stimulus–organism responses in impulse buying among young consumers on online platforms using a hybrid BWM-ISM approach

Assessing stimulus–organism responses in impulse buying among young consumers on online platforms using a hybrid BWM-ISM approach

Evolution of the ocular immune system.

The evolution of the ocular immune system should be viewed within the context of the evolution of the immune system, and indeed organisms, as a whole. Since the earliest time, the most primitive responses of single cell organisms involved molecules such as anti-microbial peptides and behaviours such as phagocytosis. Innate immunity took shape ~2.5 billion years ago while adaptive immunity and antigen specificity appeared with vertebrate evolution ~ 500 million years ago. The invention of the microscope and the germ theory of disease precipitated debate on cellular versus humoral immunity, resolved by the discovery of B and T cells. Most recently, our understanding of the microbiome and consideration of the host existing symbiotically with trillions of microbial genes (the holobiont), suggests that the immune system is a sensor of homoeostasis rather than simply a responder to pathogens. Each tissue type in multicellular organisms, such as vertebrates, has a customised response to immune challenge, with powerful reactions most evident in barrier tissues such as the skin and gut mucosa, while the eye and brain occupy the opposite extreme where responses are attenuated. The experimental background which historically led to the concept of immune privilege is discussed in this review; however, we propose that the ocular immune response should not be viewed as unique but simply an example of how the tissues variably respond in nature, more or less to the same challenge (or danger).

Melanin in the Retinal Epithelium and Magnetic Sensing: A Review of Current Studies.

Coming in a variety of forms, melanin is one of the most abundant, stable, diverse, and evolutionarily ancient pigments found in living things in nature. These pigments often serve protective functions, typically well-adapted to their specific roles. One such protective function is metal chelation and cation exchange, which help regulate and buffer metal concentrations within cells. By binding to certain metals, melanin can acquire magnetic properties. Because of this, it may play a role in magnetic effects and possibly in the response of organisms to external magnetic fields and magnetic sensing. While there is melanin in plants, microbes, fungi, and invertebrates, certain types of melanin are specifically associated with the retina in vertebrates, including migrating bird and fish species. In this review, we examine studies focusing on the properties of melanin in these parts of the body and their possible association with magnetic sensing, and generally, magnetic sensing in the retina.

Fashion influencers’ credibility on Instagram: the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) perspective

ABSTRACT Fashion brands’ campaigns on social media typically rely on official brands’ accounts and influencers’ accounts. Drawing on S-O-R model, the current study examined how source credibility (expertise, trustworthiness, and similarity) and parasocial relationship influence marketing effectiveness of social media influencers. To test hypotheses, this study collected 232 samples and applied survey method to address the impact of marketing effectiveness on expertise, trustworthiness, and similarity of social media influencers. The findings indicated that influencers with high credibility were found to be positively related to advertising attitude and self-brand connection, which may be more effective in marketing effectiveness than those with low source credibility. Additionally, parasocial relationships were found to moderate the effect of influencers’ credibility on self-brand connection, but not on advertising attitude. Overall, this research investigated the efficacy of fashion Instagram influencers in marketing by considering the factors of source credibility and parasocial relationship. Incorporating these dimensions can lead to more accurate predictions of consumer behavior and improved strategies for fashion brand management. The findings provide practical implications for fashion brands in selecting appropriate influencers and developing effective social media marketing strategies, particularly in understanding how influencer credibility affects consumer behavior.

Decoupled responses of plants and soil biota to global change across the world’s land ecosystems

Understanding the concurrent responses of aboveground and belowground biota compartments to global changes is crucial for the maintenance of ecosystem functions and biodiversity conservation. We conduct a comprehensive analysis synthesizing data from 13,209 single observations and 3223 pairwise observations from 1166 publications across the world terrestrial ecosystems to examine the responses of plants and soil organisms and their synchronization. We find that global change factors (GCFs) generally promote plant biomass but decreased plant species diversity. In comparison, the responses of belowground soil biota to GCFs are more variable and harder to predict. The analysis of the paired aboveground and belowground observations demonstrate that responses of plants and soil organisms to GCFs are decoupled among diverse groups of soil organisms for different biomes. Our study highlights the importance of integrative research on the aboveground-belowground system for improving predictions regarding the consequences of global environmental change.

Comparison of pathomorphologic properties of non-resorbable and partially resorbable implants for reconstructive surgery of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence: an animal model study

Introduction. It is well-known that the use of transvaginal mesh implants is not devoid of specific complications that meaningfully impair the quality of life of female patients. The volume of permanent material used has been shown to correlate closely with the risk of implant-associated complications. Thus, there is a need to develop a new generation of implants that retain the advantages of a permanent mesh implant but with minimal risk of implant-associated complications. Meanwhile, there are insufficient data on the organism's response to this type of synthetic implant.Objective. To compare the histological changes in the soft tissues of the rabbit anterior abdominal wall in the implantation zone of the new generation partially resorbable implant and non-absorbable polypropylene mesh implant on the animal model.Materials & methods. We have previously developed a partially resorbable ligature delivery system for axial fixation of pelvic floor structures, performed technical analysis, and compared biomechanical and pathomorphological properties after implantation in an animal model experiment. The present study was conducted on 39 male rabbits of Chinchilla breed, randomised into three groups according to the type of implanted material: a partially resorbable ligature delivery system Axilen and Axilen Rapid [Lintex, LLC], and a non-resorbable polypropylene mesh implant Urosling. After the rabbits were removed from the experiment, the obtained biomaterial was subjected to histological study.Results. In the group with partially resorbable implants Axilen and Axilen Rapid, less inflammation and better tissue integration were observed compared to the polypropylene implant Urosling. This indicates a potential reduction in the risk of postoperative complications and an improvement in the quality of life for patients.Conclusion. The results of the experimental study confirm the advantages of using partially resorbable implants over traditional polypropylene meshes in pelvic floor reconstructive surgery. However, further research is needed to confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of the new generation of implants.

Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades

For many aquatic species, vision is important for detecting prey, predators, and conspecifics; however, the potential impacts of visual cues from offshore wind turbines have not been investigated in these crucial contexts. There is the possibility of visual cues, originating from moving wind turbine blades, propagating through the air–water interface to impact visually sensitive species. Two classes of visual cues are possible: direct motion cues originating as light reflected from moving turbine blades and indirect cues resulting from an interruption of direct sunlight causing dynamic shadowing when the sun, blade, and receptor are aligned. In both cases, the propagation of cues across the air–water interface is governed by physical principles but modulated in potentially complex ways by the aspects of the local environment that vary with time. Evidence for the extent of the exposure of aquatic organisms to the visual cues arising from moving turbine blades and for the potential response of receptor organisms is sparse. This study considers the physics involved to support the formulation and testing of robust biological hypotheses. Marine migratory salmonid species are considered as an example species because their behaviour in the marine environment is relatively well documented. This study concludes that the aquatic receptor organisms present in the uppermost layer of the sea in the vicinity of wind turbines are potentially exposed to direct motion cues originating from moving turbine blades and also, when the sun elevation angle is greater than ca. 20°, to dynamic shadowing cues.

Recombinant Production of Ib-AMP4 and Oncorhyncin II Antimicrobial Peptides and Antimicrobial Synergistic Assessment on the Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Under in vitro Condition.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant and prevalent pathogen that poses a major challenge in healthcare environments. In light of the growing threat posed by multidrug-resistant organisms like MRSA, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. One promising avenue of research involves the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). These naturally occurring molecules, which are part of the innate immune response in many organisms, have garnered attention for their ability to combat a wide range of pathogens. This study aimed to produce recombinant versions of Ib-AMP4 and Oncorhyncin II and to evaluate their combined effects against MRSA (NCTC10442). Escherichia coli BL21(DE3] served as the expression host for the synthesized variants of the Ib-AMP4 and Oncorhyncin II genes. The antimicrobial efficacy of these peptides against MRSA S. aureus (NCTC1042] was evaluated using a comprehensive methodology that encompassed the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the performance of time-kill assays, and the analysis of growth kinetics. The individual antimicrobial activities of Ib-AMP4 and Oncorhyncin II were assessed, revealing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 27.75 μg/mL and 40.125 μg/mL against S. aureus (MRSA) (NCTC10442), respectively. The application of a checkerboard assay to evaluate the combination of these antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) demonstrated a synergistic interaction, which was further validated through time-kill and growth kinetic studies. When administered at double the MIC, a significant reduction in the log10 CFU/mL of MRSA (NCTC 10442) was observed, underscoring the synergistic bacteriostatic effect mediated by the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of the two peptides. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted significant interest owing to the growing intricacy of microbial infections. They constitute a promising category of novel antibiotics that warrant further investigation for the treatment of S. aureus infections and the enhancement of wound healing. Although certain AMPs can operate autonomously, others may necessitate a synergistic approach alongside conventional antibiotics. Studies examining the combined efficacy of Oncorhyncin II and Ib-AMP4 against MRSA in vitro have revealed their effectiveness.

Divergent effects of short-term and continuous anthropogenic noise exposure on Western Bluebird parental care behavior.

Sensory environments are rapidly changing due to increased human activity in urban and non-urban areas alike. For instance, natural and anthropogenic sounds can interfere with parent-offspring communication and mask cues reflective of predation risk, resulting in elevated vigilance at the cost of provisioning. Here we present data from two separate studies involving anthropogenic noise and nestling provisioning behavior in Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana): one in response to short-term (1 h) experimental noise playback and a second in the context of nests located along a gradient of exposure to continuous noise. In the short-term playback experiment, nests were sequentially exposed to trials with either traffic noise or a silent audio track. The effect of the playback type interacted with the effect of the order in which trials were presented. The outcome was that provisioning rates during second trials with the silent track playback were higher than provisioning rates during noise playback on first or second trials, but not first trials with the silent track playback. Additionally, failed provisioning attempts only occurred during noise trials. In contrast, provisioning rates increased with the amplitude of noise among nests located in a gradient of continuous noise exposure. For nests along the noise gradient, the latency to resume provisioning behavior following human disturbance from approaching the nest negatively covaried with noise exposure amplitude. Specifically, birds resumed provisioning behavior more quickly with increased noise amplitude. Collectively, both studies demonstrate that noise can influence avian parental care of offspring, but the direction of the effect of noise are opposite. This difference could reflect variation in populations, noise characteristics or latent environmental contexts, or different ages of nestlings. However, it is also possible that the divergent responses reflect important differences in organismal responses to short-term versus long-term noise exposure. The possibility of mismatches in responses to short-term versus long-term noise exposure should be the focus of additional research, especially because short-term noise exposure experiments are often used to understand the consequences of noise pollution for organisms living in noisy environments.

EXPRESS: Rural homestay experiencescape: Scale development and its emotional and cognitive paths to guest engagement behaviour

This study uses a mixed research approach based on the stimulus–organism–response framework to explore the experiencescape of rural homestays and its emotional and cognitive pathways to guest engagement behaviour (GEB) while investigating the mediating roles of guest feelings, guest judgments, and place attachment. The results reveal that six dimensions of the rural homestay experiencescape were identified: sensory, functional, social, natural, cultural, and hospitality culture components, which predicted guest feelings, judgments, and place attachment. Guest feelings and judgments positively impacted place attachment, and all three factors positively influenced GEB. Additionally, guest feelings and place attachment mediated the relationship between the rural homestay experiencescape and GEB. This study carries both theoretical and practical implications.

Organismal Response to Climate Change (NSF)

Organismal Response to Climate Change (NSF)

Cell non-autonomous signaling through the conserved C. elegans glycoprotein hormone receptor FSHR-1 regulates cholinergic neurotransmission.

Modulation of neurotransmission is key for organismal responses to varying physiological contexts such as during infection, injury, or other stresses, as well as in learning and memory and for sensory adaptation. Roles for cell autonomous neuromodulatory mechanisms in these processes have been well described. The importance of cell non-autonomous pathways for inter-tissue signaling, such as gut-to-brain or glia-to-neuron, has emerged more recently, but the cellular mechanisms mediating such regulation remain comparatively unexplored. Glycoproteins and their G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are well-established orchestrators of multi-tissue signaling events that govern diverse physiological processes through both cell-autonomous and cell non-autonomous regulation. Here, we show that follicle stimulating hormone receptor, FSHR-1, the sole Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of mammalian glycoprotein hormone GPCRs, is important for cell non-autonomous modulation of synaptic transmission. Inhibition of fshr-1 expression reduces muscle contraction and leads to synaptic vesicle accumulation in cholinergic motor neurons. The neuromuscular and locomotor defects in fshr-1 loss-of-function mutants are associated with an underlying accumulation of synaptic vesicles, build-up of the synaptic vesicle priming factor UNC-10/RIM, and decreased synaptic vesicle release from cholinergic motor neurons. Restoration of FSHR-1 to the intestine is sufficient to restore neuromuscular activity and synaptic vesicle localization to fshr-1-deficient animals. Intestine-specific knockdown of FSHR-1 reduces neuromuscular function, indicating FSHR-1 is both necessary and sufficient in the intestine for its neuromuscular effects. Re-expression of FSHR-1 in other sites of endogenous expression, including glial cells and neurons, also restored some neuromuscular deficits, indicating potential cross-tissue regulation from these tissues as well. Genetic interaction studies provide evidence that downstream effectors gsa-1/GαS, acy-1/adenylyl cyclase and sphk-1/sphingosine kinase and glycoprotein hormone subunit orthologs, GPLA-1/GPA2 and GPLB-1/GPB5, are important for intestinal FSHR-1 modulation of the NMJ. Together, our results demonstrate that FSHR-1 modulation directs inter-tissue signaling systems, which promote synaptic vesicle release at neuromuscular synapses.

Hydrogels Based on Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Underlying Principles and Biomedical Applications.

Ionic complexes of electrostatically charged biomacromolecules are key players in various biological processes like nucleotide transportation, organelle formation, and protein folding. These complexes, abundant in biological systems, contribute to the function, responsiveness, and mechanical properties of organisms. Coherent with these natural phenomena, hydrogels formed through the complexation of oppositely charged polymers exhibit unique attributes, such as rapid self-assembly, hierarchical microstructures, tunable properties, and protective encapsulation. Consequently, polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogels have garnered considerable interest, emerging as an up-and-coming platform for various biomedical applications. This review outlines the underlying principles governing PEC hydrogels. The classification of polyelectrolytes and the self-assembly of PEC hydrogels are discussed, including the factors influencing their self-assembly process. Recent developments of PEC hydrogels for biomedical applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing and management, and wearable sensors, are summarized. This review concludes with the prospective directions for the next generation of PEC hydrogel research.

How do different policy instruments influence circular economy implementation in the construction sector?

ABSTRACT The circular economy (CE) is a promising solution to the growing construction waste and the environmental problems it brings, and government policy instruments are vital for promoting CE implementation. Existing research has been focused on the effects of one or two specific policy tools, like subsidies or fines, on construction CE implementation, which lacked comprehensive comparison among policy instruments and overlooked the stakeholders’ consciousness. There are three policy instruments and each has different characteristics and effects. Therefore, based on the Stimulus–organism–response theory, this study comprehensively explored the impact of the three policy instruments on CE implementation, and the mediating role of contractor intentions was considered. The quantitative questionnaire survey and partial least squares structural equation modelling analysis methods were used to study the relationship between the three policy instruments and CE intention and implementation. Then, the qualitative interview method was adopted to validate the results and provide practical advice. The results provide the government with a policy instrument decision-making framework, which gives a theoretical basis and practical implications for the government and contractor companies in CE implementation and gives insight into releasing construction waste and pollution problems.

How the metaphysical and the ethical are intertwined: an organismic response to JeeLoo Liu

How the metaphysical and the ethical are intertwined: an organismic response to JeeLoo Liu

Shared genetic architecture links energy metabolism, behavior and starvation resistance along a power-endurance axis

Abstract Shared developmental, physiological, and molecular mechanisms can generate strong genetic covariances across suites of traits, constraining genetic variability, and evolvability to certain axes in multivariate trait space (“variational modules” or “syndromes”). Such trait suites will not only respond jointly to selection; they will also covary across populations that diverged from one another by genetic drift. We report evidence for such a genetically correlated trait suite that links traits related to energy metabolism along a “power-endurance” axis in Drosophila melanogaster. The “power” pole of the axis is characterized by high potential for energy generation and expenditure—high expression of glycolysis and TCA cycle genes, high abundance of mitochondria, and high spontaneous locomotor activity. The opposite “endurance” pole is characterized by high triglyceride (fat) reserves, locomotor endurance, and starvation resistance (and low values of traits associated with the “power” pole). This trait suite also aligns with the first principal component of metabolome; the “power” direction is characterized by low levels of trehalose (blood sugar) and high levels of some amino acids and their derivatives, including creatine, a compound known to facilitate energy production in muscles. Our evidence comes from six replicate “Selected” populations adapted to a nutrient-poor larval diet regime during 250 generations of experimental evolution and six “Control” populations evolved in parallel on a standard diet regime. We found that, within each of these experimental evolutionary regimes, the above traits strongly covaried along this “power-endurance” axis across replicate populations which diversified by drift, indicating a shared genetic architecture. The two evolutionary regimes also drove divergence along this axis, with Selected populations on average displaced towards the “power” direction compared to Controls. Aspects of this “power-endurance” axis resemble the “pace of life” syndrome and the “thrifty phenotype”; it may have evolved as part of a coordinated organismal response to nutritional conditions.

Dark Anaerobic Conditions Induce a Fast Induction of the Xanthophyll Cycle in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii When Exposed to High Light.

Dark anaerobiosis promotes the acidification of the thylakoid lumen and a reduction in the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. The relationship between the reduction in the PQ pool in the dark and the induction of the xanthophyll cycle under high light stress was investigated in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. To achieve a comprehensive oxidative/reductive (aerobic/anaerobic conditions) state of the PQ pool, cultures were bubbled with air or nitrogen for 4 h. To induce the xanthophyll cycle, the cultures were then irradiated with 1200 µmolphotons m-2 s-1 white light for 1 h. The anaerobic cultures exhibited a stronger induction of the xanthophyll cycle with a 3.4-fold higher de-epoxidation state than the aerobic cultures. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that this response was influenced by the previous redox state of the PQ pool, and that dark anaerobiosis triggers physiological responses, such as exposure to high light. Thus, the photosynthetic apparatus in anaerobic cultures was already alerted, at the moment of high light exposure, to give an appropriate response to the stress with a stronger induction of the xanthophyll cycle than in aerobic cultures. Our results provide new information on the importance of the redox signaling pathway and highlight the importance of the reductive conditions of the PQ pool in regulating the physiological responses of photosynthetic organisms to stress.