Search Results (3,567)

Ants are widely used as bioindicators because of their sensitivity to environmental change and their functional roles in ecosystems. This study presents the first comparative analysis of ant communities in two habitats, an agricultural system and a semi-natural forest, within the Natural Park of Montesinho (northeastern Portugal). From May to October 2022, four plots were sampled per habitat: (i) semi-natural oak forest and (ii) chestnut orchard under human management, using five pitfall traps in each plot. A total of 1969 ants were captured, representing 32 species and 15 genera. Traditional chestnut orchards supported more exclusive species and greater functional diversity, dominated by generalist and thermophilic taxa. In contrast, oak forests hosted more specialist and cold-adapted species, which may reflect a higher structural stability. Seasonal variation was more pronounced in chestnut orchards, consistent with disturbance-driven dynamics. The functional composition also differed: chestnut orchards favoured granivores and scavengers, while oak forests supported predators and mutualists. These findings highlight the value of ant communities as sensitive indicators of land use and ecosystem condition in Mediterranean mountain systems. Full article

High-altitude hypoxic adaptation in mammals involves complex molecular mechanisms, with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) increasingly reported to participate in hypoxia-related regulation. However, the contribution of circRNAs in cardiac adaptation to chronic hypoxia remains largely unexplored. This study performed an integrative competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) analysis to investigate circRNA-mediated regulatory networks in the hearts of Tibetan pigs and Yorkshire pigs maintained under high- and low-altitude conditions, using four comparison groups (TH, TL, YH, and YL). Using Ribo-Zero RNA sequencing, we identified 961 circRNAs in heart tissues, with 358 differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRNAs) detected across the four groups. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that their host genes were associated with hypoxia-related pathways, including HIF-1, VEGF, AMPK, and autophagy, critical for energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. A HIF-1-specific ceRNA network was constructed, identifying key axes including circDUSP16–ssc-miR-671-5p–CAMK2A, circTLK1–ssc-miR-331-3p–SERPINE1, and circTLK1–novel-miR-624–ENO1. JASPAR analysis predicted potential HIF-1α binding sites in the promoters of ENO1, SERPINE1, and CAMK2A, supporting their regulatory roles. These findings provide a transcriptomic overview of circRNA expression patterns in pig heart tissues under different altitude conditions and prioritize candidate ceRNA relationships for further functional investigation. Full article

Background/Objectives: The gut microbiome is a critical regulator of host metabolism, immunity, and the gut–brain axis. Exercise is a promising non-pharmacological modulator of microbial ecology, yet human evidence remains heterogeneous and the translational gap persists. This narrative review synthesizes mechanisms, human and animal evidence, and future directions for the exercise–gut microbiome axis. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SID were searched for articles published between January 2000 and February 2025. Keywords included exercise, physical activity, gut microbiome, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and gut–muscle axis. From 218 initial records, 89 original studies (47 human, 42 animal) met inclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Results: Exercise modulates the gut microbiome via splanchnic hypoperfusion, hyperthermia, altered transit time, and immune-mediated barrier regulation. Moderate-intensity continuous training consistently increases alpha diversity and enriches butyrate-producing taxa (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia hominis) and mucin-degrading Akkermansia muciniphila. High-intensity interval training transiently increases intestinal permeability in untrained individuals but, following adaptation, stimulates butyrate production via lactate cross-feeding metabolism—a recent breakthrough. Effects are transient and reversible upon detraining. Animal models establish causality through fecal microbiota transplantation; human randomized controlled trials demonstrate modest, intensity-dependent, and highly individualistic responses. Emerging evidence supports the gut–muscle axis in sarcopenia and personalized exercise prescription guided by microbiome profiling. Conclusion: Exercise shows promise as a low-cost modulator of the gut microbiome for enriching health-associated taxa and improving metabolic outcomes. Definitive evidence linking exercise-induced microbial shifts to enhanced athletic performance in humans remains lacking. Future research requires diet-controlled randomized controlled trials with ≥12-week interventions, shotgun metagenomics, and mechanistic validation of the gut–muscle axis in humans. Full article

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with potent immunomodulatory properties, making them attractive candidates for treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. A key mediator of MSC-induced immunosuppression is programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a checkpoint molecule that interacts with PD-1 on immune cells to regulate immune responses and promote tolerance. This review synthesizes current evidence on the role of PD-L1 expression in MSCs, emphasizing its effects on both the innate and adaptive immune systems, its therapeutic potential, and its utility as a biomarker for MSC potency and clinical efficacy. We examine how PD-L1 modulates T cell activation, dendritic cell maturation, macrophage polarization, and cytokine profiles, including its role in exosomal contexts. Additionally, we highlight its synergistic interactions with other immune checkpoints and discuss its dual function as both a therapeutic effector and a dynamic biomarker. Finally, we explore its relevance in clinical contexts such as autoimmune diseases, graft-versus-host disease, sepsis, and transplantation and conclude with a discussion of challenges and future directions in harnessing PD-L1 for MSC-based therapies. Full article

Multi-access edge computing (MEC) enables low-latency service provisioning by placing computation closer to mobile users. However, efficient service placement remains challenging due to dynamic user mobility, limited edge resources, and the need to manage service migration as system conditions evolve. This study proposes a resource-aware, cache-enabled service placement framework based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to dynamically select edge nodes for hosting services. The approach jointly considers user location, resource availability, and cache status within a unified decision framework, enabling efficient and adaptive service placement in dynamic MEC environments. The problem is formulated as a Markov decision process (MDP) and solved using deep Q-network (DQN)-based methods, with a reward function that balances latency, resource utilization, and cache efficiency. The proposed framework is evaluated in a simulated MEC environment with mobile users and multiple edge nodes. Experimental results demonstrate that the approach achieves lower latency, improved resource utilization, and enhanced cache efficiency compared to baseline strategies. Among the evaluated models, the dueling double deep Q-network (DDDQN) achieves the most balanced overall performance. The proposed framework provides an adaptive and scalable solution for service management in dynamic MEC environments. Full article

Regulated cell death is essential for development, tissue homeostasis, host defense, and disease. Beyond apoptosis, it is now clear that other forms of cell death, including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, also contribute to pathology, often in interconnected rather than isolated ways. Within this broader framework, the transcriptional intermediary factor 1 (TIF1) family, comprising TRIM24, TRIM28, TRIM33, and TRIM66, has emerged as an important group of regulators linking stress adaptation, cell-state control, and cell death susceptibility. Although these proteins belong to the same family, they influence cell death through distinct and context-dependent mechanisms. Across the TIF1 family, apoptosis is by far the most extensively studied cell death phenotype, whereas links to ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis remain more limited, more context dependent, and more unevenly distributed across individual members. Cell death often becomes evident when TIF1-dependent stress-buffering programs are disrupted, highlighting both their biological importance and potential therapeutic relevance. At the same time, family-level differences are emerging, while the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood, and recent advances in this field have not been synthesized. This review summarizes how TIF1 family members intersect with different cell death programs, discusses emerging translational opportunities and challenges, and highlights key mechanistic questions for future study. Full article

The inclusion of refugees in the formal labor markets of host countries has been recognized as a sustainable solution to forced migration. In Brazil, due to the growing number of refugees, it is urgent to look at the difficulties faced by this population and develop strategies for their socio-economic inclusion. This study proposes a reflection on the meaning of decent work for refugees, considering their own perspectives, with the aim of offering a broader understanding of their desires and needs in the labor sphere. A survey was applied to 78 Venezuelan refugees in the northern region of Brazil. The data were analyzed using Jamovi software (Version 2.3.28), including descriptive and inferential statistics. Among the findings were the expectation of opportunities that value the skills of refugees. Difficulties due to cultural adaptation in organizations and a lack of professional recognition were pointed out. Job crafting proved to be a promising strategy for positively shaping work. Full article

Mucormycosis, triggered by fungi of the order Mucorales, represents a potentially fatal invasive mycosis, with death rates over 50% despite intensive therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a sharp increase in cases, especially in individuals with diabetes mellitus and those undergoing immunosuppressive treatment, emphasizing significant gaps in our comprehension of disease pathogenesis. Emerging molecular studies have highlighted key virulence factors, such as the CotH family of invasins that facilitate endothelial invasion via interaction with glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), complex iron acquisition systems necessary for fungal growth, and the release of mucoricin, a ricin-like toxin that impairs vascular integrity. Host defense depends mainly on innate immunity, with neutrophils and macrophages working as critical effector cells, while adaptive Th1 and Th17 responses aid in the fungal removal. Mucorales use a variety of immune evasion techniques, such as pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) masking via cell wall transformations, resistance to phagocytic death, and metabolic utilization of host factors including hyperglycemia and increased free iron in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This review summarizes current evidence of the molecular processes underlying mucormycosis pathogenesis, underscoring host–pathogen interactions at the cellular and molecular levels, immune evasion tactics, and translational potential for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Comprehending these molecular processes is crucial for creating efficient therapies against mucormycosis in an era of growing immunocompromised patients and expanding infectious disease synergies. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a major challenge to swine production worldwide. Current vaccines have limited efficacy against genetically diverse PRRSV strains. Therefore, strategies with alternative modes of action—such as antiviral approaches that target conserved virus–host interactions, including viral attachment and entry, rather than relying solely on adaptive immune responses—are needed. We first evaluated the in vitro effect of griffithsin (GRFT), a high-mannose-binding lectin, in the monkey kidney cell line MARC-145. Cells were pre-treated with GRFT (50–200 µg/mL) prior to PRRSV infection, after which cell morphology and viral RNA replication (measured by RT-qPCR) were assessed. Pre-treatment with 100–200 µg/mL GRFT, followed by PRRSV inoculation at a multiplicity of infection of 1 or 10, reduced viral replication in MARC145 cells in a dose-dependent manner, achieving almost 100% inhibition of ORF5 and ORF7 RNA compared with untreated controls (p < 0.0001). We next investigated the in vivo effects of intranasal GRFT administration (7.5 or 15 mg/day) in pigs (n = 56). Pigs treated with 15 mg/day GRFT exhibited significantly reduced (p < 0.05) viremia 2, 4 and 7 days post-challenge, compared with untreated, challenged, and controls (log₁₀ 8.1 ± 0.2 vs. 9.0 ± 0.25, 8.2 ± 0.1 vs. 9.1 ± 0.2, and 8.9 ± 0.2 vs. 9.3 ± 0.2, respectively), along with earlier resolution of fever and a trend toward increased average daily gain over 42 days (p < 0.1). These findings are the first report of GRFT efficacy in pigs and support its potential as an antiviral strategy against PRRSV, alongside existing interventions. Full article

The benefits of legume-nitrogen-fixing bacteria symbioses are vital in agricultural systems globally. Cross-infectivity studies are important for identifying rhizobial strains with potential for use as inoculants. The native rhizobial isolates inoculated on different legume species are the first step to determining host range and ecological adaptive traits. This study reports on the water-use efficiency and mineral nutrition of diverse legume species cross-inoculated by native rhizobial isolates from Eswatini, Ghana and South Africa under glasshouse conditions. A portable infrared red gas analyzer was used for water use efficiency. Data from a gas exchange study shows that rhizobial strains can significantly influence the photosynthetic functioning of their host plants. As a result, photosynthetic rates differed depending on bacterial compatibility with the host plant, as well as its symbiotic efficacy. Isolate TUTGmGH2 induced greater accumulation of P, K, Mg, Zn, Cu and Mn in soybean and Winged bean, clearly suggesting that rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants. Therefore, these findings further show that native rhizobial isolates can be manipulated to enhance mineral nutrient uptake, promote growth and development and also produce nutrient-dense food with a low environmental impact globally since rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants. Full article

The Nipponia nippon is a critically endangered species, and its breeding efforts are of vital importance for its conservation. Although artificial shell removal is sometimes employed in current breeding programs to increase survival rates, it may also have unknown impacts on chicks’ development. To investigate the influence of artificial shell removal on the gut microbiota composition in Nipponia nippon, metagenomic sequencing and untargeted LC-MS/MS analyses were performed. Samples from the early, mid, and late stages of natural hatching (ZE, ZM, ZL) and artificial shell removal (RE, RM, RL) were compared. Results indicated that the natural hatching groups formed a unique, highly diverse, and stable community by the late stage (ZL). Conversely, artificial peeling caused the microbial community succession to stagnate at an intermediate state. The RL group experienced a sharp decline in alpha diversity and a significant enrichment of opportunistic pathogens, such as Edwardsiella, Clostridium, and Fusobacterium. Functionally, the microbial community in the RL group remained in a stage of expanding basic functions rather than reaching an advanced equilibrium state. Metabolomic analysis confirmed this developmental arrest, revealing abnormal accumulations of organic acids, such as citric acid, and indole derivatives in the RL group. This indicates metabolic dysregulation, stress, and altered microbial–host chemical signaling. Furthermore, the significant biomarker Edwardsiella was strongly correlated with multiple differential metabolites in the RL group. Ultimately, these results indicate that artificial peeling intervention disrupts environmental adaptation and induces metabolic alterations in the intestinal development of the Nipponia nippon chicks. Full article

This study examines how Syrian migrants in Turkey—who generally have temporary protection status—adapt to their new environment, focusing on their sense of belonging, social acceptance, and social interaction. In this research, acculturation is considered not only as a one-way adaptation process but also as a multidimensional and mutually evaluated process that emerges through various variables such as the relationships migrants establish with the host society, their intercultural communication experiences, and their daily life practices. The study, conducted using a qualitative research design, is based on data obtained from in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions conducted with 20 Syrian migrants who have resided in various cities in Turkey for at least 5 years. The data emerging from the interviews were analyzed using descriptive-thematic analysis. The findings reveal that positive social contact and interaction within the social structure reinforce the sense of belonging; conversely, discrimination, exposure to exclusion, and legal uncertainty negatively affect acculturation processes. The study contributes to the literature by providing a context-sensitive analysis of acculturation, emphasizing the role of social interaction, belonging, and social acceptance in shaping migrants’ experiences. Full article

Real-time selective sequencing on nanopore platforms offers a programmable way to enrich target molecules and deplete background DNA during a run. This approach, widely known as adaptive sampling (AS), has been applied across host depletion, metagenomics, targeted loci, plasmid/AMR workflows, and RNA/transcriptomic protocols, but reported performance varies substantially across studies. This review synthesizes current algorithmic and empirical evidence with emphasis on sequencing-relevant outcomes, including absolute informative yield, target-coverage behavior, throughput effects, and run-to-run stability. Across use cases, relative enrichment is frequently observed, but gains in usable genomic output are strongly conditioned by fragment-length distributions, reference quality, decision-loop latency, and rejection-associated penalties in total yield and pore longevity. Evidence from targeted-panel and complex-locus studies further indicates that improved depth concentration can coexist with coverage non-uniformity and context-specific trade-offs relative to wet-lab enrichment. Overall, the literature supports AS as a valuable but condition-dependent strategy whose benefit is greatest when assay design, reference selection, and computational constraints are jointly optimized. Full article

In the context of global warming, the resulting persistent thermal stress has become a critical environmental factor influencing the structural and functional homeostasis of gut microbiota in reptiles. In this study, Eremias roborowskii, a desert lizard endemic to the extreme heat conditions of the Turpan Basin, was selected as an ideal model for evaluating the ecological impacts of global warming. Meanwhile, a 60-day controlled laboratory experiment was conducted, exposing the lizards to normal (30 °C ± 1 °C), elevated (37 °C ± 1 °C), and high (42 °C ± 1 °C) temperatures to reflect future climate scenarios. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, the gut microbiota was characterized to investigate the dynamics of the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) under heat stress. The results reveal that elevated temperature selectively promotes heat-tolerant gut microbiota, such as Tetragenococcus and Faecalicatena, by altering host energy metabolism and modulating heat stress adaptation to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Moreover, the observed increase in resistome diversity and richness under elevated temperature may be attributed to temperature-induced shifts in gut microbial composition, particularly the enrichment of heat-tolerant ARG-carrying bacterial taxa. Metabolic changes in CAZymes were caused by gut microbiota remodeling, which optimized carbon utilization and preferentially allocated cell wall synthesis and repair. Furthermore, the pentose phosphate pathway and amino acid biosynthesis pathways were upregulated, providing NADPH for antioxidant defense and precursors for protein synthesis, respectively, thereby contributing to the maintenance of microbial cellular homeostasis. Our study provides a theoretical basis for understanding functional gene adaptation strategies in wildlife microbiomes due to climate change. Full article

External environment shapes the cold adaptation of Ophraella communa, a specialist natural enemy of the invasive common ragweed, and further affects its biological control efficacy. Our study aims to clarify the cold tolerance correlation between ragweed and leaf beetle and explore whether host cold acclimation can enhance the beetle’s low-temperature adaptability. We measured cold-resistant substances, supercooling point (SCP), and chill-coma recovery time (CCRT) of four geographic populations, and conducted indoor low-temperature acclimation of ragweed at 13 °C, 17 °C, 21 °C for 3–9 d, then fed leaf beetle with treated leaves. Results showed that cold-resistant substances in both species varied with latitude and were highly heritable. Cold acclimation can elevate sugars, trehalose, glycerol, and proline in ragweed; the cold tolerance of beetles feeding on these plants was significantly improved. We conclude that cold-resistant substances in ragweed can be trophically transferred to leaf beetle to enhance its cold hardiness, providing a new strategy to improve biocontrol in high-latitude regions. Full article