Harmonic convergence coordinates swarm mating by enhancing mate detection in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae

The mosquito Anopheles gambiae is a major African malaria vector, transmitting parasites responsible for significant mortality and disease burden. Although flight acoustics are essential to mosquito mating and present promising alternatives to insecticide-based vector control strategies, there is limited data on mosquito flight tones during swarming. Here, for the first time, we present detailed analyses of free-flying male and female An. gambiae flight tones and their harmonization (harmonic convergence) over a complete swarm sequence. Audio analysis of single-sex swarms showed synchronized elevation of male and female flight tones during swarming. Analysis of mixed-sex swarms revealed additional 50 Hz increases in male and female flight tones due to mating activity. Furthermore, harmonic differences between male and female swarm tones in mixed-sex swarms and in single-sex male swarms with artificial female swarm audio playback indicate that frequency differences of approximately 50 Hz or less at the male second and female third harmonics (M2:F3) are maintained both before and during mating interactions. This harmonization likely coordinates male scramble competition by maintaining ideal acoustic recognition within mating pairs while acoustically masking phonotactic responses of nearby swarming males to mating females. These findings advance our knowledge of mosquito swarm acoustics and provide vital information for reproductive control strategies.

Menstrual Regulation as a Means of Reproductive Control: The Law's Response to Disabled Bodies and Menstruation

Every day, millions of people make decisions about menstruation. They make decisions about what sanitary products to use, about pain relief, about with whom they will discuss their experience of menstruation. They make decisions about contraception to induce amenorrhea. These decisions may be influenced by family, poverty, society, and culture, but they remain, for the most part, up to the individual. However, this right to autonomy is not extended to all people equally. Some disabled people, for example, have these decisions made by substituted decision makers, including the courts. This is in violation of their rights; nevertheless, this practice continues in various jurisdictions, including through guardianship and conservatorship laws.

Sonographic Assessment of the Normal and Abnormal Feline Mammary Glands and Axillary and Inguinal Lymph Nodes

Ultrasound has been used as a diagnostic tool in normal mammary glands and mammary tumors of several species. This study aims to describe the B-mode and Doppler ultrasound features of the mammary glands and draining lymph nodes in 32 adult female cats. Group 1 (G1) consisted of 22 cats without changes in the mammary glands. The average age was 45 ± 25.09 months, where 63.6% (n = 14) were neutered and 31.8% (n = 7) had received progestin at some point for reproductive control. Mammary gland structure was predominantly hypoechoic and homogeneous, with well-defined margins. The average thickness was 1.52 ± 1.59 mm, although it may be affected by estrus, pregnancy, and lactation. In G1, 100% of lymph nodes were homogeneous, 98% were hypoechoic, and 100% were with well-defined margins and hilar vascularization. Group 2 (G2) consisted of 10 cats with mammary nodules. The average age was 88.8 ± 40.5 months, and 70% were intact and all had already received progestin. Ultrasound demonstrated enlarged mammary glands, with nodules of different textures clinically, mainly affecting the abdominal mammary glands (61%). In 33.33%, there were visible mammary ducts. Only 54.17% were homogeneous, 95.83% were hypoechoic, and the margins were regular in 52.08%. Lymph nodes in abnormal mammary chains may present changes in size, shape, echotexture, and echogenicity. Ultrasound examination of the mammary glands and lymph nodes are possible to evaluate the entire mammary chain as well the superficial inguinal and axillary lymph nodes for abnormalities in the feline.

HAG1 and SWI3A/B control of male germ line development in P. patens suggests conservation of epigenetic reproductive control across land plants

Key message Bryophytes as models to study the male germ line: loss-of-function mutants of epigenetic regulators HAG1 and SWI3a/b demonstrate conserved function in sexual reproduction. Abstract With the water-to-land transition, land plants evolved a peculiar haplodiplontic life cycle in which both the haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte are multicellular. The switch between these phases was coined alternation of generations. Several key regulators that control the bauplan of either generation are already known. Analyses of such regulators in flowering plants are difficult due to the highly reduced gametophytic generation, and the fact that loss of function of such genes often is embryo lethal in homozygous plants. Here we set out to determine gene function and conservation via studies in bryophytes. Bryophytes are sister to vascular plants and hence allow evolutionary inferences. Moreover, embryo lethal mutants can be grown and vegetatively propagated due to the dominance of the bryophyte gametophytic generation. We determined candidates by selecting single copy orthologs that are involved in transcriptional control, and of which flowering plant mutants show defects during sexual reproduction, with a focus on the under-studied male germ line. We selected two orthologs, SWI3a/b and HAG1, and analyzed loss-of-function mutants in the moss P. patens. In both mutants, due to lack of fertile spermatozoids, fertilization and hence the switch to the diploid generation do not occur. Pphag1 additionally shows arrested male and impaired female gametangia development. We analyzed HAG1 in the dioecious liverwort M. polymorpha and found that in Mphag1 the development of gametangiophores is impaired. Taken together, we find that involvement of both regulators in sexual reproduction is conserved since the earliest divergence of land plants.

Race, Gender, and the Prison Industrial Complex

Despite the transnational growth of the prison industrial complex and the rapid expansion of the carceral state in the United States and beyond, violence against women in prisons has remained largely invisible. Reports from people inside prisons, amplified by activists on the outside and international human rights organizations documenting prison conditions, highlight rampant violations of human rights behind walls. The gendered nature of racism, which fuels the growth of the prison industrial complex, results in experiences of violence, including medical neglect, sexual abuse, lack of reproductive control, loss of parental rights, and the devastating effects of isolation, that manifest in particular ways in women’s prisons. Advocates who are challenging conditions inside increasingly are connecting with activists across the globe and organizing their efforts to resist this violence in concert with a broader resistance to carcerality overall.

India’s canine conundrum, a case of cognitive dissonance?

Free-ranging dogs are among the top global invasive species with major impacts on biodiversity and humans. Academicians in conservation or allied fields are at the forefront of investigating this conflict. But are their opinions impaired by their emotional attachment with dogs? We investigated this question through an online survey that reached 360 academicians across 139 institutions in India. We assessed the respondent's affinity towards dogs and their perception on their impacts, causes of this problem, suggestions on its mitigation and success of the mitigation measures. We found that although affinity towards dogs had no effect on respondent's perceptions of their impacts, their perceptions on the causes and suggested mitigation measures differed. Respondents who liked dogs suggested ineffective measures like reproductive control and mass adoption to mitigate their impacts, while also acknowledging that the suggested mitigation measures would never work due to multiple reasons. Through our results we show that academicians who are presumed to provide evidence-driven solutions opted for value-driven suggestions. This could be due to high consideration given to emotions in animal rights policies in the country. We interpret this contradiction using cognitive dissonance theory and suggest a need of encouraging a scientific temper of evidence-based mitigation measures.

India’s canine conundrum, a case of cognitive dissonance?

Free-ranging dogs are among the top global invasive species with major impacts on biodiversity and humans. Academicians in conservation or allied fields are at the forefront of investigating this conflict. But are their opinions impaired by their emotional attachment with dogs? We investigated this question through an online survey that reached 360 academicians across 139 institutions in India. We assessed the respondent's affinity towards dogs and their perception on their impacts, causes of this problem, suggestions on its mitigation and success of the mitigation measures. We found that although affinity towards dogs had no effect on respondent's perceptions of their impacts, their perceptions on the causes and suggested mitigation measures differed. Respondents who liked dogs suggested ineffective measures like reproductive control and mass adoption to mitigate their impacts, while also acknowledging that the suggested mitigation measures would never work due to multiple reasons. Through our results we show that academicians who are presumed to provide evidence-driven solutions opted for value-driven suggestions. This could be due to high consideration given to emotions in animal rights policies in the country. We interpret this contradiction using cognitive dissonance theory and suggest a need of encouraging a scientific temper of evidence-based mitigation measures.