Transient population dynamics drive the spread of invasive wild pigs in North America

Invasion of nonindigenous species is considered one of the most urgent problems affecting native ecosystems and agricultural systems. Mechanistic models that account for short-term population dynamics can improve prediction because they incorporate differing demographic processes that link the environmental conditions of a spatial location explicitly with the invasion process. Yet short-term population dynamics are rarely accounted for in spatial models of invasive species spread. Accounting for transient population dynamics, we predict the population growth rate and establishment probability of wild pigs following introduction into any location in North America. We compared predicted population growth rate with observed geographic rates of spread and found significant relationships between the annual rate of spread and population growth rates. We used geospatial data on the distribution of mast producing tree species (a principle forage resource of wild pigs) and agricultural crops that can replace mast in their diets to predict population dynamics using transient population simulations. We simulated populations under different initial population sizes (i.e. number of introduced individuals, often termed propagule size) and for different amounts of time following introduction. By varying the initial population size and simulation time, we were able to identify areas in North America with high probability for establishment of wild pigs if introduced. Our findings can be used to inform surveillance and removal efforts to reduce the potential for establishment and spread of wild pigs.

The Pacific Wing-Oyster, Pteria sterna, off San Diego, California

Pteria sterna is an eastern Pacific pearl oyster of commercial value from Peru to central Baja California, Mexico. The continuous presence of this species in San Diego for a decade is unique as it is approximately 600 km north of the expected range for the species. A minimum of three generations are present in Mission Bay at any point in time and the preferred substrate for attachment are gorgonian corals. The species is also found off shore in cooler water. The continued presence of this oyster raises the question as to the status of this population; is it a permanent range extension or simply a transient population and what has changed that allowed its continued presence?

Cell-autonomous differentiation of human primed embryonic stem cells into trophoblastic syncytia through the nascent amnion-like cell state

Human primed embryonic stem cells (pESCs) are known to be converted to cells with several trophoblast properties, but it has remained controversial whether this phenomenon represents the inherent differentiation competence of human pESCs to trophoblast lineages. In this study, we report that chemical blockage of ACTIVIN/NODAL and FGF signals is sufficient to steer human pESCs into GATA3-expressing cells that give rise to hormone-producing syncytia analogous to syncytiotrophoblasts of the post-implantation stage of the human embryo. Taking advantage of this system, we identified two distinct modes of cell-autonomous genetic programs and their coordinated actions to initiate the differentiation. We also found a transient population reminiscent of nascent amnion and then a spontaneous branch of differentiation trajectory leading to syncytiotrophoblast-like syncytial cells. These results provide insights into the possible extraembryonic differentiation pathway that is unique in primate embryogenesis and is relevant to the trophoblast competence of human primed pluripotent stem cells.

Inhibition is the hallmark of CA3 intracellular dynamics around awake ripples

ABSTRACTHippocampal ripples are transient population bursts that structure cortico-hippocampal communication and play a central role in memory processing. However, the mechanisms controlling ripple initiation in behaving animals remain poorly understood. Here we combine multisite extracellular and whole cell recordings in awake mice to contrast the brain state and ripple modulation of subthreshold dynamics across hippocampal subfields. We find that entorhinal input to DG exhibits UP and DOWN dynamics with ripples occurring exclusively in UP states. While elevated cortical input in UP states generates depolarization in DG and CA1, it produces persistent hyperpolarization in CA3 neurons. Furthermore, growing inhibition is evident in CA3 throughout the course of the ripple buildup, while DG and CA1 neurons exhibit depolarization transients 100 ms before and during ripples. These observations highlight the importance of CA3 inhibition for ripple generation, while pre-ripple responses indicate a long and orchestrated ripple initiation process in the awake state.

“GOOD, BETTER, BEST”

Turner Station, Maryland, is a century-old African American neighborhood just east of Baltimore that housed the families of workers who were employed at a nearby steel plant from the founding of the community in the early 1900s until the plant closed in 2012. Its story provides a window into the lives of the understudied Black working-class during the peak decades of industrial employment and the ensuing decades of decline. Long-time residents recall a vibrant, self-sufficient community with a heterogeneous class structure, produced in part by residential restrictions and employment discrimination that constrained professionals such as physicians and teachers to reside and to practice or work in the neighborhood. They report a high level of collective efficacy and joint responsibility for childrearing. Current and former residents describe a strong emphasis on education as a means of upward mobility. As levels of education rose and residential opportunities opened, the children of the mid-century steelworkers left Turner Station for other communities in the metropolitan area and beyond. As out migration continued, the community suffered a decline: virtually all of the businesses are gone, vacant homes are common, and a more transient population has moved in. The members of the Turner Station diaspora still cherish the memory of the neighborhood, even as many have moved on and up. Their achievements show what happened when a generation of African Americans were given access to decent-paying jobs that did not require a college education—a degree of access that no longer exists because of the decline of industrial employment in the Baltimore region and elsewhere.

Gut microbiota And Human Body Interactions; Its Impact on Health: a review

: Gut microbiota (GM) as an organ of the human body has a particular and autonomous function that related to it. This review aimed to investigate human intestinal and gut microbiota interaction and its impact on health. As a creation referable database about this dynamic and complex organ, several comprehensive projects are implemented by using culture-dependent (culturomics), culture independent methods (e.g metagenomics, mathematics model), and Gnotobiological together. This study was done by searching PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar database in the gut, health microbiota and interaction keywords. The first acquired microbiota during pregnancy or childbirth is colonized in the gut by using specific and non-specific mechanisms. That`s structure and shape reach relative stability with selection pressure along with host development until adulthood and keep its resilience against external or internal variables depending on the host genetics and negative feedback. Due to several research individuals have 2 functional group microbiota including the core (common between vast majorities human) and flexible (transient population) microbiome. The most important role of the GM in the human body can be summarized in three basic landscapes: metabolic, immune system, and gut-brain axis interaction. So that loss of microbial population balance will lead to disorder and disease.

Perspectives and Practices on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene from a Fishing Community along Lake Malombe, Southern Malawi

People living in fishing communities have a high burden of preventable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related diseases but have often been neglected in research and policy. We explored practices and perspectives on WASH among fishing villages around Lake Malombe, Malawi. We employed a mixed methods design, and data were initially collected through participant observations (five weeks), followed by a second phase of qualitative interviews (n = 16), focus group discussions (n = 7), and quantitative surveys (n = 242). We observed that safe water sources were scarce; latrines were basic; and handwashing facilities were limited. Seventy-one percent (n = 174) of households collected water from unsafe sources (open wells and the lake). Eighty-six percent (n = 207) of households had basic short-term latrines. Twenty-four percent (n = 59) of households had handwashing facilities with soap. Qualitative data supported these observations and identified additional factors which compounded poor WASH practices including, a high transient population associated with the fishing trade, poor infrastructure design and construction which lacked consideration of the environmental factors, context and social and cultural norms. As such, fishing communities are underserved and marginalised with constrained access to WASH services, which must be addressed through behaviour-centered and context appropriate solutions.