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Aim The main aims were to determine: (a) the relative contribution of species replacement and richness difference from components to overall taxonomic (TDβ) and functional (FDβ) beta diversity of spider communities; (b) the degree to which TDβ and FDβ components can be explained by the environmental or geographic predictors; (c) whether FDβ components were lower than expected given the underlying TDβ variation. Location This study was carried out in 22 oak forest sites across the Iberian Peninsula. The area comprises two biogeographic regions, Eurosiberian (North) and Mediterranean (Centre and South). Methods Spiders were sampled using a standardized protocol. A species x traits matrix was constructed. Total taxonomic (TDβtotal) and total functional (FDβtotal) beta diversity were calculated, by pairwise comparisons, and partitioned into their replacement (βrepl) and richness difference (βrich) components. Mantel tests were used to relate taxonomic and functional dissimilarity with environmental and geographic distances. A spatial eigenfunction model was constructed and the variation in TDβ and FDβ explained by environment and geographic predictors was quantified. Null models were used to test if FDβ was higher or lower than expected given TDβ. Results βrepl was the dominant component contributing to 84.2% and 72.8% for TDβtotal and FDβtotal, respectively. TDβtotal and FDβtotal (and their replacement components) were higher between‐ than within‐biogeographic regions. TDβtotal and TDβrepl were positively correlated with environmental and geographic distances, even when controlling for a biogeographic effect, but their functional counterparts were only correlated with environmental distance. Variation partitioning showed that pure environmental and spatially structured environmental effects had a small contribution to beta diversity, except for TDβrich. The observed slopes of the regressions of FDβtotal and FDβrepl in relation to environmental distance were slower than the null model expectations. Main Conclusions Spider assemblage variation was mainly determined by the replacement, and not the net loss, of species and traits. TDβ was influenced by niche filtering and dispersal limitation, whereas FDβ was mainly generated by niche filtering. A high level of functional convergence among spider communities, despite the high taxonomic divergence, revealed the signal of replacement of species performing similar functions across sites.

The function of the RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs; including RIG-I, MDA5, and LGP2) as key cytoplasmic sensors of viral pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) has been subjected to numerous pathogenic challenges and has undergone a dynamic evolution. We found evolutionary evidence that RIG-I was lost in the Chinese tree shrew lineage. Along with the loss of RIG-I, both MDA5 (tMDA5) and LGP2 (tLGP2) have undergone strong positive selection in the tree shrew. tMDA5 or tMDA5/tLGP2 could sense Sendai virus (an RNA virus posed as a RIG-I agonist) for inducing type I IFN, although conventional RIG-I and MDA5 were thought to recognize distinct RNA structures and viruses. tMDA5 interacted with adaptor tMITA (STINGTMEM173/ERIS), which was reported to bind only with RIG-I. The positively selected sites in tMDA5 endowed the substitute function for the lost RIG-I. These findings provided insights into the adaptation and functional diversity of innate antiviral activity in vertebrates.

Large-scale deforestation not only modifies the landscape, but also affects in the structure of the habitat, and threaten the functional structure of the aquatic biota. This study evaluates the partitioning of the functional beta diversity of stream fish along a gradient of environmental impact and determines which functional traits are associated with the gradient. Biological, environmental, and landscape variables were sampled in 2014 and 2015. The functional structure of the fish fauna was characterized using 12 functional traits. The functional beta diversity and functional replacement were influenced by changes in local abiotic and landscape conditions, caused by modifications in forest cover, with the functional traits varying systematically in accordance with environmental features. We found no association between environmental variables and functional traits. Our results raise concerns with regard to the transformation of the landscapes in which streams are found caused by changes in land use, and we would recommend the preservation of an adequate buffer of good quality riparian vegetation in management or restoration projects to guarantee the long-term conservation of stream ecosystems.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most common critical illnesses, which can cause neurological deficits and disabilities of motor, sensory and autonomic nervous system in mild cases, and lead to paralysis or even death following severe trauma. Although there are currently no effective and satisfactory clinical treatments, the efforts for repair SCI never stop. Besides the traditional strategies such as drugs, surgical interventions and rehabilitative care, the bionic therapies have attracted significant attention due to its considerable promise. The bionic therapies for SCI mainly included engineered biomaterials-based approaches aiming for reconstruction of internal neural circuit and brain machine interfaces (BMI)-based technologies to integrate extrinsic control and intrinsic circuit. This review provides an extensive overview of SCI research and bionic therapies, with focus on reconstruction and integration of neural circuit, which might provide promising insights on clinical treatment. Graphical Abstract

The disappearance of native seed dispersers due to anthropogenic activities is often accompanied by the introduction of alien species, which may to some extent replace the ecological service provided by the extinct ones. Yet, little empirical evidence exists demonstrating the evolutionary consequences of such alien “replacement.” Here, we document the conflicting selection exerted on seed size by two native lizards (Podarcis lilfordi and P. pityusensis) and an alien mammal species (Martes martes), all acting as legitimate seed dispersers of the Mediterranean relict Cneorum tricoccon. While lizards mostly exerted a negative directional selection on seed diameter, especially P. pityusensis, the much larger pine marten exerted positive selection on seed size. Our findings suggest that this among-disperser variation in the selection regimes, together with the occurrence of spatial variation in the presence of each seed disperser, help to create the geographical variation observed for seed size of C. tricoccon. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical evidence showing opposing selective pressures between native and alien species in the seed dispersal process in an invaded ecosystem.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection has rapidly spread through various routes. A genomic analysis of clinical MRSA samples revealed an unknown protein, Sav2152, predicted to be a haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like hydrolase, making it a potential candidate for a novel drug target. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of Sav2152, which consists of a C2-type cap domain and a core domain. The core domain contains four motifs involved in phosphatase activity that depend on the presence of Mg2+ ions. Specifically, residues D10, D12, and D233, which closely correspond to key residues in structurally homolog proteins, are responsible for binding to the metal ion and are known to play critical roles in phosphatase activity. Our findings indicate that the Mg2+ ion known to stabilize local regions surrounding it, however, paradoxically, destabilizes the local region. Through mutant screening, we identified D10 and D12 as crucial residues for metal binding and maintaining structural stability via various uncharacterized intra-protein interactions, respectively. Substituting D10 with Ala effectively prevents the interaction with Mg2+ ions. The mutation of D12 disrupts important structural associations mediated by D12, leading to a decrease in the stability of Sav2152 and an enhancement in binding affinity to Mg2+ ions. Additionally, our study revealed that D237 can replace D12 and retain phosphatase activity. In summary, our work uncovers the novel role of metal ions in HAD-like phosphatase activity.

Understanding the impacts caused by invasive plants on higher trophic levels is fundamental to predict future changes to native communities. Invasive plants like Acacia longifolia can change habitat structure and thereby alter the taxonomic and functional diversity and composition of predator communities. This work aims to evaluate the effect of this invasive plant species on spider assemblages, at both taxonomic and functional levels, in grey dunes. Spiders were sampled in six native and six invaded sites, in northwestern Portugal. Individuals were identified to species level and their functional features were quantified. Generalized Linear Models (GLM) were used to compare differences of species richness, abundance, functional diversity (FDQ) and trait proportions between native and invaded dunes. We also assessed the relative contribution of replacement and richness differences to overall taxonomic and functional dissimilarity between native and invaded dunes. GLMs showed that there was no change in species richness between dune types, but there was a significant increase in FDQ in invaded dunes. Significant shifts in the proportion of trait categories were observed. Native dunes favoured ambush hunters and myrmecophagous species. On the contrary, invaded dunes favoured species that inhabit leaf litter, web builders and crustaceophagous species. The proportion of diurnal species was higher in native dunes, contrary to invaded dunes, where both diurnal and nocturnal species dominated. Taxonomic and functional dissimilarity was mainly determined by the replacement, not the net loss, of species and traits. These results showed that functionally different spider species were favoured by the invasion of Acacia longifolia. The invasion of Acacia longifolia certainly attenuated the extreme habitat conditions normally found in grey dunes, allowing the immigration of more generalist species from neighbouring habitat types into invaded dunes. Thus, it can be concluded that there was no homogenization, taxonomic or functional, but changes in the composition of spider assemblages and the replacement of functions after dune invasion.

Biodegradable mulching films are promoted as alternatives to traditional polyethylene films, but their environmental impacts remain controversial. This study investigates how biodegradable films affect microplastic pollution of soil, fungal community structure, and ecological network stability. We conducted a maize field experiment comparing conventional polyethylene (CF, PE) and biodegradable (BF, PLA + PBAT) film residues. We used scanning electron microscopy and high-throughput sequencing of fungal ITS genes. We assessed soil properties, microplastic release, fungal communities, and network stability through co-occurrence analysis. BF degraded rapidly, releasing microplastic concentrations much higher than CF. BF increased soil carbon and nitrogen and substantially enhanced maize biomass. However, it significantly reduced soil pH and decreased key functional fungi (saprotrophs and symbionts) abundance. The fungal ecological network complexity and stability declined significantly. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between saprotrophic and symbiotic fungi abundance and network stability. In contrast, CF reduced some nutrient levels but improved fungal network complexity and stability. This study reveals that biodegradable films create an “ecological trap.” Short-term nutrient benefits mask systematic damage to soil microbial network stability. Our findings challenge the notion that “biodegradable equals environmentally friendly.” Environmental assessments of agricultural materials must extend beyond degradability to include microplastic release, functional microbial responses, and ecological network stability.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are debilitating conditions for which no effective treatment currently exists. The damage of neural tissue causes disruption of neural tracts and neuron loss in the spinal cord. Stem cell replacement offers a solution for SCI treatment by providing a source of therapeutic cells for neural function restoration. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been investigated as a potential type of stem cell for such therapies. Transplantation of iPSCs has been shown to be effective in restoring function after SCIs in animal models while they circumvent ethical and immunological concerns produced by other stem cell types. Another approach for the treatment of SCI involves the graft of a bioscaffold at the site of injury to create a microenvironment that enhances cellular viability and guides the growing axons. Studies suggest that a combination of these two treatment methods could have a synergistic effect on functional recovery post-neural injury. While much progress has been made, more research is needed before clinical trials are possible. This review highlights recent advancements using iPSCs and bioscaffolds for treatment of SCI.

Objective To evaluate feasibility of a twin valve caval stent (TVCS) for functional replacement of an incompetent tricuspid valve (TV) in an acute animal study. Methods One swine and three sheep were used in the study. TVCS placement was tested in a swine with a normal TV. TVCS function was tested in three sheep with TV regurgitation created by papillary muscle avulsion. Cardiac angiograms and pressure measurements were used to evaluate TVCS function. Two sheep were studied after fluid overload. Results TVCS was percutaneously placed properly at the central portions of the superior vena cava (SVC) and inferior vena cava (IVC) in the swine. Papillary muscle avulsion in three sheep caused significant tricuspid regurgitation with massive reflux into the right atrium (RA) and partial reflux into the SVC and IVC. TVCS placement eliminated reflux into the SVC and IVC. After fluid overload, there was enlargement of the right ventricle and RA and significant increase in right ventricle, RA, SVC, and IVC pressures, but no reflux into the IVC and SVC. Conclusion The results of this feasibility study justify detailed evaluation of TVCS insertion for functional chronic replacement of incompetent TV.