The disease chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus Bd has devastated amphibian populations worldwide. Functional genomic contributions to host susceptibility remain enigmatic and vary between species and populations. We conducted experimental Bd infections in Rana yavapaiensis, a species with intraspecific variation in chytridiomycosis susceptibility, to assess the skin and spleen transcriptomic response to infection over time. We predicted that increased immune gene expression would be associated with a positive disease outcome, but we instead found that...

Domestication begins with the selection of animals showing less fear of humans. In most domesticates, selection signals for tameness have been superimposed by intensive breeding for economical or other desirable traits. Old World camels, conversely, have maintained high genetic variation and lack these secondary bottlenecks associated with breed development. By re-sequencing multiple genomes from dromedaries, Bactrian camels, and their endangered wild relatives, we show that positive selection for candidate genes underlying traits collectively referred to...

Background – Young patients with Cushing Syndrome (CS) may develop cognitive and behavioral alterations during disease course. Methods - To define the implications of CS on the brain, we analyzed consecutive MRI scans of patients with (n=29) vs. without CS (n=8). Multiple brain compartments were processed for total and gray/white matter (GM/WM) volumes and intensities; and cortical volume, thickness and surface-area. Dynamics (last/baseline scans ratio per parameter) were analyzed vs. cortisol levels and CS status...

Human land uses, such as agriculture, can leave long-lasting legacies as ecosystems recover. As a consequence, active restoration may be necessary to overcome land-use legacies; however, few studies have evaluated the joint effects of agricultural history and restoration on ecological communities. Those that have studied this joint effect have largely focused on plants and ignored other communities, such as soil microbes. We conducted a large-scale experiment to understand how agricultural history and restoration tree thinning...

Genetic structure within marine species may be driven by local adaptation to their environment, or alternatively by historical processes, such as geographic isolation. The gulfs and seas bordering the Arabian Peninsula offer an ideal setting to examine connectivity patterns in coral reef fishes with respect to environmental gradients and vicariance. The Red Sea is characterized by a unique marine fauna, historical periods of desiccation and isolation, as well as environmental gradients in salinity, temperature, and...

Phosphorene is a new 2D material that has recently attracted much attention owing to its fascinating electrical, optical, thermal, and chemical properties. Here, we report on high-quality exfoliation of black phosphorus nanosheets, with controllable size produced in large quantities by liquid phase exfoliation using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent under ambient conditions. The as-synthesized few layers show a great potential for solar energy conversion based on the optical results shown in this work.

Aim: Complex oceanographic features have historically caused difficulty in understanding gene flow in marine taxa. Here, we evaluate the impact of potential phylogeographic barriers to gene flow and assess demography and evolutionary history of a coral reef goby species complex. Specifically, we test how the Amazon River outflow and ocean currents impact gene flow. Location: Western Atlantic. Taxon: The bridled goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum) and sand-canyon goby (C. venezuelae) species complex. Methods: We used mitochondrial DNA...

Premise of the study Defense investment in plant reproductive structures is relatively understudied compared to the defense of vegetative organs. Here the evolution of chemical defenses in reproductive structures is examined in light of the optimal defense, apparency, and resource availability hypotheses within the genus Cornus using a phylogenetic comparative approach in relation to phenology and native habitat environmental data. Methods Individuals representing 25 Cornus species were tracked for reproductive phenology over a full growing...