1. Selection on the vascular-remodeling BMPER gene is associated with altitudinal adaptation in an insular lizardNina Guerra Serén, Catarina Pinho, Rodrigo Megía-Palma, Prem Aguilar, Anamarija Žagar, Pedro Andrade, Miguel A. Carretero, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: High altitude imposes several extreme constraints on life, such as low oxygen pressure and high levels of ultraviolet radiation, which require specialized adaptations. Many studies have focused on how endothermic vertebrates respond to these challenging environments, but there is still uncertainty on how ectotherms adapt to these conditions. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing of low-altitude (100–600 m) and high-altitude (3,550 m) populations of the wide-ranging Tenerife lizard Gallotia galloti to uncover signatures of selection for altitudinal adaptation. The studied populations show reduced differentiation, sharing similar patterns of genetic variation. Selective sweep mapping suggests that signatures of adaptation to high altitude are not widespread across the genome, clustering in a relatively small number of genomic regions. One of these regions contains BMPER, a gene involved with vascular remodeling, and that has been associated with hypoxia-induced angiogenic response. By genotyping samples across 2 altitudinal transects, we show that allele frequency changes at this locus are not gradual, but rather show a well-defined shift above ca. 1,900 m. Transcript and protein structure analyses on this gene suggest that putative selection likely acts on noncoding variation. These results underline how low oxygen pressure generates the most consistent selective constraint in high-altitude environments, to which vertebrates with vastly contrasting physiological profiles need to adapt in the context of ongoing climate change.
Keywords: high altitude, adaptations, ectotherms, whole-genome sequencing, selective sweep, BMPER gene, hypoxia, genomics
Published in DiRROS: 08.10.2024; Views: 16; Downloads: 7
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2. Phytoplankton morphological traits and biomass outline community dynamics in a coastal ecosystem (Gulf of Trieste, Adriatic Sea)Ivano Vascotto, Patricija Mozetič, Janja Francé, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Trait-based ecology has recently gained increasing importance in phytoplankton research. In particular, the taxonomic and morphological traits, such as size and shape of phytoplankton cells, can help to unveil the ecological processes and their drivers in the pelagic domain. Our study aims to shed light on the trophodynamics of phytoplankton communities in a coastal ecosystem in the northern Adriatic Sea (Gulf of Trieste) using data on individual traits such as biomass, size and shape of phytoplankton taxa during a one-year study. The phytoplankton parameters were investigated at the levels of the whole community, groups, and individual cells, analysing also the probability distributions of biomass and size of the latter level. The results showed good agreement between abundance and biomass data, as well as individual size and biomass with differences partly explained by cell shapes. We have emphasized the role of the local freshwater source in bottom-up control, alternating with top-down control of phytoplankton dynamics through taxonomic and morphological diversity. The predominant bimodal and non-power law distribution, especially during and around the biomass peaks, confirmed the importance of nano- and microphytoplankton size classes and the role of blooms in destabilizing the trophic webs. We suggest that the analyses of distribution types of individual cell size and biomass can be appropriate to spot ecological processes driving to unconstrained phytoplankton proliferation or to periods of trophic web stability.
Keywords: phytoplankton, biomass, taxonomic traits, morphological traits, Northern Adriatic, trophodynamics, pelagic domain
Published in DiRROS: 08.10.2024; Views: 23; Downloads: 9
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3. Comparing the effects of pristine and UV–VIS aged microplastics : behavioural response of model terrestrial and freshwater crustaceansPrimož Zidar, Dana Kühnel, Andrijana Sever Škapin, Tina Skalar, Damjana Drobne, Luka Škrlep, Branka Mušič, Anita Jemec Kokalj, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Physico-chemical properties of microplastics (MPs) change during weathering in the environment. There is a lack of knowledge about the effects of such environmentally relevant MPs on organisms. We investigated: 1) the physico-chemical changes of MPs due to UV–VIS weathering, and 2) compared the effect of pristine and aged MPs on the behaviour of the water flea Daphnia magna and terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber. Dry powders of MPs were produced from widely used polymer types: disposable three-layer polypropylene (PP) medical masks (inner, middle and outer), polyester textile fibres, car tires and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags and were subjected to accelerated ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS) ageing. Our results show that the extent of transformation depends on the type of polymer, with PP showing the most changes, followed by LDPE, textile fibres and tire particles. Obvious fragmentation was observed in PP and textile fibres. In the case of PP, but not polyester textile fibres, changes in FTIR spectra and surface properties were observed. Tire particles and LDPE did not change in size, but clear changes were observed in their FTIR spectra. Most MPs, aged and pristine, did not affect the swimming of daphnids. The only effect observed was a significant increase in path length and swimming speed for the pristine tire particles when the recording was done with particles remaining in the wells. After transfer to a clean medium, this effect was no longer present, suggesting a physical rather than chemical effect. Similarly, woodlice showed no significant avoidance response to the MPs tested, although there was a noticeable trend to avoid soils contaminated with pristine polyester textile fibers and preference towards the soils contaminated with aged MP of the middle mask layer. Overall, the apparent changes in physico-chemical properties of MPs after accelerated ageing were not reflected in their effects on woodlice and daphnids.
Keywords: Daphnia magna, Porcellio scaber, polyethylene, polypropylene, weathering, FTIR
Published in DiRROS: 08.10.2024; Views: 24; Downloads: 14
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4. Controlling the optoelectronic properties of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots using biomass-derived precursors in a continuous flow systemKiem G. Nguyen, Matej Huš, Ioan-Alexandru Baragau, Elisa G. Puccinelli, James Bowen, Tobias Heil, Adela Nicolaev, Deborah Andrews, Muhammad Tariq Sajjad, Steven Dunn, Suela Kellici, 2024, original scientific article Published in DiRROS: 08.10.2024; Views: 33; Downloads: 14
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8. Symmetries of the Woolly Hat graphsLeah Berman, Sergio Hiroki Koike Quintanar, Elías Mochán, Alejandra Ramos Rivera, Primož Šparl, Steve Wilson, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: A graph is edge-transitive if the natural action of its automorphism group on its edge set is transitive. An automorphism of a graph is semiregular if all of the orbits of the subgroup generated by this automorphism have the same length. While the tetravalent edge-transitive graphs admitting a semiregular automorphism with only one orbit are easy to determine, those that admit a semiregular automorphism with two orbits took a considerable effort and were finally classified in 2012. Of the several possible different "types" of potential tetravalent edge-transitive graphs admitting a semiregular automorphism with three orbits, only one "type" has thus far received no attention. In this paper we focus on this class of graphs, which we call the Woolly Hat graphs. We prove that there are in fact no edge-transitive Woolly Hat graphs and classify the vertex-transitive ones.
Keywords: edge-transitive, vertex-transitive, tricirculant, Woolly Hat graphs
Published in DiRROS: 07.10.2024; Views: 38; Downloads: 12
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9. Transfer learning in robotics : An upcoming breakthrough? A review of promises and challengesNoemie Jaquier, Michael C. Welle, Andrej Gams, Kunpeng Yao, Bernardo Fichera, Aude Billard, Aleš Ude, Tamim Asfour, Danica Kragič, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Transfer learning is a conceptually-enticing paradigm in pursuit of truly intelligent embodied agents. The core concept— reusing prior knowledge to learn in and from novel situations—is successfully leveraged by humans to handle novel situations. In recent years, transfer learning has received renewed interest from the community from different perspectives, including imitation learning, domain adaptation, and transfer of experience from simulation to the real world, among others. In this paper, we unify the concept of transfer learning in robotics and provide the first taxonomy of its kind considering the key concepts of robot, task, and environment. Through a review of the promises and challenges in the field, we identify the need of transferring at different abstraction levels, the need of quantifying the transfer gap and the quality of transfer, as well as the dangers of negative transfer. Via this position paper, we hope to channel the effort of the community towards the most significant roadblocks to realize the full potential of transfer learning in robotics
Published in DiRROS: 07.10.2024; Views: 32; Downloads: 502
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10. Antiviral respiratory masks with plasma-functionalized polypropylene textiles for optimal adsorption of antiviral substanceMark Zver, David Dobnik, Rok Zaplotnik, Miran Mozetič, Alenka Vesel, Arijana Filipić, Polona Kogovšek, Katja Fric, Alja Štern, Gregor Primc, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks were the first line of defense against the spread of infection. However, infectious viruses may remain on medical textiles, potentially serving as an additional source of infection. Due to their chemical inertness, many textiles cannot be enhanced with antiviral functionalities. Through treatment with low-pressure gaseous plasma, we have activated the surface of a medical-grade melt-blown, non-woven polypropylene textile so that it can absorb sodium dodecyl sulfate, an antimicrobial surfactant. Within two hours of contact time, the functionalized textile has been able to inactivate over 7 log10 PFU mL−1 of bacteriophage phi6, a surrogate of enveloped viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, and it has retained its antiviral properties for over 100 days. The functionalized material has not disrupted facial mask filtration efficiency or breathability. In addition, the in vitro biocompatibility testing in accordance with ISO 10993-5 for testing of medical devices has demonstrated that the selected formulation causes no adverse effects on the mouse fibroblast cell line L-929. With the treatment processes that have been completed within seconds, the method seems to have great potential to produce antiviral textiles against future outbreaks.
Keywords: surgical face masks, plasma functionalization, antiviral materials, virus filtration, breathability
Published in DiRROS: 07.10.2024; Views: 36; Downloads: 317
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