Rapid Adaptation to Mammalian Sociality via Sexually Selected Traits

Background: Laboratory studies show that the sexual selection via mate choice and intrasexual competition can profoundly affect the development and fitness of offspring. Less is known, however, about the total effects of sexual selection on offspring in normal social conditions. For many animals, opportunity for mating success is determined by complex social interactions, such as dominance hierarchies. Social selection is an extended view of sexual selection that incorporates competition during sexual and nonsexual interactions, and predicts complex evolutionary dynamics. Whether social selection improves or constrains offspring fitness is controversial. Results: To characterize the consequences of social selection, we introduced wild-derived mice to seminatural competition for three consecutive generations (promiscuous lineage). In parallel, we bred a control lineage in cages using random mate assignment (monogamous lineage). A direct competition experiment using second-generation animals revealed that promiscuous line males had greater reproductive success than monogamous line males (particularly during extrapair matings), in spite of higher mortality and equivalent success in social dominance and sperm competition. There were no major female fitness effects, though promiscuous line females had fewer litters than monogamous line females. We confirmed a behavioral sexual attraction mechanism by showing that, when given a choice, females had both odor and mating preferences for promiscuous line over monogamous line males. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates novel evidence for the strength of sexual selection under normal social conditions, and shows rapid male adaptation to sociality driven largely by sexual trait expression, with tradeoffs in survivorship and female fecundity. The speed at which these phenotypes emerged suggests the possibility of transgenerational inheritance. Mouse population densities fluctuate dramatically in nature, and we propose that sexually selected phenotypes arise dynamically during periods of social competition.Molecular and Cellular Biolog

A Modular Strategy for Expanding Electron-Sink Capacity in Noncanonical Cluster Assemblies

A modular synthetic strategy is described whereby organometallic complexes exhibiting considerable electron-sink capacity may be assembled by using only a few simple molecular components. The Fe2(PPh2)2(CO)5 fragment was selected as a common electroactive component and was assembled around aromatic cores bearing one, two, or three isocyanide functional groups, with the resultant complexes possessing electron-sink capacities of two, four, and six electrons, respectively. The latter complex is noteworthy in that its electron-sink capacity was found to rival that of large multinuclear clusters (e.g., [Ni32C6(CO)36]6– and [Ni38Pt6(CO)48]6–), which are often considered as benchmarks of electron-sink behavior. Moreover, the modular assembly bearing three Fe2(PPh2)2(CO)5 fragments was observed to undergo reduction to a hexaanionic state over a potential window of about −1.4 to −2.1 V (vs Fc/Fc+), the relatively compressed range being attributed to potential inversions operative during the addition of the second, fourth, and sixth electrons. Such complexes may be designated noncanonical clusters because they exhibit redox properties similar to those of large multinuclear clusters yet lack the extensive network of metal–metal bonds and the condensed metallic cores that typify the latter

Large expert-curated database for benchmarking document similarity detection in biomedical literature search

Document recommendation systems for locating relevant literature have mostly relied on methods developed a decade ago. This is largely due to the lack of a large offline gold-standard benchmark of relevant documents that cover a variety of research fields such that newly developed literature search techniques can be compared, improved and translated into practice. To overcome this bottleneck, we have established the RElevant LIterature SearcH consortium consisting of more than 1500 scientists from 84 countries, who have collectively annotated the relevance of over 180 000 PubMed-listed articles with regard to their respective seed (input) article/s. The majority of annotations were contributed by highly experienced, original authors of the seed articles. The collected data cover 76% of all unique PubMed Medical Subject Headings descriptors. No systematic biases were observed across different experience levels, research fields or time spent on annotations. More importantly, annotations of the same document pairs contributed by different scientists were highly concordant. We further show that the three representative baseline methods used to generate recommended articles for evaluation (Okapi Best Matching 25, Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency and PubMed Related Articles) had similar overall performances. Additionally, we found that these methods each tend to produce distinct collections of recommended articles, suggesting that a hybrid method may be required to completely capture all relevant articles. The established database server located at https://relishdb.ict.griffith.edu.au is freely available for the downloading of annotation data and the blind testing of new methods. We expect that this benchmark will be useful for stimulating the development of new powerful techniques for title and title/abstract-based search engines for relevant articles in biomedical research.Peer reviewe

A Solve-RD ClinVar-based reanalysis of 1522 index cases from ERN-ITHACA reveals common pitfalls and misinterpretations in exome sequencing

Purpose Within the Solve-RD project (https://solve-rd.eu/), the European Reference Network for Intellectual disability, TeleHealth, Autism and Congenital Anomalies aimed to investigate whether a reanalysis of exomes from unsolved cases based on ClinVar annotations could establish additional diagnoses. We present the results of the “ClinVar low-hanging fruit” reanalysis, reasons for the failure of previous analyses, and lessons learned. Methods Data from the first 3576 exomes (1522 probands and 2054 relatives) collected from European Reference Network for Intellectual disability, TeleHealth, Autism and Congenital Anomalies was reanalyzed by the Solve-RD consortium by evaluating for the presence of single-nucleotide variant, and small insertions and deletions already reported as (likely) pathogenic in ClinVar. Variants were filtered according to frequency, genotype, and mode of inheritance and reinterpreted. Results We identified causal variants in 59 cases (3.9%), 50 of them also raised by other approaches and 9 leading to new diagnoses, highlighting interpretation challenges: variants in genes not known to be involved in human disease at the time of the first analysis, misleading genotypes, or variants undetected by local pipelines (variants in off-target regions, low quality filters, low allelic balance, or high frequency). Conclusion The “ClinVar low-hanging fruit” analysis represents an effective, fast, and easy approach to recover causal variants from exome sequencing data, herewith contributing to the reduction of the diagnostic deadlock

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Synthesis and Characterization of Bimetallic Single-Source Precursors (Ph\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3eP)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eM(µ-SEt)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eE(SEt)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e for MES\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e Chalcopyrite Materials (M = Cu, Ag and E = In, Ga, Al)

We report the synthesis and characterization of I–III bimetallic complexes (Ph3P)2M(µ-SEt)2E(SEt)2 (M = Cu, Ag and E = In, Ga, Al), as well as (Ph3P)2M(µ-Cl)2ECl2 complexes isolated during their syntheses. The thiolate complexes can be used as single-source precursors (SSPs) to prepare various I–III chalcogenide semiconductor materials. The preparation of some SSPs of the series required minor variation in the reaction conditions. The organometallic complexes were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The SSPs are compared in terms of their solid-state structures, basic reactivity, and potential suitability as precursors for chalcopyrite materials

Cataloguing the Energetic Contributions to the Supramolecular Assembly of \u3ci\u3ePara\u3c/i\u3e-Substituted \u3ci\u3eN,N\u3c/i\u3e′-Diphenylureas and Their Organometallic Derivatives in the Solid State: A Density Functional Theory Approach

Crystal engineering relies on the predictability of the elaborate interplay of cohesive and conformational energies driven by both intra- and intermolecular interactions of the constituent molecules. In an effort to better understand these influences on the crystal packing of para-substituted N,N′-diphenylureas (pDPUs) and organometallic derivatives, we present a detailed computational investigation of pDPU species utilizing solid-state density functional theory (DFT) and demonstrate the applicability of predictive supramolecular synthons applied toward the growth of related organometallic complexes. Dominant noncovalent interactions of pDPUs can be tuned by altering the electron-withdrawing character of the para substituents. The strength of this electron-withdrawing nature governs the inclination of the molecules to form either dominant electrostatic or π-stacking intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure due to potential molecular conformational stabilization through intramolecular C–H···O electrostatic interactions between ortho phenyl hydrogens and the urea oxygen atoms. This propensity is also influenced by the symmetry of para substitutions in mono- and disubstituted DPUs. The results of the holistic DFT investigation show a relationship between gas-phase and solid-state conformations and also present evidence of mechanisms leading to deviations in predicted crystallization behaviors on the basis of the balance of intra- and intermolecular interactions. The foundational computational study was expanded to build on previous experimental and theoretical work involving zerovalent transition-metal complexes in which p-isocyanophenyl DPUs were appended with group IV metal carbonyl fragments. In this study, we synthesized an asymmetric analogue of the latter in which N-(p-isocyanophenyl)-N′-phenylurea (pCNHDPU) was appended to a Mo(CO)5 metal carbonyl fragment, allowing us to associate the crystallization behaviors and interactions of organometallic DPU derivatives with those of simpler pDPUs. It was observed that the supramolecular assembly of the organometallic complexes display similar predictive patterns as well as additional complexities to molecular packing arising from the bulkier metal carbonyl substituents. An inclusive computational categorization of DPU-based systems in complement to experimental data will aid in the advancement of design rules for the patterned crystal growth of DPU and related systems for the development of innovative materials having unique solid-state properties

Crystal Structure of a Homoleptic Zinc(II) Complex Based on Bis­(3,5-Diiso­propyl­pyrazol-1-yl)Acetate

Deprotonation of the methyl­ene group in bis­(3,5-diiso­propyl­pyrazol-1-yl)methane with nBuLi and reaction with carbon dioxide yields lithium bis­(3,5-diiso­propyl­pyrazol-1-yl)acetate (1). Treatment of 1 with ZnCl2 results in the com­pound bis­[bis­(3,5-diiso­propyl­pyrazol-1-yl)acetato]­zinc(II), [Zn(C20H31N4O2)2] (2), whose structure has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry. The ZnII ion resides on an inversion center and is coordinated by two bis­(3,5-diiso­propyl­pyrazol-1-yl)acetate (bdippza) ligands. Each ligand facially coordinates the zinc center via κ3N,N′,O coordination modes to form a distorted octa­hedral complex with four pyrazole N atoms in the basal plane and two carboxyl­ate O atoms in the axial sites

Do Monetary Incentives Matter in Classroom Experiments? Effects on Course Performance

Using 641 principles of economics students across four universities, the authors examine whether providing monetary incentives in a prisoner\u27s dilemma game enhances student learning as measured by a set of common exam questions. Subjects either play a two-player prisoner\u27s dilemma game for real money, play the same game with no money at stake (i.e., play a hypothetical version), or are in a control group where no game is played. The authors find strong evidence that students who played the classroom game for real money earned higher test scores than students who played the hypothetical game or where no game was played. Their findings challenge the conventional wisdom that monetary incentives are unnecessary in classroom experiments

Synthesis of Hexagonal FeMnP Thin Films from a Single-Source Molecular Precursor

The first heterobimetallic phosphide thin film containing iron, manganese, and phosphorus, derived from the single-source precursor FeMn(CO)8(μ-PH2), has been prepared using a home-built metal-organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus. The thin film contains the same ratio of iron, manganese, and phosphorus as the initial precursor. The film becomes oxidized when deposited on a quartz substrate, whereas the film deposited on an alumina substrate provides a more homogeneous product. Powder X-ray diffraction confirms the formation of a metastable, hexagonal FeMnP phase that was previously only observed at temperatures above 1200 °C. Selected area electron diffraction on single crystals isolated from the films was indexed to the hexagonal phase. The effective moment of the films (μeff=3.68 μB) matches the previously reported theoretical value for the metastable hexagonal phase, whereas the more stable orthorhombic phase is known to be antiferromagnetic. These results not only demonstrate the successful synthesis of a bimetallic, ternary thin film from a single-source precursor, but also the first low temperature approach to the hexagonal phase of FeMnP