The Middle Jurassic stephanoceratid ammonite Kumatostephanus from Dorset and Somerset,UK, and its evolution

A new exposure at Oborne, Dorset has yielded a rich fossil assemblage of the Lower Bajocian ammonite Kumatostephanus from the Laeviuscula and Humphriesianum zones. The principal bed containing this ammonite, the Green Grained White Marl is locally diachronous; it is an important local marker horizon and it is herein proposed as a formal stratigraphical unit. The specimens obtained allow a better understanding of the evolution of the genus Kumatostephanus and its relationships to the other stephanoceratids, notably Stemmatoceras.     

Hindcasting Historical Breeding Conditions for an Endangered Salamander in Ephemeral Wetlands of the Southeastern USA: Implications of Climate Change

The hydroperiod of ephemeral wetlands is often the most important characteristic determining amphibian breeding success, especially for species with long development times. In mesic and wet pine flatwoods of the southeastern United States, ephemeral wetlands were a common landscape feature. Reticulated flatwoods salamanders (Ambystoma bishopi), a federally endangered species, depend exclusively on ephemeral wetlands and require at least 11 weeks to successfully metamorphose into terrestrial adults. We empirically modeled hydroperiod of 17 A. bishopi breeding wetlands by combining downscaled historical climate-model data with a recent 9-year record (2006–2014) of observed water levels. Empirical models were subsequently used to reconstruct wetland hydrologic conditions from 1896–2014 using the downscaled historical climate datasets. Reconstructed hydroperiods for the 17 wetlands were highly variable through time but were frequently unfavorable for A. bishopi reproduction (e.g., only 61% of years, using a conservative estimate of development time [12 weeks], were conducive to larval development and metamorphosis). Using change-point analysis, we identified significant shifts in average hydroperiod over the last century in all 17 wetlands. Mean hydroperiods were shorter in recent years than at any other point since 1896, and thus less suitable for A. bishopi reproduction. We suggest that climate change will continue to impact the reproductive success of flatwoods salamanders and other ephemeral wetland breeders by reducing the number of years these wetlands have suitable hydroperiods. Consequently, we emphasize the importance of conservation and management for mitigating other forms of habitat degradation, especially maintenance of high quality breeding sites where reproduction can occur during appropriate environmental conditions.     

Mechanisms of outer membrane vesicle entry into host cells

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nano‐sized compartments consisting of a lipid bilayer that encapsulates periplasm‐derived, luminal content. OMVs, which pinch off of Gram‐negative bacteria, are now recognized as a generalized secretion pathway which provides a means to transfer cargo to other bacterial cells as well as eukaryotic cells. Compared with other secretion systems, OMVs can transfer a chemically extremely diverse range of cargo, including small molecules, nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids to proximal cells. Although it is well recognized that OMVs can enter and release cargo inside host cells during infection, the mechanisms of host association and uptake are not well understood. This review highlights existing studies focusing on OMV‐host cell interactions and entry mechanisms, and how these entry routes affect cargo processing within the host. It further compares the wide range of methods currently used to dissect uptake mechanisms, and discusses potential sources of discrepancy regarding the mechanism of OMV uptake across different studies.     

Tumor-Stroma Mechanics Coordinate Amino Acid Availability to Sustain Tumor Growth and Malignancy

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Tryptamine derivatives disarm colistin resistance in polymyxin-resistant gram-negative bacteria

The last three decades have seen a dwindling number of novel antibiotic classes approved for clinical use and a concurrent increase in levels of antibiotic resistance, necessitating alternative methods to combat the rise of multi-drug resistant bacteria. A promising strategy employs antibiotic adjuvants, non-toxic molecules that disarm antibiotic resistance. When co-dosed with antibiotics, these compounds restore antibiotic efficacy in drug-resistant strains. Herein we identify derivatives of tryptamine, a ubiquitous biochemical scaffold containing an indole ring system, capable of disarming colistin resistance in the Gram-negative bacterial pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli while having no inherent bacterial toxicity. Resistance was overcome in strains carrying endogenous chromosomally-encoded colistin resistance machinery, as well as resistance conferred by the mobile colistin resistance-1 (mcr-1) plasmid-borne gene. These compounds restore a colistin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) below the Clinical & Laboratory Sciences Institute (CLSI) breakpoint in all resistant strains.     

Generalized spatial mark–resight models with incomplete identification: An application to red fox density estimates

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Elevated Prolactin during Pregnancy Drives a Phenotypic Switch in Mouse Hypothalamic Dopaminergic Neurons

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