D. Becker

Evolutionary paleoecology of European rhinocerotids across the Oligocene-Miocene transition

This study examines the paleoecology of European rhinocerotids during the Oligocene-Miocene transition, revealing dietary, physiological, and habitat changes linked to climatic shifts.

Balancing selection and the functional effects of shared polymorphism in cryptic Daphnia species

This study examines shared polymorphisms in Daphnia species, finding that balancing selection and convergent evolution explain their distribution, with functional effects on behavior and fitness.

A paired analysis of mercury among non-invasive tissues to inform bat conservation monitoring

This study compares mercury levels in feces and fur of bats to develop a conversion factor for estimating contaminant exposure with minimal disturbance.

Geographically widespread and novel hemotropic mycoplasmas and bartonellae in Mexican free-tailed bats and sympatric North American bat species

The paper identifies novel hemotropic mycoplasmas and bartonellae in Mexican free-tailed bats and sympatric species, highlighting their genetic diversity and potential zoonotic significance.

Molecular mechanisms underlying single nucleotidepolymorphism-induced reactivity decrease in CYP2D6

The paper identifies four molecular mechanisms explaining how SNPs in CYP2D6 reduce enzyme reactivity through molecular dynamics simulations.

Bat anthropogenic roosting ecology influences taxonomic and geographic predictions of viral hosts

This study integrates roosting ecology data into machine learning models to assess how anthropogenic roosting influences predictions of viral host species and diversity in bats.

A general framework for modeling pathogen transmission in co-roosting host communities

The paper develops a framework to model pathogen transmission in co-roosting host communities, finding that roost-level prevalence is highest when hosts are closely related or distantly related, depending on species-specific traits.

Determinants of spring migration departure dates in a New World sparrow: weather variables reign supreme

This study identifies weather variables as the primary predictors of spring migration departure dates in Dark-eyed Juncos, surpassing the influence of physiological and parasitism factors.

Movement-related drivers of exposure to West Nile virus by American robins (Turdus migratorius)

This study examines how movement patterns of American robins influence their exposure to West Nile virus, finding higher exposure rates but no link to migration distance or season.

Ticks without borders: Microbial communities of immature Neotropical tick species parasitizing migratory landbirds along northern Gulf of Mexico

This study examines microbial communities in ticks parasitizing migratory birds in the Gulf of Mexico, identifying pathogenic microbes and their potential role in tick-borne pathogen spread.

Subgenome dominance shapes novel gene evolution in the decaploid pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis

This study shows how subgenome dominance in the decaploid pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis contributes to novel gene evolution linked to its carnivorous traits and dioecy.

Expanded diversity of novel hemoplasmas in rare and undersampled Neotropical bats

The paper identifies novel hemoplasmas in Neotropical bats by analyzing 80 samples, finding new genotypes and host shifts, including a hemoplasma closely related to a human pathogen.

S1 basic leucine zipper transcription factors shape plant architecture by controlling C/N partitioning to apical and lateral organs

This study identifies S1-bZIP transcription factors as regulators of plant architecture by controlling carbon and nitrogen partitioning between apical and lateral organs.

Aneurysmal Growth in Type-B Aortic Dissection: Assessing the Impact of Patient-Specific Inlet Conditions on Key Haemodynamic Indices

This study compares patient-specific inlet velocity profiles with uniform profiles in CFD simulations to assess their impact on hemodynamic indices in Type-B Aortic Dissection.

Targeted gene deletion with SpCas9 and multiple guide RNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana: four are better than two

This study shows that using two pairs of guide RNAs with SpCas9 increases chromosomal deletion frequency in Arabidopsis, and TREX2 co-expression enhances deletion size without increasing deletion frequency.

Ecological drivers of sustained enzootic yellow fever virus transmission in Brazil, 2017-2021

The paper investigates the ecological drivers of sustained yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2017-2021, finding higher infection and intensity in rural areas and warm/rainy seasons.

Viral diversity and zoonotic risk in endangered species

The paper examines the relationship between endangered species status and viral diversity, finding lower virus diversity in endangered species despite higher research effort, possibly due to sampling biases.

Serum proteomics identifies immune pathways and candidate biomarkers of coronavirus infection in wild vampire bats

Vicia faba TPC1, a genetically encoded variant of the vacuole Two Pore Channel 1, is hyperexcitable

This paper identifies a hyperexcitable variant of the TPC1 channel in Vicia faba, showing it differs from Arabidopsis in Ca2+ sensitivity and vacuole excitability.

Ecological conditions experienced by bat reservoir hosts predict the intensity of Hendra virus excretion over space and time

This study links ecological conditions of bat hosts to Hendra virus shedding patterns and spillover risk using long-term ecological and virological data.

Stabilizing selection shapes variation in phenotypic plasticity

The paper tests stabilizing selection on phenotypic plasticity in Daphnia pulex by analyzing genetic variation in anti-predator defenses under predation risk.

Polygenic variation in sexual investment across an ephemerality gradient in Daphnia pulex

The paper investigates polygenic variation in sexual investment in Daphnia pulex across an ephemerality gradient, finding that clonal diversity, not genetic diversity, varies with ephemerality and identifying multiple QTL for male production.

The liverwort Marchantia polymorpha operates a depolarization-activated Slowpoke (SLO) K+ channel that recognises pH changes in the environment

This study identifies and characterizes a depolarization-activated K+ channel in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha that responds to pH changes, suggesting a role in early plant adaptation to terrestrial environments.

Gaining or cutting SLAC: the evolution of plant guard cell signalling pathways

This study compares fern and angiosperm guard cell transcriptomes to explore the evolution of signaling pathways involved in stomatal closure, revealing conserved and divergent features.

Unraveling the stepwise maturation of the yeast telomerase

The paper defines the stepwise maturation of yeast telomerase, showing that TLC1 RNA is transcribed, exported, partially matured, re-imported, trimmed, and capped to form functional telomerase.

Female gametophyte expressed Arabidopsis thaliana lipid transfer proteins AtLtpI.4 and AtLtpI.8 provide a link between callose homeostasis, pollen tube guidance, and fertilization success

Inter- and intra-specific variation in hair cortisol concentrations of Neotropical bats

This study examines intra- and interspecific variation in hair cortisol levels across 18 Neotropical bat species, identifying fecundity as a key ecological factor explaining interspecific differences.

Fine-scale spatial patterns of wildlife disease are common and understudied

This study identifies common fine-scale spatial patterns in wildlife disease across multiple systems and highlights the need for more spatial analysis in disease ecology.

The record of Deinotheriidae from the Miocene of the Swiss Jura Mountains (Jura Canton, Switzerland)

The paper reports new Deinotheriidae species from the Miocene of the Swiss Jura Mountains and discusses their palaeobiogeography.

Demography, education, and research trends in the interdisciplinary field of disease ecology

This study quantifies the composition and research trends in disease ecology by analyzing survey data and machine-learning topic detection of research articles.