BehavEcolPapers

ICYMI: Getting robots back on track by reconstituting control in unexpected situations with online learning @natcomms.nature.com

Cis-regulatory #evolution of Wnt family genes contributes to a morphological difference between silkworm species @PLOSBiology.org

Cognitive capacity and control in the #evolution of intelligence bioRxivpreprint

Immune activation suppresses reproductive growth in Arabidopsis through cytokinin signaling Johnston et al. report that defense hormones suppress cytokinin signaling, causing yield penalties. Restoring cytokinin in autoimmune plants relieves reproductive defects, confers broad pathogen resistance, and reveals a role for defense hormones in meristem regulation. Manipulating cytokinin signaling offers a strategy to improve yield and disease resistance in plants.

Immune activation suppresses reproductive growth in Arabidopsis through cytokinin signaling CurrentBiology

Rejuvenation of the Aged Cerebrovascular System via Protein Corona-Guided Fusogenic Liposome Delivery Brain vascular aging is increasingly recognized as a critical therapeutic target for age-related cognitive decline. Oxidative stress, bioenergetic dysfunction, and molecular damage play central roles in the progression of vascular aging, contributing to cerebrovascular dysfunction and impaired cognitive function. While naturally occurring polyphenols such as resveratrol (RSV) have demonstrated potential in mitigating aging-related pathologies, their poor bioavailability and limited brain targeting efficiency significantly constrain their therapeutic impact. As a result, high doses or advanced drug delivery strategies are necessary to achieve meaningful physiological effects. We introduce a novel nanocarrier system designed to enhance RSV delivery to the cerebral endothelium by leveraging the natural formation of an apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-enriched protein corona around fusogenic liposomes (FL) in vivo. These nanoparticles directly fuse with cytoplasmic cell membranes and thus evade endocytosis. We found that once in the circulation FL spontaneously acquire a protein corona, which is highly enriched in ApoE, a key ligand for brain endothelial low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR). Based on this observation, we engineered an ApoE-functionalized protein corona around FL (ApoE-FL) to systematically evaluate whether this mechanism could be exploited for targeted brain delivery. Following optimization and physicochemical characterization, the RSV-loaded liposomes were evaluated in vitro using human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells and in vivo C57BL/6 aged mice to assess their therapeutic potential. Both FL and engineered ApoE-FL liposomal delivery systems exhibited a strong affinity for endothelial cell membranes in vitro. The knockdown of the ApoE receptor, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1), significantly reduced liposomal docking. Microscopy analysis revealed that both ApoE-FL and non-functionalized FL directly fused with endothelial plasma membranes, thus bypassing intracellular organelles and minimizing lysosomal degradation. This suggests that the naturally formed ApoE corona in vivo may contribute to efficient cerebrovascular targeting, a property successfully replicated by the engineered ApoE corona strategy. In vivo biodistribution and kinetic studies demonstrated that especially ApoE-FL achieved enhanced brain-targeting efficiency, prolonged cerebrovascular retention, and extended targeting distance along the arteriovenous axis. This emphasizes that fusogenic liposomes effectively engage almost the entire microvascular network, including capillaries and post-capillary venules. Functionally, fusogenic liposome-delivered RSV improved blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, enhanced neurovascular coupling (NVC) responses, and promoted brain vascularization in aged mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed enhanced endothelial angiogenesis and barrier protective transcriptional profiles in cerebrovascular cells treated with ApoE-FL/RSV, suggesting a molecular basis for the observed vascular benefits. Liposomal RSV delivery achieved near-complete cerebrovascular and cognitive rejuvenation in aged mice applying a 2000-fold lower RSV dose than oral administration used as control sample. Thus, ApoE-FL liposomes exhibited exceptionally high delivery efficiency in deeper brain regions, further expanding their therapeutic potential. These findings underscore the importance of targeted drug delivery in optimizing therapeutic outcomes and establish ApoE-functionalized fusogenic liposomes as a promising strategy for mitigating brain vascular aging and cognitive decline.

Rejuvenation of the Aged Cerebrovascular System via Protein Corona-Guided Fusogenic Liposome Delivery bioRxivpreprint

The #evolution of sex differences in competitive and social dream content HormBehav

Knowledge Structure and Evolution of Hotspots in Play Therapy: A Bibliometric Analysis via Multiple Visualization Tools Br&Beh

Monitoring Zoo Elephant Rumble Activity Using Combined Seismic and Acoustic Data Ecology and Evolution, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2026.

Monitoring Zoo Elephant Rumble Activity Using Combined Seismic and Acoustic Data Ecol&Evol

ICYMI: Directional dynamics in the entorhinal cortex of male #mice driven by behavioral constraints @natcomms.nature.com

Evolutionary remodeling of a remnant GET pathway factor into PEX38, an essential peroxin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 9, March 2026. SignificanceNeglected tropical diseases affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, with trypanosomatid parasites responsible for three major diseases: African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis. These parasites rely on glycosomes, ...

Evolutionary remodeling of a remnant GET pathway factor into PEX38, an essential peroxin @PNAS.org

The role of amygdala GABA neurons in controlling stress and reproduction in female #mice @natcomms.nature.com

Chronic consumption of energy drinks and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in rats @peerj.bsky.social

Cannabidiol dose modulates behavioral response to acute and repeated administration of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol by strain and sex Cannabis contains many bioactive compounds, including {Delta}9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which influence behavior through complex pharmacological interactions with endogenous targets. This study examines whether CBD influences THC-induced changes in motor activity, hypothermia, and antinociception traits across different THC:CBD ratios, sexes, and genetic backgrounds. Traits were measured in C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mice of both sexes following baseline intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of vehicle (VEH) and two consecutive daily doses of VEH or THC (10 mg/kg) alone or in combination with 0.56, 5, or 10 mg/kg CBD (THC:0.56CBD, THC:5CBD, or THC:10CBD, respectively). Motor activity and hypothermia were quantified daily from 0 to 120 min following injection and antinociception was measured daily at 60 min. We found that CBD alters THC-induced changes in motor activity and hypothermia as a function of day, dose, time, sex, and strain. In D2 females, CBD dose-dependently attenuated the hypolocomotor effects of THC immediately following acute injection and enhanced these effects later at 75 min. Following repeated exposure, CBD dose-dependently enhanced THC-induced hypolocomotion in B6 females at 75 min and in D2 males at 30 min while attenuating THC-induced hypolocomotion in D2 females immediately following injection. In D2 females, CBD dose-dependently attenuated THC-induced hypothermia at 15 min and enhanced hypothermia relative to THC at 30 min in D2 males following acute injection. After repeated exposure, CBD dose-dependently enhanced THC-induced hypothermia in B6 females at 15 min and in D2 males from 30 to 120 mins, while attenuating hypothermia in D2 females at 30 min. No significant effects of CBD on antinociception were observed. Our results indicate that CBD can modulate some THC-induced traits acutely and after repeated exposure. Regulation of THC-induced behavioral responses is dependent on CBD dose, genetic background, and sex. A candidate gene search using brain gene expression in recombinant inbred mice revealed greater genetic variation in ion channel genes relative to key metabolic genes, suggesting an underlying pharmacodynamic mechanism. Future research and validation of molecular mechanisms underlying these differences is expected to enhance our understanding of potential health risks and clinical relevance of cannabis and cannabinoid compounds containing THC and CBD.

Cannabidiol dose modulates behavioral response to acute and repeated administration of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol by strain and sex bioRxivpreprint

‘Virtual cell’ captures most-basic process of life: bacterial division Nature, Published online: 10 March 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00786-4Researchers simulated nearly every molecule in a bacterial cell — and then watched the cell grow and reproduce.

‘Virtual cell’ captures most-basic process of life: bacterial division @Nature.com

Deep learning in biology faces a transferability crisis @PLOSBiology.org

Correction: Stability of value perception: minimal influence of framing on moral attributions to a humanoid robot SciReports

Control of wildtype zebrafish optomotor response with a photoswitchable drug bioRxivpreprint

Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 16, Pages 306: People Are Unwilling to Help Others Pursue a Luxury Life: Egocentric or Other-Centric Motivations? People are generally willing to help others maintain a basic life, but their willingness to help others pursue a luxury life—and the motivations underlying such decisions—remain unclear. Study 1 examined willingness to help and emotion expectancy in response to demand for necessary versus luxury items, taking helpers’ agreeableness and the controllability of the causes of others’ adversity into account. Study 2 further tested whether helpers’ cost of helping or the utilitarian goals of what others wanted would explain willingness to help and emotion expectancy. A total of 308 university students, acting as potential helpers, were randomly assigned to different helping scenarios. Study 1 found that demand for luxury items reduced both willingness to help and expected happiness, regardless of personality or situational factors. Study 2 showed that among participants low in agreeableness, low utilitarian goals consistently reduced willingness to help, suggesting an other-centric motivation. Among participants high in agreeableness, low utilitarian goals reduced willingness to help only when helping costs were high, indicating a trade-off between other-centric and egocentric motivations. These findings reveal that although people tend to be unwilling to help others pursue a luxury life, the motivations guiding this reluctance depend on individuals’ levels of agreeableness.

Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 16, Pages 306: People Are Unwilling to Help Others Pursue a Luxury Life: Egocentric or Other-Centric Motivations? BehSciMDPI

IL20RB promotes proliferation and migration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and is associated with immune infiltration @peerj.bsky.social

Sequencing of distinct wing behaviors during Drosophila courtship Li et al. characterize “waggling,” a rhythmic, anti-phase wing behavior in courting Drosophila males that forms part of a stereotyped three-step sequence: stillness, waggling, then singing. Optogenetic activation of P1/pC1 neuronal subsets recapitulates the entire progression in solitary males, revealing that internal dynamics can generate the multi-action behavioral sequence.

Sequencing of distinct wing behaviors during Drosophila courtship CurrentBiology

Bumble bees that follow a stricter routine innovate less: Foraging behaviors, environmental complexity, and how they relate to novel problem solving The ability of animals to innovate - solve novel problems - can shape their ecology and evolution. Here we investigate how individual traits and environmental complexity relate to successful solving of a novel problem. We presented foraging bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) with artificial flowers of not-previously-encountered shapes and recorded the bees' latency to access nectar. We measured individual foraging traits across multiple trips with simple flowers that did not require innovation, and bees were foraging either in a simple or complex environment (cluttered flight arena). Bees in complex environments took longer to find and were less likely to land on novel flowers, indicating that environmental complexity may take up cognitive resources and make search more difficult. However, we did not find an effect of environmental treatment on the ability or time to access reward in novel flowers once bees had landed on them. In contrast, behavioral traits significantly predicted how quickly bees 'solved' novel flowers. In particular, overall foraging tempo as well as routine formation, i.e. how much bees followed a fixed route on known flowers, predicted innovation - faster bees innovated faster, and bees with more repetitive foraging sequences were slower to solve the novel tasks. Overall, while the degree of evolutionary 'novelty' in tasks or solutions is always hard to evaluate, our findings demonstrate that environment and individual traits may affect innovation in different ways. Individuals in simple environments may be more likely to detect, and individuals that are generally faster and have a lower tendency to develop fixed routines may be more likely to solve, novel tasks.

Bumble bees that follow a stricter routine innovate less: Foraging behaviors, environmental complexity, and how they relate to novel problem solving bioRxivpreprint

Forget SkinTok: the real science of skincare and why it matters for your health Nature, Published online: 10 March 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00700-ySkip the complicated regimens and expensive products seen on social media. The science of skin is deep but the recommendations are simple.

Forget SkinTok: the real science of skincare and why it matters for your health @Nature.com

Sub-daily virus sampling at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series reveals diel and depth-structured population dynamics without community-level shifts by Alfonso Carrillo, Emily Hageman, Lauren Chittick, Anna I. Mackey, Kimberley S. Ndlovu, Funing Tian, Naomi E. Gilbert, Daniel Muratore, Dean Vik, Gary R. LeCleir, Christine Sun, Ho B. Jang, Ricardo R. Pavan, Joshua S. Weitz, Steven W. Wilhelm, Matthew B. Sullivan Ocean microbes contribute to biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem function, but they do so under top-down pressure imposed by viruses. While viruses are increasingly understood spatially and beginning to be incorporated into predictive modeling, high-frequency ocean virus dynamics remain understudied due to methodological challenges. Here we sampled stratified Bermuda Atlantic Time Series (BATS) waters for 112 hours at sub-daily 4- (surface) or 12- (deep chlorophyll maximum) hour intervals, purified viral particles from these samples, sequenced their metagenomes, and used the resulting data to characterize high-frequency virus community dynamics. Aggregated community diversity metrics changed with depth, but were not statistically significant temporally at a fixed location. However, finer-scale population-level analyses revealed both depth and temporal change, including physicochemical depth-driven differences and, in surface waters, thousands of viral populations that exhibited statistically significant diel rhythms. Statistical analyses revealed three main archetypes of temporal dynamics that themselves differed in abundance patterns, host predictions, viral taxonomy, and gene functions. Among these, highlights include viruses resembling an archetype with a night peaking pattern in activity that include an over-representation of viruses that putatively infect Prochlorococcus, a phototrophic cyanobacteria. Together, these efforts provide baseline community- and population-scale short-time-frame observations relevant to future climate state modeling.

Sub-daily virus sampling at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series reveals diel and depth-structured population dynamics without community-level shifts @PLOSBiology.org

Prospective Open‐Label Safety Study of Edaravone Dexborneol in Filipino Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Brain and Behavior, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2026.

Prospective Open‐Label Safety Study of Edaravone Dexborneol in Filipino Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Br&Beh

Do Buzz‐Pollinating Bumble #bees Facilitate Honey Bee Pollination in Southern Highbush Blueberry Through Increasing Pollen Release? Ecology and Evolution, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2026.

Do Buzz‐Pollinating Bumble #bees Facilitate Honey Bee Pollination in Southern Highbush Blueberry Through Increasing Pollen Release? Ecol&Evol

Geometrical preference of anchoring sites in the unicellular organism Stentor coeruleus Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 9, March 2026. SignificanceAnimals use various natural structures as landmarks for navigation. In microorganism habitats, microsediments also form geometrically complex environments. Is there a relationship between the geometrical features of structures and the behavior ...

Geometrical preference of anchoring sites in the unicellular organism Stentor coeruleus @PNAS.org

Balancing risk and opportunity: Nasute termite responses to predator and competitor chemical cues Ecological Entomology, EarlyView.

Balancing risk and opportunity: Nasute termite responses to predator and competitor chemical cues EcolEntomol

Urban gulls distinguish perceived threats: Cognitive responses to human activities and their associated implements BehProc

Social interactions in medaka fish depend on discrete kinematic states of swimming #behavior Harpaz et al. analyze collective swimming in medaka and show that continuous locomotion can be segmented into discrete kinematic states. State-dependent computational modeling reveals distinct social information processing in each state, with social responsiveness strongest during prolonged constant-speed swimming.

Social interactions in medaka fish depend on discrete kinematic states of swimming #behavior CurrentBiology

Intergenerational shifts in innate odour preferences upon odour injections in Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae How insects transmit food odour preferences acquired during the larval stage to their offspring is unknown. Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae can learn to prefer a banana-smelling odour, isoamyl acetate (IAA), via feeding on coated leaves, or simply via haemolymph transfusions from an IAA-fed animal, and transmit this preference to their naive offspring. Here we explore how larvae respond to different concentrations of IAA using olfaction choice tests, and how injections of different concentrations of IAA directly into the haemolymph impact odour learning and transmission of learned preferences. We find that naive larvae showed a slight preference towards low concentrations of IAA, and a slight avoidance towards higher concentrations. Injections of IAA at low concentrations directly into the haemolymph led to an increase in preference for IAA, whereas higher concentrations led to an increase in avoidance. Naive offspring inherited the odour preferences of their parents. Finally, injections of IAA at different concentrations into embryos did not alter choices made by hatched larvae. We establish that the same molecule (IAA) can illicit both a preference as well as an aversive reaction when directly injected into the haemolymph, but IAA is not directly implicated in intergenerational inheritance.

Intergenerational shifts in innate odour preferences upon odour injections in Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae bioRxivpreprint