University Centre of Legal Medicine

Abstract Once nearly eradicated from Europe, grey wolves ( Canis lupus ) have recently undergone a remarkable demographic recovery, but their long-term survival remains precarious. By analyzing 1,001 genomes, we uncover a mosaic of distinct evolutionary lineages, not a single recovering population. Northern populations exhibit Asian wolf ancestry, while southern populations preserve ancient Holocene lineages, with dog introgression varying by region. Isolated wolves from the Scandinavian, Italian, and Iberian peninsulas harbored particularly high levels of inbreeding and fixed deleterious mutations. Signatures of genome erosion were widespread across Europe, with many populations falling well short of the minimum size recommended for long-term survival. Our study reveals the complex tapestry of wolf ancestry and variation across Europe, which calls for nuanced, regional conservation plans founded in genetic monitoring.

Yeast vitality during storage is essential for maintaining consistent fermentation performance. This study compares the physiological responses of top- and bottom-cropped Saccharomyces cerevisiae stored at 4 °C for 20 days and evaluates Optical Nanomotion Detection (ONMD) as a rapid, label-free vitality assessment tool. Classical assays (FUN-1, methylene blue, propidium iodide, glucose acidification power, glycogen content, and ethanol tolerance) were used to monitor metabolic activity, membrane integrity, and stress resilience. Bottom-cropped yeast retained metabolic activity, membrane stability, and energy reserves longer than top-cropped cells. ONMD revealed distinct single-cell nanomotion signatures and detected mechanically active subpopulations even when traditional vitality indicators declined. Analysis of nanomotion slopes showed an increasingly negative trend in the decline over storage time in top-cropped cells, indicating reduced temporal stability of nanomechanical activity during the 180 min recordings. Ethanol-challenge experiments confirmed the vitality dependence and stress-sensitivity of the ONMD signal. Together, these findings demonstrate that ONMD resolves cold-storage-induced changes in yeast nanomechanical vitality and provides complementary information beyond conventional vitality and viability assays. ONMD offers a fast, reagent-free method for monitoring brewing yeast physiology and represents a promising basis for future development toward brewery quality-control applications.

Innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ILC2s) are key regulators of tissue homeostasis and inflammation. In cancer, ILC2s can exhibit pro-tumoral functions by increasing the myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC)/T-cell ratio. Nevertheless, the upstream ILC2 triggers remain poorly defined. Here, we identify nerve growth factor (NGF) as the driver of ILC2 pro-tumoral functions in patients with bladder cancer. We show that ILC2s express the NGF receptor TrkA and respond to NGF by secreting type-2 cytokines. In the tumor microenvironment, NGF-producing mast cells accumulate and activate ILC2s to induce regulatory T cells (Tregs), ultimately fostering tumor growth. In patients, NGF levels inversely correlate with survival in ILC2-rich tumors, underscoring the clinical significance of this axis. In vivo administration of a selective TrkA inhibitor improves survival in orthotopic tumor-bearing female mice and sensitizes them to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Overall, we identify NGF as an ILC2 activator that shapes pro-tumoral ILC2 functions. The blockade of TrkA+ ILC2s might represent a targetable strategy to improve survival, particularly in ICB-resistant patients.

To assess the performance of automatic rib fracture detection of an existing deep learning (DL) model, nnDetection, on a postmortem (PM) CT scan dataset, and to identify the main factors of domain shift between clinical and PM CT imaging. Rib fracture detection and classification in forensic investigations is a time-consuming yet crucial task that can contribute to determine the cause of death. DL models are a promising tool, as recent research shows that radiologists using DL models can detect rib fractures in clinical CT scans at higher sensitivity and in shorter time. A dataset of 50 PMCT scans (24% women; age: mean 61, range 19 - 96years) was retrospectively collected and annotated, and used to train a first instance of the model, nnDetPM. Another instance of the model, nnDetClin, was trained on data from another dataset, RibFrac, consisting of 660 clinical CT scans (36% women; age: mean 55, range 21 - 94years). On the PM testing set, nnDetPM achieved an average sensitivity of 70.2% and an average precision (at 0.1 intersection over union) of 78.1%, whereas nnDetClin fell far behind at 19.8% average sensitivity and 25.5% average precision, indicating a substantial impact of the domain shift from clinical to PM CT data. Further inspection of the results showed that the main factors of this domain shift were the position of the arms and the presence of medical ware in the image acquisition area of the PMCT scans. The performance of nnDetPM, with an average sensitivity of 70.2%, was notable and comparable to that of radiologists. However, more advanced techniques must be explored to decide if DL models can overcome the domain shift factors.

In tropical grazer assemblies with abundant large predators, smaller herbivores have been shown to be limited by predation and food quality, while the larger species are regulated by food abundance. Much less is known about herbivore resource partitioning in temperate grazing ecosystems, where humans typically regulate large animal abundances. The Oostvaardersplassen ecosystem in the Netherlands is a unique multispecies assemblage of cattle, horses, red deer, and geese developed after the initial introduction of a few individuals in 1983. During the first 35 years, this herbivore assemblage without predation or human regulation gradually changed into an increasing dominance of the smaller herbivore species. Carrying capacity was reached around 2008, after which numbers started fluctuating depending on winter conditions. From 2018, management changed and population numbers became regulated for biodiversity and animal welfare reasons; however, population numbers still remained close to carrying capacity for several years. We used eDNA metabarcoding of dung to quantify the diet composition of cattle, horses, red deer, and geese, annually in early winter from 2018 to 2021 and calculated their niche overlap. We found strong interspecific diet overlap. Horse and cattle diets remained mostly stable with fluctuating densities of the different species, while only red deer diet showed density dependence. Interspecific niche overlap decreased with increasing red deer population size, the most abundant species. When calculated as total energy expenditure, we found that niche overlap was more linked to red deer abundance than to total herbivore energy intake. We suggest that red deer changed their diet mainly in response to their own population size, reducing their niche overlap in relation to their population increase. In this case, resource competition reduced resource availability and forced herbivores to consume different plant taxa. We conclude that in this predator‐free temperate ecosystem, inter‐ and intraspecific resource competition are key factors structuring this assemblage of different size herbivores. We find a general competitive advantage of the more diet‐flexible red deer over horses and cattle, but with also clear signs of resource partitioning.

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn pediatrics, the triadic relationships between the adolescent, parents, and healthcare providers, as well as an adolescent's evolving developmental status, render decision‐making unique and challenging. The aim of this study was to explore adolescents' decision‐making preferences regarding pediatric organ transplantation.MethodsSemi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews were carried out with 17 patients aged 12–30 years (M = 20, SD = 5) who received organ transplants between the ages of 9 and 20 years (M = 13, SD = 3). The data were qualitatively analyzed via content analysis with a focus on an adolescent's involvement in decision‐making.ResultsThe participants considered various factors important for their appropriate involvement in decisions. These factors were grouped into three main areas: (1) a participant's role in decision‐making, (2) determinants of involvement in decision‐making, and (3) expression of the final decision. The most frequently described factors included the adolescent's age, concerns about what was happening to their body, the importance of social support systems, capacity to understand, and time given to adapt.ConclusionsAccording to Swiss law, being a minor does not deem adolescents incompetent; hence, adolescents can be legally competent in making medical decisions. Moreover, adolescents are the ones most affected by their illness and their respective treatment. It is therefore crucial to give a voice to them and to center their preferences in decision‐making. Our study shows that a range of distinct preferences concerning decision‐making and involvement exist among adolescents and, as such, can serve as points of leverage to improve the quality of care for this understudied patient population.

A new species of the wasp mimic genus Monoceromyia, M. ndidiae new species, is described from the Dominican Republic. This is the first member of the tribe Cerioidini known from Hispaniola. Photographs of the new taxon were first shared on iNaturalist, where it remained unnamed for years until a specimen was collected by use of a light trap in the Valle Nuevo National Park in the Dominican Republic. A full description, illustrations, and a diagnosis are provided, together with an identification key to the cerioidine species of the West Indies. Once again, citizen science helps in the discovery of a new species.