An account of American Academy of Microbiology reforms and pandemic operations.

Change is an inevitable part of any organization if it wants to adapt and strive in a changing environment. That was what the American Academy of Microbiology (Academy) did from 2019-2023 when it transformed itself into a scientific think tank at ASM while maintaining the high standard of an honorific community of scholars. Here, we report on the recent history of the Academy and the changes that have taken place during this period. With the contribution of many thougtful leaders, the Academy refreshed its commitment to promote excellence and uphold its high values.

Scientific Integrity Principles and Best Practices: Recommendations from a Scientific Integrity Consortium.

A Scientific Integrity Consortium developed a set of recommended principles and best practices that can be used broadly across scientific disciplines as a mechanism for consensus on scientific integrity standards and to better equip scientists to operate in a rapidly changing research environment. The two principles that represent the umbrella under which scientific processes should operate are as follows: (1) Foster a culture of integrity in the scientific process. (2) Evidence-based policy interests may have legitimate roles to play in influencing aspects of the research process, but those roles should not interfere with scientific integrity. The nine best practices for instilling scientific integrity in the implementation of these two overarching principles are (1) Require universal training in robust scientific methods, in the use of appropriate experimental design and statistics, and in responsible research practices for scientists at all levels, with the training content regularly updated and presented by qualified scientists. (2) Strengthen scientific integrity oversight and processes throughout the research continuum with a focus on training in ethics and conduct. (3) Encourage reproducibility of research through transparency. (4) Strive to establish open science as the standard operating procedure throughout the scientific enterprise. (5) Develop and implement educational tools to teach communication skills that uphold scientific integrity. (6) Strive to identify ways to further strengthen the peer review process. (7) Encourage scientific journals to publish unanticipated findings that meet standards of quality and scientific integrity. (8) Seek harmonization and implementation among journals of rapid, consistent, and transparent processes for correction and/or retraction of published papers. (9) Design rigorous and comprehensive evaluation criteria that recognize and reward the highest standards of integrity in scientific research.

Ozone and desiccation tolerance in chlorolichens are intimately connected: a case study based on two species with different ecology.

Tropospheric ozone (O3) causes severe damage to many vascular plants but not to lichens. It was recently suggested that this may be due to their high levels of natural defences against the oxidative bursts associated to their fluctuating water content. In this study, the combined effects of watering regime (with or without a daily spray of distilled water), air relative humidity (20 ± 5 vs. 80 ± 5% RH) and O3 (250 vs. 0 ppb, 5 h day-1 for 2 weeks) were monitored in two chlorolichens with different ecology, Parmotrema perlatum and Xanthoria parietina. Modulated chlorophyll a fluorescence (Chl a F), superoxide anion radical (O2•-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, antioxidant content and enzyme activity of the ascorbate/glutathione cycle were measured after exposure and, for Chl a F, after 1 and 2 days of recovery. The species differed in the antioxidant profile (ascorbate was higher in X. parietina, glutathione in P. perlatum), and in the activity of ROS-scavenging enzymes, more intense in the hygrophilous P. perlatum than in the meso-xerophilous X. parietina. O3 slightly modified Chl a F parameters related to the controlled dissipation, with reduction of Fm, Fv/Fm (both species) and ETR (in P. perlatum), and increase in NPQ and qN (in X. parietina). It also influenced, particularly in P. perlatum, the content of H2O2, glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (but not that of O2•- and AsA + DHA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and dehydroascorbate reductase. These parameters, however, were more heavily affected by water availability. The hypothesis that lichens are O3-tolerant thanks to the constitutive antioxidant systems, intimately related to their poikilohydric life-style, is thus confirmed.

Relationships between water status and photosystem functionality in a chlorolichen and its isolated photobiont.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Drought tolerance was greater in the whole lichen than in its isolated photobiont. Cell turgor state has an influence on the functionality of photosynthetic process in lichens. Irreversible thermodynamics is widely used to describe the water relations of vascular plants. However, poikilohydrous organisms like lichens and aeroterrestrial microalgae have seldom been studied using this approach. Water relations of lichens are generally addressed without separate analysis of the mycobiont and photobiont, and only few studies have correlated changes in photosynthetic efficiency of dehydrating lichens to accurate measurements of their water potential components. We measured water potential isotherms and chlorophyll a fluorescence in the lichen Flavoparmelia caperata harvested in different seasons, as well as in its isolated photobiont, the green alga Trebouxia gelatinosa, either exposed to water stress cycles or fully hydrated. No significant seasonal trends were observed in lichen water relations parameters. Turgor loss point and osmotic potential of the whole thallus were significantly lower than those measured in the photobiont, while differences between the water stressed photobiont and controls were not significant. Dehydration-induced drop of F v/F m was correlated with turgor loss, revealing that the photosynthetic activity of lichens partly depends on their turgor level. We provided one of the first quantitative evidences of the influence that turgor status could exert on the functionality of photosynthetic processes in lichens.

ASM Journals Eliminate Impact Factor Information from Journal Websites.

Many scientists attempt to publish their work in a journal with the highest possible journal impact factor (IF). Despite widespread condemnation of the use of journal IFs to assess the significance of published work, these numbers continue to be widely misused in publication, hiring, funding, and promotion decisions (1, 2).

ASM Journals Eliminate Impact Factor Information from Journal Websites.

Many scientists attempt to publish their work in a journal with the highest possible journal impact factor (IF). Despite widespread condemnation of the use of journal IFs to assess the significance of published work, these numbers continue to be widely misused in publication, hiring, funding, and promotion decisions (1, 2).

Species-specific reversal of stem xylem embolism after a prolonged drought correlates to endpoint concentration of soluble sugars.

Recent reports on tree mortality associated with anomalous drought and heat have raised interest into processes underlying tree resistance/resilience to water stress. Hydraulic failure and carbon starvation have been proposed as main causes of tree decline, with recent theories treating water and carbon metabolism as interconnected processes. We subjected young plants of two native (Quercus pubescens [Qp] and Prunus mahaleb [Pm]) and two invasive (Robinia pseudoacacia [Rp] and Ailanthus altissima [Aa]) woody angiosperms to a prolonged drought leading to stomatal closure and xylem embolism, to induce carbon starvation and hydraulic failure. At the end of the treatment, plants were measured for embolism rates and NSC content, and re-irrigated to monitor recovery of xylem hydraulics. Data highlight different hydraulic strategies in native vs invasive species under water stress, and provide physiological explanations for species-specific impacts of recent severe droughts. Drought-sensitive species (Qp and Rp) suffered high embolism rates and were unable to completely refill xylem conduits upon restoration of water availability. Species that better survived recent droughts were able to limit embolism build-up (Pm) or efficiently restored hydraulic functionality after irrigation (Aa). Species-specific capacity to reverse xylem embolism correlated to stem-level concentration of soluble carbohydrates, but not to starch content.

Capturing the Value of Biomedical Research.

Assessing the real-world impact of biomedical research is notoriously difficult. Here, we present the framework for building a prospective science-centered information system from scratch that has been afforded by the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Qatar. This experiment is part of the global conversation on maximizing returns on research investment.

Desiccation tolerance and lichenization: a case study with the aeroterrestrial microalga Trebouxia sp. (Chlorophyta).

MAIN CONCLUSIONS: A comparative study of isolated vs. lichenized Trebouxia sp. showed that lichenization does not influence the survival capability of the alga to the photo-oxidative stress derived from prolonged desiccation. Coccoid algae in the Trebouxia genus are the most common photobionts of chlorolichens but are only sporadically found in soil or bark outside of a lichen. They all appear to be desiccation tolerant, i.e. they can survive drying to water contents of below 10%. However, little is known about their longevity in the dry state and to which extent lichenization can influence it. Here, we studied the longevity in the dry state of the lichenized alga (LT) Trebouxia sp. in the lichen Parmotrema perlatum, in comparison with axenically grown cultures (CT) isolated from the same lichen. We report on chlorophyll fluorescence emission and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production before desiccation, after 15-45 days in the dry state under different combinations of light and air humidity and after recovery for 1 or 3 days in fully hydrated conditions. Both the CT and the LT were able to withstand desiccation under high light (120 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1) for 14 h per day), but upon recovery after 45 days in the dry state the performance of the CT was better than that of the LT. By contrast, the quenching of excess light energy was more efficient in the LT, at high relative humidities especially. ROS production in the LT was influenced mostly by light exposure, whereas the CT showed an oxidative burst independent of the light conditions. Although lichenization provides benefits that are essential for the survival of the photobiont in high-light habitats, Trebouxia sp. can withstand protracted periods of photo-oxidative stress even outside of a lichen thallus.

The curious incident of the translational dog that didn't bark.

There is a general assumption that it is now time for more translational research and less basic research. Science policy leaders have sent mixed signals and the community has responded by submitting more grant applications focused on translational or applied research. Nothing could be more treacherous, because to develop innovative therapies we must more fully understand the complexities of biology, a goal requiring more, not less, basic science.