A public health approach to modern slavery in the United Kingdom: a codeveloped framework.

OBJECTIVES: Modern slavery is a public health challenge. The objective of this research was to build and refine a public health approach to addressing it. STUDY DESIGN: This was a participatory qualitative study with a proof-of-concept exercise. METHODS: Nine deliberative workshops with 65 people working across the antislavery sector. Thematic analysis of qualitative data. Of the nine workshops, two were proof of concept. These explored and tested the public health framework devised. RESULTS: Participants contributed to the development of a public health framework to modern slavery that included multiple elements across national, local, and service levels. There were six 'C's to national components: policy that was coherent, co-ordinated, consistent, comprehensive, co-operative and compliant with international law. Local components centred on effective local multiagency partnerships and service design and delivery focussed on trauma-informed, flexible, person-centred care. CONCLUSIONS: A public health approach to modern slavery is a promising development in the antislavery field in the United Kingdom and globally. It was well supported by workshop participants and appeared to be operable. Barriers to its implementation exist, however, including the challenge of intersectoral working and an incongruent policy environment.

Recovery of rare earth elements (Nd3+ and Dy3+) by using carbon-based adsorbents from spent tire rubber.

Two samples of spent tire rubber (rubber A and rubber B) were submitted to thermochemical conversion by pyrolysis process. A450, B450 and A900, B900 chars were obtained from rubber A and rubber B at 450 °C and 900 °C, respectively. The chars were then applied as recovery agents of Nd3+ and Dy3+ from aqueous solutions in mono and bicomponent solutions, and their performance was benchmarked with a commercial activated carbon. The chars obtained at 900 °C were the most efficient adsorbents for both elements with uptake capacities around 30 mg g-1. The chars obtained at 450 °C presented uptake capacities similar to the commercial carbon (≈ 11 mg g-1). A900 and B900 chars presented a higher availability of Zn ions that favored the ion exchange mechanism. It was found that Nd3+ and Dy3+ were adsorbed as oxides after Zn was released from silicate structures (Zn2SiO4). A900 char was further selected to be tested with Nd/Dy binary mixtures and it was found a trend to adsorb a slightly higher amount of Dy3+ due to its smaller ionic radius. The uptake capacity in bicomponent solutions was generally higher than for single component solutions due to the higher driving force triggered by the higher concentration gradient.

Rapid rise in COVID-19 among young people in England - learning for the future.

OBJECTIVES: We determined the age and sociodemographic distribution of COVID-19 cases between January and September 2020 to identify the group with the highest incidence rates at the beginning of the second wave in England. STUDY DESIGN: We undertook a retrospective cohort study design. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 cases in England were linked with area-level socio-economic status indicators using quintiles of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Age-specific incidence rates were stratified by IMD quintile to further assess rates by area-level socio-economic status. RESULTS: Between July and September 2020, SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates were highest amongst those aged 18-21 years, reaching rates of 213.9 (18-19 years) and 143.2 (20-21 years) per 100,000 population by week ending 21 September 2022. Stratification of incidence rates by IMD quintile evidenced that despite high rates observed in the most deprived areas of England amongst the very young and older age groups, the highest rates were observed in the most affluent areas of England amongst the 18- to 21-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS: The reversal of sociodemographic trend in COVID-19 cases in England for those aged 18-21 years at the end of the summer of 2020 and beginning of the second wave showed a novel pattern of COVID-19 risk. For other age groups, the rates remained highest for those from more deprived areas, which highlighted persisting inequalities. Combined, this demonstrates the need to reinforce awareness of COVID-19 risk for young people, particularly given the late inclusion of the 16-17 years age group for vaccination administration, as well as continued efforts to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations.

El papel de los cannabinoides en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo de niños y adolescentes / The role of cannabinoids in neurodevelopmental disorders of children and adolescents

Introducción: Los trastornos del neurodesarrollo tienen una etiología multifactorial que resulta de la interacción entre factores biológicos y ambientales. La base biológica de muchos de estos trastornos se comprende sólo parcialmente, lo que hace que las intervenciones terapéuticas, especialmente las farmacológicas, sean particularmente difíciles. El impacto del cannabis medicinal en los trastornos neurológicos y psiquiátricos se ha estudiado durante mucho tiempo. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo revisar los estudios clínicos y preclínicos actualmente disponibles con respecto al uso de cannabinoides en trastornos del neurodesarrollo pediátrico y llamar la atención sobre el posible papel terapéutico del cannabidiol en este campo. Desarrollo: El cannabidiol es un modulador del sistema endocannabinoide y ejerce sus efectos tanto en cerebros en desarrollo como en cerebros maduros a través de numerosos mecanismos. El cannabidiol tiene un límite de toxicidad relativamente alto, y la bibliografía actual sugiere que puede tener propiedades ansiolíticas, antipsicóticas y neuroprotectoras. La evidencia clínica sugiere que el tratamiento temprano con cannabidiol podría ser una terapia prometedora para los trastornos del desarrollo neurológico, incluida la discapacidad intelectual, los trastornos del espectro autista, los tics y el trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad. Conclusiones: Es de esperar que esta revisión llame la atención sobre un cuerpo emergente de evidencia sobre el potencial significativo del cannabidiol para mejorar de manera segura muchos de los síntomas comunes que afectan a niños y adolescentes con trastornos del neurodesarrollo, especialmente el trastorno del espectro autista.(AU)

INTRODUCTION: Neurodevelopmental disorders have a multifactorial etiology that results from the interaction between biological and environmental factors. The biological basis of many of these disorders is only partially understood, which makes therapeutic interventions, especially pharmacological ones, particularly difficult. The impact of medical cannabis on neurological and psychiatric disorders has been studied for a long time. This study aimed to review the currently available clinical and pre-clinical studies regarding the use of cannabinoids in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders and to draw attention to the potential therapeutic role of cannabidiol in this field. DEVELOPMENT: Cannabidiol is an endocannabinoid system modulator and exerts its effects on both developing and mature brains through numerous mechanisms. Cannabidiol holds a relatively high toxicity limit and current literature suggests that it may have anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective properties. Clinical evidence suggests that early treatment with cannabidiol might be a promising therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, tics, and attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder. CONCLUSIONS: This review hopefully draws attention to an emerging body of evidence concerning cannabidiol’s significant potential to safely improve many of the common symptoms affecting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially autism spectrum disorder.(AU)

The role of cannabinoids in neurodevelopmental disorders of children and adolescents. / El papel de los cannabinoides en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo de niños y adolescentes.

INTRODUCTION: Neurodevelopmental disorders have a multifactorial etiology that results from the interaction between biological and environmental factors. The biological basis of many of these disorders is only partially understood, which makes therapeutic interventions, especially pharmacological ones, particularly difficult. The impact of medical cannabis on neurological and psychiatric disorders has been studied for a long time. This study aimed to review the currently available clinical and pre-clinical studies regarding the use of cannabinoids in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders and to draw attention to the potential therapeutic role of cannabidiol in this field. DEVELOPMENT: Cannabidiol is an endocannabinoid system modulator and exerts its effects on both developing and mature brains through numerous mechanisms. Cannabidiol holds a relatively high toxicity limit and current literature suggests that it may have anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective properties. Clinical evidence suggests that early treatment with cannabidiol might be a promising therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, tics, and attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder. CONCLUSIONS: This review hopefully draws attention to an emerging body of evidence concerning cannabidiol's significant potential to safely improve many of the common symptoms affecting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially autism spectrum disorder.

TITLE: El papel de los cannabinoides en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo de niños y adolescentes.Introducción. Los trastornos del neurodesarrollo tienen una etiología multifactorial que resulta de la interacción entre factores biológicos y ambientales. La base biológica de muchos de estos trastornos se comprende sólo parcialmente, lo que hace que las intervenciones terapéuticas, especialmente las farmacológicas, sean particularmente difíciles. El impacto del cannabis medicinal en los trastornos neurológicos y psiquiátricos se ha estudiado durante mucho tiempo. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo revisar los estudios clínicos y preclínicos actualmente disponibles con respecto al uso de cannabinoides en trastornos del neurodesarrollo pediátrico y llamar la atención sobre el posible papel terapéutico del cannabidiol en este campo. Desarrollo. El cannabidiol es un modulador del sistema endocannabinoide y ejerce sus efectos tanto en cerebros en desarrollo como en cerebros maduros a través de numerosos mecanismos. El cannabidiol tiene un límite de toxicidad relativamente alto, y la bibliografía actual sugiere que puede tener propiedades ansiolíticas, antipsicóticas y neuroprotectoras. La evidencia clínica sugiere que el tratamiento temprano con cannabidiol podría ser una terapia prometedora para los trastornos del desarrollo neurológico, incluida la discapacidad intelectual, los trastornos del espectro autista, los tics y el trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad. Conclusiones. Es de esperar que esta revisión llame la atención sobre un cuerpo emergente de evidencia sobre el potencial significativo del cannabidiol para mejorar de manera segura muchos de los síntomas comunes que afectan a niños y adolescentes con trastornos del neurodesarrollo, especialmente el trastorno del espectro autista.

Safety and preliminary activity results of the GATTO study, a phase Ib study combining the anti-TA-MUC1 antibody gatipotuzumab with the anti-EGFR tomuzotuximab in patients with refractory solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: The phase I GATTO study (NCT03360734) explored the feasibility, tolerability and preliminary activity of combining gatipotuzumab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody binding to the tumor-associated epitope of mucin 1 (TA-MUC1) and an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) antibody in refractory solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Initially the study enrolled primary phase (PP) patients with EGFR-positive metastatic solid tumors, for whom no standard treatment was available. Patients received gatipotuzumab administered at 1400 mg every 2 weeks, 6 weeks after the start of the glyco-optimized anti-EGFR antibody tomuzotuximab at 1200 mg every 2 weeks. As this regimen was proven safe, enrollment continued in an expansion phase (EP) of patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer and breast cancer. Tomuzotuximab and gatipotuzumab were given at the same doses and gatipotuzumab treatment started 1 week after the first dose of the anti-EGFR antibody. Additionally, investigators could use a commercial anti-EGFR antibody in place of tomuzotuximab. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were enrolled, 20 in the PP and 32 in the EP. The combined treatment was well tolerated and no dose-limiting toxicity was observed in the whole study, nor related serious adverse event or death. Preliminary activity of the combination was observed, with one and four RECIST partial responses in the PP and EP, all in colorectal cancer patients. The trial was accompanied by a comprehensive translational research program for identification of biomarkers, including soluble TA-MUC1 (sTA-MUC1) in serum. In the EP, patients with baseline sTA-MUC1 levels above the median appeared to have improved progression-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of a TA-MUC1-targeting antibody and an EGFR-targeting antibody is safe and feasible. Interesting antitumor activity was observed in heavily pretreated patients. Future studies should test this combination together with chemotherapy and explore the potential of sTA-MUC1 as a companion biomarker for further development of the combination.

Phase I, first-in-human study of futibatinib, a highly selective, irreversible FGFR1-4 inhibitor in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Futibatinib is an oral, irreversible, highly selective fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1-4 inhibitor with potent preclinical activity against tumors harboring FGFR aberrations. This first-in-human, phase I dose-escalation trial (NCT02052778) evaluates the safety and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of futibatinib in advanced solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Following a standard 3+3 dose-escalation design, eligible patients with advanced solid tumors refractory to standard therapies received 8-200 mg futibatinib three times a week (t.i.w.) or 4-24 mg once daily (q.d.). RESULTS: A total of 86 patients were enrolled in the nine t.i.w. (n = 42) and five q.d. cohorts (n = 44); 71 patients (83%) had tumors harboring FGF/FGFR aberrations. Three of nine patients in the 24-mg q.d. cohort experienced dose-limiting toxicities, including grade 3 increases in alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and blood bilirubin (n = 1 each). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined to be 20 mg q.d.; no MTD was defined for the t.i.w. schedule. Across cohorts (n = 86), the most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were hyperphosphatemia (59%), diarrhea (37%), and constipation (34%); 48% experienced grade 3 TEAEs. TEAEs led to dose interruptions, dose reductions, and treatment discontinuations in 55%, 14%, and 3% of patients, respectively. Pharmacokinetics were dose proportional across all q.d. doses but not all t.i.w. doses evaluated, with saturation observed between 80 and 200 mg t.i.w. Serum phosphorus increased dose dependently with futibatinib on both schedules, but a stronger exposure-response relationship was observed with q.d. dosing, supporting 20 mg q.d. as the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Overall, partial responses were observed in five patients [FGFR2 fusion-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 3) and FGFR1-mutant primary brain tumor (n = 2)], and stable disease in 41 (48%). CONCLUSIONS: Futibatinib treatment resulted in manageable safety, pharmacodynamic activity, and preliminary responses in patients with advanced solid tumors. The results of this phase I dose-escalation trial support 20 mg q.d. futibatinib as the RP2D. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: FOENIX-101 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02052778).

Cr(III) removal from synthetic and industrial wastewaters by using co-gasification chars of rice waste streams.

Blends of rice waste streams were submitted to co-gasification assays. The resulting chars (G1C and G2C) were characterized and used in Cr(III) removal assays from a synthetic solution. A Commercial Activated Carbon (CAC) was used for comparison purposes. The chars were non-porous materials mainly composed by ashes (68.3-92.6% w/w). The influences of adsorbent loading (solid/liquid ratio - S/L) and initial pH in Cr(III) removal were tested. G2C at a S/L of 5 mg L-1 and an initial pH of 4.50 presented an uptake capacity significantly higher than CAC (7.29 and 2.59 mg g-1, respectively). G2C was used in Cr(III) removal assays from an industrial wastewater with Cr(III) concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg L-1. Cr(III) removal by precipitation (uptake capacity ranging from 11.1 to 14.9 mg g-1) was more effective in G2C, while adsorption (uptake capacity of 16.1 mg g-1) was the main removal mechanism in CAC.

Early-drug development in the era of immuno-oncology: are we ready to face the challenges?

The classical development of drugs has progressively faded away, and we are currently in an era of seamless drug-development, where first-in-human trials include unusually big expansion cohorts in the search for early signs of activity and rapid regulatory approval. The fierce competition between different pharmaceutical companies and the hype for immune combinations obliges us to question the current way in which we are evaluating these drugs. In this review, we discuss critical issues and caveats in immunotherapy development. A particular emphasis is put on the limitations of pre-clinical toxicology studies, where both murine models and cynomolgus monkeys have underpredicted toxicity in humans. Moreover, relevant issues surrounding dose determination during phase I trials, such as dose-escalation methods or flat versus body-weight dosing, are discussed. A proposal of how to face these different challenges is offered, in order to achieve maximum efficacy with minimum toxicity for our patients.

Early evolutionary divergence between papillary and anaplastic thyroid cancers.

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common thyroid carcinoma and exhibits an almost uniformly good prognosis, while anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is less frequent and is one of the most aggressive cancers usually resistant to conventional treatment. Current hypothesis posits that ATC derives from PTC through the progressive acquisition of a discrete number of genomic alterations and implies that the mutational landscape of ATC resembles that of PTC. However, the clinical behaviour of ATC and PTC is radically different. We decided to address the disconnection between the clinical behaviour of ATC and PTC and the proposed model of the progressive development of ATC from PTC. Patients and methods: We carried out exome sequencing of DNA from 14 ATC specimens including three cases of concomitant ATC and PTC as well as their corresponding normal DNA from 14 patients. The sequencing results were validated using droplet digital PCR. We carried out immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence studies of the concomitant ATC and PTC cases. In addition, we integrated our sequencing results with the existing TCGA data. Results: Most of the somatic mutations identified in the ATC component differed from the ones in PTC in the cases of concomitant ATC and PTC. The trunks of the phylogenetic trees representing the somatic mutations were short with long branches. In one case of concomitant PTC and ATC specimens, we observed an infiltration of PTC cells within the ATC component. Moreover, we integrated our results with data obtained from TCGA and observed that the most frequent mutations found in ATC presented high cancer cell fraction values and were significantly different from the PTC ones. Conclusion: ATC diverge from PTC early in tumour development and both tumour types evolve independently. Our work allows the understanding of the relationship between ATC and PTC facilitating the clinical management of these malignancies.

Evaluating trifluridine + tipiracil hydrochloride in a fixed combination (TAS-102) for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Despite major progress in treating advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), prognosis in this population after progression on standard treatment remains dismal and the development of new drugs represents an unmet need. Historically, fluoropyrimidines have played a major role in the treatment of metastatic CRC. TAS-102, a novel combination of trifluridine and tipiracil hydrochloride, has demonstrated improvement in overall survival in the refractory CRC setting, with a safe toxicity profile. Areas covered: A literature review of published clinical studies was performed. Herein, the authors review the pharmacological and clinical data of TAS-102 when used in metastatic CRC, both as a single agent as well as in novel combinations under investigation. Expert opinion: The addition of TAS-102 to the therapeutic armamentarium of metastatic CRC is an encouraging breakthrough considering the demonstrated survival benefit and favorable tolerability profile. Combinations with other agents are under clinical investigation in different settings in an attempt to widen its use. To optimize treatment in today's era of molecular oncology, efforts should be focused on understanding primary and secondary resistance mechanisms, along with the identification of potential biomarkers of response.

[Infants' attachment security in a vulnerable French sample]. / Sécurité de l'attachement des jeunes enfants dans une population française vulnérable.

INTRODUCTION: Attachment is a long lasting emotional link established between infants and their caregivers. The quality of early relationships allows infants to safely explore their environment and contribute to the establishment of a broad range of social skills. Several intervention programs targeting infant attachment have been implemented in different contexts, showing diverse degrees of efficacy. OBJECTIVE: The present paper describes, for the first time, children's attachment quality distributions in a French multi-risk population, with a preventive intervention, usual or reinforced. METHOD: In the CAPEDP study (Parenting and Attachment in Early Childhood: reducing mental health disorder risks and promoting resilience), a sub-sample of 117 women was recruited to assess the effects of this home-visiting program on children's attachment security. With that intent, the Strange Situation Paradigm was used when infants were between 12 and 16 months of age. RESULTS: In the intervention group, 63% (n=41) of the infants were coded as secure, while 15% (n=10) of them were coded as insecure-avoidant and 22% (n=14) as insecure-ambivalent/resistant. 56% (n=29) of control group infants (usual care) were coded as secure, while 27% (n=14) were coded as insecure-avoidant and 17% (n=9) as insecure-ambivalent/resistant. Even if the percentage of children with a secure attachment in the reinforced intervention group was higher than that of the control group, this difference did not reach the threshold of significance [Chi2 (2)=2.40, P=0.30]. DISCUSSION: Intervention group distributions were closer to normative samples, and these distributions show the clinical impact of our program. In general, preventive interventions focused on attachment quality have moderate effects but, in our case, several factors might have contributed to lower the statistical impact of the program. Firstly, the control group cannot be considered has having received zero intervention for two reasons: (a) the French usual perinatal health system (Maternal and Infant Protection System) is particularly generous and (b) the effect of this usual system might have been increased by the project intensive assessment protocol (6 visits during 28 months). Secondly, it is possible that the full effect of the intervention had not yet been detected because, when a child's attachment was assessed, only two thirds of the intervention visits had been performed (29 of 44 visits). A "sleeper effect" is still possible: we hope that a more clear result will be seen when children are assessed again, at 48 months, in our follow-up study (CAPEDP-A II). By clarifying the mechanisms involved in the development of a secure attachment, our study aims to contribute and refine the development of early preventive intervention strategies in high perinatal and psychosocial vulnerability contexts.

Isolation and characterization of yeasts capable of efficient utilization of hemicellulosic hydrolyzate as the carbon source.

Few yeasts have shown the potential to efficiently utilize hemicellulosic hydrolyzate as the carbon source. In this study, microorganisms isolated from the Manaus region in Amazonas, Brazil, were characterized based on their utilization of the pentoses, xylose, and arabinose. The yeasts that showed a potential to assimilate these sugars were selected for the better utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. Two hundred and thirty seven colonies of unicellular microorganisms grown on hemicellulosic hydrolyzate, xylose, arabinose, and yeast nitrogen base selective medium were analyzed. Of these, 231 colonies were subjected to sugar assimilation tests. One hundred and twenty five of these were shown to utilize hydrolyzed hemicellulose, xylose, or arabinose as the carbon source for growth. The colonies that showed the best growth (N = 57) were selected, and their internal transcribed spacer-5.8S rDNA was sequenced. The sequenced strains formed four distinct groups in the phylogenetic tree, and showed a high percentage of similarity with Meyerozyma caribbica, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans, Trichosporon loubieri, Pichia kudriavzevii, Candida lignohabitans, and Candida ethanolica. The discovery of these xylose-fermenting yeasts could attract widespread interest, as these can be used in the cost-effective production of liquid fuel from lignocellulosic materials.

Gene expression dosage regulation in an allopolyploid fish.

How allopolyploids are able not only to cope but profit from their condition is a question that remains elusive, but is of great importance within the context of successful allopolyploid evolution. One outstanding example of successful allopolyploidy is the endemic Iberian cyprinid Squalius alburnoides. Previously, based on the evaluation of a few genes, it was reported that the transcription levels between diploid and triploid S. alburnoides were similar. If this phenomenon occurs on a full genomic scale, a wide functional ''diploidization'' could be related to the success of these polyploids. We generated RNA-seq data from whole juvenile fish and from adult livers, to perform the first comparative quantitative transcriptomic analysis between diploid and triploid individuals of a vertebrate allopolyploid. Together with an assay to estimate relative expression per cell, it was possible to infer the relative sizes of transcriptomes. This showed that diploid and triploid S. alburnoides hybrids have similar liver transcriptome sizes. This in turn made it valid to directly compare the S. alburnoides RNA-seq transcript data sets and obtain a profile of dosage responses across the S. alburnoides transcriptome. We found that 64% of transcripts in juveniles' samples and 44% in liver samples differed less than twofold between diploid and triploid hybrids (similar expression). Yet, respectively 29% and 15% of transcripts presented accurate dosage compensation (PAA/PA expression ratio of 1 instead of 1.5). Therefore, an exact functional diploidization of the triploid genome does not occur, but a significant down regulation of gene expression in triploids was observed. However, for those genes with similar expression levels between diploids and triploids, expression is not globally strictly proportional to gene dosage nor is it set to a perfect diploid level. This quantitative expression flexibility may be a strong contributor to overcome the genomic shock, and be an immediate evolutionary advantage of allopolyploids.

Natural pathways towards polyploidy in animals: the Squalius alburnoides fish complex as a model system to study genome size and genome reorganization in polyploids.

When comparing the known picture of polyploidy in animals and in plants, it is possible to recognize some similarities, namely: (i) multiple and recurrent origins in several well-established taxonomic groups; (ii) a strong and regular association with hybridization events; (iii) the production of genotypic diversity; (iv) a rapid genomic reshuffling; (v) a very active role of transposable elements in allopolyploids; (vi) a comparatively privileged occurrence in harsher environments when compared with their diploid relatives, and (vii) gene silencing and divergence of duplicated genes without disruption of duplicated loci. Research on polyploidy was highly biased towards plants during the last century because polyploidy in animals was for long time considered rare, occasional and irrelevant from an evolutionary perspective. However, as empirically observed in plants, genome rediploidization starts in polyploid organisms immediately after the polyploid shock. Given the speed and dynamicity of this process, evidence of genome multiplication is completely erased over time, and hence, only the most recent events are likely to be acknowledged. Although varying in expression between and within taxonomic groups, polyploidy and hybridization are ubiquitous in animals and may be recurrent, fostering evolution. Since evolutionary allopolyploid genomes behave as biologically diploid, zoologists have to challenge the old paradigm of an irrelevant evolutionary role in animals using current genomic and cytogenomic tools. These methods are most likely to reveal the role of polyploid mechanisms in producing evolutionary novelties. Nonsexual complexes are the perfect models to bridge the gap between empirical and theoretical research, while the evolutionary process is in action. Such animal complexes represent a transient stage that, in general, moves towards a polyploid stage, where bisexuality might be recovered, ultimately giving rise to a new gonochoric species. These pathways are herein illustrated by the Iberian allopolyploid Squalius alburnoides. Some general aspects on this fish's complex are updated and reviewed, namely the reproductive modes of the distinct genomotypes, since variable ploidies and genomic combinations occur in natural populations. Most recent data on the mechanisms of gene expression regulation and the importance of the genomic context in driving allelic expression are also included. It was first demonstrated that a regulatory mechanism involving dosage compensation by gene-copy silencing exists in allotriploid females and that allelic expression patterns differed either between genomically equivalent individuals or within the same individual (between tissues and genes). Thus, instead of a whole haplome inactivation, a biased silencing towards repression of a specific allele was observed as well as a reduction of the transcript levels to the diploid state. See also sister article focusing on plants by Tayalé and Parisod in this themed issue.