We introduce a workflow that integrates deep learning-based tracking of anatomical landmarks with 3D reconstruction to analyze the biomechanics of animal flight. Tested on bats, both in a wind tunnel and a flight arena, the workflow's accuracy closely approximates that resulting from manual digitization. The results demonstrate the workflow's potential for significantly increasing the efficiency and scalability of biomechanical research without sacrificing accuracy.

Humans and the socially-monogamous rodent prairie voles exhibit similar emotional and biological responses to pair bonding and partner loss. In particular, neural reward systems are engaged to maintain a homeostatic rewarding state during bonding that drives motivation to be with the partner. Loss disrupts these mechanisms, resulting in yearning. Reward system remodeling therefore likely underlies loss adaptation. However, if this adaptation is stalled, prolonged grief disorder can occur.

Snakes inhabit nearly every imaginable terrestrial environment, moving with ease under many conditions that would thwart other animals. Several facets of their functional diversity could have applications for bioinspired design. Here, we review snake locomotor behavior with a focus on biomechanics and environmental context, and then discuss the musculoskeletal and skin features that enable their high proficiency in so many locomotor modes.

Ion channels have an active crosstalk with the dystrophin complex, which is disrupted in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but little is known about their involvement in myogenesis, especially in dystrophic settings. We performed an electrophysiological characterization of wild-type and dystrophic myoblasts/myocytes to shed light on the relationship between dystrophin loss and ion channel activity during myogenesis with the final aim to identify new biomarkers and drug targets in regenerative medicine approaches.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death due to infectious disease. Developing new antibiotics that can shorten TB treatment time will require innovation in target-based drug discovery in addition to phenotypic screens. In this review, we highlight a novel metric to prioritize essential targets: vulnerability. Stratifying targets based on their vulnerability, in addition to more traditional target prioritization metrics, presents new opportunities for future target-based drug discovery campaigns.