M. A. Beer

Early transcriptional responses of human nasal epithelial cells to infection with Influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 virus differ and are influenced by physiological temperature

This study compares early transcriptional responses of human nasal epithelial cells to Influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 infections at different temperatures, finding temperature affects SCV2 but not IAV replicative fitness and host response dynamics.

Stronger sexual dimorphism in fruit flies may be favored when congeners are present and females actively search for mates

The paper investigates why some fruit fly species show strong sexual dimorphism, finding that shared host plants and female mate-searching behavior may favor the evolution of dimorphic wing patterns.

Host shifting and host sharing in a genus of specialist flies diversifying alongside their sunflower hosts

The paper investigates host sharing among sunflower maggot flies by analyzing genomic data, finding that host shifts may result from hybridization events in sunflower plants rather than traditional host shifts.

Quantifying the unquantifiable: why Hymenoptera -- not Coleoptera -- is the most speciose animal order

The paper challenges the claim that beetles are the most speciose animal order, arguing that Hymenoptera, particularly parasitoid wasps, are more diverse based on ecological and statistical modeling.