Journal Articles, BioMed Central and SpringerOpen

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10919/18629

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 772

Prescribed fire promotes colonization by the Florida bog frog
Brooks, George C.; Gorman, Thomas A.; Proctor, Christine M.; Rincon, Brandon K.; Haas, Carola A. (2025-04-09)
Background: Understanding the link between prescribed fire and occupancy dynamics can aid in managing at-risk species. Knowledge of how fire return interval influences rates of colonization and persistence is essential to effectively mitigate extinction risk, particularly for species endemic to fire-maintained habitats with restricted geographic ranges. The current geographic range of the Florida bog frog (Rana okaloosae, hereafter bog frog) is largely restricted to one military installation in the Florida panhandle. The bog frog is currently listed as a state species of special concern owing to its inherent rarity and habitat loss across its limited range. We conducted call surveys for bog frogs at 151 stream-associated sites on Eglin Air Force Base from 2006 to 2022 to map their distribution and evaluate the effectiveness of habitat management. We constructed a spatially explicit, dynamic occupancy model to identify habitat characteristics associated with bog frog presence and quantify the effect of prescribed fire on turnover dynamics. Results: Historical fire return interval was the only predictor of initial site occupancy; sites that burnt every 2 years on average from 1985 to 2005 were twice as likely to be occupied in 2006 as sites that burnt once every 10 years in that time period. Additionally, we found that colonization rates were a function of proximity to neighboring sites and burn frequency. Most dispersal events occurred between sites less than 0.33 km apart and unoccupied sites more than 2 km from their nearest neighbors were never colonized. Colonization rates were higher at sites that had seen an increase in burn frequency during the study period compared to the preceding two decades. Conclusions: The bog frog benefits from frequent fire in its native stream habitat. Conservation activities should focus on protecting high-quality sites and targeted burns to restore fire-suppressed sites near occupied sites. More broadly, our study highlights the value of long-term monitoring to ensure management activities for at-risk species match the scale of dynamic biological processes.
Sterile-active resonance: A global qualitative picture
Brettell, Mark; Martinez-Soler, Ivan; Minakata, Hisakazu (2025-04-01)
In the νSM extended by adding an eV-scale sterile state, the (3 + 1) model, the sterile-active level crossing entails the MSW resonance, here referred as the sterile-active (SA) resonance. In this paper, we construct an effective theory of SA resonance which involves only the sterile-active mixing angles and ∆ m 41 2 , thanks to the given environment of high matter potential which freezes the νSM oscillations. We give our first attempt at an analytic treatment of the effective theory to illuminate the global picture of the SA resonance at a glance. We formulate a perturbative framework in which the structure of “texture zeros” of the S matrix in the flavor space and the suppression by the small parameters sin θj4 (j = 1, 2, 3) allows us to reveal the flavor–event-type hierarchy of the resonance-effect strength in the probabilities. We have shown that the cascade events dominantly comes from the three paths through P(νe → νe), P( ν ¯ e → ν ¯ e ), and P( ν ¯ μ → ν ¯ τ ), and a three-component fit is suggested to disentangle the SA resonance generation mechanisms.
Spatial epidemiology of Tabanus (Diptera: Tabanidae) vectors of Trypanosoma
Marques, Roberta; Jiménez-García, Daniel; Escobar, Luis E.; Krolow, Tiago K.; Krüger, Rodrigo F. (2025-04-03)
Background: Trypanosoma are protozoa parasites that infect animals and can cause economic losses in cattle production. Trypanosoma live in the blood and are transmitted by hematophagous insects, such as flies in the genus Tabanus. Using ecological niche models, we explored the current geography of six common Tabanus species in Brazil, which are considered vectors of Trypanosoma vivax and Tr. evansi in the Neotropics. Methods: We used georeferenced data and biotic and abiotic variables integrated using a fundamental ecological niche modeling approach. Modeling results from six Tabanus species were used to identify risk areas of Trypanosoma transmission in Latin America accounting for area predicted, landscape conditions, and density of livestock. We performed Jaccard, Schoener, and Hellinger metrics to indicate the ecological niche similarities of pairs of Tabanus species to identify known and likely vectors overlapping in distribution across geographies. Results: Our results revealed significant ecological niche similarities for two Tabanus species (T. pungens and T. sorbillans), whereas T. triangulum and T. importunus have low ecological similarity. Ecological niche models predicted risk of Trypanosoma transmission across Neotropical countries, with the highest risk in southern South America, Venezuela, and central Mexico. Conclusions: More than 1.6 billion cattle and 38 million horses are under a threat category for infection risk. Furthermore, we identified specific areas and livestock populations at high risk of trypanosomiasis in Latin America. This study reveals the areas, landscapes, and populations at risk of Trypanosoma infections in livestock in the Americas.
Outcomes from a workshop on a national center for quantum education
Barnes, Edwin; Bennett, Michael B.; Boltasseva, Alexandra; Borish, Victoria; Brown, Bennett; Carr, Lincoln D.; Ceballos, Russell R.; Dukes, Faith; Easton, Emily W.; Economou, Sophia E.; Edwards, E. E.; Finkelstein, Noah D.; Fracchiolla, C.; Franklin, Diana; Freericks, J. K.; Goss, Valerie; Hannum, Mark; Holincheck, Nancy; Kelly, Angela M.; Lanes, Olivia; Lewandowski, H. J.; Matsler, Karen J.; Mercurio, Emily; Montaño, Inès; Murdock, Maajida; Peltz, Kiera; Perron, Justin K.; Richardson, Christopher J. K.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Ross, Richard S.; Ryu, Minjung; Samuel, Raymond E.; Schrode, Nicole; Schwamberger, Susan; Searles, Thomas A.; Singh, Chandralekha; Tingle, Alexandra; Zwickl, Benjamin M. (2025-03-31)
In response to numerous programs seeking to advance quantum education and workforce development in the United States, experts from academia, industry, government, and professional societies convened for a National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop in February 2024 to explore the benefits and challenges of establishing a national center for quantum education. Broadly, such a center would foster collaboration and build the infrastructure required to develop a diverse and quantum-ready workforce. The workshop discussions focused on how a center could uniquely address gaps in public, K-12, and undergraduate quantum information science and engineering (QISE) education. Specifically, the community identified activities that, through a center, could lead to an increase in student awareness of quantum careers, boost the number of educators trained in quantum-related subjects, strengthen pathways into quantum careers, enhance the understanding of the US quantum workforce, and elevate public engagement with QISE. Core proposed activities for the center include professional development for educators, coordinated curriculum development and curation, expanded access to educational laboratory equipment, robust evaluation and assessment practices, network building, and enhanced public engagement with quantum science.
Elementary school compliance with a state recess minimum requirement by racial and geographic factors: a cross-sectional study
Howie, Erin K.; Harden, Samantha M.; Barr-Anderson, Daheia J.; Long, Christopher R. (2025-03-28)
Background: Recess is a part of school-based physical activity promotion offered worldwide with equitable recess access a social justice issue. From a policy perspective, in the U.S. few states currently require elementary school recess and little is known about its implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine the current implementation of one state system as a case study to investigate minimum recess requirement and to compare the implementation between school geographic and racial factors. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study of the implementation of one state’s minimum daily recess requirement of 40-minutes recess was conducted during the 2023–2024 academic year. A school audit of provided recess time was conducted of all public elementary schools in Arkansas through an online search of bell schedules, a survey sent to principals and physical education teachers, and phone call surveys to school offices. Key demographic and geographic features of the schools included enrollment data (e.g., race, grade, and % Free-and-Reduced Lunch composition), rurality, and region. Results: Recess information was obtained from 384 (73%) of 526 eligible schools with an average student enrollment of 398 students (SD 154), 19.8% (SD 27.9) Black student enrollment, and 63.8% (SD 20.0%) students receiving free-and-reduced lunch. 306 (85.5%) schools met recess requirements. There were no differences in meeting recess requirements by rurality. Of schools with higher Black student enrollment (≥ 25% Black enrollment), 75.3% met recess requirements compared to 89.5% in schools with lower Black enrollment (< 25% Black enrollment, OR 0.36, 95%CI: 0.16, 0.78, p =.010). There were differences in survey-reported available playground spaces and equipment between by meeting recess requirements and Black student enrollment (p <.05). Conclusions: Schools in a state with a 40-minute daily recess requirement reported high compliance with the state policy. However, students in schools with higher Black student enrollment were less likely to meet the 40-minute recess requirement, and thus strategies are needed to ensure all students have access to recess opportunities. Ensuring equal access to recess through wide-reaching place-based and policy-based strategies may be a step in reducing health and education disparities, especially among populations where disparities are greatest.
Physical stimuli-responsive DNA hydrogels: design, fabrication strategies, and biomedical applications
Acharya, Rumi; Dutta, Sayan D.; Mallik, Hemadri; Patil, Tejal V.; Ganguly, Keya; Randhawa, Aayushi; Kim, Hojin; Lee, Jieun; Park, Hyeonseo; Mo, Changyeun; Lim, Ki-Taek (2025-03-22)
Physical stimuli-responsive DNA hydrogels hold immense potential for tissue engineering due to their inherent biocompatibility, tunable properties, and capacity to replicate the mechanical environment of natural tissue, making physical stimuli-responsive DNA hydrogels a promising candidate for tissue engineering. These hydrogels can be tailored to respond to specific physical triggers such as temperature, light, magnetic fields, ultrasound, mechanical force, and electrical stimuli, allowing precise control over their behavior. By mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM), DNA hydrogels provide structural support, biomechanical cues, and cell signaling essential for tissue regeneration. This article explores various physical stimuli and their incorporation into DNA hydrogels, including DNA self-assembly and hybrid DNA hydrogel methods. The aim is to demonstrate how DNA hydrogels, in conjunction with other biomolecules and the ECM environment, generate dynamic scaffolds that respond to physical stimuli to facilitate tissue regeneration. We investigate the most recent developments in cancer therapies, including injectable DNA hydrogel for bone regeneration, personalized scaffolds, and dynamic culture models for drug discovery. The study concludes by delineating the remaining obstacles and potential future orientations in the optimization of DNA hydrogel design for the regeneration and reconstruction of tissue. It also addresses strategies for surmounting current challenges and incorporating more sophisticated technologies, thereby facilitating the clinical translation of these innovative hydrogels.
Building a health systems science bridge between medical school and the clinical learning environment via a pilot faculty development cohort program
Harendt, Sarah M.; Allison-Jones, Lisa; Rudd, Mariah J.; Karp, Natalie E.; Parker, Sarah H.; Whicker, Shari A. (2025-03-18)
Background: Clinical faculty development focused on Health Systems Science (HSS) is crucial for integrating HSS concepts into medical education. The 2021 HSSIP Faculty Development program was created to support faculty in effectively creating and incorporating comprehensive HSS content into the clerkship experience. Methods: Nine clinical champions, selected for their diverse backgrounds and interest in HSS, participated from November 2021 through October 2022 in monthly day-long, in-person workshops, and bi-monthly self-directed sessions, covering both HSS domains and foundational learning in curriculum development. Using a community of practice model, clinical champions gained expertise in HSS domains and developed curricula throughout the year-long program. Evaluation methods included surveys and feedback, focusing on satisfaction, self-efficacy, and curricular content creation. Results: Post-engagement surveys showed increased comfort in teaching HSS content, with significant improvement in specific areas. Participants valued learning from experts and collaborating with peers but found virtual sessions challenging. Despite systemic challenges and time constraints, clinical champions successfully created and implemented HSS-focused curricular content. They also contributed to broader HSS education efforts, presenting scholarly work and integrating HSS into various educational activities. Conclusions: This study showcases an innovative approach to preparing faculty to integrate HSS into clinical education. Key lessons included the value of subject matter experts, community engagement, and the challenges of virtual participation. Despite limitations such as low response numbers and context-specific results, the program demonstrated the potential for broad HSS integration. Further research with more participants and more rigorous data collection protocols is needed to more fully understand the generalizability of such an innovation. The initiative serves as a model for other academic health centers.
Foliar nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry should not be assumed to diagnose nutrient limitation
Binkley, Dan; Stape, José L.; Albaugh, Timothy J. (Springer Open, 2025-03-11)
Nutrient concentrations in foliage are often used to infer whether growth of a species at a particular site is likely limited by low supply of soil nutrients. Sometimes ratios of nutrient elements (stoichiometry) are thought to be useful, as if a higher supply of one element might somehow physiologically alleviate, or interfere with, a low supply of another. The growth of most forests is indeed commonly limited by low supplies of nutrients in soils, but foliar chemistry has proven unable to discern nutrient limitations. We illustrate this conclusion using two large, regional experiments with Eucalyptus in Brazil and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the southeastern USA. In both cases, most sites showed profitable increases in growth after fertilization, and nutrient concentrations in foliage differed substantially across sites. However, foliar nutrient concentrations (and stoichiometric ratios) did not provide useful information about forest growth responses. We urge authors, reviewers, and editors not to expect foliar chemistry to be a useful tool for diagnosing nutrient limitations in forests, unless strong, local evidence demonstrates a reliable association.
Oral dosage forms for drug delivery to the colon: an existing gap between research and commercial applications
Martínez, Estefanía; Gamboa, Jennifer; Finkielstein, Carla V.; Cañas, Ana I.; Osorio, Marlon A.; Vélez, Yesid; Llinas, Néstor; Castro, Cristina I. (2025-03-05)
Oral drug administration is the preferred route for pharmaceuticals, accounting for ~90% of the global pharmaceutical market due to its convenience and cost-effectiveness. This study provides a comprehensive scientific and technological analysis of the latest advances in oral dosage forms for colon-targeted drug delivery. Utilizing scientific and patent databases, along with a bibliometric analysis and bibliographical review, we compared the oral dosage forms (technology) with the specific application of the technology (colon delivery) using four search equations. Our findings reveal a gap in the publications and inventions associated with oral dosage forms for colon release compared to oral dosage forms for general applications. While tablets and capsules were found the most used dosage forms, other platforms such as nanoparticles, microparticles, and emulsions have been also explored. Enteric coatings are the most frequently applied excipient to prevent the early drug release in the stomach with pH-triggered systems being the predominant release mechanism. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the last advancements and high-impact resources in the development of oral dosage forms for colon-targeted drug delivery, providing insights into the technological maturity of these approaches.
Antimicrobial resistance transmission in the environmental settings through traditional and UV-enabled advanced wastewater treatment plants: a metagenomic insight
Talat, Absar; Bashir, Yasir; Khalil, Nadeem; Brown, Connor L.; Gupta, Dinesh; Khan, Asad U. (2025-03-06)
Background: Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are pivotal reservoirs for antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Selective pressures from antibiotic residues, co-selection by heavy metals, and conducive environments sustain ARGs, fostering the emergence of ARB. While advancements in WWTP technology have enhanced the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants, assessing ARG and ARB content in treated water remains a gap. This metagenomic study meticulously examines the filtration efficiency of two distinct WWTPs-conventional (WWTPC) and advanced (WWTPA), operating on the same influent characteristics and located at Aligarh, India. Results: The dominance of Proteobacteria or Pseudomonadota, characterized the samples from both WWTPs and carried most ARGs. Acinetobacter johnsonii, a prevailing species, exhibited a diminishing trend with wastewater treatment, yet its persistence and association with antibiotic resistance underscore its adaptive resilience. The total ARG count was reduced in effluents, from 58 ARGs, representing 14 distinct classes of antibiotics in the influent to 46 and 21 in the effluents of WWTPC and WWTPA respectively. However, an overall surge in abundance, particularly influenced by genes such as qacL, blaOXA−900, and rsmA was observed. Numerous clinically significant ARGs, including those against aminoglycosides (AAC(6’)-Ib9, APH(3’’)-Ib, APH(6)-Id), macrolides (EreD, mphE, mphF, mphG, mphN, msrE), lincosamide (lnuG), sulfonamides (sul1, sul2), and beta-lactamases (blaNDM−1), persisted across both conventional and advanced treatment processes. The prevalence of mobile genetic elements and virulence factors in the effluents possess a high risk for ARG dissemination. Conclusions: Advanced technologies are essential for effective ARG and ARB removal. A multidisciplinary approach focused on investigating the intricate association between ARGs, microbiome dynamics, MGEs, and VFs is required to identify robust indicators for filtration efficacy, contributing to optimized WWTP operations and combating ARG proliferation across sectors.
Open-source carbon dioxide and volatile organic compound sensing and associations with defecation and urination events in horses
Wright, Ryan K.; Ganino, Alyssa; White, Robin R. (2025-03-03)
Management of non-point-source emissions from pastured livestock is complicated by spatial and temporal distribution of emissions and how they interplay with equally complex landscape typological distributions. Wearable sensing of CO2 concentrations near the tailhead may enable real-time, spatially-explicit monitoring of manure emissions, if concentrations correlate with defecation and urination events. The objective of this research was to explore the association between measured CO2 concentrations from wearable sensors placed on the tailhead of horses and the occurrence of defecation and urination events. CO2 sensors consisted of a TTGO-T-Beam microprocessor equipped with GPS and LoRa radio, soldered to a CJMCU-8128 environmental sensing board capable of measuring temperature, pressure, relative humidity, CO2 and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). Tail wraps were placed on 4 stalled horses for a total of 9 days. Surveillance videos were collected over the same time frame and viewed to determine the time of defecation and urination occurrence. Data were analyzed visually for coherence, and quantitatively using analysis of variance, random forest regression, support vector machines, and extreme gradient boosting. Because defecation and urination events were in much lower quantity than non-events, random oversampling and undersampling were attempted on the classification approaches to improve accuracy and precision of signaling algorithms. Visual inspection revealed that although defecation and urination events corresponded to CO2 peaks, there was considerable noise in CO2 data suggesting that peaks in CO2 also frequently occur in the absence of defecation and urination events. All classification algorithms showed poor accuracies (0.50 to 0.51), which were only marginally improved by over- (< 0.51) and undersampling (< 0.69). This preliminary assessment revealed considerable noise in sensing CO2 emissions in production settings, which may preclude usefulness in manure sensing.
Non-isometry, state dependence and holography
Antonini, Stefano; Balasubramanian, Vijay; Bao, Ning; Cao, ChunJun; Chemissany, Wissam (2025-02-21)
We establish an equivalence between non-isometry of quantum codes and state dependence of operator reconstruction, and discuss implications of this equivalence for holographic duality. Specifically, we define quantitative measures of non-isometry and state dependence and describe bounds relating these quantities. In the context of holography we show that, assuming known gravitational path integral results for overlaps between semiclassical states, non-isometric bulk-to-boundary maps with a trivial kernel are approximately isometric and bulk reconstruction approximately state-independent. In contrast, non-isometric maps with a non-empty kernel always lead to state-dependent reconstruction. We also show that if a global bulk-to-boundary map is non-isometric, then there exists a region in the bulk which is causally disconnected from the boundary. Finally, we conjecture that, under certain physical assumptions for the definition of the Hilbert space of effective field theory in AdS space, the presence of a global horizon implies a non-isometric global bulk-to-boundary map.
Time-course RNA-seq analysis of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) responses to Southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) during compatible and incompatible interactions
Khanal, Sameer; Kumar, Pawan; da Silva, Mychele B.; Singh, Rippy; Suassuna, Nelson; Jones, Don C.; Davis, Richard F.; Chee, Peng W. (2025-02-24)
Background: The Southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) poses a substantial threat to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by causing significant agricultural losses. Host plant resistance is the most plausible approach for minimizing these losses. QTL mapping and early transcriptomic studies have identified candidate genes within the QTL regions on chromosome 11 (qMi-C11) and chromosome 14 (qMi-C14). Although these QTL regions have been fine-mapped and candidate genes identified, expression profiling of Meloidogyne-Gossypium interactions across different stages of infection could further refine the list of candidate genes. This study advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance conferred by qMi-C11 and qMi-C14 against Southern root-knot nematode. Results: Using time-course RNA-seq analyses across nematode developmental phases, we uncovered transcriptomic events—both genome-wide and within QTL intervals—underlying defense responses during compatible interactions (with Cocker 201, a susceptible line) and incompatible interactions (with M-120 RNR, a resistant line). Basal defense responses were observed in both compatible and incompatible interactions, with stronger expression in the incompatible interaction. Nematode-responsive genes associated with defense pathways showed distinct dynamics, characterized by repression during compatible interactions and early induction, greater diversity, and heightened upregulation during incompatible interactions. This study uncovers a broad repertoire of disease resistance and putative resistance genes, as well as pathogenesis-related genes, ligands, and receptors, that are differentially expressed in response to nematode parasitism. Mapping of these genes across the cotton genome identified promising candidates, including Gh_A11G3090 (PUB21) and Gh_A11G2836 (RPPL1) within the chromosome 11 QTL region, andGh_D02G0257 (RLP12) and Gh_D02G0259 (RLP12) within the chromosome 14 QTL region. Conclusions: The findings of this study deepen our understanding of host-nematode interactions, identify candidate genes for downstream applications, and contribute to advancements in resistance breeding and sustainable nematode management strategies.
Evaluation of ebony as a potential selectable marker for genetic sexing in Aedes aegypti
Nikolouli, Katerina; Compton, Austin; Tu, Zhijian J.; Bourtzis, Kostas (2025-02-25)
Background: Aedes aegypti is expected to invade previously unoccupied areas, mainly due to the climate change, the increase in travel and trade activities and the continuous transformation of the rural environment into urban areas. The sterile insect technique (SIT), which relies on the mass production and release of sterile males, is an environmentally friendly approach that can be applied for population control of Ae. aegypti. SIT programs can be greatly benefited by a genetic sexing strain (GSS) and a reliable sex sorting system to minimize any accidental female release. Visually detectable or conditionally lethal selectable markers can be used for the development of new GSSs. In this study, we evaluated the suitability and competence of a mutant Ae. aegypti ebony strain for the development of a new GSS. The ebony gene is known to be involved in the pigmentation pathway of several dipteran insects, including Ae. aegypti. Methods: An ebony gene knockout was developed though CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. G0 individuals with the desired phenotype were crossed, and progeny were screened in every generation. PCR and sequencing were performed using gDNA from a pulled leg to determine the mutant genotype. Quality control tests, including pupae and adult recovery rates, male sex ratio and fecundity, were applied to the ebony mutant line to determine whether the mutation confers any fitness cost. Results: An Ae. aegypti ebony knockout mutant carrying a 5-bp deletion was obtained, which presented darker head and siphon phenotypes at the larval stage. However, genetic analysis revealed that this ebony mutation results in incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. The establishment of a pure ebony mutant line was not possible because of the fitness costs conferred by the mutation. Conclusions: In this study, the adequacy and suitability of the ebony gene as a selectable marker for the development of a GSS in Ae. aegypti were assessed. Despite its clear phenotype early in larval development, the homozygous mutant line presented phenotypic inconsistency and loss of fertility. These drawbacks clearly indicate that this particular mutation is not suitable for the development of a new GSS. Nonetheless, it cannot be excluded that a different mutation will lead to a different expression and penetrance profile and a viable homozygous mutant line.
Mosquito mutations F290V and F331W expressed in acetylcholinesterase of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli): biochemical properties and inhibitor sensitivity
Temeyer, Kevin B.; Tong, Fan; Schlechte, Kristie G.; Chen, Qiao-hong; Carlier, Paul R.; Pérez de León, Adalberto Á.; Bloomquist, Jeffrey R. (2025-02-18)
Background: The Old World sand fly, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli), a vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, is usually controlled by insecticides, including anticholinesterases. Previous studies have revealed 85% amino acid sequence identity of recombinant P. papatasi acetylcholinesterase (rPpAChE1) to mosquito AChE. They identified synthetic carbamates that selectively inhibited rPpAChE1 and circumvented the G119S mutation responsible for high-level resistance to anticholinesterases. This study reports the construction, baculovirus expression, and biochemical properties of rPpAChE1 containing the F290V and F331W orthologous mutations from mosquitoes. Methods: Recombinant PpAChE1 enzymes with or without the F290V, F331W, and G119S orthologous mosquito mutations were expressed in Sf21cells utilizing the baculoviral system. Ellman assays determined changes in catalytic properties and inhibitor sensitivity resulting from wild type and mutant rPpAChE1 containing single or combinations of orthologous mosquito mutations. Results: Each of the orthologous mutations (F290V, F331W, and G119S) from mosquito AChE significantly reduced inhibition sensitivity to organophosphate or carbamate pesticides, and catalytic activity was lost when they were expressed in combination. Novel synthetic carbamates were identified that significantly inhibited the rPpAChEs expressing each of the single orthologous mosquito mutations. Conclusions: These novel carbamates could be developed as efficacious insecticides, with improved specificity and safety for use in sand fly or mosquito populations expressing the mutant AChEs.
Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology
Gould, Elliot; Fraser, Hannah S.; Parker, Timothy H.; Nakagawa, Shinichi; Griffith, Simon C.; Vesk, Peter A.; Fidler, Fiona; Hamilton, Daniel G.; Abbey-Lee, Robin N.; Abbott, Jessica K.; Aguirre, Luis A.; Alcaraz, Carles; Aloni, Irith; Altschul, Drew; Arekar, Kunal; Atkins, Jeff W.; Atkinson, Joe; Baker, Christopher M.; Barrett, Meghan; Bell, Kristian; Bello, Suleiman K.; Beltrán, Iván; Berauer, Bernd J.; Bertram, Michael G.; Billman, Peter D.; Blake, Charlie K.; Blake, Shannon; Bliard, Louis; Bonisoli-Alquati, Andrea; Bonnet, Timothée; Bordes, Camille N. M.; Bose, Aneesh P. H.; Botterill-James, Thomas; Boyd, Melissa A.; Boyle, Sarah A.; Bradfer-Lawrence, Tom; Bradham, Jennifer; Brand, Jack A.; Brengdahl, Martin I.; Bulla, Martin; Bussière, Luc; Camerlenghi, Ettore; Campbell, Sara E.; Campos, Leonardo L. F.; Caravaggi, Anthony; Cardoso, Pedro; Carroll, Charles J. W.; Catanach, Therese A.; Chen, Xuan; Chik, Heung Y. J.; Choy, Emily S.; Christie, Alec P.; Chuang, Angela; Chunco, Amanda J.; Clark, Bethany L.; Contina, Andrea; Covernton, Garth A.; Cox, Murray P.; Cressman, Kimberly A.; Crotti, Marco; Crouch, Connor D.; D’Amelio, Pietro B.; de Sousa, Alexandra A.; Döbert, Timm F.; Dobler, Ralph; Dobson, Adam J.; Doherty, Tim S.; Drobniak, Szymon M.; Duffy, Alexandra G.; Duncan, Alison B.; Dunn, Robert P.; Dunning, Jamie; Dutta, Trishna; Eberhart-Hertel, Luke; Elmore, Jared A.; Elsherif, Mahmoud M.; English, Holly M.; Ensminger, David C.; Ernst, Ulrich R.; Ferguson, Stephen M.; Fernandez-Juricic, Esteban; Ferreira-Arruda, Thalita; Fieberg, John; Finch, Elizabeth A.; Fiorenza, Evan A.; Fisher, David N.; Fontaine, Amélie; Forstmeier, Wolfgang; Fourcade, Yoan; Frank, Graham S.; Freund, Cathryn A.; Fuentes-Lillo, Eduardo; Gandy, Sara L.; Gannon, Dustin G.; García-Cervigón, Ana I.; Garretson, Alexis C.; Ge, Xuezhen; Geary, William L.; Géron, Charly; Gilles, Marc; Girndt, Antje; Gliksman, Daniel; Goldspiel, Harrison B.; Gomes, Dylan G. E.; Good, Megan K.; Goslee, Sarah C.; Gosnell, J. S.; Grames, Eliza M.; Gratton, Paolo; Grebe, Nicholas M.; Greenler, Skye M.; Griffioen, Maaike; Griffith, Daniel M.; Griffith, Frances J.; Grossman, Jake J.; Güncan, Ali; Haesen, Stef; Hagan, James G.; Hager, Heather A.; Harris, Jonathan P.; Harrison, Natasha D.; Hasnain, Sarah S.; Havird, Justin C.; Heaton, Andrew J.; Herrera-Chaustre, María L.; Howard, Tanner J.; Hsu, Bin-Yan; Iannarilli, Fabiola; Iranzo, Esperanza C.; Iverson, Erik N. K.; Jimoh, Saheed O.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Johnsson, Martin; Jorna, Jesse; Jucker, Tommaso; Jung, Martin; Kačergytė, Ineta; Kaltz, Oliver; Ke, Alison; Kelly, Clint D.; Keogan, Katharine; Keppeler, Friedrich W.; Killion, Alexander K.; Kim, Dongmin; Kochan, David P.; Korsten, Peter; Kothari, Shan; Kuppler, Jonas; Kusch, Jillian M.; Lagisz, Malgorzata; Lalla, Kristen M.; Larkin, Daniel J.; Larson, Courtney L.; Lauck, Katherine S.; Lauterbur, M. E.; Law, Alan; Léandri-Breton, Don-Jean; Lembrechts, Jonas J.; L’Herpiniere, Kiara; Lievens, Eva J. P.; de Lima, Daniela O.; Lindsay, Shane; Luquet, Martin; MacLeod, Ross; Macphie, Kirsty H.; Magellan, Kit; Mair, Magdalena M.; Malm, Lisa E.; Mammola, Stefano; Mandeville, Caitlin P.; Manhart, Michael; Manrique-Garzon, Laura M.; Mäntylä, Elina; Marchand, Philippe; Marshall, Benjamin M.; Martin, Charles A.; Martin, Dominic A.; Martin, Jake M.; Martinig, April R.; McCallum, Erin S.; McCauley, Mark; McNew, Sabrina M.; Meiners, Scott J.; Merkling, Thomas; Michelangeli, Marcus; Moiron, Maria; Moreira, Bruno; Mortensen, Jennifer; Mos, Benjamin; Muraina, Taofeek O.; Murphy, Penelope W.; Nelli, Luca; Niemelä, Petri; Nightingale, Josh; Nilsonne, Gustav; Nolazco, Sergio; Nooten, Sabine S.; Novotny, Jessie L.; Olin, Agnes B.; Organ, Chris L.; Ostevik, Kate L.; Palacio, Facundo X.; Paquet, Matthieu; Parker, Darren J.; Pascall, David J.; Pasquarella, Valerie J.; Paterson, John H.; Payo-Payo, Ana; Pedersen, Karen M.; Perez, Grégoire; Perry, Kayla I.; Pottier, Patrice; Proulx, Michael J.; Proulx, Raphaël; Pruett, Jessica L.; Ramananjato, Veronarindra; Randimbiarison, Finaritra T.; Razafindratsima, Onja H.; Rennison, Diana J.; Riva, Federico; Riyahi, Sepand; Roast, Michael J.; Rocha, Felipe P.; Roche, Dominique G.; Román-Palacios, Cristian; Rosenberg, Michael S.; Ross, Jessica; Rowland, Freya E.; Rugemalila, Deusdedith; Russell, Avery L.; Ruuskanen, Suvi; Saccone, Patrick; Sadeh, Asaf; Salazar, Stephen M.; Sales, Kris; Salmón, Pablo; Sánchez-Tójar, Alfredo; Santos, Leticia P.; Santostefano, Francesca; Schilling, Hayden T.; Schmidt, Marcus; Schmoll, Tim; Schneider, Adam C.; Schrock, Allie E.; Schroeder, Julia; Schtickzelle, Nicolas; Schultz, Nick L.; Scott, Drew A.; Scroggie, Michael P.; Shapiro, Julie T.; Sharma, Nitika; Shearer, Caroline L.; Simón, Diego; Sitvarin, Michael I.; Skupien, Fabrício L.; Slinn, Heather L.; Smith, Grania P.; Smith, Jeremy A.; Sollmann, Rahel; Whitney, Kaitlin S.; Still, Shannon M.; Stuber, Erica F.; Sutton, Guy F.; Swallow, Ben; Taff, Conor C.; Takola, Elina; Tanentzap, Andrew J.; Tarjuelo, Rocío; Telford, Richard J.; Thawley, Christopher J.; Thierry, Hugo; Thomson, Jacqueline; Tidau, Svenja; Tompkins, Emily M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Trlica, Andrew; Turnell, Biz R.; Urban, Lara; Van de Vondel, Stijn; van der Wal, Jessica E. M.; Van Eeckhoven, Jens; van Oordt, Francis; Vanderwel, K. M.; Vanderwel, Mark C.; Vanderwolf, Karen J.; Vélez, Juliana; Vergara-Florez, Diana C.; Verrelli, Brian C.; Vieira, Marcus V.; Villamil, Nora; Vitali, Valerio; Vollering, Julien; Walker, Jeffrey; Walker, Xanthe J.; Walter, Jonathan A.; Waryszak, Pawel; Weaver, Ryan J.; Wedegärtner, Ronja E. M.; Weller, Daniel L.; Whelan, Shannon; White, Rachel L.; Wolfson, David W.; Wood, Andrew; Yanco, Scott W.; Yen, Jian D. L.; Youngflesh, Casey; Zilio, Giacomo; Zimmer, Cédric; Zimmerman, Gregory M.; Zitomer, Rachel A. (2025-02-06)
Abstract Although variation in effect sizes and predicted values among studies of similar phenomena is inevitable, such variation far exceeds what might be produced by sampling error alone. One possible explanation for variation among results is differences among researchers in the decisions they make regarding statistical analyses. A growing array of studies has explored this analytical variability in different fields and has found substantial variability among results despite analysts having the same data and research question. Many of these studies have been in the social sciences, but one small “many analyst” study found similar variability in ecology. We expanded the scope of this prior work by implementing a large-scale empirical exploration of the variation in effect sizes and model predictions generated by the analytical decisions of different researchers in ecology and evolutionary biology. We used two unpublished datasets, one from evolutionary ecology (blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, to compare sibling number and nestling growth) and one from conservation ecology (Eucalyptus, to compare grass cover and tree seedling recruitment). The project leaders recruited 174 analyst teams, comprising 246 analysts, to investigate the answers to prespecified research questions. Analyses conducted by these teams yielded 141 usable effects (compatible with our meta-analyses and with all necessary information provided) for the blue tit dataset, and 85 usable effects for the Eucalyptus dataset. We found substantial heterogeneity among results for both datasets, although the patterns of variation differed between them. For the blue tit analyses, the average effect was convincingly negative, with less growth for nestlings living with more siblings, but there was near continuous variation in effect size from large negative effects to effects near zero, and even effects crossing the traditional threshold of statistical significance in the opposite direction. In contrast, the average relationship between grass cover and Eucalyptus seedling number was only slightly negative and not convincingly different from zero, and most effects ranged from weakly negative to weakly positive, with about a third of effects crossing the traditional threshold of significance in one direction or the other. However, there were also several striking outliers in the Eucalyptus dataset, with effects far from zero. For both datasets, we found substantial variation in the variable selection and random effects structures among analyses, as well as in the ratings of the analytical methods by peer reviewers, but we found no strong relationship between any of these and deviation from the meta-analytic mean. In other words, analyses with results that were far from the mean were no more or less likely to have dissimilar variable sets, use random effects in their models, or receive poor peer reviews than those analyses that found results that were close to the mean. The existence of substantial variability among analysis outcomes raises important questions about how ecologists and evolutionary biologists should interpret published results, and how they should conduct analyses in the future.
The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow
Zagarese, Vivian J.; Hernandez, Ivan; Hauenstein, Neil M. A.; Foti, Roseanne J.; Parker, Sarah H. (2025-02-05)
Background The surgical time-out is a critical safety measure used in the operating room (OR). We examined the mediating relationship of the length of the time-out between team perceived usefulness of the time-out, and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR to retrieve instruments. Methods 60 cardiac surgical teams were observed performing their work. The length of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR was obtained by observation of the surgical team. We administered a survey with a 7-point Likert scale to assess the surgical staff’s perceived usefulness of the time-out at the end of the surgery. An analysis was conducted to test if length of the time-out mediated the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out and rate at which the nurse leaves the OR to retrieve an instrument useful for the surgery. Results The relationship of the length of the time-out with the rate at which the nurse leaves the OR was non-significant (β = 0.089, p = .496). However, the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out with the length of the time-out was significant (β = 0.346, p < .05) and the effect between perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the nurse left the OR was statistically significant (β= − 0.424, p = < 0.001). Conclusion In this study we explore how surgical teams’ attitudes towards the usefulness of the time-out affect its utilization, and how attitudes about time-outs are related to the important process measure of rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR. The full mediation model was not supported by the data; however, there appears to be a relationship between the perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR.
Comparison of anesthetic effects of xylazine combined with alfaxalone or ketamine and maintained with isoflurane in captive Formosan Reeve’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi micrurus)
Chang, Li-Jen; Wang, Zixuan; Lien, Chen-Yeh; Wen, Amanda H. (2025-02-08)
Formosan Reeve’s muntjac is a Cervidae species endemic to Southeast China and Taiwan. However, research on different anesthetic protocols, their effects, and their safety in Formosan Reeve’s muntjac is limited. This study evaluated the effects of ketamine-xylazine (KX) and alfaxalone-xylazine (AX) administered via blow darts to nine muntjacs. Induction and recovery times as well as the quality were assessed by a blinded observer. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature were recorded for at least 30 min. Tolazoline (4 mg/kg) was used post-procedure to reverse xylazine’s effects. The mean doses were 4.68 ± 2.18 mg/kg for ketamine and 3.22 ± 1.33 mg/kg for xylazine in the KX group. In the AX group, the mean doses were 4.38 ± 0.31 mg/kg for alfaxalone and 1.19 ± 0.26 mg/kg for xylazine. The median induction times were 339.5 s (range 180.0-375.0) for KX and 125.0 s (range 71.0–334.0) for AX, with both groups scoring 3.0 for induction quality. The recovery times were 507.5 s (range 266.0–1081.0) for KX and 243.0 s (range 92.0–480.0) for AX, with recovery scores of 2.3 and 3.0, respectively, showing no significant difference. Hypoxemia (SpO2 < 90%) was more severe in the KX group when compared to the AX group (SpO2 > 92%), and rectal temperatures were higher in the former during the first 15 min. Heart and respiratory rates showed no significant differences between groups. Our findings demonstrate that both anesthetic combinations achieve reliable induction and satisfactory recovery in Formosan Reeve’s muntjac, with the ketamine-xylazine combination causing a more profound hypoxemia post-induction compared to the alfaxalone-xylazine combination.
Adaptive modification of antiviral defense systems in microbial community under Cr-induced stress
Huang, Dan; Liao, Jingqiu; Balcazar, Jose L.; Ye, Mao; Wu, Ruonan; Wang, Dongsheng; Alvarez, Pedro J. J.; Yu, Pingfeng (BioMed Central, 2025-01-31)
Background: The prokaryotic antiviral defense systems are crucial for mediating prokaryote-virus interactions that influence microbiome functioning and evolutionary dynamics. Despite the prevalence and significance of prokaryotic antiviral defense systems, their responses to abiotic stress and ecological consequences remain poorly understood in soil ecosystems. We established microcosm systems with varying concentrations of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) to investigate the adaptive modifications of prokaryotic antiviral defense systems under abiotic stress. Results: Utilizing hybrid metagenomic assembly with long-read and short-read sequencing, we discovered that antiviral defense systems were more diverse and prevalent in heavily polluted soils, which was corroborated by meta-analyses of public datasets from various heavy metal-contaminated sites. As the Cr(VI) concentration increased, prokaryotes with defense systems favoring prokaryote-virus mutualism gradually supplanted those with defense systems incurring high adaptive costs. Additionally, as Cr(VI) concentrations increased, enriched antiviral defense systems exhibited synchronization with microbial heavy metal resistance genes. Furthermore, the proportion of antiviral defense systems carried by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including plasmids and viruses, increased by approximately 43% and 39%, respectively, with rising Cr concentrations. This trend is conducive to strengthening the dissemination and sharing of defense resources within microbial communities. Conclusions: Overall, our study reveals the adaptive modification of prokaryotic antiviral defense systems in soil ecosystems under abiotic stress, as well as their positive contributions to establishing prokaryote-virus mutualism and the evolution of microbial heavy metal resistance. These findings advance our understanding of microbial adaptation in stressful environments and may inspire novel approaches for microbiome manipulation and bioremediation.
Stabilizing milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs) through lyophilization: a novel trehalose and tryptophan formulation for maintaining structure and Bioactivity during long-term storage
Dogan, Alan B.; Marsh, Spencer R.; Tschetter, Rachel J.; Beard, Claire E.; Amin, Md R.; Jourdan, L. Jane; Gourdie, Robert G. (2025-01-13)
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are widely investigated for their implications in cell-cell signaling, immune modulation, disease pathogenesis, cancer, regenerative medicine, and as a potential drug delivery vector. However, maintaining integrity and bioactivity of EVs between Good Manufacturing Practice separation/filtration and end-user application remains a consistent bottleneck towards commercialization. Milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs), separated from bovine milk, could provide a relatively low-cost, scalable platform for large-scale mEV production; however, the reliance on cold supply chain for storage remains a logistical and financial burden for biologics that are unstable at room temperature. Herein, we aim to characterize and engineer a freeze-dried, mEV formulation that can be stored at room temperature without sacrificing structure/bioactivity and can be reconstituted before delivery. In addition to undertaking established mEV assays of structure and function on our preparations, we introduce a novel, efficient, high throughput assay of mEV bioactivity based on Electric Cell Substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) in Human dermal fibroblast monolayers. By adding appropriate excipients, such as trehalose and tryptophan, we describe a protective formulation that preserves mEV bioactivity during long-term, room temperature storage. Our identification of the efficacy of tryptophan as a novel additive to mEV lyophilization solutions could represent a significant advancement in stabilizing small extracellular vesicles outside of cold storage conditions.

Browse

Recent Submissions