Textures in Molybdenum-Rhenium alloys are inevitable during thermal fabrication. [110] and [100] are common orientations in Molybdenum-Rhenium alloys and effect mechanical responses. However, orientation dependence of mechanical responses in Molybdenum-Rhenium alloys is not quite clear yet. To clarity this problem, micro-pillar compression tests are conducted in grains with orientation [100] and [110] separately. Orientation-dependent compressive properties are found in Mo-14Re and Mo-42Re, but are not found in Mo and Mo-5Re, which may be attributed to activated muiti-slip planes as increased Re. Solid solution effect of Re not only rely on orientations, but also on Re content. Softening effect occurs in both [100] and [110] Mo-5Re. while, strong strengthening effect happens in [110] Mo-14Re and Mo-42Re. Our research clarifies that Mo-Re alloys with [110] orientation / texture could be preferred to obtain good strengthening effect.

Infective endocarditis caused by K. oxytoca: A Case Report

Resilience assessment is a widely-used tool to evaluate the ability of an object (e.g., an individual structure, or a system consisting of multiple interacting structures) to withstand, recover from, and adapt to disruptive events. This paper proposes a novel concept of “nonresilience curve”, which measures the nonresilience (complement of resilience) of an object of interest conditional on a specific hazard intensity. It is by nature an extension of the well-established fragility curves, integrating the multiple damage states of a post-hazard object. The applicability of the proposed nonresilience curve to individual structures and systems (including series systems, parallel systems, and more general & complicated systems) has been demonstrated in this paper. It is also preliminarily shown that the shape of the cumulative distribution function of a lognormal distribution is suitable to approximate the nonresilience curve, if only limited data points associated with the target nonresilience curve are available. Since the nonresilience curve is a function of the hazard intensity measure, one can estimate the nonresilience of an object in a fully probabilistic manner by additionally taking into account the uncertainty associated with the intensity measure. The proposed nonresilience curve can be further extended to formulate nonresilience surface, which is a joint function of both the intensity measure and the available resource that supports the post-hazard recovery process. The nonresilience curve is promising to be adopted in engineering practice for resilience assessment and resilience-based design of civil structures and infrastructures.

Monolobated Megakaryocytes in Diamond Blackfan Anemia withRPL5 Mutation at Disease Presentation Mimicking Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Polyploidy occurs across the tree of life and is especially common in plants. Because newly formed cytotypes are often incompatible with their progenitors, polyploidy is also said to trigger “instantaneous” speciation. If a polyploid can self-fertilize or reproduce asexually, it is even possible for one individual to produce an entirely new lineage. How often this extreme scenario occurs is unclear, with most studies of wild polyploids reporting multiple origins. Here, we explore the evolutionary history of the wild allotetraploid Mimulus sookensis, which was formed through hybridization between self-compatible, diploid species in the Mimulus guttatus complex. We generate a chromosome-scale reference assembly for M. sookensis and define its distinct subgenomes. Despite previous reports suggesting multiple origins of this highly selfing polyploid, we discover patterns of population genomic variation that provide unambiguous support for a single origin, which we estimate occurred ~71,000 years ago. One M. sookensis subgenome is clearly derived from the selfer M. nasutus, which, based on organellar variation, also appears to be the maternal progenitor. The ancestor of the other subgenome is less certain, but it shares variation with both M. decorus and M. guttatus, two outcrossing diploids that overlap broadly with M. sookensis. Whatever its precise ancestry, this study establishes M. sookensis as an example of instantaneous speciation, likely facilitated by the polyploid’s predisposition to self-fertilize. With a reference genome for M. sookensis now available and its origin clarified, this wild tetraploid is poised to become a model for understanding the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms of polyploid persistence.

The identification of blister, bite, and ghost cells on a blood smear as valuable clues for diagnosing G6PD deficiency in a 3-year-old child Author List: Zulin Xie1, Wei Li1, Xueyan Chen21. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Liuzhou People’s Hospital, Liuzhou, Guangxi2. Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Laboratory, People’s Hospital of Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China, 518109.Corresponding author: Xueyan Chen Clinical Laboratory, Department of ClinicalLaboratory, The People’s Hospital of Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. 518109,China. Fax: +86 755 27741585. E-mail address:13632546963 @163.comTo the Editor:Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G-6PD) deficiency is the most prevailing enzyme defect in humans, affecting over 400 million individuals worldwide [1]. The most prevalent life-threatening symptoms associated with G-6PD deficiency are acute hemolytic crises upon exposure to triggering factors like medications, infections, or consumption of fava beans. Managing acute hemolytic crises in patients without medical history of G-6PD deficiency often presents a significant challenge for hematologists and emergency department (ED) physicians. The identification of morphological abnormalities remains crucial for the differential diagnosis of hemolytic anemia [2]. In certain cases, such abnormalities can only be determined through the examination of a blood smear.A 3-year-old boy was brought to the emergency department with generalized jaundice and hematuria after taking oral antipyretic ibuprofen one day ago. The physical examination revealed pale lips, indicating a glaring presence of severe anemia. Blood tests demonstrated severe microcytic anemia (icteric plasma, hemoglobin 43g/L, hematocrit 14.4%, mean corpuscular volume 75fl). The urine appeared to be a deep shade of red, showing the presence of occult blood (3+), and bilirubin (2+). Peripheral blood smear revealed the presence of considerable anisopoikilocytosis, blister cells (“hemi-ghost” cells) characterized by irregularly contracted hemoglobin from one side and half-empty cytoplasm), and occasional bite cells (Figure 1 ). Furthermore, ghost cells were observed, which are erythrocyte membranes devoid of hemoglobin (Figure 1 ). Further studies confirmed hemolysis with a high reticulocyte count (0.268×1012/L), increased unconjugated bilirubin (79μmol/L), increased lactate dehydrogenase (1475U/L), decreased haptoglobin (< 0.1 g/L). We strongly advised the emergency physician to consider the possibility that the patient was experiencing an acute hemolytic crisis stemming from G6PD deficiency. The patient was promptly admitted to the pediatric ward for a thorough examination. The direct and indirect antiglobulin tests yielded negative results, effectively ruling out the presence of immune-mediated acute hemolysis. However, the G6PD enzyme activity assay yielded normal results. A follow-up G6PD assay conducted six weeks after the patient’s discharge revealed a significantly reduced enzyme activity (148 u/L, reference range >1300 u/L), solidifying the clinical suspicion of G6PD deficiency in the patient. Meanwhile, a missense variant in exon 12: c.1466G>T (p. Arg 489Leu) (hemizygous) was detected in the G6PD gene as a pathogenic mutation reported in the literature [HGMD cm910163] (Figure 2 ).In our study, we noted a significant drop in hemoglobin levels within the initial 24 hours following the initiation of ibuprofen therapy in a child suffering from fever, accompanied by the emergence of hemoglobinuria and irregular red blood cell (RBC) morphology in the blood smear. Blood smears play a critical role in diagnosing this disorder due to two significant reasons. Firstly, it is considerably faster when compared to the results determined solely by the measured activity of G6PD. When taken into account alongside the patient’s ethnic origin and medical history, a preliminary diagnosis can be established. Secondly, in the case of a hemolytic crisis, it is important to note that even if the G6PD assay yields normal results, a diagnosis of G6PD deficiency can still be suggested through blood smears, as exemplified in the current case. The reason why C6PD deficiency exhibits normal assay results after an acute hemolytic crisis is that the abnormal cells tend to undergo lysis more readily, leading to a predominance of cells with the normal allele in the bloodstream [2]. Hence, the identification of typical RBC morphological features in the blood smear suggests the need for multiple measurements of G6PD activity following the resolution of the acute hemolytic episode. Hemoglobinuria serves as a significant indicator of intravascular hemolysis and is a characteristic of drug-induced acute hemolysis in individuals with G6PD deficiency [3]. In contrast, drug-induced acute hemolysis typically manifests as extravascular hemolysis without hemoglobinuria in patients with normal red blood cells.In conclusion, the diagnostic process was significantly aided by blood smear analysis, highlighting its crucial role in this particular scenario.

Adaptive radiation as a result of ecological opportunity can have profound effects on the evolutionary outcome of species. On coral reefs, parrotfishes have been considered as one of the most dramatic examples of adaptive radiation unique in their extreme dietary specialisation. Using abrasion-resistant biomineralized teeth, parrotfishes are able to mechanically extract protein-rich micro-photoautotrophs growing in and amongst reef carbonate material. This unique ability to exploit a previously untapped trophic resource is thought to have led to the early diversification of the parrotfishes. In order to better understand the key evolutionary innovations leading to the success of these dietary specialists, we sequenced and analysed the genome of the spotted parrotfish (Cetoscarus ocellatus). Our findings reveal significant expansion, selection, and duplication within several gene families responsible for detoxification, including the cytochrome p450 gene family and non-cyp450 carboxylesterases. We find preliminary evidence that the structural mechanism responsible for the extreme hardness and biomineralization of parrotfish teeth may be a result of poly-glutamine expansion in the enamel protein ameloblastin. We also detect expansion and selection for several genes related to pigmentation and sequential hermaphroditism. Together, these results highlight a potentially complex interplay of adaptive radiation and sexual selection operating on coral reef ecosystems.

Species interactions and abiotic factors are important determinants of abundance and distribution, but accounting for biotic interactions is complicated by the fact that interactions occur at the individual-level at unknown spatial scales. Ignoring individual-level interactions can yield incorrect conclusions about biotic interactions when analyzing aggregated count data or presence-absence data. We present a hierarchical species distribution model that includes a Markov point process in which an individual’s location is dependent upon both abiotic variables and the locations of individuals of another species. The model can be regarded as a thinned point process in which encounter probability is a function of the distance between individual activity centers and survey locations. We applied the model to spatial capture-recapture data on two ecologically similar songbird species – hooded warbler (Setophaga citrina) and black-throated blue warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) – that segregate over a climate gradient in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. In spite of coarse spatial segregation and many ecological similarities between the two species, we found minimal evidence of spatial competition. There were strong, and opposing effects of climate on spatial variation in population densities, but spatial competition did not influence their distributions. A small simulation study indicated that the model can identify the distinct effects of environmental variation and biotic interactions on co-occurring species distributions. Unlike previous statistical models that attempt to infer competition from species-level co-occurrence data, the framework proposed here can be used to investigate how population-level patterns emerge from individual-level processes, while also allowing for inference on the spatial scale of biotic interactions. Our finding of minimal spatial competition between black-throated blue warbler and hooded warbler adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that, contrary to early theory from biogeography, abiotic factors may be more important than competition at low-latitude range margins.

Plastering is dominated manually, exhibiting low levels of automation and inconsistent finished quality. A comprehensive review of literature indicates that extant plastering robots demonstrate a subpar performance when tasked with rectifying defects in transition area. The limitations encompass a lack of capacity to independently evaluate the quality of work or perform remedial plastering procedures. To address this issue, this research describes the system design of the Puttybot and a paradigm of plastering to solve the stated problems. The Puttybot consists of a mobile chassis, lift platform, and a macro/micro manipulator. The force-controlled scraper parameters have been calibrated to dynamically modify their rigidity in response to the applied putty. This strategy utilizes Convolutional Neural Networks to identify plastering defects and executes the plastering operation with force feedback. This paradigm’s effectiveness was validated during an autonomous plastering trial wherein a large-scale wall was processed without human involvement.

Background and Purpose: Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for establishing causality in drug efficacy, However, they have limitations due to strict inclusion criteria and complexity. When RCTs are not feasible, researchers turn to observational studies. Explainable AI (XAI) models provide an alternative approach to understanding cause-and-effect relationships. Experimental Approach: : In this study, we utilized an XAI model with a historical COVID-19 dataset to establish the hypothesis of drug efficacy. The datasets consisted of 3,307 COVID-19 patients from a hospital in Delhi, India. Eight XAI models were employed to assess factors influencing COVID-19 mortality. LIME and SHAP interpretability techniques were applied to the best-performing ML model to determine feature importance in outcome. Key Results: The XGBoost ML classifier outperformed (weighted F1 score, MCC, accuracy, ROC-AUC, sensitivity and specificity score of 91.7%, 58.8%, 91.3%, 92.2% 93.8%, and 70.2%, respectively) other models and the SHAP summary plot enabled the identification of significant features that contributes to COVID-19 mortality. These features encompassed comorbidities like renal and cardiac diseases and tuberculosis. Additionally, the XAI models revealed that medications such as enoxaparin, remdesivir, and ivermectin did not exhibit preventive effects on mortality Conclusion and Implications: While XAI models offer valuable insights, they should not replace RCTs as a priority for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and treatments. However, XAI models can serve as valuable tools for suggesting future research directions and aiding clinical decision-making, particularly when the efficacy of a drug in a controlled trial is uncertain.

Background and Purpose: Abnormal activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages is closely associated with Ulcerative colitis (UC), and targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome has been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach, but the underlying mechanism by which it regulates intestinal inflammation remains unclear. Anemoside B4 (AB4) has anti-inflammatory activity, but whether it alleviates UC by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome remains unclear. More importantly, the molecular targets of AB4 remain unknown. Experimental Approach: We explored the role of AB4 in the development of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in wild-type (WT) mice and its effect on NLRP3 inflammasome. We isolated intestinal macrophages and epithelial cells, and validated them in DSS-induced NLRP3-deficient (NLRP3-/-) mice. The target and molecular mechanism of AB4 were identified in LPS-induced macrophages in vitro and DSS-induced macrophage-specific CD1d depletion (CD1d-/-) mice in vivo. Key Results: This study showed that AB4 had a strong anti-inflammatory effect DSS-induced colitis in WT mice, whereas the protective effects were lost in NLRP3-/- mice. AB4 inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in colonic macrophages without affecting intestinal epithelial cells. Mechanistically, AB4 might target CD1d thus reducing the AKT-STAT1-PRDX1-NF-κB signaling pathway, eventually inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Macrophage-specific CD1d depletion had been shown to reverse the protective effect of AB4. Conclusions and Implications: Our data showed that AB4 attenuated DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting CD1d-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. Therefore, as a natural product with high safety index, AB4 might be considered a promising candidate drug for the treatment of colitis.

Exercise induced eosinophil responses: normal cell counts with a marked decrease in responsivenessTo the Editor,Type II inflammation is characterized by elevated blood eosinophils which makes these cells an important diagnostic and treatment target in, for instance, severe asthma. Therefore, blood eosinophil numbers are a main inclusion criterion for many clinical studies that investigated the treatment of eosinophilic asthma with anti-IL5(Rα). However, there is no consensus on cut-off values for blood eosinophils during inclusion, as evidenced by a high variability between studies, ranging from 150 to 400 cells/µL. Moreover, the range of blood eosinophils in a healthy population, without confounding factors for increased blood eosinophils, is 30 – 330 cells/µL in males and 30 – 310 cells/µL in females. This implies that the cut-off values used for clinical studies greatly overlap with blood eosinophil counts that are found in the healthy population. This inherently poses a problem as eosinophil blood counts seem to be inadequate to use for diagnosing eosinophilic disease.This overlap in eosinophil counts between patients and the healthy population limits the application of eosinophil numbers for discriminating between health and several inflammatory diseases. A more promising approach in diagnosing eosinophilic disease is to combine eosinophil numbers with their activation status. Unfortunately, there is surprisingly little evidence that blood eosinophil counts correlate with their activation status and/or responsiveness in vivo in disease. This lack of correlation can be caused by ex vivo activation and/or their homing to the lung leaving behind non-activated cells in the blood.To circumvent ex vivo activation, we analyzed blood eosinophils activation status directly after venipuncture with a fast, automated, point-of-care, mobile flow cytometer (AQUIOS CL, Beckman Coulter). As exercise can be used as a model to modulate eosinophil numbers in a healthy setting, we studied whether eosinophil blood counts correlate with their activation status and their responsiveness to formyl peptides in a cohort of long-distance runners participating in a mass-participation trail run (22, 29 or 43 km). The study was approved by medical research ethics committee Oost-Nederland (NL79864.091.22). After written informed was obtained, venous blood samples were collected from 35 athletes before, directly after and 24 hours after exercise. The eosinophil activation status was assessed by combining automated flow cytometry with a 5-dimensional algorithm-based gating.An acute leukocytosis with eosinopenia was present directly post-exercise, which is in agreement with previous research. These numbers normalized 24 hours after exercise (figure 1A, 1C ). Compared to before exercise, eosinophils showed a more activated phenotype (increased CD11b and decreased CD62L) directly after exercise which also normalized within 24 hours. In marked contrast to acute inflammation, such as caused by SARS-CoV2 infection, this eosinopenia directly after exercise did not lead to refractoriness to fNLF-stimulation. However, after the normalization of eosinophil counts 24 hours after exercise, the eosinophils were refractory for activation by fNLF (figure 1B, 1C ). This clearly showed a complete dissociation between blood eosinophil numbers and their relative activation status.Our results illustrate that the eosinophil blood compartment is not adequately characterized by solely counting cell numbers (‘quantity’) as normalized numbers do not necessarily reflect normalization of their activation status (‘quality’). This finding is not limited to measuring the state of type II immunity in eosinophilic disease, but probably also applies to other infectious/inflammatory conditions and to non-pathological settings. Our data call for a re-evaluation of using blood eosinophil counts as an adequate representation of the eosinophil compartment’s state. Until recently, determining the activation status of the eosinophil compartment was complicated by ex vivo artifacts already starting at the moment of venipuncture. Now with the availability of fast, automated, point-of-care flow cytometry, it is feasible to measure both the quantity and quality of eosinophils in a wide scope of health and disease settings.

Identifying candidate genes associated with resistance to northern leaf blight (NLB) will greatly enhance maize breeding programs aiming at reducing maize grain yield losses caused by NLB. In this study, a multi-parental population (MPP) was constructed consisting of four recombined inbred line (RIL) subpopulations, all sharing a common parent Ye107, for GWAS and linkage analysis. The results revealed the detection of a significant SNP, 5-49193921, from a tropical maize inbred line YML226. This SNP was found to be associated with the gene Zm00001d014471, which encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR-like) superfamily protein. Furthermore, gene expression analysis showed a positive correlation between the expression of Zm00001d014471 and NLB resistance. Notably, the F 1 generation of YML226 × Ye107 contained the largest number of specific SNPs within the genic region, suggesting that its abundant genetic variation might contribute to its high NLB resistance. Furthermore, there was a specific nonsynonymous SNP (C to T) causing a nucleotide change at position 235, leading to an alteration of an amino acid, which resulted in the modification of a motif in the PPR protein. Our results revealed that tropical maize germplasm YML226 could serve an important genetic resource for NLB resistance. Additionally, previous studies have shown that YML226 is an exceptional elite line derived from CATETO germplasm, exhibiting a higher positive general combining ability for grain yield. Therefore, YML226 holds great promise for the breeding of NLB-resistant maize cultivars in the future.

INTRODUCTION:Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the most prevalent infections, especially in the developing world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there are 8 million new cases annually [1,2]. Cough, sputum with or without haemoptysis, fever, and constitutional symptoms are the hallmark manifestations of an active tuberculosis infection. In patients with pulmonary TB, an increase in haemoglobin levels is regarded as an indicator of a positive response to treatment. Furthermore, Omar et al. found that a fall in platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were strong indications of clinical response [3]. Despite the possibility of an increase in white blood cells (WBC), which results in lymphocyte predominance, in clinical practice, eosinophilia is a usual finding that is self-limiting in moderate cases, but it is exceedingly infrequent in TB [4,5].Many allergic, viral, and neoplastic conditions may produce peripheral blood eosinophilia, necessitating a variety of examinations and subsequent therapy. Common causes of eosinophilia in children include infections with helminthic parasites, allergic diseases, malignancies, and adverse drug reactions [1,6]. One of the primary goals of the early evaluation is to identify an underlying cause that needs specific therapy. Even though difficulties linked with eosinophilia are more prevalent in individuals with higher eosinophil counts (>1500 eosinophils/uL), the peripheral blood eosinophil count does not accurately assess the risk of organ damage in each patient. A patient with modest peripheral blood eosinophilia may also have significant eosinophil organ involvement. Normal eosinophil counts in the human blood range between 0-350/mm3. This quantity accounts for between 1 and 3% of the differential leukocyte count [7]. Most reports of eosinophilia in tuberculosis describe local eosinophilia as opposed to peripheral eosinophilia [8]. To the best of our knowledge, reported cases are very rare. As a consequence, we describe one case of TB with considerable peripheral eosinophilia and the treatment outcome.

The capacitance mismatch problem limits the accuracy improvement of high-precision SAR ADCs (Successive Approximation Register Analog-to-Digital Converters). To address the capacitance array mismatch in SAR ADCs, this paper proposes a novel capacitor calibration scheme based on the Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC). This scheme achieves calibration accuracy as high as 0.01\% and can be flexibly designed to meet the accuracy requirements of SAR ADCs. Simulation results indicate that the capacitance mismatch issue of a redundant capacitor 13-bit SAR ADC can be completely eliminated, and the effective number of bits (ENOB) can approach the ideal value of 13.18 bits. Additionally, the analog component of this scheme utilizes four inverter chains, two D flip-flops, and four counters, without requiring a large area for auxiliary calibration capacitors.

Transformer inrush current occurs due to the saturation of magnetic core. The magnetic characteristic of the core directly affects the inrush current waveform. Second harmonic and higher-order harmonics are present in the inrush harmonic spectrum. A harmonic-based method analyzing the amplitude and phase of different harmonics is presented in this paper. Based on the proposed method, the differences between the harmonic spectrum of new low-loss and previous generation materials are investigated. Then, using the patterns of 1st to 10th harmonic phases, a novel method for inrush current detection is proposed. In the proposed method, possible patterns for the harmonic phases related to the inrush current are specified. The harmonic phases are compared with those specified patterns. In the case of matching, the inrush current condition is detected. To evaluate the theoretical principles, simulations are performed, also, the proposed method is applied to the field data to assess the practical performance, and results are presented.

Urbanization reflects a major form of environmental change impacting wild birds globally. Whereas urban habitats may provide increased availability of water, some food items, and reduced predation levels compared to rural, they can also present novel stressors including increased light at night, ambient noise, and reduced nutrient availability. Urbanization can also alter levels of brood parasitism, with some host species experiencing elevated levels of brood parasitism in urban areas compared to rural areas. Though the demographic and behavioral consequences of urbanization and brood parasitism have received considerable attention, their consequences for cellular-level processes are less understood. Telomeres provide an opportunity to understand the cellular consequences of different environments as they are a well-established metric of biological state that can be associated with residual lifespan, disease risk, and behaviour, and are known to be sensitive to environmental conditions. Here we examine the relationships between urbanization, brood parasitism, and blood telomere lengths in adult and nestling song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Song sparrows are a North American songbird found in both urban and rural habitats that experience high rates of brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in the urban, but not the rural, sites in our study system. Among adults and nestlings from non-parasitized nests, we found no differences in relative telomere lengths between urban and rural habitats. However, among urban nestlings, the presence of a brood parasite in the nest was associated with significantly shorter relative telomere lengths compared to when a brood parasite was absent. Our results suggest a novel, indirect, impact of urbanization on nestling songbirds through the physiological impacts of brood parasitism.

This paper sheds light on the changes suffered in cryptocurrencies due to the COVID-19 shock through a non-linear cross-correlations and similarity perspective. We have collected daily price and volume data for the seven largest cryptocurrencies considering trade volume and market capitalization. For both attributes (price and volume), we calculate their volatility and compute the Multifractal Detrended Cross-Correlations (MF-DCCA) to estimate the complexity parameters that describe the degree of multifractality of the underlying process. We detect (before and during COVID-19) a standard multifractal behaviour for these volatility time series pairs and an overall persistent long-term correlation. However, multifractality for price volatility time series pairs displays more persistent behaviour than the volume volatility time series pairs. From a financial perspective, it reveals that the volatility time series pairs for the price are marked by an increase in the non-linear cross-correlations excluding the pair Bitcoin vs Dogecoin (í µí»¼ í µí±¥í µí±¦ (0) = −1.14%). At the same time, all volatility time series pairs considering the volume attribute are marked by a decrease in the non-linear cross-correlations. The K-means technique indicates that these volatility time series for the price attribute were resilient to the shock of COVID-19. While for these volatility time series for the volume attribute, we find that the COVID-19 shock drove changes in cryptocurrency groups.

RATIONALE: Helium (He) is used in cutting-edge research in industry and science as a carrier and/or ionization gas. The global He shortages have dramatically increased its prices and reduced its availability, to what comes together the current energy crisis. A strategy is proposed to save He and energy in elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS). METHODS: A method for analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotope composition (δ13C and δ15N values) is proposed using two or three sequential combustion reactions in a single EA/IRMS acquisition. The methods (hereafter called 2×EA/IRMS and 3×EA/IRMS) use the time needed for the peak center and reference gas (CO2 or N2) pulses to measure δ13C or δ15N in two or three capsules with samples or standards. The combustion cycles can be replicate analyses of the same or different material. RESULTS: The methods were validated with replicate analysis of C and N in RMs and laboratory standards of a broad range of biological and geological matrices, δ13C and δ15N values, and C/N molar ratios. The accuracy and precision of the 2×EA/IRMS and 3×EA/IRMS values were15 essentially the same, with good agreement between the mean ± 1 SD values from RMs and standard analyses and the recommended or accepted values and their uncertainties. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed methods save He, save energy, save reference gases (CO2, N2), and O2, while reducing the analysis and instrumental times by ca. 50 %.

Rabies in Nigeria has remained an endemic disease ever since its first case in 1912. Though several prevention and control programs have been done to see to its elimination, rabies continues to thrive in Nigeria with about 1640 human rabies cases recorded annually. As Nigeria continues to struggle with rabies elimination, certain countries like Jamaica, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Hawaii, and Belgium have completely eradicated rabies and are considered rabies-free. Hence, to successfully eliminate rabies, Nigeria needs to take lessons from these rabies-free countries and put into action all that they did to achieve this feat. Achieving herd immunity through the vaccination of 70% of the dog population is a potent way to ensure the elimination of rabies. To scale up dog vaccination in Nigeria, Nigerian lawmakers need to come up with a law similar to Japan’s Rabies Prevention Act, that binds all dog owners to the compulsory registration and vaccination of their dogs in a veterinary hospital such that disobeying comes with a punishment. Also, philanthropic organizations in Nigeria need to invest in the production of these PEPs by pharmaceutical companies. In ensuring a perfectly functional quarantine station, the government needs to employ more qualified and licensed veterinarians in accordance with Article 3.2.5 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code which states that “there should not be an over-reliance on veterinary paraprofessionals but qualified experienced field veterinarians should be employed to conduct disease monitoring”.

Reilly T. Jackson1*, Tamika J. Lunn1, Isabella K. DeAnglis1, Joseph G. Ogola2, Paul W. Webala3, Kristian M. Forbes1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USADepartment of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, KenyaDepartment of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya*Correspondence author: rtj006@uark.eduABSTRACTSimultaneous use of domestic spaces by humans and wildlife is little understood, despite global ubiquity, and can create an interface for human exposure to wildlife pathogens. Bats are associated with several pathogens that can spillover and cause disease in humans and, due to loss of natural habitat and urbanization, are increasingly using anthropogenic structures for roosting. The purpose of this study was to characterize human interactions with bats in shared buildings to assess potential for exposure risk to bat pathogens.We surveyed 102 people living and working in buildings used as bat roots in rural Kenya between 2021 and 2023. Based on responses, we characterized and quantified the timing, intensity, and frequency of human-bat interactions occurring in this common domestic setting.Survey respondents reported living with bats in buildings year-round, with cohabitation occurring for at least 10 years in 38% of cases. Human contact with bats occurred through direct and indirect routes, including exposure to excrement (90% of respondents), and direct touching of bats (39% of respondents). Indirect contacts most often occurred daily and direct contacts most often occurred yearly. Domestic animal consumption of bats was also reported (16% respondents).Synthesis and applications : We demonstrate that shared building use by bats and humans in rural Kenya leads to prolonged, frequent, and sometimes intense interactions between bats and humans, consistent with exposure interfaces that can facilitate pathogen spillover. Identifying and understanding the settings and practices that may lead to zoonotic pathogen spillover is of great global importance for developing countermeasures, and this study establishes bat roosts in anthropogenic structures as such a setting.KEYWORDSAfrica, Chiroptera, emerging infectious disease, human-wildlife interaction, spillover, wildlife conflict, zoonosisINTRODUCTIONEmerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a significant threat to global health and security, as demonstrated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic and Mpox disease outbreak (Morens and Fauci 2013, Wang et al. 2022, Zumla et al. 2022). Most EIDs have zoonotic origins and emerge in humans via spillover of pathogens from animals, often wildlife (Jones et al. 2008). These risks are exacerbated by growing human populations and conversion of natural lands to anthropogenic regions, which increase human contacts with wildlife and exposure to their pathogens (Woolhouse and Gowtage-Sequeria 2005, Jones et al. 2008, Gottdenker et al. 2014).Settings and practices that lead to pathogen spillover are little understood but of great importance for informing outbreak mitigation strategies. In lieu of direct knowledge on pathogen exposure, which is extremely difficult to identify from wild animals, characterization of human-wildlife contact can be used to infer exposure risk. Identifying exposure settings has primarily focused on direct contact between humans and wildlife, largely in the form of wildlife hunting and markets for the sale of live animals (Karesh et al. 2005, Mossoun et al. 2015, Keatts et al. 2021, Nawtaisong et al. 2022). For example, wildlife consumption and associated handling and butchering creates human contact with wildlife viscera and bodily fluids, which can facilitate spillover of their pathogens (Wolfe et al. 2005). However, contacts between humans and wildlife occur across numerous settings outside of wildlife trade and consumption and can result in human exposure to wildlife pathogens (Plowright et al. 2017). Other settings and practices that promote contact between wildlife and humans have received far less focus despite the importance of their characterization to mitigating zoonotic pathogen spillover.Wildlife often share spaces with humans and domestic animals, especially in the Global South, where humans and wildlife coexist closely in developing landscapes and EID risk is high (Seoraj-Pillai and Pillai 2016, Allen et al. 2017). Studies have reported many communities struggling to manage small mammal incursion into buildings (Salmon-Mulanovich et al. 2016, Doty et al. 2017, Balčiauskas and Balčiauskiene 2020). The presence of mammals in these spaces can create opportunities for human and domestic animal contact with wildlife and their excreta, potentially exposing them to wildlife-borne pathogens (Ogola et al. 2021). Despite the risk, characterization and quantification of contacts within buildings, where people may spend significant portions of their lives, is lacking.Bats can harbor zoonotic pathogens that may be shed in excreta and bodily fluids (eg., feces, urine, saliva, blood, etc.; Mildenstein et al. 2016, Waruhiu et al. 2017). Several bat-borne viruses have emerged in humans after transmission from bats via indirect contact with bat excreta or direct contact with bat bodily fluids (Belotto et al. 2005, Epstein et al. 2006, Towner et al. 2009, Eby et al. 2023). Domestic animals can also be exposed to these pathogens after contact with bats excreta and fluids (Marsh and Wang 2004). In developing settings, anthropogenic structures, like family homes, places of worship, and schools, can be highly permeable to bats, and with ongoing habitat loss bats are increasingly using these buildings as roosts (Russo and Ancillotto 2015, Voigt et al. 2016). Few options exist for people to safely manage bat use of their buildings, and this provides numerous opportunities for human-bat contact and conflict. However, detailed characterization of how humans contact bats and their excreta in relation to pathogen exposure risk in shared spaces is lacking and requires attention.We investigated human-bat interactions in anthropogenic structures in rural south-eastern Kenya to characterize and quantify forms of contact that could lead to human exposure to bat pathogens. Bats are known to roost frequently in buildings simultaneously used by humans in this region (Musila et al. 2018, Jackson et al. 2023, Lunn et al. 2023) and this area has been forecasted as a hotspot for zoonotic pathogen emergence where surveillance and mitigation efforts are needed (Allen et al. 2017). By understanding these contacts and their potential to facilitate pathogen exposure, we can better identify human health risks in this interface and provide data necessary to mitigate risks.METHODSThis study was conducted in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya. The most recent 2019 population estimate of Taita-Taveta County was 340,671 people in 2019 (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics), with a 1.8% annual increase in population over the preceding 10 years. Almost three-quarters of the population is considered rural, although urbanization and deforestation are increasing substantially in the region (Platts et al. 2011, Nyongesa et al. 2022). This area is characterized by remnant patches of high-elevation cloud forest surrounded by low-elevation grasslands, woodlands, and agriculture (Abera et al. 2022).We surveyed people in Taita-Taveta County during 2021 (August – October), 2022 (January – April), and 2023 (May – June) to understand and characterize human and domestic animal interactions with bats living in buildings. Participants were identified via word-of-mouth conversations with community members throughout the study area. We sought out adults who had bats in their homes (permanent and rental properties) or workplaces at the time of the survey, or who had evidence of recent sustained bat use (i.e., urine staining, fecal deposits, dead bats, etc.). Surveys were directed to one individual per property, however additional family members were sometimes present during questioning. Participants were informed about the study and verbal consent was obtained prior to conducting surveys. This research was approved by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (#NACOSTI/P/21/9267) and University of Arkansas Institutional Review Board (Protocol #2103320918).Surveys were conducted in the local Taita language, Swahili, or English by local Taita assistants and at least one of the authors. Questions were read to respondents by the research team and answers were transcribed by the team. Our survey consisted of short-answer, dichotomous, and categorical questions to characterize resident human and domestic animal demographics of the property, the duration of bat use of the property and its buildings, and human and domestic animal interactions with bats and their excreta (see Supplementary Materials for detailed information on survey questions). Surveys from 2021 (n = 23) included 23 multi-part questions. After this initial data collection, we added one additional question to characterize human and domestic animal contact with dead bats on the property. Therefore, surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023 (n = 79) included 24 multi-part questions.To explore the effect of the number of residents on the property, length of bat building use, and respondent demographics (gender, education, and age) on direct (e.g., touching, scratches, bites, etc.) and indirect (e.g., contact with bat excrement) interactions with bats, we used univariate generalized linear models with a binomial error distribution and logit link function. We used chi-square tests to compare the frequencies of bat interactions, length of time of bat occupation of buildings, exclusion methods, and reasons for exclusion. All analyses were conducted in R (Version 2023.06.2+561) using the stats package (v4.1.3).RESULTSWe surveyed 102 people who lived or worked in buildings used by bats (Table S1). Over 70% of people reported bat use of their buildings for >5 years (n = 72), with bat presence for 5-10 years most commonly reported (χ 2 = 36.52, P< 0.01, Fig. 1). Most properties (88%) had bat presence year-round (n = 90). Survey participants described frequent exposure to bats that would support pathogen transmission through two main routes: direct and indirect (fecal/oral) contact, with indirect contact between bats and people reported more frequently than direct contacts (χ 2 = 24.77, P < 0.01, Fig. 2A).

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Many theoretical treatments of foraging use energy as currency, with carbohydrates and lipids considered interchangeable as energy sources. However, herbivores must often synthesize lipids from carbohydrates since they are in short supply in plants, theoretically increasing the cost of growth. We tested whether a generalist insect herbivore (Locusta migratoria) can improve their growth efficiency by consuming lipids, and whether these locusts have a preferred intake target ratio of carbohydrate (C) to lipid (L). Locusts fed pairs of isocaloric, isoprotein diets differing in C and L consistently selected a 2C:1L target. Locusts reared on isocaloric, isoprotein 3C:0L diets attained similar final body masses and lipid contents as locusts fed the 2C:1L diet but ate more and had a ~12% higher metabolic rate—indicating an energetic cost for lipogenesis. These results demonstrate that some animals can selectively regulate carbohydrate to lipid intake and that consumption of dietary lipid can improve growth efficiency.

Mutualistic interactions are essential for ecosystem functioning, such as seed dispersal of plants by animals (frugivory). However, it remains unclear how species extinctions impact interaction network architecture and interaction outcomes. Here, we developed a hierarchical rewiring model based on abundances, traits and phylogeny to identify which frugivory-related traits influence changes in networks and frugivore diets in response to plant species loss. We demonstrate that network architecture and diet are strongly influenced by the total reward and the consumption frequency of fruits with unique combinations of macronutrients. However, there was an uncoupling between network architecture and diet change, suggesting that different plant species modulate network structures and frugivore diets, and the ability of frugivores to shift partners reduced the impact of fruit loss on dietary outcome. Altogether, we reveal mechanistic links between extinctions, architecture and outcomes in mutualistic ecological networks, important to predict species interactions and ecosystem functioning in a changing world.