Evaluating the mosquito vector range for two orthobunyaviruses: Oya virus and Ebinur Lake virus.

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne viruses cause various infectious diseases in humans and animals. Oya virus (OYAV) and Ebinur Lake virus (EBIV), belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus within the family Peribunyaviridae, are recognized as neglected viruses with the potential to pose threats to animal or public health. The evaluation of vector competence is essential for predicting the arbovirus transmission risk. METHODS: To investigate the range of mosquito vectors for OYAV (strain SZC50) and EBIV (strain Cu20-XJ), the susceptibility of four mosquito species (Culex pipiens pallens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. aegypti) was measured through artificial oral infection. Then, mosquito species with a high infection rate (IR) were chosen to further evaluate the dissemination rate (DR), transmission rate (TR), and transmission efficiency. The viral RNA in each mosquito sample was determined by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: The results revealed that for OYAV, Cx. pipiens pallens had the highest IR (up to 40.0%) among the four species, but the DR and TR were 4.8% and 0.0%, respectively. For EBIV, Cx. pipiens pallens and Cx. quinquefasciatus had higher IR compared to Ae. albopictus (1.7%). However, the EBIV RNA and infectious virus were detected in Cx. pipiens pallens, with a TR of up to 15.4% and a transmission efficiency of 3.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that Cx. pipiens pallens was susceptible to OYAV but had an extremely low risk of transmitting the virus. Culex pipiens pallens and Cx. quinquefasciatus were susceptible to EBIV, and Cx. pipiens pallens had a higher transmission risk to EBIV than Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Evaluation of vector susceptibility in Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens to Tibet orbivirus.

Mosquito-borne viruses cause various infectious diseases in humans and animals. Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV), a newly identified arbovirus, efficiently replicates in different types of vertebrate and mosquito cells, with its neutralizing antibodies detected in cattle and goats. However, despite being isolated from Culicoides midges, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes, there has been a notable absence of systematic studies on its vector competence. Thus, in this study, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens were reared in the laboratory to measure vector susceptibility through blood-feeding infection. Furthermore, RNA sequencing was used to examine the overall alterations in the Ae. aegypti transcriptome following TIBOV infection. The results revealed that Ae. aegypti exhibited a high susceptibility to TIBOV compared to Cx. p. pallens. Effective replication of the virus in Ae. aegypti midguts occurred when the blood-feeding titer of TIBOV exceeded 105 plaque-forming units mL-1. Nevertheless, only a few TIBOV RNA-positive samples were detected in the saliva of Ae. aegypti and Cx. p. pallens, suggesting that these mosquito species may not be the primary vectors for TIBOV. Moreover, at 2 dpi of TIBOV, numerous antimicrobial peptides downstream of the Toll and Imd signaling pathways were significantly downregulated in Ae. aegypti, indicating that TIBOV suppressed mosquitos' defense to survive in the vector at an early stage. Subsequently, the stress-activated protein kinase JNK, a crucial component of the MAPK signaling pathway, exhibited significant upregulation. Certain genes were also enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway in TIBOV-infected Ae. aegypti at 7 dpi.IMPORTANCETibet orbivirus (TIBOV) is an understudied arbovirus of the genus Orbivirus. Our study is the first-ever attempt to assess the vector susceptibility of this virus in two important mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens. Additionally, we present transcriptome data detailing the interaction between TIBOV and the immune system of Ae. aegypti, which expands the knowledge about orbivirus infection and its interaction with mosquitoes.

Temperature and Pressure Effects on Unrecoverable Voids in Li Metal Solid-State Batteries.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSB) can potentially achieve high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities (900 Wh/L) if paired with a lithium metal anode and solid electrolyte. However, there is a lack in critical understanding about how to operate lithium metal cells at high capacities and minimize unwanted degradation mechanisms such as dendrites and voids. Herein, we investigate how pressure and temperature influence the formation and annihilation of unrecoverable voids in lithium metal upon stripping. Stack pressure and temperature are effective means to initiate creep-induced void filling and decrease charge transfer resistances. Applying stack pressure enables lithium to deform and creep below the yield stress during stripping at high current densities. Lithium creep is not sufficient to prevent cell shorting during plating. Three-electrode experiments were employed to probe the kinetic and morphological limitations that occur at the anode-solid electrolyte during high-capacity stripping (5 mAh/cm2). The role of cathode-LLZO interface, which dictates cyclability and capacity retention in full cells, was also studied. This work elucidates the important role that temperature (external or in situ generated) has on reversible operation of solid-state batteries.

Influence of the Suchana intervention on exclusive breastfeeding and stunting among children aged under 6 months in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) provides significant health benefits to children. However, mothers may find it difficult to continue EBF for 6 months. The present analysis aimed to examine the influence of the Suchana intervention-a large-scale programme implemented with the aim of improving the health and nutritional status of mothers and children from poor households in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh-on EBF and stunting among children under 6 months. Baseline and endline data were obtained from the Suchana evaluation. EBF was defined as an infant (<6 months) only receiving breast milk in the previous 24 h. Childhood stunting was defined as a length-for-age z-score of less than -2 among children of the same age. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the associations of the Suchana intervention with EBF and stunting. EBF prevalence improved from 64% at baseline to 85% at the endline in the intervention area, with the intervention group having 2.25 times higher odds of EBF compared to the control group. Stunting prevalence reduced from 28% at baseline to 24% at the endline in the intervention group, but after controlling for covariates, the association between stunting and the intervention was not significant. However, the interaction analysis showed significantly lower stunting prevalence among EBF children in both intervention and control areas. The Suchana intervention had a positive impact on the EBF practice of rural children in a vulnerable region of Bangladesh, and EBF was identified as a significant factor associated with stunting. The findings suggest that the continuation of the EBF intervention has the potential to have an impact on reducing stunting in the region, highlighting the importance of promoting EBF to improve child health and development.

Site-Specific Incidence Rate of Blastocystis hominis and Its Association with Childhood Malnutrition: Findings from a Multi-Country Birth Cohort Study.

In this study, we investigated the potential association between the burden of asymptomatic Blastocystis spp. (Blastocystis hominis) infection and nutritional status among children under 2 years of age using the data collected from 1,715 children from eight distinct geographic locations, including Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Peru, Tanzania, Pakistan, Nepal, and South Africa. Childhood stunting, wasting, and underweight were the outcome variables, and B. hominis infection was the exposure variable of this present study. The presence of B. hominis in nondiarrheal stools was evaluated by TaqMan Array Cards. Site-specific incidence rates were estimated using Poisson regression, and multiple generalized estimating equation was used to assess the association between the B. hominis infection and nutritional status. The site-specific incidence rates of asymptomatic B. hominis infections per 100 child-months were higher in Tanzania, Peru, and South Africa when compared with the other study sites. Moreover, in terms of site-specific association, childhood stunting was significantly associated with asymptomatic B. hominis infection in Bangladesh (odds ratio [OR]: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.26-2.08), India (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.46-2.16), Nepal (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.60-3.21), Peru (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.26-1.71), South Africa (OR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.35-1.83), and Tanzania (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 2.18-2.79) sites. Wasting was associated with B. hominis in the Brazil site only (OR: 3.19; 95% CI: 1.31-7.77). On the other hand, underweight was associated in the Bangladesh (OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.48-2.42), Brazil (OR: 4.41; 95% CI: 1.57-12.4), Nepal (OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.52-3.35), and Tanzania (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.42-1.99) sites. Our analysis further reveals that the presence of additional pathogens may play a pathogenic role in children who have B. hominis infection.

Polymorphism of garnet solid electrolytes and its implications for grain-level chemo-mechanics.

Understanding and mitigating filament formation, short-circuit and solid electrolyte fracture is necessary for advanced all-solid-state batteries. Here, we employ a coupled far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy and tomography approach for assessing the chemo-mechanical behaviour for dense, polycrystalline garnet (Li7La3Zr2O12) solid electrolytes with grain-level resolution. In situ monitoring of grain-level stress responses reveals that the failure mechanism is stochastic and affected by local microstructural heterogeneity. Coupling high-energy X-ray diffraction and far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy measurements reveals the presence of phase heterogeneity that can alter local chemo-mechanics within the bulk solid electrolyte. These local regions are proposed to be regions with the presence of a cubic polymorph of LLZO, potentially arising from local dopant concentration variation. The coupled tomography and FF-HEDM experiments are combined with transport and mechanics modelling to illustrate the degradation of polycrystalline garnet solid electrolytes. The results showcase the pathways for processing high-performing solid-state batteries.

In situ investigation of water on MXene interfaces.

A continuum of water populations can exist in nanoscale layered materials, which impacts transport phenomena relevant for separation, adsorption, and charge storage processes. Quantification and direct interrogation of water structure and organization are important in order to design materials with molecular-level control for emerging energy and water applications. Through combining molecular simulations with ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, we directly probe hydration mechanisms at confined and nonconfined regions in nanolayered transition-metal carbide materials. Hydrophobic (K+) cations decrease water mobility within the confined interlayer and accelerate water removal at nonconfined surfaces. Hydrophilic cations (Li+) increase water mobility within the confined interlayer and decrease water-removal rates at nonconfined surfaces. Solutes, rather than the surface terminating groups, are shown to be more impactful on the kinetics of water adsorption and desorption. Calculations from grand canonical molecular dynamics demonstrate that hydrophilic cations (Li+) actively aid in water adsorption at MXene interfaces. In contrast, hydrophobic cations (K+) weakly interact with water, leading to higher degrees of water ordering (orientation) and faster removal at elevated temperatures.

Scalable Manufacturing of Hybrid Solid Electrolytes with Interface Control.

Hybrid solid electrolytes are promising alternatives for high energy density metallic lithium batteries. Scalable manufacturing of multi-material electrolytes with tailored transport pathways can provide an avenue toward controlling Li stripping and deposition mechanisms in all-solid-state devices. A novel roll-to-roll compatible coextrusion device is demonstrated to investigate mesostructural control during manufacturing. Solid electrolytes with 25 and 75 wt % PEO-LLZO compositions are investigated. The coextrusion head is demonstrated to effectively process multimaterial films with strict compositional gradients in a single pass. An average manufacturing variability of 5.75 ± 1.2 µm is observed in the thickness across all the electrolytes manufactured. Coextruded membranes with 1 mm stripes show the highest room temperature conductivity of 8.8 × 10-6 S cm-1 compared to the conductivity of single-material films (25 wt %, 1.2 × 10-6 S cm-1; 75 wt %, 1.8 × 10-6 S cm-1). Distribution of relaxation times and effective mean field theory calculations suggest that the interface generated between the two materials possesses high ion-conducting properties. Computational simulations are used to further substantiate the influence of macroscale interfaces on ion transport.

Assessing Protective Factors for Violence Risk in U.K. General Mental Health Services Using the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors.

Violence risk assessment and management are key tasks in mental health services and should be guided by validated instruments covering both risk and protective factors. This article is part of an international effort to validate the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF) for violence. The SAPROF, Historical, Clinical, Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) and the Psychopathy Checklist-Screening Version (PCL-SV) were administered in a sample of 261 patients in U.K. forensic, general inpatient, and community mental health settings. There was significant variation between these groups on SAPROF scores with fewer protective factors in the forensic group. The prospective validity of the SAPROF for nonviolence in the general inpatient and community samples was moderate (area under the curve [AUC] = .60). Adoption of the SAPROF or similar instruments as a supplement to risk-focused assessments has the potential to improve awareness of protective factors and enhance therapeutic engagement in a range of mental health services.

Subcostal versus transcostal mini donor nephrectomy: is rib resection responsible for pain related donor morbidity.

PURPOSE: Conventional donor nephrectomy is associated with significant postoperative morbidity. Whether this morbidity is associated with rib resection or a long incision is not clear. We designed a prospective randomized study of subcostal and transcostal mini incision donor nephrectomy and compared the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed 82 donor nephrectomies in the study period of December 2000 to July 2001. Open donor nephrectomies were randomized to subcostal (25) or transcostal (24) mini incision techniques. Results were compared and analyzed using the independent t test. RESULTS: The subcostal and transcostal groups were comparable in terms of patient age, body mass index, nephrectomy side, number of renal vessels and incision length (9.32 vs 9.72 cm). Patients in the subcostal group had a lesser postoperative analgesic requirement (304 +/- 49.8 vs 487 +/- 74.1 mg, p = 0.0001), shorter hospital stay (2.36 +/- 0.7 vs 3.71 +/- 0.81 days, p = 0.0001) and early convalescence (26.56 +/- 4.06 vs 37.46 +/- 6.05 days) compared with the transcostal group. Warm ischemia time and recipient outcome were similar in the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Rib sparing, subcostal mini incision donor nephrectomy has significantly less morbidity and a shorter hospital stay compared with the rib resection transcostal technique.