A novel pathogenic avipoxvirus infecting oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis) in China shows a high genomic and evolutionary proximity with the pigeon avipoxviruses isolated globally

Avipoxviruses are considered as significant viral pathogen infecting a wide range of domestic and wild bird species globally, yet the majority of avipoxviruses that infect the wild bird species remain uncharacterized and their genetic diversities remain unclear. In this study, we present a novel pathogenic avipoxvirus isolated from the cutaneous pox lesions of a wild oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis), tentatively named as turtle dovepox virus (TDPV). The avipoxvirus was isolated by using the chorioallantoic membranes of specific pathogen-free chicken embryos which showed characteristic focal pock lesions, followed by cytopathic effects in host cells infected with oriental turtle dovepox virus. An effort in sequencing the whole genome of the poxvirus using next-generation sequencing was given, and the first whole genome sequence of TDPV was obtained. The TDPV genome was 281,386 bp in length and contained 380 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). While 336 of the predicted ORFs showed homology to other characterized avipoxviruses, the other 44 ORFs were unique. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses showed that the novel TDPV shared the closest genetic evolutionary linkage with the avipoxviruses isolated from pigeon in South Africa and India, of which the TDPV genome had the highest sequence similarity (92.5%) with South African pigeonpox virus (FeP2). In conclusion, the sequenced TDPV is significantly different from any other avipoxviruses isolated from avian or other natural host species considering genomic architecture and observed sequence similarity index. Thus, it likely should be considered a separate species. IMPORTANCE Over the past few decades, avipoxviruses have been found in a number of wild bird species including the oriental turtle dove. However, there is no whole genome sequence information on avipoxviruses isolated from oriental turtle dove, leaving us unclear about the evolutionary linkage of avipoxviruses in oriental turtle dove and other wild bird species. Thus, we believe that our study makes a significant contribution because it is the first report of the whole genome sequence of TDPV isolated from a wild oriental turtle dove, which enriches the genomic information of the genus Avipoxvirus, furthermore, contributes to tracking the genetic evolution of avipoxviruses-infected oriental turtle dove species

The site conditions of the Guo Shou Jing Telescope

The weather at Xinglong Observing Station, where the Guo Shou Jing Telescope (GSJT) is located, is strongly affected by the monsoon climate in north-east China. The LAMOST survey strategy is constrained by these weather patterns. In this paper, we present a statistics on observing hours from 2004 to 2007, and the sky brightness, seeing, and sky transparency from 1995 to 2011 at the site. We investigate effects of the site conditions on the survey plan. Operable hours each month shows strong correlation with season: on average there are 8 operable hours per night available in December, but only 1-2 hours in July and August. The seeing and the sky transparency also vary with seasons. Although the seeing is worse in windy winters, and the atmospheric extinction is worse in the spring and summer, the site is adequate for the proposed scientific program of LAMOST survey. With a Monte Carlo simulation using historical data on the site condition, we find that the available observation hours constrain the survey footprint from 22h to 16h in right ascension; the sky brightness allows LAMOST to obtain the limit magnitude of V = 19.5mag with S/N = 10.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in RA

Comparison between HIV self-testing and facility-based HIV testing approach on HIV early detection among men who have sex with men: A cross-sectional study

Background To assess whether HIV self-testing (HIVST) has a better performance in identifying HIV-infected cases than the facility-based HIV testing (HIVFBT) approach. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among men who have sex with men (MSM) by using an online questionnaire (including information on sociodemographic, sexual biography, and HIV testing history) and blood samples (for limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay, gene subtype testing, and taking confirmed HIV test). MSM who were firstly identified as HIV positive through HIVST and HIVFBT were compared. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to explore any association between both groups and their subgroups. Results In total, 124 MSM HIV cases were identified from 2017 to 2021 in Zhuhai, China, including 60 identified through HIVST and 64 through HIVFBT. Participants in the HIVST group were younger (≤30 years, 76.7% vs. 46.9%), were better educated (>high school, 61.7% vs. 39.1%), and had higher viral load (≥1,000 copies/ml, 71.7% vs. 50.0%) than MSM cases identified through HIVFBT. The proportion of early HIV infection in the HIVST group was higher than in the HIVFBT group, identified using four recent infection testing algorithms (RITAs) (RITA 1, 46.7% vs. 25.0%; RITA 2, 43.3% vs. 20.3%; RITA 3, 30.0% vs. 14.1%; RITA 4, 26.7% vs. 10.9%; all p < 0.05). Conclusions The study showed that HIVST has better HIV early detection among MSM and that recent HIV infection cases mainly occur in younger and better-educated MSM. Compared with HIVFBT, HIVST is more accessible to the most at-risk population on time and tends to identify the case early. Further implementation studies are needed to fill the knowledge gap on this medical service model among MSM and other target populations

The Jiao Tong University Spectroscopic Telescope Project

The Jiao Tong University Spectroscopic Telescope (JUST) is a 4.4-meter f/6.0 segmentedmirror telescope dedicated to spectroscopic observations. The JUST primary mirror is composed of 18 hexagonal segments, each with a diameter of 1.1 m. JUST provides two Nasmyth platforms for placing science instruments. One Nasmyth focus fits a field of view of 10 arcmin and the other has an extended field of view of 1.2 deg with correction optics. A tertiary mirror is used to switch between the two Nasmyth foci. JUST will be installed at a site at Lenghu in Qinghai Province, China, and will conduct spectroscopic observations with three types of instruments to explore the dark universe, trace the dynamic universe, and search for exoplanets: (1) a multi-fiber (2000 fibers) medium-resolution spectrometer (R=4000-5000) to spectroscopically map galaxies and large-scale structure; (2) an integral field unit (IFU) array of 500 optical fibers and/or a long-slit spectrograph dedicated to fast follow-ups of transient sources for multimessenger astronomy; (3) a high-resolution spectrometer (R~100000) designed to identify Jupiter analogs and Earth-like planets, with the capability to characterize the atmospheres of hot exoplanets.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figure

Changes in Convective Precipitation Reflectivity over the CONUS Revealed by High-Resolution Radar Observations from 2015 to 2021

The change in extreme precipitation events in the conterminous United States (CONUS) has been of interest to the research communities in recent years for its intensification under environmental and climate change. Previous studies have not yet used sub-hourly precipitation observations to examine convective precipitation change over the CONUS. This study aims to fill the gap by examining convective precipitation, identified by radar reflectivity, in the CONUS using the state-of-the-art Multi-radar Multi-sensor data, operated at the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, with an unprecedentedly high spatial (1 km) and temporal (2 min) resolutions. These high-resolution data are expected to better capture the precipitation peak and the precipitation pattern. The results showed that in CONUS, precipitation reflectivity increased both in magnitude and the number of convective days from 2015 to 2021. For example, in 2019, 60% of areas showed an increase in the magnitude of precipitation, and the average number of convective days over CONUS has increased by 19%. Changes in precipitation also vary by season and region. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring and understanding of the evolving pattern of extreme precipitation in the CONUS, especially at sub-hourly frequency, as it exposes significant impacts on various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, and human health

In Situ Polymerization Derived from PAN-Based Porous Membrane Realizing Double-Stabilized Interface and High Ionic Conductivity for Lithium-Metal Batteries

Polymer polyacrylonitrile (PAN), with exceptional mechanical strength and ionic conductivity, is considered a potential electrolyte. However, the huge interfacial impedance of PAN-derived CN polar nitrile groups and Li anode limited its application. In this study, a double-stabilized interface was integrated by in situ polymerization of DOL between electrodes and a three-dimensional (3D) porous PAN polymer matrix containing SN plasticizer and LLZTO ceramic fillers to optimize the challenge of interfacial instability. The fabricated PDOL-PAN(SN/LLZTO)-PDOL composite solid electrolyte (CSE) exhibited the maximum ionic conductivities of 1.9 × 10–3 S cm–1 at room temperature and 2.5 × 10–3 S cm–1 at 60 °C, an electrochemical stability window (ESW) of 4.9 V, and a high Li+ transference number (tLi+) of 0.65. In addition, the side reactions of the PAN/Li metal were effectively prevented by inserting PDOL between the 3D porous membrane and Li electrode. Benefiting from the superior interface compatibility and ion conductivity, the Li symmetric battery showed more than 2000 h of cyclability. The solid Li/LiFePO4 full battery delivered excellent cycling performance, showing an original specific capacity of 136.2 mAh g–1 with a capacity retention of 90.1% after 350 cycles at 1C and 60 °C. Furthermore, the cycling of solid-state Li/NCM622 batteries also proved their application potential. This work presents an effective approach to solving interface problems of the PAN electrolyte for solid lithium-metal batteries (LMBs)

Wheat gliadin hydrolysates based nano-micelles for hydrophobic naringin: Structure characterization, interaction, and in vivo digestion

In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis was used to fabricate wheat gliadin hydrolysates (WGHs) for the encapsulation and protection of naringin. The exposure of hydrophilic amino acids decreased the critical micelle concentration (from 0.53 ± 0.02 mg/mL to 0.35 ± 0.03 mg/mL) and improved solubility, which provided amphiphilic conditions for the delivery of naringin. The hydrolysates with a degree of hydrolysis (DH) of 9 % had the strongest binding affinity with naringin, and exhibited the smallest particle size (113.7 ± 1.1 nm) and the highest encapsulation rate (83.2 ± 1.3 %). The storage, heat and photochemical stability of naringin were improved via the encapsulation of micelles. Furthermore, the micelles made up of hydrolysates with a DH of 12 % significantly enhanced the bioavailability of naringin (from 19.4 ± 4.3 % to 46.8 ± 1.4 %). Our experiment provides theoretical support for the utilization of delivery systems based on water-insoluble proteins