Evaluation of textile substrates for dispensing synthetic attractants for malaria mosquitoes

Background: The full-scale impact of odour-baited technology on the surveillance, sampling and control of vectors of infectious diseases is partly limited by the lack of methods for the efficient and sustainable dispensing of attractants. In this study we investigated whether locally-available and commonly used textiles are efficient substrates for the release of synthetic odorant blends attracting malaria mosquitoes. Methods: The relative efficacy of (a) polyester, (b) cotton, (c) cellulose + polyacrylate, and (d) nylon textiles as substrates for dispensing a synthetic odour blend (Ifakara blend 1(IB1)) that attracts malaria mosquitoes was evaluated in western Kenya. The study was conducted through completely randomized Latin square experimental designs under semi-field and field conditions. Results: Traps charged with IB1-impregnated polyester, cotton and cellulose + polyacrylate materials caught significantly more female Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (semi-field conditions) and An. gambiae sensu lato (field conditions) mosquitoes than IB1-treated nylon (P = 0.001). The IB1-impregnated cellulose + polyacrylate material was the most attractive to female An. funestus mosquitoes compared to all other dispensing textile substrates (P < 0.001). The responses of female An. funestus mosquitoes to IB1-treated cotton and polyester were equal (P = 0.45). Significantly more female Culex mosquitoes were attracted to IB1-treated cotton than to the other treatments (P < 0.001). Whereas IB1-impregnated cotton and cellulose + polyacrylate material attracted equal numbers of female Mansonia mosquitoes (P = 0.44), the catches due to these two substrates were significantly higher than those associated with the other substrates (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The number and species of mosquitoes attracted to a synthetic odour blend is influenced by the type of odour-dispensing material used. Thus, surveillance and intervention programmes for malaria and other mosquito vectors using attractive odour baits should select an odour-release material that optimizes the odour blend

Ultraviolet Line Emission from Metals in the Low-Redshift Intergalactic Medium

We use a high-resolution cosmological simulation that includes hydrodynamics, multiphase star formation, and galactic winds to predict the distribution of metal line emission at z~0 from the intergalactic medium (IGM). We focus on two ultraviolet doublet transitions, OVI 1032,1038 and CIV 1548,1551. Emission from filaments with moderate overdensities is orders of magnitude smaller than the background, but isolated emission from enriched, dense regions with T~10^5-10^5.5 K and characteristic sizes of 50-100 kpc can be detected above the background. We show that the emission from these regions is substantially greater when we use the metallicities predicted by the simulation (which includes enrichment through galactic winds) than when we assume a uniform IGM metallicity. Luminous regions correspond to volumes that have recently been influenced by galactic winds. We also show that the line emission is clustered on scales ~1 h^-1 Mpc. We argue that although these transitions are not effective tracers of the warm-hot intergalactic medium, they do provide a route to study the chemical enrichment of the IGM and the physics of galactic winds.Comment: replaced by version to appear in ApJ (conclusions unchanged, one new figure), 16 pages (emulateapj), 11 figures, version with higher resolution figures available at http://www.tapir.caltech.edu/~sfurlane/metals/coverpage.htm

Problems for MOND in Clusters and the Ly-alpha Forest

The observed dynamics of gas and stars on galactic and larger scales cannot be accounted for by self-gravity, indicating that there are large quantities of unseen matter, or that gravity is non-Newtonian in these regimes. Milgrom's MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) postulates that Newton's laws are modified at very low acceleration, and can account for the rotation curves of galaxies and some other astrophysical observations, without dark matter. Here we apply MOND to two independent physical systems: Ly-alpha absorbers and galaxy clusters. While physically distinct, both are simple hydrodynamical systems with characteristic accelerations in the MOND regime. We find that Ly-alpha absorbers are somewhat smaller than in Newtonian gravity with dark matter, but the result depends crucially on the (unknown) background acceleration field in which they are embedded. In clusters MOND appears to explain the observed (baryonic) mass-temperature relation. However, given observed gas density and enclosed mass profiles and the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium, MOND predicts radial temperature profiles which disagree badly with observations. We show this explicitly for the Virgo, Abell 2199 and Coma clusters, but the results are general, and seem very difficult to avoid. If this discrepancy is to be resolved by positing additional (presumably baryonic) dark matter, then this dark matter must have ~1-3 times the cluster gas mass within 1 Mpc. This result strongly disfavors MOND as an alternative to dark matter (Abridged).Comment: Revised version. Important caveat in Ly-alpha calculation discussed; conclusions weakened. Coma cluster and calculation of dark matter mass required by MOND added; cluster conclusions strengthened. 11 EmulateApJ pages with 3 embedded figures. Accepted by Ap

Buccal swab as a reliable predictor for X inactivation ratio in inaccessible tissues

Background As a result of the epigenetic phenomenon of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) every woman is a mosaic of cells with either an inactive paternal X chromosome or an inactive maternal X chromosome. The ratio between inactive paternal and maternal X chromosomes is different for every female individual, and can influence an X-encoded trait or disease. A multitude of X linked conditions is known, and for many of them it is recognised that the phenotype in affected female carriers of the causative mutation is modulated by the XCI ratio. To predict disease severity an XCI ratio is usually determined in peripheral blood samples. However, the correlation between XCI ratios in peripheral blood and disease affected tissues, that are often inaccessible, is poorly understood. Here, we tested several tissues obtained from autopsies of 12 female individuals for patch size and XCI ratio. Methods XCI ratios were analysed using methylsensitive PCR-based assays for the AR, PCSK1N and SLITRK4 loci. XCI patch size was analysed by testing the XCI ratio of tissue samples with decreasing size. Results XCI patch size was analysed for liver, muscle, ovary and brain samples and was found too small to confound testing for XCI ratio in these tissues. XCI ratios were determined in the easily accessible tissues, blood, buccal epithelium and hair follicle, and compared with ratios in several inaccessible tissues. Conclusions Buccal epithelium is preferable over peripheral blood for predicting XCI ratios of inaccessible tissues. Ovary is the only inaccessible tissue showing a poor correlation to blood and buccal epithelium, but has a good correlation to hair follicle instead

DBFM(O)contracten in de publieke infrastrcutuur in Nederland en Belgie

Op 22 november 2016 vond er in Antwerpen aan de Universiteit van Antwerpen een internationaal wetenschappelijk congres plaats over publiek-private samenwerking. In haar rol als facilitator en kennisontwikkelaar nam het Kenniscentrum PPS van de Vlaamse overheid (Vlaams Kenniscentrum PPS) haar rol op om samen met de organiserende partners van het congres in de schoot van dit congres een conferentie op te zetten waar PPS-beoefenaars en wetenschappers met elkaar in dialoog konden gaan. Deze dialoog kreeg verder vorm door een samenwerking tussen verschillende universiteiten, en door de ondersteuning van diverse overheden en bedrijven in Vlaanderen en Nederland. In die zin was het zelf ook een vorm van publiek-private samenwerking. In deze publicatie blikken we terug op dit succesvolle seminarie en laten we u proeven van de talrijke interessante reflecties als stof tot nadenken. De organisatoren van het congres en de editors van deze publicatie hopen dat de teksten het debat over PPS kunnen voeden, en dat het werk een bijdrage kan leveren tot een verdere professionalisering en tot innovaties in de PPS-praktijk en het onderzoek van morgen

The path of ambivalence: tracing the pull of opposing evaluations using mouse trajectories

Ambivalence refers to a psychological conflict between opposing evaluations, often experienced as being torn between alternatives. This dynamic aspect of ambivalence is hard to capture with outcome-focused measures, such as response times or self-report. To gain more insight into ambivalence as it unfolds, the current work uses an embodied measure of pull, drawing on research in dynamic systems. In three studies, using different materials, we tracked people’s mouse movements as they chose between negative and positive evaluations of attitude objects. When participants evaluated ambivalent attitude objects, their mouse trajectories showed more pull of the non-chosen evaluative option than when they evaluated univalent attitude objects, revealing that participants were literally torn between the two opposing evaluations. We address the relationship of this dynamic measure to response time and self-reports of ambivalence and discuss implications and avenues for future research

Phase I study of metformin in combination with carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Background Metformin use is associated with reduced cancer risk in epidemiological studies and has preclinical anti-cancer activity in ovarian cancer models. The primary objective of this phase I study was to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of metformin in combination with carboplatin/paclitaxel in patients with ovarian cancer. Secondary objectives were to describe safety and pharmacokinetics. Methods In this single-center trial the RP2D of metformin in combination with carboplatin area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) 6 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 every 3 weeks (q3w) in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was determined using a 3 + 3 escalation rule at three fixed dose levels: 500 mg three times daily (tds), 850 mg tds and 1000 mg tds. Metformin was commenced on day 3 of cycle 1 and continued until 3 weeks after the last chemotherapy administration. The RP2D was defined as the dose level at which 0 of 3 or ≤ 1 of 6 evaluable subjects experienced a metformin-related dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Safety was assessed according to CTCAE v4.0. Plasma and serum samples for pharmacokinetic (PK) analyses were collected during treatment cycles 1 and 2. Results Fifteen patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and an indication for neo-adjuvant (n = 5) or palliative (n = 10) treatment were included. No DLTs were observed. Three patients discontinued study treatment during cycle 1 for other reasons than DLT. Six patients were treated at the RP2D of metformin 1000 mg tds. The most frequent low-grade toxicities were anemia, hypomagnesemia and diarrhea. Grade 3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in ten patients, most common were leucopenia (n = 4), thrombocytopenia (n = 3) and increased GGT (n = 3). There were no grade 4 AEs. Metformin increased the platinum (Pt) AUC (Δ22%, p = 0.013) and decreased the Pt clearance (Δ-28%, p = 0.013). Metformin plasma levels were all within the therapeutic range for diabetic patients (0.1-4 mg/L). Conclusion The RP2D of metformin in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in advanced ovarian cancer is 1000 mg tds. This is higher than the RP2D reported for combination with targeted agents. A potential PK interaction of metformin with carboplatin was identified.</p

Ancient globetrotters—connectivity and putative native ranges of two cosmopolitan biofouling amphipods

The geographic distributions of some coastal marine species have appeared as cosmopolitan ever since they were first scientifically documented. In particular, for many benthic species that are associated with anthropogenic substrata, there is much speculation as to whether or not their broad distributions can be explained by natural mechanisms of dispersal. Here, we focused on two congeneric coastal crustaceans with cosmopolitan distributions—the tube-dwelling amphipods Jassa marmorata and Jassa slatteryi. Both species are common elements of marine biofouling on nearly all kinds of artificial hard substrata in temperate to warm seas. We hypothesized that the two species’ modern occurrences across the oceans are the result of human shipping activities that started centuries ago. Mitochondrial DNA sequences of the CO1 fragment of specimens from distinct marine regions around the world were analysed, evaluating genetic structure and migration models and making inferences on putative native ranges of the two Jassa species. Populations of both species exhibited considerable genetic diversity with differing levels of geographic structure. For both species, at least two dominant haplotypes were shared among several geographic populations. Rapid demographic expansion and high migration rates between geographically distant regions support a scenario of ongoing dispersal all over the world. Our findings indicate that the likely former native range of J. marmorata is the Northwest Atlantic, whereas the likely former native range of J. slatteryi is the Northern Pacific region. As corroborated by the genetic connectivity between populations, shipping still appears to be the more successful vector of the two species’ dispersal when compared to natural mechanisms. Historical invasion events that likely started centuries ago, along with current ongoing dispersal, confirm these species’ identities as true “neocosmopolitans”

Gut microbiota of homing pigeons shows summer-winter variation under constant diet indicating a substantial effect of temperature

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiotas play a pivotal role in host physiology and behaviour, and may affect host life-history traits such as seasonal variation in host phenotypic state. Generally, seasonal gut microbiota variation is attributed to seasonal diet variation. However, seasonal temperature and day length variation may also drive gut microbiota variation. We investigated summer–winter differences in the gut bacterial community (GBC) in 14 homing pigeons living outdoors under a constant diet by collecting cloacal swabs in both seasons during two years. Because temperature effects may be mediated by host metabolism, we determined basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body mass. Immune competence is influenced by day length and has a close relationship with the GBC, and it may thus be a link between day length and gut microbiota. Therefore, we measured seven innate immune indices. We expected the GBC to show summer–winter differences and to correlate with metabolism and immune indices. RESULTS: BMR, body mass, and two immune indices varied seasonally, other host factors did not. The GBC showed differences between seasons and sexes, and correlated with metabolism and immune indices. The most abundant genus (Lachnoclostridium 12, 12%) and associated higher taxa, were more abundant in winter, though not significantly at the phylum level, Firmicutes. Bacteroidetes were more abundant in summer. The Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio tended to be higher in winter. The KEGG ortholog functions for fatty acid biosynthesis and linoleic acid metabolism (PICRUSt2) had increased abundances in winter. CONCLUSIONS: The GBC of homing pigeons varied seasonally, even under a constant diet. The correlations between immune indices and the GBC did not involve consistently specific immune indices and included only one of the two immune indices that showed seasonal differences, suggesting that immune competence may be an unlikely link between day length and the GBC. The correlations between the GBC and metabolism indices, the higher Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio in winter, and the resemblance of the summer–winter differences in the GBC with the general temperature effects on the GBC in the literature, suggest that temperature partly drove the summer–winter differences in the GBC in homing pigeons. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-022-00216-6

Toezicht door private partijen: panacee voor alle kwalen?

Naast het traditionele verticale toezicht van de overheid op het bedrijfsleven hebben zich de afgelopen jaren steeds meer vormen van horizontaal toezicht ontwikkeld. Deze kenmerken zich door onderlinge samenwerking en vertrouwen tussen publieke en private partijen. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn onder meer compliance assistance, certificering en systeemtoezicht. De overheid (publieke toezichthouder) treedt in al die varianten terug en maakt plaats voor private toezichthouders die namens producenten, consumenten of andere belangengroepen optreden. Deze ontwikkelingen vormden de aanleiding voor het organiseren van een symposium over toezicht door private partijen op 26 maart 2009. Wetenschappers en practitioners stonden stil bij een tweetal vragen. In de eerste plaats de vraag op welke wijze deze nieuwe vormen van toezicht in de praktijk worden uitgeoefend en, ten tweede, in hoeverre kan het toezicht aan private partijen worden toevertrouwd? Zeker nu het maatschappelijk vertrouwen in het zelfregulerend vermogen van ondernemingen door de kredietcrisis ernstig is geschaad. Deze bundel bevat het verslag van het symposium in de vorm van de bijdragen van de sprekers en een algemene inleiding. Het toezicht in twee sectoren is onder de loep genomen: toezicht op financiële markten en op de naleving van milieuvoorschriften