Parallel ODETLAP for terrain compression and reconstruction

We introduce a parallel approximation of an Over-determined Laplacian Partial Differential Equation solver (ODETLAP) applied to the compression and restoration of terrain data used for Geographical Information Systems (GIS). ODET-LAP can be used to reconstruct a compressed elevation map, or to generate a dense regular grid from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) point cloud data. With previous methods, the time to execute ODETLAP does not scale well with the size of the input elevation map, resulting in running times that are prohibitively long for large data sets. Our algorithm divides the data set into patches, runs ODET-LAP on each patch, and then merges the patches together. This method gives two distinct speed improvements. First, we provide scalability by reducing the complexity such that the execution time grows almost linearly with the size of the input, even when run on a single processor. Second, we are able to calculate ODETLAP on the patches concurrently in a parallel or distributed environment. Our new patchbased implementation takes 2 seconds to run ODETLAP on an 800 × 800 elevation map using 128 processors, while the original version of ODETLAP takes nearly 10 minutes on a single processor (271 times longer). We demonstrate the effectiveness of the new algorithm by running it on data sets as large as 16000 × 16000 on a cluster of computers. We also discuss our preliminary results from running on an IBM Blue Gene/L system with 32,768 processors

7-Chloro-4-[(E)-2-(2-methoxy­benzyl­idene)hydrazin-1-yl]quinoline monohydrate

In the title hydrate, C17H14ClN3O·H2O, the dihedral angle between the quinoline fused-ring system and the benzene ring is 13.4 (2)° and the conformation about the C=N bond is E. In the crystal, Nh—H⋯Ow and Ow—H⋯Nq (h = hydro­zone, w = water and q = quinoline) hydrogen bonds generate a two-dimenstional network in the ac plane. A weak C—H⋯O inter­action helps to consolidate the packing

Temporal dynamics of small mammals in Eucalyptus plantations in Southeast Brazil

The presence of small terrestrial mammals along the commercial cycle of Eucalyptus plantations indicates that silvicultural landscapes can be considered as their habitat. In the present study we evaluated the temporal variation of small terrestrial mammals for more than 10 generations during the first commercial cycle of Eucalyptus in Southeast Brazil. During this period we carried out forty-four monthly campaigns, totaling 10,560 bucket.nights in pitfall traps. Thirteen species (four marsupials and nine rodents) were collected in the Eucalyptus plantations, seven of which (Akodon montensis, Calomys tener, Cryptonanus agricolai, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Necromys lasiurus, Oligoryzomys flavescens, and Oligoryzomys nigripes) persisted for the entire study period. In general, they have an explosive population growth during the first two years of collection followed by a decline in all environments, and an apparent regrowth trend in the fourth year for some species with a trend in dominant species from Cerrado to forest dwellers. Marsupials exhibited a similar trend, but slower and later. The spatio-temporal patterns of variation detected in this study strongly suggest that for most of the remaining species of small rodents and marsupials, silvicultural landscapes have distinct habitats including the Eucalyptus plantations. This means that they should be evaluated in terms of its habitat quality not only its permeability. The perception of the Eucalyptus plantations as habitat should stimulate the development of wildlife-friendly management techniques, which improve their carrying capacity, food web complexity and biological diversity without compromising their primeval mission of biological production.Fil: Verdade, Luciano Martins. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Moral, Rafael de Andrade. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Calaboni, Adriane. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: do Amaral, Marcus V. S. G.. Maynooth University; IrlandaFil: Martin, Paula S.. Itaiti Consultoria Ambiental; BrasilFil: Amorim, Luana S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Gheler Costa, Carla. Ecologia Aplicada: Pesquisa, Ensino e Serviços Ambientais; BrasilFil: Piña, Carlos Ignacio. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin

7-Chloro-4-[(E)-N′-(4-fluoro­benzyl­idene)hydrazin­yl]quinoline monohydrate

The mol­ecule of the title hydrate, C16H11ClFN3·H2O, is slightly twisted, as indicated by the dihedral angle of 9.55 (10)° formed between the quinoline ring system and the benzene ring. The conformation about the C=N double bond is E, and the amine-H atom is oriented towards the quinoline residue. In the crystal structure, the water mol­ecule accepts an N—H⋯O and makes two O—H⋯Nquinoline hydrogen bonds, generating a two-dimensional array in the ab plane, which is further stabilized by C—H⋯O inter­actions. The most significant contacts between layers are of the type C—H⋯F

Anopheles aquasalis transcriptome reveals autophagic responses to Plasmodium vivax midgut invasion

BACKGROUND: Elimination of malaria depends on mastering transmission and understanding the biological basis of Plasmodium infection in the vector. The first mosquito organ to interact with the parasite is the midgut and its transcriptomic characterization during infection can reveal effective antiplasmodial responses able to limit the survival of the parasite. The vector response to Plasmodium vivax is not fully characterized, and its specificities when compared with other malaria parasites can be of fundamental interest for specific control measures. METHODS: Experimental infections were performed using a membrane-feeding device. Three groups were used: P. vivax-blood-fed, blood-fed on inactivated gametocytes, and unfed mosquitoes. Twenty-four hours after feeding, the mosquitoes were dissected and the midgut collected for transcriptomic analysis using RNAseq. Nine cDNA libraries were generated and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq2500. Readings were checked for quality control and analysed using the Trinity platform for de novo transcriptome assembly. Transcript quantification was performed and the transcriptome was functionally annotated. Differential expression gene analysis was carried out. The role of the identified mechanisms was further explored using functional approaches. RESULTS: Forty-nine genes were identified as being differentially expressed with P. vivax infection: 34 were upregulated and 15 were downregulated. Half of the P. vivax-related differentially expressed genes could be related to autophagy; therefore, the effect of the known inhibitor (wortmannin) and activator (spermidine) was tested on the infection outcome. Autophagic activation significantly reduced the intensity and prevalence of infection. This was associated with transcription alterations of the autophagy regulating genes Beclin, DRAM and Apg8. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that P. vivax invasion of An. aquasalis midgut epithelium triggers an autophagic response and its activation reduces infection. This suggests a novel mechanism that mosquitoes can use to fight Plasmodium infection.publishersversionpublishe

Severe Plasmodium vivax Malaria, Brazilian Amazon

We describe a case series of 17 patients hospitalized in Manaus (western Brazilian Amazon) with PCR-confirmed Plasmodium vivax infection who were treated with chloroquine and primaquine. The major complications were jaundice and severe anemia. No in vivo chloroquine resistance was detected. These data help characterize the clinical profile of severe P. vivax malaria in Latin America

Endotoxin tolerance and cross-tolerance in mast cells involves TLR4, TLR2 and FcεR1 interactions and SOCS expression: perspectives on immunomodulation in infectious and allergic diseases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The study of the endotoxin tolerance phenomenon in light of the recently defined roles of mast cells and toll-like receptors as essential components of the innate immune response and as orchestrators of acquired immunity may reveal potentially useful mechanisms of immunomodulation of infectious and allergic inflammatory responses, such as sepsis or asthma. Here we evaluated the phenomenon of direct tolerance of endotoxins, as well as the induction of cross-tolerance and synergism by stimulation with toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) and FcεR1 agonists, in murine mast cells prestimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Additionally, we evaluated some stimulatory and inhibitory signaling molecules potentially involved in these phenomena.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>MC/9 cells and primary bone marrow-derived mast cells obtained from C57BL/6 and TLR4^-/-knock-out mice were sensitized to DNP-HSA (antigen) by incubation with DNP-IgE and were prestimulated with LPS for 18 hr prior to stimulation. Cultures were stimulated with LPS or Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 3HCl (P3C), a TLR2 agonist, individually or in combination with antigen. The production of IL-6 and TNFα, the phosphorylation of NFκB and p38 MAPK, and the expression of TLR4 and SOCS-1 and -3 were analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that production of TNFα and IL-6 in murine mast cells that have been pretreated with LPS and challenged with TLR4 (LPS) or -2 (P3C) agonists was reduced, phenomena described as endotoxin tolerance (LPS) and cross-tolerance (P3C), respectively. The expression of TLR4 was not affected by LPS pretreatment. Our results show that the FcεR1 agonist DNP-HSA (antigen) interacts synergistically with LPS or P3C to markedly enhance production of cytokines (TNFα and IL-6). This synergistic effect with LPS and P3C was also attenuated by LPS pretreatment and was mediated by TLR4. These results may be attributed to the reduction in phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), p38, and the transcription factor NFκB, as well as to an increase in the expression of the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1 and -3 proteins in LPS-pretreated mast cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings can be explored with respect to the modulation of inflammatory responses associated with infectious and allergic processes in future studies.</p

Effect of primaquine dose on the risk of recurrence in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis

Background: Primaquine is used to eliminate Plasmodium vivax hypnozoites, but its optimal dosing regimen remains unclear. We undertook a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of different primaquine dosing regimens to prevent P vivax recurrence. Methods: For this systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Central for prospective clinical studies of uncomplicated P vivax from endemic countries published between Jan 1, 2000, and June 8, 2023. We included studies if they had active follow-up of at least 28 days, and if they included a treatment group with daily primaquine given over multiple days, where primaquine was commenced within 7 days of schizontocidal treatment and was given alone or coadministered with chloroquine or one of four artemisinin-based combination therapies (ie, artemether–lumefantrine, artesunate–mefloquine, artesunate–amodiaquine, or dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine). We excluded studies if they were on prevention, prophylaxis, or patients with severe malaria, or if data were extracted retrospectively from medical records outside of a planned trial. For the meta-analysis, we contacted the investigators of eligible trials to request individual patient data and we then pooled data that were made available by Aug 23, 2021. We assessed the effects of total dose and duration of primaquine regimens on the rate of first P vivax recurrence between day 7 and day 180 by Cox's proportional hazards regression (efficacy analysis). The effect of primaquine daily dose on gastrointestinal symptoms on days 5–7 was assessed by modified Poisson regression (tolerability analysis). The study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019154470. Findings: Of 226 identified studies, 23 studies with patient-level data from 6879 patients from 16 countries were included in the efficacy analysis. At day 180, the risk of recurrence was 51·0% (95% CI 48·2–53·9) in 1470 patients treated without primaquine, 19·3% (16·9–21·9) in 2569 patients treated with a low total dose of primaquine (approximately 3·5 mg/kg), and 8·1% (7·0–9·4) in 2811 patients treated with a high total dose of primaquine (approximately 7 mg/kg), regardless of primaquine treatment duration. Compared with treatment without primaquine, the rate of P vivax recurrence was lower after treatment with low-dose primaquine (adjusted hazard ratio 0·21, 95% CI 0·17–0·27; p<0·0001) and high-dose primaquine (0·10, 0·08–0·12; p<0·0001). High-dose primaquine had greater efficacy than low-dose primaquine in regions with high and low relapse periodicity (ie, the time from initial infection to vivax relapse). 16 studies with patient-level data from 5609 patients from ten countries were included in the tolerability analysis. Gastrointestinal symptoms on days 5–7 were reported by 4·0% (95% CI 0·0–8·7) of 893 patients treated without primaquine, 6·2% (0·5–12·0) of 737 patients treated with a low daily dose of primaquine (approximately 0·25 mg/kg per day), 5·9% (1·8–10·1) of 1123 patients treated with an intermediate daily dose (approximately 0·5 mg/kg per day) and 10·9% (5·7–16·1) of 1178 patients treated with a high daily dose (approximately 1 mg/kg per day). 20 of 23 studies included in the efficacy analysis and 15 of 16 in the tolerability analysis had a low or unclear risk of bias. Interpretation: Increasing the total dose of primaquine from 3·5 mg/kg to 7 mg/kg can reduce P vivax recurrences by more than 50% in most endemic regions, with a small associated increase in gastrointestinal symptoms. Funding: Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Medicines for Malaria Venture