Modelling the Passenger Choice Behaviour of Buying High-Speed Railway Tickets

Passenger choice behaviour of buying tickets has a great impact on the high-speed rail (HSR) revenue management. It is very critical to find out the sensitive factors that prevent passengers with high willingness to pay for a ticket from buying low-price tickets. The literature on passenger choice behaviour mainly focuses on travel mode choice, choice between a conventional train and a high-speed train and choice among high-speed trains. To extend the literature and serve revenue management, this paper investigates passenger choice behaviour of buying high-speed railway tickets. The data were collected by the stated preference (SP) survey based on Beijing-Hohhot high-speed railway. The conditional logit model was established to analyse influencing factors for business travel and non-business travel. The results show that: business passengers have the higher inherent preference for full-price tickets, while non-business passengers have the higher inherent preference for discount tickets; the number of days booked in advance and frequent passenger points have a significant impact on the ticket choice of business travellers, but not on non-business travellers; passengers are unwilling to buy tickets that depart after 16:00 for non-business travel; factors have different effects on the passengers\u27 choice in business travel and non-business travel. The results can provide parameters for revenue management models and references for the ticket-product design

Exopolysaccharide dispelled by calcium hydroxide with volatile vehicles related to bactericidal effect for root canal medication

Objective: Enterococcus faecalis is the dominant microbial species responsible for persistent apical periodontitis with ability to deeply penetrate into the dentin. Exopolysaccharides (EPS) contribute to the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of E. faecalis. Our aim was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide (CH), camphorated parachlorophenol (CMCP), and chlorhexidine (CHX) against E. faecalis in dentinal tubules. Material and Methods: Decoronated single-canal human teeth and semicylindrical dentin blocks were incubated with E. faecalis for 3 weeks. Samples were randomly assigned to six medication groups for 1 week (n=10 per group): CH + 40% glycerin-water solution (1:1, wt/vol); CMCP; 2% CHX; CH + CMCP (1:1, wt/vol); CH + CMCP (2:3, wt/vol); and saline. Bacterial samples were collected and assayed for colony-forming units. After dentin blocks were split longitudinally, confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to assess the proportion of viable bacteria and EPS production in dentin. Results: CMCP exhibited the best antimicrobial activity, while CH was the least sensitive against E. faecalis (p;0.05). CH combined with CMCP inhibited EPS synthesis by E. faecalis, which sensitized biofilms to antibacterial substances. Moreover, increasing concentrations of CMCP decreased EPS matrix formation, which effectively sensitized biofilms to disinfection agents. Conclusion: The EPS matrix dispelled by CH paste with CMCP may be related to its bactericidal effect; the visualization and analysis of EPS formation and microbial colonization in dentin may be a useful approach to verify medicaments for antimicrobial therapy

Genotyping of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strains isolated from 1959 to 2006 in China and analysis of genetic diversity by genomic microarray

Aim To determine the genotype of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) strains in China and analyze their genetic diversity. Methods We collected S. Typhi strains from 1959 to 2006 in five highly endemic Chinese provinces and chose 40 representative strains. Multilocus sequence typing was used to determine the genotypes or sequence types (ST) and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (M-CGH) to investigate the differences in gene content among these strains. Results Forty representative S. Typhi strains belonged to 4 sequence types (ST1, ST2, ST890, and ST892). The predominant S. Typhi genotype (31/40) was ST2 and it had a diverse geographic distribution. We discovered two novel STs – ST890 and ST892. M-CGH showed that 69 genes in these two novel STs were divergent from S. Typhi Ty2, which belongs to ST1. In addition, 5 representative Typhi strains of ST2 isolated from Guizhou province showed differences in divergent genes. Conclusion We determined two novel sequence types, ST890 and ST892, and found that ST2 was the most prevalent genotype of S. Typhi in China. Genetic diversity was present even within a highly clonal bacterial population

Identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated with Hyperproduction of Alpha-Toxin in Staphylococcus aureus

The virulence factor α-toxin (hla) is needed by Staphylococcus aureus in order to cause infections in both animals and humans. Although the complicated regulation of hla expression has been well studied in human S. aureus isolates, the mechanisms of of hla regulation in bovine S. aureus isolates remain undefined. In this study, we found that many bovine S. aureus isolates, including the RF122 strain, generate dramatic amounts of α-toxin in vitro compared with human clinical S. aureus isolates, including MRSA WCUH29 and MRSA USA300. To elucidate potential regulatory mechanisms, we analyzed the hla promoter regions and identified predominant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions −376, −483, and −484 from the start codon in α-toxin hyper-producing isolates. Using site-directed mutagenesis and hla promoter-gfp-luxABCDE dual reporter approaches, we demonstrated that the SNPs contribute to the differential control of hla expression among bovine and human S. aureus isolates. Using a DNA affinity assay, gel-shift assays and a null mutant, we identified and revealed that an hla positive regulator, SarZ, contributes to the involvement of the SNPs in mediating hla expression. In addition, we found that the bovine S. aureus isolate RF122 exhibits higher transcription levels of hla positive regulators, including agrA, saeR, arlR and sarZ, but a lower expression level of hla repressor rot compared to the human S. aureus isolate WCUH29. Our results indicate α-toxin hyperproduction in bovine S. aureus is a multifactorial process, influenced at both the genomic and transcriptional levels. Moreover, the identification of predominant SNPs in the hla promoter region may provide a novel method for genotyping the S. aureus isolates

Characteristics of the upper-level outflow and its impact on the rapid intensification of Typhoon Roke (2011)

In this study, we investigate the structural characteristics of the upper-level outflow and its impact on the rapid intensification (RI) of Typhoon Roke (2011), which experienced an evident outflow transformation from equatorward to poleward during its RI period. The simulations by the Weather Research and Forecasting Model suggest that the upper-level outflow extends from 100 hPa to 150 hPa, with an upper-level warm core at around 150 hPa. The upper-level outflow is enhanced ahead of the typhoon intensification, which is closely related to the outflow-environment interaction. Further analyses indicate that at the early stage of Roke (2011) before the RI, the strong equatorward outflow and the updraft south of the typhoon center are enhanced, favoring the onset of RI. During the RI period, the strong divergent flow near the entrance of the southwesterly jet in front of the upper-level trough, induces the poleward outflow. The eddy flux convergence of angular momentum inward propagated to the typhoon center from a 1000-km radius further enhances the poleward outflow and leads to the development of the vertical motion north of the typhoon center. Then Roke (2011) intensifies rapidly. Simultaneously, the shallow weak positive potential vorticity (PV) anomaly south of the southwesterly jet increases the inner-core PV, favoring the sustained intensification of Roke (2011). After Roke (2011) reaches its peak intensity, its intensity decreases due to the increase of vertical wind shear and the approaching of the southwesterly jet. It is indicated that the interaction between the upper-level outflow and the upper-tropospheric trough has significant influence on the RI of TC

Pleiotropic effects of the twin-arginine translocation system on biofilm formation, colonization, and virulence in Vibrio cholerae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system serves to translocate folded proteins, including periplasmic enzymes that bind redox cofactors in bacteria. The Tat system is also a determinant of virulence in some pathogenic bacteria, related to pleiotropic effects including growth, motility, and the secretion of some virulent factors. The contribution of the Tat pathway to <it>Vibrio cholerae </it>has not been explored. Here we investigated the functionality of the Tat system in <it>V. cholerae</it>, the etiologic agent of cholera.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In <it>V. cholerae</it>, the <it>tatABC </it>genes function in the translocation of TMAO reductase. Deletion of the <it>tatABC </it>genes led to a significant decrease in biofilm formation, the ability to attach to HT-29 cells, and the ability to colonize suckling mouse intestines. In addition, we observed a reduction in the output of cholera toxin, which may be due to the decreased transcription level of the toxin gene in <it>tatABC </it>mutants, suggesting an indirect effect of the mutation on toxin production. No obvious differences in flagellum biosynthesis and motility were found between the <it>tatABC </it>mutant and the parental strain, showing a variable effect of Tat in different bacteria.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Tat system contributes to the survival of <it>V. cholerae </it>in the environment and <it>in vivo</it>, and it may be associated with its virulence.</p

Fosthiazate inhibits root-knot disease and alters rhizosphere microbiome of Cucumis melo var. saccharinus

Root-knot nematodes especially Meloidogyne spp. are considered as most destructive obligate parasites that substantially reduce crop yield and quality. Fosthiazate is an efficient organothiophosphate chemical with nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne spp. The present study aimed to analyze the efficacy of fosthiazate against root-knot disease in Cucumis melo var. saccharinus and its potential effects on rhizosphere microbiome and metabolites. The fosthiazate (40%) was applied two times by spraying on the day of transplanting and during the pollination period (after 31 days). Samples from treatment (fosthiazate 40%: MF) and control groups (untreated plants; MCK) were analysed through metagenomic and metabolomic profiling of rhizospheres. Results revealed that root-knot index of the MF group (9.26 ± 1.28) was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) lower than the MCK group (22.06 ± 0.71) with a control effect of 57.85% after 31 days of the first spray, whereas fosthiazate efficacy reduced to 31.87% after 38 days of second application with significantly (p &lt; 0.05) different root-knot index values (MF: 56 ± 1.43 and; MCK: 82.26 ± 3.87). However, Cucumis melo var. saccharinus fruit yield in both groups (MCK: 21.1 ± 0.9 and MF: 21.53 ± 0.85) showed no differences (p &gt; 0.05). Metagenomic profiling revealed Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Firmicutes as predominant phyla and Bacillus, Sphingomonas, and Acidibacter as predominant genera in rhizosphere soil samples of both MF and MCK groups. Further, a t-test revealed higher differential enrichment of Firmicutes at phylum level and Bacillus at genus level in MF than MCK. Metabolomic profiling of rhizospheric soil revealed a total of six differential metabolites (p &lt; 0.05), four of them (Sucrose, Hexaonic acid 1, (Z)-9-Octadecenamide 1, and Hexadecanamide) were up-regulated in MF group, whereas two of them (2,3,4-Trihydroxy-3-(Hydroxymethyl) Butanol and Sulfurous acid, 2, ethylhexylundecyl ester) were down-regulated in CK group. Our study concluded that fosthiazate exhibits a better control over the rook-knot disease in the short term and resulted in trackable changes in rhizosphere microbiome and metabolome

SARS-CoV Infection in a Restaurant from Palm Civet

Contact with food animals was associated with SARS-CoV infection in the People’s Republic of China

Combined Rapid (TUBEX) Test for Typhoid-Paratyphoid A Fever Based on Strong Anti-O12 Response: Design and Critical Assessment of Sensitivity

Rapid diagnostics can be accurate but, often, those based on antibody detection for infectious diseases are unwittingly underrated for various reasons. Herein, we described the development of a combined rapid test for two clinically-indistinguishable bacterial diseases, typhoid and paratyphoid A fever, the latter fast emerging as a global threat. By using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to bacterial antigens of known chemical structures as probes, we were able to dissect the antibody response in patients at the level of monosaccharides. Thus, a mAb specific for a common lipopolysaccharide antigen (O12) found in both the causative organisms was employed to semi-quantify the amounts of anti-O12 antibodies present in both types of patients in an epitope-inhibition particle-based (TUBEX) immunoassay. This colorimetric assay detected not only anti-O12 antibodies that were abundantly produced, but also, by steric hindrance, antibodies to an adjoining epitope (O9 or O2 in the typhoid or paratyphoid bacillus, respectively). Sensitivity and, particularly, reaction intensities, were significantly better than those obtained using an anti-O9 or anti-O2 mAb-probe in the examination of paired sera from 22 culture-confirmed typhoid patients (sensitivity, 81.8% vs 75.0%) or single sera from 36 culture-confirmed paratyphoid patients (52.8% vs 28.6), respectively. Importantly, sensitivity was better (97.1% for typhoid, 75.0% for paratyphoid) if allowance was made for the absence of relevant antibodies in certain specimens as determined by an independent, objective assay (ELISA) — such specimens might have been storage-denatured (especially the older paratyphoid samples) or procured from non-responders. Benchmarking against ELISA, which revealed high concordance between the two tests, was useful and more appropriate than comparing with culture methods as traditionally done, since antibody tests and culture target slightly different stages of these diseases. Paired sera analysis was insightful, revealing 64% of typhoid patients who had no change in antibody titer over 4–16 days, and 14% with no IgM-IgG class-switching

Yersinia pestis Interacts With SIGNR1 (CD209b) for Promoting Host Dissemination and Infection

Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacterium and the etiologic agent of plague, has evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, a cause of a mild enteric disease. However, the molecular and biological mechanisms of how Y pseudotuberculosis evolved to such a remarkably virulent pathogen, Y pestis, are not clear. The ability to initiate a rapid bacterial dissemination is a characteristic hallmark of Y pestis infection. A distinguishing characteristic between the two Yersinia species is that Y pseudotuberculosis strains possess an O-antigen of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) while Y pestis has lost the O-antigen during evolution and therefore exposes its core LPS. In this study, we showed that Y pestis utilizes its core LPS to interact with SIGNR1 (CD209b), a C-type lectin receptor on antigen presenting cells (APCs), leading to bacterial dissemination to lymph nodes, spleen and liver, and the initiation of a systemic infection. We therefore propose that the loss of O-antigen represents a critical step in the evolution of Y pseudotuberculosis into Y pestis in terms of hijacking APCs, promoting bacterial dissemination and causing the plague.Peer reviewe