The end of the line for hookworm? An update on vaccine development

Human hookworms are parasitic nematodes infecting about 700 million individuals, largely in tropical regions of the world [1]. In endemic areas, most infected people carry a mixed worm burden, including Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworms), Trichuris trichuria (whipworms), and Ancylostoma duodenale and/or Necator americanus (both hookworms). Of these soil-transmitted helminths, hookworms are the most pathogenic because of their propensity to feed on blood, resulting in anaemia, particularly in those with low iron reserves such as children and women of reproductive age

Mutation (G275E) of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α6 subunit is associated with high levels of resistance to spinosyns in Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

PublishedJournal ArticleThe tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, now a major pest of tomato crops worldwide, is primarily controlled using chemical insecticides. Recently, high levels of resistance to the insecticide spinosad have been described in T. absoluta populations in Brazil. Selection of a resistant field-collected strain led to very high levels of resistance to spinosad and cross-resistance to spinetoram, but not to other insecticides that target the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). In this study the mechanisms underlying resistance to spinosad were investigated using toxicological, biochemical and molecular approaches. Inhibition of metabolic enzymes using synergists and biochemical assessment of detoxification enzyme activity provided little evidence of metabolic resistance in the selected strain. Cloning and sequencing of the nAChR α6 subunit from T. absoluta, the spinosad target-site, from susceptible and spinosad-resistant strains were done to investigate the role of a target-site mechanism in resistance. A single nucleotide change was identified in exon 9 of the α6 subunit of the resistant strain, resulting in the replacement of the glycine (G) residue at position 275 observed in susceptible T. absoluta strains with a glutamic acid (E). A high-throughput DNA-based diagnostic assay was developed and used to assess the prevalence of the G275E mutation in 17 field populations collected from different geographical regions of Brazil. The resistant allele was found at low frequency, and in the heterozygous form, in seven of these populations but at much higher frequency and in the homozygous form in a population collected in the Iraquara municipality. The frequency of the mutation was significantly correlated with the mortality of these populations in discriminating dose bioassays. In summary our results provide evidence that the G275E mutation is an important mechanism of resistance to spinosyns in T. absoluta, and may be used as a marker for resistance monitoring in field populations.Thanks to CAPES for the scholarship granted to the first author and to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico — CNPq for the financial support to the project (Universal 484240/2011-0, H.A.A.S.). The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA grant agreement PIRSES-GA-2012 – 318246. This work was in part funded by a fellowship grant (BB/G023352/1) from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council of the UK to Dr. Chris Bass and a PhD studentship award from the BBSRC which funded Madeleine Berger

Affection not affliction: The role of emotions in information systems and organizational change

Most IS research in both the technical/rational and socio-technical traditions ignores or marginalizes the emotionally charged behaviours through which individuals engage in, and cope with the consequences of, IS practice and associated organizational change. Even within the small body of work that engages with emotions through particular conceptual efforts, affections are often conceived as a phenomenon to be eradicated – an affliction requiring a cure. In this paper, I argue that emotions are always implicated in our lived experiences, crucially influencing how we come to our beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong. I draw from the theoretical work of Michel Foucault to argue for elaborating current notions of IS innovation as a moral and political struggle in which individuals’ beliefs and feelings are constantly tested. Finally, I demonstrate these ideas by reference to a case study that had considerable emotional impact, and highlight the implications for future work

Integrated survey methodologies provide process-driven framework for marine renewable energy environmental impact assessment

The authors would like to the thank the FLOWBEC-4D development team as well as the observers and scientists of the MRV Scotia 2016 (Marianna Chimienti, Helen Wade, Laura Williamson, Ewan Edwards, and Eric Armstrong) and 2018 (Tom Evans, Sarah Fenn, Ross Culloch, David Hunter and Adrian Tait) surveys. Additionally, thanks go to Paul Fernandes (University of Aberdeen) for guidance and reviewing of the acoustic fisheries analysis undertaken here.Peer reviewe

Transfer of electrophilic NH using convenient sources of ammonia: direct synthesis of N–H sulfoximines from sulfoxides

The transfer of nitrogen atoms is extremely valuable in the preparation of medicinal compounds. Here, a new system for NH transfer is developed to prepare sulfoximines, which are emerging as valuable motifs for drug discovery. This is achieved using readily available sources of nitrogen without the requirement for pre-activation or for metal catalysts in an operationally simple protocol. Mixing ammonium salts with diacetoxyiodobenzene in a choice of solvents directly converts sulfoxides to sulfoximines. The protocol is tolerant of many other functional groups and heterocycles that are important in drug compounds. This is the first example of the use of ammonia sources with diacetoxyiodobenzene providing a source of electrophilic nitrogen. Control and mechanistic studies suggest a short-lived electrophilic intermediate, likely to be PhINH or PhIN+

Possible symmetries of the superconducting order parameter in a hexagonal ferromagnet

We study the order parameter symmetry in a hexagonal crystal with co-existing superconductivity and ferromagnetism. An experimental example is provided by carbon-based materials, such as graphite-sulfur composites, in which an evidence of such co-existence has been recently discovered. The presence of a non-zero magnetization in the normal phase brings about considerable changes in the symmetry classification of superconducting states, compared to the non-magnetic case.Comment: 4 pages, REVTe

Structural change in a B-DNA helix with hydrostatic pressure

Study of the effects of pressure on macromolecular structure improves our understanding of the forces governing structure, provides details on the relevance of cavities and packing in structure, increases our understanding of hydration and provides a basis to understand the biology of high-pressure organisms. A study of DNA, in particular, helps us to understand how pressure can affect gene activity. Here we present the first high-resolution experimental study of B-DNA structure at high pressure, using NMR data acquired at pressures up to 200 MPa (2 kbar). The structure of DNA compresses very little, but is distorted so as to widen the minor groove, and to compress hydrogen bonds, with AT pairs compressing more than GC pairs. The minor groove changes are suggested to lead to a compression of the hydration water in the minor groove

Multiphase induction motor drives - a technology status review

The area of multiphase variable-speed motor drives in general and multiphase induction motor drives in particular has experienced a substantial growth since the beginning of this century. Research has been conducted worldwide and numerous interesting developments have been reported in the literature. An attempt is made to provide a detailed overview of the current state-of-the-art in this area. The elaborated aspects include advantages of multiphase induction machines, modelling of multiphase induction machines, basic vector control and direct torque control schemes and PWM control of multiphase voltage source inverters. The authors also provide a detailed survey of the control strategies for five-phase and asymmetrical six-phase induction motor drives, as well as an overview of the approaches to the design of fault tolerant strategies for post-fault drive operation, and a discussion of multiphase multi-motor drives with single inverter supply. Experimental results, collected from various multiphase induction motor drive laboratory rigs, are also included to facilitate the understanding of the drive operatio

Sunyaev-Zel'dovich clusters in millennium gas simulations

Large surveys using the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect to find clusters of galaxies are now starting to yield large numbers of systems out to high redshift, many of which are new dis- coveries. In order to provide theoretical interpretation for the release of the full SZ cluster samples over the next few years, we have exploited the large-volume Millennium gas cosmo- logical N-body hydrodynamics simulations to study the SZ cluster population at low and high redshift, for three models with varying gas physics. We confirm previous results using smaller samplesthattheintrinsic(spherical)Y500–M500relationhasverylittlescatter(σlog10Y ≃0.04), is insensitive to cluster gas physics and evolves to redshift 1 in accordance with self-similar expectations. Our preheating and feedback models predict scaling relations that are in excel- lent agreement with the recent analysis from combined Planck and XMM–Newton data by the Planck Collaboration. This agreement is largely preserved when r500 and M500 are derived using thehydrostaticmassproxy,YX,500,albeitwithsignificantlyreducedscatter(σlog10Y ≃0.02),a result that is due to the tight correlation between Y500 and YX,500. Interestingly, this assumption also hides any bias in the relation due to dynamical activity. We also assess the importance of projection effects from large-scale structure along the line of sight, by extracting cluster Y500 values from 50 simulated 5 × 5-deg2 sky maps. Once the (model-dependent) mean signal is subtracted from the maps we find that the integrated SZ signal is unbiased with respect to the underlying clusters, although the scatter in the (cylindrical) Y500–M500 relation increases in the preheating case, where a significant amount of energy was injected into the intergalactic medium at high redshift. Finally, we study the hot gas pressure profiles to investigate the origin of the SZ signal and find that the largest contribution comes from radii close to r500 in all cases. The profiles themselves are well described by generalized Navarro, Frenk & White profiles but there is significant cluster-to-cluster scatter. In conclusion, our results support the notion that Y500 is a robust mass proxy for use in cosmological analyses with clusters

Carbon on the Northwest European Shelf: Contemporary Budget and Future Influences

A carbon budget for the northwest European continental shelf seas (NWES) was synthesized using available estimates for coastal, pelagic and benthic carbon stocks and flows. Key uncertainties were identified and the effect of future impacts on the carbon budget were assessed. The water of the shelf seas contains between 210 and 230 Tmol of carbon and absorbs between 1.3 and 3.3 Tmol from the atmosphere annually. Off-shelf transport and burial in the sediments account for 60–100 and 0–40% of carbon outputs from the NWES, respectively. Both of these fluxes remain poorly constrained by observations and resolving their magnitudes and relative importance is a key research priority. Pelagic and benthic carbon stocks are dominated by inorganic carbon. Shelf sediments contain the largest stock of carbon, with between 520 and 1600 Tmol stored in the top 0.1 m of the sea bed. Coastal habitats such as salt marshes and mud flats contain large amounts of carbon per unit area but their total carbon stocks are small compared to pelagic and benthic stocks due to their smaller spatial extent. The large pelagic stock of carbon will continue to increase due to the rising concentration of atmospheric CO2, with associated pH decrease. Pelagic carbon stocks and flows are also likely to be significantly affected by increasing acidity and temperature, and circulation changes but the net impact is uncertain. Benthic carbon stocks will be affected by increasing temperature and acidity, and decreasing oxygen concentrations, although the net impact of these interrelated changes on carbon stocks is uncertain and a major knowledge gap. The impact of bottom trawling on benthic carbon stocks is unique amongst the impacts we consider in that it is widespread and also directly manageable, although its net effect on the carbon budget is uncertain. Coastal habitats are vulnerable to sea level rise and are strongly impacted by management decisions. Local, national and regional actions have the potential to protect or enhance carbon storage, but ultimately global governance, via controls on emissions, has the greatest potential to influence the long-term fate of carbon stocks in the northwestern European continental shelf