Evaluating potential routes of invasion of pathogens and vectors of sanitary importance is essential for planning and decision-making at multiple scales. An effective tool are process-explicit models ...that allow coupling environmental, demographic and dispersal information to evaluate population growth and range dynamics as a function of the abiotic conditions in a region. In this work we simulate multiple dispersal/invasion routes in Mexico that could be taken by ambrosia beetles and a specific symbiont, Harringtonia lauricola, responsible for a severe epiphytic of Lauraceae in North America. We used Xyleborus bispinatus Eichhoff 1868 as a study subject and estimated its demography in the laboratory in a temperature gradient (17, 20, 26, 29, 35 °C), which we then used to parameterize a process-based model to estimate its metapopulation dynamics. The maximum intrinsic growth rate of X. bispinatus is 0.13 with a thermal optimum of 26.2 °C. The models suggest important regions for the establishment and dispersal the states of Veracruz, Chiapas and Oaxaca (high host and secondary vectors diversity), the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (connectivity region), and Michoacán and Jalisco (important avocado plantations). The use of hybrid process-based models is a promising tool to refine the predictions applied to the study of biological invasions and species distributions.
Dipetalogaster maxima (Uhler) is a triatomine species that has been found to be infected by Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas in the habitats of the most important tourist areas of Mexico. Its behavior and ...vectorial capacity have been scarcely studied, although such information is necessary to reliably estimate the importance of this species as a vector of T. cruzi in its distribution area. This study reports biological parameters related to the vectorial capacity of D. maxima. In particular, the egg-to-adult development time, number of blood meals required to molt, accumulative mortality, time to beginning of feeding, feeding and defecation times, fecundity, and fertility were examined. D. maxima took a median of 211 d to develop from egg to adult, requiring 11 meals in total. Almost two-thirds (63%) of specimens died during the cycle. The time to beginning of feeding was 1 min in all instars. Feeding times varied from 14 to 27 min. Most nymphs (except first-instar) defecated when feeding or immediately thereafter. A mean of 0.7 eggs/♀/day was recorded, with an eclosion rate of 27.3%. Five of the eight studied parameters (mainly defecation delay) suggest the remarkable potential vectorial capacity of D. maxima, so it is necessary to maintain permanent surveillance of domiciliary populations of D. maxima, because they may be infected with T. cruzi. Graphical Abstract
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptibility is an inherited condition, diagnosed either by the presence of a pathogenic genetic variant or by in vitro caffeine–halothane contracture testing. Through a ...multi-dimensional approach, we describe the implications of discordance between genetic and in vitro test results in a patient with a family history of possible MH.
The patient, whose brother had a possible MH reaction, underwent the caffeine–halothane contracture test (CHCT) according to the North American MH Group protocol. Screening of the complete RYR1 and CACNA1S transcripts was done using Sanger sequencing. Additional functional analyses included skinned myofibre calcium-induced calcium release sensitivity, calcium signalling assays in cultured myotubes, and in silico evaluation of the effect of any genetic variants on their chemical environment.
The patient's CHCT result was negative but she carried an RYR1 variant c.1209C>G, p.Ile403Met, that is listed as pathogenic by the European Malignant Hyperthermia Group. Functional tests indicated a gain-of-function effect with a weak impact, and the variant was predicted to affect the folding stability of the 3D structure of the RyR1 protein. Based on American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association of Molecular Pathology guidelines, this variant would be characterised as a variant of uncertain significance.
Available data do not confirm or exclude an increased risk of MH for this patient. Further research is needed to correlate RyR1 functional assays, including the current gold standard testing for MH susceptibility, with clinical phenotypes. The pathogenicity of genetic variants associated with MH susceptibility should be re-evaluated.
If neutrino masses and mixings are suitable to explain the atmospheric and solar neutrino fluxes, this amounts to contributions to FCNC processes, in particular
μ→
e,
γ. If the theory is ...supersymmetric and the origin of the masses is a see-saw mechanism, we show that the prediction for BR(
μ→
e,
γ) is in general larger than the experimental upper bound, especially if the largest Yakawa coupling is
O(1)
and the solar data are explained by a large angle MSW effect, which recent analyses suggest as the preferred scenario. Our analysis is bottom–up and completely general, i.e., it is based just on observable low-energy data. The work generalizes previous results of the literature, identifying the dominant contributions. Application of the results to scenarios with approximate top-neutrino unification, like SO(10) models, rules out most of them unless the leptonic Yukawa matrices satisfy very precise requirements. Other possible ways-out, like gauge mediated SUSY breaking, are also discussed.
Purpose
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal hypermetabolic condition triggered by certain anesthetics and caused by defective calcium homeostasis in skeletal muscle cells. Recent ...evidence has revealed impairment of various biochemical pathways in MH-susceptible patients in the absence of anesthetics. We hypothesized that clinical differences between MH-susceptible and control individuals are reflected in measurable differences in myoplasmic metabolites.
Methods
We performed metabolomic profiling of skeletal muscle samples from MH-negative (control) individuals and MH-susceptible patients undergoing muscle biopsy for diagnosis of MH susceptibility. Cellular metabolites were extracted from 33 fresh and 87 frozen human muscle samples using solid phase microextraction and Metabolon
®
untargeted biochemical profiling platforms, respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry was used for metabolite identification and validation, followed by analysis of differences in metabolites between the MH-susceptible and MH-negative groups.
Results
Significant fold-change differences between the MH-susceptible and control groups in metabolites from various pathways were found (
P
value range: 0.009 to < 0.001). These included accumulation of long chain acylcarnitines, diacylglycerols, phosphoenolpyruvate, histidine pathway metabolites, lysophosphatidylcholine, oxidative stress markers, and phosphoinositols, as well as decreased levels of monoacylglycerols. The results from both analytical platforms were in agreement.
Conclusion
This metabolomics study indicates a shift from utilization of carbohydrates towards lipids for energy production in MH-susceptible individuals. This shift may result in inefficiency of beta-oxidation, and increased muscle protein turnover, oxidative stress, and/or lysophosphatidylcholine levels.
This paper describes the progress of the DEMO Design Activities in Europe and particularly the work done to address critical design integration issues that affect the machine configuration and ...performance, the plant concept layout and the selection of system design and technologies. Work continues to be primarily focused on the design integration of a pulsed baseline DEMO reactor concept, but a number of alternative configurations (e.g., a double-null divertor and a snowflake divertor as well as a ‘flexi’ DEMO that operates initially in an inductively driven pulsed regime, with the possibility to be upgraded to a long-pulse or steady-state machine with a greater reliance on auxiliary current drive, etc.) are under preliminary study, especially to evaluate their DEMO reactor relevance. Some initial considerations are given on the strategy to implement a structured design and technology down-selection, that progressively reviews and narrows options to arrive at the DEMO plant concept that addresses major system integration risks and offers the best probability to satisfy all stakeholder mission requirements. Finally, some recent technical achievements are highlighted.
This special issue of Fusion Engineering and Design contains the papers corresponding to the invited, oral and poster contributions of the 11th International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology ...(ISFNT-11). It took place from September 15th to September 20th at Barcelona, Spain. The Symposium is recognized as the major international conference for the exchange of information on all scientific, engineering and other technical aspects of fusion nuclear technology and related disciplines. The conference was intended to provide an opportunity to report on recent technical progress, discuss key issues and identify means to resolve pending issues. The Symposium was organized by Spanish Energy, Environment and Technology Research Center (CIEMAT) and the Energy Research Institute of Catalonia (IREC) under the coordination of the International Standing Committee (IST).
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