Background: Polymicrobial brain abscess (PBA) is a complex infection caused by two or more pathogens and a life-threatening condition with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Methods: We retrospectively identified PBAs in 31 patients (a median of 58 years; 24 male, and 7 female) then examined their clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics. These characteristics of PBAs were compared with those of monomicrobial BAs (MBAs) in the previously reported 113 patients. Results: PBAs and MBAs had a few similarities such as nonspecific clinical presentations and overall similar prognosis following surgical intervention with broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. However, PBAs were highly heterogeneous with more complexity on MRI/CT imaging and histopathology. While PBAs were typically rim-enhancing lesions at late-stages, 30/31 (97%) of PBAs showed the lobulation of enhancing rims/walls; on MRI, 14/26 (54%) of cases demonstrated marked difference in the thickness of enhancing rim, marked difference in the degree of DWI signal, and/or marked variation in intra-lesional MRI signal. PBA histopathology was characterized by alternating early-stage and late-stage features with a combinations of 2-4 pathogens. Conclusions: BPAs share some features with MBAs, but they are more heterogeneous with greater complexity on imaging and histopathology. Their diagnosis and disease staging require a clinico-radiologico-pathological approach.

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex in which one member, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) has invaded globally. After invading large countries like Australia, China, and the USA, MEAM1 spread rapidly across each country. In contrast, our analysis of MEAM1 in India showed a very different pattern. Despite the detection of MEAM1 being contemporaneous with invasions in Australia, the USA, and China, MEAM1 has not spread widely and instead remains restricted to the southern regions. An assessment of Indian MEAM1 genetic diversity showed a level of diversity equivalent to that found in its presumed home range and significantly higher than that expected across the invaded range. The high level of diversity and restricted distribution raises the prospect that its home range extends into India. Similarly, while the levels of diversity in Australia and the USA conformed to that expected for the invaded range, China did not. It suggests that China may also be part of its home range. We also observed that diversity across the invaded range was primarily accounted for by a single haplotype, Hap1, which accounted for 79.8% of all records. It was only the invasion of Hap1 that enabled outbreaks to occur and MEAM1’s discovery.

Folate metabolism is involved in the development and progression of various cancers. We investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in folate-metabolising genes and their interactions with serum folate concentrations with overall survival (OS) and liver cancer-specific survival (LCSS) of newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. We detected the genotypes of six SNP in three genes related to folate metabolism: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR) and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (MTR). Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI. This analysis included 970 HCC patients with genotypes of six SNP, and 864 of them had serum folate measurements. During a median follow-up of 722 d, 393 deaths occurred, with 360 attributed to HCC. In the fully-adjusted models, the MTRR rs1801394 polymorphism was significantly associated with OS in additive (per G allele: HR = 0·84, 95 % CI: 0·71, 0·99), co-dominant (AG v. AA: HR = 0·77; 95 % CI: 0·62, 0·96) and dominant (AG + GG v. AA: HR = 0·78; 95 % CI: 0·63, 0·96) models. Carrying increasing numbers of protective alleles was linked to better LCSS (HR10–12 v. 2–6 = 0·70; 95 % CI: 0·49, 1·00) and OS (HR10–12 v. 2–6 = 0·67; 95 % CI: 0·47, 0·95). Furthermore, we observed significant interactions on both multiplicative and additive scales between serum folate levels and MTRR rs1801394 polymorphism. Carrying the variant G allele of the MTRR rs1801394 is associated with better HCC prognosis and may enhance the favourable association between higher serum folate levels and improved survival among HCC patients.

High-intensity vortex beams with tunable topological charges and low coherence are highly demanded in applications such as inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and optical communication. However, traditional optical vortices featuring nonuniform intensity distributions are dramatically restricted in application scenarios that require a high-intensity vortex beam owing to their ineffective amplification resulting from the intensity-dependent nonlinear effect. Here, a low-coherence perfect vortex beam (PVB) with a topological charge as high as 140 is realized based on the super-pixel wavefront-shaping technique. More importantly, a globally adaptive feedback algorithm (GAFA) is proposed to efficiently suppress the original intensity fluctuation and achieve a flat-top PVB with dramatically reduced beam speckle contrast. The GAFA-based flat-top PVB generation method can pave the way for high-intensity vortex beam generation, which is crucial for potential applications in ICF, laser processing, optical communication and optical trapping.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has been a leader in weed science research covering topics ranging from the development and use of integrated weed management (IWM) tactics to basic mechanistic studies, including biotic resistance of desirable plant communities and herbicide resistance. ARS weed scientists have worked in agricultural and natural ecosystems, including agronomic and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, wild lands, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. Through strong partnerships with academia, state agencies, private industry, and numerous federal programs, ARS weed scientists have made contributions to discoveries in the newest fields of robotics and genetics, as well as the traditional and fundamental subjects of weed–crop competition and physiology and integration of weed control tactics and practices. Weed science at ARS is often overshadowed by other research topics; thus, few are aware of the long history of ARS weed science and its important contributions. This review is the result of a symposium held at the Weed Science Society of America’s 62nd Annual Meeting in 2022 that included 10 separate presentations in a virtual Weed Science Webinar Series. The overarching themes of management tactics (IWM, biological control, and automation), basic mechanisms (competition, invasive plant genetics, and herbicide resistance), and ecosystem impacts (invasive plant spread, climate change, conservation, and restoration) represent core ARS weed science research that is dynamic and efficacious and has been a significant component of the agency’s national and international efforts. This review highlights current studies and future directions that exemplify the science and collaborative relationships both within and outside ARS. Given the constraints of weeds and invasive plants on all aspects of food, feed, and fiber systems, there is an acknowledged need to face new challenges, including agriculture and natural resources sustainability, economic resilience and reliability, and societal health and well-being.

Repeated serosurveys are an important tool for understanding trends in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and vaccination. During 1 September 2020–20 March 2021, the NYC Health Department conducted a population-based SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence survey of 2096 NYC adults who either provided a blood specimen or self-reported the results of a previous antibody test. The serosurvey, the second in a series of surveys conducted by the NYC Health Department, aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence across the city and for different groups at higher risk for adverse health outcomes. Weighted citywide prevalence was 23.5% overall (95% confidence interval (CI) 20.1–27.4) and increased from 19.2% (95% CI 14.7–24.6) before coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines were available to 31.3% (95% CI 24.5–39.0) during the early phases of vaccine roll-out. We found no differences in antibody prevalence by age, race/ethnicity, borough, education, marital status, sex, health insurance coverage, self-reported general health or neighbourhood poverty. These results show an overall increase in population-level seropositivity in NYC following the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and highlight the importance of repeated serosurveys in understanding the pandemic's progression.

Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein TgROP18 is a polymorphic virulence effector that targets immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) in rodents. Given that IRGs are uniquely diversified in rodents and not in other T. gondii intermediate hosts, the role of TgROP18 in manipulating non-rodent cells is unclear. Here we show that in human cells TgROP18I interacts with the interferon-gamma-inducible protein N-myc and STAT interactor (NMI) and that this is a property that is unique to the type I TgROP18 allele. Specifically, when expressed ectopically in mammalian cells only TgROP18I co-immunoprecipitates with NMI in IFN-γ-treated cells, while TgROP18II does not. In parasites expressing TgROP18I or TgROP18II, NMI only co-immunoprecipitates with TgROP18I and this is associated with allele-specific immunolocalization of NMI on the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM). We also found that TgROP18I reduces NMI association with IFN-γ-activated sequences (GAS) in the IRF1 gene promoter. Finally, we determined that polymorphisms in the C-terminal kinase domain of TgROP18I are required for allele-specific effects on NMI. Together, these data further define new host pathway targeted by TgROP18I and provide the first function driven by allelic differences in the highly polymorphic ROP18 locus.

Neurodevelopment is sensitive to genetic and pre/postnatal environmental influences. These effects are likely mediated by epigenetic factors, yet current knowledge is limited. Longitudinal twin studies can delineate the link between genetic and environmental factors, epigenetic state at birth and neurodevelopment later in childhood. Building upon our study of the Peri/postnatal Epigenetic Twin Study (PETS) from gestation to 6 years of age, here we describe the PETS 11-year follow-up in which we will use neuroimaging and cognitive testing to examine the relationship between early-life environment, epigenetics and neurocognitive outcomes in mid-childhood. Using a within-pair twin model, the primary aims are to (1) identify early-life epigenetic correlates of neurocognitive outcomes; (2) determine the developmental stability of epigenetic effects and (3) identify modifiable environmental risk factors. Secondary aims are to identify factors influencing gut microbiota between 6 and 11 years of age to investigate links between gut microbiota and neurodevelopmental outcomes in mid-childhood. Approximately 210 twin pairs will undergo an assessment at 11 years of age. This includes a direct child cognitive assessment, multimodal magnetic resonance imaging, biological sampling, anthropometric measurements and a range of questionnaires on health and development, behavior, dietary habits and sleeping patterns. Data from complementary data sources, including the National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy and the Australian Early Development Census, will also be sought. Following on from our previous focus on relationships between growth, cardiovascular health and oral health, this next phase of PETS will significantly advance our understanding of the environmental interactions that shape the developing brain.

Fasciolosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease that seriously endangers the development of animal husbandry and human health. In order to develop a rapid serological diagnostic method for fasciolosis in ruminants, the CatL1D and CatB4 genes of Fasciola hepatica were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned, respectively, and then the CatL-B fusion gene (MeCatL-B) was constructed by gene splicing by overlap extension PCR technique. The recombinant rCatL1D, rCatB4 and rMeCatL-B proteins were then prepared by prokaryotic expression, respectively, and the recombinant protein with high specificity and sensitivity was screened via indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using the selected recombinant protein rCatL1D as a diagnostic antigen, we developed a colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (CGIA) for detecting F. hepatica-specific antibodies, and 426 serum samples of slaughtered sheep were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of F. hepatica CGIA assay. The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of rCatL1D protein (100%, 96.67%) were higher than those of rCatB4 (94.29%, 80%) and rMeCatL-B (91.43%, 90%). Compared with the gold standard post-mortem inspection, the specificity and sensitivity of the CGIA method was 100% and 97%, respectively, and the consistency rate between these two methods was 99.3%. These results confirmed that the CGIA method based on rCatL1D protein could be a promising approach for rapid diagnosis of sheep fasciolosis because of its high sensitivity and specificity.

Bullying has been understudied among preschool children, especially those from Chinese American families. Previous research has also neglected the dimensional effects of psychological control on child bullying development. This study examined two psychological control dimensions, love withdrawal and guilt induction, and their effects on children's bullying aggressive behavior using a longitudinal design. Participants were first-generation Chinese American mothers (N = 133; mean age [Mage] = 37.82) and their preschool children (Mage = 4.48). Chinese immigrant mothers reported their psychologically controlling parenting and teachers rated children's bullying aggressive behaviors in the school setting. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to establish the psychometric properties and cross-wave measurement equivalence of the study constructs. Cross-lagged structural equation modeling analysis indicated that maternal love withdrawal prospectively predicted more bullying aggressive behavior, whereas guilt induction predicted less bullying aggressive behavior in children 6 months later. These results held after controlling for the initial level of children's problem behaviors and demographic variables (child age, gender, and maternal education). For child effects, child bullying aggressive behavior predicted more maternal guilt induction over time but not love withdrawal. Our findings highlight the importance of construct specificity and cultural context in understanding associations between parenting and child development.

Silk and carbon nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide, graphene, and carbon nanotubes, have complementary mechanical properties that feature superior toughness and strength, respectively. Different strategies have been devoted to developing silk/carbon nanocomposites, but challenges remain to fully integrate the mechanical advantages of these two components into one synergistic material system. In this article, we provide a critical summary of structure–mechanics relationships in silk/carbon nanocomposites and highlight the impact of the interaction between silk and carbon nanomaterials on mechanical properties of the hybrid materials. We describe the challenges involved and directions for future designs of silk/carbon nanocomposites.

Dengue is the fastest spreading mosquito-transmitted disease in the world. In China, Guangzhou City is believed to be the most important epicenter of dengue outbreaks although the transmission patterns are still poorly understood. We developed an autoregressive integrated moving average model incorporating external regressors to examine the association between the monthly number of locally acquired dengue infections and imported cases, mosquito densities, temperature and precipitation in Guangzhou. In multivariate analysis, imported cases and minimum temperature (both at lag 0) were both associated with the number of locally acquired infections (P < 0.05). This multivariate model performed best, featuring the lowest fitting root mean squared error (RMSE) (0.7520), AIC (393.7854) and test RMSE (0.6445), as well as the best effect in model validation for testing outbreak with a sensitivity of 1.0000, a specificity of 0.7368 and a consistency rate of 0.7917. Our findings suggest that imported cases and minimum temperature are two key determinants of dengue local transmission in Guangzhou. The modelling method can be used to predict dengue transmission in non-endemic countries and to inform dengue prevention and control strategies.

Lake-calving Yakutat Glacier in southeast Alaska, USA, is undergoing rapid thinning and terminus retreat. We use a simplified glacier model to evaluate its future mass loss. In a first step we compute glacier-wide mass change with a surface mass-balance model, and add a mass loss component due to ice flux through the calving front. We then use an empirical elevation change curve to adjust for surface elevation change of the glacier and finally use a flotation criterion to account for terminus retreat due to frontal ablation. Surface mass balance is computed on a daily timescale; elevation change and retreat is adjusted on a decadal scale. We use two scenarios to simulate future mass change: (1) keeping the current (2000–10) climate and (2) forcing the model with a projected warming climate. We find that the glacier will disappear in the decade before 2110 or 2070 under constant or warming climates, respectively. For the first few decades, the glacier can maintain its current thinning rates by retreating and associated loss of high-ablating, low-elevation areas. However, once higher elevations have thinned substantially, the glacier can no longer counteract accelerated thinning by retreat and mass loss accelerates, even under constant climate conditions. We find that it would take a substantial cooling of 1.5°C to reverse the ongoing retreat. It is therefore likely that Yakutat Glacier will continue its retreat at an accelerating rate and disappear entirely.

In indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion, the radiation symmetry must be controlled for the achievement of hotspot ignition. The radiation symmetry is of great importance. In this paper, we investigate the drive asymmetry of the M-band (2–5 keV) radiation emitted from an Au holhraum wall by using the three-dimensional view-factor code IRAD3D. Analysis of the M-band flux drive at the Shenguang-III laser facility shows that it is asymmetric and that the asymmetry varies with time. For a given cross section over the pole, the initial M-band flux asymmetries are P 2 = 11.59, P 4 = 1.41, and P 6 = −0.64%. When the asymmetries are artificially added to a symmetric radiation drive, the position of the deuterium-tritium (DT) ice/gas interface is asymmetric for a National Ignition Facility capsule in 1D simulation. This means that M-band flux asymmetry can lead to implosion asymmetry even if the total radiation is symmetric. Pure CH and Si-doped CH capsules are considered. The results show that a mid-Z dopant can partly reduce the asymmetry. However, the asymmetry is still very large. Thus, it is necessary to study the M-band flux asymmetry and its influence on the implosion symmetry.

Successful control of wild oat in cereal crops requires an accurate prediction of the developmental stages of wild oat plants that emerged during the growing season. The main objective of this research was to evaluate wild oat growth and to predict the phyllochron of wild oat plants that emerge at various times in the Red River Valley region of Minnesota and North Dakota. Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 in Crookston, MN, and Fargo, ND. Four emergence cohorts were established in 4 successive wk. Research plots were arranged in randomized complete blocks with six replications. From the naturally emerged wild oat population, 10 randomly selected plants per plot were evaluated for plant height, leaves on main stem, tillers per plant, total leaves per plant, days to flag leaf emergence and to heading, biomass per plant, and seeds per plant. Haun's numerical cereal development scale was regressed on days after emergence (DAE), day length (DL), growing degree days (GDD), or photothermal units (PTU). Wild oats that emerged first required more time for flag leaf emergence and heading, were taller, and had more biomass, leaves, tillers, and seed production than wild oat plants that emerged later. Wild oat phyllochron intervals were 5.3 d, 94 GDD, or 1,468 PTU, regardless of emergence timing. These data suggest that wild oat phyllochron is primarily driven by air temperature and is relatively stable during the extended emergence period. Later-emerging wild oat plants, although not as competitive as earlier emerging ones, still have the potential to contribute to the seed bank if left uncontrolled.