Tool For Control Research Articles

The Relationship between Selective Digestive Decontamination and Nosocomial Infections in Patients Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in ICUs: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Nosocomial infections are a worldwide healthcare issue, especially in intensive care units (ICUs), and they had a prevalence of 21.1% in 2023 in Spain. Numerous predisposing risk factors have been identified, with the most relevant being invasive techniques, including renal replacement therapies (RRTs). Several outstanding strategies have been published that prevent or reduce their incidence, including the nationwide ZERO in Spain, which consists of structured guidelines to be implemented to tackle this problem. One of these strategies, which is defined as 'highly recommended' in these projects, is selective digestive decontamination (SDD). The main aim of this study is to compare the incidences of ICU-acquired infections, including those due to multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB), in two cohorts of RRT with or without SDD. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective, observational study at two tertiary hospitals in Spain. In total, 140 patients treated with RRT were recruited based on their exposure to SDD. Surveillance microbiological samples and nosocomial infection risk factors were obtained. Infection rates per 1000 days of exposure and the MDRB incidence density ratio were determined. Results: SDD statistically significantly reduced RRT-associated nosocomial infections (OR: 0.10, 95% CI: (0.04-0.26)) and the MDRB incidence density ratio (IDR: 0.156, 95% CI = 0.048-0.506). However, mechanical ventilation (OR: 7.91, 95% CI: (2.54-24.66)) and peripheral vascular disease (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: (1.33-7.56)) were significantly associated with increases in infections. Conclusions: Our results favor the use of SDD in ICU patients with renal failure undergoing CRRT as a tool for infection control.

Transmission-Blocking Strategies for Malaria Eradication: Recent Advances in Small-Molecule Drug Development.

Malaria drug research and development efforts have resurged in the last decade following the decelerating rate of mortality and malaria cases in endemic regions. The inefficiency of malaria interventions is largely driven by the spreading resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite to current drug regimens and that of the malaria vector, the Anopheles mosquito, to insecticides. In response to the new eradication agenda, drugs that act by breaking the malaria transmission cycle (transmission-blocking drugs), which has been recognized as an important and additional target for intervention, are being developed. These drugs take advantage of the susceptibility of Plasmodium during population bottlenecks before transmission (gametocytes) and in the mosquito vector (gametes, zygotes, ookinetes, oocysts, sporozoites). To date, compounds targeting stage V gametocytes predominate in the chemical library of transmission-blocking drugs, and some of them have entered clinical trials. The targeting of Plasmodium mosquito stages has recently renewed interest in the development of innovative malaria control tools, which hold promise for the application of compounds effective at these stages. In this review, we highlight the major achievements and provide an update on the research of transmission-blocking drugs, with a particular focus on their chemical scaffolds, antiplasmodial activity, and transmission-blocking potential.

Biosynthesized gold nanoparticles for enhanced determination of nicotine in heated tobacco products

An electrochemical sensor for nicotine determination in heated tobacco products (HTPs) was developed using biosynthesized AuNPs from Ceiba pentandra leaf extract. The biosynthesis process was optimized by investigating the effects of HauCl4 concentration, extract volume, reaction temperature, and time on the formation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The biosynthesized AuNPs were characterized using various techniques, confirming their crystallinity, spherical morphology, and uniform size distribution with an average diameter of 19.8 ± 3.6 nm. The AuNP modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNP/GCE) exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance compared to the bare GCE, facilitating efficient oxidation of nicotine. The AuNP/GCE sensor demonstrated a wide linear range of 0.02–280 µmol L−1 and a low limit of detection of 0.01 µmol L−1 for nicotine determination. The sensor showed excellent selectivity towards nicotine in the presence of common interfering substances, with negligible responses (<5 % change) to uric acid, paracetamol, glucose, melamine, L-cysteine, and dopamine. The AuNP/GCE sensor's applicability was validated by analyzing nicotine levels in real HTP samples, with excellent recovery rates (97.6–102.4 %) and good agreement with the HPLC (R2 = 0.998). The biosynthesized AuNP-based electrochemical sensor offers a rapid, sensitive, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach for nicotine determination in HTPs, providing a valuable tool for quality control and regulatory purposes.

Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Sheep-Biting Louse Bovicola ovis Using Nanopore Sequencing Data and Pore-C Analysis.

Bovicola ovis, commonly known as the sheep-biting louse, is an ectoparasite that adversely affects the sheep industry. Sheep louse infestation lowers the quality of products, including wool and leather, causing a loss of approximately AUD 123M per annum in Australia alone. The lack of a high-quality genome assembly for the sheep-biting louse, as well as any closely related livestock lice, has hindered the development of louse research and management control tools. In this study, we present the assembly of B. ovis with a genome size of ~123 Mbp based on a nanopore long-read sequencing library and Illumina RNA sequencing, complemented with a chromosome-level scaffolding using the Pore-C multiway chromatin contact dataset. Combining multiple alignment and gene prediction tools, a comprehensive annotation on the assembled B. ovis genome was conducted and recalled 11,810 genes as well as other genomic features including orf, ssr, rRNA and tRNA. A manual curation using alignment with the available closely related louse species, Pediculus humanus, increased the number of annotated genes to 16,024. Overall, this study reported critical genetic resources and biological insights for the advancement of sheep louse research and the development of sustainable control strategies in the sheep industry.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION TOOLS AND PERFORMANCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT: A CASE OF GREEN AMAYAGA PROJECT

The purpose of this research was to examine monitoring and evaluation tools and performance of climate change project, case study of Green Amayaga Project. The research was guided by the following specific objectives: to evaluate the effect of project control tools on the performance of Green Amayaga climate change project, to assess the effect of project performance reporting on the performance of Green Amayaga climate change project and to determine the effect of project results evaluation on the performance of Green Amayaga climate change project. Three theories identified in this research include goal setting theory, theory of change and evaluation theory of tree. Furthermore, the research design used both descriptive and correlation analyses. The target population was made up of 143 people while the sample size is 106 selected using simple random sampling technique and quota sampling including the beneficiaries of Green Amayaga Project. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interview guide. The findings revealed a strong relationship between project control tools and project performance as reported by the Pearson correlation (r=0.735, p&lt;0.05). The findings on objective two (r=0.604, p&lt;0.05) indicates positive and significant relationship with project performance. The findings based on the third objective reported a moderate positive relationship (r=0.504, p&lt;0.000) between project result evaluation and project performance. The regression analysis reported R2=0.810 showing that 81% of the project performance is due to the influence of the use of project M&amp;E tools such as project control tools, project performance reporting and project result evaluation. The researcher recommends that the project managers in community-based projects such as the Green Amayaga should use the M&amp;E tools to ensure such projects achieve their development objectives within their budget, timeframe, and scope. The researcher also recommends that progressive reporting should be adopted in order to continuously furnish the donors and other stakeholders with relevant information for decision making. KEY WORDS: Monitoring and Evaluation, M&amp;E Tools, Climate change adaptation, Project Performance, Rwanda

Studies on the Disposition of Technetium-99m Labeled Foot-and-mouth Disease Vaccine in Guinea Pigs

Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a widespread and contagious disease affecting various animal species. The effectiveness of control tools is impeded by the high costs associated with animal experimentation, an incomplete understanding of host immune systems and a scarcity of immunological reagents. 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals, known for their versatile chemistry, play a crucial role in preclinical research and drug development. The objective of the present study was to develop nuclear medicine-enabled strategies for custom designing and uplifting engineered vaccines, specifically nanoparticle vaccines, in guinea pigs. Methods: In the present study, we elucidate the technique used for direct radiolabelling of the FMD vaccine and its subsequent distribution within guinea pigs. The study involved the evaluation of 99mTc-radiolabeling and quality control, as well as the disposition of the 99mTc-FMD vaccine in guinea pigs. Result: Radiolabelling and stability studies showed 95.00% efficiency and 92.93% stability. The study demonstrated that the 99mTc-FMD vaccine showed increased uptake and delayed clearance from lymphoid organs, particularly the spleen and prescapular lymph node, compared to plain 99mTc.

Evasive invasives? Implications of neophobia for feral cat (Felis catus) control

AbstractNeophobia is an ecologically relevant personality trait that manifests as aversion to new or unfamiliar stimuli. Fear and subsequent avoidance of novel stimuli represents a challenge for pest management programs, as control tools that induce a neophobic response will reduce their effectiveness. Additionally, neophobia can be a plastic trait induced by exposure to high‐risk environments, and so can be exacerbated by repeated harassment, which often occurs in pest management programs that are conducted at high intensity. We investigated the propensity of feral cats (Felis catus) to exhibit neophobic behavior towards a novel control device. We also tested whether neophobia was altered by capture and radio‐collaring or changed over time. We found that there is significant potential for initial avoidance of control devices by some feral cats, and that capture and handling significantly increased the likelihood of avoidance. Neophobia generally declined over time suggesting that long‐term deployment may reduce the impact of neophobia. Avoidance of novel control tools could severely limit their effectiveness, especially if deployed to remove the last remaining cats from confined areas. Remaining cats may have avoided repeated attempts at conventional control techniques and so may be more neophobic. In such circumstances, control tool deployments should be lengthened considerably, to take advantage of waning neophobia over time, and, concealed effectively to hide them from neophobic cats. The increased neophobia recorded in cats that were handled and radio‐collared for monitoring suggests that results from experiments that test new control devices may not be indicative of the behavior of naïve cats. Changes to methodology such as minimizing capture and handling may be required to reduce neophobia and provide valid research results when testing novel control tools.

Reasoning Ecological Fatwas: The Progressive Response of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to the Phenomenon of Climate Change in Indonesia

This article aims to discuss the epistemological footing of MUI's ecological fatwa and its contribution in responding to the phenomenon of climate change. Today's environmental crisis is no longer a threat to the earth, but has become a reality. Climate change that occurs on a national and global scale leaves a negative impact on the lives of the earth's inhabitants. One of the causes of the environmental crisis is the attitude of humans who are not friendly to the environment. Humans as God's ambassadors on earth are arbitrary in utilizing the potential of natural resources destructively and exploitatively. Therefore, guidance is needed for Muslims in their interactions with the surrounding environment. MUI as a religious authority has contributed in overcoming the environmental crisis and climate change. The ecological fatwas issued by MUI are expected to be able to change the attitude and behavior of Muslims to become environmentally aware (eco-literacy). Epistemologically, MUI's environmentally friendly fatwas are based on maqāṣid sharī'ah reasoning through maslahat-mafsadat analysis. The approach used in finding the value of the spirit of environmental conservation is based on naṣ qaṭ'ī, qaulī and manhajī methods. These three sources of knowledge are formulated in an environmentally friendly fatwa product as a response to the environmental crisis that has become a global discourse today. Thus, MUI's fatwa can function as a tool of social control and a tool of social engineering at the same time.

Metabolic disruptions in Biomphalaria glabrata induced by Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88: Implications for entomopathogenic nematodes in biological control

Research on the use of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as a potential tool for the biological control of invertebrates has been growing in recent years, including studies involving snails with One Health importance. In this study, the effect of exposure time (24 or 48 h) of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 on the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as the concentration of total proteins, uric acid, and urea in the hemolymph of Biomphalaria glabrata, were investigated. The concentrations of these metabolic markers were measured weekly until the end of the third week after exposure. Along with a significant reduction in total protein levels, a significant increase (p < 0.01) in uric acid and urea contents in the hemolymph of B. glabrata exposed to H. bacteriophora was observed. The accumulation of urea in these mollusks could lead to deleterious effects due to its high toxicity, inducing significant cell damage. Variations in transaminase activities were also observed, with snails exposed to EPNs showing significantly higher values (p < 0.01) than individuals in the control group, both for ALT and AST. These results indicate that experimental exposure to infective juveniles of H. bacteriophora causes significant alterations in the metabolic pattern of B. glabrata, compromising the maintenance of its homeostasis. Finally, exposure for 48 h caused more damage to the planorbid in question compared to snails exposed for 24 h, suggesting that the exposure time may influence the intensity of the host's response.

A Set of FMRI Quality Control Tools in AFNI: Systematic, in-depth, and interactive QC with afni_proc.py and more.

Quality control (QC) assessment is a vital part of FMRI processing and analysis, and a typically underdiscussed aspect of reproducibility. This includes checking datasets at their very earliest stages (acquisition and conversion) through their processing steps (e.g., alignment and motion correction) to regression modeling (correct stimuli, no collinearity, valid fits, enough degrees of freedom, etc.) for each subject. There are a wide variety of features to verify throughout any single-subject processing pipeline, both quantitatively and qualitatively. We present several FMRI preprocessing QC features available in the AFNI toolbox, many of which are automatically generated by the pipeline-creation tool, afni_proc.py. These items include a modular HTML document that covers full single-subject processing from the raw data through statistical modeling, several review scripts in the results directory of processed data, and command line tools for identifying subjects with one or more quantitative properties across a group (such as triaging warnings, making exclusion criteria, or creating informational tables). The HTML itself contains several buttons that efficiently facilitate interactive investigations into the data, when deeper checks are needed beyond the systematic images. The pages are linkable, so that users can evaluate individual items across a group, for increased sensitivity to differences (e.g., in alignment or regression modeling images). Finally, the QC document contains rating buttons for each "QC block," as well as comment fields for each, to facilitate both saving and sharing the evaluations. This increases the specificity of QC, as well as its shareability, as these files can be shared with others and potentially uploaded into repositories, promoting transparency and open science. We describe the features and applications of these QC tools for FMRI.

Management and Operator Control System based on Microservice Architecture and Application on the HIPr Accelerator

The paper describes the basic principles of developing a distributed control system (DCS) and a GARNET operator control system based on a microservice architecture as part of a high-availability cluster. The application of the operator’s control system as a DCS component is described. The main elements of software components of operator control and DCS are presented and described. The process of conveyor assembly and publication of software tools into a working product environment, which implements the principle of continuous integration, is described. The mechanism of interaction of key components among themselves is presented. The mechanism for hosting management services using the Docker containerization system and Kubernetes container orchestration is demonstrated. Examples of services for interaction with users in the environment of the GARNET operator control system being developed, separation of users by roles and access rights, integration of the data visualization service using Grafana are shown. The vector of further development of DCS and operator control tools is described, in particular, the possibility of using the practice of developing user web interfaces using the micro frontend approach. The components and results of the operation of a prototype system designed to interact with the measurement infrastructure of the linear heavy ion accelerator HIPR are presented.

Estimation of wind dynamic load linear transfer matrix using proper orthogonal decomposition method and genetic algorithm

ABSTRACT Due to the advantages of Laplace domain in both time and frequency domains, the dynamic analysis and control tools in engineering software like MATLAB and Python have been designed based on it. Dynamic analysis of structures requires determination of the overall transfer matrix, which is obtained by multiplying the structure's transfer matrix (TM) with the load TM. With the input vector of unit intensity white-noise processes and the overall TM, the structural responses can be obtained. Furthermore, having the load TM is crucial for implementation of active control systems. In this article, the TM of along-wind loads was estimated for a tall building using the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method and the genetic algorithm (GA). To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an example of a tall building was provided. The wind load cross-power spectral matrix (XPSD) was decomposed using POD technique, followed by the truncation of higher loading modes. Subsequently, the loading TM was derived by estimating the target non-linear functions with linear transfer functions through GA technique. Then, the responses of the structure were computed using the loading TM. The results demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed method in acquiring the loading TM and predicting wind-induced responses.

Optimization of Replanning Processes for Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Plans at Risk of QA Failure Predicted by a Machine Learning Model

Patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) procedures ensure the safe delivery of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans. PSQA requires extensive time and resources and may cause treatment delays if replanning is needed due to failures. Recently, our group developed a machine learning (ML) model predicting gamma passing rate (GPR) for VMAT arcs. This study explores automatable replanning strategies for plans identified at risk of failure, aiming to improve deliverability while maintaining dosimetric quality. Between 2022 and 2023, our ML model analyzed 1252 VMAT plans. Ten patients having a predicted GPR (pGPR) &lt;95% were selected. Replanning strategies consisted of limiting monitor units (MUlimit) and employing the aperture shape controller (ASC) tool. Re-optimized plans were compared with the originals in terms of dose volume constraints (DVCs) for the target and organs-at-risk (OARs), and deliverability using the modulation complexity score (MCS), pGPR, and measured GPR (mGPR). Forty-five re-optimizations were performed. Replanning led to an increase in DVCs for OARs and a reduction for the target. Complexity decreased, reflected by the increase in the MCS from 0.17 to 0.21 (MUlimit) and 0.20 (ASC). The deliverability improved, with the pGPR increasing from 93.3% to 94.4% (MUlimit) and 95.1% (ASC), and the mGPR from 99.3% to 99.7% (MUlimit) and 99.8% (ASC). Limiting the MUs or utilizing the ASC reduced the complexity of plans and improved the GPR without compromising the dosimetric quality. These strategies can be used to automate replanning procedures, reduce the workload related to PSQA, and improve patient safety.

Evaluation of a mass trapping strategy to prevent mosquito nuisance in campsites of southern France.

Mosquito traps, historically used for surveillance and research, have gained prominence as a tool for mosquito control, amidst concern over the environmental impact and increased resistance to insecticide-based methods. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a mass trapping barrier design with two types of traps, Mosquito Magnet (MM) traps and BG-Protector (BGP) traps. This experiment was conducted in three coastal camping areas in southern France between summer and autumn 2022, where the presence of floodwater mosquito species with anthropophilic preferences like Aedes caspius represents a year-long nuisance. MM traps were set around the campsite as a barrier to interfere with mosquitoes from entering the campsites, whereas BGP traps were set within the campsites, with the aim of diverting mosquitoes away from humans at peak activity hours. Over 210,000 mosquitoes of 11 species from 4 genera were collected by both trap types across treatment campsites, with no significant differences in mosquito community samplings between BGP and MM traps. Barrier traps effectively targeted Ae. caspius, reducing total mosquito abundance in two of the three study sites by 34% and 55%. This study provides valuable insights into the efficacy and feasibility of using mass trapping barriers as a complementary control strategy for mosquito species in wetlands.

Portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and multivariate calibration for reliable quality control of maize and sorghum grain chemical composition

Portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate calibration was used to determine the chemical composition of maize and sorghum grains of different genotypes cultivated in Brazil. Partial least squares (PLS) models were built, and the maize models exhibited R2 > 0.90 for all constituents except starch. For sorghum, the R2 was > 0.8 for all componentes. The Residual Prediction to Deviation (RPD) values and the Range Error Ratio (RER) values for all maize and sorghum calibration models exceeded 2.5 and 10, respectively, indicating the models’ reliability for routine laboratory implementation. No significant differences were found between the results obtained by the PLS models and the reference methods for any analyzed constituents in the maize and sorghum grains. These results demonstrate that the MicroNIR instrument is a viable tool for quality control of chemical composition in maize and sorghum grain samples. It offers the advantages of speed, non-destructiveness, and being a green alternative to standard methods.

Turn-on protein switches for controlling actin binding in cells

Within a shared cytoplasm, filamentous actin (F-actin) plays numerous and critical roles across the cell body. Cells rely on actin-binding proteins (ABPs) to organize F-actin and to integrate its polymeric characteristics into diverse cellular processes. Yet, the multitude of ABPs that engage with and shape F-actin make studying a single ABP’s influence on cellular activities a significant challenge. Moreover, without a means of manipulating actin-binding subcellularly, harnessing the F-actin cytoskeleton for synthetic biology purposes remains elusive. Here, we describe a suite of designed proteins, Controllable Actin-binding Switch Tools (CASTs), whose actin-binding behavior can be controlled with external stimuli. CASTs were developed that respond to different external inputs, providing options for turn-on kinetics and enabling orthogonality and multiplexing. Being genetically encoded, we show that CASTs can be inserted into native protein sequences to control F-actin association locally and engineered into structures to control cell and tissue shape and behavior.

Antibacterial Effect of Silver Nanoparticles against Oral Biofilms in Subjects with Motor and Intellectual Disabilities.

Motor and intellectual disabilities (MIDs) represent a great challenge for maintaining general health due to physical and cognitive limitations, particularly in the maintenance and preservation of oral health. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic tool for bacterial control, including oral biofilms; however, knowledge of the bactericidal effectiveness of oral biofilms from patients with MIDs is insufficient. This study aims to determine the antimicrobial effect of AgNPs on different oral biofilms taken from patients with and without MIDs. Two sizes of AgNPs were prepared and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Through consecutive sampling, biofilm samples were collected from 17 subjects with MIDs and 20 subjects without disorders. The antimicrobial effect was determined by obtaining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AgNPs, and the identification and distribution of oral bacterial species were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, correlations between sociodemographic characteristics and the antimicrobial levels of AgNPs were also explored. The values of the MIC results were analyzed with IBM-SPSS software (version25) using non-parametric tests for independent groups and correlations, with statistical significance being considered as p < 0.05. Both sizes of AgNPs exhibited tight particle size distributions (smaller: 10.2 ± 0.7 nm; larger: 29.3 ± 2.3 nm) with zeta potential values (-35.0 ± 3.3 and -52.6 ± 8.5 mV, respectively) confirming the stability that resulted in little to no agglomeration of nanoparticles. Although both sizes of AgNPs had good antimicrobial activity in all oral biofilms, the smallest particles had the best antimicrobial effects on the oral biofilm samples from patients with and without MIDs, even better than chlorhexidine (CHX) (p < 0.05). Likewise, the patients with disabilities showed higher levels of antimicrobial sensitivity to AgNPs compared with CHX (p < 0.05). Although the microorganisms included in the biofilms of females had a statistically higher growth level, the AgNP antimicrobial effect was statistically similar in both genders (p > 0.05). The most frequent bacteria for all oral biofilms were S. mutans (100%), P. intermedia (91.6%), T. forsythia (75.0%), T. denticola (75.0%), P. gingivalis (66.6%), F. nucleatum (66.6%), S. sobrinus (50.0%), and A. actinomycetemcomitans (8.3%). AgNPs exhibited considerable antimicrobial potential to be used as a complementary and alternative tool in maintaining and preserving oral health in patients with MIDs.

The Role of administrative control tools on improving job performance in the Cooperative and Agricultural Credit Bank

The Role of administrative control tools on improving job performance in the Cooperative and Agricultural Credit Bank

An Overview of Tsetse Fly Repellents: Identification and Applications.

Tsetse flies are vectors of the parasite trypanosoma that cause the neglected tropical diseases human and animal African trypanosomosis. Semiochemicals play important roles in the biology and ecology of tsetse flies. Previous reviews have focused on olfactory-based attractants of tsetse flies. Here, we present an overview of the identification of repellents and their development into control tools for tsetse flies. Both natural and synthetic repellents have been successfully tested in laboratory and field assays against specific tsetse fly species. Thus, these repellents presented as innovative mobile tools offer opportunities for their use in integrated disease management strategies.

Effects of a blood-free mosquito diet on fitness and gonotrophic cycle parameters of laboratory reared Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto

BackgroundThe current rise of new innovative tools for mosquito control, such as the release of transgenic mosquitoes carrying a dominant lethal gene and Wolbachia-based strategies, necessitates a massive production of mosquitoes in the insectary. However, currently laboratory rearing depends on vertebrate blood for egg production and maintenance. This practice raises ethical concerns, incurs logistical and cost limitations, and entails potential risk associated with pathogen transmission and blood storage. Consequently, an artificial blood-free diet emerges as a desirable alternative to address these challenges. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a previously formulated artificial blood-free diet (herein referred to as BLOODless) on Anopheles gambiae (An. gambiae s.s.; IFAKARA) gonotrophic parameters and fitness compared with bovine blood.MethodsThe study was a laboratory-based comparative evaluation of the fitness, fecundity and fertility of An. gambiae s.s. (IFAKARA) reared on BLOODless versus vertebrate blood from founder generation (F0) to eighth generation (F8). A total of 1000 female mosquitoes were randomly selected from F0, of which 500 mosquitoes were fed with bovine blood (control group) and the other 500 mosquitoes were fed with BLOODless diet (experimental group). The feeding success, number of eggs per female, hatching rate and pupation rate were examined post-feeding. Longevity and wing length were determined as fitness parameters for adult male and female mosquitoes for both populations.ResultsWhile blood-fed and BLOODless-fed mosquitoes showed similar feeding success, 92.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 89.7–94.9] versus 93.6% (95% CI 90.6–96.6), respectively, significant differences emerged in their reproductive parameters. The mean number of eggs laid per female was significantly higher for blood-fed mosquitoes (P < 0.001) whereas BLOODless-fed mosquitoes had significantly lower hatching rates [odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95% CI 0.14–0.22, P < 0.001]. Wing length and longevity were similar between both groups.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of the BLOODless diet as a viable and ethical alternative to vertebrate blood feeding for rearing An. gambiae s.s. This breakthrough paves the way for more efficient and ethical studies aimed at combating malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.Graphical