Earliest Traces Research Articles

The Roles of Mitochondria in Human Being's Life and Aging.

The universe began 13.8 billion years ago, and Earth was born 4.6 billion years ago. Early traces of life were found as soon as 4.1 billion years ago; then, ~200,000 years ago, the human being was born. The evolution of life on earth was to become individual rather than cellular life. The birth of mitochondria made this possible to be the individual life. Since then, individuals have had a limited time of life. It was 1.4 billion years ago that a bacterial cell began living inside an archaeal host cell, a form of endosymbiosis that is the development of eukaryotic cells, which contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound compartments. The bacterium started to provide its host cell with additional energy, and the interaction eventually resulted in a eukaryotic cell, with both archaeal (the host cell) and bacterial (mitochondrial) origins still having genomes. The cells survived high concentrations of oxygen producing more energy inside the cell. Further, the roles of mitochondria in human being's life and aging will be discussed.

MXene anchored fabric for room-temperature operated ammonia sensing

Low-cost and fast-response fabric sensors are highly desirable for shop floor worker daily monitoring and early trace ammonia leak detection. However, the difficulty is how to establish a high bonding capacity between the active material and the fabric to meet the needs of sensing performance on practical applications. Herein, MXene anchored fabric sensors have been fabricated by spray casting technology and the impacts of the preparation process on sensor performance have been investigated. When the casting concentration of MXene is 10 mg/mL and the fabric is spandex, the ammonia sensor exhibits the best sensing performance with a response time of 0.62 s for 100 ppm ammonia and a low limit of detection of 0.4 ppm. Notably, when the sensor used for detection ammonia in wafer cleaner volatiles, the responsivity was up to 96.61 %. This research offers an efficient route for developing MXene anchored fabric for room-temperature operated ammonia sensing.

David Ferrier’s “complex whole”: Early traces of a “brain network” concept

ABSTRACT Currently, the idea that the brain is a complex network of interacting brain regions is hardly controversial. The rapid development of this field is often attributed to the emergence of powerful brain-imaging techniques and, around the millennium, the merging of the neuroscience of brain networks with modern mathematical graph theory. However, little is known about the historical roots of this concept. It is interesting to know when the first traces of a concept of brain networks can be found in the work of early neuroscientists, how this concept evolved over time, and what factors may have influenced this evolution. This study aims to set a first step in addressing these questions by a detailed analysis of David Ferrier’s classic study, The Functions of the Brain. From this analysis it will become clear that, in addition to a clear notion of localized functions in the brain, Ferrier speculated in several places about the need for several of these brain regions to communicate and interact in order to bring about higher brain functions. He referred to this perspective on the brain as a “complex whole,” which could be interpreted as an early precursor of the modern concept of brain networks.

Early Pennsylvanian Lagerstätte reveals a diverse ecosystem on a subhumid, alluvial fan

Much of what we know about terrestrial life during the Carboniferous Period comes from Middle Pennsylvanian (~315–307 Mya) Coal Measures deposited in low-lying wetland environments1–5. We know relatively little about terrestrial ecosystems from the Early Pennsylvanian, which was a critical interval for the diversification of insects, arachnids, tetrapods, and seed plants6–10. Here we report a diverse Early Pennsylvanian trace and body fossil Lagerstätte (~320–318 Mya) from the Wamsutta Formation of eastern North America, distinct from coal-bearing deposits, preserved in clastic substrates within basin margin conglomerates. The exceptionally preserved trace fossils and body fossils document a range of vertebrates, invertebrates and plant taxa (n = 131), with 83 distinct foliage morphotypes. Plant-insect interactions include what may be the earliest evidence of insect oviposition. This site expands our knowledge of early terrestrial ecosystems and organismal interactions and provides ground truth for future phylogenetic reconstructions of key plant, arthropod, and vertebrate groups.

An ATP-fluorescence dual-mode biosensing platform for rapid broad-spectrum enrichment and detection of bacteria based on PEI-functionalized magnetic UiO-66-NH2

Bacteria-induced food pollution poses a serious threat to human health. To detect early and sensitive traces of bacteria in food, a poly (ethyleneimine) (PEI)-modified magnetic organic framework material (Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@PEI) was prepared for broad-spectrum enrichment and dual-mode detection of typical gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, B. subtilis) and gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, E. coli) using Schiff’s base reaction. Due to the positive charge caused by the abundance of amino groups, Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@PEI exhibited rapid enrichment of E. coli and B. subtilis within 12 min through the electrostatic interaction with bacteria. The biosensor based on Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@PEI achieved sensitive detection of E. coli and B. subtilis using the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence technology within the detection range of 101-107, and the detection limits were 44 and 57 CFU/mL, respectively under optimal experimental conditions. Moreover, a fluorescence platform was constructed by Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@PEI to achieve more diversified detection and reliable detection results for E. coli and B. subtilis. Within the detection range of 101-107, Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@PEI exhibited satisfactory linearity with detection limits of 6 CFU/mL and 14 CFU/mL. This biosensor using ATP bioluminescence and fluorescence technology showed remarkable recoveries (85.3–108.5 %) for E. coli and B. subtilis in biscuit matrices, indicating a bright prospect of the dual-mode platform for bacteria detection in food.

Neural oscillations suggest periodicity encoding during auditory beat processing in the premature brain.

When exposed to rhythmic patterns with temporal regularity, adults exhibit an inherent ability to extract and anticipate an underlying sequence of regularly spaced beats, which is internally constructed, as beats are experienced even when no events occur at beat positions (e.g., in the case of rests). Perception of rhythm and synchronization to periodicity is indispensable for development of cognitive functions, social interaction, and adaptive behavior. We evaluated neural oscillatory activity in premature newborns (n=19, mean age, 32±2.59weeks gestational age) during exposure to an auditory rhythmic sequence, aiming to identify early traces of periodicity encoding and rhythm processing through entrainment of neural oscillations at this stage of neurodevelopment. The rhythmic sequence elicited a systematic modulation of alpha power, synchronized to expected beat locations coinciding with both tones and rests, and independent of whether the beat was preceded by tone or rest. In addition, the periodic alpha-band fluctuations reached maximal power slightly before the corresponding beat onset times. Together, our results show neural encoding of periodicity in the premature brain involving neural oscillations in the alpha range that are much faster than the beat tempo, through alignment of alpha power to the beat tempo, consistent with observations in adults on predictive processing of temporal regularities in auditory rhythms. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: In response to the presented rhythmic pattern, systematic modulations of alpha power showed that the premature brain extracted the temporal regularity of the underlying beat. In contrast to evoked potentials, which are greatly reduced when there is no sounds event, the modulation of alpha power occurred for beats coinciding with both tones and rests in a predictive way. The findings provide the first evidence for the neural coding of periodicity in auditory rhythm perception before the age of term.

Prebiotic membrane structures mimic the morphology of alleged early traces of life on Earth

Elucidating compositions of the first cell membranes requires experiments with molecules and chemical conditions representative of early Earth. The molecules used are described as ‘prebiotically plausible’, i.e., they could have formed through abiotic reactions before the emergence of biology. Similarly, the chemical properties of solutions in which these membranes are formed (e.g., pH, temperature, ionic strength) must represent early Earth environments. Here, using confocal and transmission electron microscopy combined with population morphometry, we show that prebiotically plausible molecules, in solutions representative of Hadean submarine alkaline hydrothermal vents, form microstructures with substantial morphological diversity. The microstructures hold the potential for use as analogues of prebiotic processes in the rock record. Additionally, many of the structures are morphologically similar to purported early microfossils, highlighting limitations of morphological interpretation in these studies. Detailed analyses of abiotic microstructures are essential for understanding the earliest life on Earth, and for interpretation of potential biosignatures from extra-terrestrial bodies.

(Re)shaping Ottoman women: the construction of female subjectivities through educational discourse in women’s magazines (1869–1908)

ABSTRACT This paper explores how female subjectivities were constructed in the educational discourse in women’s magazines published in the Ottoman language from the first magazine that was published in 1869 until the promulgation of the Second Constitution Period in 1908 in the Ottoman Empire. The study draws on the concept of Occidentalism defined by Meltem Ahıska, as well as on Deniz Kandiyoti’s concept of patriarchal bargain. These concepts are used to identify and explain central tensions emerging in the Occidentalist fantasy in the educational discourse. I argue that, in the writings on women in women’s magazines of the late Ottoman period, we can see, first, the early traces of the Occidentalist fantasy and, second, how it is channelised to shape Ottoman women’s subjectivities within at least three tensions. I also argue that the ambivalent attitudes of the authors in these Occidentalist tensions operated as strategies for patriarchal bargaining for Ottoman women. Thus, this paper contributes to the understanding of the construction of womanhood in the late Ottoman period by showing the complexity embedded in the transnational spread and transformation of educational ideas related to women’s education.

COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness and Response in Latin American Countries: Scoping Review and Analysis Based on World Health Organization Standards.

To describe COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response in 6 countries during 2020 and 2021. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Web of Science, Epistemonikos, LILACS, and Google Scholar regarding the measures adopted to face the COVID-19 pandemic; the checklist of the international World Healths Organization's (WHO) guide "COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan" was applied. Most countries coordinated their response at the central level with the establishment of management teams and the activation of emergency operations centers for the coordination of the response to the pandemic. The capacity to perform epidemiological surveillance activities such as early case detection, contact tracing, and real-time monitoring of data was exceeded. There was low capacity in laboratory infrastructure, specialized human talent, and deployment of molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 detection. This is the first review that addresses the importance of documenting how well-prepared countries in the region were to face a pandemic such as COVID-19 taking into account WHO standards and guidelines. In Latin America, the literature showed reports of heterogeneous responses to the pandemic, a gap in the literature on laboratory and diagnostic pillar activities, and a lack of literature reporting on epidemiological surveillance pillar activities in Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador.

One-step synthesis of Pt-CNTs/rGO electrocatalyst for wearable methanol sensing: Effect of supports on gas-sensitive property

Methanol is widely used in the chemical industry to develop downstream products. However, given the toxicity of methanol, it is of huge engineering significance to establish a wearable methanol sensor with a real-time monitoring function. Herein, we have constructed Pt-CNTs/rGO electrocatalysts based wearable sensor with good methanol-sensitive response, including a wide linear detection range, good repeatability, stability, selectivity as well as detectability in real samples. Noteworthy, in this work, CNTs and rGO acted as composite support for loading Pt nanoparticles, electrochemical measurement revealed that the sensing performance of Pt-CNTs/rGO based sensor was better than the sensor used Pt-CNTs due to the synergistic effect of composites support. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have also demonstrated that rGO was more favorable for the adsorption of methanol molecules than CNTs. When the ratio of CNTs and rGO was 1:2, the methanol sensor exhibited the highest sensitivity and response/recovery speed (less than 12 s for detection of methanol gasoline) compared to that of other proportions. This work provides convincing support for developing wearable electrochemical gas sensors from the point of view of designing electrocatalysts, showing great prospects in the safety detection application, such as early trace gas leak detection and daily monitoring of workers on the shop floor.

Talismans ( pujŏk 符籍) for Rebirth in Chosŏn Buddhist Rituals and their Earlier Traces in China

Abstract: The ritual of the seven stars of the Great Dipper thrived during the Chosŏn period. Although the state-level Great Dipper ritual was abolished by the royal court, the ritual was still popularly performed in private among people who prayed to the Dipper to fulfill their various wishes. Buddhism of this period served almost all social strata of Chosŏn, including members of the Confucian elite, in seeking the benign help of the Great Dipper by, for example, presenting ritual manuals for this cult and establishing religious shrines for its performance. Sŏn masters joined this period Buddhist trend, as can be demonstrated in the case of Paekp'a Kŭngsŏn 白坡亘璇 (1767–1852). He compiled one of the most complete Korean Buddhist manuals for the Great Dipper cult, a cult that constitutes one link between Buddhism and Daoist-folk religious cults in Chosŏn society.

Talismans ( pujŏk 符籍) for Rebirth in Chosŏn Buddhist Rituals and their Earlier Traces in China

Abstract: The ritual of the seven stars of the Great Dipper thrived during the Chosŏn period. Although the state-level Great Dipper ritual was abolished by the royal court, the ritual was still popularly performed in private among people who prayed to the Dipper to fulfill their various wishes. Buddhism of this period served almost all social strata of Chosŏn, including members of the Confucian elite, in seeking the benign help of the Great Dipper by, for example, presenting ritual manuals for this cult and establishing religious shrines for its performance. Sŏn masters joined this period Buddhist trend, as can be demonstrated in the case of Paekp'a Kŭngsŏn 白坡亘璇 (1767–1852). He compiled one of the most complete Korean Buddhist manuals for the Great Dipper cult, a cult that constitutes one link between Buddhism and Daoist-folk religious cults in Chosŏn society.

Recent Outbreak of Monkeypox: Implications for Public Health Recommendations and Crisis Management in India.

Monkeypox is a rare and self-limiting disease that was eradicated globally through vaccination approximately forty years ago, following the eradication of smallpox. The purpose of this article is to explore the implications of the recent monkeypox outbreak on public health recommendations and crisis management in India. An overview of the consequences of the current monkeypox epidemic on public health, epidemiology, clinical findings, management, challenges, and existing strategies for this disease, along with recommendations are discussed. It is crucial to develop evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox, as well as early case identification and contact tracing. To prevent the spread of infection, travelers from affected countries should be subjected to health testing and quarantine. In order to successfully control the outbreak, a multidisciplinary team should be established to manage the monkeypox virus at tertiary care facilities, and health workers with occupational exposure to the virus should be assessed and given management plans.

Near-Infrared Afterglow ONOO--Triggered Nanoparticles for Real-Time Monitoring and Treatment of Early Ischemic Stroke.

Early detection and drug intervention with the appropriate timing and dosage are the main clinical challenges for ischemic stroke (IS) treatment. The conventional therapeutic agents relay fluorescent signals, which require real-time external light excitation, thereby leading to inevitable autofluorescence and poor tissue penetration. Herein, we report endogenous peroxynitrite (ONOO-)-activated BDP-4/Cur-CL NPs that release NIR afterglow signals (λmax 697 nm) for real-time monitoring of the progression of ischemia reperfusion (I/R) brain injury while releasing curcumin for the safe treatment of IS. The BDP-4/Cur-CL NPs exhibited bright NIR afterglow luminescence (maximum 732-fold increase), superb sensitivity (LOD = 82.67 nM), high energy-transfer efficiency (94.6%), deep tissue penetration (20 mm), outstanding antiapoptosis, and anti-inflammatory effects. The activated NIR afterglow signal obtained in mice with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) showed three functions: (i) the BDP-4/Cur-CL NPs are rapidly activated by endogenous ONOO-, instantly illuminating the lesion area, distinguishing I/R damage from normal areas, which can be successfully used for endogenous ONOO- detection in the early stage of IS; (ii) real-time reporting of in situ generation and dynamic fluctuations of endogenous ONOO- levels in the lesion area, which is of great value in monitoring the evolutionary mechanisms of IS; and (iii) dynamic monitoring of the release of curcumin drug for safe treatment. Indeed, the released curcumin effectively decreased apoptosis, enhanced survival, alleviated neuroinflammation, reduced brain tissue loss, and improved the cognition of MCAO stroke mice. This work is the first example of afterglow luminescence for early diagnosis, real-time reporting, drug tracing, and treatment for IS.

Potentiated GABAergic neuronal activities in the basolateral amygdala alleviate stress-induced depressive behaviors.

Major depressive disorder is a severe psychiatric disorder that afflicts ~17% of the world population. Neuroimaging investigations of depressed patients have consistently reported the dysfunction of the basolateral amygdala in the pathophysiology of depression. However, how the BLA and related circuits are implicated in the pathogenesis of depression is poorly understood. Here, we combined fiber photometry, immediate early gene expression (c-fos), optogenetics, chemogenetics, behavioral analysis, and viral tracing techniques to provide multiple lines of evidence of how the BLA neurons mediate depressive-like behavior. We demonstrated that the aversive stimuli elevated the neuronal activity of the excitatory BLA neurons (BLACAMKII neurons). Optogenetic activation of CAMKII neurons facilitates the induction of depressive-like behavior while inhibition of these neurons alleviates the depressive-like behavior. Next, we found that the chemogenetic inhibition of GABAergic neurons in the BLA (BLAGABA ) increased the firing frequency of CAMKII neurons and mediates the depressive-like phenotypes. Finally, through fiber photometry recording and chemogenetic manipulation, we proved that the activation of BLAGABA neurons inhibits BLACAMKII neuronal activity and alleviates depressive-like behavior in the mice. Thus, through evaluating BLAGABA and BLACAMKII neurons by distinct interaction, the BLA regulates depressive-like behavior.

Outbreak of SARS-CoV2 in a tertiary institution, Ghana, March 2020: Lessons learnt through early contact tracing

Outbreak of SARS-CoV2 in a tertiary institution, Ghana, March 2020: Lessons learnt through early contact tracing

Comparison of cfDNA content in different cancer types with different extraction methods.

e15026 Background: ctDNA liquid biopsy technology has been widely used in the whole course of cancer management, from early screening and early diagnosis of tumors to tumor monitoring and medication guidance. However, the performances of ctDNA as a biomarker in these scenarios are different among different cancer types. One possible reason is that different types of cancer release different amounts of ctDNA or cfDNA, therefore, we explored the cfDNA levels in different cancer types in this study. Methods: We collected 15913 peripheral blood samples from 14686 cancer patients with different clinicopathologies, 256 patients with pulmonary nodules, and 971 healthy people. We isolated their plasma and extracted the cfDNA using QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit, Apostle MiniMax cfDNA Extraction Kit or HaploX magnetic bead method cfDNA extraction kit. We calculated the average concentration of cfDNA (ng/ml) for different groups. Results: The number of samples of cervical cancer, liver cancer, glioma, colon cancer, prostate cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gallbladder carcinoma, melanoma, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, endometrial carcinoma, lung cancer, urothelial carcinoma, rectal cancer, ovarian cancer, healthy people, and pulmonary nodule patients are 93, 469, 113, 277, 139, 76, 89, 132, 171, 4010, 407, 547, 68, 7750, 46, 203, 96, 971 and 256, respectively. The cfDNA level of corresponding groups are 88.07, 79.51, 75.57, 63.58, 61.37, 59.09, 57.59, 57.16, 42.67, 34.73, 31.75, 31.37, 31.33, 29.84, 28.72, 28.69, 23.83, 17.82 and 12.54 ng/ml, respectively. The main groups are shown in the table below. Conclusions: The cfDNA concentrations of healthy people or pulmonary nodule patients were significantly lower than that of tumor patients, and there were also significant differences between different types of cancer. What's interesting, the cfDNA concentrations of lung cancer patients, pulmonary nodule patients and healthy people were quite different. What’s more, there were differences between Colon cancer and Rectal cancer patients. So, the cfDNA concentration maybe a good dimention to be used in early cancer screening and tracing of tumor types. [Table: see text]

A Touch of ‘Realism’?

Abstract The beginning of the ‘modern’ novel usually is dated between the middle of the eighteenth until the middle of the nineteenth century when realism reshaped the centuries old design of the novel. A crucial feature of the new realist model was the turning away from the typified black-and-white characters as predetermined social representatives acting in a predictable world and the turning towards individualized characters whose actions are driven by more relatable human thoughts. However, early traces of this realist model of designing characters are already visible in some of the finest examples of Neo-Latin novel writing. By examining different Neo-Latin novels from the Early Modern Period, this article highlights the realist character development in pre-modern times.

Uncovering Early Traces of Bark Beetle Induced Forest Stress via Semantically Enriched Sentinel-2 Data and Spectral Indices

Forest ecosystems are shaped by both abiotic and biotic disturbances. Unlike sudden disturbance agents, such as wind, avalanches and fire, bark beetle infestation progresses gradually. By the time infestation is observable by the human eye, trees are already in the final stages of infestation—the red- and grey-attack. In the relevant phase—the green-attack—biochemical and biophysical processes take place, which, however, are not or hardly visible. In this study, we applied a time series analysis based on semantically enriched Sentinel-2 data and spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) to detect early traces of bark beetle infestation in the Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany. Our approach used a stratified and hierarchical hybrid remote sensing image understanding system for pre-selecting candidate pixels, followed by the use of SVIs to confirm or refute the initial selection, heading towards a 'convergence of evidence approach’. Our results revealed that the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave-infrared (SWIR) parts of the electromagnetic spectrum provided the best separability between pixels classified as healthy and early infested. Referring to vegetation indices, we found that those related to water stress have proven to be most sensitive. Compared to a SVI-only model that did not incorporate the concept of candidate pixels, our approach achieved distinctively higher producer’s accuracy (76% vs. 63%) and user’s accuracy (61% vs. 42%). The temporal accuracy of our method depends on the availability of satellite data and varies up to 3 weeks before or after the first ground-based detection in the field. Nonetheless, our method offers valuable early detection capabilities that can aid in implementing timely interventions to address bark beetle infestations in the early stage.

Fetal heart rate patterns and the incidence of adverse events after oral misoprostol administration for cervical ripening among low-risk pregnancies

Objective Though misoprostol is commonly used for inpatient cervical ripening, its use in outpatient settings has been limited by safety concerns. This study was conducted to assess the association between early fetal heart tracing (FHT) and maternal tocodynamometry patterns and the incidence of adverse fetal and pregnancy outcomes after the administration of oral misoprostol for cervical ripening. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 9908 low-risk patients at ≥37 weeks gestation who received oral misoprostol for cervical ripening prior to rupture of membranes between 01/01/2012 and 12/31/2017 at Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals as inpatients. We excluded patients who received a different agent for cervical ripening or had any need for additional inpatient monitoring, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, diabetes, or intrauterine growth restriction. Abnormal FHT, abnormal uterine activity, and adverse pregnancy or fetal-related events documented in the electronic health record in the four hours after administration of the first and second doses of misoprostol were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results We found that 0.9% of patients experienced tachysystole after the first dose of misoprostol (0.6% without decelerations; 0.3% with decelerations). The incidence of variable decelerations only and other FHT abnormalities (i.e. bradycardia, late or prolonged decelerations, or absent or minimal variability) in the first hour after misoprostol administration were 7.1% and 6.7% respectively, and diminished over time. The need for tocolytic use was 0.2% in the first hour and declined over time to 0.03% in the fourth hour after the first dose. Urgent cesarean delivery occurred in 0.1% of patients after receiving the first dose of misoprostol. Patients who did not experience variable, prolonged, or late decelerations in the first hour after the initial misoprostol dose were less likely to have such FHT abnormalities in the subsequent three hours compared to patients who had other FHT abnormalities (11.8% among patients with no FHT abnormalities vs. 43.7% among patients with other FHT abnormalities; p <.001). The overall trends in outcomes over time were similar after the second dose of misoprostol. Conclusion The risk of short-term adverse outcomes associated with misoprostol is low among relatively low-risk patients. FHT abnormalities occurred in up to 32% of patients in the first four hours of monitoring post-misoprostol. Patients with no FHT abnormalities in the first hour after receiving misoprostol had a low risk of developing adverse outcomes and FHT abnormalities on continued monitoring, while patients with any type of deceleration in the first hour were at higher risk of adverse outcomes and FHT abnormalities. Our data may inform the development of protocols for cervical ripening that allow reduced monitoring for a subset of low-risk patients, however, more research is needed to validate findings and develop clinical protocols.