Early Time Research Articles

Swelling Kinetics of Hydrogel Beads in Aqueous Glycerin Solutions.

This study examines the swelling kinetics of polyacrylamide hydrogel beads in aqueous glycerin solutions of different concentrations. The total absorbed mass of the hydrogel beads remains nearly constant, independent of glycerin concentration, but the swelling process is markedly slower with increasing glycerin concentration in the aqueous solutions. Absorption capacity curves exhibit universal kinetics when time is rescaled using a characteristic time proportional to the viscosity of the solutions. Additionally, a novel visualization technique is employed to observe the core-shell structure of the hydrogel beads at early times in the swelling process. The evolution of the core-shell structure indicates a constant front velocity, which also reveals universal behavior with the same nondimensional time, suggesting a viscous dominated transport of the solution penetrating the beads.

Early and late responses to Fusarium Head blight in durum wheat: Focus on phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway

Durum wheat is among the cereal crops most susceptible to Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), a fungal disease that can lead to significant yield losses. Despite this, only limited research efforts have been directed towards understanding FHB resistance in durum wheat. Wheat grains naturally contain phenolic compounds, and anthocyanins are particularly present in the so-called pigmented wheat genotypes, such as purple pericarp ones. In this study the effects of the biotic stress caused by Fusarium graminearum infection on phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway in durum wheat spikes were explored, considering three genotypes with different susceptibility (including a purple pericarp genotype), and two time points (an early stage time point: 2 days post infection, and a late stage time point: 21 days post infection). At early infection stage, the F. graminearum infection triggered upregulation of all the considered genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway in the resistant genotype, while, in the purple pericarp genotype, the infection caused an increase in quercetin accumulation in the soluble fraction of spike extract. At late infection stage, the infection caused (in all the genotypes) a degradation of secondary cell wall and the release of the hydroxycinnamic acids esterified with arabinoxylans (ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid) and lignin-derived monomers (vanillic acid). Furthermore, chalcone synthase gene (CHS) and the transcription factor Ppm1 (Purple pericarp MYB 1) were boosted in the pigmented genotype due to infection at late infection stage. These findings contribute to the understanding of host-pathogen interactions for future breeding programs focused on improving FHB resistance in durum wheat varieties, with a particular focus on pigmented genotypes.

The importance of initial extension rate on elasto-capillary thinning of dilute polymer solutions

This work focuses on inferring the molecular state of the polymer chain required to induce stress relaxation and the accurate measure of the polymer’s longest relaxation time in uniaxial stretching of dilute polymer solutions. This work is facilitated by the discovery that constant velocity applied at early times leads to initial constant extension rate before reaching the Rayleigh–Plateau instability. Such constant rate experiments are used to correlate initial stretching kinematics with the thinning dynamics in the final thinning regime. We show that there is a minimum initial strain-rate required to induce rate independent elastic effects, and measure the longest relaxation time of the material. Below the minimum extension rate, insufficient stretching of the chain is observed before capillary instability, such that the polymer stress is comparable to the capillary stress at long times and stress relaxation is not achieved. Above the minimum strain-rate, the chain reaches a critical stretch before instability, such that during the unstable filament thinning the polymer stress is significantly larger than the capillary stress and rate-independent stress relaxation is observed. Using a single relaxation mode FENE model, we show that the minimum strain rate leads to a required initial stretch of the chain before reaching the Rayleigh–Plateau limit. These results indicate that the chain conformation before entering the Rayleigh Instability Regime, and the stretching induced during the instability, determines the elastic behavior of the filament. Lastly, this work introduces a characteristic dimensionless group, called the stretchability factor, that can be used to quantitatively compare different materials based on the overall material deformation/kinematic behavior, not just the relaxation time. Overall, these results demonstrate a useful methodology to study the stretching of dilute solutions using a constant velocity stretching scheme.

City and Countryside in Byzantine Anatolia: Amorium

Amorium is a key site for the period AD 700-900 owing to its historical importance as the capital of the Anatolic Theme. The well preserved remains provide an exceptional opportunity to study the layout and function of the Byzantine city and its excavation sheds light on the transition, modification, and continuity of the settlement between the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. The evidence from twenty years of excavation points to the existence of a large and prosperous city during Early and Middle Byzantine times, where various trades and crafts were practised and which served as the centre of a vibrant rural community engaged in agriculture as well as animal husbandry. The destruction layers from the capture of Amorium by the Arabs in 838 create a fixed horizon and reference point for the entire archaeology and material culture of early to mid-ninth century Anatolia. Pottery and coin finds in particular provide good indicators of the level and nature of economic activity. In this study some conclusions are drawn from that material, and discussion of it is set in the context of other sites and the interpretation of finds there. The evidence from Amorium presents new insights that appear at odds with accepted views of the Byzantine world in the Early Middle Ages.

Quantum and classical properties of the universe according to unimodular quantum cosmology

Abstract We investigate the dynamical behaviour of wavepacket solutions due to unimodular quantum cosmology. We find early and late time quantum eras of the universe.
An Ehrenfest theorem ensures quasi-classical behaviour for the late time universe if the quantum uncertainties are small. The surprising prediction of late time quantum effects for a flat, homogeneous and isotropic universe with a scalar field with an exponential potential is obtained by the analysis of the uncertainty dynamics using the results of the corresponding classical dynamical system. Furthermore quantum correction terms to the Hubble parameter and the matter density are derived. A positive matter expectation value for the de-Sitter universe raises the question if correction terms due to quantum gravity could contribute to solve the dark matter problem.

UNDERGROUND MOSQUES OF MANGISTAU: CONTINUITY OF SUFI PATH OF ISLAM

Mosques, as places of worship in Islam, are places where Muslims fulfill their religious duties and unite. Muslims coming together in a place of worship ensures that the theoretical principles of religion combine with folk culture and are reflected concretely in life. Dervish lodges, where the Sufi interpretation of Islam is kept alive, also integrate folklore and Islam. Throughout the historical process, Muslims have had to build underground mosques for various reasons. These mosques have functions similar to dergahs, inns and caravanserais, other elements of Islamic architecture. Mangistau, one of the regions where Sufi Islam is most vital in Kazakhstan, is rich in underground mosques and khanakas, which are the reflection of Sufi culture in architecture. This region is considered a unique cultural landscape, where the most significant part of the country’s monuments and holy places is concentrated. The underground mosques in Mangistau and Ustirt are unique in terms of historical and spiritual value. Excavation of shelters, places of worship, or “mortal abodes” by digging caves out of the common ground or mountain gorges has been a practice since very early times. Some of their samples are kept in Spain, Turkey, Jordan, and Crimea. The article analyzes the similarities and peculiarities of underground mosques with Sufi khanakas in the Middle Ages and their history and current use

Inflationary model in Brans–Dicke theory

In this paper, we present a model of inflation in the original form of Brans–Dicke (BD) theory without any modification and without adding any dark energy candidate. We consider a log function of the scale factor in the BD scalar field to discuss the inflationary era of the universe. We obtain the expressions for the deceleration parameter and the equation of state parameter, and plot their graphs against the cosmic scale factor. We observe that the universe starts with decelerated expansion and experiences an early time phase transition from a decelerated phase to an accelerated phase. After a very short period, the accelerated expansion ends in a decelerated expansion, showing the inflationary era of the cosmic evolution. To analyze the model on thermodynamic ground, we consider generalized second law of thermodynamics and observe that the law is satisfied within the model. Further, we study the stability of the model using the squared sound speed method. We plot the squared sound speed against cosmic time t and discuss the effects of the parameters on the stability of the model. We observe that for suitable values of the model parameters our model is stable.

A Tale of Many H0

▪The Hubble parameter, H 0, is not an univocally defined quantity: It relates redshifts to distances in the near Universe, but it is also a key parameter of the ΛCDM standard cosmological model. As such, H 0 affects several physical processes at different cosmic epochs and multiple observables. We have counted more than a dozen H 0s that are expected to agree if (a) there are no significant systematics in the data and their interpretation and (b) the adopted cosmological model is correct.▪With few exceptions (proverbially confirming the rule), these determinations do not agree at high statistical significance; their values cluster around two camps: the low (68 km s1 Mpc1) and high (73 km s1 Mpc1) camps. It appears to be a matter of anchors. The shape of the Universe expansion history agrees with the model; it is the normalizations that disagree.▪Beyond systematics in the data/analysis, if the model is incorrect, there are only two viable ways to “fix” it: by changing the early time (z ≳ 1,100) physics and, thus, the early time normalization or by a global modification, possibly touching the model's fundamental assumptions (e.g., homogeneity, isotropy, gravity). None of these three options has the consensus of the community.▪The research community has been actively looking for deviations from ΛCDM for two decades; the one we might have found makes us wish we could put the genie back in the bottle.

Different Antigen-Specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-Cell Response against HCMV Proteins in Pregnant Women with Primary Infection and in Control Subjects with Remote Infection.

Background/Objectives: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infections. The HCMV-specific T-cell response in primary infection may help define reliable correlates of immune protection in pregnancy. In this study, the antigen-specific T-cell response against different HCMV proteins (IE-1, pp65, gB, gHgLpUL128L) was investigated in pregnant women with primary infection and in control subjects with remote infection to identify possible components of a vaccine. Methods: Blood samples from 35 pregnant women with HCMV primary infection and 30 HCMV-seropositive healthy adult subjects with remote infection were tested. The antigen-specific T-cell response was measured using cytokine intracellular staining after stimulation with IE-1, pp65, gB and gHgLpUL128L peptides pool. Results: The pp65-specific CD4+ T-cell response was higher in pregnant women with HCMV primary infection at the late time point and in control subjects with remote infection, while the pregnant women at the early time point showed a higher gB-specific CD8+ T-cell response. Regarding the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell phenotypes, we observed that HCMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing CD45RA+ remained constant in pregnant women with primary infection at the early and late time points and in subjects with remote infection, while HCMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing IL-7R+ or producing IL-2 were higher in control subjects with remote infection than in pregnant women with HCMV primary infection. Conclusions: The T-cell response was higher against gB in the early phase of infection and against pp65 in the late phase. Therefore, these proteins should be taken into consideration as candidates for a vaccine.

Engagement analysis of a persuasive-design-optimized eHealth intervention through machine learning

The challenge of sustaining user engagement in eHealth interventions is a pressing issue with significant implications for the effectiveness of these digital health tools. This study investigates user engagement in a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based eHealth intervention for procrastination, using a dataset from a randomized controlled trial of 233 university students. Various machine learning models, including Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machines, were employed to predict patterns of user engagement. The study adopted a two-phase analytical approach. In the first phase, all features of the dataset were included, revealing ‘total_minutes’—the total time participants spent on the intervention and the eHealth platform—as the most significant predictor of engagement. This finding emphasizes the intuitive notion that early time spent on the platform and the intervention is a strong indicator of later user engagement. However, to gain a deeper understanding of engagement beyond this predominant metric, the second phase of the analysis excluded ‘total_minutes’. This approach allowed for the exploration of the roles and interdependencies of other engagement indicators, such as ‘number_intervention_answersheets’—the number of completed lessons, ‘logins_first_4_weeks’—login frequency, and ‘number_diary_answersheets’—the number of completed diaries. The results from this phase highlighted the multifaceted nature of engagement, showing that while ‘total_minutes’ is strongly correlated with engagement, indicating that more engaged participants tend to spend more time on the intervention, the comprehensive engagement profile also depends on additional aspects like lesson completions and frequency of platform interactions.

Optimizing the Therapeutic Index of sdAb-Based Radiopharmaceuticals Using Pretargeting.

Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) demonstrate favorable pharmacokinetic profiles for molecular imaging applications. However, their renal excretion and retention are obstacles for applications in targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT). Methods: Using a click-chemistry-based pretargeting approach, we aimed to reduce kidney retention of a fibroblast activation protein α (FAP)-targeted sdAb, 4AH29, for 177Lu-TRT. Key pretargeting parameters (sdAb-injected mass and lag time) were optimized in healthy mice and U87MG (FAP+) xenografts. A TRT study in a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was performed as a pilot study for sdAb-based pretargeting applications. Results: Modification of 4AH29 with trans-cyclooctene (TCO) moieties did not modify the sdAb pharmacokinetic profile. A 200-µg injected mass of 4AH29-TCO and an 8-h lag time for the injection of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-PEG7-tetrazine resulted in the highest kidney therapeutic index (2.0 ± 0.4), which was 5-fold higher than that of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-4AH29 (0.4 ± 0.1). FAP expression in the tumor microenvironment was validated in a PDAC PDX model with both immunohistochemistry and PET/CT imaging. Mice treated with the pretargeting high-activity approach (4AH29-TCO + [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-PEG7-tetrazine; 3 × 88 MBq, 1 injection per week for 3 wk) demonstrated prolonged survival compared with the vehicle control and conventionally treated ([177Lu]Lu-DOTA-4AH29; 3 × 37 MBq, 1 injection per week for 3 wk) mice. Mesangial expansion was reported in 7 of 10 mice in the conventional cohort, suggesting treatment-related kidney morphologic changes, but was not observed in the pretargeting cohort. Conclusion: This study validates pretargeting to mitigate sdAbs' kidney retention with no observation of morphologic changes on therapy regimen at early time points. Clinical translation of click-chemistry-based pre-TRT is warranted on the basis of its ability to alleviate toxicities related to biovectors' intrinsic pharmacokinetic profiles. The absence of representative animal models with extensive stroma and high FAP expression on cancer-associated fibroblasts led to a low mean tumor-absorbed dose even with high injected activity and consequently to modest survival benefit in this PDAC PDX.

Evidence for universal flow and characteristics of early time thermalization in a scalar field model for heavy ion collisions

Evidence for universal flow and characteristics of early time thermalization in a scalar field model for heavy ion collisions

Medial Prefrontal Cortex Stimulation Reduces Retrieval-Induced Forgetting via Fronto-parietal Beta Desynchronization.

The act of recalling memories can paradoxically lead to the forgetting of other associated memories, a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). Inhibitory control mechanisms, primarily mediated by the prefrontal cortex, are thought to contribute to RIF. In this study, we examined whether stimulating the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) with transcranial direct current stimulation modulates RIF and investigated the associated electrophysiological correlates. In a randomized study, 50 participants (27 males and 23 females) received either real or sham stimulation before performing retrieval practice on target memories. After retrieval practice, a final memory test to assess RIF was administered. We found that stimulation selectively increased the retrieval accuracy of competing memories, thereby decreasing RIF, while the retrieval accuracy of target memories remained unchanged. The reduction in RIF was associated with a more pronounced beta desynchronization within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left-DLPFC), in an early time window (<500 ms) after cue onset during retrieval practice. This led to a stronger beta desynchronization within the parietal cortex in a later time window, an established marker for successful memory retrieval. Together, our results establish the causal involvement of the mPFC in actively suppressing competing memories and demonstrate that while forgetting arises as a consequence of retrieving specific memories, these two processes are functionally independent. Our findings suggest that stimulation potentially disrupted inhibitory control processes, as evidenced by reduced RIF and stronger beta desynchronization in fronto-parietal brain regions during memory retrieval, although further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms underlying this effect.

Cipher key instructions in early modern Europe: analysis and text edition

We present an overview of instructions for the use of European historical cipher keys in early modern times. We describe the structure of instructions and the content presented to the key users. We exemplify various key instruction types and give a text edition of typical examples in various languages. The study is based on the analysis of more than 1,600 cipher keys collected from archives and libraries in ten European countries. We examine the practical implementation of cipher keys to the extent that instructions offer insights into everyday cryptographic practices. We focus on the typical rules scribes were expected to adhere to and the common errors they were instructed to avoid. We aim to reconstruct the apprehensions and considerations of the authors of cipher keys: They sought to offer assistance to users while likely harboring concerns regarding the potential misuse of their intellectual product. Given the secretive nature of cryptology, the documentation of knowledge transfer is scarce. In addition to the detailed manuals authored by well-known cryptologists, anonymous cipher key instructions offer valuable insights into this knowledge transfer process. By studying these instructions, historians gain direct access to a realm of knowledge that would otherwise remain hidden from their view.

Vertebrobasilar Artery Occlusion Treatment Outcomes Within 24 hours of Estimated Occlusion Time.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) within 24 hours of estimated occlusion time (EOT) and to evaluate the effect of early and late time window in a cohort of patients with VBAO treated with EVT. Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients within 24 hours of the EOT in 65 stroke centers in China. Favorable outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale ≤3 at 90 days. Patients were divided into the medical management (MM) group and the EVT group. Times were dichotomized into early (EOT ≤6 hours) and late (>6 hours) time windows. Multivariate logical regression models were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EVT and the effect of time windows on outcomes in EVT patients. Among 4124 patients, 2473 and 1651 patients were included in the early and late windows, respectively. 1702 patients received MM and 2422 were treated with EVT. EVT was associated with a higher rate of a favorable outcome at 90 days both in early (odds ratio [OR] 2.16, 95% CI 1.94-2.41) and late (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.65-2.17) time windows. No differences were found regarding favorable outcome (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.87-1.03) between VBAO patients treated with EVT within and beyond 6 hours. Patients with acute VBAO who received EVT within 24 hours were associated with improved favorable outcome compared with patients who received MM. EVT beyond 6 hours is feasible and safe with no increase in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

SP6.13 - Management of Older Major Trauma Patients: Impact of a dedicated guideline for facilitating older trauma care within a Pan London Trauma Network

Abstract Background and Aim Older age trauma is an increasing challenge for trauma networks with many clinical protocols needing to adapt and reflect age-related changes in physiology and management. In 2018, our older trauma guidance was introduced into our trauma system to improve early recognition of injury, admission pathways, clinical management and outcomes for those aged ≥65yrs (LMTS Older Trauma Guidance). The aim of our study was to assess the impact of the guideline on our trauma processes and patient outcomes. Methods This retrospective analysis of TARN compared process and outcome data for patients aged ≥65yrs admitted to hospitals within the North East London and Essex Trauma Network, pre (01/01/2016-31/07/2018) and post (01/08/2018-31/07/2020) guidance introduction. The primary outcome was mortality at 30 days post injury. Results and conclusions There were 4317 patients pre and 3992 patient post guidance. Time to CT reduced on average by 57 minutes, Neurotrauma transfers decreased from 2116 patients to 1519 patients and more older patients were discharged for rehabilitation. Older trauma mortality reduced across the network post guidance (13.59% vs 10.64%). The greatest mortality reductions were seen in Trauma Units, (19.20% pre vs 6.99% post) with increasing benefit seen with advancing age: reduced 75-84 years by 2.20%; 85-94 years 2.41%; 95+ years by 7.44%. This analysis suggests that dedicated guidance highlighting the special needs and risk profiles of older trauma patients significantly improves processes and outcomes. Improvements in early assessment and time to imaging appear to result in enhanced survival. Further research at a system level is required.

The effect of mass and morphology on the mass assembly of galaxies

The pace at which galaxies grew into their current stellar masses and how this growth is regulated is still not fully understood, nor is the role that morphology plays in this process. We applied full spectral fitting techniques with pyPipe3D to the MaNGA sample to obtain its star formation and stellar mass histories and used these to investigate the mass assembly of galaxies by measuring how their specific star formation correlates to their stellar mass at different look-back times. We find that the correlation between these two parameters was shallower in the past. Galaxies used to have similar mass doubling times and the current negative correlation between the specific star formation and M$_ is primarily due to more massive galaxies 'dropping' off the main sequence earlier than less massive ones. Additionally, selecting the galaxies into bins based on their present-day morphology shows a segregation in specific star formation rate (sSFR) that is maintained even at high look-back times, showing that the factors that determine which morphology a galaxy ends up in are in place at very early times. Similarly, selecting them based on their current star formation status shows that, on average, currently retired galaxies used to have slightly a higher sSFR before the drop-off, whereas galaxies that have continued to form stars until today had a lower sSFR initially. We compare our results to a set of cosmic surveys, finding partial agreement in our results with several of them, though with significant offsets in redshift. Finally, we discuss how our results fit with certain theoretical models on galaxy evolution as well as cosmological simulations.

Endovascular treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke presenting beyond 6 h after symptom onset: An international multicenter cohort study of the EVA-TRISP collaboration.

After positive findings in clinical trials the time window for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for patients with an acute ischemic stroke has been expanded up to 24 h from symptom onset or last seen well (LSW). We aimed to compare EVT patients' characteristics and outcomes in the early versus extended time window and to compare outcomes with the DAWN and DEFUSE 3 trial results. Consecutive EVT patients from 16 mostly European comprehensive stroke centers from the EVA-TRISP cohort were included. We compared rates of 90-day good functional outcomes (Modified Rankin Scale 0-2), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 90-day mortality between patients treated in the early (<6 h after onset or LSW) versus extended (6-24 h after onset or LSW) time windows. We included 9313 patients, of which 6876 were treated in the early and 2437 in the extended time window. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at presentation was lower in patients treated in the extended time window (median 13 [IQR 7-18] vs 15 [IQR 9-19], p < 0.001). The percentage of patients with good functional outcome was slightly lower in the extended time window (37.4% vs 42.2%, p < 0.001). However, rates of successful recanalization, sICH, and mortality were similar. Good functional outcome rates after EVT were slightly lower for patients in the extended window in the EVA-TRISP cohort as compared to DAWN and DEFUSE 3. According to this large multicenter cohort study reflecting daily clinical practice, EVT use in the extended time window appears safe and effective.

Characterization of the Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in COVID-19 Transplant versus Nontransplant Recipients by Ig-MS.

Solid organ transplant recipients with immunosuppressant regimens to prevent rejection are less able to mount effective immune responses to pathogenic infection. Here, we apply a recently reported mass spectrometry-based serological approach known as Ig-MS to characterize immune responses against infection with SARS-CoV-2 in cohorts of transplant recipients and immunocompetent controls, both at a single early time point following COVID-19 diagnosis as well as over the course of one-month postdiagnosis. We found that the antibody repertoires generated by transplant recipients against SARS-CoV-2 do not differ significantly compared to immunocompetent individuals with regard to repertoire titer, clonality, or glycan composition. Importantly, our study is the first to characterize the evolution of antibody glycan profiles in transplant recipients with COVID-19 disease, presenting evidence that the evolution of glycan composition in these immunocompromised individuals is similar to that in immunocompetent people.

Chalkbrood Disease Caused by Ascosphaera apis in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)-Morphological and Histological Changes in Infected Larvae.

Chalkbrood is a mycological brood disease of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. The aim of this study was the investigation of the pathology of artificially reared Apis mellifera larvae, experimentally infected with A. apis spores (1.0 × 103 spores/larva). Non-infected larvae served as control. Five living larvae and every dead larva were collected daily (day 1-7 p.i.). All larvae were macroscopically measured, photographed, formalin-fixed, and histologically processed (hematoxylin-eosin stain, Grocott silvering). Histological sections were digitized, and the size of the larvae was measured (mouth-after length, area) and statistically analyzed. Twenty-six larvae from the collected larvae (n = 64; 23 dead, 3 alive) showed histological signs of infection from 3 d p.i. onwards. The dead larvae showed macroscopically white/brown deposits, indistinct segmentation, and a lack of body elongation. Infected larvae were significantly smaller than the controls on days 3 p.i. (p < 0.05), 4 p.i. (p < 0.001), and 6 p.i. (p < 0.05). The early time of death, the low number of transitional stages, and the strong penetration of the larval carcass with fungal mycelium indicate a rapid and fulminant infection process, which is probably relevant for spreading the disease within the colony.