Reduction In Transmission Research Articles

Comparison of Blue and Infrared Light Transmission Through Dental Tissues and Restorative Materials.

The depth of cure using blue-light photocuring units (BL) is limited by tooth structure and qualities of the restorative material through which the activating wavelength must pass. Recent developments incorporate an infrared (IR) activated upconversion (UC) fluorescence of a lining agent filled with nanocrystals of NaYF4 and doped with YB+3 and Tm+3 that emit both blue and violet light locally at the interface of the liner and restorative resin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the BL and 975 nm infrared (IR) light power transmission through dental tissues and restorative materials. Power transmissions of the IR laser (975 nm) and a monowave blue-only light-curing unit (Bluephase 16i) through dental tissues (enamel, dentin, and enamel/dentin junction, or DEJ), eight (8) various dental resin composites, and eight (8) dental ceramics, each at four thicknesses (1, 2, 3 and 4 mm) were evaluated (n=5) using a thermopile sensor (PM10, Coherent Inc) connected to a laser power meter (Fieldmate, Coherent Inc). Power transmission values of each light source and restorative material were subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey test at a pre-set alpha of 0.05. A linear correlation (r=0.9884) between the supplied current and emitted IR power of the laser diode was found, showing no statistical power reduction with increased distances (collimated beam). For tooth tissues, the highest power transmissions for both light sources were observed using 1.0 mm enamel while the lowest values were found for 2.0 mm dentin and an association of 2.0 mm DEJ and 1.0 mm dentin. The only group where IR demonstrated significantly higher transmission when compared to BL was 1.0 mm enamel. For all resin composites and dental ceramics, increased thickness resulted in a reduction of IR power transmission (except for EverX Posterior fiber-reinforced composite and e.max HT ceramic). IR resulted in higher transmission through all resin composites, except for Tetric EvoCeram White. The highest BL transmission was observed for SDR Flow, at all thicknesses. Higher IR/BL ratios were observed for EverX Posterior, Herculite Ultra, and Lava Ultimate, while the lowest ratio was observed for Tetric EvoCeram White. Reduced translucency shades within the same material resulted in lower power ratio values, especially for BL transmission. Higher IR/BL ratios were observed for e.Max LT, VitaVM7 Base Dentin, and e.max CAD HT, while the lowest values were found for VitaVM7 Enamel and Paradigm C. IR power transmission through enamel was higher when compared to blue light, while no difference was observed for dentin. The power transmission of IR was higher than BL for resin composites, except for a high value and low chroma shade. Fiber-reinforced resin composite demonstrated the highest IR/BL power transmission ratio. A greater IR/BL ratio was observed for lower translucency ceramics when compared to high translucency.

HIV PrEP Coverage Among Black Adults: A Concept Analysis of the Inequities, Disparities, and Implications.

Significant racial disparities exist in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage in the United States (U.S), with Black individuals experiencing seven times higher new HIV infection rates compared to their White counterparts. Despite being the highest priority population at risk for HIV, Black adults have the lowest PrEP coverage, impacting the overall progress toward meeting the ending the HIV epidemic (EHE) goals in the U.S. Utilizing the Walker and Avant method, this concept analysis examined existing literature and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resources to explore HIV PrEP coverage. Findings highlighted a lack of clarity in the concept, resulting in four operational definitions. To address this ambiguity, a conceptual definition of HIV PrEP coverage was proposed, focusing on equitable access to PrEP medication among sexually active individuals aged 18-64 years, particularly those traditionally underserved and would benefit from PrEP. This inclusive definition aims to align with the dynamics of sexual behavior in racial minority groups. Key attributes of this conceptual definition include estimates of PrEP use, access, need, cost, side effects, frequency of HIV testing, and self-efficacy. Antecedents entail HIV status, testing behaviors, transmission risks, and communication with health care providers. Consequences involve perceptions of risk, screening routines, provider biases, stigma, and potential HIV transmission reduction. Analyzing HIV PrEP coverage offers useful insights into social and structural factors exacerbating health inequities in the field of HIV prevention and control. This concept analysis underscores the importance of unified sexual health communication, diverse approaches to PrEP access for racial minorities, and improved sexual health policies for Black adults. Moreover, understanding and advocating for equity in HIV PrEP coverage is crucial for addressing the existing racial disparities and achieving the EHE objectives in the U.S.

Harnessing <i>Wolbachia</i> to Reduce Dengue Transmission - a Review

In this article, we discuss the possible, underlying molecular and biological basis of dengue case reduction by Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, their field releases trial, and mathematical modelling of reduction in transmission of DENV attributable to the presence of Wolbachia. This study suggests that Wolbachia-infected DENV control could reduce dengue incidences up to 40.3 to 96% in the field release sites and A laboratory-based trial reported 100% suppression when Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes were released. Moreover, Mathematical modeling predicted promising results in dengue reduction by Wolbachia. Documented evidence in this study support Wolbachia as a novel vector control approach to limit dengue transmission.

Green Packaging: Carrageenan with Clove Oil Nanoencapsulation

The global urgency surrounding plastic waste-induced pollution has ignited significant interest in the biodegradable packaging sector, leading to a dynamic and expanding realm of biodegradable research. Nonetheless, effectively incorporating active agents into packaging materials faces hurdles related to stability and durability. This study takes a momentous leap in this context by shedding light on the transformative potential of integrating clove oil in macro and nanoencapsulation forms into carrageenan-glycerol matrices. A highlight emerges in the remarkable enhancement achieved through nanoencapsulation—a technique that substantially bolsters packaging performance. This improvement is evident in a noteworthy reduction of water vapor transmission, plummeting from an initial 11.011 to merely 6.903 g.mm m-2 d-1. This nearly fifty percent reduction underscores the efficacy of nanoencapsulation in enhancing packaging attributes. Concurrently, the study delves into the nuances of the carrageenan-clove oil composition, unveiling its profound influence on packaging strength, by systematically increasing the carrageenan-clove oil ratio, packaging strength triples, soaring from an initial 0.421 to an impressive 1.434 N/mm. Concerns of heightened brittleness due to increased carrageenan content are firmly dispelled, substantiated by consistent tensile stress values. In summary, this comprehensive investigation advances the core attributes of biodegradable packaging and presents a strategic and adept approach to address the intricate sustainability issues. Through adept manipulation of clove oil integration, the study pioneers the evolution of biodegradable packaging materials, paving the way for a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Surface Ookinete Protein Pvs25 and Host Genes in Individuals Living along the Thai–Myanmar Border and Their Relationships with Parasite Density

Plasmodium vivax (Pv) accounts for over 50% of malaria cases in Latin America and Asia. Despite a significant reduction in Pv transmission in Thailand, the parasite remains endemic to the border areas. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of the parasites and the host factors, as well as their relation to parasite density in Pvisolates, along the Thai–Myanmar border. Genetic variations in Pv markers, specifically the ookinete surface protein Pvs25, and host genes, including Toll-like receptor 6 (TLR6), TLR9, TIR Domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP), Toll-interacting protein (TOLLIP), Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). A total of 548 PCR-positive Pv samples collected from Tak and Kanchanaburi provinces during two periods (2006–2007 and 2014–2016) were included in the study. Pvs25 exhibited four haplotypes, with H1 (EGTKV) being the most prevalent in both provinces. Kanchanaburi isolates exhibited greater genetic diversity than Tak isolates. No significant deviations from neutrality were observed for Pvs25 in either area. ICAM-1 and TOLLIP s3750920 heterozygous carriers had greater median parasite densities than homozygous mutants. The TLR9 rs187084 T genotype had a significantly higher parasite density than the non-T genotype. The findings underscore the significant association between the rs3750920 C/T, rs5498 A/G, and rs187084 T genotypes and high parasite density in patients infected with Pv, highlighting their potentially critical role in malaria susceptibility.

A two-dose viral-vectored Plasmodium vivax multistage vaccine confers durable protection and transmission-blockade in a pre-clinical study.

Among Plasmodium spp. responsible for human malaria, Plasmodium vivax ranks as the second most prevalent and has the widest geographical range; however, vaccine development has lagged behind that of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest Plasmodium species. Recently, we developed a multistage vaccine for P. falciparum based on a heterologous prime-boost immunization regimen utilizing the attenuated vaccinia virus strain LC16m8Δ (m8Δ)-prime and adeno-associated virus type 1 (AAV1)-boost, and demonstrated 100% protection and more than 95% transmission-blocking (TB) activity in the mouse model. In this study, we report the feasibility and versatility of this vaccine platform as a P. vivax multistage vaccine, which can provide 100% sterile protection against sporozoite challenge and >95% TB efficacy in the mouse model. Our vaccine comprises m8Δ and AAV1 viral vectors, both harboring the gene encoding two P. vivax circumsporozoite (PvCSP) protein alleles (VK210; PvCSP-Sal and VK247; -PNG) and P25 (Pvs25) expressed as a Pvs25-PvCSP fusion protein. For protective efficacy, the heterologous m8Δ-prime/AAV1-boost immunization regimen showed 100% (short-term; Day 28) and 60% (long-term; Day 242) protection against PvCSP VK210 transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. For TB efficacy, mouse sera immunized with the vaccine formulation showed >75% TB activity and >95% transmission reduction activity by a direct membrane feeding assay using P. vivax isolates in blood from an infected patient from the Brazilian Amazon region. These findings provide proof-of-concept that the m8Δ/AAV1 vaccine platform is sufficiently versatile for P. vivax vaccine development. Future studies are needed to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, vaccine efficacy, and synergistic effects on protection and transmission blockade in a non-human primate model for Phase I trials.

Did the prolonged residual efficacy of clothianidin products lead to a greater reduction in vector populations and subsequent malaria transmission compared to the shorter residual efficacy of pirimiphos-methyl?

BackgroundThe residual activity of a clothianidin + deltamethrin mixture and clothianidin alone in IRS covered more than the period of malaria transmission in northern Benin. The aim of this study was to show whether the prolonged residual efficacy of clothianidin-based products resulted in a greater reduction in vector populations and subsequent malaria transmission compared with the shorter residual efficacy of pirimiphos-methyl.MethodsHuman bait mosquito collections by local volunteers and pyrethrum spray collections were used in 6 communes under IRS monitoring and evaluation from 2019 to 2021. ELISA/CSP and species PCR tests were performed on Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) to determine the infectivity rate and subspecies by commune and year. The decrease in biting rate, entomological inoculation rate, incidence, inhibition of blood feeding, resting density of An. gambiae s.l. were studied and compared between insecticides per commune.ResultsThe An. gambiae complex was the major vector throughout the study area, acounting for 98.71% (19,660/19,917) of all Anopheles mosquitoes collected. Anopheles gambiae s.l. collected was lower inside treated houses (45.19%: 4,630/10,245) than outside (54.73%: 5,607/10,245) after IRS (p < 0.001). A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the biting rate was observed after IRS in all departments except Donga in 2021 after IRS with clothianidin 50 WG. The impact of insecticides on EIR reduction was most noticeable with pirimiphos-methyl 300 CS, followed by the clothianidin + deltamethrin mixture and finally clothianidin 50 WG. A reduction in new cases of malaria was observed in 2020, the year of mass distribution of LLINs and IRS, as well as individual and collective protection measures linked to COVID-19. Anopheles gambiae s.l. blood-feeding rates and parous were high and similar for all insecticides in treated houses.ConclusionTo achieve the goal of zero malaria, the optimal choice of vector control tools plays an important role. Compared with pirimiphos-methyl, clothianidin-based insecticides induced a lower reductions in entomological indicators of malaria transmission.

The Hidden Hand of Asymptomatic Infection Hinders Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Modeling Analysis.

Neglected tropical diseases are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in low-income populations. International efforts have reduced their global burden, but transmission is persistent and case-finding-based interventions rarely target asymptomatic individuals. We develop a generic mathematical modeling framework for analyzing the dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian sub-continent (VL), gambiense sleeping sickness (gHAT), and Chagas disease and use it to assess the possible contribution of asymptomatics who later develop disease (pre-symptomatics) and those who do not (non-symptomatics) to the maintenance of infection. Plausible interventions, including active screening, vector control, and reduced time to detection, are simulated for the three diseases. We found that the high asymptomatic contribution to transmission for Chagas and gHAT and the apparently high basic reproductive number of VL may undermine long-term control. However, the ability to treat some asymptomatics for Chagas and gHAT should make them more controllable, albeit over relatively long time periods due to the slow dynamics of these diseases. For VL, the toxicity of available therapeutics means the asymptomatic population cannot currently be treated, but combining treatment of symptomatics and vector control could yield a quick reduction in transmission. Despite the uncertainty in natural history, it appears there is already a relatively good toolbox of interventions to eliminate gHAT, and it is likely that Chagas will need improvements to diagnostics and their use to better target pre-symptomatics. The situation for VL is less clear, and model predictions could be improved by additional empirical data. However, interventions may have to improve to successfully eliminate this disease.

Graphene oxidation and reduction in medium vacuum by an UV lamp at 365 nm wavelength

ABSTRACT The time-dependent graphene oxide (GO) reduction in medium vacuum under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at 365 nm has been investigated. We found that GO exposed to UV at room temperature and at a vacuum of about 10−1 mbar shows a notable oxidation for irradiation times up to about 60 min followed by a successive reduction up to 210 min. Characterization measurements have been performed mainly using the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies. ATR-FTIR spectra, acquired in the (400–4000) cm−1 wavenumber range, have indicated an initial decrement of the IR transmission (oxidation process) with the exposure time up to about 60 min and a successive increase of the IR transmission (reduction process) for greater irradiation times up to 210 min. The IR transmission bands are attributed to the oxygen functional groups contained in GO which increase for low UV exposure times and gradually disappear during the UV-induced reduction process. Raman spectra confirm this interpretation showing a decrease of the AD/AG ratio value, with respect to the GO virgin value, for low UV exposure times and an increase for greater times. The GO oxidation and reduction processes, due to the UV GO treatment in medium vacuum conditions, have been also verified by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and surface wettability measurements.

A Pfs48/45-based vaccine to block Plasmodium falciparum transmission: phase 1, open-label, clinical trial

BackgroundThe stalling global progress in malaria control highlights the need for novel tools for malaria elimination, including transmission-blocking vaccines. Transmission-blocking vaccines aim to induce human antibodies that block parasite development in the mosquito and mosquitoes becoming infectious. The Pfs48/45 protein is a leading Plasmodium falciparum transmission-blocking vaccine candidate. The R0.6C fusion protein, consisting of Pfs48/45 domain 3 (6C) and the N-terminal region of P. falciparum glutamate-rich protein (R0), has previously been produced in Lactococcus lactis and elicited functional antibodies in rodents. Here, we assess the safety and transmission-reducing efficacy of R0.6C adsorbed to aluminium hydroxide with and without Matrix-M™ adjuvant in humans.MethodsIn this first-in-human, open-label clinical trial, malaria-naïve adults, aged 18–55 years, were recruited at the Radboudumc in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Participants received four intramuscular vaccinations on days 0, 28, 56 and 168 with either 30 µg or 100 µg of R0.6C and were randomised for the allocation of one of the two different adjuvant combinations: aluminium hydroxide alone, or aluminium hydroxide combined with Matrix-M1™ adjuvant. Adverse events were recorded from inclusion until 84 days after the fourth vaccination. Anti-R0.6C and anti-6C IgG titres were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transmission-reducing activity of participants’ serum and purified vaccine-specific immunoglobulin G was assessed by standard membrane feeding assays using laboratory-reared Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes and cultured P. falciparum gametocytes.ResultsThirty-one participants completed four vaccinations and were included in the analysis. Administration of all doses was safe and well-tolerated, with one related grade 3 adverse event (transient fever) and no serious adverse events occurring. Anti-R0.6C and anti-6C IgG titres were similar between the 30 and 100 µg R0.6C arms, but higher in Matrix-M1™ arms. Neat participant sera did not induce significant transmission-reducing activity in mosquito feeding experiments, but concentrated vaccine-specific IgGs purified from sera collected two weeks after the fourth vaccination achieved up to 99% transmission-reducing activity.ConclusionsR0.6C/aluminium hydroxide with or without Matrix-M1™ is safe, immunogenic and induces functional Pfs48/45-specific transmission-blocking antibodies, albeit at insufficient serum concentrations to result in transmission reduction by neat serum. Future work should focus on identifying alternative vaccine formulations or regimens that enhance functional antibody responses.Trial registrationThe trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT04862416.

Microbially mediated rock fine fracture mineralization sealing: Evolution of flow channels and the resulting transmissivity reduction

The sealing of fine aperture fractures in geological repositories is an important consideration for long-term sealing integrity. Common grouting materials have some disadvantages, such as low sealing efficiency, environmental pollution, etc. Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been proposed as a potential solution for sealing fine fractures. In this paper, the microbially mediated fine fracture mineralization sealing process was investigated by using a designed visual test device. The flow channel evolution and fracture transmissivity reduction during the sealing process were systematically monitored and analysed. Based on the experimental results, a sealing pattern of microbially mediated rock fracture mineralization was proposed. In addition, the influence of biomineralized floc particles formed by different bacterial concentrations on the critical sealing threshold of fracture was discussed. The results show that the sealing pattern can be divided into four stages: (a) flow channel formation; (b) preferred channel blocking; (c) finer channel blocking; (d) filtration zone formation. The four sealing stages correspond to different fracture transmissivity reduction trends, and the majority of transmissivity reduction occurs in stage III. However, the transmissivity decreases rapidly only after the preferred channels are blocked, which indicates that the critical threshold of sealing fracture is reached. The critical sealing threshold is mainly attributed to two factors: biomineralized floc particle size and fracture aperture. Larger floc particles and finer aperture are more likely to reach the critical sealing threshold, improving the sealing efficiency of fractures. It is crucial to further study the interaction between the biomineralized floc particle sizes and the fracture aperture at the critical sealing threshold to optimize the application of MICP-grouting in rock fine fractures.

Compression of EEG signals with the LSTM-autoencoder via domain adaptation approach

The successful implementation of neural network-based EEG signal compression has led to significant cost reductions in data transmission. However, a major obstacle in this process arises from the decline in performance when compressing EEG signals from multiple subjects. This challenge arises due to the notable feature shift of EEG signals between subjects, which poses an impediment to the neural network’s efficient concurrent acquisition of information from multiple subjects. To address this limitation and enable more effective utilization of data for improving the performance on target domain, we propose a Domain Adaptation (DA) framework based on LSTM-autoencoder. Our experiments encompassed the following: (1) A comparison between LSTM-autoencoder, GRU-autoencoder, and the commonly used convolutional autoencoder (CAE) in EEG compression. (2) A comparison between our proposed DA method and the MMD-based DA method, as well as Fine-tuning transfer learning. The results demonstrate the following: (1) LSTM-autoencoder outperforms other models in both subject-specific and cross-subject scenarios. (2) Using transfer learning improves the performance of LSTM-autoencoder on the target subject. (3) Our proposed method outperforms maximum mean discrepancy (MMD)-based domain adaptation and fine-tuning approaches, resulting in a more significant enhancement.

An Innovative Evaluation of Mass Drug Administration with Primaquine in Iran

Background: A key strategy in the global fight against malaria, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), is mass drug administration (MDA). Evaluating the impact of this initiative on malaria transmission reduction is crucial. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of MDA combined with primaquine (PQ) in the southern Iranian region of Jask, specifically in Lirdaf. Methods: Primaquine was chosen as the antimalarial drug for this intervention. A total of 168 Pakistani individuals receiving MDA were evaluated over an eight-week period from September to December 2021. Results: Three cases of vivax malaria were identified. Among the 168 patients receiving PQ, 26 were found to have a deficiency in the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), leading to the exclusion of thirty participants from the trial. Additionally, three individuals were withdrawn from the project due to restricted access (two cases) and family-related issues (one case). One participant, initially asymptomatic and positive, later tested positive again, and this case was excluded from the analysis. Regular follow-up assessments were conducted on all participants, revealing no cases of relapse throughout the project duration. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that employing MDA in combination with supplementary interventions during the elimination phase holds promise for malaria control efforts.

The role of the extracellular matrix in the reduction of lateral force transmission in muscle bundles: A finite element analysis

Background and objectiveAging is associated with a reduction in muscle performance, but muscle weakness is characterized by a much greater loss of force loss compared to mass loss. The aim of this work is to assess the contribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the lateral transmission of force in humans and the loss of transmitted force due to age-related modifications. MethodsFinite element models of muscle bundles are developed for young and elderly human subjects, by considering a few fibers connected through an ECM layer. Bundles of young and elderly subjects are assumed to differ in terms of ECM thickness, as observed experimentally. A three-element-based Hill model is adopted to describe the active behavior of muscle fibers, while the ECM is modeled assuming an isotropic hyperelastic neo-Hookean constitutive formulation. Numerical analyses are carried out by mimicking, at the scale of a bundle, two experimental protocols from the literature. ResultsWhen comparing numerical results obtained for bundles of young and elderly subjects, a greater reduction in the total transmitted force is observed in the latter. The loss of transmitted force is 22 % for the elderly subjects, while it is limited to 7.5 % for the young subjects. The result for the elderly subjects is in line with literature studies on animal models, showing a reduction in the range of 20–34 %. This can be explained by an alteration in the mechanism of lateral force transmission due to the lower shear stiffness of the ECM in elderly subjects, related to its higher thickness. ConclusionsComputational modeling allows to evaluate at the bundle level how the age-related increase of the ECM amount between fibers affects the lateral transmission of force. The results suggest that the observed increase in ECM thickness in aging alone can explain the reduction of the total transmitted force, due to the impaired lateral transmission of force of each fiber.

Does BRRD mitigate the bank-to-sovereign risk channel?

We investigate the effectiveness of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) in mitigating the transmission of credit risk from banks to their sovereign, using CDS spreads to capture bank and sovereign credit risk for a sample of 43 banks in 8 Euro Area countries over the period 2009-2020. If the BRRD bail-in framework is credible, changes in bank default risk should not be transmitted to sovereign risk. In a novel approach we use banks earnings announcements to identify exogenous shocks to bank credit risk and investigate to what extent bank risk is transmitted to sovereign risk before and during the BRRD era. We find that bank-to-sovereign risk transmission has diminished after the introduction of the BRRD, suggesting that financial markets judge the BRRD framework as credible. The decline in bank-sovereign risk transmission is particularly significant in the periphery Euro Area countries, especially Italy and Spain, where the bank-sovereign nexus was most pronounced during the sovereign debt crisis. We report that the lower bank-to-sovereign credit risk transmission is associated with the parliamentary approval of the BRRD and not with the OMT program launched by the ECB to affect sovereign yield spreads, nor with specific bail-in or bailout cases which occurred during the BRRD era. Finally, we document that the reduction in risk transmission is most pronounced for banks classified as a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB), stressing the importance of additional capital buffers imposed by Basel III.

Enhancement of Polyacrylic Acid/Silicon Carbide Nanocomposites’ Optical Properties for Potential Application in Renewable Energy

Composites made from polymers and nanoparticles have promise to be effective solar collectors and thermal energy storage devices due to benefits including improved thermal characteristics and increased structural stability. This study intends to fabricate polyacrylic acid/silicon carbide (PAA−SiC) nanocomposites and examine the optical properties for use in solar collectors and thermal energy storage (TES) fields. The optical properties of PAA−SiC nanocomposites are investigated within the wavelength between 340 and 840 nm. The findings indicate that an increase in SiC concentration in the PAA aqueous solution to 50 g/L at a wavelength of λ = 400 nm causes an increase in the absorption by 50.2% besides a reduction in transmission by 6%. Furthermore, the energy band gaps were reduced from 3.25 eV to 2.95 eV to allow for the transition, and subsequently reduced from 3.15 eV to 2.9 eV to allow for forbidden transition as a result of the increasing SiC concentration from 12.5 g/L to 50 g/L. The optical factors of energy absorption and optical conductivity were also enhanced with a rising SiC concentration from 12.5 to 50 g/L. Specifically, an improvement of 61% in the melting time of PAA−SiC−H2O nanofluids is concluded. Accordingly, it can be said that the PAA−SiC−H2O nanofluids are suitable for renewable energy and TES systems.

Estimating the impact of test–trace–isolate–quarantine systems on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Australia

Background:Australian states and territories used test–trace–isolate–quarantine (TTIQ) systems extensively in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. We report on an analysis of Australian case data to estimate the impact of test–trace–isolate–quarantine systems on SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Methods:Our analysis uses a novel mathematical modelling framework and detailed surveillance data on COVID-19 cases including dates of infection and dates of isolation. First, we directly translate an empirical distribution of times from infection to isolation into reductions in potential for onward transmission during periods of relatively low caseloads (tens to hundreds of reported cases per day). We then apply a simulation approach, validated against case data, to assess the impact of case-initiated contact tracing on transmission during a period of relatively higher caseloads and system stress (up to thousands of cases per day). Results:We estimate that under relatively low caseloads in the state of New South Wales (tens of cases per day), TTIQ contributed to a 54% reduction in transmission. Under higher caseloads in the state of Victoria (hundreds of cases per day), TTIQ contributed to a 42% reduction in transmission. Our results also suggest that case-initiated contact tracing can support timely quarantine in times of system stress (thousands of cases per day). Conclusion:Contact tracing systems for COVID-19 in Australia were highly effective and adaptable in supporting the national suppression strategy from 2020–21, prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant in November 2021. TTIQ systems were critical to the maintenance of the strong suppression strategy and were more effective when caseloads were (relatively) low.

A Novel Tiled Amplicon Sequencing Assay Targeting the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) Genome Reveals Widespread Distribution in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems in the Province of Ontario, Canada.

Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) is a plant pathogen that infects important Solanaceae crop species and can dramatically reduce tomato crop yields. The ToBRFV has rapidly spread around the globe due to its ability to escape detection by antiviral host genes which confer resistance to other tobamoviruses in tomato plants. The development of robust and reproducible methods for detecting viruses in the environment aids in the tracking and reduction of pathogen transmission. We detected ToBRFV in municipal wastewater influent (WWI) samples, likely due to its presence in human waste, demonstrating a widespread distribution of ToBRFV in WWI throughout Ontario, Canada. To aid in global ToBRFV surveillance efforts, we developed a tiled amplicon approach to sequence and track the evolution of ToBRFV genomes in municipal WWI. Our assay recovers 95.7% of the 6393 bp ToBRFV RefSeq genome, omitting the terminal 5' and 3' ends. We demonstrate that our sequencing assay is a robust, sensitive, and highly specific method for recovering ToBRFV genomes. Our ToBRFV assay was developed using existing ARTIC Network resources, including primer design, sequencing library prep, and read analysis. Additionally, we adapted our lineage abundance estimation tool, Alcov, to estimate the abundance of ToBRFV clades in samples.

The decline of the 2022 Italian mpox epidemic: Role of behavior changes and control strategies

In 2022, a global outbreak of mpox occurred, predominantly impacting men who have sex with men (MSM). The rapid decline of this epidemic is yet to be fully understood. We investigated the Italian outbreak by means of an individual-based mathematical model calibrated to surveillance data. The model accounts for transmission within the MSM sexual contact network, in recreational and sex clubs attended by MSM, and in households. We indicate a strong spontaneous reduction in sexual transmission (61-87%) in affected MSM communities as the possible driving factor for the rapid decline in cases. The MSM sexual contact network was the main responsible for transmission (about 80%), with clubs and households contributing residually. Contact tracing prevented about half of the potential cases, and a higher success rate in tracing contacts could significantly amplify its effectiveness. Notably, immunizing the 23% of MSM with the highest sexual activity (10 or more partners per year) could completely prevent new mpox resurgences. This research underscores the importance of augmenting contact tracing, targeted immunization campaigns of high-risk groups, and fostering reactive behavioral changes as key strategies to manage and prevent the spread of emerging sexually transmitted pathogens like mpox within the MSM community.

Intelligent data-driven condition monitoring of power electronics systems using smart edge–cloud framework

The ongoing revolution in industrial production- Industry 4.0, is driven by transformative technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), single-board computers, and 5G communication. As the trend towards IIoT continues, an increasing number of industrial drive systems and their fleets are being connected to the cloud. This enables the manufacturers to perform condition monitoring (CM) and streamlined maintenance activities. At the heart of these drive systems are Power Electronics Systems (PESs), which operate at high switching frequencies (10 kHz–1 MHz) to efficiently transfer electrical power and deliver it to a load in a controlled manner. However, due to their functionalities and the presence of semiconductor switches, PESs are susceptible to failure, necessitating effective condition monitoring (CM) for fault detection and improved lifetime. Link to this issue, to enable CM based on high-frequency data, an industrial site with multiple electric drives is required to record data up to 15TB/week. Therefore, there is a demand from industrial partners to establish intelligent communication between a fleet of physical systems and the cloud to reduce transmission, storage, and bandwidth costs, as well as to enable real-time fault detection and learning from fleet operations. This paper proposes an intelligent edge–cloud computing methodology to address the challenge of high-frequency data monitoring for PESs, focusing on novelty detection and selective data transmission to reduce transmission costs. The methodology involves developing a novel edge–cloud framework that incorporates a neural network-based novelty detector for selective data transmission from physical systems to the cloud. The proposed methodology is evaluated through hardware tests, demonstrating a significant reduction in data transmission (94%) and potential cost savings of up to €5.9k/year for a single remote system. 95.6% detection accuracy of the PQ phase is obtained during experimental tests over 590 samples. Thus, this paper contributes to the vision of the smart grid and IIoT by analyzing the Power Quality (PQ) monitoring problem of a three-phase grid and showcasing the capability of the proposed framework in terms of novelty detection and data transmission cost reduction. To conclude, the proposed intelligent edge–cloud computing methodology offers a promising solution for effective condition monitoring of PESs, with potential cost savings and improved fault detection capabilities. By leveraging advanced technologies and intelligent data-driven approaches, this framework advances the goals of Industry 4.0 and paves the way for efficient and reliable industrial operations in the digital age.