Parasite Presence Induces Gene Expression Changes in an Ant Host Related to Immunity and Longevity

Most species are either parasites or exploited by parasites, making parasite–host interactions a driver of evolution. Parasites with complex life cycles often evolve strategies to facilitate transmission to the definitive host by manipulating their intermediate host. Such manipulations could explain phenotypic changes in the ant Temnothorax nylanderi, the intermediate host of the cestode Anomotaenia brevis. In addition to behavioral and morphological alterations, infected workers exhibit prolonged lifespans, comparable to that of queens, which live up to two decades. We used transcriptomic data from cestodes and ants of different castes and infection status to investigate the molecular underpinnings of phenotypic alterations in infected workers and explored whether the extended lifespan of queens and infected workers has a common molecular basis. Infected workers and queens commonly upregulated only six genes, one of them with a known anti-aging function. Both groups overexpressed immune genes, although not the same ones. Our findings suggest that the lifespan extension of infected workers is not achieved via the expression of queen-specific genes. The analysis of the cestodes’ transcriptome revealed dominant expression of genes of the mitochondrial respiratory transport chain, which indicates an active metabolism and shedding light on the physiology of the parasite in its cysticercoid stage.

Aging of basalt volcanic systems and decreasing CO₂ consumption by weathering

Basalt weathering is one of many relevant processes balancing the global carbon cycle via land–ocean alkalinity fluxes. The CO2 consumption by weathering can be calculated using alkalinity and is often scaled with runoff and/or temperature. Here, it is tested if the surface age distribution of a volcanic system derived by geological maps is a useful proxy for changes in alkalinity production with time. A linear relationship between temperature normalized alkalinity fluxes and the Holocene area fraction of a volcanic field was identified using information from 33 basalt volcanic fields, with an r2=0.93. This relationship is interpreted as an aging function and suggests that fluxes from Holocene areas are ∼10 times higher than those from old inactive volcanic fields. However, the cause for the decrease with time is probably a combination of effects, including a decrease in alkalinity production from material in the shallow critical zone as well as a decline in hydrothermal activity and magmatic CO2 contribution. The addition of fresh reactive material on top of the critical zone has an effect in young active volcanic settings which should be accounted for, too. A comparison with global models suggests that global alkalinity fluxes considering Holocene basalt areas are ∼60 % higher than the average from these models imply. The contribution of Holocene areas to the global basalt alkalinity fluxes is today however only ∼5 %, because identified, mapped Holocene basalt areas cover only ∼1 % of the existing basalt areas. The large trap basalt proportion on the global basalt areas today reduces the relevance of the aging effect. However, the aging effect might be a relevant process during periods of globally intensive volcanic activity, which remains to be tested.

Monitoring InBaskets With Feedback to Providers Enhances the Timeliness of Patient Care

Purpose: Electronic health records have changed providers’ workflow. Epic’s InBasket supplants traditional communication and is a central hub for clinical information. Failure to promptly complete records impairs communication and revenue collection. By tracking providers’ InBasket activities and offering feedback, we hoped to improve InBasket management and interdisciplinary communication. Methods: We created a report to track 273 providers’ InBasket activities, including ambulatory transcriptions, chart cosignatures, order cosignatures, patient calls, results, and billable encounters. The report showed how often and for how long each activity was delinquent. We completed three Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. During cycle 1 (November to December 2015), we sent all providers automated e-mails with their monthly results. During cycle 2 (January to April 2016), we focused solely on billable encounter closure and sent targeted e-mails to providers with > 50 delinquent encounters. The e-mails stated that providers had 30 days to complete encounters or their practices would be closed to new patients; at 30 days, noncompliant providers had 60 days before practice suspension. During cycle 3 (May to September 2016), we continued to monitor and send targeted e-mails to providers who accumulated > 50 encounters. We modeled the financial impact of the intervention using net closure data, the report’s aging function, and billing logs. Results: InBasket monitoring with structured feedback decreased open encounters by 53.43%. We did not see improvements in the other metrics that the report tracked. We estimate that $231,724 was saved as a result of the intervention and $349,179 was lost to filing deadlines. Conclusion: Automated e-mails did not reduce open encounters; targeted e-mails to providers improved InBasket management.

Short Communication: Aging of basalt volcanic systems and decreasing CO₂ consumption by weathering

Basalt weathering is one of many relevant processes balancing the global carbon cycle via land-ocean alkalinity fluxes. The CO2 consumption by weathering can be calculated using alkalinity and is often scaled with runoff and/or temperature. Here it is tested if information on the surface age distribution of a volcanic system is a useful proxy for changes in alkalinity production with time. A linear relationship between temperature normalized alkalinity fluxes and the Holocene area fraction of a volcanic field was identified, using information from 33 basalt volcanic fields, with an r2 = 0.91. This relationship is interpreted as an aging function and suggests that fluxes from Holocene areas are ~ 10 times higher than those from old inactive volcanic fields. However, the cause for the decrease with time is probably a combination of effects, including a decrease in alkalinity production from surface near material in the critical zone as well as a decline in hydrothermal activity and magmatic CO2 contribution. A comparison with global models suggests, that global alkalinity fluxes considering Holocene active basalt areas are ~ 70 % higher than the average from these models imply. The contribution of Holocene areas to the global basalt alkalinity fluxes is however only ~ 6 %, because identified, mapped Holocene basalt areas cover only ~ 1 % of the existing basalt areas. The large trap basalt proportion on the global basalt areas today reduces the relevance of the aging effect. However, the aging effect might be a relevant process during periods of globally, intensive volcanic activity, which remains to be tested.

Application of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Textile Modification

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have the unique properties of optic character and can be used in textile region. In this paper, the application status, prepare methods of physical method and chemical method, application method of exhaustion, pad-dry-cure and coating methods in textile modification of titanium dioxide nanoparticles are introduced. The prepared mechanisms are then analysis. It is shown that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can provide ultraviolet-resistance fuction, anti-bacterial activity, infrared effects, anti-static eclectricity function, anti-aging function and Self-cleaning effect in textile modification. As last, the existed problems and tend to development are analysized.

AGING FUNCTIONS AND MULTIVARIATE NOTIONS OF NBU AND IFR

For d≥2, let X=(X1, …, Xd) be a vector of exchangeable continuous lifetimes with joint survival function $\overline{F}$. For such models, we study some properties of multivariate aging of $\overline{F}$ that are described by means of the multivariate aging function $B_{\overline{F}}$, which is a useful tool for describing the level curves of $\overline{F}$. Specifically, the attention is devoted to notions that generalize the univariate concepts of New Better than Used and Increasing Failure Rate. These multivariate notions are satisfied by random vectors whose components are conditionally independent and identically distributed having univariate conditional survival function that is New Better than Used (respectively, Increasing Failure Rate). Furthermore, they also have an interpretation in terms of comparisons among conditional survival functions of residual lifetimes, given a same history of observed survivals.