Hosts and vectors of scrub typhus in Chile: epidemiological study and molecular analyses of Orientia infection in rodents and rodent-associated mites.

Candidatus Orientia chiloensis causes scrub typhus over a wide geographical range in southern Chile. The life cycle, including vectors and reservoirs of this novel rickettsial pathogen, is incompletely understood. We analyzed rodent tissue and rodent-associated mite samples collected during a field study in six localities on Chiloé Island, where human scrub typhus cases have occurred.

Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from two southern provinces of Cambodia.

Arthropod-borne rickettsioses comprise a wide variety of subtypes that are endemic in Cambodia, but there remains very little data on the geographic distribution of the pathogens or their vectors. Surveys were conducted in Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk Provinces between September 2017 and June 2018 to collect ectoparasites from peridomestic animals and the environment using dragging and flagging methods. Collected ectoparasites were sorted and identified morphologically, then pooled by species, host, and location for molecular detection using Rickettsia genus- and species-specific qPCR and/or multilocus sequence typing (MLST) assays.

Gender differences in cognitive function and its associated factors among older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is widely prevalent among older people and can influence accelerated cognitive decline. Gender-based disparities may contribute to variations in cognitive decline. This study examined gender differences in cognitive function and associated factors among older adults with diabetes.

Discovery of spp. in mosquitoes collected in Georgia by metagenomics analysis and molecular characterization.

Arthropods have a broad and expanding worldwide presence and can transmit a variety of viral, bacterial, and parasite pathogens. A number of and species associated with ticks, fleas, lice, and mites have been detected in, or isolated from, patients with febrile illness and/or animal reservoirs throughout the world. Mosquitoes are not currently considered vectors for spp.

Efficient and optimal penetration path planning for stealth unmanned aerial vehicle using minimal radar cross-section tactics and modified A-Star algorithm.

Penetration path planning for stealth unmanned aerial vehicles (SUAVs) in the integrated air defense system (IADS) has been a hot research topic in recent years. The present study examines penetration path planning in different threat environments. Firstly, for the complex terrain and static radar threats, a modified A-Star algorithm containing the bidirectional sector expansion and variable step search strategy is proposed to elude static threats rapidly.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and Associated Pathoge Collected From Domestic Animals and Vegetation in Stann Creek District, Southeastern Belize, Central America.

Data on the prevalence and distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Belize are lacking. Ticks (n = 564) collected from dogs, horses, and vegetation in two villages in Stann Creek District in southeastern Belize in 2018, were molecularly identified and screened for tick-borne nonviral human pathogens. The identity of 417 ticks was molecularly confirmed by DNA barcoding as Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (66.

Development and clinical translation of gene therapy.

Retroviral gene therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic modality for multiple inherited and acquired human diseases. The capability of delivering curative treatment or mediating therapeutic benefits for a long-term period following a single application fundamentally distinguishes this medical intervention from traditional medicine and various lentiviral/γ-retroviral vector-mediated gene therapy products have been approved for clinical use. Continued advances in retroviral vector engineering, genomic editing, synthetic biology and immunology will broaden the medical applications of gene therapy and improve the efficacy and safety of the treatments based on genetic correction and alteration.

Development of a New Genus-Specific Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay for the Diagnosis of Scrub Typhus in South America.

Scrub typhus is a potentially severe rickettsiosis, caused by in the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, however, two distinct pathogens, " Orientia chuto" and " Orientia chiloensis", have been discovered in the Middle East and South America, respectively. Since the novel pathogens differ significantly from , many established diagnostic methods are unreliable.

Experimental study on light volatile products from thermal decomposition of lignin monomer model compounds: effect of temperature, residence time and methoxyl group.

In order to investigate the effects of temperature, residence time (RT) and methoxyl (OCH) on the product distribution and vapor phase reactions during pyrolysis of complex solid fuels, three model phenolic representatives, phenol, guaiacol and syringol, were pyrolyzed at a residence time of 0.7 s, over a temperature range of 400 °C-950 °C, and at temperatures of 650 °C and 750 °C, in a RT region of 0.1 s-4.

Experimental study on pretreatment effects of [BMIM]HSO/ethanol on the thermal behavior of cellulose.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been investigated to dissolve and/or pre-treat cellulose by combining with a low viscous co-solvent. Dissolution and pretreatment of cellulose by ILs are dynamic processes of dissolution and precipitation, which would caused the physical and chemical changes (such as crystallinity and thermal stability) of un-dissolved cellulose residues. Hence, this study focused on the thermal behavior of un-dissolved cellulose (PCEL) after pre-treatment using [BMIM]HSO/ethanol.

Carios kelleyi (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae) Infected With Rickettsial Agents Documented Infesting Housing in Kansas, United States.

During September-December 2018, 25 live ticks were collected on-post at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in a home with a history of bat occupancy. Nine ticks were sent to the Army Public Health Center Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory and were identified as Carios kelleyi (Cooley and Kohls, 1941), a species that seldom bites humans but that may search for other sources of blood meals, including humans, when bats are removed from human dwellings. The ticks were tested for numerous agents of human disease.

International Rickettsia Disease Surveillance: An Example of Cooperative Research to Increase Laboratory Capability and Capacity for Risk Assessment of Rickettsial Outbreaks Worldwide.

Cooperative research that addresses infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigations relies heavily on availability and effective use of appropriate diagnostic tools, including serological and molecular assays, as exemplified by the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we stress the importance of using these assays to support collaborative epidemiological studies to assess risk of rickettsial disease outbreaks among international partner countries. Workforce development, mentorship, and training are important components in building laboratory capability and capacity to assess risk of and mitigate emerging disease outbreaks.

Molecular Characterization of Species Discovered in Ectoparasites Collected from Domestic Animals, Cuzco, Peru.

Rickettsiae and bartonellae are Gram-negative bacteria that can cause zoonotic and human diseases and are vectored by hematophagous arthropods. In the Americas, rickettsioses and bartonelloses have reemerged as significant public health threats. species have been identified as causing zoonotic infections responsible for a variety of clinical syndromes in humans and animals.

Pathogen Carriage by Peri-Domestic Fleas in Western Kenya.

Fleas are carriers for many largely understudied zoonotic, endemic, emerging, and re-emerging infectious disease agents, but little is known about their prevalence and role as a vector in Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of fleas and the prevalence of infectious agents in them collected from human dwellings in western Kenya. A total of 306 fleas were collected using light traps from 33 human dwellings; 170 (55.

Tick-borne rickettsiae in Midwestern region of Republic of Korea.

To identify spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae among ticks collected by dragging at eight sites in three provinces of the midwestern region of the Republic of Korea (ROK), genus- and species-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays and sequencing were performed. DNA was extracted from a total of 2,312 ticks that were assayed individually (n=140) or in pools (n=444), resulting in a total of 584 individual and pooled tick samples. The 584 tick samples were screened with the genus-specific qPCR assay (Rick17b) and produced 265 (45.

Human seroepidemiology of Rickettsia and Orientia species in Chile - A cross-sectional study in five regions.

In recent years, the spectrum and epidemiology of human rickettsioses has become an emerging topic in Chile. This survey aimed to assess the seroprevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), typhus group rickettsiae (TGR), and scrub typhus group orientiae (STGO) in northern, central, and southern Chile. We performed a cross-sectional study of healthy adults in rural and urban settings of five regions.

The Formation Mechanism of a Self-Organized Periodic-Layered Structure at the Solid-(Cr, Fe)B/Liquid-Al Interface.

A periodic-layered structure was observed in solid-(Cr, Fe)B/liquid-Al diffusion couple at 750 °C. The interface morphology, the reaction products, and the potential formation mechanism of this periodic-layered structure were investigated using an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicate that the reaction between (Cr, Fe)B and liquid Al is a diffusion-controlled process.

Molecular Description of a Novel Orientia Species Causing Scrub Typhus in Chile.

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal rickettsiosis caused by Orientia species intracellular bacteria of the genus Orientia. Although considered to be restricted to the Asia Pacific region, scrub typhus has recently been discovered in southern Chile. We analyzed Orientia gene sequences of 16S rRNA (rrs) and 47-kDa (htrA) from 18 scrub typhus patients from Chile.

Mesenchymal stromal cell therapies: immunomodulatory properties and clinical progress.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a subset of heterogeneous non-hematopoietic fibroblast-like cells that can differentiate into cells of multiple lineages, such as chondrocytes, osteoblasts, adipocytes, myoblasts, and others. These multipotent MSCs can be found in nearly all tissues but mostly located in perivascular niches, playing a significant role in tissue repair and regeneration. Additionally, MSCs interact with immune cells both in innate and adaptive immune systems, modulating immune responses and enabling immunosuppression and tolerance induction.

Spotted Fever Group Infection of Cats and Cat Fleas in Northeast Thailand.

species cause rickettsioses, which are zoonotic diseases found worldwide, and are transmitted by arthropods such as lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. In Thailand, flea infestations are common among cats and dogs. This study aimed at determining the exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) of cats in surrounding areas of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, Muang district, Maha Sarakham province and rickettsial infection among cat fleas, collected from dogs of the surrounding area of Waeng Noi district, Khon Kaen province.

Identification and distribution of nine tick-borne spotted fever group Rickettsiae in the Country of Georgia.

Rickettsial pathogens cause diseases that vary in severity and clinical presentation. Rickettsia species transmitted by ticks are mostly classified within the spotted fever group of rickettsiae (SFGR) and are often associated with febrile diseases. Preliminary studies have detected three human-pathogenic SFGR from ticks in Georgia: Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia slovaca.

First glimpse into the origin and spread of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in the United States.

Established populations of Asian longhorned ticks (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, were first identified in the United States (US) in 2017 by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) 'barcoding' locus followed by morphological confirmation. Subsequent investigations detected ALT infestations in 12, mostly eastern, US states. To gain information on the origin and spread of US ALT, we (1) sequenced cox1 from ALT populations across 9 US states and (2) obtained cox1 sequences from potential source populations [China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga (KOT)] both by sequencing and by downloading publicly available sequences in NCBI GenBank.

Investigation on the Microstructure and Wear Behavior of Laser-Cladded High Aluminum and Chromium Fe-B-C Coating.

In this study, a high aluminum and chromium Fe-B-C coating was prepared using laser cladding on 2Cr13 steel substrate. The microstructure, microhardness, and wear resistance of the high aluminum and chromium Fe-B-C coating were investigated. The results show that this dense coating possesses good metallurgical bond with the substrate.