Explore the vast range of titles available.

The global emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) revealed the unprecedented ability for a mosquito-borne virus to cause congenital birth defects. A puzzling aspect of ZIKV emergence is that all human outbreaks and birth defects to date have been exclusively associated with the Asian ZIKV lineage, despite a growing body of laboratory evidence pointing towards higher transmissibility and pathogenicity of the African ZIKV lineage. Whether this apparent paradox reflects the use of relatively old African ZIKV strains in most laboratory studies is unclear. Here, we experimentally compare seven low-passage ZIKV strains representing the recently circulating viral genetic diversity. We find that recent African ZIKV strains display higher transmissibility in mosquitoes and higher lethality in both adult and fetal mice than their Asian counterparts. We emphasize the high epidemic potential of African ZIKV strains and suggest that they could more easily go unnoticed by public health surveillance systems than Asian strains due to their propensity to cause fetal loss rather than birth defects. Here, the authors compare seven low passage Zika virus (ZIKV) strains representing the recently circulating viral genetic diversity of African and Asian strains and find that African ZIKV strains have higher transmissibility in mosquitoes and higher lethality in both adult and fetal mice.

Extrusion based additive manufacturing of cementitious materials has demonstrated strong potential to become widely used in the construction industry. However, the use of this technique in practice is conditioned by a feasible solution to implement reinforcement in such automated process. One of the most successful ductile materials in civil engineering, strain hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) have a high potential to be employed for three-dimensional printing. The match between the tailored brittle matrix and ductility of the fibres enables these composites to develop multiple cracks when loaded under tension. Using previously developed mixtures, this study investigates the physical and mechanical performance of printed SHCC. The anisotropic behavior of the materials is explored by means of mechanical tests in several directions and micro computed tomography tests. The results demonstrated a composite showing strain hardening behavior in two directions explained by the fibre orientation found in the printed elements. Moreover, the printing technique used also has guaranteed an enhanced bond in between the printed layers.

Genetic variation among Aedes aegypti populations can greatly influence their vector competence for human pathogens such as the dengue virus (DENV). While intra-species transcriptome differences remain relatively unstudied when compared to coding sequence polymorphisms, they also affect numerous aspects of mosquito biology. Comparative molecular profiling of mosquito strain transcriptomes can therefore provide valuable insight into the regulation of vector competence. We established a panel of A. aegypti strains with varying levels of susceptibility to DENV, comprising both laboratory-maintained strains and field-derived colonies collected from geographically distinct dengue-endemic regions spanning South America, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. A comparative genome-wide gene expression microarray-based analysis revealed higher basal levels of numerous immunity-related gene transcripts in DENV-refractory mosquito strains than in susceptible strains, and RNA interference assays further showed different degrees of immune pathway contribution to refractoriness in different strains. By correlating transcript abundance patterns with DENV susceptibility across our panel, we also identified new candidate modulators of DENV infection in the mosquito, and we provide functional evidence for two potential DENV host factors and one potential restriction factor. Our comparative transcriptome dataset thus not only provides valuable information about immune gene regulation and usage in natural refractoriness of mosquito populations to dengue virus but also allows us to identify new molecular interactions between the virus and its mosquito vector.

This research analyzes the impact on land use induced by urban solid waste landfills using the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI). The methodology used to analyze the environmental value of the landfill’s areas of influence is based on the analysis of the space-time variations of the WEI inside them. The application of this methodology allows identifying the areas where the environmental value has changed over time, providing a quantitative indicator that can be analyzed using statistical techniques. The methodology has been applied as a case study to analyze the influence over land use in all the municipal solid waste landfills currently in operation inside the Valencia Region (Spain). Results have been obtained using GIS techniques integrating the information provided by the Information System on Land Occupation in Spain land use database. Results show that, without exception, the environmental value of the territory has decreased in all the cases analyzed. WEI is a powerful tool for analyzing land use change over time, and its application allows for performing detailed statistical analyses leading to key conclusions about land use changes inside the landfill influence areas.

My exploration begins with a personal narrative, followed by a discussion of how decolonizing methodologies reframed my understanding of applied folklore ethics and methods. I describe ways I am collaborating with a documentary filmmaker and curanderas (women healers) in Los Angeles who supported the Latinx community during the COVID-19 pandemic. I use critical frameworks to build on applied folklore in ways that can advance the field as well as support the goals of community researchers I engage with. KEYWORDS: Applied folklore, ethics, decolonizing methodologies, account-ability, social responsibility.

Natural killer (NK) cells control viral infection through the interaction between inhibitory receptors and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands and bound peptide. NK cells expressing the inhibitory receptor NKG2A/CD94 recognize and respond to autologous B cells latently infected with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). The mechanism is not yet understood, thus we investigated peptides derived from seven latent proteins of EBV in the interaction of NKG2A and its ligand HLA-E. Functional analysis demonstrated that EBV peptides can bind to HLA-E and block inhibition of NK cell effector function. Moreover, analysis of DNA from 79 subjects showed sequence variations in the latent protein, LMP1, which alters NK responses to EBV. We provide evidence that peptides derived from EBV latent cycle proteins can impair the recognition of NKG2A despite being presented by HLA-E, resulting in NK cell activation.

Biomechanical analysis of the human spine is crucial to understanding injury patterns. Motion capture technology has gained attention due to its non-invasive nature. Nevertheless, traditional motion capture studies consider the spine a single rigid segment, although its alignment changes during movement. Moreover, guidelines that indicate where markers should be placed for a specific exercise do not exist. This study aims to review the methods used to assess spine biomechanics using motion capture systems to determine the marker sets used, the protocols used, the resulting parameters, the analysed activities, and the characteristics of the studied populations. PRISMA guidelines were used to perform a Scoping Review using SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. Fifty-six journal and conference articles from 1997 to 2023 were considered for the analysis. This review showed that Plug-in-Gait is the most used marker set. The lumbar spine is the segment that generates the most interest because of its high mobility and function as a weight supporter. Furthermore, angular position and velocity are the most common outcomes when studying the spine. Walking, standing, and range of movement were the most studied activities compared to sports and work-related activities. Male and female participants were recruited similarly across all included articles. This review presents the motion capture techniques and measurement outcomes of biomechanical studies of the human spine, to help standardize the field. This work also discusses trends in marker sets, study outcomes, studied segments and segmentation approaches. Graphical Abstract

The preservation of historic irrigation infrastructure is vital for sustainable water management, especially in regions grappling with rural depopulation, land degradation, and wildfire risk. This study presents a rehabilitation framework for the Acequia del Diablo (Teruel, Spain), a centuries-old gravity-fed canal that supported 60 hectares of agriculture and contributed to ecological connectivity. Its deterioration—following landslides in 1992 and water source loss in 2020—has led to land abandonment, biodiversity decline, and increased wildfire vulnerability. The proposed solution, centered on restoring the original intake at the Azud de Fonseca and stabilizing damaged sections, reestablishes water autonomy and integrates heritage conservation into water governance. A multi-criteria analysis identified this gravity-based alternative as the most technically, economically, and environmentally viable. Drawing from precedents in the literature, the conservation and rehabilitation of historical irrigation systems play a crucial role in sustainable water management in rural areas; this initiative offers a replicable model for other Mediterranean and semi-arid areas. However, challenges include engineering complexity in unstable terrain, administrative delays, and long-term maintenance. Despite these, this intervention enhances rural resilience, wildfire prevention, and biodiversity, while aligning with circular economy principles and European Green Deal objectives.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, causes acute febrile illness that can progress into chronic arthritis-like disease (CHIKVD) in humans. CD4 + T cells have important functions in CHIKV infection, yet the CHIKV target proteins for these CD4 + T cells are poorly characterized. Here, by stimulating PBMCs collected from individuals with chronic CHIKVD with peptides spanning the entire CHIKV proteome, we provide a comprehensive landscape of CHIKV CD4 + T cell epitopes. We identify three immunodominant regions and associated core motifs in CHIKV E1, nsP1 and CP proteins. In addition, by in silico assessment of the sequence conservation of CHIKV proteome with closely related alphaviruses, we define CHIKV epitopes conserved across arthritogenic and encephalitic viruses. Overall, our work describes CD4 + T cell targets of CHIKV in humans, thereby assisting in studying the functions of CD4 + T cells in CHIKV pathogenesis and vaccine design. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infects humans and causes chronic arthritic diseases, yet information on CHIKV immune epitopes is still lacking. Here the authors stimulate peripheral blood cells from CHIKV patients with a peptide pool covering the full CHIKV proteome to define CD4 + T cell epitopes as well as to map cross-reactivity with closely related alphaviruses.

In recent decades there has been an increase in magnitude and occurrence of heat waves and a decrease of cold waves, both of which may be related to the anthropogenic influence. This study describes the extreme temperature regime of heat waves and cold waves across South America over recent years (1980–2014). Temperature records come from the Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD), a climatological data set produced by the National Climatic Data Center that provides records of daily maximum and minimum temperatures acquired worldwide. The magnitude of heat waves and cold waves for each GSOD station are quantified on an annual basis by means of the Heat Wave Magnitude Index and the Cold Wave Magnitude Index. Results indicate an increase in intensity and in frequency of heat waves, especially in the last 10 years. Conversely, no significant changes are detected for cold waves. In addition, the trend of the annual temperature range (i.e. yearly mean of Tmax – yearly mean of Tmin) is positive – up to 1 °C per decade – over the extratropics and negative – up to 0.5 °C per decade – over the tropics.