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The prominent human symbiont Bacteroides fragilis protects animals from intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, and its capsular polysaccharide plays a key role in reducing inflammation. B. fragilis strain ZY-312 was isolated from the feces of a healthy breast-fed infant, and the zwitterionic capsular polysaccharide zwitterionic polysaccharide, TP2, was extracted. In rats with 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced enteritis, TP2 at an optimal dose of 2.5 mg/kg could significantly alleviate enteritis and reduced the degree of intestinal adhesions, the intestinal ulcer area, and the incidence of ulcers in rats. To understand the underlying mechanism, TP2 was labeled with Fluorescein isothiocyanate and orally administered at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg in rats. TP2 was mainly distributed in the cecum and colorectum, but it was not detected in the blood and other organs except that a compound with a molecular weight greater than that of TP2-FITC was found in liver tissue. During the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, TP2 was indigestible. These results were further confirmed by investigation in the simulated gastric, intestinal fluid, and colonic fluid with fecal microbiota in vitro , where TP2 remained unaltered at different time points. Furthermore, flora composition was analyzed in simulated colonic fluid with TP2 added and it was found that TP2 increased the abundance of Faecalibacterium , Enterococcus romboutsia , and Ruminococcaceae , whereas the abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria represented by Sutterella , Desulfovibrio , and Enterobacteriaceae was decreased. However, the amount of short-chain fatty acids in the simulated colonic fluid was not changed by intestinal flora post-TP2 addition. In conclusion, these findings confirmed that TP2, a capsular polysaccharide of B. fragilis , protects against ulcerative colitis in an undegraded form.

Estudiamos la teoría de modelos de expansiones de espacios de Hilbert mediante predicados genéricos. Primero demostramos la existencia de modelo-compañeras de expansiones genéricas de espacios de Hilbert mediante una función-distancia a una estructura aleatoria, y luego una distancia a un subconjunto aleatorio. La teoría obtenida con la subestructura aleatoria es ω-estable; la obtenida mediante la distancia a subconjunto aleatorio es TP2 y NSOP1. Este ejemplo es la primera estructura de esta clase de complejidad en lógica continua.

The geometric first-order integer-valued autoregressive process (GINAR(1)) can be particularly useful to model relevant discrete-valued time series, namely in statistical process control. We resort to stochastic ordering to prove that the GINAR(1) process is a discrete-time Markov chain governed by a totally positive order 2 (TP2) transition matrix.Stochastic ordering is also used to compare transition matrices referring to pairs of GINAR(1) processes with different values of the marginal mean. We assess and illustrate the implications of these two stochastic ordering results, namely on the properties of the run length of geometric charts for monitoring GINAR(1) counts.

The hot deformation behavior and microstructural evolution for TP2 pure copper from 200 to 500 ℃ with a strain rate of 10 s −1 are studied using Gleeble-3800 thermal simulation tester. Electron back-scattered diffraction and true stress–strain curves are carried out to characterize flow behavior, grain boundary characteristics, microtextural behavior and dynamic recrystallization mechanism of the hot deformed samples. The true stress decreases with increasing deformation temperature. With the increase of temperature, small-angle grain boundary gradually migrates to large-angle grain boundary. The volume fraction of dynamic recrystallization reaches 3.57% and 12.96% at 400 ℃ and 500 ℃, respectively. At 200 ℃, the deformation brass R texture {025} < 100 > plays a leading role. When the temperature increases to 500 ℃, the texture type is almost all transformed into goss texture {110} < 001 > . As the deformation temperature increases, deformation texture has a reduced intensity.

The horizontal continuous casting process, the initial step in TP2 copper tubular processing, directly determines the microstructure and properties of copper tubular. However, the process parameters of the continuous casting characterize time variation, multiple disturbances and strong coupling. As a consequence, their influence on a casting billet is difficult to be determined. Due to the above issues, the common factor and special factor analysis of the factor analysis model were used in this study, and the casting experiment and billet metallographic experiment were carried out to diagnose and analyze the reason of the microstructure inhomogeneity. The multiple process parameters were studied and classified using common factor analysis, the cast billets with abnormal microstructures were identified by GT 2 statistics, and the most important factors affecting the microstructural homogeneity were found by special factor analysis. The calculated and experimental results show that the principal parameters influencing the inhomogeneity of solidified microstructure are the primary inlet water pressure and the primary outlet water temperature. According to the consequence of the above investigation, the inhomogeneity of the copper billet microstructure can be effectively improved when the process parameters are controlled and adjusted.

Tube hydroforming (THF) experiments were performed on TP2 copper tubes under different loading velocities and fluid velocities using a self-developed measurement system to investigate dynamic frictional characteristics in the guiding zone. The results show that the coefficient of friction (COF) dynamically changes during forming experiments and decreases with tube deformation. The average descending rate and amplitude of the COF increase with increasing loading velocity. Microscopically, the micro-protrusions on the tubular surface are flattened, and the surface scratches are finer and more uniform, as the loading velocity increases, resulting in a decrease in COF. At the same external loading velocity, the COF increases with increasing fluid velocity and is also extremely sensitive to it. Moreover, improving and predicting the formability of such tubes by accurately adjusting and controlling fluid velocity in THF is valuable and critical for the future.

BACKGROUND : Theileria parva causes East Coast fever (ECF), one of the most economically important tick-borne diseases of cattle in sub-Saharan Africa. A live immunisation approach using the infection and treatment method (ITM) provides a strong long-term strain-restricted immunity. However, it typically induces a tick-transmissible carrier state in cattle and may lead to spread of antigenically distinct parasites. Thus, understanding the genetic composition of T. parva is needed prior to the use of the ITM vaccine in new areas. This study examined the sequence diversity and the evolutionary and biogeographical dynamics of T. parva within the African Great Lakes region to better understand the epidemiology of ECF and to assure vaccine safety. Genetic analyses were performed using sequences of two antigencoding genes, Tp1 and Tp2, generated among 119 T. parva samples collected from cattle in four agro-ecological zones of DRC and Burundi. RESULTS : The results provided evidence of nucleotide and amino acid polymorphisms in both antigens, resulting in 11 and 10 distinct nucleotide alleles, that predicted 6 and 9 protein variants in Tp1 and Tp2, respectively. Theileria parva samples showed high variation within populations and a moderate biogeographical sub-structuring due to the widespread major genotypes. The diversity was greater in samples from lowlands and midlands areas compared to those from highlands and other African countries. The evolutionary dynamics modelling revealed a signal of selective evolution which was not preferentially detected within the epitope-coding regions, suggesting that the observed polymorphism could be more related to gene flow rather than recent host immune-based selection. Most alleles isolated in the Great Lakes region were closely related to the components of the trivalent Muguga vaccine. CONCLUSIONS : Our findings suggest that the extensive sequence diversity of T. parva and its biogeographical distribution mainly depend on host migration and agro-ecological conditions driving tick population dynamics. Such patterns are likely to contribute to the epidemic and unstable endemic situations of ECF in the region. However, the fact that ubiquitous alleles are genetically similar to the components of the Muguga vaccine together with the limited geographical clustering may justify testing the existing trivalent vaccine for cross-immunity in the region.

Background East Coast fever (ECF) caused by Theileria parva is endemic in Rwanda. In this study, the antigenic and genetic diversity of T. parva coupled with immunization and field challenge were undertaken to provide evidence for the introduction of ECF immunization in Rwanda. Methods Blood collected from cattle in the field was screened for T. parva using ELISA and PCR targeting the p104 gene. Tp1 and Tp2 gene sequences were generated from field samples and from Gikongoro and Nyakizu isolates. Furthermore, multilocus genotype data was generated using 5 satellite markers and an immunization challenge trial under field conditions using Muguga cocktail vaccine undertaken. Results Out of 120 samples, 44 and 20 were positive on ELISA and PCR, respectively. Antigenic diversity of the Tp1 and Tp2 gene sequences revealed an abundance of Muguga, Kiambu and Serengeti epitopes in the samples. A further three clusters were observed on both Tp1 and Tp2 phylogenetic trees; two clusters comprising of field samples and vaccine isolates and the third cluster comprising exclusively of Rwanda samples. Both antigens exhibited purifying selection with no positive selection sites. In addition, satellite marker analysis revealed that field samples possessed both shared alleles with Muguga cocktail on all loci and also a higher proportion of unique alleles. The Muguga cocktail (Muguga, Kiambu and Serengeti) genotype compared to other vaccine isolates, was the most represented in the field samples. Further low genetic sub-structuring (F ST = 0.037) coupled with linkage disequilibrium between Muguga cocktail and the field samples was observed. Using the above data to guide a field immunization challenge trial comprising 41 immunized and 40 control animals resulted in 85% seroconversion in the immunized animals and an efficacy of vaccination of 81.7%, implying high protection against ECF. Conclusions Antigenic and genetic diversity analysis of T. parva facilitated the use of Muguga cocktail vaccine in field conditions. A protection level of 81.7% was achieved, demonstrating the importance of combining molecular tools with field trials to establish the suitability of implementation of immunization campaigns. Based on the information in this study, Muguga cocktail immunization in Rwanda has a potential to produce desirable results.

East Coast Fever (ECF), caused by Theileria parva, is a major constraint to improved livestock keeping in east and central Africa, including Zambia. To understand the dynamics and determine the candidates for immunization in Zambia’s Chongwe and Chisamba districts, a combination of Tp1 and Tp2 gene sequencing and microsatellite analysis using nine markers was conducted from which an abundance of Muguga, Kiambu, Serengeti and Katete epitopes in the field samples was obtained. Phylogenetic analysis showed six (Tp1) and three (Tp2) clusters with an absence of geographical origin clustering. The majority of haplotypes were related to Muguga, Kiambu, Serengeti and Katete, and only a few were related to Chitongo. Both antigens showed purifying selection with an absence of positive selection sites. Furthermore, low to moderate genetic differentiation was observed among and within the populations, and when vaccine stocks were compared with field samples, Chongwe samples showed more similarity to Katete and less to Chitongo, while Chisamba samples showed similarity to both Katete and Chitongo and not to Muguga, Kiambu or Serengeti. We conclude that the use of Katete stock for immunization trials in both Chongwe and Chisamba districts might produce desirable protection against ECF.

GRTH/DDX25 is a member of the DEAD-box family of RNA helicases that play an essential role in spermatogenesis. GRTH knock-in (KI) mice with the human mutant GRTH gene (R242H) show loss of the phospho-species from cytoplasm with preservation of the non-phospho form in the cytoplasm and nucleus. GRTH KI mice are sterile and lack elongated spermatids and spermatozoa, with spermatogenic arrest at step 8 of round spermatids which contain chromatoid body (CB) markedly reduced in size. We observed an absence of phospho-GRTH in CB of GRTH KI mice. RNA-Seq analysis of mRNA isolated from CB revealed that 1,421 genes show differential abundance, of which 947 genes showed a decrease in abundance and 474 genes showed an increase in abundance in GRTH KI mice. The transcripts related to spermatid development, differentiation, and chromatin remodeling ( Tnp1/2 , Prm1/2/3 , Spem1/2 , Tssk 2/3/6 , Grth , tAce , and Upf2 ) were reduced, and the transcripts encoding for factors involved in RNA transport, regulation, and surveillance and transcriptional and translational regulation ( Eef1a1, Ppp1cc , Pabpc1 , Ybx3 , Tent5b , H2al1m , Dctn2 , and Dync1h1 ) were increased in the CB of KI mice and were further validated by qPCR. In the round spermatids of wild-type mice, mRNAs of Tnp2 , Prm2 , and Grth were abundantly co-localized with MVH protein in the CB, while in GRTH KI mice these were minimally present. In addition, GRTH binding to Tnp1/2 , Prm1/2 , Grth , and Tssk6 mRNAs was found to be markedly decreased in KI. These results demonstrate the importance of phospho-GRTH in the maintenance of the structure of CB and its role in the storage and stability of germ cell-specific mRNAs during spermiogenesis.