Search Results (36)

We study exceedance counts for order statistic intervals when boundary uncertainty is modeled through a fuzzy improved distribution function. In an ordinary setting, whether an observation falls below a threshold is decided by a crisp comparison, which can be unstable when specifications are vague, subject to tolerance bands, or expressed linguistically. We replace the crisp rule by a graded membership function and use the fuzzy improved cumulative distribution function $F_{\mu }$. From an initial independent and identically distributed sample, with ordinary cumulative distribution function F, we form the random interval between the r-th and s-th order statistics, and we count how many of m independent newcomers fall inside this interval. Newcomers follow either the ordinary model ($Q=F$) or the fuzzy improved model ($Q=F_{\mu }$). We derive exact finite-sample formulas, moments, and a distribution-free representation based on a probability integral transform, which yields the large-m limit law of the newcomer proportion. Numerical illustrations for exponential and uniform distributions show how fuzzification reshapes the distribution and can materially change predictive dispersion of exceedance counts. Full article

Tail fat deposition constitutes a distinctive adaptive phenotype in sheep. The Large-tailed Han (LTH) and Small-tailed Han (STH) breeds display pronounced divergence in tail fat storage, offering an ideal model for elucidating lipid metabolism regulation. Integrated sRNA-Seq and RNA-Seq analysis identified 521 differentially expressed genes and 144 miRNAs, which were significantly enriched in lipid metabolism pathways, including fatty acid metabolism and PPAR signaling. Key candidate genes (ADIRF, LPL, ACSL5) were highlighted as pivotal regulators. Additionally, 23 miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks were constructed, revealing complex interaction patterns from ‘one-to-one’ to ‘many-to-one’ relationships. For example, six miRNAs collectively targeted LTA4H. Collectively, this study advances understanding of the genetic network underlying tail fat deposition and provides candidate targets for modulating lipid metabolism. Functional validation is warranted to delineate causal mechanisms. Full article

Although graphene promises a wide range of applications, large-scale production of this material remains complex. One very common way of obtaining graphene is through a reduction in graphene oxide (GO). In order to fully control this production process, it is necessary to obtain data from different techniques, but a comprehensive characterization methodology and associated metrology are currently lacking. Here, we propose tools for substrate selection (in this study, the most appropriate were silicon and silicon dioxide on silicon) and precautions to be taken when setting up a correlative metrology method integrating atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman microscopy/spectroscopy, scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) and scanning thermal microscopy (SThM). Indeed, in order to obtain reliable data for each of these techniques applied to a unique graphene oxide flake, a strategy must be developed and could be implemented to monitor the reduction in GO. Emphasis was placed on the choice of the substrate and on the possible degradations generated by each of the techniques employed, and a running sequence was determined. Full article

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2) are highly prevalent infections with overlapping distribution, particularly in resource-poor regions. STH/HSV-2 co-infections may impact female reproductive health. However, many aspects of STH/HSV-2 co-infections, including the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating female genital tract (FGT) immunity and their potential contribution to pathologies such as chronic inflammation, impaired mucosal defense, and reproductive tract cancers remain unclear. In this study we investigated the miRNA expression profiles in murine FGT tissues following single or co-infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nb) and HSV-2 and explored predicted miRNA-mRNA targets and pathways. An analysis of miRNA sequencing data was conducted to determine differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between infected FGT tissues and uninfected controls. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was conducted to predict the immune-related target genes of the DE miRNAs and reveal enriched canonical pathways, top diseases, and biological functions. Selected representative DE miRNAs were validated using RT-qPCR. Our results showed a total of eight DE miRNAs (mmu-miR-218-5p, mmu-miR-449a-5p, mmu-miR-497a-3p, mmu-miR-144-3p, mmu-miR-33-5p, mmu-miR-451a, mmu-miR-194-5p, and mmu-miR-192-5p) in the comparison of Nb-infected versus uninfected controls; nine DE miRNAs (mmu-miR-451a, mmu-miR-449a-5p, mmu-miR-144-3p, mmu-miR-376a-3p, mmu-miR-192-5p, mmu-miR-218-5p, mmu-miR-205-3p, mmu-miR-103-3p, and mmu-miR-200b-3p) in the comparison of HSV-2-infected versus uninfected controls; and one DE miRNA (mmu-miR-199a-5p) in the comparison of Nb/HSV-2 co-infected versus uninfected controls (p-value < 0.05, |logFC| ≥ 1). Core expression analysis showed that, among other canonical pathways, the DE miRNAs and their predicted mRNA targets were involved in neutrophil degranulation, interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling, natural killer cell signaling, interferon alpha/beta signaling, and ISGylation. Additionally, cancer was predicted as one of the significantly enriched diseases, particularly in the co-infected group. This is the first study to provide insights into the FGT miRNA profiles following Nb and HSV-2 single and co-infection, as well as the predicted genes and pathways they regulate, which may influence host immunity and pathology. This study highlights the role of miRNAs in regulating FGT immunity and pathology in the context of STH/HSV-2 co-infection. Full article

Understanding how piglets move around sows during posture changes is crucial for their safety and healthy growth. Automated monitoring can reduce farm labor and help prevent accidents like piglet crushing. Current methods (called Joint Detection-and-Tracking-based, abbreviated as JDT-based) struggle with problems like misidentifying piglets or losing track of them due to crowding, occlusion, and shape changes. To solve this, we developed MSHMTracker, a smarter tracking system that introduces a motion-status hierarchical architecture to significantly improve tracking performance by adapting to piglets’ motion statuses. In MSHMTracker, a score- and time-driven hierarchical matching mechanism (STHM) was used to establish the spatio-temporal association by the motion status, helping maintain accurate tracking even in challenging conditions. Finally, piglet group aggregation or dispersion behaviors in response to sow posture changes were identified based on the tracked trajectory information. Tested on 100 videos (30,000+ images), our method achieved 93.8% tracking accuracy (MOTA) and 92.9% identity consistency (IDF1). It outperformed six popular tracking systems (e.g., DeepSort, FairMot). The mean accuracy of behavior recognition was 87.5%. In addition, the correlations (0.6 and 0.82) between piglet stress responses and sow posture changes were explored. This research showed that piglet movements are closely related to sow behavior, offering insights into sow–piglet relationships. This work has the potential to reduce farmers’ labor and improve the productivity of animal husbandry. Full article

Background: Schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) have been targeted for elimination as a public health problem (EPHP) within the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) 2021–2030. One of the global strategies for the control and elimination of these diseases is the mass administration of praziquantel and albendazole/mebendazole without prior individual diagnosis. To measure the progress towards the 2030 target, we conducted an assessment to determine the impact of the 3–5 rounds of annual mass drug administration among school age children in Ekiti State. Such scientific insights into the impact of these treatments will facilitate improved planning and targeting of resources towards reaching the last mile. Methodology: This assessment was conducted in 16 local government areas (LGAs) of Ekiti State between October and November 2023. Samples were collected from pupils in 166 primary and junior secondary schools across 166 wards of the State. Urine and stool samples were collected from 7670 pupils of ages 5 to 14 years, following standard laboratory procedures. Urine membrane filtration techniques were used for urine preparation while the Kato–Katz technique was used for stool preparation. A novel AiDx digital microscope was used to examine the presence of any ova in the prepared specimen. Parasite ova in urine were reported as the number of ova/10 mL of urine, and were categorized as light infection (˂50 ova/10 mL of urine) or heavy infection (>50 ova/10 mL of urine) while ova of parasites in stool samples were reported as eggs per gram of stool (EPG) and categorized into light, moderate and heavy infection. Results: Overall, 0.76% (0.56–0.95) at 95% CI of the 7670 respondents were infected with Schistosomia haematobium. No Schistosoma mansoni infection was recorded in the study. Similarly, 3.9% (3.43–4.29) at 95% CI were infected with STHs. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis had significantly reduced from 8.2% in 2008 to 0.8%, while the overall prevalence of STHs significantly reduced from 30.9% to 3.9% with Ascaris lumbricoides being the dominant species of STH. In the 16 LGAs assessed, Ekiti West had the highest S. haematobium prevalence of 4.26%. Ise/Orun and Oye ranked second and third with a prevalence of 3.48% and 2.40% respectively, while all other LGAs had <1% prevalence. The prevalence of STHs was highest in Ekiti-West with a prevalence of 10.45% while Emure and Ikole Local Governments had the lowest prevalence of 0.31% and 0.38%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of schistosomiasis between male (0.76%) and female (0.75%) as p ≥ 0.05. Similarly, the difference in prevalence for STH among males (3.95%) was not significantly different from their female counterparts (3.77%), p ≥ 0.05. Conclusions: Based on the WHO guidelines, this study demonstrated that only three LGAs require continued MDA every 2/3 years, seven require only surveillance while six are now non-endemic for schistosomiasis. Similarly, two of the LGAs require one round of MDA yearly, eight LGAs need one round of MDA every two to three years and six LGAs are now below the treatment threshold and no longer require treatment for STH. Full article

In this study, the impact of seismic time histories (STHs) on structural damage was examined, focusing on maximum elastoplastic displacement (${\mathsf{\delta }}_{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}$) and cumulative hysteretic energy (${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{h}}$). A specialized STH Damage Analysis Program (STHDAP) was developed to create a deformation energy time-history damage model, accounting for the behavior of hysteretic restoring force models under various loading and motion conditions. An elastoplastic motion equation, based on uniform stiffness and load parameters ($\overline{\mathrm{K}}$ − $\overline{\mathrm{P}}$), was formulated to calculate cumulative ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{h}}$ during elastoplastic time histories in a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system. The computational method integrates time series and damage values ($\mathrm{D}\left(\mathrm{t}\right)$), enabling detailed analysis of structural responses, energy dissipation, and damage evaluation using seismic waves from the El Centro, Tri-treasure, and TianjinNS earthquakes. The results revealed that cumulative damage in similar structural members increased progressively with varying amplitudes and patterns, corresponding to the initial stages of ground motion. The STHDAP offers a comprehensive view of structural damage evolution in elastoplastic time histories. The deformation energy damage model facilitates the evaluation of elastoplastic damage in high-strength reinforced concrete structures under ground motion, providing valuable insights for performance-based seismic design and retrofitting strategies in structural engineering. Full article

Xylitol is a sugar–alcohol compound with broad applications in fields such as the food, dental, and pharmaceutical sectors. Although xylitol biosynthesis has gained attention, the current strategy for industrial xylitol production majorly relies on the chemical hydrogenation of xylose, which is energy-intensive and environmentally harmful. In this study, the toxicity of xylitol toward Escherichia coli was first examined, and the result demonstrated that Escherichia coli is robust against xylitol at 150 g/L. Genes encoding xylose reductases from different microorganisms were then selected and compared for xylitol production in different E. coli strains. The introduction of xylose reductase of Zymomonas mobilis, driven by the constitutive strong promoter Pgap or Pgap-6M into E. coli, resulted in the accumulation of xylitol at a titer of 64.1 g/L. The increase in NADPH by overexpressing the soluble pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase encoded by sthA improved the xylitol titer to 83.5 g/L. Seven genes encoding xylose transporters, such as XylE and XylFGH, as well as five mutants of the xylose symporter Glf were then overexpressed and compared for xylitol production. Mutant glf^L445I exhibited the highest improvement in xylitol production at a titer of 88.4 ± 0.7 g/L and a yield of 0.95 g/g. Our study thus demonstrated that xylose reductase derived from Z. mobilis is the best one for xylitol production in E. coli, and xylitol production can be further improved by combining diverse metabolic engineering strategies. Our study, thus, provides efficient xylose reductase and a recombinant strain for future industrial xylitol production. Full article

Paratuberculosis (PTB), primarily caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic infection that affects ruminants and is difficult to prevent, diagnose, and treat. Investigating how MAP infections affect the gut microbiota in sheep can aid in the prevention and treatment of ovine PTB. This study examined fecal samples from eight small-tail Han sheep (STHS) at various stages of infection and from three different field areas. All samples underwent DNA extraction and 16S rRNA sequencing. Among all samples, the phyla p. Firmicutes and p. Bacteroidota exhibited the highest relative abundance. The dominant genera in groups M1–M6 were UCG-005, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Akkermansia, UCG-005, and Bacteroides, whereas those in groups A–C were Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Escherichia–Shigella, and Acinetobacter, respectively. The microbial community structure varied significantly among groups M1–M6. Specifically, 56 microbiota consortia with different taxonomic levels, including the order Clostridiales, were significantly enriched in groups M1–M6, whereas 96 microbiota consortia at different taxonomic levels, including the family Oscillospiraceae, were significantly enriched in groups A–C. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report that MAP infection alters the intestinal microbiota of STHS. Changes in p. Firmicutes abundance can serve as a potential biomarker to distinguish MAP infection and determine the infection stage for its early diagnosis. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of PTB by regulating the intestinal microbiota, including p. Firmicutes. Full article

Wool quality and yield are two important economic livestock traits. However, there are relatively few molecular studies on lncRNA for improving sheep wool, so these require further exploration. In this study, we examined skin tissue from the upper scapula of Super Merino (SM) and Small-Tailed Han (STH) sheep during the growing period. The apparent difference was verified via histological examination. High-throughput RNA sequencing identified differentially expressed (DE) long non-coding (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The target gene of DE lncRNA and DE genes were enrichment analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). A Reverse Transcription quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify randomly selected DE lncRNAs and mRNAs. Finally, the DE, RAC2, WNT11, and FZD2 genes, which were enriched in the Wnt signaling pathway, were detected via immunohistochemistry. The results showed that a total of 20,888 lncRNAs and 31,579 mRNAs were identified in the skin tissues of the two sheep species. Among these, 56 lncRNAs and 616 mRNAs were differentially expressed. Through qRT-PCR, the trends in the randomly selected DE genes’ expression were confirmed to be aligned with the RNA-seq results. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DE lncRNA target genes were enriched in GO terms as represented by epidermal and skin development and keratin filature and in KEGG terms as represented by PI3K-Akt, Ras, MAPK, and Wnt signaling pathways, which were related to hair follicle growth and development. Finally, immunohistochemistry staining results indicated that RAC2, WNT11, and FZD2 were expressed in dermal papilla (DP). The lncRNAs MSTRG.9225.1 and MSTRG.98769.1 may indirectly participate in the regulation of hair follicle growth, development, and fiber traits by regulating their respective target genes, LOC114113396(KRTAP15-1), FGF1, and IGF1. In addition, MSTRG.84658.1 may regulate the Wnt signaling pathway involved in the development of sheep hair follicles by targeting RAC2. This study provides a theoretical reference for improving sheep breeding in the future and lays a foundation for further research on the effects of MSTRG.84658.1 and the target gene RAC2 on dermal papilla cells (DPC). Full article

An optimal spatio-temporal hybrid model (STHM) based on wavelet transform (WT) is proposed to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of detecting slowly evolving faults that occur in the early stage and easily submerge with noise in complex industrial production systems. Specifically, a WT is performed to denoise the original data, thus reducing the influence of background noise. Then, a principal component analysis (PCA) and the sliding window algorithm are used to acquire the nearest neighbors in both spatial and time dimensions. Subsequently, the cumulative sum (CUSUM) and the mahalanobis distance (MD) are used to reconstruct the hybrid statistic with spatial and temporal sequences. It helps to enhance the correlation between high-frequency temporal dynamics and space and improves fault detection precision. Moreover, the kernel density estimation (KDE) method is used to estimate the upper threshold of the hybrid statistic so as to optimize the fault detection process. Finally, simulations are conducted by applying the WT-based optimal STHM in the early fault detection of the Tennessee Eastman (TE) process, with the aim of proving that the fault detection method proposed has a high fault detection rate (FDR) and a low false alarm rate (FAR), and it can improve both production safety and product quality. Full article

Background: The discovery of novel therapeutic agents, especially those targeting mycobacterial membrane protein large 3 (mmpL3), has shown promise. In this study, the CRISPR interference-Streptococcus thermophilus nuclease-deactivated Cas9 (CRISPRi-dCas9_Sth1) system was utilized to suppress mmpL3 expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis, and its impacts on susceptibility to antimicrobial agents were evaluated. Methods: The repression of the mmpL3 gene was confirmed by RT-qPCR. The essentiality, growth curve, viability, and antimicrobial susceptibility of the mmpL3 knockdown strain were investigated. Results: mmpL3 silencing was achieved by utilizing 0.5 and 1 ng/mL anhydrotetracycline (ATc), resulting in reductions in the expression of 60.4% and 74.4%, respectively. mmpL3 silencing led to a significant decrease in bacterial viability when combined with one-half of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of rifampicin, rifabutin, ceftriaxone, or isoniazid, along with 0.1 or 0.5 ng/mL ATc (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed for clarithromycin or amikacin. Conclusions: The downregulation of the mmpL3 gene in mycobacteria was achieved through the use of CRISPRi-dCas9_Sth1, resulting in growth deficiencies and resensitization to certain antimicrobial agents. The impact was dependent upon the level of gene expression. Full article

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are caused by roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and thread worms. Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment, prevention, and control of these infections. This study evaluates a new diagnostic method called Single-image Parasite Quantification (SIMPAQ), which uses a lab-on-a-disc (LoD) technique to isolate STH eggs into a single imaging zone for digital analysis. The study evaluates the purification performance of the SIMPAQ technique for detecting STH eggs in animal samples. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 237 pigs and 281 dogs in the Morogoro region in Tanzania. Faecal samples were collected and processed with the LoD technique, as well as flotation and McMaster (McM) methods for comparison purposes. The overall prevalence of STH infections was high as per the LoD technique (74%), followed by McM (65.44%) and flotation (65.04%). Moreover, the overall performance of the LoD technique, using McM as the gold standard, was 93.51% (sensitivity), 60.89% (specificity), 81.91% (PPV), and 83.21% (NPV). The LoD technique exhibited high prevalence, sensitivity, and NPV, which demonstrates its value for STH egg detection and its crucial role in the era of accurate STH diagnosis, promoting proper management of the infection. Full article

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is vital for meat tenderness and juiciness. This study aims to explore the IMF deposition mechanism and the related molecular markers in sheep. Two populations, Small-tail Han Sheep (STH) and STH × Suffolk (SFK) F₁ (SFK × STH), were used as the research object. Histological staining techniques compared the differences in the longissimus dorsi muscle among populations. A combination of transcriptome sequencing and biological information analysis screened and identified IMF-related target genes. Further, sequencing technology was employed to detect SNP loci of target genes to evaluate their potential as genetic markers. Histological staining revealed that the muscle fiber gap in the SFK × STH F₁ was larger and the IMF content was higher. Transcriptome analysis revealed that PIK3R1 and PPARA were candidate genes. Histological experiments revealed that the expressions of PIK3R1 mRNA and PPARA mRNA were lower in SFK × STH F₁ compared with the STH. Meanwhile, PIK3R1 and PPARA proteins were located in intramuscular adipocytes and co-located with the lipid metabolism marker molecule (FASN). SNP locus analysis revealed a mutation site in exon 7 of the PIK3R1 gene, which served as a potential genetic marker for IMF deposition. This study’s findings will provide a new direction for meat quality breeding in sheep. Full article

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of endogenous short−stranded ncRNA that influences many biological processes such as animal growth, development and metabolism. The thyroid gland is an important endocrine gland in sheep, and an increasing number of studies have shown that the thyroid gland plays an important role in animal reproduction, but the molecular mechanisms of the thyroid gland in sheep reproduction are poorly understood. In this study, RNA-seq was used to detect transcriptome expression patterns in the thyroid gland between the follicular phase (FP) and luteal phase (LP) in FecB BB (MM) and FecB ++ (ww) small-tail Han (STH) sheep, respectively, and to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) associated with reproduction. Bioinformatic analysis of the target genes of these DEMs revealed that they can be enriched in multiple GO terms associated with the reproductive process in animals and in the KEGG signaling pathway. The miRNA–mRNA coexpression network revealed that oar-miR-133 and oar-miR-370-3p may play an important role in sheep reproduction. The results of the dual-luciferase reporter assay suggest a possible targeting relationship between novel-51 and TARBP2. These results provided a novel resource for elucidating regulatory mechanisms underlying STH sheep prolificacy. Full article