Search

Recently published near full-length KSHV genomes from a Cameroon Kaposi sarcoma case-control study showed strong evidence of viral recombination and mixed infections, but no sequence variations associated with disease. Using the same methodology, an additional 102 KSHV genomes from 76 individuals with KSHV-associated diseases have been sequenced. Diagnoses comprise all KSHV-associated diseases (KAD): Kaposi sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), KSHV-associated large cell lymphoma (KSHV-LCL), a type of multicentric Castleman disease (KSHV-MCD), and KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). Participants originated from 22 different countries, providing the opportunity to obtain new near full-length sequences of a wide diversity of KSHV genomes. These include near full-length sequence of genomes with KSHV K1 subtypes A, B, C, and F as well as subtype E, for which no full sequence was previously available. High levels of recombination were observed. Fourteen individuals (18%) showed evidence of infection with multiple KSHV variants (from two to four unique genomes). Twenty-six comparisons of sequences, obtained from various sampling sites including PBMC, tissue biopsies, oral fluids, and effusions in the same participants, identified near complete genome conservation between different biological compartments. Polymorphisms were identified in coding and non-coding regions, including indels in the K3 and K15 genes and sequence inversions here reported for the first time. One such polymorphism in KSHV ORF46, specific to the KSHV K1 subtype E2, encoded a mutation in the leucine loop extension of the uracil DNA glycosylase that results in alteration of biochemical functions of this protein. This confirms that KSHV sequence variations can have functional consequences warranting further investigation. This study represents the largest and most diverse analysis of KSHV genome sequences to date among individuals with KAD and provides important new information on global KSHV genomics. Author summary: The prevalence of KSHV infection, one of eight viruses associated with human cancer, differs geographically as does the incidence of Kaposi sarcoma and other KSHV-associated diseases. Distribution of KSHV subtypes, defined solely by the sequence of the K1 gene, also differs by region. One hundred and two near full-length KSHV genomes from people with associated diseases from a wide variety of countries were sequenced, substantially increasing the number and diversity of KSHV genomes publicly available, thereby allowing the analysis of variance across geographical regions, potential contributions of viral genetics to the risk of disease, and viral evolution. Our data demonstrate that viral recombination is common, as previously published, and that infections with multiple KSHV genomes may also be frequent, which has not been widely reported. We did not find evidence of an association between viral subtypes and disease nor indications that different sampling sites from the same individual, including tumor specimens, harbored substantially different KSHV genomes. Our data significantly inform the current efforts to study epidemiology and the prevention of KSHV infection, including vaccine development, as well as the pathogenesis of associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Without an approved vaccine or treatments, Ebola outbreak management has been limited to palliative care and barrier methods to prevent transmission. These approaches, however, have yet to end the 2014 outbreak of Ebola after its prolonged presence in West Africa. Here we show that a combination of monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), optimized from two previous antibody cocktails, is able to rescue 100% of rhesus macaques when treatment is initiated up to 5 days post-challenge. High fever, viraemia and abnormalities in blood count and blood chemistry were evident in many animals before ZMapp intervention. Advanced disease, as indicated by elevated liver enzymes, mucosal haemorrhages and generalized petechia could be reversed, leading to full recovery. ELISA and neutralizing antibody assays indicate that ZMapp is cross-reactive with the Guinean variant of Ebola. ZMapp exceeds the efficacy of any other therapeutics described so far, and results warrant further development of this cocktail for clinical use., Ebola virus (EBOV) infections cause severe illness in humans, and after an incubation period of 3 to 21 days, patients initially present with general flu-like symptoms before a rapid progression [...]

This article reviews and advances existing literature concerning generative artificial intelligence and 3D virtual simulation technologies articulating knowledge sharing practices, talent management, and employee loyalty and satisfaction. Throughout July 2023, a quantitative literature review of the Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest databases was performed, with search terms including “generative artificial intelligence and haptic and biometric sensor technologies” + “virtual employee engagement,” “workplace collaboration software,” and “immersive coaching and mentorship spaces.” As research published in 2023 was inspected, only 171 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria, and 48 mainly empirical sources were selected. Data visualization tools: Dimensions (bibliometric mapping) and VOSviewer (layout algorithms). Reporting quality assessment tool: PRISMA. Methodological quality assessment tools include: AXIS, MMAT, ROBIS, and SRDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I draw on a substantial body of theoretical and empirical research on geospatial mapping and immersive 3D technologies, distributed decision and control algorithms, and automated speech recognition and virtual navigation tools. In this research, prior findings were cumulated indicating that spatial computing and remote sensing technologies, real-time data mining and tracking tools, and spatio-temporal fusion and 3D image processing algorithms configure extended reality environments. I carried out a quantitative literature review of ProQuest, Scopus, and the Web of Science throughout December 2022, with search terms including “Web3-powered metaverse worlds” + “haptic and biometric sensor technologies,” “spatial data mining and simulation modeling algorithms,” and “virtual navigation and decision intelligence tools.” As I analyzed research published in 2022 and 2023, only 178 papers met the eligibility criteria. By removing controversial or unclear findings (scanty/unimportant data), results unsupported by replication, undetailed content, or papers having quite similar titles, I decided on 34, chiefly empirical, sources. Data visualization tools: Dimensions (bibliometric mapping) and VOSviewer (layout algorithms). Reporting quality assessment tool: PRISMA. Methodological quality assessment tools include: AMSTAR, Distiller SR, ROBIS, and SRDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

he present study systematically reviews the existing research on immersive decentralized 3D digital worlds and the industrial metaverse. Throughout August 2022, a quantitative literature review of the Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest databases was performed, with search terms including “the immersive in- dustrial metaverse” + “virtual modeling and image-based visual computing tech- nologies,” “Internet of Things-based decision support and remote sensing systems,” and “context awareness and spatio-temporal fusion algorithms.” As research published in 2022 was inspected, only 151 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria. By taking out controversial or ambiguous findings (insufficient/irrelevant data), outcomes unsubstantiated by replication, too general material, or studies with nearly identical titles, we selected 17 mainly empirical sources. Data visualization tools: Dimensions (bibliometric mapping) and VOSviewer (layout algorithms). Reporting quality assessment tool: PRISMA. Methodological quality assessment tools include: AMSTAR, Dedoose, Distiller SR, and SRDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sub‐Saharan Africa, Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is endemic, and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a significant public health problem. Until recently, KSHV genotype analysis was performed using variable gene regions, representing a small fraction of the genome, and thus the contribution of sequence variation to viral transmission or pathogenesis are understudied. We performed near full‐length KSHV genome sequence analysis on samples from 43 individuals selected from a large Cameroonian KS case‐control study. KSHV genomes were obtained from 21 KS patients and 22 control participants. Phylogenetic analysis of the K1 region indicated the majority of sequences were A5 or B1 subtypes and all three K15 alleles were represented. Unique polymorphisms in the KSHV genome were observed including large gene deletions. We found evidence of multiple distinct KSHV genotypes in three individuals. Additionally, our analyses indicate that recombination is prevalent suggesting that multiple KSHV infections may not be uncommon overall. Most importantly, a detailed analysis of KSHV genomes from KS patients and control participants did not find a correlation between viral sequence variations and disease. Our study is the first to systematically compare near full‐length KSHV genome sequences between KS cases and controls in the same endemic region to identify possible sequence variations associated with disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most algae, NO3− assimilation is tightly controlled and is often inhibited by the presence of NH4+. In the marine, non-colonial, non-diazotrophic cyanobacterium Synechococcus UTEX 2380, NO3− assimilation is sensitive to NH4+ only when N does not limit growth. We sequenced the genome of Synechococcus UTEX 2380, studied the genetic organization of the nitrate assimilation related (NAR) genes, and investigated expression and kinetics of the main NAR enzymes, under N or light limitation. We found that Synechococcus UTEX 2380 is a β-cyanobacterium with a full complement of N uptake and assimilation genes and NAR regulatory elements. The nitrate reductase of our strain showed biphasic kinetics, previously observed only in freshwater or soil diazotrophic Synechococcus strains. Nitrite reductase and glutamine synthetase showed little response to our growth treatments, and their activity was usually much higher than that of nitrate reductase. NH4+ insensitivity of NAR genes may be associated with the stimulation of the binding of the regulator NtcA to NAR gene promoters by the high 2-oxoglutarate concentrations produced under N limitation. NH4+ sensitivity in energy-limited cells fits with the fact that, under these conditions, the use of NH4+ rather than NO3− decreases N-assimilation cost, whereas it would exacerbate N shortage under N limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a conceptual framework based on a systematic and comprehensive literature review on autonomous vehicle decision-making algorithms, interconnected sensor networks, and big geospatial data analytics in smart urban mobility systems. Building our argument by drawing on data collected from AAA, AHAS, AUVSI, BCG, Brookings, Capgemini, Gallup, GHSA, Kennedys, ORC, Perkins Coie, SAE, Statista, and World Economic Forum, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding how computer vision, path and motion planning algorithms, and machine learning-based predictors are pivotal in lane detection and congestion monitoring, reducing traffic collisions and related fatalities, and optimizing obstacle avoidance, navigation flow prediction, and trajectory planning for connected and autonomous vehicles across smart and sustainable driverless urban mobility. The data for this research were gathered via an online survey questionnaire. Descriptive statistics of compiled data from the completed surveys were calculated when appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species within the genus Chara have variable salinity tolerance. Their close evolutionary relationship with embryophytes makes their study crucial to understanding the evolution of salt tolerance and key evolutionary processes shared among the phyla. We examined salt‐tolerant Chara longifolia and salt‐sensitive Chara australis for mechanisms of salt tolerance and their potential role in adaptation to salt. We hypothesize that there are shared mechanisms similar to those in embryophytes, which assist in conferring salt tolerance in Chara, including a cation transporter (HKT), a Na+/H+ antiport (NHX), a H+‐ATPase (AHA), and a Na+‐ATPase (ENA). Illumina transcriptomes were created using cultures grown in freshwater and exposed to salt stress. The presence of these candidate genes, identified by comparing with genes known from embryophytes, has been confirmed in both species of Chara, with the exception of ENA, present only in salt‐tolerant C. longifolia. These transcriptomes provide evidence for the contribution of these mechanisms to differences in salt tolerance in the two species and for the independent evolution of the Na+‐ATPase. We also examined genes that may have played a role in important evolutionary processes, suggested by previous work on the Chara braunii genome. Among the genes examined, cellulose synthase protein (GT43) and response regulator (RRB) were confirmed in both species. Genes absent from all three Chara species were members of the GRAS family, microtubule‐binding protein (TANGLED1), and auxin synthesizers (YUCCA, TAA). Results from this study shed light on the evolutionary relationship between Chara and embryophytes through confirmation of shared salt tolerance mechanisms, as well as unique mechanisms that do not occur in angiosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical discussion on Indian philosopher Vasubandhu's work Treasury of Metaphysics is presented. Article discusses Vasubandhu's theories related to natural philosophy and their adaptability to modern scientific views.

Theories of free will and moral responsibility as perceived by the Buddhists are analyzed. It is observed that some Western philosophers view philosophical literature on free will as a threat to the religion and morality.

New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. xii + 203 pp. Cloth, $35.00--People, and perhaps certain other living things, really exist; but chairs, rocks, and all other inanimate, composite material substances [...]

The most commonly encountered and most serious objection against consequentialist theories of punishment is that they could sometimes endorse punishing innocent people. Two-level consequentialists can resist this objection. Because of how deterrence works, a system of social protection would clearly need to be careful, most of the time, to pick out only the guilty for punishment. What about exceptional cases? Any institution empowered to secretly frame innocent people would pose a grave danger to democracy, a danger that could prove lethal under only moderately unusual conditions. Meanwhile, individual consequentialists working within the criminal justice system should fear that their own views could be distorted by confirmation bias and other cognitive errors. These officials should normally trust any moderately well-functioning adversarial trial process more than they trust their own judgment of who needs to be punished. They should use extra-legal discretion only in cases where both their confidence and the stakes are extremely high; and in cases where the stakes are extremely high, the consequentialist answer is no longer counter-intuitive. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article examines the infection of Marburg (MARV) and Ravn (RAVN) virus in nonhuman primates with a human monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Information about the therapeutic treatment of MARV and RAVN as well as containment of filovirus outbreaks in 2013-2016, is provided. Also mentioned is the transmission of the viruses through direct blood contact, body fluids and infected person and animal tissues.

The article presents abstracts pertaining to the cost of marketing. They include "Marketing Charges for Apples Sold in Pittsburgh," by H. W. Bitting and Henry T. Badger, "Women's Accessory and Specialty Stores," and "Sales and Margins by Commodities."