Phase distortions of attosecond pulses produced by resonance-enhanced high harmonic generation

Resonant enhancement of high harmonic generation can be obtained in plasmas containing ions with strong radiative transitions resonant with harmonic orders. The mechanism for this enhancement is still debated. We perform the first temporal characterization of the attosecond emission from a tin plasma under near-resonant conditions for two different resonance detunings. We show that the resonance considerably changes the relative phase of neighbouring harmonics. For very small detunings, their phase locking may even be lost, evidencing strong phase distortions in the emission process and a modified attosecond structure. These features are well reproduced by our simulations, allowing their interpretation in terms of the phase of the recombination dipole moment

Outdoor biting by Anopheles mosquitoes on Bioko Island does not currently impact on malaria control.

BACKGROUND: There have been many recent reports that the rate of outdoor biting by malaria vectors has increased. This study examined the impact this might have on malaria transmission by assessing the association between exposure to outdoor bites and malaria infection on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. METHODS: Responses to questions about time spent outside the previous night from a malaria indicator survey were combined with human landing catch measurements of hourly rates of outdoor and indoor biting for the whole island to estimate the number of outdoor and indoor bites received by each survey respondent. The association between RDT measured malaria infection status of individuals and outdoor bites received was investigated. RESULTS: The average number of bites received per person per night was estimated as 3.51 in total, of which 0.69 (19.7%) would occur outdoors. Malaria infection was not significantly higher in individuals who reported spending time outside between 7 pm and 6 am the previous night compared to those not spending time outside in both adults (18.9% vs 17.4%, p = 0.20) and children (29.2% vs 27.1%, p = 0.20). Malaria infection in neither adults (p = 0.56) nor in children (p = 0.12) was associated with exposure to outdoor bites, even after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Malaria vector mosquitoes in Bioko do bite humans outdoors, and this has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of vector control. However, outdoor biting is currently not a major factor influencing the malaria burden, mainly because more than 95% of the population are indoors during the middle of the night, which is the peak biting period for malaria vector mosquitoes. The majority of resources should remain with control measures that target indoor biting and resting such as LLINs and IRS

Effects of Special Education and Feeling of Inclusion

The inclusion of students with special needs in a general education classroom has been a growing topic in education. This paper reviews literature that researched the effects of special education on student\u27s feelings of inclusion in school. The literature used in this paper examines how teachers, peers, and placement effects student\u27s experiences of inclusion. Additionally the literature examined how other countries approach special education along with the barriers special education students face. Previous research found that the peers, teachers, and placement all have a significant impact on a student\u27s experience both negatively and positively. Italy was found to have the highest percentage of special education students who report feelings of inclusion in their schools and communities. It is important to consider the impact of the peers around them, the amount of interaction the student has with their general education peers, and the preparation and education of the teacher

A cluster randomized trial comparing deltamethrin and bendiocarb as insecticides for indoor residual spraying to control malaria on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

BACKGROUND: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) has been used on Bioko for malaria control since 2004. In 2013 the insecticide was changed from bendiocarb to deltamethrin. Shortly after this change, there was a marked increase in malaria prevalence on the island. This trial was carried out to compare the effectiveness of bendiocarb and deltamethrin for use in IRS on Bioko. METHODS: Twenty-four clusters of houses were randomized to receive IRS with either bendiocarb or deltamethrin. Approximately 3 months after the intervention, the prevalence of malaria and levels of haemoglobin were measured in children aged 2-14 years in each cluster. RESULTS: Prevalence of malaria in 2-14 year olds was lower in the bendiocarb arm (16.8, 95 % CI 11.1-24.7, N = 1374) than in the deltamethrin arm (23.2, 95 % CI 16.0-32.3, N = 1330) but this difference was not significant (p = 0.390), even after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.119). Mean haemoglobin in children was marginally higher in the bendiocarb clusters (11.6 g/dl, 95 % CI 11.5-11.8, N = 1326) than in the deltamethrin clusters (11.5 g/dl, 95 % CI 11.3-11.7, N = 1329). This difference was borderline significant after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: The results are suggestive of bendiocarb being more effective at preventing malaria on Bioko although evidence for this was weak. The results are likely due to the fact that local vectors remain fully susceptible to bendiocarb whereas subsequent tests have shown resistance to deltamethrin

Microbial Manipulation of Phagocyte Function During Infection and Health

Phagocytic cells comprise a central component of the inflammatory response to pathogens, particularly against extracellular bacteria that proliferate on mucosal surfaces. Mounting evidence suggests that microbes can manipulate phagocyte function dynamically to shape the persistence and efficacy of antibacterial defenses. Successful pathogens often restrain inflammatory responses to evade clearance and promote dissemination within the host. In contrast, commensal bacterial communities have been shown to bolster the functional capacity of phagocytes throughout the body. Despite the critical role of microbe-phagocyte interactions in maintaining health and dictating infection outcome, the mechanisms underlying this influence remain incompletely understood. Here, we examined the impact of pathogenic and commensal microbes on the functions of neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages, three phagocyte subsets indispensable for antibacterial host defense. Using a mouse model of upper airway infection, we found that the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) exploits molecular mimicry to disarm responding neutrophils. Phosphorylcholine (ChoP) moieties displayed on the exterior of the pneumococcus and within the inflammatory phospholipid platelet-activating factor (PAF) allow the microbe to leverage its ChoP-remodeling enzyme, Pce, to remove PAF from the airway. Neutrophils deprived of PAF signaling fail to eliminate bacteria effectively, allowing the pneumococcus to persist, disseminate systemically, and transmit efficiently between hosts. We found that the pneumococcus also manipulates mononuclear phagocyte responses by stimulating the liberation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a cytokine responsible for retaining macrophages at sites of inflammation. MIF-driven macrophage responses accelerate pneumococcal clearance from the upper airway. However, MIF signaling provokes damaging inflammation and impairs bacterial control during pneumococcal pneumonia, underscoring the tight regulation of phagocyte responses required for effective host defense. Finally, we studied the impact of signals from the intestinal microbiota on systemic phagocyte lifespan, a key component of cellular fitness at homeostasis. We found that a neomycin-sensitive cohort of commensal bacteria augments the survival and circulating lifespan of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes. This stimulation required signaling through the intracellular peptidoglycan sensor Nod1 and liberation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A. Together, these data demonstrate that bacteria modulate phagocyte physiology during infection and health, influencing host readiness and response to pathogenic threats

Linking The Functional Diversity Of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Species To Soil Carbon And The Genetics Of A Foundational Tree Species

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to increase, leading to an enhanced interest in the potential for ecosystems to sequester carbon. Soil could have a high potential to store carbon in these forests, but there is still a great deal to learn about how carbon storage in soils is influenced by ectomycorrhizal fungi. In this symbiosis, the plant host provides the vast majority of C for fungal growth. As a consequence, ECM fungi may provide one of the major pathways for C from trees to soils. Ectomycorrhizal fungal species produce extracellular enzymes that may degrade soil carbon and may differ in their ability to produce these extracellular enzymes to break down C in the soil. Additionally, tree genetics may control carbon storage in forests through influences on the functional diversity of mycorrhizal fungi, including enzyme activity. In this study, I examined the composition and functional traits of the ECM fungal community on different genotypes of Pinus palustris. I tested seven enzymes: β-1,4-xylosidase, β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, phosphatase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, peroxidase and phenol oxidase to test my hypothesis that tree genetics directly influences particular ectomycorrhizal fungal enzyme activities and soil properties as well as indirectly controlling ectomycorrhizal fungal enzyme activities and soil properties by directly influencing the distribution of mycorrhizal fungal species. I found that ECM fungal community composition and peroxidase activity differed among tree families. Peroxidase activity differed among mycorrhizal fungal species. Amanita1 produced the highest amount of peroxidase activity, suggesting that Amanita1 may have the ability to obtain nutrients by degrading dead woody debris. N-acetylglucosaminidase activity differed among mycorrhizal fungal species, but not among tree families. Tomentella 1 produced the highest amount of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, suggesting that Tomentella1 may have the ability to obtain nutrients by degrading saprobes. All other enzymes did not differ among mycorrhizal fungal species or tree families. Soil C, N and OM percentage did not vary among the ECM fungal community, tree family, or ECM fungal enzyme activities. Altogether, these results suggest that selection of plant genotypes could allow compositional management of microbial symbionts of trees, including the ECM fungal community, and possibly the traits of those microbial communities

Analysis of the geomorphic characteristics of streams with large wood hydraulic controls in coastal New Hampshire

Wood is an integral part of stream health. Large woody debris (LWD) creates habitat and refuge for both fish and invertebrates. Knowing the effects of LWD on stream geomorphology is helpful for stream restoration projects so that the placement of wood mimics the natural condition. This study compares conventional-sediment riffles to wood-dominated riffles in southeastern, coastal New Hampshire. Wood riffles are fast-moving sections of the stream where the presence of LWD creates a local change in stream slope. Past studies have found that log steps are wider, shallower, steeper, more closely spaced, have finer bed sediments than conventional riffles on the same system. Field surveys were conducted on wood-riffle and conventional sediment riffle sections of several streams in the seacoast region of New Hampshire. Geomorphic data were collected as well as regional geomorphic data from a Rapid Geomorphic Assessment from 2011. Properties of the wood riffles were compared to the representative reference riffle sections and to the regional data. Analysis shows that wood riffles are wider, have larger area, are finer upstream, and coarser downstream than conventional riffles. They also have more variation in slope and spacing than the reference sections

Infection importation: a key challenge to malaria elimination on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

BACKGROUND: The impact of importation of falciparum malaria from mainland Equatorial Guinea on malaria infection in non-travellers and travellers on Bioko Island was examined. METHODS: Malaria indicator surveys were conducted in 2013 and 2014 to assess the association between malaria infection and travel to the mainland. Infection in non-travellers was compared in neighbourhoods of high travel and neighbourhoods of low travel. Boat passengers leaving from and arriving on the island were tested for infection. RESULTS: Children who had travelled to the mainland in the previous eight weeks were at greater risk of infection than those who had not travelled (56 vs 26% in 2013; 42 vs 18% in 2014). Children who had not travelled, living in localities with the highest proportion of travellers, were significantly more likely to be infected compared to those in localities with the smallest proportion of travellers (adjusted odds ratios 7.7 (95% CI 2.3-25) and 5.3 (95% CI 2.5-11) in 2013 and 2014, respectively). Infection in arriving boat passengers was substantially higher than in those departing (70 vs 38%, p = 0.017). DISCUSSION: Malaria importation by travellers poses a serious public health challenge affecting non-travellers as well as travellers