Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease affecting humans. The only prevention measure currently available control of its vectors, primarily Aedes aegypti. Recent advances in genetic engineering have opened possibility for a new range strategies based on genetically modified mosquitoes. Assessing potential efficacy (and conventional) requires availability modeling tools that accurately describe dynamics and genetics Ae. aegypti populations.We this paper tool population named...

Density-dependent intraspecific competition has been considered an important determinant of the dynamics larval stages Aedes aegypti. A model was published in 1984 providing a mathematical description this density dependence, based on field data, that since widely used. This description, however, is strong assumption all mortality density-dependent. We re-examine data without premise and find reduced importance as well different functional form. Based these discrepancies, we emphasize...

A number of genetic mechanisms have been suggested for driving anti-pathogen genes into natural populations. Each these requires complex engineering, and most are theoretically expected to permanently spread throughout the target species' geographical range. In near term, risk issues technical limits molecular methods could delay development use mechanisms. We propose a gene-drive mechanism that can be self-limiting over time space, is simpler build. This involves one gene codes toxicity...

The spread of drug resistance represents a significant challenge to many disease control efforts. evolution is complex process influenced by transmission dynamics between hosts as well infection within these hosts. This study aims investigate how two processes combine impact the in malaria parasites. We introduce stochastic modelling framework combining an epidemiological model Plasmodium and explicit within-human for competing strains. Immunity, treatment costs are included within-host...

Plant species, populations and communities are under threat from climate change, invasive pathogens, weeds habitat fragmentation. Despite considerable research effort invested in genome engineering for crop improvement, the development of genetic tools management wild plant has rarely been given detailed consideration. Gene drive systems that allow direct via spread fitness-altering modifications could be great utility. However, despite rapid synthetic their enormous promise, little explicit...

Recent advances in gene-editing technologies have opened new avenues for genetic pest control strategies, particular around the use of gene drives to suppress or modify populations. Significant uncertainty, however, surrounds applicability these strategies novel target species, their efficacy natural populations and eventual safety acceptability as methods. In this article, we identify issues associated with potential agricultural systems, pests diseases that impose a significant cost...

Abstract The potential benefits and risks of genetically engineered gene‐drive systems for replacing wild pest strains with more benign must be assessed prior to any field releases. We develop a computer simulation model assess the feasibility using underdominance constructs drive transgenes into age‐ spatially structured mosquito populations. Our practical criterion success is achievement transgene frequency at least 0.80 within 3 years release. impacts number parameters that may affect...

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) present advantages such as wide frequency bandwidth, which could be further developed for nonlinear imaging. However, the driving electrostatic force induces a behavior of CMUT, thus generating undesirable harmonic components in generated acoustic signal. Consequently, use CMUT imaging (with or without contrast agents) becomes challenging. This paper suggests 2 compensation approaches, linear and methods, to cancel unwanted components....

Background Aedes aegypti is one of the most important mosquito vectors human disease. The development spatial models for Ae. provides a promising start toward model-guided vector control and risk assessment, but this will only be possible if make reliable predictions. reliability model predictions affected by specific sources uncertainty in model. Methodology/Principal Findings This study quantifies uncertainties predicted population dynamics at community level (a cluster 612 houses)...

Evolutionary theory predicts that the pressure for parasites to specialize on one host or become generalists a wide range of hosts is driven by diversity temporal variability host's population and genetic trade-offs in adaptation different hosts. We give experimental evidence this idea letting parasite Brachiola algerae evolve four genetically homogeneous lines mosquito Aedes aegypti, mixture an alternating sequence lines. The first regime was expected lead specialists, other two...

Ultrasound-mediated targeted therapy represents a promising strategy in the arsenal of modern therapy. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) technology could overcome some difficulties encountered by traditional piezoelectric transducers. In this study, we report on design, fabrication, and characterization an ultrasound-guided focused ultrasound (USgFUS) cMUT probe dedicated to preclinical evaluation (hyperthermia, thermosensitive liposomes activation, sonoporation) at low...

Different HLA‐G monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were first evaluated for their capability to identify soluble (sHLA‐G) in ELISA. Three of them, namely 87G, BFL.1 and MEM‐G/9, when used as coating mAbs together with W6/32 capture mAb, identified β2‐microglobulin (β2m)‐associated‐sHLA‐G but not HLA‐B7 (sHLA‐B7) cell culture supernatants from transfected cells. By comparison, the anti‐HLA class I mAb 90 did recognize both sHLA‐G sHLA‐B7. using these mAbs, was amniotic fluids well trimester term...

Suppression of dengue and malaria through releases genetically engineered mosquitoes might soon become feasible. Aedes aegypti carrying a conditionally lethal transgene have recently been used to suppress local vector populations in small-scale field releases. Prior transgenic insects on wider scale, however, most regulatory authorities will require additional evidence that suppression be effective natural heterogeneous habitats. We use spatially explicit stochastic model an Ae. population...

A wide range of ultrasound methods has been proposed to assess the mechanical strength bone. The axial transmission technique, which consists measuring guided elastic modes through cortical shell long bones such as radius or tibia, recently emerged one most promising approaches all bone exploration methods. Determination dispersion curves waves is therefore prime interest because they provide a large set input data required perform inverse process, and hence evaluate properties (elastic...

Abstract The success of control programs for mosquito‐borne diseases can be enhanced by crucial information provided models the mosquito populations. Models, however, differ in their structure, complexity, and biological assumptions, these differences impact predictions. Unfortunately, it is typically difficult to determine why two complex make different predictions because we lack structured side‐by‐side comparisons using comparable parameterization. Here, present a detailed comparison...

In this work, we report on the characterization of a CMUT probe (Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducer) for Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI). The intrinsic nonlinear behavior was first investigated. Matched electrical waveforms were transmitted to limit impact transmit response distortion. With implemented method, demonstrated higher performances through in-vitro harmonic imaging.

Background Skeeter Buster is a stochastic, spatially explicit simulation model of Aedes aegypti populations, designed to predict the outcome vector population control methods. In this study, we apply two specific locations, cities Iquitos, Peru, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. These sites differ in amount field data that available for location-specific customization. By comparing output from observations these cases evaluate dynamics predictions by with varying degrees Methodology/Principal...

Radio frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a well-established clinical procedure for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) but suffers from low single-procedure success rate. Recurrence AF most likely attributable to discontinuous or nontransmural lesions. Yet, despite this urgent need, there no clinically available imaging modality that can reliably map lesion transmural extent in real time. In study, authors demonstrated feasibility shear-wave elastography (SWE) quantitatively...

To date, models of gene-drive mechanisms proposed for replacing wild-type mosquitoes with transgenic strains that cannot transmit diseases have assumed no age or mating structure. We developed a more detailed model to analyze the effects and mating-related factors on number engineered insects must be introduced into wild population achieve successful based Medea underdominance mechanisms. found without age-structure details can substantially overestimate underestimate numbers introduced. In...

Piezoelectric and capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUT) are usually measured compared in regards to acoustic electro-acoustic performances. This paper is focused on the imaging performances of such propose a quantitative assessment B-mode images. In this purpose, fully integrated CMUT piezocomposite-based probes were manufactured. Transducers designed with close features (geometries, center frequency, interconnect packaging) plug clinical system research interface. Major...

Many clinical diagnoses have now been improved thanks to the development of new techniques dedicated contrast agent nonlinear imaging. Over past few years, Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (cMUTs) emerged as a promising alternative traditional piezoelectric transducers. One notable advantage cMUTs is their wide frequency bandwidth. However, use in imaging approaches such those used detect agents challenging due intrinsic character. We propose sequence, called bias voltage...

The major lepidopteran insect pests of cotton and maize harbor intra-specific variation for behavior determining the selection host plants oviposition. Yet, consequences behavioral adaptation fitness have neither been modeled nor monitored Bt crops, most widely grown transgenic herbivore-resistant plants. Here, we present a general two-locus heuristic model to examine potential outcomes natural when pest populations initially low frequencies alleles both physiological crops. We demonstrate...

Recently there have been significant advances in research on genetic strategies to control populations of disease-vectoring insects. Some these use the gene drive properties selfish elements spread physically linked anti-pathogen genes into local vector populations. Because potential through populations, approaches based must be carefully evaluated ensure a balance between desirable refractoriness-conferring cargo and avoidance potentially unwanted outcomes such as non-target There is also...