scholarly journals A minimally morphologically destructive approach for DNA retrieval and whole genome shotgun sequencing of pinned historic Dipteran vector species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Korlević ◽  
Erica McAlister ◽  
Matthew Mayho ◽  
Alex Makunin ◽  
Paul Flicek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Proteinase K ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Selective Pressures ◽  
The Past ◽  
Disease Vector ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Critical Point Drying ◽  
Low Salt ◽  
Solid Foundation ◽  
Illumina Library

Museum collections contain enormous quantities of insect specimens collected over the past century, covering a period of increased and varied insecticide usage. These historic collections are therefore incredibly valuable as genomic snapshots of organisms before, during, and after exposure to novel selective pressures. However, these samples come with their own challenges compared to present-day collections, as they are fragile and retrievable DNA is low yield and fragmented. In this paper we tested several DNA extraction procedures across pinned historic Diptera specimens from four disease vector genera: Anopheles, Aedes, Culex and Glossina. We identify an approach that minimizes morphological damage while maximizing DNA retrieval for Illumina library preparation and sequencing that can accommodate the fragmented and low yield nature of historic DNA. We identify several key points in retrieving sufficient DNA while keeping morphological damage to a minimum: an initial rehydration step, a short incubation without agitation in a low salt Proteinase K buffer, and critical point drying of samples post-extraction to prevent tissue collapse caused by air drying. The suggested method presented here provides a solid foundation for exploring the genomes and morphology of historic Diptera collections.

scholarly journals American Meteorological Society: 100 Years of Supporting the Scientific Community

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 1.1-1.23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith L. Seitter ◽  
Jinny Nathans ◽  
Sophie Mankins
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Community ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Professional Society ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Profound Impact ◽  
The Past ◽  
American Meteorological Society ◽  
Strategic Initiatives ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Dissemination Of Research

Abstract Over the past century, the atmospheric and related sciences have seen incredible advances in our understanding of Earth’s environment and our ability to monitor and predict its behavior. These advances have had a profound impact on society and have been integrated into every aspect of daily life. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has been instrumental in supporting these advances throughout its first 100 years of existence as a scientific and professional society serving the community of professionals in the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences. AMS has provided opportunities for researchers and practitioners to share their scientific findings and build fruitful collaborations to further the science and its application. Through strategic initiatives at key points in its history, AMS has pushed the science forward—highlighting areas ripe for development, creating frameworks for interdisciplinary interactions, and providing innovative approaches to the dissemination of research results. As a society made up of the scientific community and led by many of the most prominent scientists of their time, AMS has been able to respond to, and often anticipate, the needs of its community.

scholarly journals Farewell to the Past Century?

Politeja ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (5(62)) ◽  
pp. 237-253
Author(s):  
Bartosz Hordecki
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Policy ◽  
100Th Anniversary ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Literary Traditions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Solid Foundation

The Russian authorities, supported by the representatives of the Russian cultural circles, celebrated 2018 as a year of harmonious reception of their literary traditions. Accordingly, the 100th anniversary of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s birth was included into the series of commemorations and jubilees, minimizing, however, the problem of the Russian literature’s profound heterogeneity and inconsistency. Disregarding differences between literary currents, equalizing various, often contradictory intellectual phenomena can manifest that the Russian authorities search for a kind of cultural synthesis which will become a solid foundation of the Russianness in the XXI century. Nevertheless, their integrative ambitions are some how static or demobilizing. Moreover, these seem to be based on the conviction that cultural policy is not about determining and enhancing directions of further literary development but about assimilating and even restricting various artistic forces and traditions.

scholarly journals Application of parametric design and digital fabrication: the solution for the current crises and emergencies

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (05) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Mauricio Díaz Valdés
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Digital Fabrication ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Key Points ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Architecture

During the next decades the construction will have to face many problems that never had inferred, it must reinvent itself to adapt to the new needs that it currently demands because it consumes too many energetic resources, it generates excess of CO2 emissions, consumption of natural resources and every day the construction is more expensive. The United Nations 2030 Agenda announced the objectives for sustainable development, this to try to mitigate the effects of climate change; The Coronavirus pandemic made humanity reflect on the emergencies that we must face and left us reflecting that we are not prepared for an emergency or crisis; These are key points that we must address to develop the new architecture. If we analyze the history of architecture, we can see that technology and science has always been a catalyst for humanity and has generated great solutions to the problems that befall us, this should motivate us to use technology and software in our favor. Therefore, we must prepare and generate new solutions, innovations and technology that focus on solving the new needs that architecture demands. The question is: how we can solve these problems?  The answer is through digital fabrication and parametric design. It is important to emphasize and make it clear, we cannot continue to build as we have been doing in the past century, our practices and approaches must change, and it is urgent to rethink the role of the architecture today.

Rapid Critical Point Drying of Tissues in a Parr Bomb

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 400-401
Author(s):  
C.A. Baechler ◽  
W. C. Pitchford ◽  
J. M. Riddle ◽  
C.B. Boyd ◽  
H. Kanagawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Point ◽  
Critical Pressure ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Critical Temperatures ◽  
Air Drying ◽  
The Past ◽  
Critical Point Drying ◽  
Great Stress ◽  
Infiltration Techniques

Preservation of the topographic ultrastructure of soft biological tissues for examination by scanning electron microscopy has been accomplished in the past by using lengthy epoxy infiltration techniques, or dehydration in ethanol or acetone followed by air drying. Since the former technique requires several days of preparation and the latter technique subjects the tissues to great stress during the phase change encountered during air-drying, an alternate rapid, economical, and reliable method of surface structure preservation was developed. Turnbill and Philpott had used a fluorocarbon for the critical point drying of soft tissues and indicated the advantages of working with fluids having both moderately low critical pressures as well as low critical temperatures. Freon-116 (duPont) which has a critical temperature of 19. 7 C and a critical pressure of 432 psi was used in this study.

The zoonotic potential of bat-borne coronaviruses

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-381
Author(s):  
Ny Anjara Fifi Ravelomanantsoa ◽  
Sarah Guth ◽  
Angelo Andrianiaina ◽  
Santino Andry ◽  
Anecia Gentles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Material ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Novel Host ◽  
Horseshoe Bat ◽  
Human Infections

Seven zoonoses — human infections of animal origin — have emerged from the Coronaviridae family in the past century, including three viruses responsible for significant human mortality (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2) in the past twenty years alone. These three viruses, in addition to two older CoV zoonoses (HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63) are believed to be originally derived from wild bat reservoir species. We review the molecular biology of the bat-derived Alpha- and Betacoronavirus genera, highlighting features that contribute to their potential for cross-species emergence, including the use of well-conserved mammalian host cell machinery for cell entry and a unique capacity for adaptation to novel host environments after host switching. The adaptive capacity of coronaviruses largely results from their large genomes, which reduce the risk of deleterious mutational errors and facilitate range-expanding recombination events by offering heightened redundancy in essential genetic material. Large CoV genomes are made possible by the unique proofreading capacity encoded for their RNA-dependent polymerase. We find that bat-borne SARS-related coronaviruses in the subgenus Sarbecovirus, the source clade for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, present a particularly poignant pandemic threat, due to the extraordinary viral genetic diversity represented among several sympatric species of their horseshoe bat hosts. To date, Sarbecovirus surveillance has been almost entirely restricted to China. More vigorous field research efforts tracking the circulation of Sarbecoviruses specifically and Betacoronaviruses more generally is needed across a broader global range if we are to avoid future repeats of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PCSK9 inhibition for LDL lowering and beyond – implications for patients with peripheral artery disease

VASA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Gebauer ◽  
Holger Reinecke
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Ldl Receptor ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Pcsk9 Inhibitors ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction ◽  
Simultaneous Application ◽  
The Past ◽  
Pcsk9 Inhibition

Abstract. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been proven to be a causal factor of atherosclerosis and, along with other triggers like inflammation, the most frequent reason for peripheral arterial disease. Moreover, a linear correlation between LDL-C concentration and cardiovascular outcome in high-risk patients could be established during the past century. After the development of statins, numerous randomized trials have shown the superiority for LDL-C reduction and hence the decrease in cardiovascular outcomes including mortality. Over the past decades it became evident that more intense LDL-C lowering, by either the use of highly potent statin supplements or by additional cholesterol absorption inhibitor application, accounted for an even more profound cardiovascular risk reduction. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a serin protease with effect on the LDL receptor cycle leading to its degradation and therefore preventing continuing LDL-C clearance from the blood, is the target of a newly developed monoclonal antibody facilitating astounding LDL-C reduction far below to what has been set as target level by recent ESC/EAS guidelines in management of dyslipidaemias. Large randomized outcome trials including subjects with PAD so far have been able to prove significant and even more intense cardiovascular risk reduction via further LDL-C debasement on top of high-intensity statin medication. Another approach for LDL-C reduction is a silencing interfering RNA muting the translation of PCSK9 intracellularly. Moreover, PCSK9 concentrations are elevated in cells involved in plaque composition, so the potency of intracellular PCSK9 inhibition and therefore prevention or reversal of plaques may provide this mechanism of action on PCSK9 with additional beneficial effects on cells involved in plaque formation. Thus, simultaneous application of statins and PCSK9 inhibitors promise to reduce cardiovascular event burden by both LDL-C reduction and pleiotropic effects of both agents.

Archaeology in the Past Century

1901 ◽  
Vol 51 (1309supp) ◽  
pp. 20976-20977
Author(s):  
W. M. Flinders Petrje
Keyword(s):  
Past Century ◽  
The Past

Catholicism and Cosmopolitanism: the Confluence of Three Catholic Scholars and the Cosmopolitan Democrats on State Sovereignty and the Future of Global Governance

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-51
Author(s):  
Matthew Bagot
Keyword(s):  
Global Governance ◽  
State Sovereignty ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Jacques Maritain ◽  
The Past ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
The Future ◽  
Cosmopolitan Democracy ◽  
Catholic Tradition

One of the central questions in international relations today is how we should conceive of state sovereignty. The notion of sovereignty—’supreme authority within a territory’, as Daniel Philpott defines it—emerged after the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 as a result of which the late medieval crisis of pluralism was settled. But recent changes in the international order, such as technological advances that have spurred globalization and the emerging norm of the Responsibility to Protect, have cast the notion of sovereignty into an unclear light. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current debate regarding sovereignty by exploring two schools of thought on the matter: first, three Catholic scholars from the past century—Luigi Sturzo, Jacques Maritain, and John Courtney Murray, S.J.—taken as representative of Catholic tradition; second, a number of contemporary political theorists of cosmopolitan democracy. The paper argues that there is a confluence between the Catholic thinkers and the cosmopolitan democrats regarding their understanding of state sovereignty and that, taken together, the two schools have much to contribute not only to our current understanding of sovereignty, but also to the future of global governance.

Aftershocks

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seva Gunitsky
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Regime Change ◽  
International System ◽  
Political Legitimacy ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sudden Rise ◽  
The World ◽  
National Borders

Over the past century, democracy spread around the world in turbulent bursts of change, sweeping across national borders in dramatic cascades of revolution and reform. This book offers a new global-oriented explanation for this wavelike spread and retreat—not only of democracy but also of its twentieth-century rivals, fascism, and communism. The book argues that waves of regime change are driven by the aftermath of cataclysmic disruptions to the international system. These hegemonic shocks, marked by the sudden rise and fall of great powers, have been essential and often-neglected drivers of domestic transformations. Though rare and fleeting, they not only repeatedly alter the global hierarchy of powerful states but also create unique and powerful opportunities for sweeping national reforms—by triggering military impositions, swiftly changing the incentives of domestic actors, or transforming the basis of political legitimacy itself. As a result, the evolution of modern regimes cannot be fully understood without examining the consequences of clashes between great powers, which repeatedly—and often unsuccessfully—sought to cajole, inspire, and intimidate other states into joining their camps.

Variable oil and argumentative conflict in the Middle East

2020 ◽  
pp. 824
Author(s):  
Malik Daham Mata’ab
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Large Area ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World

Oil has formed since its discovery so far one of the main causes of global conflict, has occupied this energy map a large area of conflict the world over the past century, and certainly this matter will continue for the next period in our century..

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