Search

Objectives: This study aimed to pinpoint the universality of extracellular antimicrobial resistance elements (eAREs) and compare the contents of eAREs with those of intracellular AREs (iAREs) in animal feces, thus laying a foundation for the further analysis of the horizontal transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the animal guts. Materials and Methods: Extracellular DNAs were isolated from the fecal samples of Pavo cristatus (n = 18), Ursus thibetanus (n = 2), two breeds of broilers (n = 21 and 11, respectively), and from the contents of rabbit intestines (n = 5). eAREs were detected by PCR technology. iAREs in P. cristatus and broiler feces were also detected and compared with the corresponding eAREs. In addition, some gene cassettes of class 1 integrons were sequenced and analyzed. Results: The results showed that eAREs exist in animal feces and intestinal contents. In this study, different eAREs were detected from animal feces and intestinal contents, and tetA, tetB, sul1, sul2, class 1 integron, and IncFIB presented the highest detection rates. The detection rates of certain eAREs were significantly higher than those of parallel iAREs. The integral cassettes with intact structures were found in eAREs, and the cassettes carried ARGs. Conclusions: The presented study here sheds light on the presence of eAREs in animal feces or guts, and eAREs may play an important role in the horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10(1.000): 103-112]

In efforts to resolve social dilemmas, reinforcement learning is an alternative to imitation and exploration in evolutionary game theory. While imitation and exploration rely on the performance of neighbors, in reinforcement learning individuals alter their strategies based on their own performance in the past. For example, according to the Bush–Mosteller model of reinforcement learning, an individual's strategy choice is driven by whether the received payoff satisfies a preset aspiration or not. Stimuli also play a key role in reinforcement learning in that they can determine whether a strategy should be kept or not. Here we use the Monte Carlo method to study pattern formation and phase transitions towards cooperation in social dilemmas that are driven by reinforcement learning. We distinguish local and global players according to the source of the stimulus they experience. While global players receive their stimuli from the whole neighborhood, local players focus solely on individual performance. We show that global players play a decisive role in ensuring cooperation, while local players fail in this regard, although both types of players show properties of 'moody cooperators'. In particular, global players evoke stronger conditional cooperation in their neighborhoods based on direct reciprocity, which is rooted in the emerging spatial patterns and stronger interfaces around cooperative clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective behavior, from murmurations to synchronized beating of heart cells, governs some of the most beautiful and important aspects of nature. Likewise, cooperation—the act of sacrificing personal benefits for the common good—is one of the pillars of social evolution, and it is the basis for the emergence of collective organized actions from single-cell organisms to modern human societies. Here we merge these two phenomena into a single model, considering an ensemble of networked oscillators, where each oscillator can be either a cooperator or a defector, and with only cooperators contributing to synchrony. At the same time, the value of the order parameter in the neighborhood of each oscillator is considered as an effective local temperature which determines the strategy updating procedure in the evolutionary game. The emergence of cooperation is thus intertwined with that of synchronization, producing a novel and fascinating dynamics which includes a double explosive transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlight • The result exists an obvious piecewise phenomenon for individual's aspiration level on promoting cooperation Abstract In real life, everyone is full of yearning and pursuit for future life. The difference between reality and ideals encourage people to constantly adjust the current state, so that they can better adapt to changes in the surrounding environment. Thus, we propose a spatial prisoner's dilemma game model where individuals have expectation towards the payoff obtained from nearest neighbors, and individuals can adaptively adjust their update willingness based on the satisfaction of income. Through numerical calculation, we find that different b values will have an appropriate aspiration level to promote cooperation. In addition, the results have an obvious phase transition phenomenon for individual's aspiration level on promoting cooperation. Moreover, only moderate aspiration level can promote the evolution of cooperative behavior, due to it can lead to the heterogeneous distribution of update willingness, which will be beneficial to the evolution of cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In real world, cooperation among unrelated agents remains to represent one open challenge in many disciplines. In some cases, subjects can even change their social dilemmas to ensure their own benefit. Inspired by this fact, here we propose a multigame (composed of prisoner's dilemma game and snowdrift game) and its coevolution mechanism in networked populations: if a player succeeds to study the strategy of its opponent, it also learns the game type of its opponent. Based on numerous computation simulations, it is unveiled that compared with the setup of multigame, coevolution mechanism can effectively resolve the problem of collective cooperation. While for this observation, it is attributed to the fact that vast majority of players changed their games to snowdrift game (i.e. lower social dilemma), where cooperation-defection bistable state guarantees cooperation clusters. We hope our finding can inspire more studies for resolving the social dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this paper, we establish a two-layered multiplex network model which combines SIR epidemic process and vaccination decision-making. • We discover that imitating behavior would restrain the increase of herd immunity, • The model is verified by Monte Carlo simulations and mean-field equa- tions, respectively. • A suitable quantity of conformity motivated individual could be beneficial to save the social costs. When confronting the epidemics or pandemics, there often exists an interplay between epidemic incidence and the vaccination strategies of individuals. Recently, the characteristics of human behaviors, such as imitating nature or bandwagon effect, have been proven critical to the final herd immunity. In this paper, by establishing a two-layered multiplex network model which combines SIR epidemic process, vaccination decision-making and imitating human nature, we discover that imitating behavior would restrain the increase of herd immunity, which is verified by Monte Carlo simulations and mean-field equations, respectively. Interestingly, a suitable quantity of conformity motivated individual, counter-intuitively, could be beneficial to save the social costs. At the same time, we analytically determine the precise conditions for the minimum total social costs. The current results can help to understand the behavior of social group in depth and then explore public attitudes concerning the vaccine, which usually has a tremendous impact on social vaccine take-up within the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of combining fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology with hot melt extrusion (HME) to fabricate a novel controlled-release drug delivery device. Glipizide used in the treatment of diabetes was selected as model drug, and was successfully loaded into commercial polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) filaments by HME method. The drug-loaded filaments were printed through a dual-nozzle 3D printer, and finally formed a double-chamber device composed by a tablet embedded within a larger tablet (DuoTablet), each chamber contains different contents of glipizide. The drug-loaded 3D printed device was evaluated for drug release under in vitro dissolution condition, and we found the release profile fit Korsmeyer–Peppas release kinetics. With the double-chamber design, it is feasible to design either controlled drug release or delayed drug release behavior by reasonably arranging the concentration distribution of the drug in the device. The characteristics of the external layer performed main influence on the release profile of the internal compartment such as lag-time or rate of release. The results of this study suggest the potential of 3D printing to fabricate controlled-release drug delivery system containing multiple drug concentration distributions via hot melt extrusion method and specialized design configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Edge dynamics means that each player in the network can use different strategies for four neighbors. • Interactive diversity is one way of selecting policy referees. • Introduce individual reputation and explore how the co-evolution of reputation and strategy affects cooperative behavior. In view of social interactions, people are more inclined to make different decision-making behaviors based on the credibility of different individuals. In this article, based on edge dynamics, that is, players can freely choose different strategies for different opponents, we introduce individual reputation, which is judged by others based on individual performance, thereby exploring how co-evolution of reputation and strategy affects cooperation behavior. A large number of simulation results show that under the condition of diversity interaction, other people's greater decision-making power on individuals' reputation can significantly promote cooperative behavior. It provides scholars with new insights into the social dilemma under the framework of edge dynamic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and maintenance of cooperation remains to be one of the overreaching problems and a number of scholars have devoted endless efforts to resolve such problems. To further explore this issue, we focus on the impact of heterogeneity of updating rules on cooperative behavior in voluntary prisoner's dilemma; here, two types of strategy updating rules are considered to mimic social facts which are listed as strategy learning mechanism and strategy teaching mechanism. The stability of different mechanisms on promoting cooperation is thoroughly investigated in this manuscript. Numerical simulations are conducted while corresponding results are presented with sufficient clarifications. We find that the strategy learning mechanism can promote cooperation steadily. However, with the variance in the proportion of the two update rules in the investigated community, the strategy teaching mechanism seems to be more sensitive. Moreover, compared with strategy learning mechanism, strategy teaching mechanism plays a more important and apparent role in promoting cooperation. We also find that personal strategy is sensitive to the varying of Loner's payoff σ, especially when σ is close to 1. We hope our findings will shed some lights on resolving the social dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of resource allocation has been the focus issue in social and natural science. Should we narrow the gap between the rich and poor? Or should we increase the income inequality? Inspired by this matter, we propose a payoff redistribution model and explore which case can evaluate the cooperative level in public goods game. Specifically, we use a single parameter α to control the above two scenarios. Positive α increases the income inequality between rich and poor, while negative α ensures this equality and the case of α = 0 turns our model to the symmetric case, where there is no payoff redistribution effect. Extensive simulation shows that when we narrow the gap between the rich and poor, cooperation can be maintained, conversely, if this income inequality is increased, the cooperative groups are destroyed. Our work thus provides a novel clue to explore this problem especially from the viewpoint of evolutionary game theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to pinpoint the universality of extracellular antimicrobial resistance elements (eAREs) and compare the contents of eAREs with those of intracellular AREs (iAREs) in animal feces, thus laying a foundation for the further analysis of the horizontal transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the animal guts., Materials and Methods: Extracellular DNAs were isolated from the fecal samples of Pavo cristatus ( n = 18), Ursus thibetanus ( n = 2), two breeds of broilers ( n = 21 and 11, respectively), and from the contents of rabbit intestines ( n = 5). eAREs were detected by PCR technology. iAREs in P. cristatus and broiler feces were also detected and compared with the corresponding eAREs. In addition, some gene cassettes of class 1 integrons were sequenced and analyzed., Results: The results showed that eAREs exist in animal feces and intestinal contents. In this study, different eAREs were detected from animal feces and intestinal contents, and tetA , tetB , sul1 , sul2 , class 1 integron, and IncFIB presented the highest detection rates. The detection rates of certain eAREs were significantly higher than those of parallel iAREs. The integral cassettes with intact structures were found in eAREs, and the cassettes carried ARGs., Conclusions: The presented study here sheds light on the presence of eAREs in animal feces or guts, and eAREs may play an important role in the horizontal gene transfer of ARGs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research.)

Quasi-solid-state polymer electrolytes are one of the most promising candidates for long-life lithium-metal batteries. However, introduction of plasticizers for high ion conductivity at room temperature inevitably gives rise to poor mechanical strength and requires a very thick electrolyte membrane, which is detrimental to safety and energy density of the batteries. Herein, inspired by tube brushes coupling hardness with softness, a novel superstructured polymer bottlebrush BC-g-PLiSTFSI-b-PEGM (BC = bacterial cellulose; PLiSTFSI = poly(lithium 4-styrenesulfonyl-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide); PEGM = poly(diethylene glycol monomethyl ether methacrylate)) with a hard nanofibril backbone and soft functional polymer side-chains is reported as an effective strategy to well balance the mechanical strength and ion conductivity of quasi-solid-state polymer electrolytes. The resulting single lithium-ion conducting quasi-solid-state polymer-brush electrolytes (SLIC-QSPBEs) integrate the features of the ultrathin membrane thickness (10 µm), the nanofibril backbone-strengthened porous nanonetwork (Young's modulus = 1.9 GPa), and the high-rate single lithium-ion conducting diblock copolymer brushes. As a result, the ultrathin yet robust SLIC-QSPBEs enable ultralong-term (over 3300 h) reversible and stable lithium plating/stripping in Li/Li symmetrical cell at a current density of 1 mA cm -2 for lithium anode. This work affords a promising strategy to develop advanced electrolytes for solid-state lithium-metal batteries., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The progression of game theory from classical to evolutionary and spatial games provided a powerful means to study cooperation, and enabled a better understanding of general cooperation-promoting mechanisms. However, current standard models assume that at any given point players must choose either cooperation or defection, meaning that regardless of the spatial structure in which they exist, they cannot differentiate between their neighbours and adjust their behaviour accordingly. This is at odds with interactions among organisms in nature who are well capable of behaving differently towards different members of their communities. We account for this natural fact by introducing a new type of player-dubbed link players-who can adjust their behaviour to each individual neighbour. This is in contrast to more common node players whose behaviour affects all neighbours in the same way. We proceed to study cooperation in pure and mixed populations, showing that cooperation peaks at moderately low densities of link players. In such conditions, players naturally specialize in different roles. Node players tend to be either cooperators or defectors, while link players form social insulation between cooperative and defecting clusters by acting both as cooperators and defectors. Such fairly complex processes emerging from a simple model reflect some of the complexities observed in experimental studies on social behaviour in microbes and pave a way for the development of richer game models.