Genetic variation of Renibacterium salmoninarum genes in infected salmonids

Renibacterium salmoninarum is the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease in both wild and farmed salmonid species worldwide. The genome of this pathogen has significant synteny to the ubiquitous, soil-dwelling Arthrobacter spp. though it is 1.9 Mb smaller, suggesting that reductive evolution has occurred. Recently, our group finished sequencing and annotation of the R. salmoninarum American Tissue Culture Collection 33209 strain, which has been cultured in vitro since 1974. The genome contained a significant amount of inactivated genes caused by frameshift and extrachromosomal elements. This led us to hypothesize that reduced evolutionary pressure due to lengthy laboratory cultivation on the genome may account for the mutations found. To test this hypothesis we analyzed four genes with different mutations typicalof mutations observed throughout the genome using samples acquired from around the world. We used basic molecular biology to elucidate the sequences and compared. We found that although the ATCC 33209 strain had been cultured extensively in vitro, its sequence is representative of what is found in nature. The mutations leading to inactivation of regions of the genome suggests the pathogen R. salmoninarum has experienced reductive evolution

LabView Interface for School-Network DAQ Card

A low-cost DAQ card has been developed for school-network cosmic ray detector projects, providing digitized data from photomultiplier tubes via a standard serial interface. To facilitate analysis of these data and to provide students with a starting point for custom readout systems, a model interface has been developed using the National Instruments LabVIEW(R) system. This user-friendly interface allows one to initialize the trigger coincidence conditions for data-taking runs and to monitor incoming or pre-recorded data sets with updating singles- and coincidence-rate plots and other user-selectable histograms.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures. Presented as Paper NS26-119 at IEEE-NSS 2003, Portland, OR, by R. J. Wilke

Cytokinesis is blocked in mammalian cells transfected with Chlamydia trachomatis gene CT223

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The chlamydiae alter many aspects of host cell biology, including the division process, but the molecular biology of these alterations remains poorly characterized. Chlamydial inclusion membrane proteins (Incs) are likely candidates for direct interactions with host cell cytosolic proteins, as they are secreted to the inclusion membrane and exposed to the cytosol. The <it>inc </it>gene <it>CT223 </it>is one of a sequential set of orfs that encode or are predicted to encode Inc proteins. CT223p is localized to the inclusion membrane in all tested <it>C. trachomatis </it>serovars.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A plasmid transfection approach was used to examine the function of the product of <it>CT223 </it>and other Inc proteins within uninfected mammalian cells. Fluorescence microscopy was used to demonstrate that <it>CT223</it>, and, to a lesser extent, adjacent <it>inc </it>genes, are capable of blocking host cell cytokinesis and facilitating centromere supranumeracy defects seen by others in chlamydiae-infected cells. Both phenotypes were associated with transfection of plasmids encoding the carboxy-terminal tail of CT223p, a region of the protein that is likely exposed to the cytosol in infected cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These studies suggest that certain Inc proteins block cytokinesis in <it>C. trachomatis</it>-infected cells. These results are consistent with the work of others showing chlamydial inhibition of host cell cytokinesis.</p

Low-Cost Data Acquisition Card for School-Network Cosmic Ray Detectors

The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP) at University of Nebraska/Lincoln and the Washington Area Large-scale Time coincidence Array (WALTA) at University of Washington/Seattle are among several outreach projects siting cosmic-ray detectors at local high schools in cities around North America, to study the origins and interactions of high-energy cosmic rays. In a collaboration between QuarkNet, the outreach program based at Fermilab, CROP, and WALTA, a low-cost data acquisition electronics card has been developed to collect and synchronize the data from each detector site. The cost for each card is under US$500 for parts, functionally replacing much more expensive electronics crates and modules at each high school site. The card has 4 analog discriminator inputs for photo-multiplier tube signals, a 4-channel Time-to-Digital converter for local coincidence and time-over-threshold measurements at 0.75 ns resolution, programmable trigger logic via a CPLD and microcontroller, and a built-in low-cost GPS receiver/antenna module (via external cable) to provide event trigger time stamps at better than 100 ns accuracy. Temperature sensors and a barometer are also integrated to record environmental data along with the counter data. The card connects to any PC or laptop via a standard RS-232 serial port for data output and control. The microcontroller and CPLD are field programmable and therefore make the card functionality flexible and easy to upgrade.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Presented by R. J. Wilkes at "IEEE-NSS 2003", Paper N8-1, Portland, OR, November 2003. Submitted to Trans. IEE

Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma in a defunctionalized urinary bladder: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Malignancies are rare in defunctionalized bladders and are thought to arise from metaplasia secondary to chronic inflammation. Transitional cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common but there are three reported cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a 57-year-old Caucasian man presenting with penile discharge for 30 years following ileal conduit surgery for neurogenic bladder, and who was found to have primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of his defunctionalized bladder.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although urinary diversion without cystectomy is less common in current urologic practice, there are many patients with longstanding defunctionalized bladders. While there are no established surveillance protocols, defunctionalized bladder patients with urethral discharge should be evaluated.</p

Access Impediments to Health Care and Social Services Between Anglophone and Francophone African Immigrants Living in Philadelphia with Respect to HIV/AIDS

Objectives To describe the social and cultural differences between Anglophone and Francophone African immigrants which define the impediments that Francophone African immigrants face trying to access health and human services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Methods Surveys and personal interviews were administered to participants in social events, community meetings, and health centers. A Chi-squared analysis was used to contrast the communities. Results Francophone Africans demonstrated less acculturation, education, English fluency, and more legal documentation problems, and thus face greater challenges accessing health care. Anglophone Africans had a higher level of acculturation, fewer language problems, and perceived fewer barriers in accessing health care than Francophone Africans. Conclusions Educating new immigrants, through a more culturally sensitive infectious disease treatment and prevention program, is integral to achieving a higher access and utilization rates of available services; especially in recent Francophone immigrants. A larger study is needed to extend the findings to other cities where immigrants with similar backgrounds or acculturation issues reside

Nonlinear Waves in Bose-Einstein Condensates: Physical Relevance and Mathematical Techniques

The aim of the present review is to introduce the reader to some of the physical notions and of the mathematical methods that are relevant to the study of nonlinear waves in Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs). Upon introducing the general framework, we discuss the prototypical models that are relevant to this setting for different dimensions and different potentials confining the atoms. We analyze some of the model properties and explore their typical wave solutions (plane wave solutions, bright, dark, gap solitons, as well as vortices). We then offer a collection of mathematical methods that can be used to understand the existence, stability and dynamics of nonlinear waves in such BECs, either directly or starting from different types of limits (e.g., the linear or the nonlinear limit, or the discrete limit of the corresponding equation). Finally, we consider some special topics involving more recent developments, and experimental setups in which there is still considerable need for developing mathematical as well as computational tools.Comment: 69 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Nonlinearity, 2008. V2: new references added, fixed typo