CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROPICAL SACOGLOSSAN MOLLUSKS ELYSIA RUFESCENS AND ELYSIA CRISPATA.

Mollusks are the largest group of marine invertebrates and are known to harbor bacterial communities; however, the characterization and metabolic roles of these communities to the biology of mollusks are unknown. Sacoglossan sea slugs are herbivorous mollusks well known for their unique ability among metazoans to sequester functional chloroplasts from their algal food through a process called kleptoplasty, enabling a few species of these slugs to photosynthesize. Sacoglossan mollusks are also known to sequester chemical compounds from their algal diets through a process called kleptochemistry and use these compounds as defense molecules. These defense molecules often display medicinal properties. The mechanisms for such phenomena are unknown. I characterized the bacterial communities associated with the Hawaiian sea slug Elysia rufescens and its algal diet Bryopsis sp., in which the promising anticancer compound, Kahalalide F (KF) was extracted, through both culture-based and molecular analysis. I cultured a total of 460 bacteria from the mollusk and Bryopsis and screened them for KF production. I found a diverse assemblage of bacteria associated with this sacoglossan comprising 16 different bacterial phyla. In addition, a photosynthetic sacoglossan slug, Elysia crispata from two Caribbean locations and their associated alga bacterial communities were characterized. I discovered less bacterial diversity associated with this sacoglossan and found that the bacterial communities associated with E. crispata from different locations are more similar to each other than the bacterial communities of the associated alga. This work forms the basis for describing the bacterial community of the sacoglossans E. rufescens and E. crispata and furthers our understanding of the potential roles bacteria may play in the unusual sacoglossan niche

Labeless and reversible immunosensor assay based upon an electrochemical current-transient protocol

A novel labeless and reversible immunoassay based upon an electrochemical current-transient protocol is reported which offers many advantages in comparison to classical immuno-biochemical analyses in terms of simplicity, speed of response, reusability and possibility of multiple determinations. Conducting polypyrrole films containing antibodies against 1) Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and 2) Digoxin were deposited on the surface of platinum electrodes to produce conductive affinity matrices having clearly defined binding characteristics. The deposition process has been investigated using 125I labelled anti-digoxin to determine optimal fabrication protocols. Antibody integrity and activity, together with non-specific binding of antigen on the conducting matrix have also been investigated using tritiated digoxin to probe polypyrrole/anti-digoxin films. Amperometric responses to digoxin were recorded in flow conditions using these films, but the technique was limited in use mainly due to baseline instability. Anti-BSA - polypyrrole matrices were investigated in more detail in both flow and quiescent conditions. No observable response was found in flow conditions, however under quiescent conditions (in non-stirred batch cell), anti-BSA – polypyrrole films have been demonstrated to function as novel quantitative chronoamperometric immuno-biosensors when interrogated using a pulsed potential waveform. The behaviour of the electrodes showed that the antibody/antigen binding and/or interaction process underlying the response observed was reversible in nature, indicating that the electrodes could be used for multiple sensing protocols. Calibration profiles for BSA demonstrated linearity for a concentration range of 0-50 ppm but tended towards a plateau at higher concentrations. Factors relating to replicate sensor production, sample measurement and reproducibility are discuss

2010-2014 Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic Count Preliminary Report

The Step Into Cuba Alliance (the Alliance) is a broad coalition of local, state and national organizations and individuals working to increase opportunities for physical activity in the Village of Cuba, NM (the Village). A primary goal of the Alliance is to increase the walkability of Cuba to encourage walking as a convenient and low-cost form of physical activity. One of the areas of focus for the Alliance is US Highway 550 (US 550), a four lane, federal highway that bisects the Village and serves as Cuba’s main street. The Alliance is also working to make NM 126, leading from US 550 to the Village of Cuba St. Francis of Assisi Park, more pedestrian friendly. US 550 is a primary route connecting Albuquerque to Northwestern New Mexico and Colorado. In Cuba, US 550 is estimated to have a traffic count of about 8,200 vehicles per day.1 Cuba’s health clinic, post office and other essential services are located on US 550, and the Village of Cuba serves as the commercial center for the area. Residents from within the municipality and the outlying areas visit Cuba regularly to retrieve their mail from the post office (there is no mail delivery service in the Cuba area), shop for food and other necessities, receive medical care, and obtain social services. Many residents of Cuba live within walking distance of the commercial center. Most roadways used by residents to reach services and businesses on US 550 do not have safe sidewalks or walkways. Additionally, on US 550 there are no traffic lights or stop signs, only two crosswalks, and the sidewalks are not continuous. In winter, snow removal from the highway leads to piles of snow on sidewalks and highway shoulders, obstructing pedestrian access. The Village and the Alliance have been working with the NM Department of Transportation (NMDOT) to explore ways to make US 550 and NM 126 more pedestrian friendly. In 2011, federal funding was obtained and utilized to complete a new section of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks along US 550 on the south end of Cuba. Applications have been approved and funding has been earmarked for additional improvement projects along US 550 and adjoining roadways. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic counts represent another way in which the Alliance and the Village have focused needed attention on US 550 and its intersecting streets. Faculty and staff from the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center (UNM PRC), working with an independent transportation planning consultant and pedestrian and bicycle safety expert, organized the counting effort, trained counters and participated in the counting. Community members from the Cuba area contributed to the effort by conducting the counts as volunteers and paid workers. This report provides data on the use of US 550 and intersecting roads, including NM 126, and the Village of Cuba’s St. Francis of Assisi Park by pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized transportation (e.g., skateboarders). Baseline data were collected in 2010, and follow-up data collected in 2011-2014. The repeated counts document changes in non-motorized use following improvements to make the area safer and more attractive for pedestrians. Data from the counts have also been submitted to the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, a nationwide effort to create a consistent, uniform collection and analysis system for non-motorized transportation

Human coronaviruses and other respiratory infections in young adults on a university campus: Prevalence, symptoms, and shedding

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145532/1/irv12563.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145532/2/irv12563_am.pd

Mother to offspring transmission of chronic wasting disease in Reeves' Muntjac deer

The horizontal transmission of prion diseases has been well characterized in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk and scrapie of sheep, and has been regarded as the primary mode of transmission. Few studies have monitored the possibility of vertical transmission occurring within an infected mother during pregnancy. To study the potential for and pathway of vertical transmission of CWD in the native cervid species, we used a small cervid model-the polyestrous breeding, indoor maintainable, Reeves' muntjac deer-and determined that the susceptibility and pathogenesis of CWD in these deer reproduce that in native mule and white-tailed deer. Moreover, we demonstrate here that CWD prions are transmitted from doe to fawn. Maternal CWD infection also appears to result in lower percentage of live birth offspring. In addition, evolving evidence from protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) assays on fetal tissues suggest that covert prion infection occurs in utero. Overall, our findings demonstrate that transmission of prions from mother to offspring can occur, and may be underestimated for all prion diseases

Optical counterpart of HLX-1 during the 2010 outburst

We studied the optical counterpart of the intermediate-mass black hole candidate HLX-1 in ESO 243-49. We used a set of Very Large Telescope imaging observations from 2010 November, integrated by Swift X-ray data from the same epoch. We measured standard Vega brightnesses U = 23.89 +/- 0.18 mag, B = 25.19 +/- 0.30 mag, V = 24.79 +/- 0.34 mag and R = 24.71 +/- 0.40 mag. Therefore, the source was ~1 mag fainter in each band than in a set of Hubble Space Telescope images taken a couple of months earlier, when the X-ray flux was a factor of 2 higher. We conclude that during the 2010 September observations, the optical counterpart was dominated by emission from an irradiated disk (which responds to the varying X-ray luminosity), rather than by a star cluster around the black hole (which would not change). We modelled the Comptonized, irradiated X-ray spectrum of the disk, and found that the optical luminosity and colours in the 2010 November data are still consistent with emission from the irradiated disk, with a characteristic outer radius r_{out} ~ 2800 r_{in} ~ 10^{13} cm and a reprocessing fraction ~ 2 x 10^{-3}. The optical colours are also consistent with a stellar population with age <~ 6 Myr (at solar metallicity) and mass ~ 10^4 M_{sun}; this is only an upper limit to the mass, if there is also a significant contribution from an irradiated disk. We strongly rule out the presence of a young super-star-cluster, which would be too bright. An old globular cluster might be associated with HLX-1, as long as its mass <~ 2 x 10^6 M_{sun} for an age of 10 Gyr, but it cannot significantly contribute to the observed very blue and variable optical/UV emission.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS on Nov 28; 11 pages, 1.3 MB. v2: same paper, same price, now 20% more authors

Can Terrorism Abroad Influence Migration Attitudes at Home?

This article demonstrates that public opinion on migration “at home” is systematically driven by terrorism in other countries. Although there is little substantive evidence linking refugees or migrants to most recent terror attacks in Europe, news about terrorist attacks can trigger more negative views of immigrants. However, the spatial dynamics of this process are neglected in existing research. We argue that feelings of imminent danger and a more salient perception of migration threats do not stop at national borders. The empirical results based on spatial econometrics and data on all terrorist attacks in Europe for the post-9/11 period support these claims. The effect of terrorism on migration concern is strongly present within a country, but also diffuses across states in Europe. This finding improves our understanding of public opinion on migration, spill-over effects of terrorism, and it highlights crucial lessons for scholars interested in the security implications of population movements

Strategic considerations for invasive species managers in the utilization of environmental DNA (eDNA): Steps for incorporating this powerful surveillance tool

Invasive species surveillance programs can utilize environmental DNA sampling and analysis to provide information on the presence of invasive species. Wider utilization of eDNA techniques for invasive species surveillance may be warranted. This paper covers topics directed towards invasive species managers and eDNA practitioners working at the intersection of eDNA techniques and invasive species surveillance. It provides background information on the utility of eDNA for invasive species management and points to various examples of its use across federal and international programs. It provides information on 1) why an invasive species manager should consider using eDNA, 2) deciding if eDNA can help with the manager’s surveillance needs, 3) important components to operational implementation, and 4) a high-level overview of the technical steps necessary for eDNA analysis. The goal of this paper is to assist invasive species managers in deciding if, when, and how to use eDNA for surveillance. If eDNA use is elected, the paper provides guidance on steps to ensure a clear understanding of the strengths and limitation of the methods and how results can be best utilized in the context of invasive species surveillance

Human coronaviruses and other respiratory infections in young adults on a university campus: Prevalence, symptoms, and shedding

BACKGROUND: The prevalence, symptom course, and shedding in persons infected with the 4 most common human coronaviruses (HCoV)-229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43 are poorly described. OBJECTIVES: We estimate their prevalence and associated symptoms among college students identified via a social network study design. PATIENTS/METHODS: We collected 1-3 samples (n = 250 specimens) from 176 participants between October 2012 and January 17, 2013: participants with acute respiratory infection (ARI; cough and body aches or chills or fever/feverishness) and their social contacts. Virus was detected using RT-PCR. RESULTS: 30.4% (76/250) of specimens tested positive for any virus tested, and 4.8% (12/250) were positive for 2 or more viruses. Human coronaviruses (HCoVs [22.0%; 55/250]), rhinovirus (7.6%; 19/250), and influenza A (6.4%; 16/250) were most prevalent. Symptoms changed significantly over time among ARI participants with HCoV: the prevalence of cough and chills decreased over 6 days (P = .04, and P = .01, respectively), while runny nose increased over the same period (P = .02). HCoV-NL63 was the most frequent virus detected 6 days following symptom onset (8.9%), followed by rhinovirus (6.7%). CONCLUSIONS: During a 3-month period covering a single season, HCoVs were common, even among social contacts without respiratory symptoms; specific symptoms may change over the course of HCoV-associated illness and were similar to symptoms from influenza and rhinovirus