Instamapp

InstaMapp is a web application we started building in fall 2014. This application is intended for anyone who wants to locate a product from a department store. Anyone who would like to print or view a shopping list with aisle or department locations. Currently there isn’t a reliable application out that that exist in the technology space. InstaMapp currently integrates with Walmart’s API and supports a responsive design for mobile devices. During fall 2014, we built a proof of concept on Microsoft Windows Azure websites integrating with Intel Mashery Services for the API. We used the following Languages: PHP, JQuery, JavaScript, HTML 5, CSS3, and MySQL. The application was built on a MySQL database and supported JSON, JSONP, and XML data inputs. For the final project we scrapped the proof of concept and rebuild the application based on a new architectural design approach. We instead used .Net MVC instead of PHP, Bootstrap 3.0 for the UI design and Azure SQL instead of MySQL. We then incorporated the following Azure services: Azure Mobility, Worker Roles, Identity, Notification Hub, storage and Traffic Manager. Using this new design approach it allowed us to do the following more efficiently. Improve the registration / login process Dynamic scalability of application based on usage Enhanced security Allow for use to implement an Open API Database management Implement Push Notifications to users Allow other app developers to integrate with our application. On completion of our final project will have delivered the following functionality. Ability to search for products within Walmart’s API Ability to view / print or email Shopping list Allow users to register with the site using FB, twitter, MS ID or login form Build a API based on InstaMapp’s database Allow REST commands to query our API we created Deploy a native iOS, Android or Windows Mobile application using Xamarin in Visual Studio. We also built a Proof of concept IoT (Internet of things) device that uses sensor based technology and integrates directly with our application. Roles: Solution Architect / Developer – Andrew DiCosmo UI Designer / QA tester – Preethi Reddy Database / Developer – Venkat Nischey References: Since this application is a new concept we are creating code from scratch and don’t have a specific reference. We most likely will use Microsoft Azure help documentation, Google for UI code references & database best practices and our existing industry Knowledge

Interaction of Ciprofloxacin Loaded Liposomes with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Cells

An antibiotic delivery system has been developed using ciprotloxacin (CIPRO) encapsulated within sonicated unilamellar vesicles (SUV) of different lipid compositions composed of dipalmitoylphospatidylcholine (DPPC), L-aphosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PEA) and cholesterol (CHOL). The interaction of SUV (i.e. liposomes) with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Tl 2977) cells was studied and the effect of the liposome encapsulated antibiotic was tested. Encapsulation of CIPRO apparently increased the amount of antibiotic resident in the vicinity of bacteria in aqueous solution at neutral pH. Electrophoretic mobility measurements showed that P. aeruginosa cells were negatively charged. The zeta potential of P. aeruginosa was -11.4 ± 2.9 m V in phosphate buffered saline at pH 7 .0, and the corresponding surface charge density was -14.7 ± 3.9 mC/m2. DPPC liposomes and PC liposomes had mean diameters of 103 ± 35 nm and 80 ± 25nm, respectively. They were electrically neutral or had a small positive charge of +S.0 ± 3.0 mC/m2 when prepared with PC:CHOL:PEA=S: 1: 1. The interaction and attachment of neutral or positively charged SUV to negatively charged bacterial cells was studied in an effort to increase the residency of the liposomes and CIPRO, in the vicinity of the bacterial cells. Ke

Congenic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Reverses Hyperglycemia in Experimental Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE - A number of clinical trials are underway to test whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are effective in treating various diseases, including type 1 diabetes. Although this cell therapy holds great promise, the optimal source of MSCs has yet to be determined with respect to major histocompatibility complex matching. Here, we examine this question by testing the ability of congenic MSCs, obtained from the NOR mouse strain, to reverse recent-onset type 1 diabetes in NOD mice, as well as determine the immunomodulatory effects of NOR MSCs in vivo. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - NOR MSCs were evaluated with regard to their in vitro immunomodulatory function in the context of autoreactive T-cell proliferation and dendritic cell (DC) generation. The in vivo effect of NOR MSC therapy on reversal of recent-onset hyperglycemia and on immunogenic cell subsets in NOD mice was also examined. RESULTS - NOR MSCs were shown to suppress diabetogenic T-cell proliferation via PD-L1 and to suppress generation of myeloid/inflammatory DCs predominantly through an IL-6-dependent mechanism. NOR MSC treatment of experimental type 1 diabetes resulted in long-term reversal of hyperglycemia, and therapy was shown to alter diabetogenic cytokine profile, to diminish T-cell effector frequency in the pancreatic lymph nodes, to alter antigen-presenting cell frequencies, and to augment the frequency of the plasmacytoid subset of DCs. CONCLUSIONS - These studies demonstrate the inimitable benefit of congenic MSC therapy in reversing experimental type 1 diabetes. These data should benefit future clinical trials using MSCs as treatment for type 1 diabetes

Airway smooth muscle as an immunomodulatory cell.

Although pivotal in regulating bronchomotor tone in asthma, airway smooth muscle (ASM) also modulates airway inflammation in asthma. ASM myocytes secrete or express a wide array of immunomodulatory mediators in response to extracellular stimuli, and in chronic severe asthma, increases in ASM mass may also render the airway irreversibly obstructed. Although the mechanisms by which ASM secretes cytokines and chemokines are shared with those regulating immune cells, there exist unique ASM signaling pathways that may provide novel therapeutic targets. This review provides an overview of our current understanding of the proliferative as well as synthetic properties of ASM

Effects of nano particles on antigen-related airway inflammation in mice

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM) can exacerbate allergic airway diseases. Although health effects of PM with a diameter of less than 100 nm have been focused, few studies have elucidated the correlation between the sizes of particles and aggravation of allergic diseases. We investigated the effects of nano particles with a diameter of 14 nm or 56 nm on antigen-related airway inflammation. METHODS: ICR mice were divided into six experimental groups. Vehicle, two sizes of carbon nano particles, ovalbumin (OVA), and OVA + nano particles were administered intratracheally. Cellular profile of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, lung histology, expression of cytokines, chemokines, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and immunoglobulin production were studied. RESULTS: Nano particles with a diameter of 14 nm or 56 nm aggravated antigen-related airway inflammation characterized by infiltration of eosinophils, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells, and by an increase in the number of goblet cells in the bronchial epithelium. Nano particles with antigen increased protein levels of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-6, and IL-13, eotaxin, macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and regulated on activation and normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) in the lung as compared with antigen alone. The formation of 8-OHdG, a proper marker of oxidative stress, was moderately induced by nano particles or antigen alone, and was markedly enhanced by antigen plus nano particles as compared with nano particles or antigen alone. The aggravation was more prominent with 14 nm of nano particles than with 56 nm of particles in overall trend. Particles with a diameter of 14 nm exhibited adjuvant activity for total IgE and antigen-specific IgG(1 )and IgE. CONCLUSION: Nano particles can aggravate antigen-related airway inflammation and immunoglobulin production, which is more prominent with smaller particles. The enhancement may be mediated, at least partly, by the increased local expression of IL-5 and eotaxin, and also by the modulated expression of IL-13, RANTES, MCP-1, and IL-6

Monilochaetes and allied genera of the Glomerellales, and a reconsideration of families in the Microascales

We examined the phylogenetic relationships of two species that mimic Chaetosphaeria in teleomorph and anamorph morphologies, Chaetosphaeria tulasneorum with a Cylindrotrichum anamorph and Australiasca queenslandica with a Dischloridium anamorph. Four data sets were analysed: a) the internal transcribed spacer region including ITS1, 5.8S rDNA and ITS2 (ITS), b) nc28S (ncLSU) rDNA, c) nc18S (ncSSU) rDNA, and d) a combined data set of ncLSU-ncSSU-RPB2 (ribosomal polymerase B2). The traditional placement of Ch. tulasneorum in the Microascales based on ncLSU sequences is unsupported and Australiasca does not belong to the Chaetosphaeriaceae. Both holomorph species are nested within the Glomerellales. A new genus, Reticulascus, is introduced for Ch. tulasneorum with associated Cylindrotrichum anamorph; another species of Reticulascus and its anamorph in Cylindrotrichum are described as new. The taxonomic structure of the Glomerellales is clarified and the name is validly published. As delimited here, it includes three families, the Glomerellaceae and the newly described Australiascaceae and Reticulascaceae. Based on ITS and ncLSU rDNA sequence analyses, we confirm the synonymy of the anamorph genera Dischloridium with Monilochaetes. Consequently Dischloridium laeënse, type species of the genus, and three related species are transferred to the older genus Monilochaetes. The teleomorph of D. laeënse is described in Australiasca as a new species. The Plectosphaerellaceae, to which the anamorph genus Stachylidium is added, is basal to the Glomerellales in the three-gene phylogeny. Stilbella annulata also belongs to this family and is newly combined in Acrostalagmus. Phylogenetic analyses based on ncLSU, ncSSU, and combined ncLSU-ncSSU-RPB2 sequences clarify family relationships within the Microascales. The family Ceratocystidaceae is validated as a strongly supported monophyletic group consisting of Ceratocystis, Cornuvesica, Thielaviopsis, and the type species of Ambrosiella. The new family Gondwanamycetaceae, a strongly supported sister clade to the Ceratocystidaceae, is introduced for the teleomorph genus Gondwanamyces and its Custingophora anamorphs. Four families are accepted in the Microascales, namely the Ceratocystidaceae, Gondwanamycetaceae, Halosphaeriaceae, and Microascaceae. Because of a suggested affinity of a Faurelina indica isolate to the Microascales, the phylogenetic position of the Chadefaudiellaceae is reevaluated. Based on the results from a separate ncLSU analysis of the Dothideomycetes, Faurelina is excluded from the Microascales and placed in the Pleosporales

Phacidium and Ceuthospora (Phacidiaceae) are congeneric: taxonomic and nomenclatural implications

The morphologically diverse genus Ceuthospora has traditionally been linked to Phacidium sexual morphs via association, though molecular or cultural data to confirm this relationship have been lacking. The aim of this study was thus to resolve the relationship of these two genera by generating nucleotide sequence data for three loci, ITS, LSU and RPB2. Based on these results, Ceuthospora is reduced to synonymy under the older generic name Phacidium. Phacidiaceae (currently Helotiales) is suggested to constitute a separate order, Phacidiales (Leotiomycetes), as sister to Helotiales, which is clearly paraphyletic. Phacidiaceae includes Bulgaria, and consequently the family Bulgariaceae becomes a synonym of Phacidiaceae. Several new combinations are introduced in Phacidium, along with two new species, P. pseudophacidioides, which occurs on Ilex and Chamaespartium in Europe, and Phacidium trichophori, which occurs on Trichophorum cespitosum subsp. germanicum in The Netherlands. The generic name Allantophomopsiella is introduced to accommodate A. pseudotsugae, a pathogen of conifers, while Gremmenia is resurrected to accommodate the snow-blight pathogens of conifers, G. abietis, G. infestans, and G. pini-cembrae

Technology to Engage and Differentiate Instruction for 21st Century Learners

Student engagement is the primary factor in student learning. 21st century educators should consistently utilizing technology tools in meaningful ways to engage a diverse group of learners. Once students are engaged, the next strategy educators should use to create multiple pathways to learning is through differentiating instruction. Differentiated instruction is a way of thinking about teaching and learning in which the educator plans for flexible settings with the class, and modifies the content, process, and product of lessons and units so that all learners reach the clearly defined learning goals. With 21st century challenges such as large class sizes, culturally and cognitively diverse groups of students, limited resources, inconsistent professional development, assorted instructional approaches (such as project based learning), and new Common Core Standards, educators need as much assistance in putting the theory of differentiated instruction into practice as possible. The one-size-fits-all inflexible approach to education is outdated and inefficient. Educators are preparing students for an increasingly global environment and should be employing dynamic instructional strategies such as utilizing technology to differentiate instruction to engage and educate a diverse group of learner profiles

Type isomorphisms for module signatures

noteresum