Factors Associated with Household Contacts\u27 Tuberculosis Testing and Evaluation

Contact investigation (CI) is one of the core elements of tuberculosis (TB) control. It is intended to achieve early identification of contacts who may have been exposed to a patient with infectious active TB and contacts who may benefit from treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). LTBI is an infection in which the Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms cause no signs and symptoms but the infection can be reactivated and develop into full-blown active TB disease. Failure to be identified as a contact is the primary reason for disease development in more than half of TB patients, thus a complete and timely CI is crucial for decreasing the transmission and incidence of TB. However, ensuring that contacts get tested and evaluated is challenging. A retrospective study of deidentified data extracted from the NYC TB registry was conducted to assess the demographic characteristics associated with 3008 household contacts’ decision to undergo TB testing (n=2850), evaluation (n=1037), and treatment for LTBI (n=863) from 2010 to 2014. A secondary aim was to examine if there are differences in proportion of contacts tested and evaluated based on type of provider (nurse versus and public health advisors). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified significant household contact characteristics associated with each decision point. The age of the household contacts was associated with acceptance of TB testing, such that the older the person, the less likely they were to be tested. Household contacts who are older, non-US born, and reside in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island were more likely to have a TB test positive. Among household contacts with a positive TB test, Asians were more likely to undergo full evaluation while older age, males, and non-US born were less likely to be fully evaluated. Household contacts who are older, non-US born, and residing in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island were less likely to accept LTBI treatment, while Asians and Hispanics were more likely to accept LTBI treatment. In terms of provider type, proportion of household contacts tested and evaluated did not differ between nurses and public health advisors. These study findings identify factors associated with TB testing and evaluation, and LTBI treatment, which will enable public health agencies to streamline the process of contact investigation and plan for effective strategies that will increase the number of household contacts accepting TB testing and evaluation, as well as accepting and completing LTBI treatment. Keywords: active tuberculosis, contact investigation, contacts of TB case, case management, testing, evaluation, barrier

Kajian Sistem Pengendalian Internal Atas Peneriman dan Pengeluaran Kas

Laporan keuangan disusun bertujuan untuk memberikan informasi tentang posisi keuangan, kinerja dan arus kas Perusahaan. Laporan keuangan diharapkan dapat membantu pengguna laporan keuangan dalam pengambilan keputusan bisnis pada saat sekarang dan yang akan datang, serta menunjukkan pertanggungjawaban manajemen atas penggunaan sumber-sumber daya yang dipercayakan kepada mereka. Pertanggungjawaban manajemen terhadap sumber daya salah satunya adalah kas. Dengan adanya pengendalian internal yang optimal, diharapkan dapat memberikan informasi keuangan yang akurat. Beberapa penelitian telah dilakukan, diantaranya mengenai “Evaluasi Penerapan Sistem Pengendalian Intern Penerimaan Kas Pada Rumah Sakit Gunung Maria di Tomohon” (Pakadang,2013). Sebagian besar aspek yang diteliti relatif sama, diataranya membahas lingkungan pengendalian, perkiraan resiko yang akan timbul, sistem informasi, kegiatan pengendalian dan pemantauan. Perbedaan penelitian ini dengan penelitian sebelumnya adalah (i) obyek penelitian (ii) metodologi penelitian, dan (iii) tujuan penelitian.Pada penelitian ini dibandingkan empat Perusahaan dalam dua jenis USAha, yaitu Perusahaan dagang dan Perusahaan manufaktur. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji sejauh mana penerapan sistem dan prosedur terhadap penerimaan dan pengeluaran kas sehingga pengendalian internal dapat diwujudkan secara memadai untuk menghindari fraud dan meningkatkan keakuratan pelaporan keuangan.serta bagaimana Perusahaan dagang berbeda dengan Perusahaan manufaktur dalam hal pengendalian internal terhadap uang kas, upaya yang dilakukan Penelitian ini akan dilakukan pada dua Perusahaan manufaktur yaitu PT.MGJ dan PT.SSM, serta dua Perusahaan dagang, yaitu PT.MDI, dan PT.PSJ untuk membandingkan pengendalian internal atas kas pada kedua jenis Perusahaan yang diteliti.Penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif yaitu melalui cara observasi, wawancara, kuesioner, penelusuran dokumen dan diskusi kelompok dalam penilaian sistem pengendalian internal keempat Perusahaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dari keempat Perusahaan yang diteliti PT.MGJ mempunyai pengendalian internal yang paling memadai sebesar 97%, PT.MDI sebesar 91% dan PT.SSM sebesar 89%, sedangkan PT.PSJ memiliki pengendalian internal yang belum memadai yaitu sebesar 29%. Walaupun PT.MGJ, PT.MDI dan PT.SSM mempunyai pengendalian internal yang lebih baik namun masih terdapat beberapa kelemahan pengendalian internal yang perlu ditanggulangi

Bacillus sp. As a Decomposition Agent in The Maintenance of Brachionus rotundiformis Which Uses Raw Fish As a Source of Nutrition

The research was conducted at the Laboratory of Marine Molecular Biology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Sam Ratulangi University. This research aims to isolate and analyze the morphology and molecular types of bacteria associated in rotifer’s culture media that use fisheries waste.The research was begin by culturing bacteria in rotifer maintenance media using Nutrient Broth media. After bacterial isolates were obtained, morphological characterization and DNA extraction was carried out. extraction was done using DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit (Qiagen). After DNA was obtained, DNA was amplified through the Polymerase Reaction Chain (PCR) machine using a 16S RNA primer, followed by the separation of PCR products through electrophoresis and detection through UV Transluminator. The target PCR product was determined by comparing the 100 bp ladder DNA, with a yield of around 1400 bp, which was measured using ladder DNA available in the laboratory. The DNA that was successfully amplified was sent to be sequenced to determine the species of each microbe obtained.Based on the results of the research conducted, obtained Bacillus sp. bacteria associated with rotifer maintenance media.Keywords: Bacteria, Culture Media, DNA Extraction, PCR, Sequencing ABSTRAKPenelitian ini dilakukan di Laboratorium Biologi Molekuler dan Farmasetika Laut, Fakultas Perikanan dan Ilmu Kelautan, Universitas Sam Ratulangi.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengisolasi dan menganalisis morfologi dan molekuler jenis-jenis bakteri yang berasosiasi dalam media pemeliharaan rotifer yang menggunakan limbah perikanan.Penelitian dilakukan dengan cara mengkultur bakteri yang ada pada media pemeliharaan rotifer menggunakan media Nutrient Broth. Setelah isolat bakteri didapatkan, dilakukan karakterisasi morfologi dan dilakukan ekstraksi DNA.  ekstraksi dilakukan menggunakan DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit (Qiagen).  Setelah DNA didapatkan, DNA diamplifikasi melalui mesin Polymerase Reaction Chain (PCR) menggunakan primer 16S RNA, diikuti dengan pemisahan produk PCR melalui electrophorisis dan deteksi melalui UV Transluminator. Produk PCR target ditentukan dengan membandingkan ladder DNA 100 bp, dengan hasil sekitar 1400 bp, yang diukur menggunakan ladder DNA yang tersedia di laboratorium.  DNA yang berhasil diamplifikasi, dikirim untuk dilakukan sekuensing untuk mengetahui spesies dari setiap mikroba yang didapatkan.  Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang dilakukan, diperoleh bakteri Bacillus sp. yang berasosiasi pada media pemeliharaan rotifer. Kata Kunci: Bakteri,  Media Pemeliharaan, Ekstraksi DNA, PCR, Sekuensin

Hypoxia leads to significant changes in alternative splicing and elevated expression of CLK splice factor kinases in PC3 prostate cancer cells

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Mounting evidence suggests that one of the ways that cells adapt to hypoxia is through alternative splicing. The aim of this study was firstly to examine the effect of hypoxia on the alternative splicing of cancer associated genes using the prostate cancer cell line PC3 as a model. Secondly, the effect of hypoxia on the expression of several regulators of splicing was examined. Methods: PC3 cells were grown in 1% oxygen in a hypoxic chamber for 48 h, RNA extracted and sent for high throughput PCR analysis at the RNomics platform at the University of Sherbrooke, Canada. Genes whose exon inclusion rate PSI (ψ) changed significantly were identified, and their altered exon inclusion rates verified by RT-PCR in three cell lines. The expression of splice factors and splice factor kinases in response to hypoxia was examined by qPCR and western blotting. The splice factor kinase CLK1 was inhibited with the benzothiazole TG003. Results: In PC3 cells the exon inclusion rate PSI (ψ) was seen to change by >25% in 12 cancer-associated genes; MBP, APAF1, PUF60, SYNE2, CDC42BPA, FGFR10P, BTN2A2, UTRN, RAP1GDS1, PTPN13, TTC23 and CASP9 (caspase 9). The expression of the splice factors SRSF1, SRSF2, SRSF3, SAM68, HuR, hnRNPA1, and of the splice factor kinases SRPK1 and CLK1 increased significantly in hypoxia. We also observed that the splice factor kinase CLK3, but not CLK2 and CLK4, was also induced in hypoxic DU145 prostate, HT29 colon and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. Lastly, we show that the inhibition of CLK1 in PC3 cells with the benzothiazole TG003 increased expression of the anti-apoptotic isoform caspase 9b. Conclusions: Significant changes in alternative splicing of cancer associated genes occur in prostate cancer cells in hypoxic conditions. The expression of several splice factors and splice factor kinases increases during hypoxia, in particular the Cdc-like splice factor kinases CLK1 and CLK3. We suggest that in hypoxia the elevated expression of these regulators of splicing helps cells adapt through alternative splicing of key cancer-associated genes. We suggest that the CLK splice factor kinases could be targeted in cancers in which hypoxia contributes to resistance to therapy

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century