Isolation and Characterization of Novel Mycobacteriophages From the Central Illinois Region

Members of the Illinois Wesleyan General Biology Science Education Alliance (SEA) laboratory isolated and characterized fifteen distinctive phages capable of infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis. Each student collected soil samples from the central Illinois area and used direct plating or enrichment techniques to isolate phages. Streak assays were used to purify single phage populations. Individual phage populations were then characterized and DNA was isolated. Based on the following characteristics; plaque morphology (size and turbidity), life style (temperate or lytic) and DNA restriction patterns, we determined that each student has isolated a unique phage. The DNA from a single Mycobacteriophage, Kazan, was sent to the University of Pittsburgh for genome sequencing. DNA Sequencing determined that Kazan is 52,160 base pairs, including 10 base pair 3\u27 overhang (CGGTCGGTTA), and a member of the A6 subcluster of Mycobacteriophages. Kazan is most closely related to the phages EricB and DaVinci (99% identity). Genome analysis, using the computer programs DNA Master, Glimmer, GeneMark, and Aragorn, determined that the Kazan genome housed 99 genes and 3 tRNAs. The potential protein function for each gene was determined using the computer programs HHPred, BLASTP and Phamerator. All the individual phage data was submitted to the Mycobacteriophage DataBase and the genome annotation, when completed, will be submitted to the DNA database, GenBank

MLK Historic District: 493 Auburn Ave. NE

Prepared by the Fall 2010 Conservation of Historic Building Materials class. This Historic Structure Report contains the history of the three double-shotgun houses located at 493 Auburn Avenue built by Alexander Daniel Hamilton and his father, Alexander Hamilton, African-American father-and-son builders. The existing conditions of the interior, exterior, infrastructure, and grounds of the buildings are detailed, as well as a master plan of recommendations for the site. The purpose of this report is to provide a current assessment of the condition of the property, recommendations for needed repairs and options for future consideration.https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_heritagepreservation/1052/thumbnail.jp

Customs Law

This article summarizes important developments in 2014 in customs law, including U.S. judicial decisions, trade, legislative, administrative, and executive developments, as well as Canadian and European legal developments

Prevalência de depressão e fatores associados em homens

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la prevalencia de depresión, detectar el riesgo suicida e identificar los factores sociodemográficos y personales asociados a este trastorno. La muestra no aleatorizada estuvo conformada por 1525 hombres colombianos con edades entre 18 y 83 años procedentes de 22 departamentos y de distintos niveles educativos. Para evaluar la depresión se usó el Cuestionario de Depresión para Hombres (Álvarez y Londoño, 2012); para evaluar la comorbilidad con ansiedad se usó la Escala de Ansiedad HADS (Zigmond y Snaith, 1983) y el IMAFE (Lara, 1991); y para recolectar información acerca de los factores personales y sociodemográficos se usó una ficha de registro. Se analizaron los datos para calcular la prevalencia de corte, el riesgo suicida, la comorbilidad a través del uso del paquete estadístico SPSS. Se concluye que la prevalencia real reportada y el riesgo suicida en la población estudiada son más altos que los detectados usando un instrumento no sensible al género.O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de depressão, detectar o risco suicida e identificar os fatores sociodemográficos e pessoais associados com esse transtorno. A amostra não aleatorizada foi conformada por 1525 homens colombianos com idade entre 18 e 83 anos, procedentes de 22 estados e de diferentes níveis de escolaridade. Para avaliar a depressão, foi utilizado o Teste de Depressão para Homens (Álvarez e Londoño, 2012); para avaliar a comorbilidade com ansiedade, usou-se a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão (Hads – Zigmond e Snaith, 1983) e o Inventário de Masculinidade e Feminilidade (Imafe – Lara, 1991); para coletar informação sobre os fatores pessoais e sociodemográficos, empregou-se um formulário de registro. Analisaram-se os dados para calcular a prevalência de corte, o risco suicida, a comorbilidade por meio do uso do SPSS. Concluise que a prevalência real relatada e o risco de suicídio na população estudada são mais altos do que os detectados usando um instrumento não sensível ao gênero.This epidemiologic study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depression, the suicide risk and the demographic and personal factors associated with depression severity in men. The non-randomized sample of participants was formed by 1525 Colombian men aged 18 to 83 years old, from 22 departments and different educational levels. The instruments used to evaluate the above factors were the Men’s Depression Questionnaire (Alvarez and Londoño, 2012), the Anxiety Scale HADS (Zigmond y Snaith, 1983) and the IMAFE (Lara 1991), and in order to collect data about personal and socio-demographic factors, a registration card was used. Data were analyzed to calculate the prevalence, suicide risk and comorbidity with anxiety through the use of SPSS. It was concluded that the prevalence of depression and suicide risk in the population object of study is higher than the one identified in previous studies when a non- gender sensitive questionnaire was used

Consequences of Internet Use in College Students

The purposes of the research project were to explore how much time college students spend on the Internet and the consequences for college students who use the Internet

Toxoplasma gondii-Induced Activation of EGFR Prevents Autophagy Protein-Mediated Killing of the Parasite

Toxoplasma gondii resides in an intracellular compartment (parasitophorous vacuole) that excludes transmembrane molecules required for endosome-lysosome recruitment. Thus, the parasite survives by avoiding lysosomal degradation. However, autophagy can re-route the parasitophorous vacuole to the lysosomes and cause parasite killing. This raises the possibility that T. gondii may deploy a strategy to prevent autophagic targeting to maintain the non-fusogenic nature of the vacuole. We report that T. gondii activated EGFR in endothelial cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells and microglia. Blockade of EGFR or its downstream molecule, Akt, caused targeting of the parasite by LC3(+) structures, vacuole-lysosomal fusion, lysosomal degradation and killing of the parasite that were dependent on the autophagy proteins Atg7 and Beclin 1. Disassembly of GPCR or inhibition of metalloproteinases did not prevent EGFR-Akt activation. T. gondii micronemal proteins (MICs) containing EGF domains (EGF-MICs; MIC3 and MIC6) appeared to promote EGFR activation. Parasites defective in EGF-MICs (MIC1 ko, deficient in MIC1 and secretion of MIC6; MIC3 ko, deficient in MIC3; and MIC1-3 ko, deficient in MIC1, MIC3 and secretion of MIC6) caused impaired EGFR-Akt activation and recombinant EGF-MICs (MIC3 and MIC6) caused EGFR-Akt activation. In cells treated with autophagy stimulators (CD154, rapamycin) EGFR signaling inhibited LC3 accumulation around the parasite. Moreover, increased LC3 accumulation and parasite killing were noted in CD154-activated cells infected with MIC1-3 ko parasites. Finally, recombinant MIC3 and MIC6 inhibited parasite killing triggered by CD154 particularly against MIC1-3 ko parasites. Thus, our findings identified EGFR activation as a strategy used by T. gondii to maintain the non-fusogenic nature of the parasitophorous vacuole and suggest that EGF-MICs have a novel role in affecting signaling in host cells to promote parasite survival

Histone H3.3 beyond cancer: Germline mutations in Histone 3 Family 3A and 3B cause a previously unidentified neurodegenerative disorder in 46 patients

Although somatic mutations in Histone 3.3 (H3.3) are well-studied drivers of oncogenesis, the role of germline mutations remains unreported. We analyze 46 patients bearing de novo germline mutations in histone 3 family 3A (H3F3A) or H3F3B with progressive neurologic dysfunction and congenital anomalies without malignancies. Molecular modeling of all 37 variants demonstrated clear disruptions in interactions with DNA, other histones, and histone chaperone proteins. Patient histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) analysis revealed notably aberrant local PTM patterns distinct from the somatic lysine mutations that cause global PTM dysregulation. RNA sequencing on patient cells demonstrated up-regulated gene expression related to mitosis and cell division, and cellular assays confirmed an increased proliferative capacity. A zebrafish model showed craniofacial anomalies and a defect in Foxd3-derived glia. These data suggest that the mechanism of germline mutations are distinct from cancer-associated somatic histone mutations but may converge on control of cell proliferation

Developing Project Management Professionalism and Core Competencies: Striving for Culture and Standards

This paper strives for solutions for developing project management as a profession, and distinguishing and setting standards for project manager core competencies

Implementing Team Management at the City of Lake Oswego

The Green Notebook Society is a team formed to evaluate the implementation of team management techniques at the City of Lake Oswego. The team was established by the City Manager and a direct report who selected influential, highly-motivated individuals to participate. The team members agreed that changing the communication structure of the city would benefit the community by adding better customer service. The team volunteered their time for several meetings, including working after hours. The team set its goal to experiment with ideas on ways to implement team principals and show managers a way to employ new management techniques. The paper is broken into two parts, the first part is the experience of the Green Notebook Society, and it details the formation of the team and the individual characteristics of the team members. The second section is a memo that was proposed to the City Manager on implementing team management