Smokejumper Magazine, July 2005

This issue of the National Smokejumper Association (NSA) Smokejumper Magazine contains the following articles: To The Moon! Former Jumper Pilots Apollo 14 (Jill Leger), Only a Trail Jump (John McDaniel), Lee Gossett On Raven 12—Gene Hamner. Profile Hal Ewing (pilot). Smokejumper Magazine continues Static Line, which was the original title of the NSA quarterly magazine.https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_mag/1047/thumbnail.jp

Smokejumper Magazine, April 2004

This issue of the National Smokejumper Association (NSA) Smokejumper Magazine contains the following articles: Women Celebrate 20 Years of Smokejumping (Tara Rothwell), profiles Bud Filler, Fred Brauer, Delos Dutton, Gary Welch and Hal Werner, Pyramid Peak Fire (Tommy Albert), Elmer Neufeld interview, Tribute to Bill Wood (Robert Walkup), The View from Outside the Fence—Chris Sorensen’s first column. Smokejumper Magazine continues Static Line, which was the original title of the NSA quarterly magazine.https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_mag/1042/thumbnail.jp

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

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

A comparison in medicinal plant composition of primary and secondary growth stands by herbalist and medicinal literature references

We assessed the medicinal plant composition of a primary and secondary forest stand in lower montane wet forest in La Cruz, Costa Rica. Herbaceous and woody plant species above 45cm and below 200 cm in height (excluding vines and ferns) were collected identified and evidence for possible medicinal properties sought in both medicinal reference books and from local herbalist. We found approximately the same overall and medicinal diversity in both stands, but the species composition changed between primary and secondary forests. From our interviews with local herbalists, we found that herbalists knew more medicinal species in secondary growth than primary growth. This is expected since secondary forests are more accessible to local communities than undisturbed primary forest areas. From our comparison of local herbalist knowledge to medicinal information in book references, we found that herbalists know more medicinal species in both primary and secondary forest than what books report. However, book references report on average more medicinal uses per plant species. Studies of medicinal knowledge may be used to define a value for a forest area which could be critical for its conservation. Furthermore, it is essential for studies on medicinal composition of forests to include both scientific investigation and local herbalist knowledge in order to maximize the value assigned to a forest area. Evaluamos la composición medicinal en el bosque primario y secundario en La Cruz, Costa Rica a 1540 m del bosque mojado premontano. Especies de plantas herbáceos y leñosos mas que 45cm y menos que 200 cm estaban recolectados, identificados y examinados para propiedades medicinales y usos curativos en cuenta de libros de referencia medicinal botania y las cuentas de herbalistos locales. Nos encontramos aproximadamente el mismo de diversidad especies en las dos parcelas, pero la composición de especies cambio se varía mucho. Encontramos que herbalistas locales saben más sobre las especies secundarias y sus usos que las especies primarias. También, encontramos que herbalistas locales saben una variedad mas extenso de especies que pueden estar utilizados medicinalmente en las parcelas primarios y secundarios, sin embargo los libros referencias pueden proveer mas usos curativos por especie. Los estudios del conocimiento medicinal pueden definir un valor para un bosque que sea critical para su conservación. También, es esencial que los estudios en la composición científica y el conocimiento de los herbalistas en orden que maximar el valor de un bosque.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1226/thumbnail.jp

A comparison in medicinal plant composition of primary and secondary growth stands by herbalist and medicinal literature references

We assessed the medicinal plant composition of a primary and secondary forest stand in lower montane wet forest in La Cruz, Costa Rica. Herbaceous and woody plant species above 45cm and below 200 cm in height (excluding vines and ferns) were collected identified and evidence for possible medicinal properties sought in both medicinal reference books and from local herbalist. We found approximately the same overall and medicinal diversity in both stands, but the species composition changed between primary and secondary forests. From our interviews with local herbalists, we found that herbalists knew more medicinal species in secondary growth than primary growth. This is expected since secondary forests are more accessible to local communities than undisturbed primary forest areas. From our comparison of local herbalist knowledge to medicinal information in book references, we found that herbalists know more medicinal species in both primary and secondary forest than what books report. However, book references report on average more medicinal uses per plant species. Studies of medicinal knowledge may be used to define a value for a forest area which could be critical for its conservation. Furthermore, it is essential for studies on medicinal composition of forests to include both scientific investigation and local herbalist knowledge in order to maximize the value assigned to a forest area. Evaluamos la composición medicinal en el bosque primario y secundario en La Cruz, Costa Rica a 1540 m del bosque mojado premontano. Especies de plantas herbáceos y leñosos mas que 45cm y menos que 200 cm estaban recolectados, identificados y examinados para propiedades medicinales y usos curativos en cuenta de libros de referencia medicinal botania y las cuentas de herbalistos locales. Nos encontramos aproximadamente el mismo de diversidad especies en las dos parcelas, pero la composición de especies cambio se varía mucho. Encontramos que herbalistas locales saben más sobre las especies secundarias y sus usos que las especies primarias. También, encontramos que herbalistas locales saben una variedad mas extenso de especies que pueden estar utilizados medicinalmente en las parcelas primarios y secundarios, sin embargo los libros referencias pueden proveer mas usos curativos por especie. Los estudios del conocimiento medicinal pueden definir un valor para un bosque que sea critical para su conservación. También, es esencial que los estudios en la composición científica y el conocimiento de los herbalistas en orden que maximar el valor de un bosque.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1226/thumbnail.jp

Hands-free operation of a small mobile robot

The Intelligent Systems and Robotics Center of Sandia National laboratories has an ongoing research program in advanced user interfaces. As part of this research, promising new transduction devices, particularly hands-free devices, are being explored for the control of mobile and floor-mounted robotic systems. Brainwave control has been successfully demonstrated by other researchers in a variety of fields. In the research described here, Sandia developed and demonstrated a proof-of-concept brainwave-controlled mobile robot system. Preliminary results were encouraging. Additional work required to turn this into a reliable. fieldable system for mobile robotic control is identified. Used in conjunction with other controls, brainwave control could be an effective control method in certain circumstances

pm Hands-free Operation of a Small Mobile Robot* (2 "23Q

Abstract The Intelligent Systems and Robotics Center of Sandia National Laboratories has an ongoing research program in advanced user interfaces. As part of thk research, promising new transduction devices, particularly handsfree devices, are being explored for the control of mobile and floor-mounted robotic systems. Brainwave control has been successfully demonstrated by other researchers in a variety of fields. In the research described here, Sandia developed and demonstrated a proof-of-concept brainwave-controlled mobile robot system. Preliminary results were encouraging. Additional work required to turn this into a reliable, fieldable system for mobile robotic control is identified. Used in conjunction with other controls, brainwave control could be an effective control method in certain circumstances