Properties of Planet-Forming Prostellar Disks

The proposal achieved many of its objectives. The main area of investigation was the interaction of young planets with surrounding protostellar disks. The grant funds were used to support visits by CoIs and visitors: Gordon Ogilvie, Gennaro D Angelo, and Matthew Bate. Funds were used for travel and partial salary support for Lubow. We made important progress in two areas described in the original proposal: secular resonances (Section 3) and nonlinear waves in three dimensions (Section 5). In addition, we investigated several new areas: planet migration, orbital distribution of planets, and noncoorbital corotation resonances

Choline transporter-like protein 4 (CTL4) links to non-neuronal acetylcholine synthesis.

Synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) by non-neuronal cells is now well established and plays diverse physiologic roles. In neurons, the Na(+) -dependent, high affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is absolutely required for ACh synthesis. In contrast, some non-neuronal cells synthesize ACh in the absence of CHT1 indicating a fundamental difference in ACh synthesis compared to neurons. The aim of this study was to identify choline transporters, other than CHT1, that play a role in non-neuronal ACh synthesis. ACh synthesis was studied in lung and colon cancer cell lines focusing on the choline transporter-like proteins, a five gene family choline-transporter like protein (CTL)1-5. Supporting a role for CTLs in choline transport in lung cancer cells, choline transport was Na(+) -independent and CTL1-5 were expressed in all cells examined. CTL1, 2, and 5 were expressed at highest levels and knockdown of CTL1, 2, and 5 decreased choline transport in H82 lung cancer cells. Knockdowns of CTL1, 2, 3, and 5 had no effect on ACh synthesis in H82 cells. In contrast, knockdown of CTL4 significantly decreased ACh secretion by both lung and colon cancer cells. Conversely, increasing expression of CTL4 increased ACh secretion. These results indicate that CTL4 mediates ACh synthesis in non-neuronal cell lines and presents a mechanism to target non-neuronal ACh synthesis without affecting neuronal ACh synthesis

Results from the second WHO external quality assessment for the molecular detection of respiratory syncytial virus, 2019-2020

Background: External quality assessments (EQAs) for the molecular detection of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are necessary to ensure the standardisation of reliable results. The Phase II, 2019–2020 World Health Organization (WHO) RSV EQA included 28 laboratories in 26 countries. The EQA panel evaluated performance in the molecular detection and subtyping of RSV-A and RSV-B. This manuscript describes the preparation, distribution, and analysis of the 2019–2020 WHO RSV EQA. Methods: Panel isolates underwent whole genome sequencing and in silico primer matching. The final panel included nine contemporary, one historical virus and two negative controls. The EQA panel was manufactured and distributed by the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS). National laboratories used WHO reference assays developed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an RSV subtyping assay developed by the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (Australia), or other in-house or commercial assays already in use at their laboratories. Results: An in silico analysis of isolates showed a good match to assay primer/probes. The panel was distributed to 28 laboratories. Isolates were correctly identified in 98% of samples for detection and 99.6% for subtyping. Conclusions: The WHO RSV EQA 2019–2020 showed that laboratories performed at high standards. Updating the composition of RSV molecular EQAs with contemporary strains to ensure representation of circulating strains, and ensuring primer matching with EQA panel viruses, is advantageous in assessing diagnostic competencies of laboratories. Ongoing EQAs are recommended because of continued evolution of mismatches between current circulating strains and existing primer sets.Fil: Williams, Thomas. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Jackson, Sandra. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Barr, Ian. University of Melbourne; Australia. Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory; AustraliaFil: Bi, Shabana. University of Melbourne; AustraliaFil: Bhiman, Jinal. National Health Laboratory Service; AustraliaFil: Ellis, Joanna. National Health Laboratory Service; AustraliaFil: von Gottberg, Anne. University of the Witwatersrand; SudáfricaFil: Lindstrom, Stephen. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Peret, Teresa. University of Texas Medical Branch; Estados UnidosFil: Rughooputh, Sanjiv. National Health Laboratory Service; AustraliaFil: Viegas, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Hirve, Siddhivinayak. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Zambon, Maria. National Health Laboratory Service; AustraliaFil: Zhang, Wenqing. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; Argentin

Avian Influenza in Wild Birds, Central Coast of Peru

To determine genotypes of avian influenza virus circulating among wild birds in South America, we collected and tested environmental fecal samples from birds along the coast of Peru, June 2006–December 2007. The 9 isolates recovered represented 4 low-pathogenicity avian influenza strains: subtypes H3N8, H4N5, H10N9, and H13N2

Human Case of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Triple Reassortant Virus Infection, Wisconsin

Zoonotic infections with swine influenza A viruses are reported sporadically. Triple reassortant swine influenza viruses have been isolated from pigs in the United States since 1998. We report a human case of upper respiratory illness associated with swine influenza A (H1N1) triple reassortant virus infection that occurred during 2005 following exposure to freshly killed pigs

The spirit and the gifts: Dako, Benjamin Morrell and cargo in the Vitiaz trading area, New Guinea

In 1830 an American trader, Benjamin Morrell, abducted Dako, the son of a prominent leader from Uneapa Island in the Bismarck Sea, took him to New York and, four years later, returned him to Uneapa. Dako's encounter with America and his return provides insight into the region half a century before colonization, and in particular into local mytho-practical knowledge at that time. This enables us to discern subsequent transformations. Myths concerning an origin spirit and guardian of the dead, Pango, which then dominated Uneapa cosmology have since ‘disappeared’. This, we argue, is not because Pango has been superseded or suppressed, but because the parallel ‘white’ world over which the mytho-practical Pango presided has become ever more manifest as Uneapa has been drawn into a colonial, post-colonial and globalised world. Today, Pango refers predominantly to white people. Islander's experience of American ‘Pango’ was a shocking event at the time, but we show how trading with Pango established transformatory possibilities for reciprocal trading relations with the dead which remain the concern of today's Cult movement on the island

Autonomous multi-platform observations during the Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study

Author Posting. © The Oceanography Society, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of The Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 30, no. 2 (2017): 38–48, doi:10.5670/oceanog.2017.218.The Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study (SPURS) aims to understand the patterns and variability of sea surface salinity. In order to capture the wide range of spatial and temporal scales associated with processes controlling salinity in the upper ocean, research vessels delivered autonomous instruments to remote sites, one in the North Atlantic and one in the Eastern Pacific. Instruments sampled for one complete annual cycle at each of these two sites, which are subject to contrasting atmospheric forcing. The SPURS field programs coordinated sampling from many different platforms, using a mix of Lagrangian and Eulerian approaches. This article discusses the motivations, implementation, and first results of the SPURS-1 and SPURS-2 programs.SPURS is supported by multiple NASA grants, with important additional contributions from the US National Science Foundation, NOAA, and the Office of Naval Research, as well as international agencies. SVP drifters are deployed with support from NASA and the NOAA funded Global Drifter Program at the Lagrangian Drifter Laboratory of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. SVP-S2 drifters are provided by NOAA-AOML and NASA. PRAWLER mooring development is supported by NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Ocean Observing and Monitoring Division, and by NOAA/PMEL

The functional response of a generalist predator

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Influenza in Outpatient ILI Case-Patients in National Hospital-Based Surveillance, Bangladesh, 2007–2008

Recent population-based estimates in a Dhaka low-income community suggest that influenza was prevalent among children. To explore the epidemiology and seasonality of influenza throughout the country and among all age groups, we established nationally representative hospital-based surveillance necessary to guide influenza prevention and control efforts.We conducted influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness sentinel surveillance in 12 hospitals across Bangladesh during May 2007–December 2008. We collected specimens from 3,699 patients, 385 (10%) which were influenza positive by real time RT-PCR. Among the sample-positive patients, 192 (51%) were type A and 188 (49%) were type B. Hemagglutinin subtyping of type A viruses detected 137 (71%) A/H1 and 55 (29%) A/H3, but no A/H5 or other novel influenza strains. The frequency of influenza cases was highest among children aged under 5 years (44%), while the proportions of laboratory confirmed cases was highest among participants aged 11–15 (18%). We applied kriging, a geo-statistical technique, to explore the spatial and temporal spread of influenza and found that, during 2008, influenza was first identified in large port cities and then gradually spread to other parts of the country. We identified a distinct influenza peak during the rainy season (May–September).Our surveillance data confirms that influenza is prevalent throughout Bangladesh, affecting a wide range of ages and causing considerable morbidity and hospital care. A unimodal influenza seasonality may allow Bangladesh to time annual influenza prevention messages and vaccination campaigns to reduce the national influenza burden. To scale-up such national interventions, we need to quantify the national rates of influenza and the economic burden associated with this disease through further studies