Analysis of Expedient Field Decontamination Methods for the XMX/2L-MIL High-Volume Aerosol Sampler

The XMX/2L-MIL is a high volume air sampler used by the Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering community to collect biological aerosols. Without a verified decontamination technique, however, the XMX cannot be used effectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate several proposed methods for expedient field decontamination of the XMX. This study centered on the inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores and vegetative Erwinia herbicola organisms from the XMX inner canister. The goals in this investigation were twofold: 1) to verify the antimicrobial efficacy of a 10% bleach solution and 2) to determine if wiping the components with a bleach-soaked paper towel or submerging the components directly in the bleach solution represents the optimal decontamination procedure. Data was gathered at the Dycor Technologies facility located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Their Aerosol Test Chamber was used to disseminate the surrogate agents and then sample the aerosol using three XMX devices. Counts of the microbial population were calculated at each stage of the procedure to assess the efficacy of the two proposed methods. It was observed that 10% bleach solutions resulted in approximately 102-fold decreases in aggregate microbial contamination on XMX components. Of the methods tested, the submersion in a 10% bleach solution plus a 15-minute air purge showed the most efficiency. Contamination levels were consistent between all three devices during the trial and were measured at or below background levels after decontamination

American Clinical Neurophysiology Society's Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology: 2021 Version

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Expanding the diversity of mycobacteriophages: insights into genome architecture and evolution.

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts such as Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All mycobacteriophages characterized to date are dsDNA tailed phages, and have either siphoviral or myoviral morphotypes. However, their genetic diversity is considerable, and although sixty-two genomes have been sequenced and comparatively analyzed, these likely represent only a small portion of the diversity of the mycobacteriophage population at large. Here we report the isolation, sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of 18 new mycobacteriophages isolated from geographically distinct locations within the United States. Although no clear correlation between location and genome type can be discerned, these genomes expand our knowledge of mycobacteriophage diversity and enhance our understanding of the roles of mobile elements in viral evolution. Expansion of the number of mycobacteriophages grouped within Cluster A provides insights into the basis of immune specificity in these temperate phages, and we also describe a novel example of apparent immunity theft. The isolation and genomic analysis of bacteriophages by freshman college students provides an example of an authentic research experience for novice scientists