Learning squares

"3/80/5M""Whether we think about it or not, surrounding us are many different shapes, sizes, and colors that we usually take for granted. It's normal to be less aware of surroundings as you get caught up in everyday living. But, as parents of young children who are learning about shapes, sizes, and colors for the first time, you should be instrumental in helping them."--First paragraph.Ginny Braden (Area Child and Family Development Specialist), Marilyn Coleman (Child and Family Development Specialist

Comparison blocks

"File: Human Relations, 3/79/5M""Playing with blocks is extremely important activity in the life of a preschool child. It is considered by educators to be one of the most important activities in which preschoolers can engage."--First paragraph.Ginny Braden (Area Child and Family Development Specialist), Marilyn C. Blossom (Child and Family Development Department Chairman

Assessing Monkeypox Virus Prevalence in Small Mammals at the Human-Animal Interface in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

During 2012, 2013 and 2015, we collected small mammals within 25 km of the town of Boende in Tshuapa Province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The prevalence of monkeypox virus (MPXV) in this area is unknown; however, cases of human infection were previously confirmed near these collection sites. Samples were collected from 353 mammals (rodents, shrews, pangolins, elephant shrews, a potamogale, and a hyrax). Some rodents and shrews were captured from houses where human monkeypox cases have recently been identified, but most were trapped in forests and agricultural areas near villages. Real-time PCR and ELISA were used to assess evidence of MPXV infection and other Orthopoxvirus (OPXV) infections in these small mammals. Seven (2.0%) of these animal samples were found to be anti-orthopoxvirus immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody positive (six rodents: two Funisciurus spp.; one Graphiurus lorraineus; one Cricetomys emini; one Heliosciurus sp.; one Oenomys hypoxanthus, and one elephant shrew Petrodromus tetradactylus); no individuals were found positive in PCR-based assays. These results suggest that a variety of animals can be infected with OPXVs, and that epidemiology studies and educational campaigns should focus on animals that people are regularly contacting, including larger rodents used as protein sources

Distinguishing Type 2 Diabetes from Type 1 Diabetes in African American and Hispanic American Pediatric Patients

To test the hypothesis that clinical observations made at patient presentation can distinguish type 2 diabetes (T2D) from type 1 diabetes (T1D) in pediatric patients aged 2 to 18.Medical records of 227 African American and 112 Hispanic American pediatric patients diagnosed as T1D or T2D were examined to compare parameters in the two diseases. Age at presentation, BMI z-score, and gender were the variables used in logistic regression analysis to create models for T2D prediction.The regression-based model created from African American data had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 89%; testing of a replication cohort showed 91% sensitivity and 93% specificity. A model based on the Hispanic American data showed 92% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Similarities between African American and Hispanic American patients include: (1) age at onset for both T1D and T2D decreased from the 1980s to the 2000s; (2) risk of T2D increased markedly with obesity. Racial/ethnic-specific observations included: (1) in African American patients, the proportion of females was significantly higher than that of males for T2D compared to T1D (p<0.0001); (2) in Hispanic Americans, the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was significantly higher in T1D than in T2D (p<0.002) at presentation; (3) the strongest contributor to T2D risk was female gender in African Americans, while the strongest contributor to T2D risk was BMI z-score in Hispanic Americans.Distinction of T2D from T1D at patient presentation was possible with good sensitivity and specificity using only three easily-assessed variables: age, gender, and BMI z-score. In African American pediatric diabetes patients, gender was the strongest predictor of T2D, while in Hispanic patients, BMI z-score was the strongest predictor. This suggests that race/ethnic specific models may be useful to optimize distinction of T1D from T2D at presentation

Elucidating the Role of the Complement Control Protein in Monkeypox Pathogenicity

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes a smallpox-like disease in humans. Clinical and epidemiological studies provide evidence of pathogenicity differences between two geographically distinct monkeypox virus clades: the West African and Congo Basin. Genomic analysis of strains from both clades identified a ∼10 kbp deletion in the less virulent West African isolates sequenced to date. One absent open reading frame encodes the monkeypox virus homologue of the complement control protein (CCP). This modulatory protein prevents the initiation of both the classical and alternative pathways of complement activation. In monkeypox virus, CCP, also known as MOPICE, is a ∼24 kDa secretory protein with sequence homology to this superfamily of proteins. Here we investigate CCP expression and its role in monkeypox virulence and pathogenesis. CCP was incorporated into the West African strain and removed from the Congo Basin strain by homologous recombination. CCP expression phenotypes were confirmed for both wild type and recombinant monkeypox viruses and CCP activity was confirmed using a C4b binding assay. To characterize the disease, prairie dogs were intranasally infected and disease progression was monitored for 30 days. Removal of CCP from the Congo Basin strain reduced monkeypox disease morbidity and mortality, but did not significantly decrease viral load. The inclusion of CCP in the West African strain produced changes in disease manifestation, but had no apparent effect on disease-associated mortality. This study identifies CCP as an important immuno-modulatory protein in monkeypox pathogenesis but not solely responsible for the increased virulence seen within the Congo Basin clade of monkeypox virus

Distinguishing type 2 diabetes from type 1 diabetes in African American and Hispanic American pediatric patients.

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that clinical observations made at patient presentation can distinguish type 2 diabetes (T2D) from type 1 diabetes (T1D) in pediatric patients aged 2 to 18.Subjects and methodsMedical records of 227 African American and 112 Hispanic American pediatric patients diagnosed as T1D or T2D were examined to compare parameters in the two diseases. Age at presentation, BMI z-score, and gender were the variables used in logistic regression analysis to create models for T2D prediction.ResultsThe regression-based model created from African American data had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 89%; testing of a replication cohort showed 91% sensitivity and 93% specificity. A model based on the Hispanic American data showed 92% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Similarities between African American and Hispanic American patients include: (1) age at onset for both T1D and T2D decreased from the 1980s to the 2000s; (2) risk of T2D increased markedly with obesity. Racial/ethnic-specific observations included: (1) in African American patients, the proportion of females was significantly higher than that of males for T2D compared to T1D (p&lt;0.0001); (2) in Hispanic Americans, the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was significantly higher in T1D than in T2D (p&lt;0.002) at presentation; (3) the strongest contributor to T2D risk was female gender in African Americans, while the strongest contributor to T2D risk was BMI z-score in Hispanic Americans.ConclusionsDistinction of T2D from T1D at patient presentation was possible with good sensitivity and specificity using only three easily-assessed variables: age, gender, and BMI z-score. In African American pediatric diabetes patients, gender was the strongest predictor of T2D, while in Hispanic patients, BMI z-score was the strongest predictor. This suggests that race/ethnic specific models may be useful to optimize distinction of T1D from T2D at presentation

T2D Odd Ratios (95% confidence limits).

<p>T2D Odd Ratios (95% confidence limits).</p

<i>In vitro</i> expression of CCP.

<p>BSC-40 cells were infected with the parental monkeypox virus (ROC 2003 or USA 2003), the recombinant monkeypox virus (ROCΔCCP or USA+CCP), or vaccinia WR. At 24 hpi, supernatants (A) and cell lysates (B) were harvested and probed with polyclonal α-VCP antibody. Complement control protein homologues in monkeypox virus (∼24 kDa) and vaccinia WR (∼35 kDa) were detected. Human transferrin (85 kDa) was used as the load control for each well. Numerical values below each lane in blots A and B represent the intensity value of the band using the Image Lab 3.0 band density tool. Each lane was loaded with (3 µg/ml) concentrated supernatant or cell lysate. BSC-40 cells were infected with either the ROC 2003 strain of monkeypox virus or vaccinia WR and supernatant was harvested and replaced with fresh media at the indicated times (C). The harvested supernatants were analyzed using a polyclonal α-VCP antibody. VCP expression was first detected in cell supernatants at 10 hpi and monkeypox CCP expression at 24 hpi. BSC-40 cells were infected with the parental monkeypox virus (ROC 2003 or USA 2003), the recombinant monkeypox virus (ROCΔCCP or USA+CCP), or vaccinia WR in the presence (+) or absence (−) of Ara-C. At 24 hpi, supernatants (D) were harvested and probed with polyclonal α-VCP antibody. Expression of CCP in the presence/absence of Ara-C in the West African recombinant monkeypox strain was similar to the Congo Basin strain.</p

C4b binding activity of monkeypox virus CCP.

<p>Assay measuring the binding of MPXV complement control proteins from the media of infected cells to human C4b. Solid triangles and squares show binding activity of USA+CCP and ROC 2003, respectively, to C4b (solid lines) or to control wells with BSA alone (dashed lines). Open triangles and squares show binding activity of USA and ROCΔCCP, respectively, to C4b. Also graphed is a known concentration of rVCP (star symbol with dashed line) from which we estimated the amount of MPXV CCP in the media of infected cells. The starting amount of rVCP was 2.5 ng (1.75 nM) and was then similarly diluted 2-fold. The error bars in this figure were smaller than the symbols.</p