Encouraging Non-Native English Speakers in the Classroom

International students are a vital part of the community at American universities. There are innumerable benefits to this intercultural exchange, but for students to have the best experience, instructors need to be prepared to address certain language-related challenges

A three channel telemetry system

A three channel telemetry system intended for biomedical applications is described. The transmitter is implemented in a single chip using a 2 micron BiCMOS processes. The operation of the system and the test results from the latest chip are discussed. One channel is always dedicated to temperature measurement while the other two channels are generic. The generic channels carry information from transducers that are interfaced to the system through on-chip general purpose operational amplifiers. The generic channels have different bandwidths: one from dc to 250 Hz and the other from dc to 1300 Hz. Each generic channel modulates a current controlled oscillator to produce a frequency modulated signal. The two frequency modulated signals are summed and used to amplitude modulate the temperature signal which acts as a carrier. A near-field inductive link telemeters the combined signals over a short distance. The chip operates on a supply voltage anywhere from 2.5 to 3.6 Volts and draws less than 1 mA when transmitting a signal. The chip can be incorporated into ingestible, implantable and other configurations. The device can free the patient from tethered data collection systems and reduces the possibility of infection from subcutaneous leads. Data telemetry can increase patient comfort leading to a greater acceptance of monitoring

Proposal for a Universal Particle Detector Experiment

The Universal Particle Detector Experiment (UPDE), which consists of parallel planes of two diode laser beams of different wavelengths and a large surface metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) impact detector, is proposed. It will be used to perform real-time monitoring of contamination particles and meteoroids impacting the spacecraft surface with high resolution of time, position, direction, and velocity. The UPDE will discriminate between contaminants and meteoroids, and will determine their velocity and size distribution around the spacecraft environment. With two different color diode lasers, the contaminant and meteroid composition will also be determined based on laboratory calibration with different materials. Secondary particles dislodged from the top aluminum surface of the MOS detector will also be measured to determine the kinetic energy losses during energetic meteoroid impacts. The velocity range of this instrument is 0.1 m/s to more than 14 km/s, while its size sensitivity is from 0.2 microns to millimeter-sized particles. The particulate measurements in space of the kind proposed will be the first simultaneous multipurpose particulate experiment that includes velocities from very slow to hypervelocities, sizes from submicrometer- to pellet-sized diameters, chemical analysis of the particulate composition, and measurements of the kinetic energy losses after energetic impacts of meteroids. The experiment will provide contamination particles and orbital debris data that are critically needed for our present understanding of the space environment. The data will also be used to validate contamination and orbital debris models for predicting optimal configuration of future space sensors and for understanding their effects on sensitive surfaces such as mirrors, lenses, paints, and thermal blankets

Toponyms in Manila and Cavite, Philippines

Peer reviewe

Optically Mapping Multiple Bacterial Genomes Simultaneously in a Single Run

Optical mapping of bacterial chromosomes provides an unambiguous low-resolution sequence scaffold of the entire chromosome. In comparison to some techniques, such as pulse field gel electrophoresis, cost and throughput limit the application of this technique outside of genome finishing. We have demonstrated the production of multiple bacterial maps using a single set of consumables; this significantly reduces the time and expense of map production

Bacterial Peritonitis Due to \u3ci\u3eAcinetobacter baumannii\u3c/i\u3e Sequence Type 25 with Plasmid-Borne New Delhi Metallo-Beta-Lactamase in Honduras

A carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain was isolated from the peritoneal fluid of a patient with complicated intra-abdominal infection and evaluated at the Multidrug-resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network by wholegenome sequencing and real-time PCR. The isolate was sequence type 25 and susceptible to colistin and minocycline, with low MICs of tigecycline. blaNDM-1 was located on a plasmid with \u3e99% homology to pNDM-BJ02. The isolate carried numerous other antibiotic resistance genes, including the 16S methylase gene, armA

Detection of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase (Encoded by \u3ci\u3ebla\u3c/i\u3e\u3csub\u3eNDM-1\u3c/sub\u3e) in \u3ci\u3eAcinetobacter schindleri\u3c/i\u3e during Routine Surveillance

A carbapenem-resistant Alcaligenes faecalis strain was isolated from a surveillance swab of a service member injured in Afghanistan. The isolate was positive for blaNDM by real-time PCR. Species identification was reevaluated on three identification systems but was inconclusive. Genome sequencing indicated that the closest relative was Acinetobacter schindleri and that blaNDM-1 was carried on a plasmid that shared \u3e99% identity with one identified in an Acinetobacter lwoffii isolate. The isolate also carried a novel chromosomally encoded class D oxacillinase

Profiling of human acquired immunity against the salivary proteins of Phlebotomus papatasi reveals clusters of differential immunoreactivity

Citation: Geraci, Nicholas S., Rami M. Mukbel, Michael T. Kemp, Mariha N. Wadsworth, Emil Lesho, Gwen M. Stayback, Matthew M. Champion, et al. 2014. “Profiling of Human Acquired Immunity Against the Salivary Proteins of Phlebotomus Papatasi Reveals Clusters of Differential Immunoreactivity.” The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 90 (5): 923–38. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0130.Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies are among the primary vectors of Leishmania major parasites from Morocco to the Indian subcontinent and from southern Europe to central and eastern Africa. Antibody-based immunity to sand fly salivary gland proteins in human populations remains a complex contextual problem that is not yet fully understood. We profiled the immunoreactivities of plasma antibodies to sand fly salivary gland sonicates (SGSs) from 229 human blood donors residing in different regions of sand fly endemicity throughout Jordan and Egypt as well as 69 US military personnel, who were differentially exposed to P. papatasi bites and L. major infections in Iraq. Compared with plasma from control region donors, antibodies were significantly immunoreactive to five salivary proteins (12, 26, 30, 38, and 44 kDa) among Jordanian and Egyptian donors, with immunoglobulin G4 being the dominant anti-SGS isotype. US personnel were significantly immunoreactive to only two salivary proteins (38 and 14 kDa). Using k-means clustering, donors were segregated into four clusters distinguished by unique immunoreactivity profiles to varying combinations of the significantly immunogenic salivary proteins. SGS-induced cellular proliferation was diminished among donors residing in sand fly-endemic regions. These data provide a clearer picture of human immune responses to sand fly vector salivary constituents

Rapid whole genome optical mapping of Plasmodium falciparum

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Immune evasion and drug resistance in malaria have been linked to chromosomal recombination and gene copy number variation (CNV). These events are ideally studied using comparative genomic analyses; however in malaria these analyses are not as common or thorough as in other infectious diseases, partly due to the difficulty in sequencing and assembling complete genome drafts. Recently, whole genome optical mapping has gained wide use in support of genomic sequence assembly and comparison. Here, a rapid technique for producing whole genome optical maps of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>is described and the results of mapping four genomes are presented.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Four laboratory strains of <it>P. falciparum </it>were analysed using the Argus™ optical mapping system to produce ordered restriction fragment maps of all 14 chromosomes in each genome. <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>DNA was isolated directly from blood culture, visualized using the Argus™ system and assembled in a manner analogous to next generation sequence assembly into maps (AssemblyViewer™, OpGen Inc.^®). Full coverage maps were generated for <it>P. falciparum </it>strains 3D7, FVO, D6 and C235. A reference <it>P. falciparum in silico </it>map was created by the digestion of the genomic sequence of <it>P. falciparum </it>with the restriction enzyme AflII, for comparisons to genomic optical maps. Maps were then compared using the MapSolver™ software.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genomic variation was observed among the mapped strains, as well as between the map of the reference strain and the map derived from the putative sequence of that same strain. Duplications, deletions, insertions, inversions and misassemblies of sizes ranging from 3,500 base pairs up to 78,000 base pairs were observed. Many genomic events occurred in areas of known repetitive sequence or high copy number genes, including <it>var </it>gene clusters and <it>rifin </it>complexes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This technique for optical mapping of multiple malaria genomes allows for whole genome comparison of multiple strains and can assist in identifying genetic variation and sequence contig assembly. New protocols and technology allowed us to produce high quality contigs spanning four <it>P. falciparum </it>genomes in six weeks for less than $1,000.00 per genome. This relatively low cost and quick turnaround makes the technique valuable compared to other genomic sequencing technologies for studying genetic variation in malaria.</p

Expression of M. tuberculosis-induced suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1, SOCS3, FoxP3 and secretion of IL-6 associates with differing clinical severity of tuberculosis

Background Appropriate immune activation of T cells and macrophages is central for the control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. IFN-γ stimulated responses are lowered in tuberculosis (TB), while expression of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) molecules – 1 and 3 and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+T regulatory cells is increased. Here we investigated the association of these molecules in regard to clinical severity of TB. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from patients with pulmonary TB (PTB, n = 33), extra-pulmonary TB (ETB, n = 33) and healthy endemic controls (EC, n = 15). Cases were classified as moderately advanced or far advanced PTB, and less severe or severe disseminated ETB. M. tuberculosis -stimulated IFN-γ, SOCS1, SOCS3 and FoxP3 gene expression and secretion of Th1 and Th2 cytokines was measured. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon Rank and Kruskal Wallis non-parametric tests. Results In un-stimulated PBMCs, IL-6 (p = 0.018) and IL-10 (p = 0.013) secretion levels were increased in PTB while IL-10 was also increased in ETB (p = 0.003), all in comparison with EC. M. tuberculosis-stimulated IL-6 (p = 0.003) was lowered in ETB as compared with EC. SOCS1 mRNA expression in M. tuberculosis stimulated PBMCs levels in moderately advanced PTB (p = 0.022), far advanced (p = 0.014) PTB, and severe ETB (p = 0.009) were raised as compared with EC. On the other hand, SOCS1 mRNA titers were reduced in less severe ETB, in comparison with severe ETB (p = 0.027) and far advanced PTB (p = 0.016). SOCS3 mRNA accumulation was reduced in far advanced PTB (p = 0.007) and FoxP3 mRNA expression was increased in less severe ETB as compared with EC (p = 0.017). Conclusions The lowered SOCS1 mRNA levels in patients with less severe extra-pulmonary TB as compared to those with more severe ETB and PTB may lead to elevated IFN-γ pathway gene expression in the latter group. As localized ETB has shown to be associated with more effective Th1 immunity and adaptive responses, this suggests a role for SOCS1 in determining disease outcome in extra-pulmonary TB