Space weather disrupts nocturnal bird migration.

Space weather, including solar storms, can impact Earth by disturbing the geomagnetic field. Despite the known dependence of birds and other animals on geomagnetic cues for successful seasonal migrations, the potential effects of space weather on organisms that use Earth's magnetic field for navigation have received little study. We tested whether space weather geomagnetic disturbances are associated with disruptions to bird migration at a macroecological scale.

Training and implementation of handheld ultrasound technology at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in Guyana: a virtual learning cohort study.

A virtual point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education program was initiated to introduce handheld ultrasound technology to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in Guyana, a low-resource setting. We studied ultrasound competency and participant satisfaction in a cohort of 20 physicians-in-training through the urology clinic. The program consisted of a training phase, where they learned how to use the Butterfly iQ ultrasound, and a mentored implementation phase, where they applied their skills in the clinic.

Engineered Antiviral Sensor Targets Infected Mosquitoes.

Escalating vector disease burdens pose significant global health risks, so innovative tools for targeting mosquitoes are critical. We engineered an antiviral strategy termed REAPER (vNA xpression ctivates oisonous ffector ibonuclease) that leverages the programmable RNA-targeting capabilities of CRISPR Cas13 and its potent collateral activity. Akin to a stealthy Trojan Horse hiding in stealth awaiting the presence of its enemy, REAPER remains concealed within the mosquito until an infectious blood meal is up taken.

CRISPR mediated transactivation in the human disease vector Aedes aegypti.

As a major insect vector of multiple arboviruses, Aedes aegypti poses a significant global health and economic burden. A number of genetic engineering tools have been exploited to understand its biology with the goal of reducing its impact. For example, current tools have focused on knocking-down RNA transcripts, inducing loss-of-function mutations, or expressing exogenous DNA.

Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males.

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the principal vector for arboviruses including dengue/yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus, infecting hundreds of millions of people annually. Unfortunately, traditional control methodologies are insufficient, so innovative control methods are needed. To complement existing measures, here we develop a molecular genetic control system termed precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) in Aedes aegypti.

Embryo Microinjection Techniques for Efficient Site-Specific Mutagenesis in Culex quinquefasciatus.

Culex quinquefasciatus is a vector of a diverse range of vector-borne diseases such as avian malaria, West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, lymphatic filariasis, and Saint Louis encephalitis. Notably, avian malaria has played a major role in the extinction of numerous endemic island bird species, while WNV has become an important vector-borne disease in the United States. To gain further insight into C.

Development of a confinable gene drive system in the human disease vector .

is the principal mosquito vector for many arboviruses that increasingly infect millions of people every year. With an escalating burden of infections and the relative failure of traditional control methods, the development of innovative control measures has become of paramount importance. The use of gene drives has sparked significant enthusiasm for genetic control of mosquitoes; however, no such system has been developed in .

Live calcium imaging of Aedes aegypti neuronal tissues reveals differential importance of chemosensory systems for life-history-specific foraging strategies.

Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti has a wide variety of sensory pathways that have supported its success as a species as well as a highly competent vector of numerous debilitating infectious pathogens. Investigations into mosquito sensory systems and their effects on behavior are valuable resources for the advancement of mosquito control strategies. Numerous studies have elucidated key aspects of mosquito sensory systems, however there remains critical gaps within the field.

A Prospective, Multicenter Evaluation of Point-of-care Ultrasound for Small-bowel Obstruction in the Emergency Department.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of emergency physician-performed point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction (SBO) compared to computed tomography (CT).

Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study examining a convenience sample of adult patients with potential SBO presenting to the emergency department (ED) between July 2014 and May 2017. Each POCUS was interpreted at the bedside by the performing emergency physician and retrospectively by an expert reviewer.

an herb with anti-stress, anti-aging, and immunostimulating properties for cancer chemoprevention.

Purpose Of Review: extracts have been used as a dietary supplement in healthy populations, including athletes, to non-specifically enhance the natural resistance of the body to both physical and behavior stresses for fighting fatigue and depression. We summarize the information with respect to the new pharmacological activities of extracts and its underlying molecular mechanisms in this review article.

Recent Findings: In addition to its multiplex stress-protective activity, extracts have recently demonstrated its anti-aging, anti-inflammation, immunostimulating, DNA repair and anti-cancer effects in different model systems.

Embryo Microinjection and Transplantation Technique for Nasonia vitripennis Genome Manipulation.

The jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis has emerged as an effective model system for the study of processes including sex determination, haplo-diploid sex determination, venom synthesis, and host-symbiont interactions, among others. A major limitation of working with this organism is the lack of effective protocols to perform directed genome modifications. An important part of genome modification is delivery of editing reagents, including CRISPR/Cas9 molecules, into embryos through microinjection.

Germline Cas9 expression yields highly efficient genome engineering in a major worldwide disease vector, .

The development of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies has dramatically increased the accessibility and efficiency of genome editing in many organisms. In general, in vivo germline expression of Cas9 results in substantially higher activity than embryonic injection. However, no transgenic lines expressing Cas9 have been developed for the major mosquito disease vector Here, we describe the generation of multiple stable, transgenic strains expressing Cas9 in the germline, resulting in dramatic improvements in both the consistency and efficiency of genome modifications using CRISPR.