Innovative Technological Approach to Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response in Nigeria Using the Open Data Kit and Form Hub Technology

The recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa has ravaged many lives. Effective containment of this outbreak relies on prompt and effective coordination and communication across various interventions; early detection and response being critical to successful control. The use of information and communications technology (ICT) in active surveillance has proved to be effective but its use in Ebola outbreak response has been limited. Due to the need for timeliness in reporting and communication for early discovery of new EVD cases and promptness in response; it became imperative to empower the response team members with technologies and solutions which would enable smooth and rapid data flow. The Open Data Kit and Form Hub technology were used in combination with the Dashboard technology and ArcGIS mapping for follow up of contacts, identification of cases, case investigation and management and also for strategic planning during the response. A remarkable improvement was recorded in the reporting of daily follow-up of contacts after the deployment of the integrated real time technology. The turnaround time between identification of symptomatic contacts and evacuation to the isolation facility and also for receipt of laboratory results was reduced and informed decisions could be taken by all concerned. Accountability in contact tracing was ensured by the use of a GPS enabled device. The use of innovative technologies in the response of the EVD outbreak in Nigeria contributed significantly to the prompt control of the outbreak and containment of the disease by providing a valuable platform for early warning and guiding early actions.     

Role of Plasmodium berghei cGMP-dependent Protein Kinase in Late Liver Stage Development

The liver is the first organ infected by Plasmodium sporozoites during malaria infection. In the infected hepatocytes, sporozoites undergo a complex developmental program to eventually generate hepatic merozoites that are released into the bloodstream in membrane-bound vesicles termed merosomes. Parasites blocked at an early developmental stage inside hepatocytes elicit a protective host immune response, making them attractive targets in the effort to develop a pre-erythrocytic stage vaccine. Here, we generated parasites blocked at a late developmental stage inside hepatocytes by conditionally disrupting the Plasmodium berghei cGMP-dependent protein kinase in sporozoites. Mutant sporozoites are able to invade hepatocytes and undergo intracellular development. However, they remain blocked as late liver stages that do not release merosomes into the medium. These late arrested liver stages induce protection in immunized animals. This suggests that, similar to the well studied early liver stages, late stage liver stages too can confer protection from sporozoite challenge.     

Severe Childhood Malaria Syndromes Defined by Plasma Proteome Profiles

Background

Cerebral malaria (CM) and severe malarial anemia (SMA) are the most serious life-threatening clinical syndromes of Plasmodium falciparum infection in childhood. Therefore it is important to understand the pathology underlying the development of CM and SMA, as opposed to uncomplicated malaria (UM). Different host responses to infection are likely to be reflected in plasma proteome-patterns that associate with clinical status and therefore provide indicators of the pathogenesis of these syndromes.

Methods and Findings

Plasma and comprehensive clinical data for discovery and validation cohorts were obtained as part of a prospective case-control study of severe childhood malaria at the main tertiary hospital of the city of Ibadan, an urban and densely populated holoendemic malaria area in Nigeria. A total of 946 children participated in this study. Plasma was subjected to high-throughput proteomic profiling. Statistical pattern-recognition methods were used to find proteome-patterns that defined disease groups. Plasma proteome-patterns accurately distinguished children with CM and with SMA from those with UM, and from healthy or severely ill malaria-negative children.

Conclusions

We report that an accurate definition of the major childhood malaria syndromes can be achieved using plasma proteome-patterns. Our proteomic data can be exploited to understand the pathogenesis of the different childhood severe malaria syndromes.     

Immunohistochemistry on Paraffin Sections of Mouse Epidermis Using Fluorescent Antibodies

In the epidermis, immunohistochemistry is an efficient means of localizing specific proteins to their relative expression compartment; namely the basal, suprabasal, and stratum corneum layers. The precise localization within the epidermis of a particular protein lends clues toward its functional role within the epidermis. In this chapter, we describe a reliable method for immunolocalization within the epidermis modified for both frozen and paraffin sections that we use very routinely in our laboratory. Paraffin sections generally provide much better morphology, hence, superior results and photographs; however, not all antibodies will work with the harsh fixation and treatment involved in their processing. Therefore, the protocol for frozen sectioning is also included. Within paraffin sectioning, two fixation protocols are described (Bouin''s and paraformaldehyde); the choice of fixative will be directly related to the antibody specifications and may require another fixing method.Download video file.^{(94M, mov)}     

Structure-activity relationship of a novel class of naphthyl amide KATP channel openers

We have discovered a novel series of N-[2-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-trifluoromethyl-ethyl)-naphthalen-1-yl] amides that are potent openers of K(ATP) channels and investigated structure-activity relationships (SAR) around the 1,2-disubstituted naphthyl core. A-151892, a prototype compound of this series, was found to be a potent and efficacious potassium channel opener in vitro in transfected Kir6.2/SUR2B cells and pig bladder strips. Additionally, A-151892 was found to selectively inhibit unstable bladder contractions in vivo in an obstructed rat model of myogenic bladder function     

Screening landraces for additional sources of field resistance to cassava mosaic disease and green mite for integration into the cassava improvement program

Twelve cassava landraces were evaluated for sources of resistance genes to diseases and pests of major economic importance in Africa. The objective was to assess their levels of field resistance to mosaic disease （ACMD）, bacterial blight （CBB）, anthracnose （CAD）, and green mite （CGM）, compared to TMS30572, an elite cultivar widely adopted in Africa. Considerable genotypic variation was observed among cultivars for resistance to ACMD and CGM but not for CBB and CAD. The lowest mean incidence of 12% and severity of 1.8 on a scale of 1-5 for ACMD was recorded for Atu, a landrace with farmer acceptable qualities. In comparison, the improved cultivar, TMS 30572, had a mean disease incidence of 72% and a severity score of 2.8. Another landrace, MS-20 had the lowest CGM damage score （2.1） while TMS 30572 emerged as one of the susceptible cultivars with a damage score of 3. Additional sources of resistance to ACMD and CGM that may possibly be better than the popular improved cultivar, TMS 30572, were identified in this study. These could serve as novel sources of additional genes to complement existing resources for elite cassava breeding in Africa.     

Integrated assessment of the heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risk in the Lagos Lagoon,South West,Nigeria

This study was carried out to assess the heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risk in the Lagos lagoon, Nigeria. The concentrations of twelve heavy metals commonly associated with environmental pollution were determined in the sediments of the lagoon by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and the cold vapor method was employed for Mercury (Hg). Nonempirical risk indices and empirical Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) were used to assess the ecological risk associated with heavy metal in the sediments. The nonempirical risk indices showed that Hg, Arsenic (As), and Cadmium (Cd) are the major contributors to the ecological risk associated with heavy metal pollution in the ecosystem. Comparison of heavy metal concentrations to the Screening Quick Reference Table (SQuiRT) showed that mean concentration of Cd (5.22 and 4.88 mg kg^?1 in dry and rainy seasons, respectively) exceeds the effect range low (ERL) value (1.20 mg kg^?1) in effect to biota. Industries sited around the lagoon have effluent output points in the lagoon serving as a major source of heavy metals coupled with indirect discharges from other sources. Heavy metals are nonbiodegradable, toxic and have the potential to alter ecosystem health, thus pollution sources should be effectively monitored and contained.     

Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Isotype-Specific Autoreactive B Cell Repertoires in Sj?gren’s Syndrome

Microengraving is a novel technology that uses an array of microfabricated subnanoliter wells to isolate and characterize secreted proteins from larger number of single cells. This printing technique permits the capture and characterization of secreted antibodies on glass slides. Here, we profiled the antigenic repertoires of B cells reacting against salivary gland tissues in Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS), an autoimmune disease targeting the exocrine glands. Single-cell suspensions of spleen and cervical lymph node cells prepared from normal C57BL/6 and SjS-susceptible (SjS^s) C57BL/6.NOD-AecAec2 mice were dispersed into subnanoliter wells (nanowells). Capture slides preincubated with mouse immunoglobulins were used for printing. Detection antibodies included fluorescence conjugated anti-IgG1, salivary gland lysates of C57BL/6 and SjS^s mice. Results indicate an increase in the frequency of IgG1-secreting cells in the spleen of SjS^s mice compared to C57BL/6 mice. Cells from the lymph node of SjS^s mice yield higher instances of IgG1 reactive against salivary gland antigens than cells from the lymph nodes of C57BL/6 mice. These data demonstrate the isotype-specific reactivity of antibodies during the autoimmune process, and further reveals significant differences in the non-autoimmune and autoimmune antibody repertoires. These results support the generation of self-reactive B cell repertoires during the autoimmune process, at the same time, verifying that microengraving of single cells might allow for identification of novel biomarkers in SjS.