Assessing Freshwater Microbiomes from Different Storage Sources in the Caribbean Using DNA Metabarcoding.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the technique of DNA metabarcoding have provided more efficient and comprehensive options for testing water quality compared to traditional methods. Recent studies have shown the efficacy of DNA metabarcoding in characterizing the bacterial microbiomes of varied sources of drinking water, including rivers, reservoirs, wells, tanks, and lakes. We asked whether DNA metabarcoding could be used to characterize the microbiome of different private sources of stored freshwater on the Caribbean Island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Two replicate water samples were obtained from three different private residential sources in Antigua: a well, an above-ground tank, and a cistern. The bacterial microbiomes of different freshwater sources were assessed using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. We measured both alpha diversity (species diversity within a sample) and beta diversity (species diversity across samples) and conducted a taxonomic analysis. We also looked for the presence of potentially pathogenic species. Major differences were found in the microbiome composition and relative abundances depending on the water source. A lower alpha diversity was observed in the cistern sample compared to the others, and distinct differences in the microbiome composition and relative abundance were noted between the samples. Notably, pathogenic species, or genera known to harbor such species, were detected in all the samples. We conclude that DNA metabarcoding can provide an effective and comprehensive assessment of drinking water quality and has the potential to identify pathogenic species overlooked using traditional methods. This method also shows promise for tracing the source of disease outbreaks due to waterborne microorganisms. This is the first study from small island countries in the Caribbean where metabarcoding has been applied for assessing freshwater water quality.

Transforming Medical Education: Assessing the Integration of ChatGPT Into Faculty Workflows at a Caribbean Medical School.

INTRODUCTION: ChatGPT is a Large Language Model (LLM) which allows for natural language processing and interactions with users in a conversational style. Since its release in 2022, it has had a significant impact in many occupational fields, including medical education. We sought to gain insight into the extent and type of usage of ChatGPT at a Caribbean medical school, the American University of Antigua College of Medicine (AUA). METHODS: We administered a questionnaire to 87 full-time faculty at the school via email. We quantified and made graphical representations of the results via Qualtrics Experience Management software (QualtricsXM, Qualtrics, Provo, UT). Survey results were investigated using bar graph comparisons of absolute numbers and percentages for various categories related to ChatGPT usage, and descriptive statistics for Likert scale questions. RESULTS: We found an estimated 33% of faculty were currently using ChatGPT. There was broad acceptance of the program by those who were using it and most believed it should be an option for students. The primary task ChatGPT was being used for was multiple choice question (MCQ) generation. The primary concern faculty had was incorrect information being included in ChatGPT output. CONCLUSION: ChatGPT has been quickly adopted by a subset of the college faculty, demonstrating its growing acceptance. Given the level of approval expressed about the program, we believe ChatGPT will continue to form an important and expanding part of faculty workflows at AUA and in medical education in general.

A citizen science model for implementing statewide educational DNA barcoding.

Our aim was to develop a widely available educational program in which students conducted authentic research that met the expectations of both the scientific and educational communities. This paper describes the development and implementation of a citizen science project based on DNA barcoding of reptile specimens obtained from the Museums Victoria frozen tissue collection. The student program was run by the Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) and was delivered as a "one day plus one lesson" format incorporating a one-day wet laboratory workshop followed by a single lesson at school utilising online bioinformatics tools. The project leveraged the complementary resources and expertise of the research and educational partners to generate robust scientific data that could be analysed with confidence, meet the requirements of the Victorian state education curriculum, and provide participating students with an enhanced learning experience. During two 1-week stints in 2013 and 2014, 406 students mentored by 44 postgraduate university students participated in the project. Students worked mainly in pairs to process ~200 tissue samples cut from 53 curated reptile specimens representing 17 species. A total of 27 novel Cytochrome Oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) sequences were ultimately generated for 8 south-east Australian reptile species of the families Scincidae and Agamidae.

Redefining the Scholar-Athlete.

Successful Scholar-Athletes are physically, intellectually, and emotionally committed to high-level achievement in both their academic and sport endeavors. This requires development of an integrated skill-set that includes teamwork, a strong work ethic, commitment, leadership, time management, and physical and emotional health. The identity crosses all perceived boundaries of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, social, and economic status. A nationwide paradigm shift is urgently needed to recognize and tap into these skills for all scholar-athletes, which are the same tools required to succeed in all professions from science and technology to law, medicine, business and the arts. This article addresses the misperceptions and low expectations that much of our society has for the high school and collegiate Scholar-Athlete. While recognizing the efforts of programs that are working to recalibrate the high school athlete's self perceptions, awaken recognition of their own academic potential, and permit them to achieve successful careers and make invaluable professional contributions to society.

Evolution and comparative analysis of the MHC Class III inflammatory region.

BACKGROUND: The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is essential for immune function. Historically, it has been subdivided into three regions (Class I, II, and III), but a cluster of functionally related genes within the Class III region has also been referred to as the Class IV region or "inflammatory region". This group of genes is involved in the inflammatory response, and includes members of the tumour necrosis family. Here we report the sequencing, annotation and comparative analysis of a tammar wallaby BAC containing the inflammatory region. We also discuss the extent of sequence conservation across the entire region and identify elements conserved in evolution. RESULTS: Fourteen Class III genes from the tammar wallaby inflammatory region were characterised and compared to their orthologues in other vertebrates. The organisation and sequence of genes in the inflammatory region of both the wallaby and South American opossum are highly conserved compared to known genes from eutherian ("placental") mammals. Some minor differences separate the two marsupial species. Eight genes within the inflammatory region have remained tightly clustered for at least 360 million years, predating the divergence of the amphibian lineage. Analysis of sequence conservation identified 354 elements that are conserved. These range in size from 7 to 431 bases and cover 15.6% of the inflammatory region, representing approximately a 4-fold increase compared to the average for vertebrate genomes. About 5.5% of this conserved sequence is marsupial-specific, including three cases of marsupial-specific repeats. Highly Conserved Elements were also characterised. CONCLUSION: Using comparative analysis, we show that a cluster of MHC genes involved in inflammation, including TNF, LTA (or its putative teleost homolog TNF-N), APOM, and BAT3 have remained together for over 450 million years, predating the divergence of mammals from fish. The observed enrichment in conserved sequences within the inflammatory region suggests conservation at the transcriptional regulatory level, in addition to the functional level.

Reconstructing an ancestral mammalian immune supercomplex from a marsupial major histocompatibility complex.

The first sequenced marsupial genome promises to reveal unparalleled insights into mammalian evolution. We have used the Monodelphis domestica (gray short-tailed opossum) sequence to construct the first map of a marsupial major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The MHC is the most gene-dense region of the mammalian genome and is critical to immunity and reproductive success. The marsupial MHC bridges the phylogenetic gap between the complex MHC of eutherian mammals and the minimal essential MHC of birds. Here we show that the opossum MHC is gene dense and complex, as in humans, but shares more organizational features with non-mammals. The Class I genes have amplified within the Class II region, resulting in a unique Class I/II region. We present a model of the organization of the MHC in ancestral mammals and its elaboration during mammalian evolution. The opossum genome, together with other extant genomes, reveals the existence of an ancestral "immune supercomplex" that contained genes of both types of natural killer receptors together with antigen processing genes and MHC genes.