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Transmission blocking activity is an important characteristic of antimalarial drugs, and can be evaluated in malaria volunteer infection studies (VIS). We undertook a pilot VIS to evaluate the suitability of a recently manufactured Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 bank (3D7-MBE-008) for evaluating transmission blocking interventions. Four adults were inoculated with P. falciparum 3D7-MBE-008 infected erythrocytes and administered piperaquine on days 8 and 10 to clear asexual parasitemia while permitting gametocyte development. On day 25, participants were randomised (1:1) to receive either 0.25 mg/kg primaquine (primaquine group) or no intervention (control group). Transmissibility was assessed by enriched membrane feeding assays on days 25, 29, 32, and 39, with transmission intensity (proportion of mosquitoes infected) determined by 18S qPCR. All participants were infective on day 25, with a median 94% (range, 12–100%) of mosquitoes positive for oocysts, and 76% (range, 8–94%) positive for sporozoites. In the primaquine group, mosquito infectivity decreased substantially between days 25 and 29. In the control group, mosquito infectivity remained high up to day 32, and persisted to day 39 in one participant. The P. falciparum 3D7-MBE-008 parasite bank induced blood-stage infections that were highly transmissible to mosquitoes and is therefore suitable for evaluating transmission blocking interventions. Trial registration anzctr.org.au (registration number: ACTRN12622001097730), registered 08/08/2022.

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the procedure of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. This two-stage procedure with a temporary diverting ileostomy avoids the catastrophic consequences of anastomotic leakage. We set out to determine the incidence and effect of asymptomatic pouch sinuses detected prior to ileostomy closure on the outcome of IPAA. A total 1600 IPAAs performed at the Mayo Clinic were reviewed. Forty-one (2.6%) asymptomatic sinuses were treated expectantly. There were 22 males and 19 females who had a median age of 32 years (range 14 to 58 years). The median time to ileostomy closure was 5.9 months (range 4 to 11 months). Five patients required further surgery following closure of ileostomy. The pouch function in these five patients was similar to that in the remainder of the group. Patients with a persistent sinus at the time of ileostomy closure had the same function as the main cohort. This group had a median of five (range 2 to 12) stools during the day and two (range 0 to 4) at night. The total number of stools per 24 hours was seven (range 2 to 14). Frequent incontinence occurred in 9.7% and 7.3% during the day and at night, respectively. Only 2.4% ( 1 41 ) were disappointed with the results of the operation and 80.4% ( 33 41 ) found their quality of life improved. Functional outcomes were comparable to those achieved with uncomplicated IPAA. Radiologically detected asymptomatic sinuses can be treated expectantly with a low rate of pouch loss and subsequent surgery. This is not considered a serious setback inasmuch as long-term function and quality of life are comparable to that achieved with IPAA without sinus tracts.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients commonly suffer from chronic sinusitis. Mutations of a single gene, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, have been associated with CF. Functional CFTR protein is localized to the apical cell membrane, while dysfunctional CFTR is commonly found in the cytoplasm. We undertook a preliminary immunocytochemical study of CFTR subcellular localization in CF and non-CF pediatric and adult patients using a newly developed murine monoclonal antibody, TAM. Immunostaining was evaluated for subcellular localization (cytoplasmic versus membranous) and for epithelial layer (basal versus luminal). Analysis of the predominant CFTR distribution patterns demonstrated significant differences in adult versus pediatric groups independent of whether the latter were CF or non-CF (p < .0001 and p < .008, respectively), and no significant difference between the 2 pediatric groups (p = .70). This suggests that the pathophysiology of pediatric sinusitis differs from that of adult sinusitis at the level of secretion production.

In San Diego, California, 800 public school students from the inner city are attending a program called School in the Park (SITP), for approximately one-fourth of their 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade education. This unique program blends rigorous academic standards (formal learning) with hands-on, experiential curricula (informal learning), using community resources at 10 institutions within San Diego's famous Balboa Park. From 6 to 9 weeks a year, these students study at the park's museums (and the San Diego Zoo) with museum educators. This dynamic teaching/learning context fosters students' active engagement in authentic, multi-sensory, purposeful exploration and study, and is carefully articulated with state education standards. Since the inception of School in the Park seven years ago, SITP students' standardized test scores have consistently risen. This article explains the guiding learning principles that drive its success. These are: (1) where there is meaning, there is learning; (2) there is no learning without emotion; (3) movement facilitates learning; and (4) making multiple connections between new information and prior knowledge enhances memory. Two SITP activities, The Scientific Method and the Principles of Aerodynamics (Grade 5) and Properties of Sound (Grade 3), are also presented.