The vast capabilities of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)—such as in assisting scientific research, conducting military tasks, and repairing oil pipelines—are limited by high operating costs and the relative inaccessibility of power in the open ocean. Wave powered AUV charging stations may address these issues. With projected increases in usage of AUVs globally in the next five years, AUV charging stations can enable less expensive and longer AUV missions. This paper summarizes the design process and investigates the feasibility of a wave powered, mobile AUV charging station, including the choice of a wave energy converter and AUV docking station as well as the ability to integrate the charging station with an autonomous surface vehicle. The charging station proposed in this paper meets many different commercial, scientific, and defense needs, including continuous power availability, data transmission capabilities, and mobility. It will be positioned as a hub for AUV operations, enabling missions to run autonomously with no support ship. The potential market for this design is very promising, with an estimated $1.64 million market size just for AUV technologies by 2025.

Auranofin, a reprofiled FDA-approved drug originally designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, has emerged as a promising anti-parasitic drug. It induces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii. We generated auranofin resistant T. gondii lines through chemical mutagenesis to identify the molecular target of this drug. Resistant clones were confirmed with a competition assay using wild-type T. gondii expressing yellow fluorescence protein (YFP) as a reference strain. The predicted auranofin target, thioredoxin reductase, was not mutated in any of our resistant lines. Subsequent whole genomic sequencing analysis (WGS) did not reveal a consensus resistance locus, although many have point mutations in genes encoding redox-relevant proteins such as superoxide dismutase (TgSOD2) and ribonucleotide reductase. We investigated the SOD2 L201P mutation and found that it was not sufficient to confer resistance when introduced into wild-type parasites. Resistant clones accumulated less ROS than their wild type counterparts. Our results demonstrate that resistance to auranofin in T. gondii enhances its ability to abate oxidative stress through diverse mechanisms. This evidence supports a hypothesized mechanism of auranofin anti-parasitic activity as disruption of redox homeostasis.

Abstract: Background: Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected parasitic disease that affects >6 million people in the Americas, including >200,000 people in the United States (US). Medical provider knowledge of CD is key to decreasing morbidity and transmission; however, few studies have assessed diagnostic practices in US health systems serving at-risk patients. Our study aimed to describe existing provider approaches to diagnosing CD in California and Texas. Methods: Site-based research teams at four hospital systems (the University of California [UC] San Francisco [UCSF], San Diego [UCSD], Irvine [UCI], and the Harris Health System [HHS] in Houston, TX) retrospectively identified patients ≥18 years old tested for CD between 2016-2019 and systematically extracted electronic medical record data using complementary electronic data entry forms. Specifically, eligible patients were identified using laboratory orders at UCSF and UCI, while the remaining sites employed SlicerDicer (Epic Systems). This study was approved by institutional review boards at each site. Results: We identified 333 patients tested for CD, including 109 from UCSF, 88 from UCSD, 25 from UCI, and 111 from HHS. These patients had 125, 99, 31, and 181 tests sent to commercial laboratories, respectively. Test reactivity varied by system with the greatest percent reactivity among tests ordered at UCI (23%) followed by UCSD (16%), HHS (15%), and UCSF (10%). Among patients who screened positive for CD by commercial assays, confirmatory testing through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was sought for 100% at UCI; 59% at HHS, 55% at UCSF, and 40% at UCSD. The medical specialty that most often ordered CD testing was Cardiology at all UC sites (UCSF, 50%; UCSF, 55%; UCI, 35%) and Internal Medicine at HHS (46%; Cardiology ordered 13%). Only one recorded CD test was ordered by an Obstetrics/Gynecology service at any site. Conclusion: These early results report positivity rates between our healthcare systems and demonstrate inconsistency in attaining recommended confirmatory testing, as well as a paucity of CD testing ordered through Obstetrics/Gynecology despite risk of congenital transmission. These findings suggest areas of opportunity to improve provider awareness and lay a foundation for standardizing CD diagnostic practices in the US. Disclosures: Caryn Bern, MD, MPH, UpToDate (Wolters Kluwer) (Other Financial or Material Support, Author Royalties)

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic disease that affects ∼300 000 people living in the United States. CD leads to cardiac and/or gastrointestinal disease in up to 30% of untreated people. However, end-organ damage can be prevented with early diagnosis and antiparasitic therapy. METHODS: We reviewed electronic health records of patients who underwent testing for CD at four hospital systems in California and Texas between 2016 and 2020. Descriptive analyses were performed as a needs assessment for improving CD diagnosis. RESULTS: In total, 470 patients were tested for CD. Cardiac indications made up more than half (60%) of all testing, and the most frequently cited cardiac condition was heart failure. Fewer than 1% of tests were ordered by obstetric and gynecologic services. Fewer than half (47%) of patients had confirmatory testing performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DISCUSSION: Four major hospitals systems in California and Texas demonstrated low overall rates of CD diagnostic testing, testing primarily among older patients with end-organ damage, and incomplete confirmatory testing. This suggests missed opportunities to diagnose CD in at-risk individuals early in the course of infection when antiparasitic treatment can reduce the risk of disease progression and prevent vertical transmission.