Automated data integration for developmental biological research

In an era exploding with genome-scale data, a major challenge for developmental biologists is how to extract significant clues from these publicly available data to benefit our studies of individual genes, and how to use them to improve our understanding of development at a systems level. Several studies have successfully demonstrated new approaches to classic developmental questions by computationally integrating various genome-wide data sets. Such computational approaches have shown great potential for facilitating research: instead of testing 20,000 genes, researchers might test 200 to the same effect. We discuss the nature and state of this art as it applies to developmental research

Introduction [to] Man Bac Biological Research Objectives

The principle aim of this volume is the examination and elucidation of the human biology of the Man Bac cemetery population and associated faunal assemblages, in order to reveal the micro-evolutionary history, palaeohealth, local palaeoenvironmental conditions, subsistence strategies and general life-ways of this ancient community. Building on previous Man Bac research we wish to provide a wealth of new information about population history, colonisation, diet, nutrition, adaptive shifts, and specific and general aspects of health in the current volume

The applications of computers in biological research

Research in many fields could not be done without computers. There is often a great deal of technical data, even in the biological fields, that need to be analyzed. These data, unfortunately, previously absorbed much of every researcher's time. Now, due to the steady increase in computer technology, biological researchers are able to make incredible advances in their work without the added worries of tedious and difficult tasks such as the many mathematical calculations involved in today's research and health care

Plant seeds in biological research in space

Data of 15 years of space flight and laboratory tests of plant seeds of 20 species, mainly on the combined and separate effects of launch vibration, ionizing radiation and weightlessness, are surveyed. It is concluded that plants do not show a pronounced response to space flight factors. Conditions of return to Earth, the number of heavy cosmic ray particles striking biological targets and effects of change in magnetic an electromagnetic fields have been little studied, and that more study of growing plants in space is needed

Low scatter lightweight fission spectrometer constructed for biological research

Low scatter, lightweight fission spectrometer provides a simple, reliable method for determining absolute neutron fluxes in a fixed neutron. It minimizes neutron scatter and energy degradation effects, and has a counting volume large enough to intercept the most energetic fission fragments, yet small enough to be discriminating

Biological research of Grabia River - fifty years of activity

Grabia, a small still close to natural conditions lowland river, has been an object of special interest for Łódź hydrobiologists for more than 50 years. Over 100 scientific papers and over 100 master theses were produced in the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection University of Łódź. The initiator was Prof.L.K. Pawłowski who spent many years conducting research into the river. The ground and the first research objective was to recognize the fauna diversity. The checklist encompass almost 1000 invertebrate and 24 fish species. Taxonomy, biology and ecology of various taxa have made for many decades an essential trend of scientific activity. Special attention was dedicated to rotifers, leeches, branchiobdellids, snails and bivalves, gammarids and copepods as well as aquatic insects, fish and also diatoms. Some aspects of zoobenthos and Zooplankton communities ecology was the subject of 13 Ph.D.theses. The river with its rich animal and plant communities was also the subject of dynamics of river ecosystem research. The study on the structure of invertebrate assemblages on the background of habitat diversity has been recently conducted. The model may be treealed as a reference to the restoration of Europaean rivers and their valleys.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Towards a lightweight generic computational grid framework for biological research

Background: An increasing number of scientific research projects require access to large-scale computational resources. This is particularly true in the biological field, whether to facilitate the analysis of large high-throughput data sets, or to perform large numbers of complex simulations – a characteristic of the emerging field of systems biology. Results: In this paper we present a lightweight generic framework for combining disparate computational resources at multiple sites (ranging from local computers and clusters to established national Grid services). A detailed guide describing how to set up the framework is available from the following URL: http://igrid-ext.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/portal_guide/. Conclusion: This approach is particularly (but not exclusively) appropriate for large-scale biology projects with multiple collaborators working at different national or international sites. The framework is relatively easy to set up, hides the complexity of Grid middleware from the user, and provides access to resources through a single, uniform interface. It has been developed as part of the European ImmunoGrid project

Jellyfish: Special Tools for Biological Research on Earth and in Space

The most intriguing nature of the jellyfish polyps is their ability to metamorphose, giving rise to tiny immature medusae called ephyrae which have a different form or shape from the polyps. The Aurelia Metamorphosis Test System was used to determine the subtle effects of hydrocarbons found in oil spills and the effects of X-irradiation on developing ephyrae. Currently, this test system is used to determine the effects of the gravity-less environment of outer space on the development and behavior of ephyrae. For this purpose, the effects of clinostat rotation on development of the ephyrae and their gravity receptor are being studied. The behavior of the ephyrae during 0 gravity achieved for short intervals of 30 seconds in parabolic flight is examined. The developing ephyrae and the mature ephyrae are exposed to gravity-less environment of outer space via a six or seven day shuttle experiment. If gravity receptors do form in outer space, they will be studied in detail using various types of microscopes, including the electron microscope, to determin whether they developed normally in space as compared with control on Earth

Patents versus patenting: implications of intellectual property protection for biological research

A new survey shows scientists consider the proliferation of intellectual property protectionto have a strongly negative effect on research.patents, biology, intellectual property, material transfer agreements