162 research outputs found
Teaching and Learning Information Synthesis: An Intervention and Rubric Based Assessment
The purpose of this research was to determine how information synthesis skills can be taught effectively, and to discover how the level of synthesis in student writing can be effectively measured. The intervention was an information synthesis lesson that broke down the synthesis process into sequenced tasks. Researchers created a rubric which they used to assess a student’s level of information synthesis demonstrated in their final research essays. A form of counting analysis was also created to see if other methods could help in measuring synthesis.Findings from the rubric analysis revealed that students appear to benefit from the synthesis lesson. The level of synthesis, however, remains low overall. In addition, the study also showed that the different measures of synthesis established were able to identify different levels of information integration. Discovering effective ways to measure and teach synthesis continues to be essential in helping students become information literate
GEN1 from a thermophilic fungus is functionally closely similar to non-eukaryotic junction-resolving enzymes
AbstractProcessing of Holliday junctions is essential in recombination. We have identified the gene for the junction-resolving enzyme GEN1 from the thermophilic fungus Chaetomium thermophilum and expressed the N-terminal 487-amino-acid section. The protein is a nuclease that is highly selective for four-way DNA junctions, cleaving 1nt 3′ to the point of strand exchange on two strands symmetrically disposed about a diagonal axis. CtGEN1 binds to DNA junctions as a discrete homodimer with nanomolar affinity. Analysis of the kinetics of cruciform cleavage shows that cleavage of the second strand occurs an order of magnitude faster than the first cleavage so as to generate a productive resolution event. All these properties are closely similar to those described for bacterial, phage and mitochondrial junction-resolving enzymes. CtGEN1 is also similar in properties to the human enzyme but lacks the problems with aggregation that currently prevent detailed analysis of the latter protein. CtGEN1 is thus an excellent enzyme with which to engage in biophysical and structural analysis of eukaryotic GEN1
Linguistics and race: An interdisciplinary approach towards an LSA statement on race
In order to work towards greater racial justice within linguistics, the challenge remains for linguists to develop a cohesive theory of and approach to race and racial analysis in linguistics that is influenced by researchers of different methodological approaches and racial backgrounds. A formal LSA statement on race will provide linguistic researchers with a framework for studying race and will also serve as a method of intellectual and social inclusion in linguistics. We draw on interdisciplinary expertise in related fields, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, and ethnic studies, to examine how scholars from neighboring disciplines have formally conceptualized and dealt with race and racial classification strategies. Points of convergence as well as divergence are articulated, drawing insights that may advance work related to race within and beyond linguistics
Rhea—a manually curated resource of biochemical reactions
Rhea (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/rhea) is a comprehensive resource of expert-curated biochemical reactions. Rhea provides a non-redundant set of chemical transformations for use in a broad spectrum of applications, including metabolic network reconstruction and pathway inference. Rhea includes enzyme-catalyzed reactions (covering the IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature list), transport reactions and spontaneously occurring reactions. Rhea reactions are described using chemical species from the Chemical Entities of Biological Interest ontology (ChEBI) and are stoichiometrically balanced for mass and charge. They are extensively manually curated with links to source literature and other public resources on metabolism including enzyme and pathway databases. This cross-referencing facilitates the mapping and reconciliation of common reactions and compounds between distinct resources, which is a common first step in the reconstruction of genome scale metabolic networks and models
A Scenario Based Methodology for the Selection of Non-Lethal Weapons
A paper submitted to Non-Lethal Defense III, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, by the Naval Postgraduate School's Non-Lethal Weapons System Engineering Study Team, February 1998.The allocation of finite resources to develop non-lethal weapons for deployment as effective military assets is a difficult task considering that there exists a myriad of potentially promising technologies. Each proposed weapon has operational, logistical, and developmental advantages and disadvantages,which often do not appear self-consistent. Attempts to invent a common figure-of-merit often fail because it is difficult to avoid subjective criteria and evaluation. Ideally, an objective, consistent weapons selection methodology is required. We have developed a scenario based requirements methodology that allows us to highlight inter-scenario commonalties among the weapons considered. We have evaluated some thirty different anti-personnel and anti-material weapons considering over a dozen scenario based requirements including such criteria as effective range, weather susceptibility, cost, logistics and training
Fine-mapping of the HNF1B multicancer locus identifies candidate variants that mediate endometrial cancer risk.
Common variants in the hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 homeobox B (HNF1B) gene are associated with the risk of Type II diabetes and multiple cancers. Evidence to date indicates that cancer risk may be mediated via genetic or epigenetic effects on HNF1B gene expression. We previously found single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the HNF1B locus to be associated with endometrial cancer, and now report extensive fine-mapping and in silico and laboratory analyses of this locus. Analysis of 1184 genotyped and imputed SNPs in 6608 Caucasian cases and 37 925 controls, and 895 Asian cases and 1968 controls, revealed the best signal of association for SNP rs11263763 (P = 8.4 × 10(-14), odds ratio = 0.86, 95% confidence interval = 0.82-0.89), located within HNF1B intron 1. Haplotype analysis and conditional analyses provide no evidence of further independent endometrial cancer risk variants at this locus. SNP rs11263763 genotype was associated with HNF1B mRNA expression but not with HNF1B methylation in endometrial tumor samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Genetic analyses prioritized rs11263763 and four other SNPs in high-to-moderate linkage disequilibrium as the most likely causal SNPs. Three of these SNPs map to the extended HNF1B promoter based on chromatin marks extending from the minimal promoter region. Reporter assays demonstrated that this extended region reduces activity in combination with the minimal HNF1B promoter, and that the minor alleles of rs11263763 or rs8064454 are associated with decreased HNF1B promoter activity. Our findings provide evidence for a single signal associated with endometrial cancer risk at the HNF1B locus, and that risk is likely mediated via altered HNF1B gene expression
The Role of Epidemiology in the Introduction of Vi Polysaccharide Typhoid Fever Vaccines in Asia
Despite the availability of at least two licensed typhoid fever
vaccines-injectable sub-unit Vi polysaccharide vaccine and live, oral
Ty21a vaccine-for the last decade, these vaccines have not been widely
introduced in public-health programmes in countries endemic for typhoid
fever. The goal of the multidisciplinary DOMI (Diseases of the Most
Impoverished) typhoid fever programme is to generate policy-relevant
data to support public decision-making regarding the introduction of Vi
polysaccharide typhoid fever immunization programmes in China, Viet
Nam, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Through
epidemiological studies, the DOMI Programme is generating these data
and is offering a model for the accelerated, rational introduction of
new vaccines into health programmes in low-income countries. Practical
and specific examples of the role of epidemiology are described in this
paper. These examples cover: (a) selection of available typhoid fever
vaccines to be introduced in the programme, (b) generation of
policy-relevant data, (c) providing the 'backbone' for the
implementation of other multidisciplinary projects, and (d) generation
of unexpected but useful information relevant for the introduction of
vaccines. Epidemiological studies contribute to all stages of
development of vaccine evaluation and introduction
Fratura do processo coronoide da ulna: um caso raro identificado no sítio pré-histórico do Abrigo da Buraca da Moira (Boa Vista, Leiria)
In 2015, several disarticulated
human skeletal remains were identified in the
top layers of the prehistoric site of Buraca da
Moira Rock Shelter (Boa Vista, Leiria), during
the archaeological excavation carried out
under the scope of the EcoPLis — Human
Occupations in the Pleistocene Ecotones of
the River Lis project. The recovery of chert, and quartzite blanks, a schist plate, as
well as adornments in bone and shell indicates
a Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic chronology. The
disarticulated human assemblage, composed
of a total of 129 bone and tooth fragments,
allowed the estimation of a minimum
number of six individuals. Among the remains
recovered, an upper portion of an adult
right ulna lacking the coronoid process was
identified. Replacing it, a semi-oval groove
with smooth contours and exposing some
trabecular bone was observed. The location,
type of bone change, and the observed
signs of bone healing are consistent with an
uncommon trauma: a fracture of the coronoid
process. In the differential diagnosis, both
postmortem changes and developmental
disturbances were considered but later
excluded. The mechanisms that underlie the
bone changes are discussed in light of the
clinical and paleopathological literature.No ano de 2015, durante a intervenção
arqueológica afeta ao projeto EcoPLis:
Ocupação Humana Plistocénica nos Ecótonos
do Rio Lis foram identificados vestígios osteológicos
humanos desarticulados à superfície e
nas camadas iniciais do complexo cársico do
Abrigo da Buraca da Moira (Boa Vista, Leiria). A
recuperação de artefactos em quartzo e sílex, de uma placa de xisto, e de adornos em osso e
concha sugerem como cronologia o Neolítico
Final/Calcolítico. A análise paleobiológica preliminar
dos fragmentos ósseos e peças dentárias
recuperados (n=129) permitiu inferir que
pertencerão a, pelo menos, seis indivíduos. De
entre os elementos analisados macroscopicamente,
destacou-se um segmento proximal
de uma ulna direita pertencente a um indivíduo
adulto. Este fragmento caracterizava-se
pela ausência do processo coronóide, e pela
presença de uma depressão óssea ovalada
com contornos suaves, associada a uma ligeira
exposição de osso trabecular. A localização,
tipo de alteração e a presença de sinais de remodelação
óssea são consistentes com uma
lesão traumática incomum: a fratura do processo
coronóide. No diagnóstico diferencial foram
consideradas, e posteriormente excluídas,
alterações de cariz tafonómico e problemas
de desenvolvimento. Neste trabalho serão discutidos
os mecanismos conducentes à lesão à
luz da literatura clínica e paleopatológica
Genome-wide analysis of 53,400 people with irritable bowel syndrome highlights shared genetic pathways with mood and anxiety disorders.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) results from disordered brain-gut interactions. Identifying susceptibility genes could highlight the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. We designed a digestive health questionnaire for UK Biobank and combined identified cases with IBS with independent cohorts. We conducted a genome-wide association study with 53,400 cases and 433,201 controls and replicated significant associations in a 23andMe panel (205,252 cases and 1,384,055 controls). Our study identified and confirmed six genetic susceptibility loci for IBS. Implicated genes included NCAM1, CADM2, PHF2/FAM120A, DOCK9, CKAP2/TPTE2P3 and BAG6. The first four are associated with mood and anxiety disorders, expressed in the nervous system, or both. Mirroring this, we also found strong genome-wide correlation between the risk of IBS and anxiety, neuroticism and depression (rg > 0.5). Additional analyses suggested this arises due to shared pathogenic pathways rather than, for example, anxiety causing abdominal symptoms. Implicated mechanisms require further exploration to help understand the altered brain-gut interactions underlying IBS
A mass vaccination campaign targeting adults and children to prevent typhoid fever in Hechi; Expanding the use of Vi polysaccharide vaccine in Southeast China: A cluster-randomized trial
BACKGROUND: One of the goals of this study was to learn the coverage, safety and logistics of a mass vaccination campaign against typhoid fever in children and adults using locally produced typhoid Vi polysaccharide (PS) and group A meningococcal PS vaccines in southern China. METHODS: The vaccination campaign targeted 118,588 persons in Hechi, Guangxi Province, aged between 5 to 60 years, in 2003. The study area was divided into 107 geographic clusters, which were randomly allocated to receive one of the single-dose parenteral vaccines. All aspects regarding vaccination logistics, feasibility and safety were documented and systematically recorded. Results of the logistics, feasibility and safety are reported. RESULTS: The campaign lasted 5 weeks and the overall vaccination coverage was 78%. On average, the 30 vaccine teams gave immunizations on 23 days. Vaccine rates were higher in those aged ≤ 15 years (90%) than in adolescents and young adults (70%). Planned mop-up activities increased the coverage by 17%. The overall vaccine wastage was 11%. The cold chain was maintained and documented. 66 individuals reported of adverse events out of all vaccinees, where fever (21%), malaise (19%) and local redness (19%) were the major symptoms; no life-threatening event occurred. Three needle-sharp events were reported. CONCLUSION: The mass immunization proved feasible and safe, and vaccine coverage was high. Emphasis should be placed on: injection safety measures, community involvement and incorporation of mop-up strategies into any vaccination campaign. School-based and all-age Vi mass immunizations programs are potentially important public health strategies for prevention of typhoid fever in high-risk populations in southern China
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