More damn lies about data access

More data than we can handle is no excuse to give up our efforts to promote data access, but it may make us think about new ways to make it sustainable.
[This draft was written in the hope that participants of the Sage Congress will write an Nature Genetics Editorial in the manner of Tom Sawyer’s white fence (Twain M. 1876). All contributions received by April 10th 2011 will be attributed.]
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Maximum-likelihood reconstruction of photon returns from simultaneous analog and photon-counting lidar measurements

We present a novel method for combining the analog and photon-counting measurements of lidar transient recorders into reconstructed photon returns. The method takes into account the statistical properties of the two measurement modes and estimates the most likely number of arriving photons and the most likely values of acquisition parameters describing the two measurement modes. It extends and improves the standard combining ("gluing") methods and does not rely on any ad hoc definitions of the overlap region nor on any ackground subtraction methods.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Tobacco and Kentucky

For centuries before Europeans came to the New World, tobacco had an important role in the religious and social life of the early peoples of Kentucky. W. F. Axton describes the various forms in which tobacco has been used, its quick adoption by the Old World, and its gradual development into the forms common today, especially the blended cigarette. Little has been written about the place occupied by Burley leaf in the economic life of the Commonwealth, where tobacco is still the most important crop. Tobacco in Kentucky is accompanied by charts and maps illustrating the many aspects of tobacco production. W.F. Axton is professor of English at the University of Louisville. His family has been associated with the tobacco industry through the Axton-Fisher Company.https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_cultural_history/1019/thumbnail.jp

Molecular characterisation of a gene trap integration into the Aminopeptidase O (ApO) gene

The protease aminopeptidase O (ApO) was isolated during a gene trap screen designed to identify novel developmentally regulated genes involved in cardiovascular development. The aims of this thesis were to characterise the gene trap integration, determine the full-length open reading frame (ORF) and to investigate any functional domains that the gene contained. Additionally, germline transmission of the gene trap demonstrated expression in the vasculature of mice. Work was undertaken to investigate if there was a phenotype in the homozygous gene trap mice with particular emphasis on whether this gene was involved in the process of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis).Initially, 5' RACE (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends) generated a 206 bp sequence that aligned with expressed sequence tag data to build a contig with a partial ORF of 177 amino acids. Additional rounds of 5'RACE generated a full length open reading frame of 823 amino acids. The nucleotide and protein sequence are highly conserved between mouse, rat and human. The gene encodes a catalytic domain characteristic of the Ml family of aminopeptidases and contains a C-terminal armadillo repeat sequence and a putative nuclear localisation signal (NLS). The NLS was experimentally confirmed by transfection of eGFP-ApO constructs demonstrating that the signal localised the fusion protein to the nucleoli.The gene trap ES cells were injected into blastocysts and transmitted through the germline. Generation of homozygous animals resulted in normal, healthy, viable mice with no apparent phenotype. Expression analysis by lacZ staining and RNA in situ indicated that ApO expression was restricted to the cardiovasculature of embryos and adult tissues. The possibility that the ApO may be involved in the process of angiogenesis was investigated using the aortic ring assay. Northern blot analysis has shown that there are tissue specific isoforms and RT-PCR analysis has revealed that the catalytic domain and nuclear localisation signal can be removed by alternative splicing. An antibody was raised against purified full length murine APO protein and the immunopurified antibody tested by Western blot, immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry

A Brief Review of Recent Literature on Authentic Materials

Exploiting authentic materials in education is not a recent practice, however recently research has been increasing as to how to use them in classroom situations. This literature review summarizes recent research and also explains certain instructional methods that are being used currently. The review begins with accepted definitions of what authentic materials consist of and then moves on to explore both advantages and disadvantages of the uses of those materials

Investigating Biotic Interactions as a Tool to Improve the Growth of Vegetation in a Green Roof

Green roofs are an integral part of the urban forest and are widely used as tools in urban planning for sustainable development. One of the main reasons for the increased focus on green roofs is their social, environmental and economic benefits. Plant selection is a critical component in green roof design, as the vegetation on a roof influences the benefits obtained. Incorrect plant selection also contributes to some of the drawbacks of green roofs, such as the high ongoing cost of maintaining or replacing plants and increased water/fertiliser usage. Biotic facilitative interactions were investigated in this thesis as a means to improve plant growth on a green roof. A survey across green roofs in Sydney was used to establish the current building practices of green roofs in relation to their vegetation, substrate and physical characteristics. I also attempted to classify green roofs based on their function and investigated whether current designs provided social, environmental and ecological benefits. This was done by scoring roofs based on surveyable attributes associated with each benefit. Of the 29 green roofs surveyed across Sydney, only two roofs scored high in all three categories. Seven roofs scored high in social and environmental benefits, with four scoring high only in ecological benefits. The focus on social benefits was unexpected since most green roofs specified environmental benefits as one of their key aims. The results indicate there might be a shift in the perception of green roofs from being a tool to ameliorate urban physical characteristics to a tool that can enhance concentration, productivity and mental health in the workplace. However, care should be taken so that the focus on social benefits does not come at the expense of the other benefits

Understanding the Experiences of Familiar Identity Theft Victims When a Parent is the Perpetrator: A Pilot Study

Incidents of familiar identity theft are becoming more common, yet limited research has explored the experiences of such victims, particularly those who had their identity stolen by a parent. In this qualitative pilot study, six participants shared their experiences during interviews. Data were analyzed using interpretive content analysis. The following preliminary themes emerged from the data: Not Filing a Police Report, Negative Impacts, Positive Impacts, Social and Demographic Factors, and Helpful Resources. Lessons learned regarding methods and suggestions for future research are provided

Understanding the Experiences of Familiar Identity Theft Victims When a Parent is the Perpetrator: A Pilot Study

Incidents of familiar identity theft are becoming more common, yet limited research has explored the experiences of such victims, particularly those who had their identity stolen by a parent. In this qualitative pilot study, six participants shared their experiences during interviews. Data were analyzed using interpretive content analysis. The following preliminary themes emerged from the data: Not Filing a Police Report, Negative Impacts, Positive Impacts, Social and Demographic Factors, and Helpful Resources. Lessons learned regarding methods and suggestions for future research are provided