CELO: A System for Efficiently Building Informatics Solutions to Manage Biomedical Research Data

Traditional data management methods are unable to sufficiently support growing trends in biomedical research such as collection of larger data sets, use of diverse data types, and sharing of data among multiple laboratories. Although many technologies are readily available to help laboratories build data management solutions, many laboratories are not taking advantage of them. This may be due to hardware and software costs, the need for an informaticist to build customized solutions, and long development times. Several systems already exist which attempt to address the informatics needs of biomedical researchers. A review of these systems has revealed the benefits and drawbacks of various system design approaches, and has helped us to identify a set of core requirements for a system that will successfully serve the biomedical research community. In consideration of these requirements, we developed the Customizable Electronic Laboratory Online (CELO) system to help laboratories efficiently build cost-effective informatics solutions. CELO automatically creates a generic database and web interface for laboratories that submit a simple web registration form. Researchers can then build their own customized data management systems using web-based features such as configurable user permissions, customizable user interfaces, support for multimedia files, and templates for defining research data representations. An evaluation of the CELO system has demonstrated its ability to efficiently create customized solutions for research laboratories with basic data management needs. The evaluation has also highlighted areas in which CELO can be improved and has elucidated potential research problems that may be of interest to the biomedical informatics field

An Ontology-based Image Repository for a Biomedical Research Lab

We have developed a prototype web-based database for managing images acquired during experiments in a biomedical research lab studying the factors controlling cataract development. Based on an evolving ontology we are developing for describing the experimental data and protocols used in the lab, the image repository allows lab members to organize image data by multiple attributes. The use of an ontology for developing this and other tools will facilitate intercommunication among tools, and eventual data sharing with other researchers

Media for Embryo Culture of Some Tropical Recalcitrant Species.

In this study, the excised embryos of 11 recalcitrant species were studied to determine suitable media and cultural conditions for their development into whole plants. Murashige and Skoog's medium formulation modified slightly by the addition of 0.17 gl-l NaH2P04 was found to be a suitable basal medium for all the species studied. The basal medium supplemented with 2 gl-l activated charcoal and 1.0 mgl- 1 NAA or IAA in combination with 1 mgl- 1 Kinetin, BAP or 2iP was found to be suitable for all the 11 species where the embryos developed normally to form whole plants. For some of the species, soaking the sterile excised embryos in an antioxidant (J 0 mgl- 1 ascorbic acid and 5 mgl- 1 citric acid) solution for 10-45 minutes prior to culture enhanced the normal development of embryos

Breaking Dormancy in Kentia Palm Seeds by Infusion Technique.

In this investigation three organic solvents, namely dichloromethane, dimethyl sulfoxide (10%) and acetone each containing 100 mgl- 1 gibberellic acid (CA 3) were used to treat the seeds prior to germination, to assess the effecitiveness of these solvents in transporting CA 3 directly to the embryo for triggering an early germination. The results indicate that organic solvents appear effective in transporting the CA 3 to the embryo of Kentia Palm seeds to improve germination with no deleterious effects. The first sign of germination in vitro was observed after 2 months in culture, while the emergence of the plumule in sand was observed around the 4th month of planting. Over the 9-month study period, for the treatment where dichloromethane was used, 85% of the seeds planted in sterile sand had germinated while in in vitro, 90% of the seeds had germinated. It is probable that this approach may prove beneficial in improving the germination time in palm species that exhibit long periods ofdormancy before germination

A state-of-the-art overview of job-crafting research:Current trends and future research directions

Purpose: In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Career Development International, a state-of-the-art overview of recent trends in job-crafting research was conducted. Since job crafting was introduced twenty years ago as a type of proactive work behavior that employees engage in to adjust their jobs to their needs, skills, and preferences, research has evolved tremendously. Design/methodology/approach: To take stock of recent developments and to unravel the latest trends in the field, this overview encompasses job-crafting research published in the years 2016–2021. The overview portrays that recent contributions have matured the theoretical and empirical advancement of job-crafting research from three perspectives (i.e. individual, team and social). Findings: When looking at the job-crafting literature through these three perspectives, a total of six trends were uncovered that show that job-crafting research has moved to a more in-depth theory-testing approach; broadened its scope; examined team-level job crafting and social relationships; and focused on the impact of job crafting on others in the work environment and their evaluations and reactions to it. Originality/value: The overview of recent trends within the job-crafting literature ends with a set of recommendations for how future research on job crafting could progress and create scientific impact for the coming years

Epidural Stimulation Induced Modulation of Spinal Locomotor Networks in Adult Spinal Rats

The importance of the in vivo dynamic nature of the circuitries within the spinal cord that generate locomotion is becoming increasingly evident. We examined the characteristics of hindlimb EMG activity evoked in response to epidural stimulation at the S1 spinal cord segment in complete midthoracic spinal cord-transected rats at different stages of postlesion recovery. A progressive and phase-dependent modulation of monosynaptic (middle) and long-latency (late) stimulation-evoked EMG responses was observed throughout the step cycle. During the first 3 weeks after injury, the amplitude of the middle response was potentiated during the EMG bursts, whereas after 4 weeks, both the middle and late responses were phase-dependently modulated. The middle- and late-response magnitudes were closely linked to the amplitude and duration of the EMG bursts during locomotion facilitated by epidural stimulation. The optimum stimulation frequency that maintained consistent activity of the long-latency responses ranged from 40 to 60 Hz, whereas the short-latency responses were consistent from 5 to 130 Hz. These data demonstrate that both middle and late evoked potentials within a motor pool are strictly gated during in vivo bipedal stepping as a function of the general excitability of the motor pool and, thus, as a function of the phase of the step cycle. These data demonstrate that spinal cord epidural stimulation can facilitate locomotion in a time-dependent manner after lesion. The long-latency responses to epidural stimulation are correlated with the recovery of weight-bearing bipedal locomotion and may reflect activation of interneuronal central pattern-generating circuits

The Potential Impact of Plain Packaging of Cigarette Products Among Brazilian Young Women: An Experimental Study

Background: Tobacco use is responsible for 5.4 million deaths every year worldwide and is a leading cause of preventable death. The burden of these deaths is rapidly shifting to low and middle-income countries, such as Brazil. Brazil has prohibited most forms of tobacco advertising; however, the cigarette pack remains a primary source of marketing. The current study examined how tobacco packaging influences brand appeal and perceptions of health risk among young women in Brazil. Methods: A between-subjects experiment was conducted in which 640 Brazilian women aged 16–26 participated in an online survey. Participants were randomized to view 10 cigarette packages according to one of three experimental conditions: standard branded packages, the same packs without brand imagery (“plain packaging”), or the same packs without brand imagery or descriptors (e.g., flavors). Participants rated packages on perceived appeal, taste, health risk, smoothness, and smoker attributes. Finally, participants were shown a range of branded and plain packs from which they could select one as a free gift, which constituted a behavioral measure of appeal. Results: Branded packs were rated as significantly more appealing, better tasting, and smoother on the throat than plain packs. Branded packs were also associated with a greater number of positive smoker attributes including style and sophistication, and were perceived as more likely to be smoked by females than the plain packs. Removing descriptors from the plain packs further decreased the ratings of appeal, taste and smoothness, and also reduced associations with positive attributes. In the pack offer, participants were three times more likely to select branded packs than plain packs. Conclusions: Plain packaging and removal of descriptors may reduce the appeal of smoking for youth and young adults, and consequently reduce smoking susceptibility. Overall, the findings provide support for plain packaging regulations, such as those in Australia