Protein crystallization analysis on the World Community Grid

We have developed an image-analysis and classification system for automatically scoring images from high-throughput protein crystallization trials. Image analysis for this system is performed by the Help Conquer Cancer (HCC) project on the World Community Grid. HCC calculates 12,375 distinct image features on microbatch-under-oil images from the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute’s High-Throughput Screening Laboratory. Using HCC-computed image features and a massive training set of 165,351 hand-scored images, we have trained multiple Random Forest classifiers that accurately recognize multiple crystallization outcomes, including crystals, clear drops, precipitate, and others. The system successfully recognizes 80% of crystal-bearing images, 89% of precipitate images, and 98% of clear drops

Establishing a training set through the visual analysis of crystallization trials. Part II: crystal examples

As part of a training set for automated image analysis, crystallization screening experiments for 269 different macromolecules were visually analyzed and a set of crystal images extracted. Outcomes and trends are analyzed

Sharks of the order Carcharhiniformes from the British Coniacian, Santonian and Campanian (Upper Cretaceous).

Bulk sampling of phosphate-rich horizons within the British Coniacian to Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) yielded very large samples of shark and ray teeth. All of these samples yielded teeth of diverse members of the Carcharhiniformes, which commonly dominate the fauna. The following species are recorded and described: Pseudoscyliorhinus reussi (Herman, 1977) comb. nov., Crassescyliorhinus germanicus (Herman, 1982) gen. nov., Scyliorhinus elongatus (Davis, 1887), Scyliorhinus brumarivulensis sp. nov., ? Palaeoscyllium sp., Prohaploblepharus riegrafi (Müller, 1989) gen. nov., ? Cretascyliorhinus sp., Scyliorhinidae inc. sedis 1, Scyliorhinidae inc. sedis 2, Pteroscyllium hermani sp. nov., Protoscyliorhinus sp., Leptocharias cretaceus sp. nov., Palaeogaleus havreensis Herman, 1977, Paratriakis subserratus sp. nov., Paratriakis tenuis sp. nov., Paratriakis sp. indet. and ? Loxodon sp. Taxa belonging to the families ?Proscylliidae, Leptochariidae, and Carcharhinidae are described from the Cretaceous for the first time. The evolutionary and palaeoecological implications of these newly recognised faunas are discussed

Evaluating the efficacy of tryptophan fluorescence and absorbance as a selection tool for identifying protein crystals

The effectiveness of using ultraviolet microscopes to illuminate protein crystals in high throughput screens is evaluated

On the need for an international effort to capture, share and use crystallization screening data

Development of an ontology for the description of crystallization experiments and results is proposed

Fish remains (Elasmobranchii, Actinopterygii) from the Late Cretaceous of the Benue Trough, Nigeria

International audienceSelachian and ray-finned fish remains from various Late Cretaceous localities of Nigeria are described. Each locality has yielded only a very few specimens and the diversity is therefore very low. However, some taxa are recorded for the first time in Africa. The Ashaka locality in the Upper Benue Trough (northeastern Nigeria) has yielded a small but interesting late Cenomanian assemblage of microremains, including teeth of ''Carcharias'' amonensis, Rhombopterygia zaborskii sp. nov., Hamrabatis sp., ''Stephanodus'' sp., and a possible ionoscopiform. A large prearticular dentition coming from the early Turonian beds of this locality is assigned to the large pycnodontiform Acrotemnus, a poorly known genus here regarded as a senior synonym of Macropycnodon. In the Lower Benue Trough (southeastern Nigeria), several localities ranging in age from the late Cenomanian to the early Maastrichtian have yielded various widespread taxa such as Ptychodus, Scapanorhynchus, Squalicorax, Vidalamiinae indet., cf. Protosphyraena, and Eodiaphyodus. The seaway that occupied the Benue Trough during transgressive episodes (late Cenomanian-early Turonian and Maastrichtian) created opportunities for the dispersal of many marine fish taxa into new areas, such as the proto-South Atlantic

Determining spatial and temporal scales for management: lessons from whaling

Selection of the appropriate management unit is critical to the conservation of animal populations. Defining such units depends upon knowledge of population structure and upon the timescale being considered. Here, we examine the trajectory of eleven subpopulations of five species of baleen whales to investigate temporal and spatial scales in management. These subpopulations were all extirpated by commercial whaling, and no recovery or repopulation has occurred since. In these cases, time elapsed since commercial extinction ranges from four decades to almost four centuries. We propose that these subpopulations did not recover either because cultural memory of the habitat has been lost, because widespread whaling among adjacent stocks eliminated these as sources for repopulation, and/or because segregation following exploitation produced the abandonment of certain areas. Spatial scales associated with the extirpated subpopulations are frequently smaller than those typically employed in management. Overall, the evidence indicates that: (1) the time frame for management should be at most decadal in scope (i.e., \u3c100 yr) and based on both genetic and nongenetic evidence of population substructure, and (2) at least some stocks should be defined on a smaller spatial scale than they currently are