The Origin of Life: Models and Data.

A general framework for conventional models of the origin of life (OOL) is the specification of a 'privileged function.' A privileged function is an extant biological function that is excised from its biological context, elevated in importance over other functions, and transported back in time to a primitive chemical or geological environment. In RNA or Clay Worlds, the privileged function is replication. In Metabolism-First Worlds, the privileged function is metabolism. In Thermal Vent Worlds, the privileged function is energy harvesting from chemical gradients. In Membrane Worlds, the privileged function is compartmentalization. In evaluating these models, we consider the contents and properties of the Universal Gene Set of life, which is the set of orthologous genes conserved throughout the tree of life and found in every living system. We also consider the components and properties of the Molecular Toolbox of Life, which contains twenty amino acids, eight nucleotides, glucose, polypeptide, polynucleotide, and several other components. OOL models based on privileged functions necessarily depend on "takeovers" to transition from previous genetic and catalytic systems to the extant DNA/RNA/protein system, requiring replacement of one Molecular Toolbox with another and of one Universal Gene Set with another. The observed robustness and contents of the Toolbox of Life and the Universal Gene Set over the last 3.7 billion years are thought to be post hoc phenomena. Once the takeover processes are acknowledged and are reasonably considered, the privileged function models are seen to be extremely complex with low predictive power. These models require indeterminacy and plasticity of biological and chemical processes

Study of auditory imperception with suggested techniques for remediation

The purpose of this paper was to describe the child with an auditory imperception problem, to differentiate him from the deaf or hard-or-hearing, by pointing out characteristics that pertain to him alone, and to suggest ways to remediate the problem within a classroom environment. This necessitated the writer\u27s selective choice of authorities. Many studies and research projects have dealt with auditory deficits, but relatively few authorities have made practical suggestions for dealing with and remediating the problem. The emphasis of this paper was on what can be done on an informal basis by the classroom teacher. Once the problem child, it is the writer\u27s intent that this neglected and misunderstood child will be reviewed as a child with a problem that can be remediated

The Central Symbiosis of Molecular Biology: Molecules in Mutualism.

As illustrated by the mitochondrion and the eukaryotic cell, little in biology makes sense except in light of mutualism. Mutualisms are persistent, intimate, and reciprocal exchanges; an organism proficient in obtaining certain benefits confers those on a partner, which reciprocates by conferring different benefits. Mutualisms (i) increase fitness, (ii) inspire robustness, (iii) are resilient and resistant to change, (iv) sponsor co-evolution, (v) foster innovation, and (vi) involve partners that are distantly related with contrasting yet complementary proficiencies. Previous to this work, mutualisms were understood to operate on levels of cells, organisms, ecosystems, and even societies and economies. Here, the concepts of mutualism are extended to molecules and are seen to apply to the relationship between RNA and protein. Polynucleotide and polypeptide are Molecules in Mutualism. RNA synthesizes protein in the ribosome and protein synthesizes RNA in polymerases. RNA and protein are codependent, and trade proficiencies. Protein has proficiency in folding into complex three-dimensional states, contributing enzymes, fibers, adhesives, pumps, pores, switches, and receptors. RNA has proficiency in direct molecular recognition, achieved by complementary base pairing interactions, which allow it to maintain, record, and transduce information. The large phylogenetic distance that characterizes partnerships in organismal mutualism has close analogy with large distance in chemical space between RNA and protein. The RNA backbone is anionic and self-repulsive and cannot form hydrophobic structural cores. The protein backbone is neutral and cohesive and commonly forms hydrophobic cores. Molecules in Mutualism extends beyond RNA and protein. A cell is a consortium of molecules in which nucleic acids, proteins, polysaccharides, phospholipids, and other molecules form a mutualism consortium that drives metabolism and replication. Analogies are found in systems such as stromatolites, which are large consortia of symbiotic organisms. It seems reasonable to suggest that 'polymers in mutualism relationships' is a useful and predictive definition of life

Strategic teaching and strategic learning in first grade classrooms

In this article the authors describe Reading Express, a collaborative program which brings together the expertise of first-grade teachers and Reading Recovery teachers to support all first-grade children in literacy development. In the Reading Express program, the Reading Recovery teachers spend one hour per day in each of the first grade classrooms. This time is spent in both whole class as well as small group instruction. The results of Reading Express have been positive for both first-grade children as well as teachers. End-of-year text-level scores and other data indicate that the program is having a positive impact on students\u27 literacy development. In addition, the first-grade teachers have found they are more strategic in their reading instruction and have more knowledge of their students\u27 literacy progress as a result of the collaborative planning and instruction

Capitalism and collective action: A Marxist account of the erosion of political commitment in liberal capitalist cultures.

The task of this thesis is to show that a renovated Marxism can offer a comprehensive explanation for the erosion of political commitment in contemporary liberal capitalist cultures. Post-Marxism forms the point of departure for the explanation to be developed. An evaluation of this work suggests that the problem is related to the forms of subjectivity instituted by neo-liberal capitalism. A renovated dialectical Marxism offers the means of filling the gaps in the post-Marxist account. Renovation requires a specific anti-economistic, anti-deterministic reading of two distinct but related strands of the Marxist corpus. The first of these is the theory of capitalism as total mode of life, as found in the work of Marx and Althusser. The second is the account of proletarian revolution developed by Marx and Gramsci. Both strands are read as accounts of subjectivity. The second is also read as an analysis of the constitution of collective political commitment. A comparison of the two will show that the subjects produced by neo-liberal capitalism are incapable of the kind of self-disciplined political commitment needed to undertake and complete demanding collective tasks. This conclusion is only possible, however, if a psychoanalysis rendered in historical institutional terms (mainly that of Freud and Lacan), is articulated to a renovated Marxism, as argued for by Althusser. In addition to the work of Althusser, that of Habermas on the bourgeois public sphere and Castoriadis on institutions suggest the means of articulating psychoanalysis to Marxism. The resulting theory offers a comprehensive explanation of the realities of contemporary social relations as instituted by neo-liberalism since the early 1980s, specifically as manifested in the erosion of political commitment

Acoustic Measurements of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrode Films

This research investigates the use of acoustic measurements as an alternative means of non-destructive quality control for Li-ion battery films. The goal of this research is to enable accurate, non-destructive inspection of the battery electrode as it is being manufactured, so that problems can be identified and addressed early on. Here we report on our efforts to distinguish between films with different mechanical properties using acoustic resonances and surface acoustic wave (SAW) velocity. We were able to differentiate between films of various coating thicknesses using resonance measurements. We also used resonance measurements to monitor a material as it dried. SAW velocity measurements need further work for successful implementation

Progress on NASA Johnson Space Center Suborbital Experiments

The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Crew and Thermal Systems Division (CTSD), continues to develop experiments for suborbital testing, including the Multi-Phase Flow Experiment for Suborbital Testing (MFEST) and the Suborbital Flight Experiment Monitor (SFEM-2). Both of these experiments are manifested for suborbital flights expected in CY 2017-18. This poster will provide an overview of these experiments, which are both ready to proceed to suborbital flight testing

Intracranial EEG fluctuates over months after implanting electrodes in human brain.

OBJECTIVE: Implanting subdural and penetrating electrodes in the brain causes acute trauma and inflammation that affect intracranial electroencephalographic (iEEG) recordings. This behavior and its potential impact on clinical decision-making and algorithms for implanted devices have not been assessed in detail. In this study we aim to characterize the temporal and spatial variability of continuous, prolonged human iEEG recordings. APPROACH: Intracranial electroencephalography from 15 patients with drug-refractory epilepsy, each implanted with 16 subdural electrodes and continuously monitored for an average of 18 months, was included in this study. Time and spectral domain features were computed each day for each channel for the duration of each patient\u27s recording. Metrics to capture post-implantation feature changes and inflexion points were computed on group and individual levels. A linear mixed model was used to characterize transient group-level changes in feature values post-implantation and independent linear models were used to describe individual variability. MAIN RESULTS: A significant decline in features important to seizure detection and prediction algorithms (mean line length, energy, and half-wave), as well as mean power in the Berger and high gamma bands, was observed in many patients over 100 d following implantation. In addition, spatial variability across electrodes declines post-implantation following a similar timeframe. All selected features decreased by 14-50% in the initial 75 d of recording on the group level, and at least one feature demonstrated this pattern in 13 of the 15 patients. Our findings indicate that iEEG signal features demonstrate increased variability following implantation, most notably in the weeks immediately post-implant. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that conclusions drawn from iEEG, both clinically and for research, should account for spatiotemporal signal variability and that properly assessing the iEEG in patients, depending upon the application, may require extended monitoring

Pressure cycling technology for challenging proteomic sample processing: application to barnacle adhesive.

AbstractSuccessful proteomic characterization of biological material depends on the development of robust sample processing methods. The acorn barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite is a biofouling model for adhesive processes, but the identification of causative proteins involved has been hindered by their insoluble nature. Although effective, existing sample processing methods are labor and time intensive, slowing progress in this field. Here, a more efficient sample processing method is described which exploits pressure cycling technology (PCT) in combination with protein solvents. PCT aids in protein extraction and digestion for proteomics analysis. Barnacle adhesive proteins can be extracted and digested in the same tube using PCT, minimizing sample loss, increasing throughput to 16 concurrently processed samples, and decreasing sample processing time to under 8 hours. PCT methods produced similar proteomes in comparison to previous methods. Two solvents which were ineffective at extracting proteins from the adhesive at ambient pressure (urea and methanol) produced more protein identifications under pressure than highly polar hexafluoroisopropanol, leading to the identification and description of >40 novel proteins at the interface. Some of these have homology to proteins with elastomeric properties or domains involved with protein-protein interactions, while many have no sequence similarity to proteins in publicly available databases, highlighting the unique adherent processes evolved by barnacles. The methods described here can not only be used to further characterize barnacle adhesive to combat fouling, but may also be applied to other recalcitrant biological samples, including aggregative or fibrillar protein matrices produced during disease, where a lack of efficient sample processing methods has impeded advancement. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD012730