Defining Dysbiosis in Disorders of Movement and Motivation

The gut microbiota has emerged as a critical player in shaping and modulating brain function and has been shown to influence numerous behaviors, including anxiety and depression-like behaviors, sociability, and cognition. However, the effects of the gut microbiota on specific disorders associated with thalamo-cortico-basal ganglia circuits, ranging from compulsive behavior and addiction to altered sensation and motor output, are only recently being explored. Wholesale depletion and alteration of gut microbial communities in rodent models of disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, autism, and addiction, robustly affect movement and motivated behavior. A new frontier therefore lies in identifying specific microbial alterations that affect these behaviors and understanding the underlying mechanisms of action. Comparing alterations in gut microbiota across multiple basal-ganglia associated disease states allows for identification of common mechanistic pathways that may interact with distinct environmental and genetic risk factors to produce disease-specific outcomes

Defining Dysbiosis in Disorders of Movement and Motivation

The gut microbiota has emerged as a critical player in shaping and modulating brain function and has been shown to influence numerous behaviors, including anxiety and depression-like behaviors, sociability, and cognition. However, the effects of the gut microbiota on specific disorders associated with thalamo-cortico-basal ganglia circuits, ranging from compulsive behavior and addiction to altered sensation and motor output, are only recently being explored. Wholesale depletion and alteration of gut microbial communities in rodent models of disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, autism, and addiction, robustly affect movement and motivated behavior. A new frontier therefore lies in identifying specific microbial alterations that affect these behaviors and understanding the underlying mechanisms of action. Comparing alterations in gut microbiota across multiple basal-ganglia associated disease states allows for identification of common mechanistic pathways that may interact with distinct environmental and genetic risk factors to produce disease-specific outcomes

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

An Analysis of the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch

The Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch is an effective alternative method of birth control. It releases two drugs, norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol, and these two drugs diffuse through a person?s skin and into their bloodstream. In order to analyze this process, we developed a 2-D, axisymmetric model of the diffusion of norelgestromin from the patch and through the skin. Through the use of a sensitivity analysis to determine the correct patch diffusivity, we were able to get an accurate representation of the physical process. We then modeled what would happen if the patch were removed for various periods of time, and we were able to determine that if the patch were removed for 24 hours or less, no significant disruption to the delivery of the drugs would occur. Finally, we also ran a simulation of wearing two different patches over the course of two weeks, and we determined that the concentration would normally encounter periodic rises and falls over the two-week period

Responding to problem gamblers in the venue: role conflict, role ambiguity, and challenges for hospitality staff

In this article the authors explore the challenges experienced by gaming venue employees in Queensland Australia in responding to patrons with gambling problems. Forty-eight in-depth interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Challenges identified include embarrassment for both staff and patrons, emotional labor for employees, difficulties in identifying problem gamblers, and concerns about invading the patron\u27s privacy, losing the patron\u27s business, getting in trouble with their manager, and receiving an angry patron response. Aligning their responsible gambling obligations with the expectations of management, patrons, significant others, and their own capabilities can potentially cause substantial role conflict and role ambiguity for frontline venue staff