Gender-Inclusive Library Workgroup Report

The Gender-Inclusive Workgroup explored how VCU Libraries can better serve trans and gender-nonconforming users and staff. The group’s recommendations cover library spaces, staff, systems, services, and culture. Key recommendations include highlighting existing all-gender restrooms; building more gender-inclusive restrooms; expanding availability of menstrual products and disposal bins; continuing support for name-of-use changes in library systems; minimizing display of legal name in library systems; offering ongoing staff training in gender-inclusive language and customer service; and encouraging staff to share pronouns. The workgroup also recommends pursuing a culture of shared learning and inclusive thinking, with a reminder that gender identity is one facet of multiple intersecting identities for people in the VCU community

Proteomic Analysis Reveals CACN-1 Is a Component of the Spliceosome in Caenorhabditis elegans

Cell migration is essential for embryonic development and tissue formation in all animals. cacn-1 is a conserved gene of unknown molecular function identified in a genome-wide screen for genes that regulate distal tip cell migration in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study we take a proteomics approach to understand CACN-1 function. To isolate CACN-1−interacting proteins, we used an in vivo tandem-affinity purification strategy. Tandem-affinity purification−tagged CACN-1 complexes were isolated from C. elegans lysate, analyzed by mass spectrometry, and characterized bioinformatically. Results suggest significant interaction of CACN-1 with the C. elegans spliceosome. All of the identified interactors were screened for distal tip cell migration phenotypes using RNAi. Depletion of many of these factors led to distal tip cell migration defects, particularly a failure to stop migrating, a phenotype commonly seen in cacn-1 deficient animals. The results of this screen identify eight novel regulators of cell migration and suggest CACN-1 may participate in a protein network dedicated to high-fidelity gonad development. The composition of proteins comprising the CACN-1 network suggests that this critical developmental module may exert its influence through alternative splicing or other post-transcriptional gene regulation

A Land Use Plan for Brightmoor

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110972/1/landuseBrightmooropt2008.pd

The Act

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tallInkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides Artist\u27s narrative: Letter 121 explores the struggles Paul Laurence Dunbar faced with alcoholism and the scrutiny he received for his illness. As Dunbar writes an apology letter to Professor P.M. Pearson for his absence due to excessive drinking, his sincere apologies shine through. Dunbar explains how he is aware that his apology can’t erase showing up to a recital intoxicated, which led to his career being tarnished; however, he still asks for forgiveness. The imagery was created with an ink-water solution. This allowed for an experimental result that provides the somber and colorless atmosphere. Hand clawing for forgiveness was a reality for Dunbar because of his alcoholism. There is imagery relating to his fight for forgiveness and the alcohol itself as it stained both the paper and his reputation. The type palette is Capitolina (serif), which was designed by Christopher Hammerschmidt and Marconi Lima (Brazilian), and FreightSans Pro (sans serif), designed by Joshua Darden (African American). Choosing typefaces that celebrated diversity was an intentional decision.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stu_vad_dunbarletters/1019/thumbnail.jp

Birth of protein folds and functions in the virome

The rapid evolution of viruses generates proteins that are essential for infectivity and replication but with unknown functions, due to extreme sequence divergence1. Here, using a database of 67,715 newly predicted protein structures from 4,463 eukaryotic viral species, we found that 62% of viral proteins are structurally distinct and lack homologues in the AlphaFold database2,3. Among the remaining 38% of viral proteins, many have non-viral structural analogues that revealed surprising similarities between human pathogens and their eukaryotic hosts. Structural comparisons suggested putative functions for up to 25% of unannotated viral proteins, including those with roles in the evasion of innate immunity. In particular, RNA ligase T-like phosphodiesterases were found to resemble phage-encoded proteins that hydrolyse the host immune-activating cyclic dinucleotides 3',3'- and 2',3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP). Experimental analysis showed that RNA ligase T homologues encoded by avian poxviruses similarly hydrolyse cGAMP, showing that RNA ligase T-mediated targeting of cGAMP is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of immune evasion that is present in both bacteriophage and eukaryotic viruses. Together, the viral protein structural database and analyses presented here afford new opportunities to identify mechanisms of virus-host interactions that are common across the virome

Author Correction: Birth of protein folds and functions in the virome

Correction to: Naturehttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07809-y Published online 26 August 2024 In the version of the article initially published, in the “Similarity to non-viral proteins” section, the sentence originally reading “…the AlphaFold database, which contains more than 300,000 proteins from 21 organisms” has now been corrected to “the AlphaFold database, which contains more than 500,000 proteins from 48 organisms”. Additionally, in the Methods, in the “Structural alignments against the AlphaFold databases” section, the text “(downloadable via the Foldseek command ‘foldseek databases Alphafold/Proteome afdb tmp’)” has now been added. These corrections have been made to the HTML and PDF versions of the article

Common genetic variation and susceptibility to partial epilepsies: a genome-wide association study

Partial epilepsies have a substantial heritability. However, the actual genetic causes are largely unknown. In contrast to many other common diseases for which genetic association-studies have successfully revealed common variants associated with disease risk, the role of common variation in partial epilepsies has not yet been explored in a well-powered study. We undertook a genome-wide association-study to identify common variants which influence risk for epilepsy shared amongst partial epilepsy syndromes, in 3445 patients and 6935 controls of European ancestry. We did not identify any genome-wide significant association. A few single nucleotide polymorphisms may warrant further investigation. We exclude common genetic variants with effect sizes above a modest 1.3 odds ratio for a single variant as contributors to genetic susceptibility shared across the partial epilepsies. We show that, at best, common genetic variation can only have a modest role in predisposition to the partial epilepsies when considered across syndromes in Europeans. The genetic architecture of the partial epilepsies is likely to be very complex, reflecting genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Larger meta-analyses are required to identify variants of smaller effect sizes (odds ratio <1.3) or syndrome-specific variants. Further, our results suggest research efforts should also be directed towards identifying the multiple rare variants likely to account for at least part of the heritability of the partial epilepsies. Data emerging from genome-wide association-studies will be valuable during the next serious challenge of interpreting all the genetic variation emerging from whole-genome sequencing studie

The upstream Cymru story: a tale of international exchange, collaboration and persistence

2017 was a memorable year. The End Youth Homelessness Cymru (EYHC) coalition was launched with a goal of ending youth homelessness in Wales within 10 years. The Coalition's goals were supported by the First Minister of Wales at the time, Carwyn Jones, who stated: 'We believe we have a wonderful opportunity here in Wales to deliver real change. If we can put a man on the moon, we can surely end youth homelessness in Wales'. There was a collective will to rethink responses to youth homelessness in Wales by prioritising prevention and a real appetite for new approaches. In 2018, news about the success of The Geelong Project (TGP) in Australia reached Wales and by 2020 Upstream Cymru had been launched. This brief article tells the story of the development and implementation of the initiative