The Gene Ontology in 2010: extensions and refinements

The Gene Ontology (GO) Consortium (http://www.geneontology.org) (GOC) continues to develop, maintain and use a set of structured, controlled vocabularies for the annotation of genes, gene products and sequences. The GO ontologies are expanding both in content and in structure. Several new relationship types have been introduced and used, along with existing relationships, to create links between and within the GO domains. These improve the representation of biology, facilitate querying, and allow GO developers to systematically check for and correct inconsistencies within the GO. Gene product annotation using GO continues to increase both in the number of total annotations and in species coverage. GO tools, such as OBO-Edit, an ontology-editing tool, and AmiGO, the GOC ontology browser, have seen major improvements in functionality, speed and ease of use.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the author(s) and published by Oxford University Press. The published article can be found at: http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/

Public health education for midwives and midwifery students: a mixed methods study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current national and international maternity policy supports the importance of addressing public health goals and investing in early years. Health care providers for women during the reproductive and early postnatal period have the opportunity to encourage women to make choices that will impact positively on maternal and fetal health. Midwives are in a unique position, given the emphasis of the philosophy of midwifery care on building relationships and incorporating a holistic approach, to support women to make healthy choices with the aim of promoting health and preventing ill health. However, exploration of the educational preparation of midwives to facilitate public health interventions has been relatively limited. The aim of the study was to identify the scope of current midwifery pre registration educational provision in relation to public health and to explore the perspectives of midwives and midwifery students about the public health role of the midwife.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a mixed methods study incorporating a survey of Higher Educational Institutions providing pre registration midwifery education across the UK and focus groups with midwifery students and registered midwives.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty nine institutions (53% response) participated in the survey and nine focus groups were conducted (59 participants). Public health education was generally integrated into pre registration midwifery curricula as opposed to taught as a discrete subject. There was considerable variation in the provision of public health topics within midwifery curricula and the hours of teaching allocated to them. Focus group data indicated that it was consistently difficult for both midwifery students and midwives to articulate clearly their understanding and definition of public health in relation to midwifery.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There is a unique opportunity to impact on maternal and infant health throughout the reproductive period; however the current approach to public health within midwifery education should be reviewed to capitalise on the role of the midwife in delivering public health interventions. It is clear that better understanding of midwifery public health roles and the visibility of public health within midwifery is required in order to maximise the potential contribution of midwives to achieving short and long term public health population goals.</p

Precision Orbit of δ Delphini and Prospects for Astrometric Detection of Exoplanets

Combining visual and spectroscopic orbits of binary stars leads to a determination of the full 3D orbit, individual masses, and distance to the system. We present a full analysis of the evolved binary system δ Delphini using astrometric data from the MIRC and PAVO instruments on the CHARA long-baseline interferometer, 97 new spectra from the Fairborn Observatory, and 87 unpublished spectra from the Lick Observatory. We determine the full set of orbital elements for δ Del, along with masses of 1.78 ± 0.07 M⊙ and 1.62 ± 0.07 M⊙ for each component, and a distance of 63.61 ± 0.89 pc. These results are important in two contexts: for testing stellar evolution models and for defining the detection capabilities for future planet searches. We find that the evolutionary state of this system is puzzling, as our measured flux ratios, radii, and masses imply a ∼200 Myr age difference between the components, using standard stellar evolution models. Possible explanations for this age discrepancy include mass transfer scenarios with a now-ejected tertiary companion. For individual measurements taken over a span of two years, we achieve \u3c10 μas precision on the differential position with 10 minute observations. The high precision of our astrometric orbit suggests that exoplanet detection capabilities are within reach of MIRC at CHARA. We compute exoplanet detection limits around δ Del and conclude that, if this precision is extended to wider systems, we should be able to detect most exoplanets \u3e2 MJ on orbits \u3e0.75 au around individual components of hot binary stars via differential astrometry

Histopathological and ultrastructural analysis of vestibular endorgans in Meniere's disease reveals basement membrane pathology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We report the systematic analysis of the ultrastructural and cytological histopathology of vestibular endorgans acquired from labyrinthectomy in Meniere's disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>17 subjects with intractable Meniere's disease and ipsilateral non-serviceable hearing presenting to the Neurotology Clinic from 1997 to 2006 who chose ablative labyrinthectomy (average age = 62 years; range 29–83 years) participated. The average duration of symptoms prior to surgery was 7 years (range 1–20 years).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nearly all vestibular endorgans demonstrated varying degrees of degeneration. A monolayer of epithelial cells occurred significantly more frequently in the horizontal cristae (12/13 = 92%) (p < 0.001), the superior cristae (5/5 = 100%) (p < 0.005), the posterior cristae (2/2) compared with the utricular maculae (4/17 = 24%). Basement membrane (BM) thickening was more common in all of the cristae ampullares (18 out of 20) than the utricular maculae. Although only four saccular maculae were obtained, 3 out of 4 exhibited BM thickening and monolayer degeneration. Monolayer degeneration was highly significantly correlated with the presence of BM thickening (p < 0.001). Other degenerative changes noted equally among the five vestibular endorgans which were not significantly correlated with BM thickening or monolayer degeneration included hair cell vacuolization and stereocilia loss, microvesicles in the supporting cells, and increased stromal intercellular spaces. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated disorganization of the BM collagen-like fibrils, and normal ultrastructural morphology of the nerve terminals and myelinated fibers. Stromal fibroblasts and endothelial cells of stromal blood vessels demonstrated vacuolization, and stromal perivascular BMs were also thickened.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Systematic histopathological analysis of the vestibular endorgans from Meniere's disease demonstrated neuroepithelial degeneration which was highly correlated with an associated BM thickening. Other findings included hair cell and supporting cell microvessicles, increased intercellular clear spaces in the stroma, and endothelial cell vacuolization and stromal perivascular BM thickening.</p