Pathway Network Analyses for Autism Reveal Multisystem Involvement, Major Overlaps with Other Diseases and Convergence upon MAPK and Calcium Signaling

We used established databases in standard ways to systematically characterize gene ontologies, pathways and functional linkages in the large set of genes now associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). These conditions are particularly challenging—they lack clear pathognomonic biological markers, they involve great heterogeneity across multiple levels (genes, systemic biological and brain characteristics, and nuances of behavioral manifestations)—and yet everyone with this diagnosis meets the same defining behavioral criteria. Using the human gene list from Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) we performed gene set enrichment analysis with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway Database, and then derived a pathway network from pathway-pathway functional interactions again in reference to KEGG. Through identifying the GO (Gene Ontology) groups in which SFARI genes were enriched, mapping the coherence between pathways and GO groups, and ranking the relative strengths of representation of pathway network components, we 1) identified 10 disease-associated and 30 function-associated pathways 2) revealed calcium signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction as the most enriched, statistically significant pathways from the enrichment analysis, 3) showed calcium signaling pathways and MAPK signaling pathway to be interactive hubs with other pathways and also to be involved with pervasively present biological processes, 4) found convergent indications that the process “calcium-PRC (protein kinase C)-Ras-Raf-MAPK/ERK” is likely a major contributor to ASD pathophysiology, and 5) noted that perturbations associated with KEGG’s category of environmental information processing were common. These findings support the idea that ASD-associated genes may contribute not only to core features of ASD themselves but also to vulnerability to other chronic and systemic problems potentially including cancer, metabolic conditions and heart diseases. ASDs may thus arise, or emerge, from underlying vulnerabilities related to pleiotropic genes associated with pervasively important molecular mechanisms, vulnerability to environmental input and multiple systemic co-morbidities

Nurses\u27 Alumnae Association Bulletin - Volume 5 Number 8

Calling All Nurses Financial Report Calendar of Events Lest You Forget! Attention Review of the Alumnae Association Meetings President\u27s Report Barton Memorial Division Oxygen Therapy Welcome, White Haven Alumnae Clinical Use of Penicillin in Infections of the Ears, Nose and Throat Address - Graduation of Nurses, 1945 Miscellaneous Items The Blood that Kills The Story of Malaria Program Prizes - May, 1946 Capping Exercises The Economic Security Program of the Pennsylvania State Nurses\u27 Association The Clara Melville Scholarship Fund Card of Thanks The Poet\u27s Corner The Hospital Pharmacy Jefferson Medical College Hospital School of Nursing Faculty Jefferson Hospital Gray Lady Unite, A.R.R. The Volunteer Nurses\u27 Aides Salute Jefferson Nurses Changes in the Staff at Jefferson Hospital Red Cross Recruits Did You Know That The Pennsylvania Nurse Medical College News Magazine and Newspaper Items Central Dressing Room and Transfusion Unit Rules Concerning Central Dressing Room Radios and Electrical Appliances Attending College Nurses in Anesthesia Condolences Marriages New Arrivals Deaths The Bulletin Committee Attention, Alumnae New Addresse

Phase transitions during formation of Ag nanoparticles on In2S3 precursor layers

Phase transitions have been investigated for silver deposition onto In2S3 precursor layers by spray chemical vapor deposition from a trimethylphosphine (hexafluoroacetylacetonato) silver (Ag(hfacac)(PMe3)) solution. The formation of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on top of the semiconductor layer set on concomitant with the formation of AgIn5S8. The increase of the diameter of Ag NPs was accompanied by the evolution of orthorhombic AgInS2. The formation of Ag2S at the interface between Ag NPs and the semiconductor layer was observed. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy indicated charge separation and electronic transitions in the ranges of corresponding band gaps. The phase transition approach is aimed to be applied for the formation of plasmonic nanostructures on top of extremely thin semiconducting layers

Re-Engineering Systems for the Treatment of Depression in Primary Care: Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Objective: To test the effectiveness of an evidence based model for management of depression in primary care with support from quality improvement resources

Challenges for Modeling and Simulation Methods in Systems Biology

Systems Biology is aimed at analyzing the behavior and interrelationships of biological systems and is characterized by combining experimentation, theory, and computation. Dedicated to exploring current challenges, the panel brings together people from a variety of disciplines whose perspectives illuminate diverse facets of Systems Biology and the challenges for modeling and simulation methods

DEA-based deformable cell culture system

We present a deformable cell culture system based on dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). Understanding how the mechanical environment can affect cells functions could lead to significant advances in diseases diagnosis and drug development. Most available technologies offer low screening throughput, an important limitation considering the statistical nature of cellular studies. We previously reported an array of micro-DEAs for cell stretching application. Our DEA-based solution has the potential to replace current technologies and overcome the high screening throughput limitation. We present a new generation of devices, developed to better address cell biologists requirements. Two different devices were developed to apply periodic (1-5Hz) compressive or tensile strain greater than 10% on a 2mm x 2mm biological sample. Their original designs exploit non-equibiaxial pre-stretch of a silicone membrane and stress induced in passive regions of DEAs. Our technology is now compatible with high resolution optical microscopy for real time monitoring of morphology and chemical activity of the biological sample. This new generation of devices also significantly improves the electric field confinement and provides a fully biocompatible environment

Gallium gradients in chalcopyrite thin films: Depth profile analyses of films grown at different temperatures

The following article appeared in Journal of Applied Physics 110.9 (2011): 093509 and may be found at http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jap/110/9/10.1063/1.3656986Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films are used as absorber layers in chalcopyrite thin film solar cells. As the gallium concentration in the absorber can be used to control the band gap, there have been many efforts to vary the gallium concentration in depth to gain an optimum balance of light absorption, carrier collection, and recombination at different depths of the absorber film, leading to improved quantum efficiency. In this study, we investigate the effect of the maximum substrate temperature during film growth on the depth dependent gallium concentration. For the in-depth gallium concentration analyses, we use two techniques, covering complementary depth ranges. Angle dependent soft x-ray emission spectroscopy provides access to information depths between 20 and 470 nm, which covers the depth range of the space charge region, where most of the photoexcited carriers are generated. Therefore, this depth range is of particular interest. To complement this investigation we use secondary neutral mass spectrometry, which destructively probes the whole thickness of the absorber (≈2 µm). The two methods show increasingly pronounced gallium and indium gradients with decreasing maximum substrate temperature. The probing of the complementary depth ranges of the absorbers gives a consistent picture of the in-depth gallium distribution, which provides a solid basis for a comprehensive discussion about the effect of a reduced substrate temperature on the formation of gallium gradients in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and the device performance of the corresponding reference solar cells.The authors acknowledge the support of the European Commission in the framework of the ATHLET-project (Project No. 019670)

Synthesis of aromatic derivates of the 5-oxopyrazolo[4,5-b]pyridine

Se estudió la ciclocondensación de chalconas con 3-amino-5-pirazolona, la cual lleva a la formación de 2-aril-4-fenil-5-oxopirazolo[4,5-b]piridinas. Las estructuras de los compuestos obtenidos se determinó con base en los análisis espectroscópicos (RMN 'H y "C y espectrometría de masas)

Size- and density-controlled deposition of Ag nanoparticle films by a novel low-temperature spray chemical vapour deposition method—research into mechanism, particle growth and optical simulation

Ag nanoparticles have attracted interest for plasmonic absorption enhancement of solar cells. For this purpose, well-defined particle sizes and densities as well as very low deposition temperatures are required. Thus, we report here a new spray chemical vapour deposition method for producing Ag NP films with independent size and density control at substrate temperatures even below 100 °C, which is much lower than for many other techniques. This method can be used on different substrates to deposit Ag NP films. It is a reproducible, low-cost process which uses trimethylphosphine (hexafluoroacetylacetonato) silver as a precursor in alcoholic solution. By systematic variation of deposition parameters and classic experiments, mechanisms of particle growth and of deposition processes as well as the low decomposition temperature of the precursor could be explained. Using the 3D finite element method, absorption spectra of selected samples were simulated, which fitted well with the measured results. Hence, further applications of such Ag NP films for generating plasmonic near field can be predicted by the simulation