PenQuest Volume 1, Number 2

Table of Contents for this Volume: Untitled by Julie Ambrose Night by Judith Gallo Untitled by Judy Gozdur the shamans by Charles Riddles Untitled by Jerry Connell Untitled by Laura Woods Untitled by LEMA Wicked Bird by Laura Jo Last Untitled by Rick Dentos Untitled by Jeni Moody Untitled by Bettie W. Kwibs Untitled by Joann Stagg The Protector Stood by Laura Jo Last Visions of Salome by Charles Riddles Untitled by Thomas Tutten Kennesaw Line by Don Ova-Dunaway Stone Blood by Mary Ellen C. Wofford Untitled by Roger Whitt Jr. Untitled by C. Wingate Untitled by Doug Dorey Untitled by Karen Blumberg Untitled by Beverly Oviatt Untitled by Virginia Shrader The Crapulous Credo of Charles C. by Charles Riddles the brave and the true by David Reed Untitled by Charles Gutierrez Canoe Creek by Patricia Kraft Untitled by Linda Bobinger The Man in the Iron Lung by Patricia Kraft Untitled by Roger Whitt, Jr. Childish Things by Kathleen Gay Untitled by Joseph Avanzini The Lover by Mary S. Aken Untitled by Ann Harrington And He Taketh Away by David Reed Untitled by Mary Graham Untitled by Melody A. Cummons Untitled by Karen Blumberg To The Poets by Judith Gallo Untitled by Ann Harringto

PenQuest Volume 2, Number 1

Table of Contents for this Volume: Untitled by Janet Collins Untitled by Judy Gozdur Last Hour of Light by Susan Reed Untitled by Judy Godzur Untitled by Rick Wagner Untitled by Carol Groover Untitled by R. Wagner Only in the Portico by Linda Banicki Untitled by Helen Hagadorn Private Place, Pubic Place by David Reed Untitled by Tammy Hutchinson Untitled by Tammy Hutchinson Madison Knights by Susan Reed Untitled by Sissy Crabtree The Price by Sandra Coleman Untitled by Ann Harrington Invasion of Privacy by Mark Touchton Untitled by Bruce Warner Untitled by Tom Schifanella Untitled by Tammy Hutchinson Bloodwork by Laura Jo Last Untitled by David Whitsett Burial Instructions by Bill Slaughter Untitled by S. Trevett PenQuest Interview: Joe Haldeman by David Reed Her Name Came from the Sea by Richard L. Ewart Untitled by V. Williams In the Woodshed by R. E. Mallery Untitled by Modesta Matthews Untitled by David Olson Illumination by E. Allen Tilley Untitled by Joseph Avanzini Everywoman by Laura Jo Last Untitled by Beth Goeckel Believe Me by Donna Kaluzniak Untitled by Judy Gozdur Untitled by Judy Gozdur Unicorn by David Reed Untitled by Susan Reed untitled by Paul Cramer Unititled by Lucinda Halsema The Violin by Richard L. Ewart Untitled by Maria Barry Untitled by Roger Whitt Jr. Haiku by Lori Nasrallah Rhymer’s Revolt by R. E. Mallery Untitled by Valerie William

A blended knowledge translation initiative to improve colorectal cancer staging [ISRCTN56824239]

BACKGROUND: A significant gap has been documented between best practice and the actual practice of surgery. Our group identified that colorectal cancer staging in Ontario was suboptimal and subsequently developed a knowledge translation strategy using the principles of social marketing and the influence of expert and local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer. METHODS/DESIGN: Opinion leaders were identified using the Hiss methodology. Hospitals in Ontario were cluster-randomized to one of two intervention arms. Both groups were exposed to a formal continuing medical education session given by the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer. In the treatment group the local Opinion Leader for colorectal cancer was detailed by the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer and received a toolkit. Forty-two centres agreed to have the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer come and give a formal continuing medical education session that lasted between 50 minutes and 4 hours. No centres refused the intervention. These sessions were generally well attended by most surgeons, pathologists and other health care professionals at each centre. In addition all but one of the local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer met with the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer for the academic detailing session that lasted between 15 and 30 minutes. DISCUSSION: We have enacted a unique study that has attempted to induce practice change among surgeons and pathologists using an adapted social marketing model that utilized the influence of both expert and local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer in a large geographic area with diverse practice settings

Analysis of Essential Arabidopsis Nuclear Genes Encoding Plastid-Targeted Proteins

<div><p>The Chloroplast 2010 Project (<a href="http://www.plastid.msu.edu/" target="_blank">http://www.plastid.msu.edu/</a>) identified and phenotypically characterized homozygous mutants in over three thousand genes, the majority of which encode plastid-targeted proteins. Despite extensive screening by the community, no homozygous mutant alleles were available for several hundred genes, suggesting that these might be enriched for genes of essential function. Attempts were made to generate homozygotes in ∼1200 of these lines and 521 of the homozygous viable lines obtained were deposited in the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (<a href="http://abrc.osu.edu/" target="_blank">http://abrc.osu.edu/</a>). Lines that did not yield a homozygote in soil were tested as potentially homozygous lethal due to defects either in seed or seedling development. Mutants were characterized at four stages of development: developing seed, mature seed, at germination, and developing seedlings. To distinguish seed development or seed pigment-defective mutants from seedling development mutants, development of seeds was assayed in siliques from heterozygous plants. Segregating seeds from heterozygous parents were sown on supplemented media in an attempt to rescue homozygous seedlings that could not germinate or survive in soil. Growth of segregating seeds in air and air enriched to 0.3% carbon dioxide was compared to discover mutants potentially impaired in photorespiration or otherwise responsive to CO₂ supplementation. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements identified CO₂-responsive mutants with altered photosynthetic parameters. Examples of genes with a viable mutant allele and one or more putative homozygous-lethal alleles were documented. RT-PCR of homozygotes for potentially weak alleles revealed that essential genes may remain undiscovered because of the lack of a true null mutant allele. This work revealed 33 genes with two or more lethal alleles and 73 genes whose essentiality was not confirmed with an independent lethal mutation, although in some cases second leaky alleles were identified.</p></div

A blended knowledge translation initiative to improve colorectal cancer staging [ISRCTN56824239]

Abstract Background A significant gap has been documented between best practice and the actual practice of surgery. Our group identified that colorectal cancer staging in Ontario was suboptimal and subsequently developed a knowledge translation strategy using the principles of social marketing and the influence of expert and local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer. Methods/Design Opinion leaders were identified using the Hiss methodology. Hospitals in Ontario were cluster-randomized to one of two intervention arms. Both groups were exposed to a formal continuing medical education session given by the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer. In the treatment group the local Opinion Leader for colorectal cancer was detailed by the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer and received a toolkit. Forty-two centres agreed to have the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer come and give a formal continuing medical education session that lasted between 50 minutes and 4 hours. No centres refused the intervention. These sessions were generally well attended by most surgeons, pathologists and other health care professionals at each centre. In addition all but one of the local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer met with the expert opinion leader for colorectal cancer for the academic detailing session that lasted between 15 and 30 minutes. Discussion We have enacted a unique study that has attempted to induce practice change among surgeons and pathologists using an adapted social marketing model that utilized the influence of both expert and local opinion leaders for colorectal cancer in a large geographic area with diverse practice settings

Mutants responsive to non-photorespiratory conditions.

<p>High CO₂ is 0.3%, air is ambient atmosphere. Mutants presented are those with numbers of seedlings with germination, survival, or morphology differences significant at p = 0.05 or less (Student’s T-test). Homozygous genotypes for seedlings with abnormal morphologies were confirmed by PCR except SALK_008478.</p>a<p>see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone-0073291-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a>.</p>b<p>n = , number of discrete growouts conducted in indicated conditions.</p>c<p>percentage of seedlings that survived to three weeks old in indicated conditions.</p>d<p>percentage of seeds sown that yielded a seedling with described abnormal appearance.</p>e<p>See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Wei1" target="_blank">[52]</a> for additional characterized alleles that could be screened.</p>f<p>Germinated albino seedlings did not survive to 3 weeks; stronger alleles are embryo lethal <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Asakura1" target="_blank">[53]</a>.</p>g<p>Additional alleles could be screened to confirm result.</p>h<p>See also <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Romani1" target="_blank">[86]</a>.</p>i<p><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Robles1" target="_blank">[81]</a>.</p>j<p><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Boldt1" target="_blank">[87]</a>.</p>k<p><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone.0073291-Peterhansel1" target="_blank">[48]</a>.</p

Chlorophyll fluorescence false color images for mutants with altered growth in 0.3% CO₂.

<p>Plants shown at left photographed after growth on enriched CO₂ and before analysis. The meanings of the column headings and cutoffs for ‘+’ and ‘−’ are as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073291#pone-0073291-t003" target="_blank">Table 3</a>. Arrows indicate homozygous mutant plants. A, <i>shm1-1</i>. B, SALK_073728, an allele of glycerate kinase. C, <i>npq1-1</i>. D, allele FLAG_202E10 of At3g17930. E, allele SALK_088638 of At3g17930. F, allele SALK_032903 of At4g17620. G, allele SALK_097243 of At4g14605.</p

Seedling phenotypes found on supplemented media.

<p>Top, phenotype classes (x-axis) refer to portion of segregating seed progeny with phenotype consistently different than wild-type Col sown on the same plate. ‘1’, no rescue on any type of medium (germination ranged from 0 - 89%). ‘2’, germination ≥90% with all seedlings indistinguishable from wild-type Col on all media tested. ‘3’, very early seed development mutants, all seedlings shown or presumed to be heterozygous for the mutation or homozygous wild type. ‘4’, seedling growth with positive response to 0.5% sucrose. ‘4a’, completely albino on all media tested. ‘4b’, albino without 0.5% sucrose supplementation, green with sucrose. ‘4c’, green with or without sucrose supplementation. ‘5’, growth affected by amino acid supplementation. Examples shown: 4a, allele SALK_002470 of At1g63970 encoding 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase, 4b, allele SALK_056011 of At4g17740 encoding a peptidase S41 family protein, 4c, allele SALK_151530 of At1g50900, encoding <i>GDC1,</i> 5, allele SALK_090549 Chloroplast Calvin Cycle sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase gene At3g55800.</p

Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements for mutants affected by growth in nonphotorespiratory conditions.

<p>Controls are described further in text. Fv/Fm, +, measurement indicating reduced Fv/Fm, −, measurement indicating no difference compared to wild type Col. NPQ, +, measurement indicating increased NPQ, −, measurement indicating no difference compared to wild type Col. BHL, before high light treatment, AHL, after high light treatment, Recovery, after 2 days return to original growth conditions. ND, direct air vs. high CO₂ comparisons were not done for these mutant controls.</p