Table builder problem - confidentiality for linked tables

The aim of this project is to investigate solutions to the problem of improving access to detailed survey data, while ensuring no person or organisation is likely to be identified, or otherwise put at risk of having their data disclosed, and to link general findings back to the ABS Table Builder problem. We focussed on making contributions in two main areas, namely: 1. Identification of sensitive cells in a table, 2. Maximizing data utility and minimising information loss - ensuring the table provides useful information

Biochemical Properties of a Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotide Inhibitor of STAT3 Transcription Factor.

Cyclic STAT3 decoy (CS3D) is a second-generation, double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) that mimics a genomic response element for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), an oncogenic transcription factor. CS3D competitively inhibits STAT3 binding to target gene promoters, resulting in decreased expression of proteins that promote cellular proliferation and survival. Previous studies have demonstrated antitumor activity of CS3D in preclinical models of solid tumors. However, prior to entering human clinical trials, the efficiency of generating the CS3D molecule and its stability in biological fluids should be determined. CS3D is synthesized as a single-stranded ODN and must have its free ends ligated to generate the final cyclic form. In this study, we report a ligation efficiency of nearly 95 percent. The ligated CS3D demonstrated a half-life of 7.9 h in human serum, indicating adequate stability for intravenous delivery. These results provide requisite biochemical characterization of CS3D that will inform upcoming clinical trials

IRVE-II Post-Flight Trajectory Reconstruction

NASA s Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) II successfully demonstrated an inflatable aerodynamic decelerator after being launched aboard a sounding rocket from Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). Preliminary day of flight data compared well with pre-flight Monte Carlo analysis, and a more complete trajectory reconstruction performed with an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) approach followed. The reconstructed trajectory and comparisons to an attitude solution provided by NASA Sounding Rocket Operations Contract (NSROC) personnel at WFF are presented. Additional comparisons are made between the reconstructed trajectory and pre and post-flight Monte Carlo trajectory predictions. Alternative observations of the trajectory are summarized which leverage flight accelerometer measurements, the pre-flight aerodynamic database, and on-board flight video. Finally, analysis of the payload separation and aeroshell deployment events are presented. The flight trajectory is reconstructed to fidelity sufficient to assess overall project objectives related to flight dynamics and overall, IRVE-II flight dynamics are in line with expectation

Archaeological Mapping Project

In light of the earthquake in Christchurch, as well as the recent ones in Wellington, the need to know the location and types of archaeological sites/themes in Wellington is important. NZHPT, combined with the Wellington Archaeological Group, Wellington Tenths Trust/Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, are working on a Wellington City archaeological mapping project that will have two purposes, the first being a tool that can be used in an emergency event to guide heritage experts, council, NZHPT and the equivalent of CERA, with a systematic and practical map showing the areas of high, medium, low or no archaeological risk. The second tool that will come out of this project is a mapping tool that can be used by consultants, Wellington City Council, tangata whenua, developers and other groups, on a daily basis to help identify the archaeological potential of an area in respect to proposed development or research.The project will pull together local archaeological consultants' knowledge, tangata whenua knowledge, Wellington City Council and archival information as well as information on previous archaeological authorities and registrations held at NZHPT. We are seeking information and knowledge from people within the heritage community who can help in developing the project

BENEFITS AND BURDENS: RESEARCHING THE CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION IN THE SAHEL

Summary This article is based on research which studied the consequences of out?migration from rural areas of the Sahel for women and environmental management. Research findings show that, although it may lead to an increase in work for women, out?migration is a rational and effective means by which people cope with dramatic environmental change and sustain their rural livelihoods. The research sought to respond to the concerns of development policy?makers. Two major recommendations were, firstly, that while they should not discourage migration, development projects should invest in the creation of alternative income?earning opportunities in rural areas. Secondly, women must be recognized as resource managers whose activities are crucial to family subsistence, and environmental programmes must be made appropriate to, and fully inclusive of them. RESUME Les advantages et les inconvénients: une recherche sur les conséquences de la migration dans le Sahel Le présent article est fondé sur une recherche qui avait pour but d'étudier les conséquences de la migration hors des parties rurales du Sahel, notamment en ce qui concerne les femmes et la gestion de l'environnement. Les résultats de la recherche indiqueraient que, bien qu'elle mène à une augmentation du travail des femmes, cette migration vers l'extérieur est un moyen raisonné et efficace par lequel les gens parviennent à affronter les changements dramatiques dans l'environnement et à préserver leurs moyens de vie ruraux. La recherche voulait s'adresser aux inquiétudes de ceux qui formulent la politique du développement. Deux recommandations majeures sont ressorties de l'étude: tout d'abord, et bien qu'il n'y avait pas lieu d'encourager la migration, les projets de développement devaient investir dans la création de possibilités alternatives pour obtenir des revenus dans les régions rurales. Et dans un deuxième temps les femmes devraient être reconnues en tant que gestionnaires des ressources dont les activités sont cruciales pour la survie des familles. Il découle de ces recommandations que les programmes environnementaux devraient être appropriés pour ces femmes, et tenir compte d'elles à part entière. RESUMEN Ventajas y desventajas: consecuencias de la migración en el Sahel Este artículo se basa en en los resultados de un trabajo de investigación sobre las consecuencias que la emigración de áreas rurales del Sahel ha tenido para las mujeres y para el manejo del medio ambiente. Los hallazgos de la investigación demuestran que la migración es un medio efectivo y racional para enfrentar cambios dramáticos en el medio ambiente y mantener la subsistencia en el área rural, aunque puede llevar a un incremento de trabajo para la mujer. Esta investigación trataba de dar respuesta a las preocupaciones de los encargados de formular pautas de acción. Se efectuaron dos recomendaciones primordiales: 1) Los proyectos de desarrollo deben invertir en la creación de oportunidades alternativas de generar capital en el área rural, pero sin poner freno a la migración; 2) la mujer debe ser reconocida como apta para manejar recursos en estas actividades cruciales para la susbsistencia familiar, y los programas de medio ambiente deben ser apropiados, e incluir su total participación

Using the blended spaces framework to design heritage stories with schoolchildren.

Blended spaces are spaces where a physical space is deliberately integrated in a close-knit way with a digital space. Blended spaces may take the form of a carefully designed meeting room, for example, that integrates collaborative media with the design of the physical space. Another type of blended space integrates some digital content with a physical location to create a new, unified user experience (UX). Blended spaces aim to produce a more harmonized UX of a place by considering the correspondences between physical and digital spaces and by considering the movement through these spaces. We have developed a framework for the design of blended spaces that focuses on four principal constructs; ontology, topology, agency and volatility. This framework has proved useful for designing heritage stories in previous work. In this paper we describe how we have used the framework with a group of grade 5 schoolchildren as a participative co-design method to help them develop a digital tourism experience for a living-history village and museum. We describe how the framework was used to guide four design workshops with schoolchildren. The evaluation of a heritage story designed and acted out by the schoolchildren themselves and evaluated by another group of schoolchildren provides evidence that the experience was enjoyed. The outcomes of all four workshops gave us insights towards how to not only design blended spaces with and for schoolchildren, but also how to teach complex theoretical design methodologies that enable schoolchildren to become the designers of blended spaces

Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., a new highly derived elasmosaurid from the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile

This paper describes a new species of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., based on a partial skeleton recovered from upper Maastrichtian beds of the Quiriquina Formation of central Chile. The material described here consists of two skeletons, one collected near the village of Cocholgue, and a second juvenile specimen from Quiriquina Island. Prior to these finds, Aristonectes was viewed as a monospecific genus, including only the enigmatic Aristonectes parvidens, the holotype of which consists of an incomplete skull and incomplete postcranium. Other material referred to the genus includes an incomplete juvenile skull and other postcranial material from the upper Maastrichtian of Antarctica, as well as a partial skull from the Quiriquina Formation of central Chile. The relationships of Aristonectes have been controversial, with competing theories assigning the genus to Cryptoclididae, Elasmosauridae, and Aristonectidae; however, there is a developing consensus that Aristonectes is a derived elasmosaurid, and this paper gives strong evidence for this view. Comparison of the specimen here studied with the holotype of A. parvidens demonstrates that A. quiriquinensis is a distinct species. The completeness of the adult skeleton allows the first confident size estimates for adult Aristonectes. It is a large plesiosaurian with a relatively large skull with numerous homodont teeth, a moderately long and laterally compressed neck, and relatively narrow trunk, with slender and elongate forelimbs. The two specimens are restricted to the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile, posing questions concerning the austral circumpolar distribution of different elasmosaurids towards the end of the Cretaceous.Fil: Otero, Rodrigo A.. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Soto Acuña, Sergio. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Santiago; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: O'Keefe, Frank Robin. Marshall University; Estados UnidosFil: O'gorman, Jose Patricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang. Heidelberg University; AlemaniaFil: Suárez, Mario E.. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Santiago; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Rubilar-Rogers, David. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Santiago; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Salazar, Christian. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Santiago; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Quinzio Sinn, Luis Arturo. Universidad de Concepción; Chil

Regulation of Nonribosomal Peptide Synthesis: bis-Thiomethylation Attenuates Gliotoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus

Gliotoxin is a redox-active nonribosomal peptide produced by Aspergillus fumigatus. Like many other disulfide-containing epipolythiodioxopiperazines, a bis-thiomethylated form is also produced. In the case of gliotoxin, bisdethiobis(methylthio)gliotoxin (BmGT) is formed for unknown reasons by a cryptic enzyme. Here, we identify the S-adenosylmethionine- dependent gliotoxin bis-thiomethyltransferase (GtmA), which converts dithiogliotoxin to BmGT. This activity, which is induced by exogenous gliotoxin, is only detectable in protein lysates of A. fumigatus deficient in the gliotoxin oxidoreductase, gliT. Thus, GtmA is capable of substrate bis-thiomethylation. Deletion of gtmA completely abrogates BmGT formation and we now propose that the purpose of BmGT formation is primarily to attenuate gliotoxin biosynthesis. Phylogenetic analysis reveals 124 GtmA homologs within the Ascomycota phylum. GtmA is encoded outside the gliotoxin biosynthetic cluster and primarily serves to negatively regulate gliotoxin biosynthesis. This mechanism of postbiosynthetic regulation of nonribosomal peptide synthesis appears to be quite unusual