Transcriptome Analysis of CD4+ T Cells in Coeliac Disease Reveals Imprint of BACH2 and IFNγ Regulation

peer-reviewedData Availability: The raw sequencing reads (FASTQ files) and sequence read counts mapped to UCSC hg19 for each of the 74 transcriptomes sequenced in this study have been deposited at Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) accession GSE69549.This project was funded by Science Foundation Ireland Grant number 09/IN.1/B2640 to RM.Genetic studies have to date identified 43 genome wide significant coeliac disease susceptibility (CD) loci comprising over 70 candidate genes. However, how altered regulation of such disease associated genes contributes to CD pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. Recently there has been considerable emphasis on characterising cell type specific and stimulus dependent genetic variants. Therefore in this study we used RNA sequencing to profile over 70 transcriptomes of CD4+ T cells, a cell type crucial for CD pathogenesis, in both stimulated and resting samples from individuals with CD and unaffected controls. We identified extensive transcriptional changes across all conditions, with the previously established CD gene IFNy the most strongly up-regulated gene (log2 fold change 4.6; Padjusted = 2.40x10-11) in CD4+ T cells from CD patients compared to controls. We show a significant correlation of differentially expressed genes with genetic studies of the disease to date (Padjusted = 0.002), and 21 CD candidate susceptibility genes are differentially expressed under one or more of the conditions used in this study. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment of immune related processes. Co-expression network analysis identified several modules of coordinately expressed CD genes. Two modules were particularly highly enriched for differentially expressed genes (P</iframe

Strategies for effective dissemination of research to United States policymakers: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Research has the potential to influence US social policy; however, existing research in this area lacks a coherent message. The Model for Dissemination of Research provides a framework through which to synthesize lessons learned from research to date on the process of translating research to US policymakers. METHODS: The peer-reviewed and grey literature was systematically reviewed to understand common strategies for disseminating social policy research to policymakers in the United States. We searched Academic Search Premier, PolicyFile, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, and Web of Science from January 1980 through December 2019. Articles were independently reviewed and thematically analyzed by two investigators and organized using the Model for Dissemination of Research. RESULTS: The search resulted in 5225 titles and abstracts for inclusion consideration. 303 full-text articles were reviewed with 27 meeting inclusion criteria. Common sources of research dissemination included government, academic researchers, the peer reviewed literature, and independent organizations. The most frequently disseminated research topics were health-related, and legislators and executive branch administrators were the most common target audience. Print materials and personal communication were the most common channels for disseminating research to policymakers. There was variation in dissemination channels by level of government (e.g., a more formal legislative process at the federal level compared with other levesl). Findings from this work suggest that dissemination is most effective when it starts early, galvanizes support, uses champions and brokers, considers contextual factors, is timely, relevant, and accessible, and knows the players and process. CONCLUSIONS: Effective dissemination of research to US policymakers exists; yet, rigorous quantitative evaluation is rare. A number of cross-cutting strategies appear to enhance the translation of research evidence into policy. REGISTRATION: Not registered

Controllable selective exfoliation of high-quality graphene nanosheets and nanodots by ionic liquid assisted grinding

Bulk quantities of graphene nanosheets and nanodots have been selectively fabricated by mechanical grinding exfoliation of natural graphite in a small quantity of ionic liquids. The resulting graphene sheets and dots are solvent free with low levels of naturally absorbed oxygen, inherited from the starting graphite. The sheets are only two to five layers thick. The graphene nanodots have diameters in the range of 9-29 nm and heights in the range of 1-16 nm, which can be controlled by changing the processing time.Comment: * Corresponding authors: [email protected]; [email protected]

Perceptual grouping ability in Williams syndrome: Evidence for deviant patterns of performance

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder. At a cognitive level, this population display poor visuo-spatial cognition when compared to verbal ability. Within the visuo-spatial domain, it is now accepted that individuals with WS are able to perceive both local and global aspects of an image, albeit at a low level. The present study examines the manner in which local elements are grouped into a global whole in WS. Fifteen individuals with WS and 15 typically developing controls, matched for non-verbal ability, were presented with a matrix of local elements and asked whether these elements were perceptually grouped horizontally or vertically. The WS group were at the same level as the control group when grouping by luminance, closure, and alignment. However, their ability to group by shape, orientation and proximity was significantly poorer than controls. This unusual profile of grouping abilities in WS suggests that these individuals do not form a global percept in a typical manner

TrackMapper Rises

This project repaired and upgraded non-functional Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) TrackMapper software, to a faster, functional, user-friendly, web-based application that can be directly accessed by researchers, fishery managers and others. TrackMapper is database software that was developed by DAF researchers in 2007 as part of an externally funded Fisheries Research and Development Corporation project (FRDC project 2002/056 Innovative stock assessment and effort mapping using VMS and electronic logbooks). However, over the last 5-6 years, the program has become incompatible with contemporary Windows-based operating platforms, rendering it inoperable. TrackMapper was developed for the Queensland east coast otter trawl fishery, which is the state’s most valuable commercial fishery, harvesting 7000-8000 t of seafood annually valued at $80-90 million. The most useful feature of TrackMapper is that it can produce maps of fishing effort, catch and catch rates for the fishery at a spatial resolution that is 10-50 times that reported using logbook data alone. This information can be used for a range of fisheries management and research tasks, including the assessment of targeted stocks of prawns, scallops, bugs and stout whiting, as well as impacts on the bottom and other non-target bycatch species. This is noteworthy as much of the fishery occurs in waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), which has World Heritage status

Modelling the evolution of distributions : an application to major league baseball

We develop Bayesian techniques for modelling the evolution of entire distributions over time and apply them to the distribution of team performance in Major League baseball for the period 1901-2000. Such models offer insight into many key issues (e.g. competitive balance) in a way that regression-based models cannot. The models involve discretizing the distribution and then modelling the evolution of the bins over time through transition probability matrices. We allow for these matrices to vary over time and across teams. We find that, with one exception, the transition probability matrices (and, hence, competitive balance) have been remarkably constant across time and over teams. The one exception is the Yankees, who have outperformed all other teams

Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey 2013–14

This report summarises the key results from the 2013–14 Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey. It includes detailed information on how many Queenslanders fished recreationally and what they caught. Information on fishing participation rates, boat ownership and fishing and diving club membership is also presented. In the 12 months prior to September 2013, an estimated 642 000 Queenslanders went recreational fishing in Queensland, representing 15% of the Queensland population aged 5 years or more. This makes recreational fishing one of the most popular leisure activities in Queensland. Resident recreational fishers caught a diverse range of teleosts (bony fishes) and elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays). Yellowfin bream was the most commonly caught fish, with an estimated1 156 000 caught. Whiting were the next most commonly caught fish, with an estimated 1 090 000 sand whiting complex and 679 000 trumpeter whiting caught. Flathead also formed a considerable part of the total catch, with approximately 412 000 fish caught, of which 85% were dusky flathead (352 000 fish)