Gene Ontology: Pitfalls, Biases, and Remedies.

The Gene Ontology (GO) is a formidable resource, but there are several considerations about it that are essential to understand the data and interpret it correctly. The GO is sufficiently simple that it can be used without deep understanding of its structure or how it is developed, which is both a strength and a weakness. In this chapter, we discuss some common misinterpretations of the ontology and the annotations. A better understanding of the pitfalls and the biases in the GO should help users make the most of this very rich resource. We also review some of the misconceptions and misleading assumptions commonly made about GO, including the effect of data incompleteness, the importance of annotation qualifiers, and the transitivity or lack thereof associated with different ontology relations. We also discuss several biases that can confound aggregate analyses such as gene enrichment analyses. For each of these pitfalls and biases, we suggest remedies and best practices

A Multiwavelength Digital Holographic Microscope Architecture for Enhancing Life Detection

Spectral properties of living organism can provide a discriminating method for characterization. However, digital holographic microscopy (DHM), a high-resolution, volumetric imaging technique that is well-suited for examining microbial species is typically monochromatic. Thus, the spectral properties of bacteria are not probed with DHM save only for the wavelength of operation. Here we describe a new DHM instrument which enhances the method via the simultaneous recording of wavelength multiplexed holograms of the sample. This coarse spectral encoding is akin to labeling with RGB values, thereby producing colorized images of the species which enables a new dimension of characterization. This new instrument is derived from a previous architecture which has already demonstrated superior opto/mechanical stability. Herein, this novel instrument is described, and the results of experimental measurements taken with this new instrument are shown

Pediatric button battery injuries: 2013 task force update

AbstractOver the last 10 years, there has been a dramatic rise in the incidence of severe injuries involving children who ingest button batteries. Injury can occur rapidly and children can be asymptomatic or demonstrate non-specific symptoms until catastrophic injuries develop over a period of hours or days. Smaller size ingested button batteries will often pass without clinical sequellae; however, batteries 20mm and larger can more easily lodge in the esophagus causing significant damage. In some cases, the battery can erode into the aorta resulting in massive hemorrhage and death. To mitigate against the continued rise in life-threatening injuries, a national Button Battery Task Force was assembled to pursue a multi-faceted approach to injury prevention. This task force includes representatives from medicine, public health, industry, poison control, and government. A recent expert panel discussion at the 2013 American Broncho-Esophagological Association (ABEA) Meeting provided an update on the activities of the task force and is highlighted in this paper

How Resource Challenges Can Improve Firm Innovation Performance: Identifying Coping Strategies

Researchers recently suggested that challenges in the form of adversities and constraints can actually promote individuals, teams and firms. However, it remains unclear how such challenges elicit positive innovation performance. Moreover, we still cannot distinguish between the conditions under which challenges enhance or hinder firm innovation performance. In this paper, we review the literature on coping with a specific and central type of challenge - resource challenge, such as a lack of financial or human resources - and propose an underlying mechanism through which firms can benefit from resource challenges. The paper presents an integrative conceptual framework and looks at the key constructs that explain the effects of resource challenges on firm innovation performance. Further, it proposes two key strategies for coping with resource challenges: simplification-focus and compensation