Registering and uploading datasets in the generation CP central registry

Poster presented at Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Annual Research Meeting. Bamako (Mali), 20-23 Sep 200

Scanning and data extraction from crop collecting mission documents

Poster presented at TDWG 2009, Montpellier (France). 9 - 13 Nov 2009

A global information system for the conservation and sustainable use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA)

Poster presented at 2008 Annual Meeting of TD WG-Biodiversity Information Standards. Fremantle ( Australia), 19-24 Oct 200

Crop Ontology: Vocabulary For Crop-related Concepts

Abstract. A recurrent issue for data integration is the lack of a common and structured vocabulary used by different parties to describe their data sets. The Crop Ontology (www.cropontology.org) project aims to provide a central place where the crop community can gather to generate such standardized vocabularies and structure them into ontologies. Having standardized ontologies opens the world of the Semantic Web to data integration between different data providers. Crop Ontology is a community-based project, providing a central place for the creation of crop-related ontologies, but it can also be integrated into third-party tools through its Application Programming Interface, providing retrieval of specific terms or a more generic search functionality for all terms. The ontologies are available in RDF format, described using the OWL and RDFS standards, allowing them to be consumed by popular semantic reasoners. We believe that Crop Ontology will lead to better description of crop-related data, improving collaboration between partners and should serve as an example for other scientific fields

The generation challenge programme platform: semantic standards and workbench for crop science.

doi:10.1155/2008/369601

Targeting TMEM16A to reverse vasoconstriction and remodelling in idiopathic PAH

Our systematic analysis of anion channels and transporters in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) showed marked upregulation of the Cl- channel TMEM16A gene.We hypothesised that TMEM16A overexpression might represent a novel vicious circle in the molecular pathways causing PAH.We investigated healthy donor lungs (n=40) and recipient lungs with IPAH (n=38) for the expression of anion channel and transporter genes in small pulmonary arteries and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC). In IPAH, TMEM16A was strongly upregulated and patch-clamp recordings confirmed an increased Cl- current in PASMC (n=9-10). These cells were depolarised and could be repolarized by TMEM16A inhibitors or knock-down experiments (n=6-10). Inhibition/knock-down of TMEM16A reduced proliferation of IPAH-PASMC (n=6). Conversely, overexpression of TMEM16A in healthy donor PASMC produced an IPAH-like phenotype. Chronic application of benzbromarone in two independent animal models significantly decreased right ventricular pressure and reversed remodelling of established PH.Our findings suggest that increased TMEM16A expression and activity comprise an important pathologic mechanism underlying vasoconstriction and remodelling of pulmonary arteries in PAH. Inhibition of TMEM16A represents a novel therapeutic approach to achieve reverse remodelling in PAH

Implementation of web services in the Generation Challenge Programme

Poster presented at Generation Challenge Program Annual Research Meeting. Benoni (South Africa), 11-16 Sep 200

Heterotopic gastric mucosa in proximal esophagus : clinically important entity

Le but de la présente étude est d'estimer la prévalence de l'hétérotopie de la muqueuse gastrique au niveau de l'oesophage proximal (HMGOP) ainsi que d'en évaluer l'importance clinique, les caractéristiques endoscopiques et histologiques. Dans une série de 1 711 endoscopies consécutives du tractus digestif supérieur, 25 cas de HMGOP ont été observés. Dans tous les cas des biopsies ont été prélevées pour examen histologique et la surveillance des patients a permis de recueillir des données éventuelles relatives aux symptômes occasionnés par ces lésions. Dans notre étude, la prévalence est de 1,46 %. Chez 5 patients (20 %) nous avons relevé une dysphagie cervicale et des douleurs au niveau du cou, en rapport avec la HMGOP. A l'endoscopie, I'hétérotopie se présente d'habitude comme une lésion ovale, longitudinale, de couleur rouge saumon, nettement délimitée par la muqueuse oesophagienne normale de coloration légèrement rose. L'examen histologique a révélé que la muqueuse gastrique hétérotopique était soit de type fundique, soit fundopylorique en outre caractérisée par une pauvreté en cellules neuroendocrines. La prévalence de la HMGOP est semblable à celle rapportée dans d'autres séries de la littérature. L'entité clinique est en général insignifiante, mais certains cas peuvent développer des troubles apparentés à ceux de pathologies d'étiologie semblable au niveau gastrique. Pour cette raison, l'endoscopie digestive haute doit éviter de négliger l'oesophage proximal

Crop ontology: vocabulary for crop-related concepts

A recurrent issue for data integration is the lack of a common and structured vocabulary used by different parties to describe their data sets. The Crop Ontology (www.cropontology.org) project aims to provide a central place where the crop community can gather to generate such standardized vocabularies and structure them into ontologies. Having standardized ontologies opens the world of the Semantic Web to data integration between different data providers. Crop Ontology is a community-based project, providing a central place for the creation of crop-related ontologies, but it can also be integrated into third-party tools through its Application Programming Interface, providing retrieval of specific terms or a more generic search functionality for all terms. The ontologies are available in RDF format, described using the OWL and RDFS standards, allowing them to be consumed by popular semantic reasoners. We believe that Crop Ontology will lead to better description of crop-related data, improving collaboration between partners and should serve as an example for other scientific fields