Integrating Naturalized Areas onto the University at Albany Campus

The purpose of this management plan is to provide recommendations to create naturalized areas and increase biodiversity on the University at Albany campus. The University currently follows a number of environmental policies in an effort to promote uniformity. There are many benefits to increasing biodiversity on campus such as providing ecosystem services, increasing education and awareness, aiding in stormwater management, and support institutional advancement. There are already several areas on the campus that would serve as prime locations for projects of this nature including the front lawn and the Dutch and State parking lots. Future directions that the campus can take includes a biodiversity sanctuary and a habitat corridor along a proposed rapid transit bus route. If we implement these policies, the University at Albany can become more appealing and a model for enhancing biodiversity on other urban campuse

AI Without Math: Making AI and ML Comprehensible

If we want nontechnical stakeholders to respond to artificial intelligence developments in an informed way, we must help them acquire a more-than-superficial understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Explanations involving formal mathematical notation will not reach most people who need to make informed decisions about AI. We believe it is possible to teach many AI and ML concepts without slipping into mathematical notation

Systematic review finds that study data not published in full text articles have unclear impact on meta-analyses results in medical research.

A meta-analysis as part of a systematic review aims to provide a thorough, comprehensive and unbiased statistical summary of data from the literature. However, relevant study results could be missing from a meta-analysis because of selective publication and inadequate dissemination. If missing outcome data differ systematically from published ones, a meta-analysis will be biased with an inaccurate assessment of the intervention effect. As part of the EU-funded OPEN project (www.open-project.eu) we conducted a systematic review that assessed whether the inclusion of data that were not published at all and/or published only in the grey literature influences pooled effect estimates in meta-analyses and leads to different interpretation. Systematic review of published literature (methodological research projects). Four bibliographic databases were searched up to February 2016 without restriction of publication year or language. Methodological research projects were considered eligible for inclusion if they reviewed a cohort of meta-analyses which (i) compared pooled effect estimates of meta-analyses of health care interventions according to publication status of data or (ii) examined whether the inclusion of unpublished or grey literature data impacts the result of a meta-analysis. Seven methodological research projects including 187 meta-analyses comparing pooled treatment effect estimates according to different publication status were identified. Two research projects showed that published data showed larger pooled treatment effects in favour of the intervention than unpublished or grey literature data (Ratio of ORs 1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.28 and 1.34, 95% CI 1.09-1.66). In the remaining research projects pooled effect estimates and/or overall findings were not significantly changed by the inclusion of unpublished and/or grey literature data. The precision of the pooled estimate was increased with narrower 95% confidence interval. Although we may anticipate that systematic reviews and meta-analyses not including unpublished or grey literature study results are likely to overestimate the treatment effects, current empirical research shows that this is only the case in a minority of reviews. Therefore, currently, a meta-analyst should particularly consider time, effort and costs when adding such data to their analysis. Future research is needed to identify which reviews may benefit most from including unpublished or grey data

Identification and Functional Characterization of Gene Components of Type VI Secretion System in Bacterial Genomes

A new secretion system, called the Type VI Secretion system (T6SS), was recently reported in Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia mallei. A total of 18 genes have been identified to be belonging to this secretion system in V. cholerae. Here we attempt to identify presence of T6SS in other bacterial genomes. This includes identification of orthologous sequences, conserved motifs, domains, families, 3D folds, genomic islands containing T6SS components, phylogenetic profiles and protein-protein association of these components. Our analysis indicates presence of T6SS in 42 bacteria and its absence in most of their non-pathogenic species, suggesting the role of T6SS in imparting pathogenicity to an organism. Analysis of genomic regions containing T6SS components, phylogenetic profiles and protein-protein association of T6SS components indicate few additional genes which could be involved in this secretion system. Based on our studies, functional annotations were assigned to most of the components. Except one of the genes, we could group all the other genes of T6SS into those belonging to the puncturing device, and those located in the outer membrane, transmembrane and inner membrane. Based on our analysis, we have proposed a model of T6SS and have compared the same with the other bacterial secretion systems

Neuron–astrocyte interactions in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body

The calyx of Held (CoH) synapse serves as a model system to analyze basic mechanisms of synaptic transmission. Astrocyte processes are part of the synaptic structure and contact both pre- and postsynaptic membranes. In the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), midline stimulation evoked a current response that was not mediated by glutamate receptors or glutamate uptake, despite the fact that astrocytes express functional receptors and transporters. However, astrocytes showed spontaneous Ca2+ responses and neuronal slow inward currents (nSICs) were recorded in the postsynaptic principal neurons (PPNs) of the MNTB. These currents were correlated with astrocytic Ca2+ activity because dialysis of astrocytes with BAPTA abolished nSICs. Moreover, the frequency of these currents was increased when Ca2+ responses in astrocytes were elicited. NMDA antagonists selectively blocked nSICs while D-serine degradation significantly reduced NMDA-mediated currents. In contrast to previous studies in the hippocampus, these NMDA-mediated currents were rarely synchronized

The Vehicle, Fall 1986

Table of Contents Selling Poetry: Honesty with the InvestorPatrick Peterspage 2 Father\u27s Book, Jan. 1984 (A Fictional Autobiography)James T. Finneganpage 3 Pet Day in Afternoon KindergartenDan Von Holtenpage 7 Dental Dreams in the Bathroom MirrorDan Von Holtenpage 7 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 8 SilenceJoe Hortonpage 8 SkullMichael Salempage 9 The TunnelJim Harrispage 10 Lindenwood CemeteryJean Chandlerpage 12 Into the SeaDan Seltzerpage 13 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 13 WindowsJim Harrispage 14 Little Pieces of YouStuart Albertpage 18 Slicing the AppleAmy Callpage 19 Winter WalkLarry Mitchellpage 19 Komical KellyJohn Fehrmannpage 20 Thermal SueJohn Fehrmannpage 20 Death PoemBob Zordanipage 21 Venice, ItalySherry L. Clinepage 22 RoadkillPhil Simpsonpage 24 I Hate CowsLori Delzer, Joe Crites, Becky Michaelpage 32 Telephone Operators: 1942Jim Harrispage 33 Expiration Date 3/8/65Edward Schellpage 34 Desert FloorPatrick Peterspage 35 PhotographLawrence McGownpage 36 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 37 Coping with NightStuart Albertpage 38 PhotographDan Mountpage 38 One On OnePatrick Peterspage 39 An Acquired TasteTina Wrightpage 40 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 40 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 41 When Children Are Alone, The Devil SpeaksTom Greenpage 41 BobChristy Denphypage 42 Gut & ScissorsDane Buczkowskipage 42 This Old HouseAmy Callpage 43 MortgageTina Wrightpage 43https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1048/thumbnail.jp

The Vehicle, Fall 1986

Table of Contents Selling Poetry: Honesty with the InvestorPatrick Peterspage 2 Father\u27s Book, Jan. 1984 (A Fictional Autobiography)James T. Finneganpage 3 Pet Day in Afternoon KindergartenDan Von Holtenpage 7 Dental Dreams in the Bathroom MirrorDan Von Holtenpage 7 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 8 SilenceJoe Hortonpage 8 SkullMichael Salempage 9 The TunnelJim Harrispage 10 Lindenwood CemeteryJean Chandlerpage 12 Into the SeaDan Seltzerpage 13 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 13 WindowsJim Harrispage 14 Little Pieces of YouStuart Albertpage 18 Slicing the AppleAmy Callpage 19 Winter WalkLarry Mitchellpage 19 Komical KellyJohn Fehrmannpage 20 Thermal SueJohn Fehrmannpage 20 Death PoemBob Zordanipage 21 Venice, ItalySherry L. Clinepage 22 RoadkillPhil Simpsonpage 24 I Hate CowsLori Delzer, Joe Crites, Becky Michaelpage 32 Telephone Operators: 1942Jim Harrispage 33 Expiration Date 3/8/65Edward Schellpage 34 Desert FloorPatrick Peterspage 35 PhotographLawrence McGownpage 36 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 37 Coping with NightStuart Albertpage 38 PhotographDan Mountpage 38 One On OnePatrick Peterspage 39 An Acquired TasteTina Wrightpage 40 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 40 PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 41 When Children Are Alone, The Devil SpeaksTom Greenpage 41 BobChristy Denphypage 42 Gut & ScissorsDane Buczkowskipage 42 This Old HouseAmy Callpage 43 MortgageTina Wrightpage 43https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1048/thumbnail.jp

Affimer proteins for F-actin: novel affinity reagents that label F-actin in live and fixed cells

Imaging the actin cytoskeleton in cells uses a wide range of approaches. Typically, a fluorescent derivative of the small cyclic peptide phalloidin is used to image F-actin in fixed cells. Lifeact and F-tractin are popular for imaging the cytoskeleton in live cells. Here we characterised novel affinity reagents called Affimers that specifically bind to F-actin in vitro to determine if they are suitable alternatives as eGFP-fusion proteins, to label actin in live cells, or for labeling F-actin in fixed cells. In vitro experiments showed that 3 out of the 4 Affimers (Affimers 6, 14 and 24) tested bind tightly to purified F-actin, and appear to have overlapping binding sites. As eGFP-fusion proteins, the same 3 Affimers label F-actin in live cells. FRAP experiments suggest that eGFP-Affimer 6 behaves most similarly to F-tractin and Lifeact. However, it does not colocalize with mCherry-actin in dynamic ruffles, and may preferentially bind stable actin filaments. All 4 Affimers label F-actin in methanol fixed cells, while only Affimer 14 labels F-actin after paraformaldehyde fixation. eGFP-Affimer 6 has potential for use in selectively imaging the stable actin cytoskeleton in live cells, while all 4 Affimers are strong alternatives to phalloidin for labelling F-actin in fixed cells