Lost in transduction: Critical considerations when using viral vectors

The application of retroviral vectors in the laboratory requires considerations that often go overlooked but are often easy to circumvent. Here, we discuss the relationship between the observed transduction efficiency of a cell population and per-cell viral insertions—and describe how differential cell-type susceptibilities can confound results. We consider the math underlying this problem and review an alternative approach to the commonly used “multiplicity of infection” (MOI) method of titering and using viral vectors in the biomedical research laboratory

Planning farm property transfers within families in Iowa

One of every two Iowa farm owners has received family assistance in acquiring ownership of their farm resources. These intrafamily farm transfers appear to be increasing throughout the state. This trend is in keeping with farm transfer experiences in older parts of this country as well as in the western European countries from which our farm property system evolved. Sooner or later all farm-owning parents and their children must face the problems of transferring the home farm within the family. These problems arise out of the inevitable processes of life and death and the continuity of rights in farm property. Because of the inevitability of death, farm-owning parents and their children are faced with the problem of bridging the gap between generations in providing for the transfer of farm property within the family. Fortunately, an increasing number of farm families are becoming concerned with intrafamily farm transfer problems and are searching for satisfactory ways of planning for the transfer of their farm property. There are several reasons for this increased interest. First, more Iowa farmers than ever before own their farms. Around 62 percent of Iowa\u27s farmers own part or all of the land they operate. Second, Iowa farm owners have larger equities in their farms than ever before. Farm owners\u27 equities in their land are around 89 percent of the value of their land and buildings. Third, more farm estates are being subjected to higher estate, gift and inheritance taxes, primarily as a result of increased farm values. Fourth, progressive income taxes encourage farm owners to consider the tax-saving possibilities of distributing their property within their families. Fifth, today\u27s parents are interested in avoiding some of the errors made by their parents in transferring farm property within their family. Sixth, children are anxious to obtain reasonable assurance of what to expect in the way of family ’ financial resources in planning for their future in farming

BORIS (CTCFL) Is Not Expressed in Most Human Breast Cell Lines and High Grade Breast Carcinomas

BORIS (CTCFL) is the only known paralog of the versatile regulatory protein CTCF, a multifunctional DNA binding protein that mediates distinct gene regulatory functions involved in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Unlike CTCF, the expression of BORIS is normally restricted to specific cells in testes (the only cells where CTCF is not expressed), where it may play a role in reprogramming the methylation pattern of male germ line DNA. Frequent amplification of the 20q13.2 region, which contains the BORIS gene, and expression of BORIS transcripts in diverse human tumors and cell lines have led to the hypothesis that aberrant expression of BORIS may play a role in tumorigenesis by interfering with CTCF functions. However, recent studies using more quantitative methods indicate low frequency of BORIS expression in melanoma, ovarian, prostate, and bladder carcinomas. To investigate the relationship between chromosome 20q13 amplification and BORIS mRNA levels within breast cancer cell lines and tissues, we developed a quantitative RT-PCR assay to measure the levels of BORIS mRNA. Endpoint RT-PCR assays were also used to investigate the possible expression of alternatively spliced variants. Using multiple primer sets and controls, we found that neither mature BORIS transcripts nor spliced variants are commonly expressed at detectable levels in malignant breast cells or tissues, although endogenous BORIS transcripts can be induced in MCF-7 cells following 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment. In conclusion, in most breast cancer cells, endogenous BORIS is unlikely to be expressed at sufficient levels to interfere with CTCF functions. Thus it is improbable that aberrant BORIS expression plays a role in most human breast cancers

O/IR Polarimetry for the 2010 Decade (GAN): Science at the Edge, Sharp Tools for All

Science opportunities and recommendations concerning optical/infrared polarimetry for the upcoming decade in the field of Galactic science. Community-based White Paper to Astro2010 in response to the call for such papers.Comment: White Paper to the Galactic Neighborhood (GAN) Science Frontiers Panel of the Astro2010 Decadal Surve

Effects of exotic soybean genotype on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits in finishing pigs

Compared to a corn-soybean meal control, added-fat from tallow, soybean oil, and dry-extruded whole soybeans (DEWS) improved ADG, F/G, and digestibility of DM and N. Feeding tallow increased belly firmness but also increased backfat thickness compared to diets with soy oil and DEWS. Comparisons among soybean genotypes indicated that high oleic acid soybeans supported greater growth performance than soybeans with high palmitic acid content. However, soybean genotype had no effect on carcass or meat quality measurements.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 199

The sweet spot in sustainability: a framework for corporate assessment in sugar manufacturing

The assessment of corporate sustainability has become an increasingly important topic, both within academia and in industry. For manufacturing companies to conform to their commitments to sustainable development, a standard and reliable measurement framework is required. There is, however, a lack of sector-specific and empirical research in many areas, including the sugar industry. This paper presents an empirically developed framework for the assessment of corporate sustainability within the Thai sugar industry. Multiple case studies were conducted, and a survey using questionnaires was also employed to enhance the power of generalisation. The developed framework is an accurate and reliable measurement instrument of corporate sustainability, and guidelines to assess qualitative criteria are put forward. The proposed framework can be used for a company’s self-assessment and for guiding practitioners in performance improvement and policy decision-maki

Los orígenes de un nuevo gen de diseño de alas de mariposa dentro de una familia de reguladores conservados del ciclo celular

A major challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand the origins of novel structures. The wing patterns of butterflies and moths are derived phenotypes unique to the Lepidoptera. Here we identify a gene that we name poikilomousa (poik), which regulates colour pattern switches in the mimetic Heliconius butterflies. Strong associations between phenotypic variation and DNA sequence variation are seen in three different Heliconius species, in addition to associations between gene expression and colour pattern. Colour pattern variants are also associated with differences in splicing of poik transcripts. poik is a member of the conserved fizzy family of cell cycle regulators. It belongs to a faster evolving subfamily, the closest functionally characterised orthologue being the cortex gene in Drosophila, a female germ-line specific protein involved in meiosis. poik appears to have adopted a novel function in the Lepidoptera and become a major target for natural selection acting on colour and pattern variation in this group

NetPyNE, a tool for data-driven multiscale modeling of brain circuits

Biophysical modeling of neuronal networks helps to integrate and interpret rapidly growing and disparate experimental datasets at multiple scales. The NetPyNE tool (www.netpyne.org) provides both programmatic and graphical interfaces to develop data-driven multiscale network models in NEURON. NetPyNE clearly separates model parameters from implementation code. Users provide specifications at a high level via a standardized declarative language, for example connectivity rules, to create millions of cell-to-cell connections. NetPyNE then enables users to generate the NEURON network, run efficiently parallelized simulations, optimize and explore network parameters through automated batch runs, and use built-in functions for visualization and analysis – connectivity matrices, voltage traces, spike raster plots, local field potentials, and information theoretic measures. NetPyNE also facilitates model sharing by exporting and importing standardized formats (NeuroML and SONATA). NetPyNE is already being used to teach computational neuroscience students and by modelers to investigate brain regions and phenomena