The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been experimentally manipulated for several decades. Much of the information generated is available in the Saccharomyces genome database (SGD, ...http://www.yeastgenome.org/). SGD contains large datasets of both genomic and proteomic information, as well as tools for data analysis. This paper will highlight three datasets that are maintained by SGD. First, a large dataset of hand-curated information is provided in machine readable format for each gene of the Saccharomyces genome. These hand-curated annotations use the gene ontology (GO) controlled vocabularies for biological process, molecular function and cellular component and each contains categorical evidence codes and literature references. A second area of focus is on metabolic pathways. A new dataset of hand-curated information on metabolic pathways within budding yeast was released in May 2003. This resource can be searched to view biochemical reactions and pathways and their component gene products. This resource also maps data from genome-wide expression analyses onto the pathway overview providing a visualization of the changes in gene expression in the context of cellular metabolism. These pathways are created and edited using the pathway tools software but the content is reviewed and updated by SGD. A third dataset has recently become available as the result of two comparative genomic analyses. Two groups sequenced the genomes of several yeasts closely related to S. cerevisiae, and then completed a gene-by-gene comparison of these genomes. These genome comparisons were combined with available experimental evidence by SGD. Using these data the annotations for the S.cerevisiae reference genome were improved. All these datasets are freely available from the SGD ftp site.
The successful transmission of electrocardiograms from Guinea in Africa to Miami, Florida is reported. The equipment used is standard, not overly expensive, and readily available. The methods used ...are recommended for ships at sea, isolated hospitals, and emergency situations. The techniques can be applied to biomedical data of similar nature from other organs such as spirograms, pneumotachograms, and EEGs. In fact, they have been applied to phonocardiograms. Such radiocommunications increase the diagnostic coverage of emerging computer centers for mass health screening surveys and biomedical data interpretation.
The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, popularly known as WIC, provides participants with supplemental foods and nutrition education. The WIC participants are ...eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breast-feeding women, infants, and children up to their fifth birthday. The program currently serves 1.2 million infants each month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National WIC Evaluation Study of Infants and Children is the most comprehensive assessment of WIC's impact on a national infant sample. Its findings indicate that WIC infants consumed more iron-fortified infant formula (the core of the WIC infant food package) than non-WIC infants and, as a result, had higher daily intakes of formula-related nutrients--namely, iron and vitamin C. Because of lower consumption of whole cow milk, WIC infants had lower daily intakes of milk-related nutrients--calcium, protein, magnesium, and vitamin B6. The research team concluded that increased dietary intake of specific nutrients occurs only during program participation and has no residual effect after participation ceases. Possible scientific and social science research that would be useful in federal policy decisions affecting infant participation in the WIC program is discussed.
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