GM crops-lessons from medicine Hunter, Jackie; Duff, Gordon
Science,
2016-Sep-16, 2016-09-16, 20160916, Letnik:
353, Številka:
6305
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Earlier this year, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences released a report on genetically engineered crops that is comprehensive but offers few recommendations in terms of regulatory guidance. ...Although it acknowledges that a process-based regulatory system is becoming less technically feasible, the report suggests that regulators focus on safety aspects of technology when considering approval. We believe that products of new technologies should be regulated not only on the basis of their benefit-risk profiles, but also on their societal context and need.
EDITORIAL: GM crops–lessons from medicine Hunter, Jackie; Duff, Gordon
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
09/2016, Letnik:
353, Številka:
6305
Journal Article
•Relationships between semantic knowledge and word reading were explored.•Data were analysed using regression approaches and mixed-effects models.•Semantic knowledge predicted regular and exception ...word reading in six year olds.•Separately, there was an additional positive effect of reading words in context.•The findings support a role for semantic knowledge and context in word reading.
We investigated the relationship between semantic knowledge and word reading. A sample of 27 6-year-old children read words both in isolation and in context. Lexical knowledge was assessed using general and item-specific tasks. General semantic knowledge was measured using standardized tasks in which children defined words and made judgments about the relationships between words. Item-specific knowledge of to-be-read words was assessed using auditory lexical decision (lexical phonology) and definitions (semantic) tasks. Regressions and mixed-effects models indicated a close relationship between semantic knowledge (but not lexical phonology) and both regular and exception word reading. Thus, during the early stages of learning to read, semantic knowledge may support word reading irrespective of regularity. Contextual support particularly benefitted reading of exception words. We found evidence that lexical–semantic knowledge and context make separable contributions to word reading.
To gain insight into how genomic information is translated into cellular and developmental programs, the Drosophila model organism Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (modENCODE) project is comprehensively ...mapping transcripts, histone modifications, chromosomal proteins, transcription factors, replication proteins and intermediates, and nucleosome properties across a developmental time course and in multiple cell lines. We have generated more than 700 data sets and discovered protein-coding, noncoding, RNA regulatory, replication, and chromatin elements, more than tripling the annotated portion of the Drosophila genome. Correlated activity patterns of these elements reveal a functional regulatory network, which predicts putative new functions for genes, reveals stage- and tissue-specific regulators, and enables gene-expression prediction. Our results provide a foundation for directed experimental and computational studies in Drosophila and related species and also a model for systematic data integration toward comprehensive genomic and functional annotation.
The CanMars Mars Sample Return analogue mission Osinski, Gordon R.; Battler, Melissa; Caudill, Christy M. ...
Planetary and space science,
February 2019, 2019-02-00, Letnik:
166
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The return of samples from known locations on Mars is among the highest priority goals of the international planetary science community. A possible scenario for Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a series ...of 3 missions: sample cache, fetch, and retrieval. The NASA Mars 2020 mission represents the first cache mission and was the focus of the CanMars analogue mission described in this paper. The major objectives for CanMars included comparing the accuracy of selecting samples remotely using rover data versus a traditional human field party, testing the efficiency of remote science operations with periodic pre-planned strategic observations (Strategic Traverse Days), assessing the utility of realistic autonomous science capabilities to the remote science team, and investigating the factors that affect the quality of sample selection decision-making in light of returned sample analysis.
CanMars was conducted over two weeks in November 2015 and continued over three weeks in October and November 2016 at an analogue site near Hanksville, Utah, USA, that was unknown to the Mission Control Team located at the University of Western Ontario (Western) in London, Ontario, Canada. This operations architecture for CanMars was based on the Phoenix and Mars Exploration Rover missions together with previous analogue missions led by Western with the Mission Control Team being divided into Planning and Science sub-teams. In advance of the 2015 operations, the Science Team used satellite data, chosen to mimic datasets available from Mars-orbiting instruments, to produce a predictive geological map for the landing ellipse and a set of hypotheses for the geology and astrobiological potential of the landing site. The site was proposed to consist of a series of weakly cemented multi-coloured sedimentary rocks comprising carbonates, sulfates, and clays, and sinuous ridges with a resistant capping unit, interpreted as inverted paleochannels.
Both the 2015 CanMars mission, which achieved 11 sols of operations, and the first part of the 2016 mission (sols 12–21), were conducted with the Mars Exploration Science Rover (MESR) and a series of integrated and hand-held instruments designed to mimic the payload of the Mars 2020 rover. Part 2 of the 2016 campaign (sols 22–39) was implemented without the MESR rover and was conducted exclusively by the field team as a Fast Motion Field Test (FMFT) with hand-carried instruments and with the equivalent of three sols of operations being executed in a single actual day. A total of 8 samples were cached during the 39 sols from which the Science Team prioritized 3 for “return to Earth”. Various science autonomy capabilities, based on flight-proven or near-future techniques intended for actual rover missions, were tested throughout the 2016 CanMars activities, with autonomous geological classification and targeting and autonomous pointing refinement being used extensively during the FMFT. Blind targeting, contingency sequencing, and conditional sequencing were also employed.
Validation of the CanMars cache mission was achieved through various methods and approaches. The use of dedicated documentarians in mission control provided a detailed record of how and why decisions were made. Multiple separate field validation exercises employing humans using traditional geological techniques were carried out. All 8 of the selected samples plus a range of samples from the landing site region, collected out-of-simulation, have been analysed using a range of laboratory analytical techniques. A variety of lessons learned for both future analogue missions and planetary exploration missions are provided, including: dynamic collaboration between the science and planning teams as being key for mission success; the more frequent use of spectrometers and micro-imagers having remote capabilities rather than contact instruments; the utility of strategic traverse days to provide additional time for scientific discussion and meaningful interpretation of the data; the benefit of walkabout traverse strategies along with multi-sol plans with complex decisions trees to acquire a large amount of contextual data; and the availability of autonomous geological targeting, which enabled complex multi-sol plans gathering large suites of geological and geochemical survey data.
Finally, the CanMars MSR activity demonstrated the utility of analogue missions in providing opportunities to engage and educate children and the public, by providing tangible hands-on linkages between current robotic missions and future human space missions. Public education and outreach was a priority for CanMars and a dedicated lead coordinated a strong presence on social media (primarily Twitter and Facebook), articles in local, regional, and national news networks, and interaction with the local community in London, Ontario. A further core objective of CanMars was to provide valuable learning opportunities to students and post-doctoral fellows in preparation for future planetary exploration missions. A learning goals survey conducted at the end of the 2016 activities had 90% of participants “somewhat agreeing” or “strongly agreeing” that participation in the mission has helped them to increase their understanding of the four learning outcomes.
•Stand off or remote spectrometers and micro-imagers are ideal for rover missions.•Situational awareness of the rover operations area remains a challenge to mission operations.•The “walkabout” method of exploration is an effective approach to rover exploration.•Autonomous geological targeting enables complex multi-sol plans to be executed.•Conditional and contingency sequencing enhances the science return of rover missions.
Antenatal corticosteroids given to women before preterm birth improve infant survival and health. However, whether dexamethasone or betamethasone have better maternal, neonatal, and childhood health ...outcomes remains unclear. We therefore aimed to assess whether administration of antenatal dexamethasone to women at risk of preterm birth reduced the risk of death or neurosensory disability in their children at age 2 years compared with betamethasone. We also aimed to assess whether dexamethasone reduced neonatal morbidity, had benefits for the mother, or affected childhood body size, blood pressure, behaviour, or general health compared with betamethasone.
In this multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, we recruited pregnant women from 14 maternity hospitals in Australia and New Zealand that could provide care to preterm babies. Women were eligible for study inclusion if they were at risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation, had a singleton or twin pregnancy, and had no contraindications to antenatal corticosteroids. We randomly assigned women (1:1) to receive two intramuscular injections of either 12 mg dexamethasone (dexamethasone sodium phosphate) or 11·4 mg betamethasone (Celestone Chronodose), 24 h apart. The randomisation schedule used balanced, variable blocks that were stratified by hospital, gestational age, and number of fetuses (singleton or twins). We masked all participants, staff, and assessors to treatment groups. Analyses were by intention to treat. The primary outcome was death or neurosensory disability at age 2 years (corrected for prematurity). This study is registered with ANZCTR, ACTRN12608000631303.
Between Jan 28, 2009, and Feb 1, 2013, we randomly assigned 1346 (78%) women who were pregnant with 1509 fetuses to groups: 679 (50%) women were assigned to receive dexamethasone and 667 (50%) women were assigned to receive betamethasone. 27 (4%) fetuses, infants, or children in the dexamethasone group and 28 (4%) fetuses, infants, or children in the betamethasone group died before age 2 years. The primary outcome of death or neurosensory disability at age 2 years was determined for 603 (79%) of 763 fetuses whose mothers received dexamethasone and 591 (79%) of 746 fetuses whose mothers received betamethasone. We found a similar incidence of death or neurosensory disability in the dexamethasone (198 33% of 603 infants) and betamethasone groups (192 32% of 591 infants; adjusted relative risk adjRR 0·97, 95% CI 0·83 to 1·13; p=0·66). 18 (3%) of 679 women in the dexamethasone group and 28 of 667 (4%) women in the betamethasone group reported side-effects. Discomfort at the injection site, the most frequent side-effect, was less likely in the dexamethasone group than in the betamethasone group (six 1% women vs 17 3% women; p=0·02).
The incidence of survival without neurosensory disability at age 2 years did not differ between dexamethasone and betamethasone treatment. Our findings indicate that either antenatal corticosteroid can be given to women before preterm birth to improve infant and child health.
National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia).
N-Methyl,
N-propargyphenylethylamine (MPPE) is a novel analog of (-)-deprenyl, a drug prescribed for Parkinson's disease and shown to have neuroprotective and neurorescue properties in a wide variety ...of in vitro and in vivo models. MPPE is also neuroprotective, but has the advantage over (-)-deprenyl of not being metabolized to amphetamine or
N-methylamphetamine.
In this paper, extractive derivatization with pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride (PFBSC) followed by electron-capture gas chromatography was utilized to study the metabolism of MPPE.
The procedure is rapid and reproducible, giving derivatives with excellent chromatographic properties. Using this procedure, it has now been shown that β-phenylethylamine (PEA),
N-methylphenylethylamine (
N-methylPEA) and
N-propargylphenylethylamine (
N-propargylPEA) are formed from MPPE during incubation of this drug with human liver microsomes. Levels of all three metabolites were shown to increase with increasing time of incubation with the microsomes.
Extractive derivatization with PFBSC followed by electron-capture gas chromatography represents an efficient means of separating and quantitating the metabolites of MPPE, a novel neuroprotective agent.
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