Araport: the Arabidopsis information portal.

The Arabidopsis Information Portal (https://www.araport.org) is a new online resource for plant biology research. It houses the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence and associated annotation. It was conceived as a framework that allows the research community to develop and release 'modules' that integrate, analyze and visualize Arabidopsis data that may reside at remote sites. The current implementation provides an indexed database of core genomic information. These data are made available through feature-rich web applications that provide search, data mining, and genome browser functionality, and also by bulk download and web services. Araport uses software from the InterMine and JBrowse projects to expose curated data from TAIR, GO, BAR, EBI, UniProt, PubMed and EPIC CoGe. The site also hosts 'science apps,' developed as prototypes for community modules that use dynamic web pages to present data obtained on-demand from third-party servers via RESTful web services. Designed for sustainability, the Arabidopsis Information Portal strategy exploits existing scientific computing infrastructure, adopts a practical mixture of data integration technologies and encourages collaborative enhancement of the resource by its user community.

Highly-automated, high-throughput replication of yeast-based logic circuit design assessments.

We describe an experimental campaign that replicated the performance assessment of logic gates engineered into cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Gander et al. Our experimental campaign used a novel high-throughput experimentation framework developed under Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Synergistic Discovery and Design program: a remote robotic lab at Strateos executed a parameterized experimental protocol. Using this protocol and robotic execution, we generated two orders of magnitude more flow cytometry data than the original experiments. We discuss our results, which largely, but not completely, agree with the original report and make some remarks about lessons learned. Graphical Abstract.

Achieving a high-performance health care system with universal access: what the United States can learn from other countries.

This position paper concerns improving health care in the United States. Unlike previous highly focused policy papers by the American College of Physicians, this article takes a comprehensive approach to improving access, quality, and efficiency of care. The first part describes health care in the United States. The second compares it with health care in other countries. The concluding section proposes lessons that the United States can learn from these countries and recommendations for achieving a high-performance health care system in the United States. The articles are based on a position paper developed by the American College of Physicians' Health and Public Policy Committee. This policy paper (not included in this article) also provides a detailed analysis of health care systems in 12 other industrialized countries. Although we can learn much from other health systems, the College recognizes that our political and social culture, demographics, and form of government will shape any solution for the United States. This caution notwithstanding, we have identified several approaches that have worked well for countries like ours and could probably be adapted to the unique circumstances in the United States.

Short-term results of robotic sacrocolpopexy using the Quill SRS bi-directional polydioxanone (PDO) suture.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the short-term success of robotic sacrocolpopexy using the Quill bi-directional polydioxanone (PDO) suture. This was a retrospective observation study of women undergoing robotic sacrocolpopexy performed by a single surgeon between May 2008 and August 2010. Pelvic organ prolapse was determined using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification scale (POP-Q). Baseline exam were performed preoperatively and scheduled at 6 weeks, 3 months, and yearly thereafter. Treatment success defined as a POP-Q measurement of point C that did not descend for more than one-half the total vaginal length and a measurement for point Ba that was less than -1. A total of 36 patients were eligible for enrolment in the study. The mean age was 70 years (range 49-86 years), and mean body mass index was 27 kg/m(2) (range 19-41 kg/m(2)). The mean interval follow-up was 166 days (median 116; range 34-772 days). Anatomic success was 92% (33/36). In the short term, the Quill SRS PDO suture provided sufficient fixation of an Amid type I polypropylene mesh to the vagina to result in excellent anatomic success with only rare complications.