G2Cdb: the Genes to Cognition database.

Neuroscience databases linking genes, proteins, (patho)physiology, anatomy and behaviour across species will be valuable in a broad range of studies of the nervous system. G2Cdb is such a neuroscience database aiming to present a global view of the role of synapse proteins in physiology and disease. G2Cdb warehouses sets of genes and proteins experimentally elucidated by proteomic mass spectroscopy of signalling complexes and proteins biochemically isolated from mammalian synapse preparations, giving an experimentally validated definition of the constituents of the mammalian synapse. Using automated text-mining and expert (human) curation we have systematically extracted information from published neurobiological studies in the fields of synaptic signalling electrophysiology and behaviour in knockout and other transgenic mice. We have also surveyed the human genetics literature for associations to disease caused by mutations in synaptic genes. The synapse proteome datasets that G2Cdb provides offer a basis for future work in synapse biology and provide useful information on brain diseases. They have been integrated in a such way that investigators can rapidly query whether a gene or protein is found in brain-signalling complex(es), has a phenotype in rodent models or whether mutations are associated with a human disease. G2Cdb can be freely accessed at http://www.genes2cognition.org.

Integr8 and Genome Reviews: integrated views of complete genomes and proteomes.

Integr8 is a new web portal for exploring the biology of organisms with completely deciphered genomes. For over 190 species, Integr8 provides access to general information, recent publications, and a detailed statistical overview of the genome and proteome of the organism. The preparation of this analysis is supported through Genome Reviews, a new database of bacterial and archaeal DNA sequences in which annotation has been upgraded (compared to the original submission) through the integration of data from many sources, including the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database, the UniProt Knowledgebase, InterPro, CluSTr, GOA and HOGENOM. Integr8 also allows the users to customize their own interactive analysis, and to download both customized and prepared datasets for their own use. Integr8 is available at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/integr8.

A critique of neoliberalism with fierceness: queer youth of color creating dialogues of resistance.

As a form of deregulated capitalism that has run amok, commodifying all that is in its path, and as a cultural means of commodifying Black and brown bodies, neoliberalism has taken a serious toll on the lives of working-class queer youth of color. Although it has hijacked spaces of cultural representation and material production, neoliberal capitalism is far from transparent. Through resistance, activism and performance queer youth of color have now started to shape a critique of oppressive structures, neoliberal policies, and pedagogical practices that are critical of their intersecting identities. This article examines neoliberalism's impact on education, focusing on educational policy and how these policies have affected queer youth of color in the urban centers of our major cities. This article also considers the contributions made by educators writing from the perspective of critical pedagogy in addressing the plight of queer youth of color in U.S. schools while employing the example of the dance group, Innovation, as way of addressing the havoc of neoliberalism in the lives of queer youth of color through performance and activism. This group has not only transformed notions of gender, race, class and sexuality that challenge major tenants of neoliberalism, but has also served as potent sites for the development of a critical pedagogy for working-class queer youth of color. Through sites of resistance rooted in progressive struggle, queer youth of color must be enabled by critical transformative intellectuals committed to encouraging youth to critically evaluate and challenge ideologies while displaying an allegiance to egalitarianism.

FlyMine: an integrated database for Drosophila and Anopheles genomics.

FlyMine is a data warehouse that addresses one of the important challenges of modern biology: how to integrate and make use of the diversity and volume of current biological data. Its main focus is genomic and proteomics data for Drosophila and other insects. It provides web access to integrated data at a number of different levels, from simple browsing to construction of complex queries, which can be executed on either single items or lists.

Stroke volume response to incremental submaximal exercise in aerobically trained, active, and sedentary men.

Stroke volume response of trained cyclists (n = 10; Trained), active but untrained men (n = 10; Active), and sedentary men (n = 10; Sedentary) was determined by impedance cardiography during cycle ergometer exercise. For the Trained, at a heart rate of 90 beats. min(-1), stroke volume increased by 27% compared to baseline levels, whereas stroke volume of Active and Sedentary groups did not significantly increase. Throughout exercise indices of ventricular emptying and filling of Trained were significantly greater than that of the other two groups whereas ventricular rates of the Active were significantly greater than those of the Sedentary. Throughout exercise cardiac contractility of the Trained was significantly greater than the other two groups. Results indicate that despite similar resting heart rate, stroke volume, and body mass, Trained compared to Active men significantly enhanced stroke volume, ventricular filling, and cardiac contractility during incremental ergometry exercise. Active compared to Sedentary men, however, displayed significantly larger stroke volume and ventricular filling rates during ergometry. We conclude that impedance cardiography indices of ventricular performance of aerobically trained men were superior to those of active, untrained men possessing similar resting stroke volume and heart rate. Furthermore, the ventricular performance of the active men possessing large resting stroke volume was superior to that of sedentary men.