O meio jornalístico no Portugal de hoje : evoluções recentes e dilemas persistentes

Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - Programa Sapiens, Projecto de investigação colectivo “MEDIASCÓPIO : estudo sobre a reconfiguração do campo da comunicação e dos media em Portugal”, em curso no Núcleo de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade da Universidade do Minho

Long non-coding RNA SENCR is a positive regulator of ETV2

Department of Biological SciencesAlthough long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as novel regulator of cell fate and gene expression, the regulation of vascular specific transcription factor by lncRNA in generation of induced endothelial cells (iEndo) has not been studied yet. In this study, ETS variant 2 (ETV2) converts human fibroblasts into iEndo, and smooth muscle and endothelial cell enriched migration/differentiationassociated long non-coding RNA (SENCR) was identified as a regulator of ETV2. iEndo showed similar morphology, endothelial cell markers, and tubular structure formation compared to human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Furthermore, over-expression of SENCR increased ETV2 gene and protein expression by enhancing ETV2 promoter activity through recruitment of PSPC1. This is the first study demonstrates the role of SENCR contributed to ETV2 activation in generation of iEndo.ope

Substrate specificity and structural investigation into PepO and PepW : two peptidases from Lactobacillus rhamnosus : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biochemistry at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria have important roles in the maturation and flavour development of cheese. Lactic acid bacteria pepetidases contribute to the taste of cheese through the production of low-molecular weight peptides and free amino acids. Although some lactic acid bacteria peptidases have been structurally and enzymatically characterised for their substrate specificity, there are some that are yet to be completely biochemically characterised. The aim of the present study was to investigate the substrate specificity and three-dimensional structure of two peptidases that could potentially be used as a tool to modify and control cheese bitterness and possibly other flavour attributes from Lactobacillus rhamnosus, PepO and PepW. The pepW gene was successfully cloned from L. rhamnosus into an E. coli expression system. Recombinant PepW was purified to homogeneity and was shown to exist as a hexamer of 50 kDa subunits. Recombinant PepO was expressed from a previously established L. lactis expression system and purified to homogeneity. PepO was shown to exist as a 70 kDa monomer, and function as a metallopeptidase. Pepo and PepW were shown to selectively hydrolyse chymosin-derived bovine β- and κ-casein peptides, and casein peptides extracted from Cheddar cheese. One conclusive PepO cleavage site that had not been previously characterised was identified. This was the β-casein peptide bond between Leu₆-Asn₇. Several possible PepO and PepW cleavage sites in αs₁-, β- and κ- casein were identified, suggesting that PepO has a broad endopeptidase activity, whilst PepW has a specific exopeptidase activity. Pepo and PepW crystals were successfully grown for structure determination by x-ray crystallography. Native data sets were collected for both PepO and PepW, and derivative data were collected for PepO. Structure determination was attempted using Multiple Isomorphous Replacement and Molecular Replacement techniques. Results from the substrate specificity and structural investigation of the L. rhamnosus peptidases, PepO and PepW, are presented in this thesis

The Deletion of the Bre1 Gene in Aspergillus nidulans Impairs Mitotic Growth, Meiosis, and DNA Damage Repair

Bre1 is a homotetrameric E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase that heterodimerizes with Rad6, an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, in order to ubiquitinate lysine 123 in Aspergillus nidulans. This post-translational modification promotes methylation of lysines 4 and 79 on histone H3, which are required for certain damage repair pathways and for both optimal mitotic cell growth and meiosis [1-3, 12]. ΔBre1 mutants were generated by exposing protoplasts from strains auxotrophic for pyridoxine to a three-way fusion construct made from the Bre1 5’ and 3’ flanking regions and the Aspergillus fumigatus pyroA gene, which served as a selectable marker. Molecular diagnosis was confirmed via trans-locus PCR. Phenotypic analysis indicates that the loss of Bre1 increases sensitivity to DNA damage agents, decreases mitotic cell growth, and inhibits meiosis. The severe developmental defects of ΔBre1 mutants are consistent with the known roles of Bre1 as an upstream regulator of several important cellular functions. [excerpt

Molar macrowear reveals Neanderthal eco-geographic dietary variation

Neanderthal diets are reported to be based mainly on the consumption of large and medium sized herbivores, while the exploitation of other food types including plants has also been demonstrated. Though some studies conclude that early Homo sapiens were active hunters, the analyses of faunal assemblages, stone tool technologies and stable isotopic studies indicate that they exploited broader dietary resources than Neanderthals. Whereas previous studies assume taxon-specific dietary specializations, we suggest here that the diet of both Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens is determined by ecological conditions. We analyzed molar wear patterns using occlusal fingerprint analysis derived from optical 3D topometry. Molar macrowear accumulates during the lifespan of an individual and thus reflects diet over long periods. Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens maxillary molar macrowear indicates strong eco-geographic dietary variation independent of taxonomic affinities. Based on comparisons with modern hunter-gatherer populations with known diets, Neanderthals as well as early Homo sapiens show high dietary variability in Mediterranean evergreen habitats but a more restricted diet in upper latitude steppe/coniferous forest environments, suggesting a significant consumption of high protein meat resources

Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) domain I from S. cerevisiae is required but not sufficient for inter-species complementation

Ethanolamine phosphoglycerol (EPG) is a protein modification attached exclusively to eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A). In mammals and plants, EPG is linked to conserved glutamate residues located in eEF1A domains II and III, whereas in the unicellular eukaryote Trypanosoma brucei, only domain III is modified by a single EPG. A biosynthetic precursor of EPG and structural requirements for EPG attachment to T. brucei eEF1A have been reported, but nothing is known about the EPG modifying enzyme(s). By expressing human eEF1A in T. brucei, we now show that EPG attachment to eEF1A is evolutionarily conserved between T. brucei and Homo sapiens. In contrast, S. cerevisiae eEF1A, which has been shown to lack EPG is not modified in T. brucei. Furthermore, we show that eEF1A cannot functionally complement across species when using T. brucei and S. cerevisiae as model organisms. However, functional complementation in yeast can be obtained using eEF1A chimera containing domains II or III from other species. In contrast, yeast domain I is strictly required for functional complementation in S. cerevisia

"Media Sapiens". Diskussii o postmodernizme, intertekstual'nosti, simuljatsii i konspirologii / "Media Sapiens". Keskusteluja postmodernismista, intertekstuaalisuudesta, simulaatiosta ja salaliittoteorioista

Tutkielmassani käsittelen venäläisen nykykirjailijan Sergei Minaevin antiglamourisena pidettyä teosta Media Sapiens (2007), jonka herättämään kirjallisuuden keskusteluun sovellan ajatuksia intertekstuaalisuudesta, simulaatiosta ja salaliittoteorioista. Käyn työssä myös aktiivisesti keskustelua postmodernismista. Halusin ymmärtää Minaevin teosta vastaan suunnattua laajaa kritiikkiä ja toisaalta pyrin liittämään teoksen laajempaan kirjallisuuden keskusteluun. Työni teoreettisessa osassa esittelen ajatuksia postmodernismista ja postmoderniteetistä sekä sitä, miten nämä termit ymmärretään venäläisen tutkimuksen kontekstissa. Media Sapiens -teoksen herättämän kritiikin vuoksi esittelen intertekstuaalisuuden teoriaa. Samaisen teoksen tematiikan vuoksi nostan teoria-osassa filosofi Jean Baudrillardin ajatuksia hyperreaalisuudesta, simulaatiosta ja simulakrumeista. Esittelen myös media-termin merkityksiä ja venäläistä sosiokulttuurista tilannetta laajemmin. Keskustelua tutkija Jevgeni Dobrenkon ajatuksista venäläisestä "välitilasta" ja salaliittoteorian diskurssista kirjallisuudessa esittelen työni kolmannen analyysin yhteydessä. Tutkielmani koostuu kahdesta toisiinsa liittyvästä analyysista. Intertekstuaalisessa analyysissa esittelen Minaevin teoksiin suunnattua kritiikkiä, joihin sovellan sekä intertekstuaalisia ajatuksia, että sosiokulttuurista taustaa. Käyn tätä keskustelua kolmen kirjailijan, Oksana Robskin, Frederic Begbederin ja Viktor Pelevinin, kautta. Tutkielmani simulaatio-analyysissä pohdin Minaevin kirjallisen työn simulaatio-tematiikkaa, joka toistuu tietyllä tavalla jo kirjailijan hahmossa, ja hänen kirjoittamassaan genressä, populaarikirjallisuudessa. Analysoin myös varsinaista teosta ja sen uutisrepresentaatioita. Yhdistän Media Sapiens -teoksen laajempaan venäläisen kirjallisuuden simulaatio-keskusteluun. Lopuksi esittelen nykykirjallisuuden salaliittoteoria-diskurssin ja pohdin sen suhteita keskusteluun neotraditionalismista, modernismista ja postmodernismista. Käsittelen analyysin osassa myös merkin suhdetta uudessa postmodernismin jälkeisessä tilanteessa, jossa neotraditionalismi sen perinteiset arvot tekevät paluuta. Tutkimuksessani tulin siihen tulokseen, että Media Sapiens -teos kuuluu osaksi Venäjällä käytävään keskusteluun modernismista ja postmodernismista arvoista. Erityisen mielenkiintoisena koin tämän keskustelun sijoittumisen Venäjän "välitilaan", jossa on tällä hetkellä tapahtumassa sekä neotraditionalismin, salaliittoteorioiden että kirjallisuuden arvotaistelun nousua kohti jonkinlaista hegemonista konseptia. Työ herätti myös jatkokysymyksiä, jotka liittyvät erityisesti gender-kysymyksiin ja neotraditionalismin, että kirjallisuuden salaliittoteorioiden paikantamiseen modernismin ja postmodernismin kirjallisuudessa.«Media Sapiens». Дискуссии о постмодернизме, интертекстуальности, симуляции и конспирологи

Growth Stimulation of Biological Cells and Tissue by Electromagnetic Fields and Uses Thereof

The present invention provides systems for growing two or three dimensional mammalian cells within a culture medium facilitated by an electromagnetic field, and preferably, a time varying electromagnetic field. The cells, and culture medium are contained within a fixed or rotating culture vessel, and the electromagnetic field is emitted from at least one electrode. In one embodiment, the electrode is spaced from the vessel. The invention further provides methods to promote neural tissue regeneration by means of culturing the neural cells in the claimed system. In one embodiment, neuronal cells are grown within longitudinally extending tissue strands extending axially along and within electrodes comprising electrically conductive channels or guides through which a time varying electrical current is conducted, the conductive channels being positioned within a culture medium

Approaching Transhumanism: On How Human Beings Transform in the 21st Century

The following article is to introduce the reader into a cultural and intellectual movement whose aim is to identify the need for improvement in human life in the sphere of physicality as well as mentality with the aid of modern technologies – transhumanism. With the dramatic change in the perception of technology, transhumanist welcome the opportunity to improve cognitive skills, help to perpetuate human happiness, or increase longevity. Although the opponents of the transhumanist thought dismiss it as “the world’s most dangerous idea,” the adversaries advocate that the alternation of human form is both practical and reasonable. With the use of modern technology, enthusiasts of transhumanism try to prove that the human body needs to be re-invented in order to transcend the natural limitations. In my work I will try to tackle the problem of human body being currently subject to gradual transition from Homo Sapiens to Robo Sapiens, the process of ‘becoming’ a cyborg. By incorporating bodily augmentation, contemporary artists such as Stelarc or Neil Harbisson cast a light on the change of physical form, as well as the definition of being human. Evoking much controversy, transhumanism brings a completely new dimension to the understanding of the current human condition