NKG2D and its ligands: one for all, all for one

The activating receptor NKG2D is peculiar in its capability to bind to numerous and highly diversified MHC class I-like self-molecules. These ligands are poorly expressed on normal cells but can be induced on damaged, transformed or infected cells, with the final NKG2D ligand expression resulting from multiple levels of regulation. Although redundant molecular mechanisms can converge in the regulation of all NKG2D ligands, different stimuli can induce specific cellular responses, leading to the expression of one or few ligands. A large body of evidence demonstrates that NK cell activation can be triggered by different NKG2D ligands, often expressed on the same cell, suggesting a functional redundancy of these molecules. However, since a number of evasion mechanisms can reduce membrane expression of these molecules both on virus-infected and tumor cells, the co-expression of different ligands and/or the presence of allelic forms of the same ligand guarantee NKG2D activation in various stressful conditions and cell contexts. Noteworthy, NKG2D ligands can differ in their ability to down-modulate NKG2D membrane expression in human NK cells supporting the idea that NKG2D transduces different signals upon binding various ligands. Moreover, whether proteolytically shed and exosome-associated soluble NKG2D ligands share with their membrane-bound counterparts the same ability to induce NKG2D-mediated signaling is still a matter of debate. Here, we will review recent studies on the NKG2D/NKG2D ligand biology to summarize and discuss the redundancy and/or diversity in ligand expression, regulation, and receptor specificity

All for One, or One for All

Adapted from an article published in The New Republic, March 1, 1993. For several years, the Voting Rights Act has been the least noticed, but perhaps most effective, of all federal civil-rights statutes. Recently, however, the act has dramatically entered public consciousness, catalyzed by two principal events: President Clinton\u27s nomination, later withdrawn, of Professor Lani Guinier to head the Justice Department\u27s Civil Rights Division, and the Supreme Court\u27s decision in Shaw v. Reno. Shaw, decided in June, cast doubt on the constitutionality of designing election districts in certain ways to enhance minority representation

One for all, all for one---von Neumann, Wald, Rawls, and Pareto

Applications of the maximin criterion extend beyond economics to statistics, computer science, politics, and operations research. However, the maximin criterion---be it von Neumann's, Wald's, or Rawls'---draws fierce criticism due to its extremely pessimistic stance. I propose a novel concept, dubbed the optimin criterion, which is based on (Pareto) optimizing the worst-case payoffs of tacit agreements. The optimin criterion generalizes and unifies results in various fields: It not only coincides with (i) Wald's statistical decision-making criterion when Nature is antagonistic, (ii) the core in cooperative games when the core is nonempty, though it exists even if the core is empty, but it also generalizes (iii) Nash equilibrium in $n$-person constant-sum games, (iv) stable matchings in matching models, and (v) competitive equilibrium in the Arrow-Debreu economy. Moreover, every Nash equilibrium satisfies the optimin criterion in an auxiliary game

One for all and all for one: regression checks with many regressors

We develop a novel approach to build checks of parametric regression models when many regressors are present, based on a class of sufficiently rich semiparametric alternatives, namely single-index models. We propose an omnibus test based on the kernel method that performs against a sequence of directional nonparametric alternatives as if there was one regressor only, whatever the number of regressors. This test can be viewed as a smooth version of the integrated conditional moment (ICM) test of Bierens. Qualitative information can be easily incorporated into the procedure to enhance power. In an extensive comparative simulation study, we find that our test is little sensitive to the smoothing parameter and performs well in multidimensional settings. We then apply it to a cross-country growth regression model.Dimensionality, Hypothesis testing, Nonparametric methods

All for One & One for All: Understanding servant leadership

What’s a Leader to Do? Here are some guidelines to help you balance the tension between the individual and the group. 1. Pray for God to give you wisdom from thoughts others have to share as well as your own thoughts. 2. Take each situation as a process that is unfolding, and remain open to consider the needs of the organization and the needs of the individual as these come to be understood. 3. See in every complicated leadership situation the opportunity to explore your own humility by sharing leadership with followers. 4. Recognize that in every complicated leadership situation, God is calling you to participate with Him as co-creator of innovative solutions that will help both the individual and the organization

All For One

A cancer patient tells her story, as an unprecedented array of researchers across campus is developing the latest prospects for surviving the disease

Creative city challeging concept "all for one - one for all"

Culture and creativity are today integrated in cities everyday life, as part of official strategies or as action of group of artists and people working in cultural and creative industry. Culture and creativity are part of many concepts of urban development promoted as an acceptable response to the challenges of globalisation. If we speak of Cultural, Creative, Inclusive, Smart, Cognitive city, or any other similar concept, it is always about creating better conditions for living and creativity. Creative cities are based on communication, social networks, technology, with principles of adaptability, synergy and inclusion. As any paradigm, creative cities are challenged on many levels, in theory and in practice. It should be considered as wary important that use of culture and creativity as resource can have significant impact on society. Some arguments for and against creative cities will be presented in this paper, especially according its influence on the public space, individual rights and inclusion. This paper will present case study of Savamala, cultural and creative neighbourhood in Belgrade, as an example of public involvement and creating public space in creative city