The Diffusion of Regionalism, Regional Institutions, Regional Governance

Introduction: This chapter begins by conceptualizing diffusion in terms of initial stimuli, items of diffusion (that what is being diffused), mechanisms, and outcomes (for a similar attempt see Solingen, 2012; Klingler-Vidra and Schleifer, 2014). I distinguish between direct and indirect mecha-nisms of diffusion and also differentiate between adoption/convergence and adapta-tion/localization as diffusion outcomes. I then review the existing literature on the diffusion of regional organization (RO) focusing, first, on the diffusion of regionalism and regional orders, second, of institutional designs for regional organizations, and, third, of regional governance pertaining to specific policy areas. On the whole, the literature confirms that most ROs are created to solve regional conflicts or provide solutions for collective action problems (demand side). However, direct as well as indirect diffusion mechanisms account for the specific insti-tutional designs of ROs and for the spread of policies among ROs (supply side). As to diffu-sion outcomes, different modes of adaptation and localization seem to prevail. I conclude with some remarks on avenues for future research

Rethinking network reciprocity over social ties: local interactions make direct reciprocity possible and pave the rational way to cooperation

Since Nowak & May's (1992) influential paper, network reciprocity--the fact that individuals' interactions repeated within a local neighborhood support the evolution of cooperation--has been confirmed in several theoretical models. Essentially, local interactions allow cooperators to stay protected from exploiters by assorting into clusters, and the heterogeneity of the network of contacts--the co-presence of low- and high-connected nodes--has been shown to further favor cooperation. The few available large-scale experiments on humans have however missed these effects. The reason is that, while models assume that individuals update strategy by imitating better performing neighbors, experiments showed that humans are more prone to reciprocate cooperation than to compare payoffs. Inspired by the empirical results, we rethink network reciprocity as a rational form of direct reciprocity on networks--networked rational reciprocity--indeed made possible by the locality of interactions. We show that reciprocal altruism in a networked prisoner's dilemma can invade and fixate in any network of rational agents, profit-maximizing over an horizon of future interactions. We find that networked rational reciprocity works better at low average connectivity and we unveil the role of network heterogeneity. Only if cooperating hubs invest in the initial cost of exploitation, the invasion of cooperation is boosted; it is otherwise hindered. Although humans might not be as rational as here assumed, our results could help the design and interpretation of new experiments in social and economic network

Exploring the Role of Molecular Dynamics Simulations in Most Recent Cancer Research: Insights into Treatment Strategies

Cancer is a complex disease that is characterized by uncontrolled growth and division of cells. It involves a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors that lead to the initiation and progression of tumors. Recent advances in molecular dynamics simulations have revolutionized our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression. Molecular dynamics simulations enable researchers to study the behavior of biomolecules at an atomic level, providing insights into the dynamics and interactions of proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules involved in cancer development. In this review paper, we provide an overview of the latest advances in molecular dynamics simulations of cancer cells. We will discuss the principles of molecular dynamics simulations and their applications in cancer research. We also explore the role of molecular dynamics simulations in understanding the interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment, including signaling pathways, proteinprotein interactions, and other molecular processes involved in tumor initiation and progression. In addition, we highlight the current challenges and opportunities in this field and discuss the potential for developing more accurate and personalized simulations. Overall, this review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of molecular dynamics simulations in cancer research, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression.Comment: 49 pages, 2 figure

Context-specific activation of hippocampus and SN/VTA by reward is related to enhanced long-term memory for embedded objects

Animal studies indicate that hippocampal representations of environmental context modulate reward-related processing in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA), a major origin of dopamine in the brain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans, we investigated the neural specificity of context-reward associations under conditions where the presence of perceptually similar neutral contexts imposed high demands on a putative hippocampal function, pattern separation. The design also allowed us to investigate how contextual reward enhances long-term memory for embedded neutral objects. SN/VTA activity underpinned specific context-reward associations in the face of perceptual similarity. A reward-related enhancement of long-term memory was restricted to the condition where the rewarding and the neutral contexts were perceptually similar, and in turn was linked to co-activation of the hippocampus (subfield DG/CA3) and SN/VTA. Thus, an ability of contextual reward to enhance memory for focal objects is closely linked to context-related engagement of hippocampal-SN/VTA circuitry

Isoform Alterations in the Ubiquitination Machinery Impacting Gastrointestinal Malignancies

The advancement of RNAseq and isoform-specific expression platforms has led to the understanding that isoform changes can alter molecular signaling to promote tumorigenesis. An active area in cancer research is uncovering the roles of ubiquitination on spliceosome assembly contributing to transcript diversity and expression of alternative isoforms. However, the effects of isoform changes on functionality of ubiquitination machineries (E1, E2, E3, E4, and deubiquitinating (DUB) enzymes) influencing onco- and tumor suppressor protein stabilities is currently understudied. Characterizing these changes could be instrumental in improving cancer outcomes via the identification of novel biomarkers and targetable signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on highlighting reported examples of direct, protein-coded isoform variation of ubiquitination enzymes influencing cancer development and progression in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. We have used a semi-automated system for identifying relevant literature and applied established systems for isoform categorization and functional classification to help structure literature findings. The results are a comprehensive snapshot of known isoform changes that are significant to GI cancers, and a framework for readers to use to address isoform variation in their own research. One of the key findings is the potential influence that isoforms of the ubiquitination machinery have on oncoprotein stability

Marine Glycomics

Marine creatures are rich sources of glycoconjugate-containing glycans and have diversified structures. The advance of genomics has provided a valuable clue for their production and developments. This information will encourage breeding and engineering functional polysaccharides with slime ingredients in algae. These glycans will have the potential for applications to antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial drugs in addition to health supplements and cosmetics. The combination of both biochemical and transcriptome approaches of marine creatures will lead to the opportunity to discover new activities of proteins such as glycan-relating enzymes and lectins. These proteins will also be used for experimental and medical purposes, such as diagnostics and trial studies. The topic of marine glycomics is also focusing on understanding the physiological properties of marine creatures, such as body defense against pathogens and cancers. In the competitions for natural selection, living creatures have evolved both their glycans and their recognition. They have primitive systems of immunity, and few of their mechanisms are closely related to glycans. If we are able to describe the accumulation of data of glycans of creatures living in the seashore and the oceans, we may be able to anticipate a time when we can talk about the ecosystem with glycans. That knowledge will be useful for the development of drugs that cure our diseases and for an understanding of living systems in addition to the preservation of living environments

Proceedings - Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Eighth Annual Medical Student Research Symposium: Celebrating Medical Student Scholarship

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students\u27 oral and poster presentations at Wright State University\u27s Eighth Annual Boonshoft School of Medicine Medical Student Research Symposium held on April 13, 2016.https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/ra_symp/1007/thumbnail.jp

Integrative Multi-Omics in Biomedical Research

Genomics technologies revolutionised biomedicine research, but the genome alone is not sufficient to capture biological complexity. Postgenomic methods, typically based on mass spectrometry, comprise the analysis of metabolites, lipids, and proteins and are an essential complement to genomics and transcriptomics. Multidimensional omics is becoming established to provide accurate and comprehensive state descriptions. This book covers the latest methodological developments for, and applications of integrative multi-omics in biomedical research