Molecular Simulations of the Ribosome and Associated Translation Factors

The ribosome is a macromolecular complex which is responsible for protein synthesis in all living cells according to their transcribed genetic information. Using X-ray crystallography and, more recently, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), the structure of the ribosome was resolved at atomic resolution in many functional and conformational states. Molecular dynamics simulations have added information on dynamics and energetics to the available structural information, thereby have bridged the gap to the kinetics obtained from single-molecule and bulk experiments. Here, we review recent computational studies that brought notable insights into ribosomal structure and function.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Current Opinion in Structural Biolog

Appraisal Theory and Interpreting Political Speech

Appraisal theory can be used to study the semiotic content of formal speeches. This paper focuses on the study of two speeches by Ban Ki Moon. The first in 2006 was his acceptance speech and the second, in 2016, was his speech on leaving his role as Secretary General of the United Nations. By employing the same speaker and organization, this helps remove variances due to personal or corporate style. It also allows a focus on how different semiotic approaches are used at different stages of each speech. While affect is common across the speech structure, judgement is more commonly found in sections that can be seen as instances of expected politeness towards the intended audience. By using such modes, the speaker is effectively inviting agreement with their overall presentation. This also suggests a linkage between chosen mode and purpose. However, meaning-making cannot just be understood through a sentence by sentence analysis and there still remains a need to take a holistic overview and place the speech in a wider context

Appraisal Theory and Interpreting Political Speech

Appraisal Theory can be used to study the semiotic content of formal speeches. This paper suggests there are important differences in the modes used at different stages as a speech shifts overall tone or purpose. While Affect is common across the speech structure, Judgement is more commonly found in sections that can be seen as instances of expected politeness towards the intended audience.  By using such modes, the speaker is effectively inviting agreement with their overall presentation. For this paper, two speeches by Ban Ki Moon were studied. The first in 2006 is his acceptance speech and the second, in 2016, on leaving his role as Secretary General of the United Nations

Appraisal Theory and Interpreting Political Speech

Appraisal Theory can be used to study the semiotic content of formal speeches. This paper suggests there are important differences in the modes used at different stages as a speech shifts overall tone or purpose. While Affect is common across the speech structure, Judgement is more commonly found in sections that can be seen as instances of expected politeness towards the intended audience.  By using such modes, the speaker is effectively inviting agreement with their overall presentation. For this paper, two speeches by Ban Ki Moon were studied. The first in 2006 is his acceptance speech and the second, in 2016, on leaving his role as Secretary General of the United Nations

Appraisal Theory: Can It Be Applied to Visual Images in Isolation to the Text?

The role of women in Saudi society is changing, but even the process of reform is subject to multiple interpretations. This makes the role of resemiosis when interpreting visual media particularly important, perhaps more than a direct focus on the semiotic modes adopted. Appraisal Theory captures this judgement process in terms of emotions experience by the reader/viewer and how the wider context such as the full news article, or even just the headline, forms a part of this process. This argues that in contested situations resemiosis is a critical part of the process and sometimes the apparent interpretation of a single image (intersemiosis) can be different to the interpretation of the whole. In these cases, it is not just that different semiotic modes carry different meanings but that a focus on one in isolation can be misleading as to the overall intent

Microstructural design of high performance natural fibre reinforced vinyl-ester eco-nanocomposites

The primary aim of this project was to design cellulose fibre reinforced vinyl-ester resin composites with improved mechanical and thermal properties. The project reports on the fabrication of vinyl ester, eco-composites and eco-nanocomposites and characterises these samples in terms of their water absorption, strength, toughness, and thermal properties. The results confirmed that the addition of nano-fillers enhanced the interfacial bonding, resistance to water diffusion, mechanical properties, and thermal stability

Appraisal Theory: Can It Be Applied to Visual Images in Isolation to the Text?

The role of women in Saudi society is evolving; however, the process of reform is subject to multiple interpretations. This makes the role of resemiosis when interpreting visual media particularly important, perhaps more than a direct focus on the semiotic modes adopted. Data was collected from a variety of on-line media covering the recent changes. Appraisal Theory was used to capture the judgement process in terms of emotions experienced by the reader/viewer and how the wider context such as the full news article, or even just the headline, forms a part of this process.  This posits that in contested situations, resemiosis is a critical part of the process and sometimes the apparent interpretation of a single image (intersemiosis) can be different to the interpretation of the whole. In such instances, different semiotic modes convey different meanings but a focus on one in isolation can be misleading as to the overall intent

Appraisal Theory: Can It Be Applied to Visual Images in Isolation to the Text?

The role of women in Saudi society is changing, but even the process of reform is subject to multiple interpretations. This makes the role of resemiosis when interpreting visual media particularly important, perhaps more than a direct focus on the semiotic modes adopted. Appraisal Theory captures this judgement process in terms of emotions experience by the reader/viewer and how the wider context such as the full news article, or even just the headline, forms a part of this process. This argues that in contested situations resemiosis is a critical part of the process and sometimes the apparent interpretation of a single image (intersemiosis) can be different to the interpretation of the whole. In these cases, it is not just that different semiotic modes carry different meanings but that a focus on one in isolation can be misleading as to the overall intent

Population balance modelling captures host cell protein dynamics in CHO cell cultures

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been extensively studied for their wide therapeutic and research applications. Increases in mAb titre has been achieved mainly by cell culture media/feed improvement and cell line engineering to increase cell density and specific mAb productivity. However, this improvement has shifted the bottleneck to downstream purification steps. The higher accumulation of the main cell-derived impurities, host cell proteins (HCPs), in the supernatant can negatively affect product integrity and immunogenicity in addition to increasing the cost of capture and polishing steps. Mathematical modelling of bioprocess dynamics is a valuable tool to improve industrial production at fast rate and low cost. Herein, a single stage volume-based population balance model (PBM) has been built to capture Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell behaviour in fed-batch bioreactors. Using cell volume as the internal variable, the model captures the dynamics of mAb and HCP accumulation extracellularly under physiological and mild hypothermic culture conditions. Model-based analysis and orthogonal measurements of lactate dehydrogenase activity and double-stranded DNA concentration in the supernatant show that a significant proportion of HCPs found in the extracellular matrix is secreted by viable cells. The PBM then served as a platform for generating operating strategies that optimise antibody titre and increase cost-efficiency while minimising impurity levels

Characterization of mechanical and fracture behaviour in nano-silicon carbide-reinforced vinyl-ester nanocomposites

Vinyl-ester/nano-silicon carbide nanocomposites were synthesised and investigated in terms of their mechanical and fracture properties. Results show that the addition of nano-SiC particles increases modulus and strength, but reduces toughness. The enhancement in strength for nanocomposites was attributed to good interfacial adhesion and good degree of dispersion. The experimental data for elastic modulus were modelled using several theoretical models. The excellent agreement with the experimental data for elastic modulus given by the Guth and Kerner models indicate that the degree of dispersion and the quality of particle/matrix adhesion were both important considerations for the prediction of elastic modulus