Is there a role for Notch signalling in human breast cancer?

Aberrant Notch signalling has been observed in several human cancers, including acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia and cervical cancer, and is strongly implicated in tumourigenesis. Unregulated Notch signalling in the mouse mammary gland leads to tumour formation. These results raise the possibility that Notch signalling might play a role in human breast cancer. There are currently few reports that address this question directly and this appears to be an area worthy of further investigation

Observations of tidal melt and vertical strain at the Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica

The Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf experiences strong tidal forcing known to displace portions of the ice shelf by several meters over a tidal cycle. These large periodic displacements may cause significant variation of the ice shelf vertical strain. Further, tidal currents in the ice shelf cavity may be responsible for basal melt variations. We deployed autonomous phase‐sensitive radio‐echo sounders at 17 locations across the ice shelf and measured basal motion and internal vertical ice motion at sufficiently short intervals to allow the resolution of all significant tidal constituents. Basal melt estimates with this surface‐based technique rely on accurate estimation of vertical strain changes in the ice shelf. We present a method that can separate the vertical strain changes from the total thickness changes at tidal time scales, yielding a tidal basal melt estimate. The method was used to identify vertical strain and basal melt variations at the predominant semi‐diurnal M2 tidal constituent. At most sites the tidal vertical strain was depth‐independent. Tidal deformation at four sites was controlled by local effects causing elastic bending. Significant tidal melt was observed to occur at six locations and upper bounds on the tidal melt amplitude were derived for the remaining sites. Finally, we show that observations of basal melt spectra, specifically at tidal frequencies and their multiples, can provide constraints on the hydrographic conditions near the ice base, such as the non‐tidal background ocean flow

Phase-sensitive FMCW radar system for high-precision Antarctic ice shelf profile monitoring

Ice shelves fringe much of the Antarctic continent, and, despite being up to 2 km thick, are vulnerable to climate change. Owing to their role in helping to control the ice sheet contribution to sea level change there is great interest in measuring the rate at which they are melting into the ocean. This study describes the development and deployment of an ice-penetrating phase-sensitive FMCW radar, sufficiently robust and with sufficiently low-power consumption to be run through the Antarctic winter as a standalone instrument, yet with the stability and mm-precision needed to detect the very slow changes in ice shelf thickness in this exceptionally demanding environment. A number of elegant processing techniques are described to achieve reliable, high-precision performance and results presented on field data obtained from the Larsen-C ice shelf, Antarctica

Notch Signalling in Breast Development and Cancer

From Frontiers via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: collection 2021, received 2021-04-07, accepted 2021-06-07, epub 2021-07-06Publication status: PublishedThe Notch signalling pathway is a highly conserved developmental signalling pathway, with vital roles in determining cell fate during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Aberrant Notch signalling has been implicated in many disease pathologies, including cancer. In this review, we will outline the mechanism and regulation of the Notch signalling pathway. We will also outline the role Notch signalling plays in normal mammary gland development and how Notch signalling is implicated in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression. We will cover how Notch signalling controls several different hallmarks of cancer within epithelial cells with sections focussed on its roles in proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis. We will provide evidence for Notch signalling in the breast cancer stem cell phenotype, which also has implications for therapy resistance and disease relapse in breast cancer patients. Finally, we will summarise the developments in therapeutic targeting of Notch signalling, and the pros and cons of this approach for the treatment of breast cancer

Manchester school district: school capacity and redistricting

This study provides a description of the Manchester School District\u27s re-districting project and uses data and statistics to explain their recommendations and plan

The Genre STEM Switch Guide

The Genre STEM Switch Guide is supplementary material for the Science+SciComm+Work book chapter, The Genre Switch Game: Tailoring for Audience and Format. Please use this guide in conjunction with the chapter for a complete lesson plan suitable for secondary school students to graduate students and fellows in STEM fields.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/166089/1/Genre-Switch-Guide.pdfDescription of Genre-Switch-Guide.pdf : Main guideSEL

Science Through Storytelling

The Science Through Storytelling Worksheet is supplementary material for the book chapter "The Genre Switch Game: Tailoring for Audience and Format" in Science+SciComm+Work. The worksheet can be used as a stand-alone resource but is best accompanied by the complete lesson plan within the book chapter.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/166090/1/Science-Through-Storytelling-Worksheet.pdfDescription of Science-Through-Storytelling-Worksheet.pdf : WorksheetSEL

Enhanced Edar Signalling Has Pleiotropic Effects on Craniofacial and Cutaneous Glands

The skin carries a number of appendages, including hair follicles and a range of glands, which develop under the influence of EDAR signalling. A gain of function allele of EDAR is found at high frequency in human populations of East Asia, with genetic evidence suggesting recent positive selection at this locus. The derived EDAR allele, estimated to have reached fixation more than 10,000 years ago, causes thickening of hair fibres, but the full spectrum of phenotypic changes induced by this allele is unknown. We have examined the changes in glandular structure caused by elevation of Edar signalling in a transgenic mouse model. We find that sebaceous and Meibomian glands are enlarged and that salivary and mammary glands are more elaborately branched with increased Edar activity, while the morphology of eccrine sweat and tracheal submucosal glands appears to be unaffected. Similar changes to gland sizes and structures may occur in human populations carrying the derived East Asian EDAR allele. As this allele attained high frequency in an environment that was notably cold and dry, increased glandular secretions could represent a trait that was positively selected to achieve increased lubrication and reduced evaporation from exposed facial structures and upper airways

Potential use of oxygen as a metabolic biosensor in combination with T2*-weighted MRI to define the ischemic penumbra

We describe a novel magnetic resonance imaging technique for detecting metabolism indirectly through changes in oxyhemoglobin:deoxyhemoglobin ratios and T2* signal change during ‘oxygen challenge’ (OC, 5 mins 100% O2). During OC, T2* increase reflects O2 binding to deoxyhemoglobin, which is formed when metabolizing tissues take up oxygen. Here OC has been applied to identify tissue metabolism within the ischemic brain. Permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in rats. In series 1 scanning (n=5), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed, followed by echo-planar T2* acquired during OC and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI, arterial spin labeling). Oxygen challenge induced a T2* signal increase of 1.8%, 3.7%, and 0.24% in the contralateral cortex, ipsilateral cortex within the PWI/DWI mismatch zone, and ischemic core, respectively. T2* and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map coregistration revealed that the T2* signal increase extended into the ADC lesion (3.4%). In series 2 (n=5), FLASH T2* and ADC maps coregistered with histology revealed a T2* signal increase of 4.9% in the histologically defined border zone (55% normal neuronal morphology, located within the ADC lesion boundary) compared with a 0.7% increase in the cortical ischemic core (92% neuronal ischemic cell change, core ADC lesion). Oxygen challenge has potential clinical utility and, by distinguishing metabolically active and inactive tissues within hypoperfused regions, could provide a more precise assessment of penumbra

POWER OUTPUT, MUSCLE ACTIVITY, AND FRONTAL AREA OF A CYCLIST IN DIFFERENT CYCLING POSITIONS

Nine cyclists completed three trials of cycling 25W below lactate threshold (LT) with 1) hands on top of the brake hoods (BH); 2) hands below the dropped, curved, portion of the handlebars (DH); and 3) using clip-on triathlon aerobars (AB). Each trial lasted three minutes and was immediately followed by a 20sec maximal sprint during which power output and muscle EMG were measured. Frontal projection area (FPA) differed across all three positions. EMG did not differ between positions during submax or sprint cycling. Submax power output also did not differ, but during the sprint AB was lower than BH, while DH did not differ from the other conditions. Although power output was 8.1% less while cycling in the AB position than BH, its FPA was 17.4% less, indicating the AB position allows a savings in resistive power greater than that lost in power production