Formative contacts between Britain and Islam, and their repercussions for contemporary British Muslim communities

Chapter 1 introduces the Terms of Reference, Methodology, and Dissertation Structure. In Chapter 2, formative contacts are discussed chronologically and regionally, specifically concentrating on primary sources as indicators in the development of perceptions and knowledge of Islam within Britain - forming part of European interpretation of Islam. The historical narrative incorporates a discussion of earliest contacts between Britain and Islam; 'evolution' of knowledge about Islam; movement of British agents into the Islamic world - and their importance in providing crucial information about different forms of Islam; (mis)representation of Islam; isolation of themes regarding perceptions of Islam. In Chapter 3, contemporary issues concerning Muslims in Britain are surveyed in the context of themes emerging as important in assessment of Islam, during the discussion of formative contacts. These themes are discussed within the context of a Survey of Islam in Britain; an analysis of 'Fundamentalism’; The Satanic Verses controversy; British Muslim Community Representation and Leadership; the position of Women in British Islam; Islam in Europe; the role of the contemporary Media in perceptions of Islam; a survey of the 1991 Gulf War, in which many impressions of Islam conveyed by formative contacts were re-articulated. Within Chapter 4, other important issues affecting Muslims in Britain, notably education, interfaith dialogue, and social welfare, are incorporated into a discussion on British Muslim identity. The dissertation concludes with establishing whether there is correlation between formative contacts and contemporary British Muslim issues. It assesses the way forward for Islam in Britain in the light of lessons learnt - and what work needs to be done by Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Britain to improve the perception of Islam

Directly e-mailing authors of newly published papers encourages community curation

Much of the data within Model Organism Databases (MODs) comes from manual curation of the primary research literature. Given limited funding and an increasing density of published material, a significant challenge facing all MODs is how to efficiently and effectively prioritize the most relevant research papers for detailed curation. Here, we report recent improvements to the triaging process used by FlyBase. We describe an automated method to directly e-mail corresponding authors of new papers, requesting that they list the genes studied and indicate (‘flag’) the types of data described in the paper using an online tool. Based on the author-assigned flags, papers are then prioritized for detailed curation and channelled to appropriate curator teams for full data extraction. The overall response rate has been 44% and the flagging of data types by authors is sufficiently accurate for effective prioritization of papers. In summary, we have established a sustainable community curation program, with the result that FlyBase curators now spend less time triaging and can devote more effort to the specialized task of detailed data extraction

Elevated myeloid-derived suppressor cells in pancreatic, esophageal and gastric cancer are an independent prognostic factor and are associated with significant elevation of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-13

We undertook a comprehensive analysis of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and T regulatory cells (Tregs) in pancreatic, esophageal and gastric cancer patients and investigated whether MDSCs are an independent prognostic factor for survival. We evaluated a series of plasma cytokines and in particular re-evaluated the Th2 cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13). Peripheral blood was collected from 131 cancer patients (46 pancreatic, 60 esophageal and 25 gastric) and 54 healthy controls. PBMC were harvested with subsequent flow cytometric analysis of MDSC (HLADR− Lin1low/− CD33+ CD11b+) and Treg (CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/− FoxP3+) percentages. Plasma IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IL-17, G-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α and VEGF levels were analyzed by the Bio-Plex cytokine assay. Plasma arginase I levels were analyzed by ELISA. MDSCs and Tregs were statistically significantly elevated in pancreatic, esophageal and gastric cancer compared with controls, and MDSC numbers correlated with Treg levels. Increasing MDSC percentage was associated with increased risk of death, and in a multivariate analysis, MDSC level was an independent prognostic factor for survival. A unit increase in MDSC percentage was associated with a 22% increased risk of death (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.41). Arginase I levels were also statistically significantly elevated in upper gastrointestinal cancer patients compared with controls. There was Th2 skewing for cytokine production in all three diseases, and importantly there were significant elevations of the pivotal Th2 cytokine interleukin-13, an increase that correlated with MDSC levels

Imagable 4T1 model for the study of late stage breast cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The 4T1 mouse mammary tumor cell line is one of only a few breast cancer models with the capacity to metastasize efficiently to sites affected in human breast cancer. Here we describe two 4T1 cell lines modified to facilitate analysis of tumor growth and metastasis and evaluation of gene function <it>in vivo</it>. New information regarding the involvement of innate and acquired immunity in metastasis and other characteristics of the model relevant to its use in the study of late stage breast cancer are reported.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The lines were engineered for stable expression of firefly luciferase to allow tracking and quantitation of the cells <it>in vivo</it>. Biophotonic imaging was used to characterize growth and metastasis of the lines <it>in vivo </it>and an improved gene expression approach was used to characterize the basis for the metastatic phenotype that was observed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Growth of cells at the primary site was biphasic with metastasis detected during the second growth phase 5–6 weeks after introduction of the cells. Regression of growth, which occurred in weeks 3–4, was associated with extensive necrosis and infiltration of leukocytes. Biphasic tumor growth did not occur in BALB/c SCID mice indicating involvement of an acquired immune response in the effect. Hematopoiesis in spleen and liver and elevated levels of circulating leukocytes were observed at week 2 and increased progressively until death at week 6–8. Gene expression analysis revealed an association of several secreted factors including colony stimulatory factors, cytokines and chemokines, acute phase proteins, angiogenesis factors and ECM modifying proteins with the 4T1 metastatic phenotype. Signaling pathways likely to be responsible for production of these factors were also identified.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The production of factors that stimulate angiogenesis and ECM modification and induce hematopoiesis, recruitment and activation of leukocytes suggest that 4T1 tumor cells play a more direct role than previously appreciated in orchestrating changes in the tumor environment conducive to tumor cell dissemination and metastasis. The new cell lines will greatly facilitate the study of late stage breast and preclinical assessment of cancer drugs and other therapeutics particularly those targeting immune system effects on tumor metastasis.</p

Differential Roles of HOW in Male and Female Drosophila Germline Differentiation

The adult gonads in both male and female Drosophila melanogaster produce gametes that originate from a regenerative pool of germline stem cells (GSCs). The differentiation programme that produces gametes must be co-ordinated with GSC maintenance and proliferation in order to regulate tissue regeneration. The HOW RNA-binding protein has been shown to maintain mitotic progression of male GSCs and their daughters by maintenance of Cyclin B expression as well as suppressing accumulation of the differentiation factor Bam. Loss of HOW function in the male germline results in loss of GSCs due to a delay in G2 and subsequent apoptosis. Here we show that female how mutant GSCs do not have any cell cycle defects although HOW continues to bind bam mRNA and suppress Bam expression. The role of HOW in suppressing germ cell Bam expression appears to be conserved between sexes, leading to different cellular outcomes in how mutants due to the different functions of Bam. In addition the role in maintaining Cyclin B expression has not been conserved so female how GSCs differentiate rather than arrest

Genetic effects on gene expression across human tissues

Characterization of the molecular function of the human genome and its variation across individuals is essential for identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie human genetic traits and diseases. The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project aims to characterize variation in gene expression levels across individuals and diverse tissues of the human body, many of which are not easily accessible. Here we describe genetic effects on gene expression levels across 44 human tissues. We find that local genetic variation affects gene expression levels for the majority of genes, and we further identify inter-chromosomal genetic effects for 93 genes and 112 loci. On the basis of the identified genetic effects, we characterize patterns of tissue specificity, compare local and distal effects, and evaluate the functional properties of the genetic effects. We also demonstrate that multi-tissue, multi-individual data can be used to identify genes and pathways affected by human disease-associated variation, enabling a mechanistic interpretation of gene regulation and the genetic basis of diseas

Genetic effects on gene expression across human tissues

Characterization of the molecular function of the human genome and its variation across individuals is essential for identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie human genetic traits and diseases. The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project aims to characterize variation in gene expression levels across individuals and diverse tissues of the human body, many of which are not easily accessible. Here we describe genetic effects on gene expression levels across 44 human tissues. We find that local genetic variation affects gene expression levels for the majority of genes, and we further identify inter-chromosomal genetic effects for 93 genes and 112 loci. On the basis of the identified genetic effects, we characterize patterns of tissue specificity, compare local and distal effects, and evaluate the functional properties of the genetic effects. We also demonstrate that multi-tissue, multi-individual data can be used to identify genes and pathways affected by human disease-associated variation, enabling a mechanistic interpretation of gene regulation and the genetic basis of disease

Islamic Studies provision in the UK

This report presents an analysis of data on the provision of teaching in Islamic Studies at UK Higher Education Institutions. It is based on data collected for 1,101 modules in Islamic Studies and related disciplines identified at 110 of 161 institutions investigated.The main findings of this report are:a. Islamic Studies teaching is concentrated in a small number of pre-92 institutions, but limited provision can be found at most institutions surveyed.b. Although a large amount of teaching takes place within a core of disciplines and departments traditionally associated with Islamic Studies, provision also takes place in a wide range of disciplines and departments.c. Most Islamic Studies teaching takes place at level 2 and above. In terms of numbers of modules, the greatest provision is at Masters level.d. A relatively small proportion of the modules identified contribute to named degrees in Islamic Studies.e. Although a large number of modules are devoted entirely to Islamic Studies topics, Islamic Studies is also taught in many modules for which Islam is not the primary focus

The net Imam effect: digital contestations of #Islam and religious authority

This chapter explores the contestation on issues of representation and religious authority in cyber Islamic environments. In an era where authority networks transcend geographical boundaries, and when digital proficiency can be more important than religious status, there has been an evolution in the dynamics of Islamic authority and leadership. Today, digital technology is reshaping how Muslims across vast territories relate to religious authorities in fulfilling spiritual, mystical, and legalistic agendas. Millennials and “digital natives” may respond more to aspects of online authority than “analog” equivalents, impacting everyday concepts of religious knowledge and identity, and also raising concerns regarding radicalization. Online environments often challenge traditional models of authority; “traditional” in this context refers to the purview of imams, mullahs, and shaykhs located in the historically rooted “analog” locations of religious authority such as madrassahs or mosques.[1] The term is ambiguous, as it can also refer to those adhering to diverse notions of expertise associated with Islamic sources relating to the Prophet Muhammad, his followers, and/or the descendants of projected authority, scholarship, and interpretation. This does not preclude gatekeepers in these contexts articulating notions of religious 20authority online, with a blurring between analog and digital authority. One result is the impact of digitally literate religious scholars, authorities, and “influencers,” whose impact goes beyond these demarcated boundaries of established spiritual exemplars and legal experts.[2] This chapter examines how diverse religious perspectives contest for audiences, reflecting on multimedia approaches from a variety of players in the spectrum of Muslim zones of cyberspace. It questions the impact of social media pronouncements and explores how religious institutional organizations and their corresponding digital platforms respond to contemporary concerns in the light of continually shifting religious and media contexts. I also demonstrate how the global Covid-19 crises focused attention on the ways in which Islamic digital interfaces could be utilized within Muslim communities and by religious institutions to negotiate questions of spirituality, interpretation, and ritual propriety within the rapidly changing pandemic context