Metastases: the glycan connection

An association between protein glycosylation and tumorigenesis has been recognized for over 10 years. Associations linking the importance of glycosylation events to tumor biology, especially the progression to metastatic disease, have been noted over many years, Recently, a mouse model in which β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (a rate-limiting enzyme in the N-glycan pathway) has been knocked out, was used to demonstrate the importance of glycosylation in tumor progression. By crossing mice lacking this enzyme with a transgenic mouse model of metastatic breast cancer, metastatic progression of the disease was dramatically reduced. These experiments provide in vivo evidence for the role of N-linked glycosylation in metastatic breast cancer and have significant implications for the development of new treatment strategies

Gene translocation links insects and crustaceans

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62560/1/392667a0.pd

Integrated proteomic and transcriptomic profiling of mouse lung development and Nmyc target genes

Although microarray analysis has provided information regarding the dynamics of gene expression during development of the mouse lung, no extensive correlations have been made to the levels of corresponding protein products. Here, we present a global survey of protein expression during mouse lung organogenesis from embryonic day E13.5 until adulthood using gel-free two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to shotgun tandem mass spectrometry (MudPIT). Mathematical modeling of the proteomic profiles with parallel DNA microarray data identified large groups of gene products with statistically significant correlation or divergence in coregulation of protein and transcript levels during lung development. We also present an integrative analysis of mRNA and protein expression in Nmyc loss- and gain-of-function mutants. This revealed a set of 90 positively and negatively regulated putative target genes. These targets are evidence that Nmyc is a regulator of genes involved in mRNA processing and a repressor of the imprinted gene Igf2r in the developing lung

Practical Verification of Decision-Making in Agent-Based Autonomous Systems

We present a verification methodology for analysing the decision-making component in agent-based hybrid systems. Traditionally hybrid automata have been used to both implement and verify such systems, but hybrid automata based modelling, programming and verification techniques scale poorly as the complexity of discrete decision-making increases making them unattractive in situations where complex log- ical reasoning is required. In the programming of complex systems it has, therefore, become common to separate out logical decision-making into a separate, discrete, component. However, verification techniques have failed to keep pace with this devel- opment. We are exploring agent-based logical components and have developed a model checking technique for such components which can then be composed with a sepa- rate analysis of the continuous part of the hybrid system. Among other things this allows program model checkers to be used to verify the actual implementation of the decision-making in hybrid autonomous systems

Learning to teach data journalism: Innovation, influence and constraints

Journalism education has tended to respond slowly to developments in digital journalism, such as data journalism, despite or because of close links with the industry. This paper examines the obstacles to innovation in journalism education with particular reference to data journalism, drawing on the literature, a review of stakeholders and course documents, and the author’s reflections on developing a data journalism module as part of a new MA programme. It highlights the complexities linked to the particular demands of data journalism, and identifies critical issues around student satisfaction; reputation and job/career outcomes; relevance, currency and appeal; programme management; and coherence. Rather than holding it back, more specialized socialization could assist journalism education to innovate effectively, the author suggests

A quantitative approach to study indirect effects among disease proteins in the human protein interaction network

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systems biology makes it possible to study larger and more intricate systems than before, so it is now possible to look at the molecular basis of several diseases in parallel. Analyzing the interaction network of proteins in the cell can be the key to understand how complex processes lead to diseases. Novel tools in network analysis provide the possibility to quantify the key interacting proteins in large networks as well as proteins that connect them. Here we suggest a new method to study the relationships between topology and functionality of the protein-protein interaction network, by identifying key mediator proteins possibly maintaining indirect relationships among proteins causing various diseases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on the i2d and OMIM databases, we have constructed (i) a network of proteins causing five selected diseases (DP, disease proteins) plus their interacting partners (IP, non-disease proteins), the DPIP network and (ii) a protein network showing only these IPs and their interactions, the IP network. The five investigated diseases were (1) various cancers, (2) heart diseases, (3) obesity, (4) diabetes and (5) autism. We have quantified the number and strength of IP-mediated indirect effects between the five groups of disease proteins and hypothetically identified the most important mediator proteins linking heart disease to obesity or diabetes in the IP network. The results present the relationship between mediator role and centrality, as well as between mediator role and functional properties of these proteins.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We show that a protein which plays an important indirect mediator role between two diseases is not necessarily a hub in the PPI network. This may suggest that, even if hub proteins and disease proteins are trivially of great interest, mediators may also deserve more attention, especially if disease-disease associations are to be understood. Identifying the hubs may not be sufficient to understand particular pathways. We have found that the mediators between heart diseases and obesity, as well as heart diseases and diabetes are of relatively high functional importance in the cell. The mediator proteins suggested here should be experimentally tested as products of hypothetical disease-related proteins.</p

Instrumentos de avaliação do aleitamento materno e seu uso na prática clínica

RESUMO Objetivos Identificar instrumentos de avaliação da amamentação e sua aplicação na prática clínica, validação e adaptação transcultural. Método Revisão integrativa, realizada em seis bases de dados e em uma biblioteca eletrônica, entre agosto/2014-dezembro/2015, sem limitação temporal. Resultados Foram identificados 19 instrumentos de avaliação do AM. Destes, 12 foram validados e cinco foram adaptados transculturalmente. Quanto à aplicação, destacam-se seu uso para a avaliação do risco de desmame (BAPT) e a percepção/comportamento da mulher em amamentar (BSES-SF e IIFAS). Conclusão A identificação dos instrumentos disponíveis e de suas indicações para a avaliação do AM pode auxiliar profissionais na escolha pelo instrumento a ser utilizado, qualificando a assistência materno-infantil

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Phylogenetic investigation of enteric bovine coronavirus in Ireland reveals partitioning between European and global strains

Background: Bovine coronavirus is a primary cause of neonatal calf diarrhea worldwide, and is also associated with acute diarrhea in adult cattle during the winter season. There are no reports on molecular characterization of bovine coronavirus in Ireland, and little data exists apart from serological studies. Findings: In this study, 11 neonatal (mean age 9 days) calf BCoV strains from the south of Ireland were collected over a one year period and characterized using molecular methods. The spike gene which encodes a protein involved in viral entry, infectivity and immune response shows the most variability amongst the isolates and was subsequently selected for in depth analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of the spike gene revealed that the Irish strains clustered with novel BCoV strains from Europe in a unique clade, possibly indicating lineage partitioning. Direct analysis of alignments identified amino acid changes in the spike protein unique to the Irish clade. Conclusion: Thus, monitoring of bovine coronavirus in Ireland is important as the current isolates in circulation in the south of Ireland may be diverging from the available vaccine strain, which may have implications regarding future BCoV vaccine efficacy

Corporate Entrepreneurship:From Structures to Mindset

Corporate entrepreneurship dispersed throughout an organization and leveraging the entrepreneurial potential of all its employees bears significant benefits for those organizations that embrace it. However, it appears more difficult to instill and requires strong investment in the development of human capital and entrepreneurial mindset among the employees and across the organization. In this chapter, we discuss the essence of corporate entrepreneurship mindset and show that across an organization, there might be different entrepreneurial mindsets that correspond to different people, opportunities, and contexts. Although different, they all lead to enactment of entrepreneurial projects. This chapter, thus, contributes to the discussion regarding the nature of corporate entrepreneurial mindsets, and their development and stimulation within an organization, from both academic and practical view