p53 Family: Role of Protein Isoforms in Human Cancer

TP53, TP63, and TP73 genes comprise the p53 family. Each gene produces protein isoforms through multiple mechanisms including extensive alternative mRNA splicing. Accumulating evidence shows that these isoforms play a critical role in the regulation of many biological processes in normal cells. Their abnormal expression contributes to tumorigenesis and has a profound effect on tumor response to curative therapy. This paper is an overview of isoform diversity in the p53 family and its role in cancer

Propagation of instability in dielectric elastomers

AbstractWhen an electric voltage is applied across the thickness of a thin layer of an dielectric elastomer, the layer reduces its thickness and expands its area. This electrically induced deformation can be rapid and large, and is potentially useful as soft actuators in diverse technologies. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have shown that, when the voltage exceeds some critical value, the homogenous deformation of the layer becomes unstable, and the layer deforms into a mixture of thin and thick regions. Subsequently, as more electric charge is applied, the thin regions enlarge at the expense of the thick regions. On the basis of a recently formulated nonlinear field theory, this paper develops a meshfree method to simulate numerically this instability

Inequality in the distribution of income in Singapore : a theil decomposition analysis

Income inequality has continued to worsen in Singapore, with the country’s Gini coefficient ranked second highest behind only Hong Kong among developed countries according to a 2009 United Nations Report. As social tension begins to surface, which is evident from the watershed General Election in 2011, it is essential to discover the subgroups of population that are most affected by income inequality so as to allow effective policymaking to address this predicament. This paper examines income inequality in its entirety in Singapore and provides possible improvements and recommendations to existing policies. In order to get a greater appreciation of income inequality in Singapore, we have analysed the trend of Gini coefficient in the country for the past 40 years. Using Theil index, which is able to decompose income inequality into the different subgroups of population, this paper identifies and analyzes the extent that factors such as industry, age, education, and race contributes to income inequality in Singapore. Our empirical results show that, in terms of age, the elderly age group contributes most to income inequality while in terms of industry, the construction sector in particular contributed significantly to the income inequality as compared to other sectors. Potential policy recommendations such as redistribution of income and increasing labour productivity should be targeted to alleviate income inequality, allowing for a more inclusive society.Bachelor of Art

Microbial Regulation of p53 Tumor Suppressor.

p53 tumor suppressor has been identified as a protein interacting with the large T antigen produced by simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40). Subsequent research on p53 inhibition by SV40 and other tumor viruses has not only helped to gain a better understanding of viral biology, but also shaped our knowledge of human tumorigenesis. Recent studies have found, however, that inhibition of p53 is not strictly in the realm of viruses. Some bacterial pathogens also actively inhibit p53 protein and induce its degradation, resulting in alteration of cellular stress responses. This phenomenon was initially characterized in gastric epithelial cells infected with Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial pathogen that commonly infects the human stomach and is strongly linked to gastric cancer. Besides H. pylori, a number of other bacterial species were recently discovered to inhibit p53. These findings provide novel insights into host-bacteria interactions and tumorigenesis associated with bacterial infections

Ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets with exposed {0 0 1} facets and enhanced photocatalytic properties

Hierarchical tin disulfide (SnS2) micro/nanostructures, assembled from ultrathin nanosheets with {0 0 1} facets exposed, were successfully synthesized via an l-glutatione-assisted approach. The prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectra and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The characterized results showed that these hexagonal berndtite SnS2 nanosheets selectively exposed {0 0 1} facets as the main external surfaces, and the percentage of these facets was nearly 95%. Even under visible light (λ \u3e 420 nm), the products showed superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye (methyl orange) and the reduction of aqueous Cr (VI). The enhanced photocatalytic properties can be attributed to the two-dimensional sheet-like nanostructure, which has a larger specific surface area and could enhance the efficiency of the electron-hole separation. The formation mechanism of the hierarchical SnS2 micro/nanostructures and its relationship with photocatalytic properties were also proposed. The result demonstrates that these hierarchical SnS2 micro/nanostructures have promising applications in the solar-energy conversion process