Imaging biomarker roadmap for cancer studies.

Imaging biomarkers (IBs) are integral to the routine management of patients with cancer. IBs used daily in oncology include clinical TNM stage, objective response and left ventricular ejection fraction. Other CT, MRI, PET and ultrasonography biomarkers are used extensively in cancer research and drug development. New IBs need to be established either as useful tools for testing research hypotheses in clinical trials and research studies, or as clinical decision-making tools for use in healthcare, by crossing 'translational gaps' through validation and qualification. Important differences exist between IBs and biospecimen-derived biomarkers and, therefore, the development of IBs requires a tailored 'roadmap'. Recognizing this need, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) assembled experts to review, debate and summarize the challenges of IB validation and qualification. This consensus group has produced 14 key recommendations for accelerating the clinical translation of IBs, which highlight the role of parallel (rather than sequential) tracks of technical (assay) validation, biological/clinical validation and assessment of cost-effectiveness; the need for IB standardization and accreditation systems; the need to continually revisit IB precision; an alternative framework for biological/clinical validation of IBs; and the essential requirements for multicentre studies to qualify IBs for clinical use.Development of this roadmap received support from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant references A/15267, A/16463, A/16464, A/16465, A/16466 and A/18097), the EORTC Cancer Research Fund, and the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (grant agreement number 115151), resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) companies' in kind contribution

Biosynthesis of 8-O-methylated benzoxazinoid defense compounds in maize

Benzoxazinoids are important defense compounds in grasses. Here, we investigated the biosynthesis and biological roles of the 8-O-methylated benzoxazinoids, DIM2BOA-Glc and HDM2BOA-Glc. Using quantitative trait locus mapping and heterologous expression, we identified a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (BX13) that catalyzes the conversion of DIMBOA-Glc into a new benzoxazinoid intermediate (TRIMBOA-Glc) by an uncommon reaction involving a hydroxylation and a likely ortho-rearrangement of a methoxy group. TRIMBOA-Glc is then converted to DIM2BOA-Glc by a previously described O-methyltransferase BX7. Furthermore, we identified an O-methyltransferase (BX14) that converts DIM2BOA-Glc to HDM2BOA-Glc. The role of these enzymes in vivo was demonstrated by characterizing recombinant inbred lines, including Oh43, which has a point mutation in the start codon of Bx13 and lacks both DIM2BOA-Glc and HDM2BOA-Glc, and Il14H, which has an inactive Bx14 allele and lacks HDM2BOA-Glc in leaves. Experiments with near-isogenic maize lines derived from crosses between B73 and Oh43 revealed that the absence of DIM2BOA-Glc and HDM2BOA-Glc does not alter the constitutive accumulation or deglucosylation of other benzoxazinoids. The growth of various chewing herbivores was not significantly affected by the absence of BX13-dependent metabolites, while aphid performance increased, suggesting that DIM2BOA-Glc and/or HDM2BOA-Glc provide specific protection against phloem feeding insects

Zm-PH207-REFERENCE_NS-UIUC_UMN-1.0_transcript

Transcript multifasta file for the PH207 version 1.0 draft genome assembl

Data from: Draft assembly of elite inbred line PH207 provides insights into genomic and transcriptome diversity in maize

Intense artificial selection over the last 100 years has produced elite maize (Zea mays) inbred lines that combine to produce high-yielding hybrids. To further our understanding of how genome and transcriptome variation contribute to the production of high-yielding hybrids, we generated a draft genome assembly of the inbred line PH207 to complement and compare with the existing B73 reference sequence. B73 is a founder of the Stiff Stalk germplasm pool, while PH207 is a founder of Iodent germplasm, both of which have contributed substantially to the production of temperate commercial maize and are combined to make heterotic hybrids. Comparison of these two assemblies revealed over 2,500 genes present in only one of the two genotypes and 136 gene families that have undergone extensive expansion or contraction. Transcriptome profiling revealed extensive expression variation, with as many as 10,564 differentially expressed transcripts and 7,128 transcripts expressed in only one of the two genotypes in a single tissue. Genotype-specific genes were more likely to have tissue/condition-specific expression and lower transcript abundance. The availability of a high-quality genome assembly for the elite maize inbred PH207 expands our knowledge of the breadth of natural genome and transcriptome variation in elite maize inbred lines across heterotic pools

Racial Differences in Public Support for the Death Penalty: Can Racist sentiment and Core Values Explain the Racial Divide?

Prior research has established a strong and enduring “racial divide” in support for capital punishment, but little research has explored the processes that explain the racial divide. Following the lead of Unnever and Cullen (Social Forces 85:1281–1301, 2007a), this research explores whether racist sentiment and core values (individualism, egalitarianism, symbolic patriotism, and authoritarianism) can partially explain the racial divide in public support for capital punishment. The findings suggest that racist sentiment by Whites and belief in core values by Whites partially explains the racial divide in support for capital punishment

Zm-PH207-REFERENCE_NS-UIUC_UMN-1.0_protein

Protein multifasta file for the PH207 version 1.0 draft genome assembl