An Overview of the Field of Semiotics

AbstractThe quantitative increase in recent years of research into semiotics, among other methods of reading works of art, is notable. Since semiotics is the act of reading as based on a meta-language that is constructed and grounded in logic, understanding the methods applied by the field requires time and experience. In addition, the application of models that differ in relation to each other under different schools of thought and under different names makes its yet more difficult to comprehend the field of semiotics. Despite the different models that are available, approaches display certain commonalities as they are born of the same foundations and objectives. This study will aim to pinpoint the common aspects of the intellectual foundations, methods, objectives and research limitations of the different schools of thought and the models that are involved in the study of semiotics

Nano-​cuprous oxide catalyzed one-​pot synthesis of a carbazole-​based STAT3 inhibitor: a facile approach via intramolecular C-​N bond formation reactions

In this study, we report the one-​pot synthesis of substituted carbazole derivs. using nano cuprous oxide as a catalyst via intramol. C-​N bond forming reactions. Among the synthesized carbazoles, 3'-​((3-​acetyl-​6-​chloro-​9H-​carbazol-​9-​yl)​methyl)​-​[1,​1'-​biphenyl]​-​2-​carbonitrile (ACB) was identified as a lead antiproliferative agent against lung cancer cell lines A549 and LLC with an IC50 of 13.6 and 16.4 μM resp. Furthermore, we found that the lead compd. suppresses the constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3 (Tyr-​705) in A549, HCC-​2279 and H1975 cells. We analyzed the levels of phospho-​STAT3 and LSD1 in the nuclear ext. of ACB treated HCC-​2279 cells to evaluate the transcriptional activity of STAT3. We found the downregulation of phospho-​STAT3 without any change in the expression of LSD1 indicating that ACB downregulates the transcriptional activity of STAT3. Mol. docking anal. revealed that ACB makes a favorable interaction with Arg-​609 and Ser-​613 in the pTyr site of the SH2 domain of STAT3

New Zealand\u27s First Science Satellite Mission

New Zealand has been a space-faring nation since 2017. Rocket Lab USA provides access to orbit for its clients, launching from the east coast of the North island. Joining the select club of nations that can reach space has spurred significant interest in New Zealand’s economic, research and cultural spheres. As university educators we seek to provide our students with the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to contribute to local and international space economy. We present here an introduction to New Zealand’s first science satellite, APSS-I, and Te Pūnaha Ātea Auckland Space Institute

MicroRNA-7 inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and metastasis of breast cancer cells via targeting FAK expression

10.1371/journal.pone.0041523PLoS ONE78

Prenatal Expression of the Growth-Hormone (Gh) Receptor-Binding Protein in the Rat - a Role for Gh in Embryonic and Fetal Development

Although fetal growth is generally considered to be independent of pituitary growth hormone (GH), it is possible that pituitary GH plays a modulatory role in organ development or that a GH-like substance of non pituitary origin may influence fetal growth through the GH receptor. Accordingly, we have used immunohistochemisty, northern blot analysis, the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and solution hybridization to study the ontogeny of the GH receptor/binding protein (BP) from the 12-day-old embryo (E12) to the E18 rat fetus

Receptor-mediated nuclear translocation of growth hormone

We have previously shown that the growth hormone (GH) receptor-binding protein is associated with the nucleus. me show here both by electron microscopy and nuclear isolation that GIT is subject to rapid nuclear translocation. The intracellular fate of intravenously injected I-125-bovine growth hormone (bGH) was examined in the rat hepatocyte by electron microscopic autoradiography. The hormone appeared rapidly at the plasma membrane, then sequentially in lysosomal and multivesicular bodies and/or the nuclear membrane before final translocation to the nuclear matrix. Maximal translocation to the nuclear matrix occurred within 30 min of injection. Nuclear translocation of I-125-hGH was also studied by isolation of nuclei from cells stably transfected with cDNAs encoding the GH receptor, GH-binding protein, and a membrane bound but cytoplasmic domain-deficient receptor. Specific internalization and nuclear translocation of hormone only occurred in cells transfected with the full-length receptor. The translocation was rapid and became saturated within 1 h after addition of hormone to the culture media. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of isolated nuclei showed that GH is transported to the nucleus as the intact molecule. Pretreatment of cells with lysosomotropic agents (chloroquine, ammonium chloride, and bacitracin) decreased hormone degradation and increased nuclear translocation of GH. The nuclear translocation of GH was achieved independent of the cytoskeletal system (microtubular, microfilament, and intermediate filament networks). Thus, GH is subject to rapid receptor-dependent nuclear translocation via the endosomal pathway

Nuclear translocation and anchorage of the growth hormone receptor

The extracellular domain of the rabbit growth hormone (GH) receptor has previously been shown to be associated with the nucleus, However, in this species the GH binding protein (BP) is derived by proteolytic cleavage of the full-length receptor, and thus distinction between the receptor and EP is difficult, The intracellular domain of the GH receptor is required for GH-stimulated function, Thus a direct nuclear function of GH would presumably require the receptor intracellular domain in the nucleus, We have therefore characterized the rat nuclear GH receptor and BP based on their distinct antigenic identity, We show, in vivo, that the full-length receptor is associated with the nucleus, including the respective subnuclear fractions (nucleoplasm, outer nuclear membranes, inner nuclear membranes, and chromatin). In vivo, the receptor is also subject to ligand-dependent nuclear translocation

Nuclear localization and function of polypeptide ligands and their receptors: a new paradigm for hormone specificity within the mammary gland?

The specific effects triggered by polypeptide hormone/growth factor stimulation of mammary cells were considered mediated solely by receptor-associated signaling networks. A compelling body of new data, however, clearly indicates that polypeptide ligands and/or their receptors are transported into the nucleus, where they function directly to regulate the expression of specific transcription factors and gene loci. The intranuclear function of these complexes may contribute to the explicit functions associated with a given ligand, and may serve as new targets for pharmacologic intervention