Mutational processes molding the genomes of 21 breast cancers

All cancers carry somatic mutations. The patterns of mutation in cancer genomes reflect the DNA damage and repair processes to which cancer cells and their precursors have been exposed. To explore these mechanisms further, we generated catalogs of somatic mutation from 21 breast cancers and applied mathematical methods to extract mutational signatures of the underlying processes. Multiple distinct single- and double-nucleotide substitution signatures were discernible. Cancers with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations exhibited a characteristic combination of substitution mutation signatures and a distinctive profile of deletions. Complex relationships between somatic mutation prevalence and transcription were detected. A remarkable phenomenon of localized hypermutation, termed "kataegis," was observed. Regions of kataegis differed between cancers but usually colocalized with somatic rearrangements. Base substitutions in these regions were almost exclusively of cytosine at TpC dinucleotides. The mechanisms underlying most of these mutational signatures are unknown. However, a role for the APOBEC family of cytidine deaminases is proposed

The imperative to develop a human vaccine for the Hendra virus in Australia

The Hendra virus (HeV) poses a significant challenge to public health in Australia. Expanding migratory patterns observed among bats and the mutation of the virus to seek and successfully infect new hosts is a significant departure from the generalized epidemiological trend. The recent discovery of equine-related infections and deaths in addition to a canine infection demonstrates the inadequacy of the current equine vaccine developed in 2012. Traditional models for controlling the spread of the vector are futile given the rapid pace at which bats' habitats are eroded. Recent ongoing zoonotic epidemics, for example, Ebola and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, demonstrate that human-to-human transmission is a distinct reality rather than an obscure possibility. The development of a human HeV vaccine is essential for the biosecurity of Australia, as part of a multipronged strategy to control HeV in Australia

Innovation Competence of the Mathematics Teacher

У статті проаналізовано погляди вітчизняних та зарубіжних науковців на поняття «інноваційна компетентність учителя»; визначено поняття «інноваційна компетентність учителя математики» як складову загальної професійної компетентності та необхідну умову формування математичної компетентності, зміст якої зумовлюється особливостями інноваційної діяльності, її суспільною значимістю, творчим характером та спрямованістю на неперервне творення нового, розвиток особистісного й професійного потенціалу педагога; виділено концептуальні положення щодо аналізу структури та змісту цього поняття; виокремлено компоненти інноваційної компетентності вчителя математики та запропоновано напрями її набуття у процесі викладання дисциплін математичного циклу.The article analyzes the views of native and foreign scientists on the concept «innovation competence of the teacher», the concept «innovation competence of the mathematics teacher» is defined, the conceptual provisions concerning the analysis of the structure and content of this concept are described, the components of the innovation competence of the mathematics teacher are outlined and the directions of their formation in the teaching disciplines of mathematical cycle are proposed. The formation of future teachers of mathematics readiness to innovative pedagogical activity is an objective process of purposeful preparation for the creation, implementation and dissemination of educational innovations, which is based on: 1) the adaptation of students to higher education, the implementation of the principle of continuity between the older and the higher school, the formation of motivation of the students for professional activities; 2) maximum use of innovative techniques in the study of the disciplines of mathematical cycle, giving the educational process of students the creative, innovative character; 3) deepening integration of psycho-pedagogical and professional knowledge of future teachers of mathematics; application of innovative information technologies in the educational process; 4) the use of the system principle of training of future specialists in the design, development and partial validation of models of mathematics teacher’s work in the form of a common scheme or plan activities in the implementation of the educational process, based on the predominant activity of students, organized and created by the teacher; 5) the development and application of «prognostic acmeological training» of future teachers of mathematics to innovative pedagogical activity. The predictability of this preparation means its orientation to the school of the future taking into account the main trends in the development of technologies for teaching mathematics. Its implementation on a contextual basis provides a consistent use of all types of preparation of future teachers of mathematics. The innovative competence of teachers of mathematics is seen as part of general professional competence and the necessary condition for the formation of mathematical competence, the content of which is determined by the peculiarities of innovative activity, its social significance, creative nature and focus on continuous creation of something new, development of personal and professional potential of the teacher

Comparison of self-refraction using a simple device, USee, with manifest refraction in adults

<div><p>Background</p><p>The USee device is a new self-refraction tool that allows users to determine their own refractive error. We evaluated the ease of use of USee in adults, and compared the refractive error correction achieved with USee to clinical manifest refraction.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Sixty adults with uncorrected visual acuity <20/30 and spherical equivalent between –6.00 and +6.00 diopters completed manifest refraction and self-refraction.</p><p>Results</p><p>Subjects had a mean (±SD) age of 53.1 (±18.6) years, and 27 (45.0%) were male. Mean (±SD) spherical equivalent measured by manifest refraction and self-refraction were –0.90 D (±2.53) and –1.22 diopters (±2.42), respectively (p = 0.001). The proportion of subjects correctable to ≥20/30 in the better eye was higher for manifest refraction (96.7%) than self-refraction (83.3%, p = 0.005). Failure to achieve visual acuity ≥20/30 with self-refraction in right eyes was associated with increasing age (per year, OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.10) and higher cylindrical power (per diopter, OR: 7.26; 95% CI: 1.88–28.1). Subjectively, 95% of participants thought USee was easy to use, 85% thought self-refraction correction was better than being uncorrected, 57% thought vision with self-refraction correction was similar to their current corrective lenses, and 53% rated their vision as “very good” or “excellent” with self-refraction.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Self-refraction provides acceptable refractive error correction in the majority of adults. Programs targeting resource-poor settings could potentially use USee to provide easy on-site refractive error correction.</p></div

Distribution of age, gender, handedness, ethnicity, and race among study participants (N = 60).

<p>Distribution of age, gender, handedness, ethnicity, and race among study participants (N = 60).</p

Distribution of visual acuity before and after refraction.

<p>Distribution of visual acuity before and after refraction.</p

Subjective feedback on USee.

<p>Subjective feedback on USee.</p

Characteristics of participants.

<p>Characteristics of participants.</p

Modified Bland Altman (Difference in SE (MR SE minus SR) vs. MR SE) for right eye.

<p>Abbreviations: SE = spherical equivalent, MR = manifest refraction, SR = self-refraction.</p