Dynamics of learning and recent RX toward improving memory abilities

As an educator among educators, the writer is concerned with the intellectual potential of individuals viewed through their intellectual ability, and, presently, restricted to the function of memory. The writer is also deeply interested with the nature of research in several areas which encompass memory -- the key to educational improvement

How should educational effects be communicated to teachers?

Research findings regarding the effects of educational interventions—typically reported in units of standard deviations (e.g., Cohen’s d)—are often translated into more intuitive metrics before being communicated to teachers. However, there is no consensus about the most suitable metric, and no study has systematically examined how teachers respond to the different options. We conducted two preregistered studies addressing this issue. We found that teachers have strong preferences concerning effect size metrics in terms of informativeness, understandability, and helpfulness. These preferences challenge current research reporting recommendations. Most importantly, we found that different metrics induce different perceptions of an intervention’s effectiveness—a situation that could cause teachers to have unrealistic expectations about what a given intervention may achieve. Implications for how educational effects should be communicated are discussed

Method to enable LCA analysis through each level of development of a BIM model

Whole Building life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations are increasingly done using building information modeling (BIM) data exports, but some challenges need to be overcome. BIM models lack data for a whole building LCA analysis. To counter this lack of detailed information, manual inputs are often required when using a static BIM model and cannot easily consider recalculations over the duration of the project. This paper presents a method to automatically perform LCA calculations early, at the first level of a BIM model’s development (i.e. the LOD100 level), and to allow for easier updates of the calculation throughout the evolution of the BIM model. To achieve this goal, a novel data layer and format is proposed. This data layer fills the information gap between extracted BIM data and existing LCA data provided by common LCA databases such as ecoinvent

MicroRNA expression, survival, and response to interferon in liver cancer

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common and aggressive cancer that occurs mainly in men. We examined microRNA expression patterns, survival, and response to interferon alfa in both men and women with the disease. METHODS: We analyzed three independent cohorts that included a total of 455 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone radical tumor resection between 1999 and 2003. MicroRNA-expression profiling was performed in a cohort of 241 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to identify tumor-related microRNAs and determine their association with survival in men and women. In addition, to validate our findings, we used quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase- chain-reaction assays to measure microRNAs and assess their association with survival and response to therapy with interferon alfa in 214 patients from two independent, prospective, randomized, controlled trials of adjuvant interferon therapy. RESULTS: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the expression of miR-26a and miR-26b in nontumor liver tissue was higher in women than in men. Tumors had reduced levels of miR-26 expression, as compared with paired noncancerous tissues, which indicated that the level of miR-26 expression was also associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, tumors with reduced miR-26 expression had a distinct transcriptomic pattern, and analyses of gene networks revealed that activation of signaling pathways between nuclear factor κB and interleukin-6 might play a role in tumor development. Patients whose tumors had low miR-26 expression had shorter overall survival but a better response to interferon therapy than did patients whose tumors had high expression of the microRNA. CONCLUSIONS: The expression patterns of microRNAs in liver tissue differ between men and women with hepatocellular carcinoma. The miR-26 expression status of such patients is associated with survival and response to adjuvant therapy with interferon alfa. Copyright © 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Fluorescence studies on new potential antitumoral benzothienopyran-1-ones in solution and in liposomes

Fluorescence properties of four new potential antitumoral compounds, 3-arylbenzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-ones, were studied in solution and in lipid membranes of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (Egg-PC) and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB). The 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1c) exhibits the higher fluorescence quantum yields in all solvents studied. All compounds present a solvent sensitive emission, with significant red shifts in polar solvents for the methoxylated compounds. The results point to an ICT character of the excited state, more pronounced for compound 1c. Fluorescence (steady-state) anisotropy measurements of the compounds incorporated in liposomes of DPPC, DODAB and Egg-PC indicate that all compounds have two different locations, one due to a deep penetration in the lipid membrane and another corresponding to a more hydrated environment. In general, the methoxylated compounds prefer hydrated environments inside the liposomes. The 3-(4- fluorophenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1a) clearly prefers a hydrated environment, with some molecules located at the outer part of the liposome interface. On the contrary, the preferential location of 3-(2-fluorophenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1b) is in the region of lipid hydrophobic tails. Compounds with a planar geometry (1a and 1c) have higher mobility in the lipid membranes when phase transition occurs.Portugal and FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional), for financial support through Centro de Física (CFUM) and Centro de Química (CQ-UM) of University of Minho and through the Project PTDC/QUI/81238/2006. M.S.D. Carvalho and R.C. Calhelha acknowledge FCT for their PhD grants SFRH/BD/47052/2008 and SFRH/BD/29274/2006, respectively.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

The retroviral oncoprotein Tax targets the coiled-coil centrosomal protein TAX1BP2 to induce centrosome overduplication

Emerging evidence suggests that supernumerary centrosomes drive genome instability and oncogenesis. Human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is etiologically associated with adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL). ATL cells are aneuploid, but the causes of aneuploidy are incompletely understood. Here, we show that centrosome amplification is frequent in HTLV-I-transformed cells and that this phenotype is caused by the viral Tax oncoprotein. We also show that the fraction of Tax protein that localizes to centrosomes interacts with TAX1BP2, a novel centrosomal protein composed almost entirely of coiled-coil domains. Overexpression of TAX1BP2 inhibited centrosome duplication, whereas depletion of TAX1BP2 by RNAi resulted in centrosome hyperamplification. Our findings suggest that the HTLV-I Tax oncoprotein targets TAX1BP2 causing genomic instability and aneuploidy. © 2006 Nature Publishing Group.postprin

Photoswitchable fluorescent diheteroarylethenes: substituent effects on photochromic and solvatochromic properties

Photoswitchable fluorescent diheteroarylethenes are promising candidates for applications in super-resolution molecular localization fluorescence microscopy thanks to their high quantum yields and fatigue-resistant photoswitching characteristics. We have studied the effect of varying substituents on the photophysical properties of six sulfone derivatives of diheteroarylethenes, which display fluorescence in one (closed form) of two thermally stable photochromic states. Electron-donating substituents displace the absorption and emission spectra towards the red without substantially affecting the fluorescence quantum yields. Furthermore, ethoxybromo, a very electron-donating substituent, stabilizes the excited state of the closed isomer to the extent of almost entirely inhibiting its cycloreversion. Multi-parameter Hammett correlations indicate a relationship between the emission maxima and electron-donating character, providing a useful tool in the design of future photochromic molecules. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibit small bathochromic shifts and shorter fluorescence lifetimes with an increase in solvent polarity. However, the ethoxybromo-substituted fluorescent photochrome is unique in its strong solvatochromic behaviour, constituting a photoactivatable (photochromic), fluorescent and highly solvatochromic small organic compound. The Catalán formalism identified solvent dipolarity as the principal basis of the solvatochromism, reflecting the highly polarized nature of this molecule.Fil: Gillanders, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias "Elizabeth Jares Erijman"; Argentina. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry. Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias "Elizabeth Jares Erijman"; Argentina. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry. Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; AlemaniaFil: Diaz, Sebastian Andres. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry. Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; AlemaniaFil: Jovin, Tomás. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry. Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; AlemaniaFil: Jares, Elizabeth Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentin

Outlining a new collaborative business model as a result of the green Building Information Modelling impact in the AEC supply chain

BIM (Building Information Modelling) technological push has enabled to integrate the design/construction outcomes of 3D-CAD along the product/service AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) SC (supply chain) through an intelligent DMS (Data Management System) based on standard and interoperable data formats. The proposed end-to-end approach overcomes a typical AEC gap, enables the operationalisation of the sustainable/green building LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and puts together new collaborative relationships with the owner, among SC stakeholders and with new forms of BIM procurement. The outlined collaborative business model is based on the Quality Control and Assurance framework and provides conceptual consistency to the reintroduction of the owner concerns/satisfaction in the SC, as well as enables consistent and accountable relationships between (smart)materials procurement and building specification. An expert’s focus group carried out a preliminary check of the model’s interest/applicability, resulting in recommendations for its further detailing and for propositions development into a systematic enquiring process.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Identification of microRNAs specific for epithelial cell adhesion molecule-positive tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: HEPATOLOGY, Vol. XX, No. X, 2015

Therapies that target cancer stem cells (CSCs) hold promise in eliminating cancer burden. However, normal stem cells are likely to be targeted due to their similarities to CSCs. It is established that EpCAM is a biomarker for normal hepatic stem cells and EpCAM+AFP+ hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells have enriched hepatic CSCs. We sought to determine if specific miRNAs exist in hepatic CSCs that are not expressed in normal hepatic stem cells. We performed a pair-wised comparison of the miRNA transcriptome of EpCAM+ and corresponding EpCAM− cells isolated from two primary HCC specimens, as well as from two fetal livers and three healthy adult liver donors via small RNA deep sequencing. We found that miR-150, miR-155 and miR-223 were preferentially highly expressed in EpCAM+ HCC cells, which was further validated. Their gene surrogates, identified using miRNA and mRNA profiling in a cohort of 292 HCC patients, were associated with patient prognosis. We further demonstrated that miR-155 was highly expressed in EpCAM+ HCC cells compared to corresponding EpCAM− HCC cells, fetal livers with enriched normal hepatic progenitors, and normal adult livers with enriched mature hepatocytes. Suppressing miR-155 resulted in a decreased EpCAM+ fraction in HCC cells and reduced HCC cell colony formation, migration and invasion in vitro. The reduced levels of identified miR-155 targets predicted the shortened overall survival and time to recurrence of HCC patients. Conclusion: MiR-155 was highly elevated in EpCAM+ HCC cells and might serve as a molecular target to eradicate the EpCAM+ CSC population in human HCCs