Out of the Shadows and into the Light: Liberation through Education

The “Allegory of the Cave,” Book VII of Plato’s Republic, has been a staple in Western philosophical and political thought for millennia. Following a brief summary of Plato’s story told by Socrates, this article makes a case for using the allegory as a framework for discussing the systems of oppression created by colonialism and hegemonic control. The second part of this article discusses the ways in which Plato’s vision has been used in educational philosophy and psychology to symbolize the gradual processes of education as a means of liberation. This discussion takes the form of an analysis of Platonic developmental processes of cognition and reasoning in comparison to self-authorship and self-evolution theories of Baxter Magolda (2001, as cited in Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010), and Egan (1983). Additionally, this article offers a connection between Platonic philosophy and Heidegger’s theories of ontological education to inform student affairs practice. Finally, Plato’s pedagogy and the work of Paulo Freire (1998) present critical education as a method of liberation

Hilbert Lattice Equations

There are five known classes of lattice equations that hold in every infinite dimensional Hilbert space underlying quantum systems: generalised orthoarguesian, Mayet's E_A, Godowski, Mayet-Godowski, and Mayet's E equations. We obtain a result which opens a possibility that the first two classes coincide. We devise new algorithms to generate Mayet-Godowski equations that allow us to prove that the fourth class properly includes the third. An open problem related to the last class is answered. Finally, we show some new results on the Godowski lattices characterising the third class of equations.Comment: 24 pages, 3 figure

Polymorphisms in the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase MERTK Gene Are Associated with Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating, chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system affecting over 2 million people worldwide. The TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) have been implicated as important players during demyelination in both animal models of MS and in the human disease. We therefore conducted an association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes encoding the TAM receptors and their ligands associated with MS. Analysis of genotype data from a genome-wide association study which consisted of 1618 MS cases and 3413 healthy controls conducted by the Australia and New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (ANZgene) revealed several SNPs within the MERTK gene (Chromosome 2q14.1, Accession Number NG_011607.1) that showed suggestive association with MS. We therefore interrogated 28 SNPs in MERTK in an independent replication cohort of 1140 MS cases and 1140 healthy controls. We found 12 SNPs that replicated, with 7 SNPs showing p-values of less than 10−5 when the discovery and replication cohorts were combined. All 12 replicated SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other. In combination, these data suggest the MERTK gene is a novel risk gene for MS susceptibility

TBP Binding-Induced Folding of the Glucocorticoid Receptor AF1 Domain Facilitates Its Interaction with Steroid Receptor Coactivator-1

The precise mechanism by which glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulates the transcription of its target genes is largely unknown. This is, in part, due to the lack of structural and functional information about GR's N-terminal activation function domain, AF1. Like many steroid hormone receptors (SHRs), the GR AF1 exists in an intrinsically disordered (ID) conformation or an ensemble of conformers that collectively appears to be unstructured. The GR AF1 is known to recruit several coregulatory proteins, including those from the basal transcriptional machinery, e.g., TATA box binding protein (TBP) that forms the basis for the multiprotein transcription initiation complex. However, the precise mechanism of this process is unknown. We have earlier shown that conditional folding of the GR AF1 is the key for its interactions with critical coactivator proteins. We hypothesize that binding of TBP to AF1 results in the structural rearrangement of the ID AF1 domain such that its surfaces become easily accessible for interaction with other coactivators. To test this hypothesis, we determined whether TBP binding-induced structure formation in the GR AF1 facilitates its interaction with steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1), a critical coactivator that is important for GR-mediated transcriptional activity. Our data show that stoichiometric binding of TBP induces significantly higher helical content at the expense of random coil configuration in the GR AF1. Further, we found that this induced AF1 conformation facilitates its interaction with SRC-1, and subsequent AF1-mediated transcriptional activity. Our results may provide a potential mechanism through which GR and by large other SHRs may regulate the expression of the GR-target genes

ATF3 Plays a Key Role in Kdo2-Lipid A-Induced TLR4-Dependent Gene Expression via NF-κB Activation

Background: Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a negative regulator of proinflammatory cytokine expression in macrophages, and ATF3 deficient mice are more susceptible to endotoxic shock. This study addresses the role of ATF3 in the Kdo 2-Lipid A-induced Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF). Kdo 2-Lipid A upregulates ATF3 expression in wild type MEF cells and induces both nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation via the TLR4 signaling pathway, while neither of these pathways is activated in ATF3-/- MEF cells. Interestingly, in contrast to Kdo 2-Lipid A, the activation of both NF-kB and JNK by TNF-a was normal in ATF3-/- MEF cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: We found that several genes were dramatically upregulated in ATF3+/+ MEF cells in response to Kdo2-Lipid A treatment, while little difference was observed in the ATF3-/- MEF cells. However, we also found that the signal intensities of IkBf in ATF3-/- MEF cells were substantially higher than those in wild type MEF cells upon microarray analyses, and upregulated IkBf expression was detected in the cytosol fraction. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings indicate that ATF3 deficiency affects Kdo 2-Lipid A-induced TLR4 signaling pathways in MEF cells, that it may upregulate IkBf expression and that the high levels of IkBf expression in ATF3-/- cells disrupts Kdo2-Lipid A-mediated signaling pathways

Insights on Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity Modulation through the Binding of Rigid Steroids

Background: The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression in a ligand-dependent fashion. This modular protein is one of the major pharmacological targets due to its involvement in both cause and treatment of many human diseases. Intense efforts have been made to get information about the molecular basis of GR activity. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, the behavior of four GR-ligand complexes with different glucocorticoid and antiglucocorticoid properties were evaluated. The ability of GR-ligand complexes to oligomerize in vivo was analyzed by performing the novel Number and Brightness assay. Results showed that most of GR molecules form homodimers inside the nucleus upon ligand binding. Additionally, in vitro GR-DNA binding analyses suggest that ligand structure modulates GRDNA interaction dynamics rather than the receptor's ability to bind DNA. On the other hand, by coimmunoprecipitation studies we evaluated the in vivo interaction between the transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2) coactivator and different GR-ligand complexes. No correlation was found between GR intranuclear distribution, cofactor recruitment and the homodimerization process. Finally, Molecular determinants that support the observed experimental GR LBD-ligand/TIF2 interaction were found by Molecular Dynamics simulation. Conclusions/Significance: The data presented here sustain the idea that in vivo GR homodimerization inside the nucleus can be achieved in a DNA-independent fashion, without ruling out a dependent pathway as well. Moreover, since at least one GR-ligand complex is able to induce homodimer formation while preventing TIF2 coactivator interaction, results suggest that these two events might be independent from each other. Finally, 21-hydroxy-6,19-epoxyprogesterone arises as a selective glucocorticoid with potential pharmacological interest. Taking into account that GR homodimerization and cofactor recruitment are considered essential steps in the receptor activation pathway, results presented here contribute to understand how specific ligands influence GR behavior. © 2010 Presman et al.Fil:Presman, D.M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Alvarez, L.D. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Levi, V. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Martí, M.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Veleiro, A.S. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Burton, G. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Pecci, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Composition of a Clean and Sulphur Covered CuNi(100) Single Crystal Surface

Surface composition of the CuNi(100) single crystal in the temperature range of 893÷1073 K (620÷800°C) has been investigated using low energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy methods. A clean sample surface at moderate temperatures reveals small surface copper enrichment, with respect to the bulk Cu-rich composition. For example, at 1006 K (733°C) the copper surface concentration C$\text{}_{Cu}^{s}$, was determined from the quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy analysis as 0.91. After prolonged heating at higher temperatures, the copper surface concentration converges to the bulk value, i.e. at 1073 K (800°C), C$\text{}_{Cu}^{s}$ = C$\text{}_{Cu}^{b}$ = 0.87. Surface segregation of sulphur proceeds from (1 × 1) through p(2 × 2)S/CuNi(100) to c(2 × 2)S/CuNi(100) structures of low energy electron diffraction. In the presence of segregated sulphur the surface concentration of copper is lower

Work function of vicinal copper surfaces

Relative work functions of vicinal surfaces to the (100) plane copper surface were determined from the Δ ϕ changes during adsorption of potassium. The initial value of the work function of the different planes was determined from its saturation value under the condition that it corresponds to the potassium overlayer of the same structure and density. It was found that the work function decreases linearly with step density for this step orientation

Determination of Submonolayer Coverages Using Auger Escape Depths

A simple method for determining submonolayer adsorbate coverages by means of Auger electron spectroscopy is presented. The procedure is based on the ratio of low to high kinetic energy Auger signals from the substrate alone, therefore it does not require a direct measurement of adsorbate peaks. It may be of special interest in cases where the adsorbate signal is difficult or impossible to measure, as well as when adsorbate and substrate peaks overlap or when peaks are absent (H or He) or of low intensity. The method is tested by quantification of sulphur layer on the Ni(001) and on the polycrystalline iron surface