Comparative evaluation by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of MDR1, MRP and GSTp gene expression in breast carcinomas.

Identification and quantitative evaluation of drug resistance markers are essential to assess the impact of multidrug resistance (MDR) in clinical oncology. The MDR1 gene confers pleiotropic drug resistance in tumour cells, but other molecular mechanisms are also involved in drug resistance. In particular, the clinical pattern of expression of the other MDR-related genes is unclear and their interrelationships are still unknown. Here, we report standardization of the procedures used to determine a reliable method of semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using a standard series of drug-sensitive and increasingly resistant cell lines to evaluate the expression of three MDR-related genes, i.e. MDR1 (multidrug resistance gene 1), MRP (multidrug resistance related protein) and GSTp (glutathione-S-transferase p), reported to be endogenous standard genes for normalization of mRNAs. A total of 74 breast cancer surgical biopsies, obtained before any treatment, were evaluated by this method. When compared with classical clinical and laboratory findings, GSTp mRNA level was higher in diploid tumours. However, the main finding of our study suggests a clear relationship between two of these MDR-related gene expressions, namely GSTp and MRP. This finding provides new insight into human breast tumours, which may possibly be linked to the glutathione conjugate carrier function of MRP. Well defined semiquantitative RT-PCR procedures can therefore constitute a powerful tool to investigate MDR phenotype at mRNA levels of different related genes in small and precious tumour biopsy specimens

NectarCAM : a camera for the medium size telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

NectarCAM is a camera proposed for the medium-sized telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) covering the central energy range of ~100 GeV to ~30 TeV. It has a modular design and is based on the NECTAr chip, at the heart of which is a GHz sampling Switched Capacitor Array and a 12-bit Analog to Digital converter. The camera will be equipped with 265 7-photomultiplier modules, covering a field of view of 8 degrees. Each module includes the photomultiplier bases, high voltage supply, pre-amplifier, trigger, readout and Ethernet transceiver. The recorded events last between a few nanoseconds and tens of nanoseconds. The camera trigger will be flexible so as to minimize the read-out dead-time of the NECTAr chips. NectarCAM is designed to sustain a data rate of more than 4 kHz with less than 5\% dead time. The camera concept, the design and tests of the various subcomponents and results of thermal and electrical prototypes are presented. The design includes the mechanical structure, cooling of the electronics, read-out, clock distribution, slow control, data-acquisition, triggering, monitoring and services.Comment: In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at arXiv:1508.0589

Can dissonance engineering improve risk analysis of human–machine systems?

The paper discusses dissonance engineering and its application to risk analysis of human–machine systems. Dissonance engineering relates to sciences and technologies relevant to dissonances, defined as conflicts between knowledge. The richness of the concept of dissonance is illustrated by a taxonomy that covers a variety of cognitive and organisational dissonances based on different conflict modes and baselines of their analysis. Knowledge control is discussed and related to strategies for accepting or rejecting dissonances. This acceptability process can be justified by a risk analysis of dissonances which takes into account their positive and negative impacts and several assessment criteria. A risk analysis method is presented and discussed along with practical examples of application. The paper then provides key points to motivate the development of risk analysis methods dedicated to dissonances in order to identify the balance between the positive and negative impacts and to improve the design and use of future human–machine system by reinforcing knowledge

Qualitative questionnaire for the identification of cognems (Qualiquic): an exploratory technique to identify social representation contents and relations

While the investigation of social representation contents through the analysis of word associations is convenient, it does not directly inform about the nature of relationships that representation elements maintain with the social object. This paper presents a qualitative technique, Qualiquic, that is easy and simple to administer. Qualiquic has the advantage of gathering representation contents characterized by their relationships with the representation object, based on a simplified list of descriptive, practical, and evaluative connectors of the basic cognitive schemes model. The underlying theoretical principles are explained, and empirical guidelines are provided, as well as an empirical example of use

The IPDGC/GP2 Hackathon - an open science event for training in data science, genomics, and collaboration using Parkinson’s disease data

Open science and collaboration are necessary to facilitate the advancement of Parkinson's disease (PD) research. Hackathons are collaborative events that bring together people with different skill sets and backgrounds to generate resources and creative solutions to problems. These events can be used as training and networking opportunities, thus we coordinated a virtual 3-day hackathon event, during which 49 early-career scientists from 12 countries built tools and pipelines with a focus on PD. Resources were created with the goal of helping scientists accelerate their own research by having access to the necessary code and tools. Each team was allocated one of nine different projects, each with a different goal. These included developing post-genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis pipelines, downstream analysis of genetic variation pipelines, and various visualization tools. Hackathons are a valuable approach to inspire creative thinking, supplement training in data science, and foster collaborative scientific relationships, which are foundational practices for early-career researchers. The resources generated can be used to accelerate research on the genetics of PD

Persons living with AIDS in nurses' social representations: analysis of central, contranormative and attitudinal elements

OBJECTIVES: to describe and analyze the centrality, the mute zone and the attitudes expressed in nurses' social representations of people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. METHOD: the subjects were 30 nurses from a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro. The data was collected using a Likert scale. RESULTS: the data pointed to a process of representational change regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, with the assumption of a more positive attitude regarding living with this health issue. The hypothesis of the existence of a mute zone in the representation, comprising elements with a contranormative character, was strengthened. CONCLUSION: the influence of the dynamics of social normativity on how the social representations studied are expressed may contribute to a better understanding of its structuring process. It also helps in the analysis of possible gaps among the nurses' discourses and practices in relation to Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.OBJETIVOS: describir y analizar la centralidad, la zona muda y las actitudes expresas en las representaciones sociales de enfermeros acerca de la persona con Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana. MÉTODO: los sujetos fueron 30 enfermeros de un hospital universitario de Rio de Janeiro. Los datos fueron colectados utilizando escala tipo likert. RESULTADOS: indicaron un proceso de cambio representacional sobre el Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana/Síndrome da Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida, con la Asunción de actitud más positiva sobre la convivencia con éste agravo. Fue reforzada hipótesis de existencia de zona muda en la representación compuesta por elementos de carácter contra normativo. CONCLUSIÓN: la influencia de la dinámica de normatividad social sobre el modo de expresión de las representaciones sociales estudiadas puede aportar para una mejor comprensión de su proceso de estructuración. Auxilia, también, en el análisis de eventuales desfases entre los discursos y las prácticas de los enfermeros con relación al Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana/Síndrome da Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida.OBJETIVOS: descrever e analisar a centralidade, a zona muda e as atitudes expressas nas representações sociais de enfermeiros, acerca da pessoa com vírus da imunodeficiência humana. MÉTODO: os sujeitos foram 30 enfermeiros de um hospital universitário do Rio de Janeiro. Os dados foram coletados utilizando escala tipo Likert. RESULTADOS: os resultados indicaram um processo de mudança representacional sobre o vírus da imunodeficiência humana/síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida, com a assunção de atitude mais positiva sobre a convivência com esse agravo. Foi reforçada a hipótese da existência de zona muda na representação composta por elementos de caráter contranormativo. CONCLUSÃO: a influência da dinâmica de normatividade social sobre o modo de expressão das representações sociais estudadas pode contribuir para melhor compreensão do seu processo de estruturação. Auxilia, também, na análise de eventuais defasagens entre os discursos e as práticas dos enfermeiros em relação ao vírus da imunodeficiência humana/síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida

Toward a Comprehensive Approach to the Collection and Analysis of Pica Substances, with Emphasis on Geophagic Materials

Pica, the craving and subsequent consumption of non-food substances such as earth, charcoal, and raw starch, has been an enigma for more than 2000 years. Currently, there are little available data for testing major hypotheses about pica because of methodological limitations and lack of attention to the problem.In this paper we critically review procedures and guidelines for interviews and sample collection that are appropriate for a wide variety of pica substances. In addition, we outline methodologies for the physical, mineralogical, and chemical characterization of these substances, with particular focus on geophagic soils and clays. Many of these methods are standard procedures in anthropological, soil, or nutritional sciences, but have rarely or never been applied to the study of pica.Physical properties of geophagic materials including color, particle size distribution, consistency and dispersion/flocculation (coagulation) should be assessed by appropriate methods. Quantitative mineralogical analyses by X-ray diffraction should be made on bulk material as well as on separated clay fractions, and the various clay minerals should be characterized by a variety of supplementary tests. Concentrations of minerals should be determined using X-ray fluorescence for non-food substances and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy for food-like substances. pH, salt content, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon content and labile forms of iron oxide should also be determined. Finally, analyses relating to biological interactions are recommended, including determination of the bioavailability of nutrients and other bioactive components from pica substances, as well as their detoxification capacities and parasitological profiles.This is the first review of appropriate methodologies for the study of human pica. The comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to the collection and analysis of pica substances detailed here is a necessary preliminary step to understanding the nutritional enigma of non-food consumption