Introduction to the Issue: Assessment and Feedback in the 21st Century: Lessons Learnt from the Past and Future Directions

open3siSpecial issue editorialopenSerbati, Anna; Grion, Valentina; Brown, SallySerbati, Anna; Grion, Valentina; Brown, Sall

A Novel SALL4/OCT4 Transcriptional Feedback Network for Pluripotency of Embryonic Stem Cells

Background: SALL4 is a member of the SALL gene family that encodes a group of putative developmental transcription factors. Murine Sall4 plays a critical role in maintaining embryonic stem cell (ES cell) pluripotency and self-renewal. We have shown that Sall4 activates Oct4 and is a master regulator in murine ES cells. Other SALL gene members, especially Sall1 and Sall3 are expressed in both murine and human ES cells, and deletions of these two genes in mice lead to perinatal death due to developmental defects. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms controlling the regulation of expressions of SALL4 or other SALL gene family members. Methodology/Principal Findings: This report describes a novel SALL4/OCT4 regulator feedback loop in ES cells in balancing the proper expression dosage of SALL4 and OCT4 for the maintenance of ESC stem cell properties. While we have observed that a positive feedback relationship is present between SALL4 and OCT4, the strong self-repression of SALL4 seems to be the “break” for this loop. In addition, we have shown that SALL4 can repress the promoters of other SALL family members, such as SALL1 and SALL3, which competes with the activation of these two genes by OCT4. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings, when taken together, indicate that SALL4 is a master regulator that controls its own expression and the expression of OCT4. SALL4 and OCT4 work antagonistically to balance the expressions of other SALL gene family members. This novel SALL4/OCT4 transcription regulation feedback loop should provide more insight into the mechanism of governing the “stemness” of ES cells

The Professional Identity of SALL Practitioners

Session: Facilitating self-access learningThe article can be viewed at: http://sola.kmutt.ac.th/dral2014/proceedings_online/106-114%20ILA%20David%20Gardner%20Lindsay%20Miller-formatted.pdfThis paper examines the professional identity of practitioners in the field of self-access language learning (SALL) at tertiary level institutions in Hong Kong. It uses research data and examples from the literature to illustrate membership of a SALL practitioners’ professional community which exhibits the characteristics of a “community of practice” (CoP) as defined by Lave and Wenger (1991). After outlining the three key elements (Wenger, 2006) and the seven main principles of a CoP (Wenger et al, 2003), we illustrate through interview data a clear example of membership and non-membership of the community and discuss an example of how teachers who are not initially members were inducted into a CoP by challenging their beliefs and values. Thirdly, we identify ways to bring teachers into a SALL practitioners’ CoP and review the key features which promote and strengthen such a community. Nurturing a strong SALL practitioner’s CoP and encouraging teachers’ membership of it contributes to the development of their professional identity

Students' Motivation for and Attitudes towards Self-Access Language Learning Centre

Self-Access Language Learning (SALL) is one of the leading aspects in efficiency of learners’ self-initiated language learning. How far are the learners motivated to learn the language on their own in a Self-Access Language Learning Centre (SALLC)? Do their attitudes contribute SALL? This study investigated Thai students’ motivation level and attitudes towards the use of materials and facilities of the SALLC. A sample of 210 SALLC-members including 200 students, 8 lecturers and staffs together with 2 outsiders were involved. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the students’ motivation and attitudes towards the SALLC. The results revealed that the SALLC could promote students’ attitudes and stimulate their motivation to initiate on coming to the centre. The users also displayed high positive motivation and attitudes towards the SALLC. All materials and facilities in the SALLC were considered as factors that helped promote the SALLC. Additionally, students’ attitudes were found to be moderately significant correlated with motivation.Keywords: SALL, SALLC, attitude, motivation

Faculty recital series: Shiela Kibbe, Barbara Poeschl-Edrich, Richard Ranti, and Linda Toote, November 18, 2008

This is the concert program of the faculty recital of Shiela Kibbe, Barbara Poeschl-Edrich, Richard Ranti, and Linda Toote on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 7:30 p.m., at the Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts. Works performed were Pastorales de Noel by Andres Jolivet, Ciclo Plateresco, Tema y Variaciones by Joaquin Turina, Grand Duo, Theme and Variacions, op. 2 by Giseppe Giorgis, Sonata by Lowell Liebermann, and The Wind Sall Blaw for Evermair by John H. Wallace. Digitization for Boston University Concert Programs was supported by the Boston University Center for the Humanities Library Endowed Fund

The use of LAC fusions to analyse the regulation of NOD gene region of Rhizobium loti : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in genetics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Two approaches where used in the analysis of common and host specific nod gene expression in Rhizobium loti strains NZP2213 and NZP2037. The first approach using the Tn3-HoHol transposon to generate lacZ transcriptional/translational fusions, produced 290 insertions within the 8.3kb EcoRI nod fragment of R.loti strain NZP2213. The position and orientation of all but one of these insertions was determined using restriction enzyme mapping and hybridisation. The sites of the insertion and orientation were generally found to be random. The lacZ fusions were transferred into R.loti strain NZP2213 where their B-­galactosidase activity was measured in the presence and absence of Lotus tenuis seed exudate. All insertions had a low level of B-galactosidase activity that was the same as the controls. This activity was independent of position or orientation. This lack of expression could be a result of the fusions being in regions that are not transcribed ie not downstream of either a nod inducible or other promoter, or that the appropriate conditions for constitutive or inducible activity were not achieved. The second approach to construct lacZ transcriptional fusions was less random and involved the cloning of three separate nod gene fragments: i) a 4.1kb Sall fragment that overlaps the nod region of the 8.3kb EcoRI fragment of R.loti strain NZP2213, ii) a 0.65kb EcoRl fragment isolated from the 4.1kb Sall fragment of R.loti strain NZP2213, and iii) a 1.4kb Sall fragment isolated from the 7.1kb EcoRI nod region of R.loti strain NZP2037. These three fragments (4.1kb, 0.65kb and 1.4kb) were isolated and cloned into pMP190, pMP220 and pMP190 respectively, in both orientations. Each lacZ fusion was transferred into the R.loti strains from which the fragment had originated, ie either NZP2213 or NZP2037. The B-galactosidase activity of these transconjugants was measured in the presence and absence of Lotus tenuis seed exudate. The 4.1kb Sall construct from R.loti NZP2213 was found to have consititutive activity in both orientations indicating that at least two consititutive promoters are located on this fragment. The activity of one orientation, corresponding to pPN38, was twice that of the reverse orientation corresponding to pPN37. V The smaller 0.65kb EcoRI fragment, that lies within the larger 4.1kb Sall fragment, contains a "nod box" and part of a nodD-like gene (Scott et al., In prep.). No significant 13-galactosidase activity was observed in either orientation with or without seed extract. These experiments showed that the "nod box" alone was insufficient for plant inducible expression. The 1.4kb Sall fragment from R.loti NZP2037, that was known to contain a nodA promoter (Emerson-Colins et al., pers. comm.) showed inducible expression for pPN39, corresponding to a fusion between nodA and lacZ. No significant activity was detected in the reverse orientation, pPN40, either with or without plant exudate

Multipartite Entanglement and Quantum State Exchange

We investigate multipartite entanglement in relation to the theoretical process of quantum state exchange. In particular, we consider such entanglement for a certain pure state involving two groups of N trapped atoms. The state, which can be produced via quantum state exchange, is analogous to the steady-state intracavity state of the subthreshold optical nondegenerate parametric amplifier. We show that, first, it possesses some 2N-way entanglement. Second, we place a lower bound on the amount of such entanglement in the state using a novel measure called the entanglement of minimum bipartite entropy.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Tumour antigen expression in hepatocellular carcinoma in a low-endemic western area

Background: Identification of tumour antigens is crucial for the development of vaccination strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Most studies come from eastern-Asia, where hepatitis-B is the main cause of HCC. However, tumour antigen expression is poorly studied in low-endemic, western areas where the aetiology of HCC differs. Methods: We constructed tissue microarrays from resected HCC tissue of 133 patients. Expression of a comprehensive panel of cancer-testis (MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3/4, MAGE-A10, MAGE-C1, MAGE-C2, NY-ESO-1, SSX-2, sperm protein 17), onco-fetal (AFP, Glypican-3) and overexpressed tumour antigens (Annexin-A2, Wilms tumor-1, Survivin, Midkine, MUC-1) was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: A higher prevalence of MAGE antigens was observed in patients with hepatitis-B. Patients with expression of more tumour antigens in general had better HCC-specific survival (P=0.022). The four tumour antigens with high expression in HCC and no, or weak, expression in surrounding tumour-free-liver tissue, were Annexin-A2, GPC-3, MAGE-C1 and MAGE-C2, expressed in 90, 39, 17 and 20% of HCCs, respectively. Ninety-five percent of HCCs expressed at least one of these four tumour antigens. Interestingly, GPC-3 was associated with SALL-4 expression (P=0.001), an oncofetal transcription factor highly expressed in embryonal stem cells. SALL-4 and GPC-3 expression levels were correlated with vascular invasion, poor differentiation and higher AFP levels before surgery. Moreover, patients who co-expressed higher levels of both GPC-3 and SALL-4 had worse HCC-specific survival (P=0.018). Conclusions: We describe a panel of four tumour antigens with excellent coverage and good tumour specificity in a western area, low-endemic for hepatitis-B. The association between GPC-3 and SALL-4 is a novel finding and suggests that GPC-3 targeting may specifically attack the tumour stem-cell compartment

Model-based approaches for predicting gait changes over time

Interest in automated biometrics continues to increase, but has little consideration of time which are especially important in surveillance and scan control. This paper deals with a problem of recognition by gait when time-dependent covariates are added, i.e. when $6$ or $12$ months have passed between recording of the gallery and the probe sets. Moreover, in some cases some extra covariates present as well. We have shown previously how recognition rates fall significantly when data is captured between lengthy time intervals. Under the assumption that it is possible to have some subjects from the probe for training and that similar subjects have similar changes in gait over time, we suggest predictive models of changes in gait due both to time and now to time-invariant covariates. Our extended time-dependent predictive model derives high recognition rates when time-dependent or subject-dependent covariates are added. However it is not able to cope with time-invariant covariates, therefore a new time-invariant predictive model is suggested to accommodate extra covariates. These are combined to achieve a predictive model which takes into consideration all types of covariates. A considerable improvement in recognition capability is demonstrated, showing that changes can be modelled successfully by the new approach

Probing Λ\LambdaCDM cosmology with the Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey

The Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) is an all-sky survey in radio-continuum which uses the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). Using galaxy angular power spectrum and the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, we study the potential of EMU to constrain models beyond $\Lambda$CDM (i.e., local primordial non-Gaussianity, dynamical dark energy, spatial curvature and deviations from general relativity), for different design sensitivities. We also include a multi-tracer analysis, distinguishing between star-forming galaxies and galaxies with an active galactic nucleus, to further improve EMU's potential. We find that EMU could measure the dark energy equation of state parameters around 35\% more precisely than existing constraints, and that the constraints on $f_{\rm NL}$ and modified gravity parameters will improve up to a factor $\sim2$ with respect to Planck and redshift space distortions measurements. With this work we demonstrate the promising potential of EMU to contribute to our understanding of the Universe.Comment: 15 pages (29 with references and appendices), 6 figures and 10 tables. Matches the published version. Minimal changes from previous versio