293 research outputs found
Amenability of algebras of approximable operators
We give a necessary and sufficient condition for amenability of the Banach
algebra of approximable operators on a Banach space. We further investigate the
relationship between amenability of this algebra and factorization of
operators, strengthening known results and developing new techniques to
determine whether or not a given Banach space carries an amenable algebra of
approximable operators. Using these techniques, we are able to show, among
other things, the non-amenability of the algebra of approximable operators on
Tsirelson's space.Comment: 20 pages, to appear in Israel Journal of Mathematic
The High Radiosensitizing Efficiency of a Trace of Gadolinium-Based Nanoparticles in Tumors
International audienceWe recently developed the synthesis of ultrasmall gadolinium-based nanoparticles (GBN), (hydrodynamic diameter <5 nm) characterized by a safe behavior after intravenous injection (renal clearance, preferential accumulation in tumors). Owing to the presence of gadolinium ions, GBN can be used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and as radiosensitizers. The attempt to determine the most opportune delay between the intravenous injection of GBN and the irradiation showed that a very low content of radiosensitizing nanoparticles in the tumor area is sufficient (0.1 μg/g of particles, i.e. 15 ppb of gadolinium) for an important increase of the therapeutic effect of irradiation. Such a promising and unexpected result is assigned to a suited distribution of GBN within the tumor, as revealed by the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) maps
How university’s activities support the development of students’ entrepreneurial abilities: case of Slovenia and Croatia
The paper reports how the offered university activities support the development of students’ entrepreneurship abilities. Data were collected from 306 students from Slovenian and 609 students from Croatian universities. The study reduces the gap between theoretical researches about the academic entrepreneurship education and individual empirical studies about the student’s estimation of the offered academic activities for development of their entrepreneurial abilities. The empirical research revealed differences in Slovenian and Croatian students’ perception about (a) needed academic activities and (b) significance of the offered university activities, for the development of their entrepreneurial abilities. Additionally, the results reveal that the impact of students’ gender and study level on their perception about the importance of the offered academic activities is not significant for most of the considered activities. The main practical implication is focused on further improvement of universities’ entrepreneurship education programs through selection and utilization of activities which can fill in the recognized gaps between the students’ needed and the offered academic activities for the development of students’ entrepreneurial abilities
Telomerase promoter mutations in cancer: an emerging molecular biomarker?
João Vinagre, Vasco Pinto and Ricardo Celestino contributed equally to
the manuscript.Cell immortalization has been considered for a long time as a classic hallmark of cancer cells. Besides telomerase reactivation, such immortalization could be due to telomere maintenance through the “alternative mechanism of telomere lengthening” (ALT) but the mechanisms underlying both forms of reactivation remained elusive. Mutations in the coding region of telomerase gene are very rare in the cancer setting, despite being associated with some degenerative diseases. Recently, mutations in telomerase (TERT) gene promoter were found in sporadic and familial melanoma and subsequently in several cancer models, notably in gliomas, thyroid cancer and bladder cancer. The importance of these findings has been reinforced by the association of TERT mutations in some cancer types with tumour aggressiveness and patient survival. In the first part of this review, we summarize the data on the biology of telomeres and telomerase, available methodological approaches and non-neoplastic diseases associated with telomere dysfunction. In the second part, we review the information on telomerase expression and genetic alterations in the most relevant types of cancer (skin, thyroid, bladder and central nervous system) on record, and discuss the value of telomerase as a new biomarker with impact on the prognosis and survival of the patients and as a putative therapeutic target
Roles of contour and surface processing in microgenesis of object perception and visual consciousness
Developments in visual neuroscience and neural-network modeling indicate the
existence of separate pathways for the processing of form and surface attributes
of a visual object. In line with prior theoretical proposals, it is assumed that
the processing of form can be explicit or conscious only as or after the surface
property such as color is filled in. In conjunction with extant psychophysical
findings, these developments point to interesting distinctions between
nonconscious and conscious processing of these attributes, specifically in
relation to distinguishable temporal dynamics. At nonconscious levels form
processing proceeds faster than surface processing, whereas in contrast, at
conscious levels form processing proceeds slower than surface processing. I
mplications of separate form and surface processing for current and future
psychophysical and neuroscientific research, particularly that relating cortical
oscillations to conjunctions of surface and form features, and for cognitive
science and philosophy of mind and consciousness are discussed
Canine models of copper toxicosis for understanding mammalian copper metabolism
Hereditary forms of copper toxicosis exist in man and dogs. In man, Wilson’s disease is the best studied disorder of copper overload, resulting from mutations in the gene coding for the copper transporter ATP7B. Forms of copper toxicosis for which no causal gene is known yet are recognized as well, often in young children. Although advances have been made in unraveling the genetic background of disorders of copper metabolism in man, many questions regarding disease mechanisms and copper homeostasis remain unanswered. Genetic studies in the Bedlington terrier, a dog breed affected with copper toxicosis, identified COMMD1, a gene that was previously unknown to be involved in copper metabolism. Besides the Bedlington terrier, a number of other dog breeds suffer from hereditary copper toxicosis and show similar phenotypes to humans with copper storage disorders. Unlike the heterogeneity of most human populations, the genetic structure within a purebred dog population is homogeneous, which is advantageous for unraveling the molecular genetics of complex diseases. This article reviews the work that has been done on the Bedlington terrier, summarizes what was learned from studies into COMMD1 function, describes hereditary copper toxicosis phenotypes in other dog breeds, and discusses the opportunities for genome-wide association studies on copper toxicosis in the dog to contribute to the understanding of mammalian copper metabolism and copper metabolism disorders in man
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