Identification and Pathway Analysis of microRNAs with No Previous Involvement in Breast Cancer

microRNA expression signatures can differentiate normal and breast cancer tissues and can define specific clinico-pathological phenotypes in breast tumors. In order to further evaluate the microRNA expression profile in breast cancer, we analyzed the expression of 667 microRNAs in 29 tumors and 21 adjacent normal tissues using TaqMan Low-density arrays. 130 miRNAs showed significant differential expression (adjusted P value = 0.05, Fold Change = 2) in breast tumors compared to the normal adjacent tissue. Importantly, the role of 43 of these microRNAs has not been previously reported in breast cancer, including several evolutionary conserved microRNA*, showing similar expression rates to that of their corresponding leading strand. The expression of 14 microRNAs was replicated in an independent set of 55 tumors. Bioinformatic analysis of mRNA targets of the altered miRNAs, identified oncogenes like ERBB2, YY1, several MAP kinases, and known tumor-suppressors like FOXA1 and SMAD4. Pathway analysis identified that some biological process which are important in breast carcinogenesis are affected by the altered microRNA expression, including signaling through MAP kinases and TP53 pathways, as well as biological processes like cell death and communication, focal adhesion and ERBB2-ERBB3 signaling. Our data identified the altered expression of several microRNAs whose aberrant expression might have an important impact on cancer-related cellular pathways and whose role in breast cancer has not been previously described

Absorption and emission spectroscopic characterisation of a Pyrene-Flavin Dyad

The pyrene-flavin (isoalloxazine) dyad, PFD {C44H31N5O5; CA Index name: 1-pyrenepropanoic acid, α-[[4,10-dihydro-2,4-dioxo-10-phenylbenzo[g]pteridin-3(2H)-yl)acetyl]amino]-, phenylmethyl ester, (αR)–(9Cl); CA Registry number: 618907-57-6}, dissolved in either dichloromethane or acetonitrile is characterized by absorption and emission spectroscopy. Absorption cross-section spectra, stimulated emission cross-section spectra, fluorescence quantum distributions, quantum yields, and degrees of fluorescence polarisation are determined. The fluorescence decay after femtosecond pulse excitation is determined by fluorescence up-conversion. The ground-state absorption recovery is determined by picosecond pump and probe transmission measurements. The dye photo-stability is investigated by observation of absorption spectral changes due to prolonged blue-light excitation. The absorption spectrum of PFD dyad resembles the superposition of the absorption of isoalloxazine (flavin) and 1-methylpyrene. Long-wavelength photo-excitation of the flavin moiety causes fluorescence quenching by ground-state electron transfer from pyrene to isoalloxazine. Short-wavelength photo-excitation of the pyrene moiety causes (i) excited-state electron transfer from pyrene to isoalloxazine, and (ii) Förster-type energy transfer from pyrene to flavin followed by ground-state electron transfer from pyrene to flavin

Improving waveform quality in direct power control of DFIG using fuzzy controller

This paper proposes a new direct power control (DPC) strategy of double-fed induction generator using fuzzy logic controller. The active and reactive power equations are expanded, and effects of voltage vectors on active and reactive power variations are investigated quantitatively. The selection of the voltage vectors is performed using fuzzy system which is used instead of optimal switching table. Four variables are used as inputs of the fuzzy system which are errors of active and reactive powers, real time value of the rotor speed and stator flux position. The defuzzified output is the optimal selected voltage vector. MATLAB/Simulink software is used for the purpose of simulation and the results reported show the effectiveness of the proposed method in improving the waveform quality. Compared with the conventional DPC, the proposed fuzzy technique can reduce the power out of band percentage by about 25 % which is very impressiv