108 research outputs found
Inhibition of NOS- like activity in maize alters the expression of genes involved in H2O2 scavenging and glycine betaine biosynthesis
Nitric oxide synthase-like activity contributes to the production of nitric oxide in plants, which controls
plant responses to stress. This study investigates if changes in ascorbate peroxidase enzymatic
activity and glycine betaine content in response to inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-like activity are
associated with transcriptional regulation by analyzing transcript levels of genes (betaine aldehyde
dehydrogenase) involved in glycine betaine biosynthesis and those encoding antioxidant enzymes
(ascorbate peroxidase and catalase) in leaves of maize seedlings treated with an inhibitor of nitric
oxide synthase-like activity. In seedlings treated with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, transcript levels
of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase were decreased. In plants treated with the nitric oxide synthase
inhibitor, the transcript levels of ascorbate peroxidase-encoding genes were down-regulated. We thus
conclude that inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-like activity suppresses the expression of ascorbate
peroxidase and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase genes in maize leaves. Furthermore, catalase activity
was suppressed in leaves of plants treated with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor; and this corresponded
with the suppression of the expression of catalase genes. We further conclude that inhibition of nitric
oxide synthase-like activity, which suppresses ascorbate peroxidase and catalase enzymatic activities,
results in increased H2O2 content
Situational awareness within objective structured clinical examination stations in undergraduate medical training - a literature search
Background: Medical students may not be able to identify the essential elements of situational awareness (SA) necessary for clinical reasoning. Recent studies suggest that students have little insight into cognitive processing and SA in clinical scenarios. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) could be used to assess certain elements of situational awareness. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature with a view to identifying whether levels of SA based on Endsley's model can be assessed utilising OSCEs during undergraduate medical training. Methods: A systematic search was performed pertaining to SA and OSCEs, to identify studies published between January 1975 (first paper describing an OSCE) and February 2017, in peer reviewed international journals published in English. PUBMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO Ovid and SCOPUS were searched for papers that described the assessment of SA using OSCEs among undergraduate medical students. Key search terms included "objective structured clinical examination", "objective structured clinical assessment" or "OSCE" and "non-technical skills", "sense-making", "clinical reasoning", "perception", "comprehension", "projection", "situation awareness", "situational awareness" and "situation assessment". Boolean operators (AND, OR) were used as conjunctions to narrow the search strategy, resulting in the limitation of papers relevant to the research interest. Areas of interest were elements of SA that can be assessed by these examinations. Results: The initial search of the literature retrieved 1127 publications. Upon removal of duplicates and papers relating to nursing, paramedical disciplines, pharmacy and veterinary education by title, abstract or full text, 11 articles were eligible for inclusion as related to the assessment of elements of SA in undergraduate medical students. Discussion: Review of the literature suggests that whole-task OSCEs enable the evaluation of SA associated with clinical reasoning skills. If they address the levels of SA, these OSCEs can provide supportive feedback and strengthen educational measures associated with higher diagnostic accuracy and reasoning abilities. Conclusion: Based on the findings, the early exposure of medical students to SA is recommended, utilising OSCEs to evaluate and facilitate SA in dynamic environment
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Gaia Data Release 2: The celestial reference frame (Gaia -CRF2)
Context. The second release of Gaia data (Gaia DR2) contains the astrometric parameters for more than half a million quasars. This set defines a kinematically non-rotating reference frame in the optical domain. A subset of these quasars have accurate VLBI positions that allow the axes of the reference frame to be aligned with the International Celestial Reference System (ICRF) radio frame. Aims. We describe the astrometric and photometric properties of the quasars that were selected to represent the celestial reference frame of Gaia DR2 (Gaia-CRF2), and to compare the optical and radio positions for sources with accurate VLBI positions. Methods. Descriptive statistics are used to characterise the overall properties of the quasar sample. Residual rotation and orientation errors and large-scale systematics are quantified by means of expansions in vector spherical harmonics. Positional differences are calculated relative to a prototype version of the forthcoming ICRF3. Results. Gaia-CRF2 consists of the positions of a sample of 556 869 sources in Gaia DR2, obtained from a positional cross-match with the ICRF3-prototype and AllWISE AGN catalogues. The sample constitutes a clean, dense, and homogeneous set of extragalactic point sources in the magnitude range G ≈ 16 to 21 mag with accurately known optical positions. The median positional uncertainty is 0.12 mas for G < 18 mag and 0.5 mas at G = mag. Large-scale systematics are estimated to be in the range 20 to 30 μas. The accuracy claims are supported by the parallaxes and proper motions of the quasars in Gaia DR2. The optical positions for a subset of 2820 sources in common with the ICRF3-prototype show very good overall agreement with the radio positions, but several tens of sources have significantly discrepant positions. Conclusions. Based on less than 40% of the data expected from the nominal Gaia mission, Gaia-CRF2 is the first realisation of a non-rotating global optical reference frame that meets the ICRS prescriptions, meaning that it is built only on extragalactic sources. Its accuracy matches the current radio frame of the ICRF, but the density of sources in all parts of the sky is much higher, except along the Galactic equator
Gaia Data Release 1: Open cluster astrometry: Performance, limitations, and future prospects
Context. The first Gaia Data Release contains the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric
Solution (TGAS). This is a subset of about 2 million stars for which, besides
the position and photometry, the proper motion and parallax are calculated
using Hipparcos and Tycho-2 positions in 1991.25 as prior information. Aims. We
investigate the scientific potential and limitations of the TGAS component by
means of the astrometric data for open clusters. Methods. Mean cluster parallax
and proper motion values are derived taking into account the error correlations
within the astrometric solutions for individual stars, an estimate of the
internal velocity dispersion in the cluster, and, where relevant, the effects
of the depth of the cluster along the line of sight. Internal consistency of
the TGAS data is assessed. Results. Values given for standard uncertainties are
still inaccurate and may lead to unrealistic unit-weight standard deviations of
least squares solutions for cluster parameters. Reconstructed mean cluster
parallax and proper motion values are generally in very good agreement with
earlier Hipparcos-based determination, although the Gaia mean parallax for the
Pleiades is a significant exception. We have no current explanation for that
discrepancy. Most clusters are observed to extend to nearly 15 pc from the
cluster centre, and it will be up to future Gaia releases to establish whether
those potential cluster-member stars are still dynamically bound to the
clusters. Conclusions. The Gaia DR1 provides the means to examine open clusters
far beyond their more easily visible cores, and can provide membership
assessments based on proper motions and parallaxes. A combined HR diagram shows
the same features as observed before using the Hipparcos data, with clearly
increased luminosities for older A and F dwarfs
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Gaia Data Release 1: Summary of the astrometric, photometric, and survey properties
At about 1000 days after the launch of Gaia we present the first Gaia data
release, Gaia DR1, consisting of astrometry and photometry for over 1 billion
sources brighter than magnitude 20.7. We summarize Gaia DR1 and provide
illustrations of the scientific quality of the data, followed by a discussion
of the limitations due to the preliminary nature of this release. Gaia DR1
consists of: a primary astrometric data set which contains the positions,
parallaxes, and mean proper motions for about 2 million of the brightest stars
in common with the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues and a secondary astrometric
data set containing the positions for an additional 1.1 billion sources. The
second component is the photometric data set,consisting of mean G-band
magnitudes for all sources. The G-band light curves and the characteristics of
~3000 Cepheid and RR Lyrae stars, observed at high cadence around the south
ecliptic pole, form the third component. For the primary astrometric data set
the typical uncertainty is about 0.3 mas for the positions and parallaxes, and
about 1 mas/yr for the proper motions. A systematic component of ~0.3 mas
should be added to the parallax uncertainties. For the subset of ~94000
Hipparcos stars in the primary data set, the proper motions are much more
precise at about 0.06 mas/yr. For the secondary astrometric data set, the
typical uncertainty of the positions is ~10 mas. The median uncertainties on
the mean G-band magnitudes range from the mmag level to ~0.03 mag over the
magnitude range 5 to 20.7. Gaia DR1 represents a major advance in the mapping
of the heavens and the availability of basic stellar data that underpin
observational astrophysics. Nevertheless, the very preliminary nature of this
first Gaia data release does lead to a number of important limitations to the
data quality which should be carefully considered before drawing conclusions
from the data
Coping with genetic diversity: the contribution of pathogen and human genomics to modern vaccinology
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Observational hertzsprung-russell diagrams
We highlight the power of the Gaia DR2 in studying many fine structures of
the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD). Gaia allows us to present many different
HRDs, depending in particular on stellar population selections. We do not aim
here for completeness in terms of types of stars or stellar evolutionary
aspects. Instead, we have chosen several illustrative examples. We describe
some of the selections that can be made in Gaia DR2 to highlight the main
structures of the Gaia HRDs. We select both field and cluster (open and
globular) stars, compare the observations with previous classifications and
with stellar evolutionary tracks, and we present variations of the Gaia HRD
with age, metallicity, and kinematics. Late stages of stellar evolution such as
hot subdwarfs, post-AGB stars, planetary nebulae, and white dwarfs are also
analysed, as well as low-mass brown dwarf objects. The Gaia HRDs are
unprecedented in both precision and coverage of the various Milky Way stellar
populations and stellar evolutionary phases. Many fine structures of the HRDs
are presented. The clear split of the white dwarf sequence into hydrogen and
helium white dwarfs is presented for the first time in an HRD. The relation
between kinematics and the HRD is nicely illustrated. Two different populations
in a classical kinematic selection of the halo are unambiguously identified in
the HRD. Membership and mean parameters for a selected list of open clusters
are provided. They allow drawing very detailed cluster sequences, highlighting
fine structures, and providing extremely precise empirical isochrones that will
lead to more insight in stellar physics. Gaia DR2 demonstrates the potential of
combining precise astrometry and photometry for large samples for studies in
stellar evolution and stellar population and opens an entire new area for
HRD-based studies
LNCaP Atlas: Gene expression associated with in vivo progression to castration-recurrent prostate cancer
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is no cure for castration-recurrent prostate cancer (CRPC) and the mechanisms underlying this stage of the disease are unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed the transcriptome of human LNCaP prostate cancer cells as they progress to CRPC <it>in vivo </it>using replicate LongSAGE libraries. We refer to these libraries as the LNCaP atlas and compared these gene expression profiles with current suggested models of CRPC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three million tags were sequenced using <it>in vivo </it>samples at various stages of hormonal progression to reveal 96 novel genes differentially expressed in CRPC. Thirty-one genes encode proteins that are either secreted or are located at the plasma membrane, 21 genes changed levels of expression in response to androgen, and 8 genes have enriched expression in the prostate. Expression of 26, 6, 12, and 15 genes have previously been linked to prostate cancer, Gleason grade, progression, and metastasis, respectively. Expression profiles of genes in CRPC support a role for the transcriptional activity of the androgen receptor (<it>CCNH, CUEDC2, FLNA, PSMA7</it>), steroid synthesis and metabolism (<it>DHCR24, DHRS7</it>, <it>ELOVL5, HSD17B4</it>, <it>OPRK1</it>), neuroendocrine (<it>ENO2, MAOA, OPRK1, S100A10, TRPM8</it>), and proliferation (<it>GAS5</it>, <it>GNB2L1</it>, <it>MT-ND3</it>, <it>NKX3-1</it>, <it>PCGEM1</it>, <it>PTGFR</it>, <it>STEAP1</it>, <it>TMEM30A</it>), but neither supported nor discounted a role for cell survival genes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The <it>in vivo </it>gene expression atlas for LNCaP was sequenced and support a role for the androgen receptor in CRPC.</p
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