TT2013 meeting report: the transgenic technology meeting visits Asia for the first time

The 11th Transgenic Technology meeting was held in Guangzhou, China on 25th–27th February 2013. Over 300 scientists and students from round the world gathered to hear the latest developments in the technologies underpinning the creation of transgenic and knockout animals and their application to biological sciences in areas such as the modeling human diseases and biotechnology. As well as informative presentations from leading researchers in the field, an excellent selection of short talks selected from abstracts and posters, attendees were also treated to an inspiring talk from Allan Bradley who was awarded the 9th International Society of Transgenic Technologies Prize for outstanding contributions to the field of transgenic technologies

Strain-specific copy number variation in the intelectin locus on the 129 mouse chromosome 1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>C57BL/6J mice possess a single <it>intelectin (Itln) </it>gene on chromosome 1. The function of intelectins is not well understood, but roles have been postulated in insulin sensitivity, bacterial recognition, intestinal lactoferrin uptake and response to parasites and allergens. In contrast to C57BL/6J mice, there is evidence for expansion of the <it>Itln </it>locus in other strains and at least one additional mouse <it>Itln </it>gene product has been described. The aim of this study was to sequence and characterise the <it>Itln </it>locus in the 129S7 strain, to determine the nature of the chromosomal expansion and to inform possible future gene deletion strategies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six 129S7 BAC clones were sequenced and assembled to generate 600 kbp of chromosomal sequence, including the entire <it>Itln </it>locus of approximately 500 kbp. The locus contained six distinct <it>Itln </it>genes, two <it>CD244 </it>genes and several <it>Itln</it>- and <it>CD244</it>-related pseudogenes. It was approximately 433 kbp larger than the corresponding C57BL/6J locus. The expansion of the <it>Itln </it>locus appears to have occurred through multiple duplications of a segment consisting of a full-length <it>Itln </it>gene, a <it>CD244 </it>(pseudo)gene and an <it>Itln </it>pseudogene fragment. Strong evidence for tissue-specific distribution of <it>Itln </it>variants was found, indicating that <it>Itln </it>duplication contributes more than a simple gene dosage effect.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We have characterised the <it>Itln </it>locus in 129S7 mice to reveal six <it>Itln </it>genes with distinct sequence and expression characteristics. Since C57BL/6J mice possess only a single <it>Itln </it>gene, this is likely to contribute to functional differences between C57BL/6J and other mouse strains.</p

An analysis of the transcriptional control domains of the human c-myc proto-oncogene

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX171051 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Quantifying public attitudes towards consumption of meat produced from genome edited animals

Publishe

Prolactin inhibits cell loss and decreases matrix metalloproteinase expression in the involuting mammary gland but fails to prevent cell loss in the mammary glands of mice expressing iGFBP-5 as a mammary transgene

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5) mediates involution of the mammary gland. The decrease in DNA content and mammary gland weight which accompanies involution was inhibited by prolactin (PRL) in wild-type but not transgenic mice expressing IGFBP-5. Phospho-STAT5 protein levels were significantly lower in IGFBP-5 transgenic mice during lactation suggesting that IGFBP-5 antagonises PRL signalling in the mammary epithelium. In contrast, phospho-STAT3 levels increased during involution to a similar extent in both wild-type and transgenic mice and were unaffected by PRL. PRL inhibited gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 3 and 12 but not tissue plasminogen activator or plasmin in wild-type and transgenic animals. The effects of PRL on MMPs appear to be indirect since PRL failed to inhibit MMP-3, -7 or -12 expression in HC-11 cells or in a co-transfection including an activated PRL receptor, STAT5 and a MMP-3-luciferase reporter gene. PRL is a potent inhibitor, both of cell death, an effect which is suppressed by IGFBP-5, and of MMP expression, which is independent of the actions of IGFBP-5

Comparable processing of beta-lactoglobulin pre-mRNA in cell culture and transgenic mouse models

MOL. GEN. GENET

Biosynthesis of milk proteins. 3rd Edition-Part B

Chapitre 15 Synthese Mention d'édition : 3ème EditionInternational audienc

Customer experience in multimodal food service in pop up -restaurant : Meaning of space, product, encounter and atmosphere for customer experience

Elämys määritetään kokonaisvaltaiseksi, moniaistiseksi ja yksilölliseksi kokemukseksi, joka jättää muistijäljen. Siihen sisältyy myönteisiä tunteita, aktiivisuutta ja syvää tiedostamista sekä keskittymistä. Elämyskulutus voidaan nähdä symbolikulutuksena, jonka tarkoituksena on viestiä identiteetistä, sosiaalisesta statuksesta ja kuulumisesta tiettyyn ryhmään. Yksilöt tavoittelevat elämyksiä myös tehdäkseen elämästään merkityksellisemmän. Niinpä 1990-luvulla elämykset on nostettu vahvasti sekä yleiseen että akateemiseen keskusteluun määrittämällä ne selvästi uusiksi taloudellisiksi mahdollisuuksiksi, jotka ovat tuotteistettavissa. Elämysten tuottamisen mahdollisuudet kilpailukykytekijänä on havaittu myös muualla kuin matkailualalla. Ravintolapalvelujakin on ryhdytty kehittämään elämyksellisempään suuntaan ja kiinnostus pop up -tyyppisesti tuotettuja palveluja kohtaan on lisääntynyt. Ravintolapalvelun onnistuneisuutta määrittelee pitkälle asiakkaiden kokonaiskokemus. Sillä on merkittävä vaikutus muun muassa asiakkaiden haluun palata palveluun. Asiakaskokemus heijastuu myös asiakkaiden palvelussa kuluttaman rahan määrään, haluun kertoa myönteistä viestiä kokemuksesta sekä haluun sitoutua pysyvästi palvelun käyttäjäksi. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoitus on löytää tekijät, joilla on merkitystä ravintolan asiakkaan kokemuksen parantamisessa. Tutkimuksen tärkein tavoite on kuvata sitä, mitä havaintoja asiakkaat tekivät aterian aikana ja minkälainen on asiakkaille syntynyt kokonaiskokemus tapahtumasta. Tutkimuksessa pyritään myös kartoittamaan ne tekijät, jotka aiheuttavat voimakkaimpia myönteisiä ja kielteisiä kokemuksia. Tutkimusaineisto on kerätty Juurella-ravintolan toteuttamien elämyksellisten pop up -ravintolaillallisten yhteydessä asiakkailta välittömästi kokemuksen jälkeen. Tutkimusaineiston keräämiseen ja asiakaskokemusten arvioimiseen käytettiin teatterimaista tutkimustapaa, ns. asiakaskriittistä lähestymistä. Tehtävään rekrytoitiin kolme fokusryhmää, joissa kussakin oli kuusi henkilöä, miehiä ja naisia iältään 18 – 63 vuotiaita. Pop up -ravintolatapahtumat järjestettiin kolmella paikkakunnalla, Kurikassa, Jalasjärvellä ja Alavudella tyypillisistä ravintoloista poikkeavissa tiloissa. Tulokset korostavat tunnelman moniaistisia piirteitä. Subjektiiviset ja kulttuuriset tulkinnat ovat aina mukana aistimuksissamme. Tulosten perusteella voidaan sanoa, että ihmiset antavat henkilökohtaisia merkityksiä kokemuksilleen ja tekevät assosiaatioita eri kokemuselementtien välillä. Voidaan sanoa, että ihmiset havaitsevat pikkutarkasti eri asioita palvelukokonaisuudessa. Aistiärsykkeiden voimakkuus ateriointitilanteessa vaikuttaa vahvasti siihen, minkälainen on havaintojen keskinäinen painotus ja minkälaiseksi kokonaiskokemus muodostuu. Uudet kokemukset tuottavat vahvoja mielikuvia ja provosoivat keskustelua sekä pöytäseurueen että asiakaspalvelijoiden kanssa. Havahduttavat asiat aktivoivat ja ne huomataan herkimmin. Esimerkiksi Jalasjärvellä eniten keskustelua herätti poikkeuksellinen pellavatehtaan tila ja Alavudella puolestaan itse ruokakokemus. Nostalgiakokemukset nostavat herkästi muistoja mieleen ja myönteiset muistot vahvistavat yhteisöllisyyttä ja yhteisen kokemuksen tunnetta. Paikat ja tilat kaikissa kolmessa kohteessa loivat moniaistisia ja nostalgisia kokemuksia, joita arvostettiin paljon. Asiakaskokemukset olivat voittopuolisesti hyvin myönteisiä, mutta muutama kielteinenkin havainto todettiin.Extraordinary experience is an overall, multimodal and individual experience that leaves an engram. Positive emotions, activity, deep awareness and concentration are included. Experience consumption may be seen as symbolic consumption that tries to communicate identity, social status and belong to certain group. Individuals chase after experiences in order to make their life more meaningful. During 1990`s general and academic discussion about experiences have been taken out and they were clearly found new economic opportunities that can be commercialized. These opportunities were noticed as competitive power also outside tourism. Restaurant services have also developed to more experiential direction and interest in pop up -restaurants has increased. The holistic customer experience strongly defines the success of restaurant service. It has an effect on customer`s willingness to come back. Customer experience has also an impact on the consumed amount of money, the willingness to use positive word of mouth and the willingness to show customer loyalty. Purpose of this study is to find factors that have meaning in improving customer experience. The most important goal is to describe what kind of perceptions customers made during the dinner and what kind is the holistic customer experience. The factors that cause strongest positive and negative experiences are also described. The data is collected right after customers had experienced their dinners in three experiential pop up -events organized by Restaurant Juurella. Theatrical method, so called customer critic approach, is used as tool in collecting the data. Three focus groups were recruited, six persons in each group, men and women ages 18 to 63. Experiential pop up -events were organized in three towns, Kurikka, Jalasjärvi, Alavus, in unexceptional places. Result highlight the multisensory aspects of atmosphere. Subjective and cultural interpretations are always included in sensing. According to the results it can be mentioned that people give personal meanings to their experiences and make associations between different experience elements. People also make detailed perceptions in all different service elements. Strength in sensory stimulus have effect on what is the emphasis between different perceptions and what the overall experience will consist of. New experiences produce strong images and provoke discussion with both party around the table and personnel. Arousing things will activate and they will be perceived easier. For example in Jalasjärvi linen factory guests spoke most about the space and in Alavus they discussed most about the food experience. Nostalgic experiences raise delicately up memories and positive memories make sense of community and common experience stronger. Places and spaces in every three event created multimodal and nostalgic experiences that were highly appreciated. Customer experiences were predominantly very positive but some negative opinions were also found