Proteomic analysis during larval development and metamorphosis of the spionid polychaete Pseudopolydora vexillosa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While the larval-juvenile transition (metamorphosis) in the spionid polychaete <it>Pseudopolydora vexillosa </it>involves gradual morphological changes and does not require substantial development of juvenile organs, the opposite occurs in the barnacle <it>Balanus amphitrite</it>. We hypothesized that the proteome changes during metamorphosis in the spionids are less drastic than that in the barnacles. To test this, proteomes of pre-competent larvae, competent larvae (ready to metamorphose), and juveniles of <it>P. vexillosa </it>were compared using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and they were then compared to those of the barnacle.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Unlike the significant changes found during barnacle metamorphosis, proteomes of competent <it>P. vexillosa </it>larvae were more similar to those of their juveniles. Pre-competent larvae had significantly fewer protein spots (384 spots), while both competent larvae and juveniles expressed about 660 protein spots each. Proteins up-regulated during competence identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis included a molecular chaperon (calreticulin), a signal transduction regulator (tyrosin activation protein), and a tissue-remodeling enzyme (metallopeptidase).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This was the first time to study the protein expression patterns during the metamorphosis of a marine polychaete and to compare the proteomes of marine invertebrates that have different levels of morphological changes during metamorphosis. The findings provide promising initial steps towards the development of a proteome database for marine invertebrate metamorphosis, thus deciphering the possible mechanisms underlying larval metamorphosis in non-model marine organisms.</p

Re-examination of the Reformation in its context of political and theological struggles

With the celebration of the 500 years of Reformation in 2017, unsurprisingly, much has been written about this phenomenon as it unfolded in the 16th-century Europe. Any world-changing event not only deserves the attention of historians and scholars alike, but also merits closer scrutiny, to reveal its important lessons. One of the ways in which to achieve this goal, is the search to understand the event in context. While religious contexts are often discussed within the framework of the 16th-century Reformation, the political contexts have not been sufficiently elucidated to uncover their impact on the theological stances of early reformers. In this study, a re-examination of the early Reformers will reveal that their political contexts greatly affected the outcomes of their theological struggles, mostly causing those Magisterial Reformers who accommodated and collaborated symbiotically with their political partners, to thrive. In short, ideology without ample political muscle has invariably been relegated to the footnotes of history, whereas theology, supported by political patronage, has come to define Reformation historiography. This finding is important in the ongoing ecumenical conversation, as far as all sides have realised that their confessional foundations are perhaps products of their historico-political contexts, thereby removing any entrenched personal grandiosity, to make room for pragmatic humility as part of a constructive dialogue. Through the use of Document Analysis, this study aims to investigate various early Reformers and their political contexts, to determine how the latter swayed the theological leanings of the former. These political contexts include the influence of localised princes, city magistrates, and even peasants, as well as the broader contexts of geopolitical events. A large volume of relevant literature will be used and analysed to ascertain the historical accuracy of accounts surrounding political events, as well as individual Reformers’ theological tenets. Primary sources will be given priority, while secondary sources will be carefully evaluated.Die vyfhonderdste herdenking van die Reformasie (Hervorming) in 2017 het tot gevolg gehad dat menige outeurs oor die Reformasie van die sestiende-eeuse Europa geskryf het. Enige gebeure wat die gang van sake in die wêreld verander, verdien nie net die aandag van beide historici en geleerdes nie, maar ook ’n noukeurige ondersoek om sodoende belangrike lesse daaruit te verkry. Een manier om hierdie doel te bereik is om die gebeure binne konteks te verstaan. Terwyl die godsdienstige konteks waarbinne die sestiende-eeuse Reformasie afgespeel het, reeds menigmaal bespreek is, is die politieke konteks nie genoegsaam behandel nie, veral ten opsigte van die invloed wat dit op die vroeë Hervormers se teologiese posisies gehad het. In hierdie studie wys die in-diepte ondersoek na die vroeë Hervormers uit dat die politieke kontekste waarbinne hulle opgetree het, hulle toelogiese worsteling grootliks beïnvloed het. Dit het tot gevolg gehad dat die gesaghebbende Hervormers wat met hulle politieke eweknieë saamgewerk het, meestal gedy het. In kort, ’n lewensbekouing sonder genoegsame politieke krag word na die voetnote van die geskiedenis verskuif, terwyl teologie wat deur politieke beskerming ondersteun word, die reformatoriese geskiedskrywing sou definieer. Hierdie bevinding is belangrik binne die raamwerk van die voortgaande ekumeniese gesprek, in sover al die partye besef het dat hulle belydenisgrondslag moontlik die produk was van hulle histories-politiese kontekste. Op hierdie wyse kon hulle enige verskansde selfverheffing verwyder en ruimte maak vir pragmatiese nederigheid binne ’n konstruktiewe dialoog. Deur gebruik te maak van Dokument-analise, het hierdie studie ten doel om navorsing te doen oor verskeie vroeë Hervormers en hulle politieke kontekste, om daarmee aan te toon hoe laasgenoemde die Hervormers se teologiese rigtings beïnvloed het. Hierdie politieke kontekste het prinse, dorpslanddroste, en selfs plattelanders ingesluit, asook uitgebreide kontekste van geopolitiese gebeure. Die navorser het ’n groot aantal relevante bronne gebruik en ontleed om die historiese akkuraatheid van die politieke gebeure te verseker en seker te maak van die teologiese leerstellings van die onderskeie Hervormers. Primêre bronne geniet absolute prioriteit, terwyl sekondêre bronne deeglik geëvalueer word.Ka ge go be go ketekwa mengwaga ye 500 ya Diphetogo ka 2017, seo se ilego sa se makatse ke gore, tse ntsi di ngwadilwe mabapi le tiragalo ye ge e be e thomiswa ka ngwagakgolo wa bo 16 ka Yuropa. Tiragalo efe goba efe ye e fetosago lefase ga se ya swanelwa fela go hwetsa sedi ya bangwadi ba tsa histori le ya dirutegi, eupsa gape e hloka go lekodisiswa ka tsinkelo, go utolla dithuto tse bohlokwa tseo re di hwetsago go yona. Ye nngwe ya ditsela tseo ka tsona re ka fihlelelago nepo ye, ke go nyaka go kwesisa tiragalo ye ka seemong sa yona. Le ge e le gore maemo a tsa sedumedi gantsi a a ahlaahlwa ka gare ga tlhako ya Diphego tsa ngwagakgolo wa bo 16, maemo a tsa sepolotiki ga se a lekodiswago ka fao go lekanego, ka nepo ya go utolla seabe mabapi le maemo a tsa sedumedi a batlisadiphetogo ba peleng. Ka mo dinyakisisong tse, tekodisisoleswa ya batlisadiphetogo ba peleng e tla utolla gore seemo sa bona sa tsa dipolotiki se amile kudu dipoelo tsa mathata a bona a tsa sedumedi, gomme se sa baka kudu gore batlisadiphetogo bao ba bagolo bao ba amogetsego le go dirisana le badirisani ka bona ba tsa sepolotiki go atlega. Ka boripana: dikgopolo tsa go hloka maatla a o a lekanego a tsa sepolotiki di beetswe kgakala go histori, mola e le gore sedumedi sona, ge se thekgwa ke maatla a sepolotiki, se ile sa hlalosa Diphetogo go ya ka dinyakisiso tsa histori. Kutollo ye e bohlokwa ka dipoledisanong tseo di tswelago pele tsa kwano ya sekhriste, kudukudu ka ge mahlakore ka moka a lemogile gore metheo ya tumelo ya bona mohlomongwe e bakilwe ke seemo sa bona sa histori ya tsa sepolotiki, go realo e le go tlosa maemo a godimo a batho, ka nepo ya go direla boikobobetso sebaka bjalo ka karolo ya dipoledisano tseo di kgwagalago. Ka go somisa mokgwa wa tshekatsheko ya dingwalwa, dinyakisiso tse di ikemiseditse go nyakisisa ka ga batlisadiphetogo ba peleng ba mehutahuta le maemo a bona a tsa sepolotiki, ka nepo ya go tseba ge eba maemo a a sepolotiki a hueditsego dithuto tsa sedumedi tsa batlisadiphetogo. Maemo a a sepolotiki a akaretsa khuetso balaodi ba kgauswi, bomaseterata ba ditoropokgolo, le ge e ka ba badudi ba maemo a fase, gammogo le seemo ka kakaretso sa ditiragalo tsa dipolotiki mafelong a itsego. Bontsi bja dingwalwa tsa maleba bo tla somiswa le go sekasekwa ka nepo ya go tseba nepagalo ya kanegelo ya histori mabapi le ditiragalo tsa sepolotiki, gammogo le maemo a tsa sedumedi a batlisadiphetogo. Dingwalwa tsa motheo di tla somiswa peleng, mola e le gore dingwalwa tsa tlaleletso di tla sekasekwa ka tlhokomelo.Christian Spirituality, Church History and MissiologyD. Th. (Church History

Phosphoproteome analysis during larval development and metamorphosis in the spionid polychaete Pseudopolydora vexillosa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The metamorphosis of the spionid polychaete <it>Pseudopolydora vexillosa </it>includes spontaneous settlement onto soft-bottom habitats and morphogenesis that can be completed in a very short time. A previous study on the total changes to the proteome during the various developmental stages of <it>P. vexillosa </it>suggested that little or no <it>de novo </it>protein synthesis occurs during metamorphosis. In this study, we used multicolor fluorescence detection of proteins in 2-D gels for differential analysis of proteins and phosphoproteins to reveal the dynamics of post-translational modification proteins in this species. A combination of affinity chromatography, 2D-PAGE, and mass spectrometry was used to identify the phosphoproteins in pre-competent larvae, competent larvae, and newly metamorphosed juveniles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We reproducibly detected 210, 492, and 172 phosphoproteins in pre-competent larvae, competent larvae, and newly metamorphosed juveniles, respectively. The highest percentage of phosphorylation was observed during the competent larval stage. About 64 stage-specific phosphoprotein spots were detected in the competent stage, and 32 phosphoproteins were found to be significantly differentially expressed in the three stages. We identified 38 phosphoproteins, 10 of which were differentially expressed during metamorphosis. These phosphoproteins belonged to six categories of biological processes: (1) development, (2) cell differentiation and integrity, (3) transcription and translation, (4) metabolism, (5) protein-protein interaction and proteolysis, and (6) receptors and enzymes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study to report changes in phosphoprotein expression patterns during the metamorphosis of the marine polychaete <it>P. vexillosa</it>. The higher degree of phosphorylation during the process of attaining competence to settle and metamorphose may be due to fast morphological transitions regulated by various mechanisms. Our data are consistent with previous studies showing a high percentage of phosphorylation during competency in the barnacle <it>Balanus amphitrite </it>and the bryozoan <it>Bugula neritina</it>. The identified phosphoproteins may play an important role during metamorphosis, and further studies on the location and functions of important proteins during metamorphosis are warranted.</p

Treatment outcome of rhabdomyosarcoma in Hong Kong Chinese children

Objectives: To review the treatment outcome of rhabdomyosarcoma in Hong Kong Chinese children. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: University teaching hospital, Hong Kong. Patients: Consecutive cases of rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed and treated by the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of Queen Mary Hospital between 1989 and 2005. Each patient was staged and treated according to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study guidelines. Main outcome measures: Overall and event-free survival rates, and toxicity data. Results: Of 19 patients (8 males and 11 females), 14 (74%) were younger than 10 years old. The median age at diagnosis was 6 (range, 0.5-17) years. Primary sites of rhabdomyosarcoma included: the head and neck (n=8; 6 classified as cranial parameningeal), genitourinary (3), extremity (3), pelvis (3), and trunk (2). Thirteen (68%) had embryonal and six (32%) had alveolar histology. Two, 2, 9, and 6 were classified as belonging to Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Respective 5-year overall and event-free survival rates of the entire cohort were 49% (95% confidence interval, 26-73%) and 32% (10-55%), with a median follow-up of 3.4 (range, 0.2-16.7) years. In non-metastatic cases (Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study groups 1-3), the 5-year overall survival rate was 66% (95% confidence interval, 39-93%) and in metastatic cases (group 4) it was 17% (0-46%). The 5-year overall survival rate for patients aged less than 10 years was 60% (95% confidence interval, 33-87%) compared to 20% (0-55%) in those aged 10 years and over. Significant treatment-related toxicities including myelosuppression, infections, peripheral neuropathy, and second cancers were encountered. Conclusions: Treatment outcome of rhabdomyosarcoma in this cohort of Chinese children was less favourable than that reported in international studies. Whilst the main reason could have been related to the high proportion of metastatic cases, also non-metastatic cases faired worse. Improved outcomes may be achieved by advances in multidisciplinary (paediatric oncology, pathology, radiotherapy, and surgery) management and supportive care.published_or_final_versio

Counting Crowds in Bad Weather

Crowd counting has recently attracted significant attention in the field of computer vision due to its wide applications to image understanding. Numerous methods have been proposed and achieved state-of-the-art performance for real-world tasks. However, existing approaches do not perform well under adverse weather such as haze, rain, and snow since the visual appearances of crowds in such scenes are drastically different from those images in clear weather of typical datasets. In this paper, we propose a method for robust crowd counting in adverse weather scenarios. Instead of using a two-stage approach that involves image restoration and crowd counting modules, our model learns effective features and adaptive queries to account for large appearance variations. With these weather queries, the proposed model can learn the weather information according to the degradation of the input image and optimize with the crowd counting module simultaneously. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is effective in counting crowds under different weather types on benchmark datasets. The source code and trained models will be made available to the public.Comment: including supplemental materia

Characterization of novel transforming growth factor-beta type I receptors found in malignant pleural effusion tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tumors expressing a transforming growth factor-beta type I receptor (TβRI) mutant with sequence deletions in a nine-alanine (9A) stretch of the signal peptide are reported to be highly associated with disease progression. Expression of this mutant could interfere with endogenous TGFβ signaling in the cell. However, little is known about the importance of the remaining part of the signal peptide on the cellular function of TβRI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We cloned and identified four new in-frame deletion variants of TβRI, designated DM1 to DM4, in pleural effusion-derived tumor cells. Intriguingly, DM1 and DM2, with a small region truncated in the putative signal peptide of TβRI, had a serious defect in their protein expression compared with that of the wild-type receptor. Using serial deletion mutagenesis, we characterized a region encoded by nucleotides 16–51 as a key element controlling TβRI protein expression. Consistently, both DM1 and DM2 have this peptide deleted. Experiments using cycloheximde and MG132 further confirmed its indispensable role for the protein stability of TβRI. In contrast, truncation of the 9A-stretch itself or a region downstream to the stretch barely affected TβRI expression. However, variants lacking a region C-terminal to the stretch completely lost their capability to conduct TGFβ-induced transcriptional activation. Intriguingly, expression of DM3 in a cell sensitive to TGFβ made it significantly refractory to TGFβ-mediated growth inhibition. The effect of DM3 was to ablate the apoptotic event induced by TGFβ.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We identified four new transcript variants of TβRI in malignant effusion tumor cells and characterized two key elements controlling its protein stability and transcriptional activation. Expression of one of variants bestowed cancer cells with a growth advantage in the presence of TGFβ. These results highlight the potential roles of some naturally occurring TβRI variants on the promotion of tumor malignancy.</p

Vortical and Wave Modes in 3D Rotating Stratified Flows: Random Large Scale Forcing

Utilizing an eigenfunction decomposition, we study the growth and spectra of energy in the vortical and wave modes of a 3D rotating stratified fluid as a function of $\epsilon = f/N$. Working in regimes characterized by moderate Burger numbers, i.e. $Bu = 1/\epsilon^2 < 1$ or $Bu \ge 1$, our results indicate profound change in the character of vortical and wave mode interactions with respect to $Bu = 1$. As with the reference state of $\epsilon=1$, for $\epsilon < 1$ the wave mode energy saturates quite quickly and the ensuing forward cascade continues to act as an efficient means of dissipating ageostrophic energy. Further, these saturated spectra steepen as $\epsilon$ decreases: we see a shift from $k^{-1}$ to $k^{-5/3}$ scaling for $k_f < k < k_d$ (where $k_f$ and $k_d$ are the forcing and dissipation scales, respectively). On the other hand, when $\epsilon > 1$ the wave mode energy never saturates and comes to dominate the total energy in the system. In fact, in a sense the wave modes behave in an asymmetric manner about $\epsilon = 1$. With regard to the vortical modes, for $\epsilon \le 1$, the signatures of 3D quasigeostrophy are clearly evident. Specifically, we see a $k^{-3}$ scaling for $k_f < k < k_d$ and, in accord with an inverse transfer of energy, the vortical mode energy never saturates but rather increases for all $k < k_f$. In contrast, for $\epsilon > 1$ and increasing, the vortical modes contain a progressively smaller fraction of the total energy indicating that the 3D quasigeostrophic subsystem plays an energetically smaller role in the overall dynamics.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figs. (abbreviated abstract

RVSL: Robust Vehicle Similarity Learning in Real Hazy Scenes Based on Semi-supervised Learning

Recently, vehicle similarity learning, also called re-identification (ReID), has attracted significant attention in computer vision. Several algorithms have been developed and obtained considerable success. However, most existing methods have unpleasant performance in the hazy scenario due to poor visibility. Though some strategies are possible to resolve this problem, they still have room to be improved due to the limited performance in real-world scenarios and the lack of real-world clear ground truth. Thus, to resolve this problem, inspired by CycleGAN, we construct a training paradigm called \textbf{RVSL} which integrates ReID and domain transformation techniques. The network is trained on semi-supervised fashion and does not require to employ the ID labels and the corresponding clear ground truths to learn hazy vehicle ReID mission in the real-world haze scenes. To further constrain the unsupervised learning process effectively, several losses are developed. Experimental results on synthetic and real-world datasets indicate that the proposed method can achieve state-of-the-art performance on hazy vehicle ReID problems. It is worth mentioning that although the proposed method is trained without real-world label information, it can achieve competitive performance compared to existing supervised methods trained on complete label information.Comment: Accepted by ECCV 202

Bayesian estimation of semiparametric nonlinear dynamic factor analysis models using the Dirichlet process prior: Semiparametric nonlinear DFA models with the DP prior

Parameters in time series and other dynamic models often show complex range restrictions and their distributions may deviate substantially from multivariate normal or other standard parametric distributions. We use the truncated Dirichlet process (DP) as a non-parametric prior for such dynamic parameters in a novel nonlinear Bayesian dynamic factor analysis model. This is equivalent to specifying the prior distribution to be a mixture distribution composed of an unknown number of discrete point masses (or clusters). The stick-breaking prior and the blocked Gibbs sampler are used to enable efficient simulation of posterior samples. Using a series of empirical and simulation examples, we illustrate the flexibility of the proposed approach in approximating distributions of very diverse shapes