Prioritizing genes associated with prostate cancer development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genetic control of prostate cancer development is poorly understood. Large numbers of gene-expression datasets on different aspects of prostate tumorigenesis are available. We used these data to identify and prioritize candidate genes associated with the development of prostate cancer and bone metastases. Our working hypothesis was that combining meta-analyses on different but overlapping steps of prostate tumorigenesis will improve identification of genes associated with prostate cancer development.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A <it>Z </it>score-based meta-analysis of gene-expression data was used to identify candidate genes associated with prostate cancer development. To put together different datasets, we conducted a meta-analysis on 3 levels that follow the natural history of prostate cancer development. For experimental verification of candidates, we used in silico validation as well as in-house gene-expression data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genes with experimental evidence of an association with prostate cancer development were overrepresented among our top candidates. The meta-analysis also identified a considerable number of novel candidate genes with no published evidence of a role in prostate cancer development. Functional annotation identified cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, extracellular matrix, and cell motility as the top functions associated with prostate cancer development. We identified 10 genes--<it>CDC2, CCNA2, IGF1, EGR1, SRF, CTGF, CCL2, CAV1, SMAD4</it>, and <it>AURKA</it>--that form hubs of the interaction network and therefore are likely to be primary drivers of prostate cancer development.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>By using this large 3-level meta-analysis of the gene-expression data to identify candidate genes associated with prostate cancer development, we have generated a list of candidate genes that may be a useful resource for researchers studying the molecular mechanisms underlying prostate cancer development.</p

Effects of hydrophilic and hydrophobic SiO2 composite organic resin coating on properties of FeSiCr magnetic powder cores

The effects of hydrophilic and hydrophobic SiO2 composite organic resin on the properties of FeSiCr magnetic powder cores and the effects of annealing treatment on magnetic properties were studied. After phosphating, the FeSiCr alloy powders were coated by two types of SiO2 composite resin, which are hydrophobic and hydrophilic, respectively. The FeSiCr magnetic powder cores were prepared by compaction and curing. The results show that the coating effect of coupling modified hydrophilic SiO2 composite organic resin is better than that of hydrophobic SiO2 composite organic resin. With the increase of SiO2 addition, the specific resistance and coercivity of the magnetic powder cores are increased, while the density, saturation magnetization and effective permeability are decreased. The FeSiCr magnetic powder cores coated with 0.5% hydrophobic SiO2 composite organic resin have excellent comprehensive performance after annealing. Under the condition of 20 mT, 100 kHz, the magnetic core loss is 49.84 kW/m3, which is 16.9% lower than that of the magnetic powder cores coated with pure resin. Annealing can effectively promote magnetic properties of FeSiCr magnetic powder cores

Pullout behaviour of inclined shallow plate anchors in sand

This paper presents an experimental study on the pullout behaviour of inclined shallow plate anchors subject to axial pull in sand. The 1g model tests were performed to examine the effects of anchor inclination and sand-anchor interface conditions on the load-displacement response and the associated failure and deformation mechanisms of plate anchors at various embedment ratios and sand densities. The anchor pullout capacity was found to increase continuously with the load inclination angle to the vertical (), and the increase was more significant for from to . The effect of sand-anchor interface conditions was negligible for horizontal plate anchors () but it became increasingly significant at larger inclination angles. The effects of these two factors both decreased with an increasing embedment ratio. Their influences on the failure and deformation mechanisms were measured and analysed using a digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Based on the test data and results available in the literature, a simple empirical method for the prediction of pullout resistance of inclined plate anchors in sand is calibrated and recommended.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Data from: The critical role of local refugia in postglacial colonization of Chinese pine: joint inferences from DNA analyses, pollen records, and species distribution modeling

The importance of long-distance migration from low to high latitudes relative to local spread from northern refugia after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) remains a focus of debate for many temperate tree species. We assessed the dynamics of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis), a widespread species endemic to northern China, since the LGM by integrating cytoplasmic DNA data, mapped pollen records and ecological niche modeling. Genetic variation among 544 individuals from 50 populations spanning the entire natural species range revealed eight genetic clusters with distinct geographic distribution, indicating glacial lineages likely originating from multiple local microrefugia. Palynological evidence suggested that the northernmost part of the natural distribution originated from local postglacial spread. Niche modeling indicated high probability of the species being present in the area of the Loess Plateau and coastal areas north of the Yangtze River during the LGM. The three lines of evidence jointly suggest that the species persisted through the last glaciation in the mountains surrounding the Loess Plateau of northern China and that the current distribution of the species originated primarily from the spread of local refugial populations, instead of long-distance migration. These results cast doubt on the notion that Chinese pine migrated from areas south of the Yangtze River and underscore the importance of northern refugia

An Indole-3-Acetic Acid Carboxyl Methyltransferase Regulates Arabidopsis Leaf Development

Auxin is central to many aspects of plant development; accordingly, plants have evolved several mechanisms to regulate auxin levels, including de novo auxin biosynthesis, degradation, and conjugation to sugars and amino acids. Here, we report the characterization of an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, IAA carboxyl methyltransferase1-dominant (iamt1-D), which displayed dramatic hyponastic leaf phenotypes caused by increased expression levels of the IAMT1 gene. IAMT1 encodes an indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) carboxyl methyltransferase that converts IAA to methyl-IAA ester (MeIAA) in vitro, suggesting that methylation of IAA plays an important role in regulating plant development and auxin homeostasis. Whereas both exogenous IAA and MeIAA inhibited primary root and hypocotyl elongation, MeIAA was much more potent than IAA in a hypocotyl elongation assay, indicating that IAA activities could be effectively regulated by methylation. IAMT1 was spatially and temporally regulated during the development of both rosette and cauline leaves. Changing expression patterns and/or levels of IAMT1 often led to dramatic leaf curvature phenotypes. In iamt1-D, the decreased expression levels of TCP genes, which are known to regulate leaf curvature, may partially account for the curly leaf phenotype. The identification of IAMT1 and the elucidation of its role in Arabidopsis leaf development have broad implications for auxin-regulated developmental process