The visualisation of cognitive structures in forensic statements

Forensic statements are often unstructured, intricate, and thus difficult to interpret and assess. This is due to the varied nature and format of how interviews with victims, witnesses, or suspects are conducted. It is even more difficult for police investigators, lawyers or other legal practitioners to grasp intuitively and accurately the key information pertaining within the varied statements. This research investigates the opportunities in the convergence of linguistic approaches to extracting and reconstructing the cognitive structure, i.e. “Text-Worlds”, in a statement, and the computerised operational settings for enabling effective and hopefully more accurate interpretation of forensic discourse through visualisation

Projecting uncertainty: Visualising text-worlds in three statements from the Meredith Kercher murder case

This article uses Text World Theory (Werth 1999; Gavins 2007) in conjunction with VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) concept mapping software to analyze three statements from the trial of Amanda Knox, convicted in 2009 of the murder of Meredith Kercher. We compare the cognitive structures of the statements and use the insights gained to guide an examination of their individual linguistic features and associated potential interpretative effects. In the first two dictated statements, Knox is projected as an actor responsible for the reported actions/events that implicate her in the crime, whereas in the third statement (hand-written in English), she is projected as a sensor, presenting more prominent epistemic uncertainty and indicating bewilderment. We argue that using VUE diagramming software extends the scope of Text World Theory, by increasing its capacity for managing analytically lengthy and complex datasets

TRIM 16 gene expression regulates the growth and metastasis of human esophageal cancer

Purpose: To investigate the effect of tripartite membrane protein  TRIM) 16 gene silencing on human esophageal cancer (KYSE-270) cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis.Methods: Short interfering RNA (siRNA) TRIM 16 silencing fragment was transfected into KYSE-270 cells. Transfection efficiency was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, invasiveness and migration were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, Transwell invasion assay, and scratch test, respectively. Protein expressions of bax and bcl-2 were assayed using Western blotting.Results: The gene expression of TRIM 16 was significantly upregulated in esophageal cancer cells, relative to normal human esophageal cells, but was downregulated after gene silencing. Moreover, the silencing of TRIM 16 gene led to significant reductions in KYSE-270 cell viability, migration and invasiveness, but significantly increased KYSE270 cell apoptosis (p < 0.05). The silencing of TRIM 16 gene also significantly upregulated bax protein expression, while downregulating the expression of bcl-2 protein (p < 0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest that TRIM 16 gene silencing inhibits KYSE-270 cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and thus provide a basis for its development as a therapeutic approach for the management of esophageal cancer. Keywords: Apoptosis, Cell invasion, Esophageal cancer, Gene silencing, Metastasi

Influence of Ang-(1-7) intervention on ACE2-Ang (1-7)-Mas pathway activity, hepatic glucose metabolism and insulin resistance in type-2 diabetic rats

Purpose: To study the effects of angiotensin-(1-7) (angiot (1-7) intervention on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-angiot-(1-7)-Mas pathway, hepatic glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance in rats with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Thirty-six Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control, diabetic control and study groups (12 rats per group). Rats in the normal group were fed normal feed, while rats in the observation and diabetic control groups were type-2 diabetes model, and were given subcutaneous injection of angiot-(1-7) for 8 weeks. Serum insulin resistance index (IRI) and fasting insulin (FINS) were assayed. Other parameters measured were the levels of ACE2 and Mas receptor mRNA in liver tissues. Results: The levels of FINS in the study and control groups decreased, relative to normal control, while the levels of IRI was elevated (p < 0.05). There were significant increases in study group levels of Mas and ACE2, while angiot-(1-7) was lower, relative to control group (p < 0.05). The expressions of ACE2 and Mas receptors in study and diabetic control rats groups were downregulated, when compared to normal control. The expressions of ACE2 and Mas receptors also decreased in the study group exposed to angiot-(1-7) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Angiot-(1-7) significantly increases the levels of FINS and IR, improves hepatic glucose metabolism and enhances ACE2-angiot-(1-7)-Mas pathway. Thus, angiot-(1-7) may be a new drug candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Effect of vasodilator PGE1 on sciatic nerve function, VEGF level, vascular permeability and peripheral nerve in type 2 diabetic rats

Purpose: To investigate the effect of vasodilator prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on sciatic nerve function, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular permeability and peripheral nerve in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. Methods: Twenty-one rats in the study group were intraperitoneally injected with PGE1, while rats in T2DM untreated group (n = 21) were injected with an equivalent amount of normal saline. Seven rats were randomly selected from the study and the control groups every seven days for 21 days for determination of changes in sciatic nerve function, VEGF level, vascular permeability and peripheral nerves. Results: Sciatic nerve motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) was significantly higher in the study group than in T2DM untreated control group at the three time-points post-treatment (p < 0.01). The level of VEGF in the study group decreased, relative to the T2DM untreated control group on the 7th 14th and 21st days post- treatment (p < 0.05) while the water content of sciatic nerve tissue in study group was markedly decreased, relative to control value on day 21 (p < 0.05). Rats in the study group showed decreased TTT, relative to those in T2DM untreated group on days 7, 14 and 21 post-treatment (p < 0.01). Conclusion: PGE1 improves the sciatic nerve function of T2DM rats, reduces the level of serum VEGF and vascular permeability, and protects peripheral nerves. These findings provide a basis for the development of new T2DM drug

A Visualization Method for Understanding Forensic Statements

Forensic statements are lengthy and contain large amounts of complex information. Consequently, it is often difficult for readers of such reports to identify connections between disparate pieces of evidence and to properly and objectively assess their value to the case in question. Readers have no alternative but to rely on intuition and experience to make sense of the complex arguments and propositions arising from forensic evidence. This research investigates the opportunities in the convergence of linguistic approaches to extracting and reconstructing the cognitive structure, i.e. “TextWorlds”, in a statement, and the computerized operational settings for enabling effective and hopefully more accurate interpretation of forensic discourse through visualization. This will be of benefit to a wide range of stakeholders, including investigating officers, prosecuting and defence counsels, judges and jurors

Stimulation of trans-resveratrol biosynthesis in Vitis vinifera cv. Kyoho cell suspension cultures by 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl jasmonate elicitation

Background: Plant cell suspension culture of Vitis vinifera is a promising technology for investigating different factors that are able to induce and/or modify stilbenes biosynthesis. Jasmonates have been reported to play an important role in a signal transduction pathway that regulates defence responses as well as the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl jasmonate (DHPJA) was used to investigate its effect on stimulating trans-resveratrol (t-R) accumulation and the plant defence responses in Vitis vinifera cv. Kyoho cell suspension cultures for the first time. Results: It demonstrated that DHPJA had superior effects on stilbenoids accumulation over methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The optimal condition was 150 \u3bcM DHPJA added on day 15 of cultivation period, with the highest level of t-R accumulation which was increased 1.8-fold and 1.3-fold compared with the control and 150 \u3bcM MeJA respectively. DHPJA induced stronger plant defence responses, including oxidative burst and activation of L-phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) than MeJA. H2O2 generation induced by DHPJA played a significant role in enhancing t-R accumulation. Adding a specific inhibitor of H2O2 signalling pathway inhibited DHPJA-induced t-R accumulation, but had no effects on DHPJA-induced other metabolites accumulation, which resulted in regulations of product diversity. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that DHPJA was an efficient elicitor to enhance t-R accumulation by activating stronger oxidative burst, and H2O2 signalling pathway could regulate product diversity in DHPJA-induced V. vinifera cv. Kyoho cell suspension cultures