Bio Inspired Approach as a Problem Solving Technique

This paper describes the biologically inspired methodology as a computing and problem solving technique. Bio-inspired methods have recently gained importance in computing due to the need for flexible, adaptable ways of solving engineering problems. Bio-inspired algorithms are based on the structure and functioning of complex natural systems and tend to solve problems in an adaptable and distributed fashion. An example of a bio-inspired approach to solving the problem of location search has been taken up and discussed in this paper. The bio-inspired methodology has several merits and demerits, which are also discussed in the paper. Keywords: Bio-inspired approach, Merits and Demerits, Haptotaxis, Competitive and Cooperative Interaction

Elevating the levels of Sox2 in embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonic stem cells inhibits the expression of Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes†

Recent studies have identified large sets of genes in embryonic stem and embryonal carcinoma cells that are associated with the transcription factors Sox2 and Oct-3/4. Other studies have shown that Sox2 and Oct-3/4 work together cooperatively to stimulate the transcription of their own genes as well as a network of genes required for embryogenesis. Moreover, small changes in the levels of Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes alter the fate of stem cells. Although positive feedforward and feedback loops have been proposed to explain the activation of these genes, little is known about the mechanisms that prevent their overexpression. Here, we demonstrate that elevating Sox2 levels inhibits the endogenous expression of five Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes. In addition, we show that Sox2 repression is dependent on the binding sites for Sox2 and Oct-3/4. We also demonstrate that inhibition is dependent on the C-terminus of Sox2, which contains its transactivation domain. Finally, our studies argue that overexpression of neither Oct-3/4 nor Nanog broadly inhibits Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes. Collectively, these studies provide new insights into the diversity of mechanisms that control Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes and argue that Sox2 functions as a molecular rheostat for the control of a key transcriptional regulatory network

Congenital pulmonary airway malformation with mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A case report and review of literature

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations (CCAM) are rare developmental anomalies of the lung characterized by cysts of varying sizes and/or adenomatoid proliferation. Type I CCAM, the most frequent subtype, is associated with an increased incidence of malignant transformation, principally bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, with a reported incidence of around 1%. We report the first case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising in a type 1 CCAM

Rapid activation of the bivalent gene Sox21 requires displacement of multiple layers of gene-silencing machinery

The rapid formation of numerous tissues during development is highly dependent on the swift activation of key developmental regulators. Recent studies indicate that many key regulatory genes are repressed in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), yet poised for rapid activation due to the presence of both activating (H3K4 trimethylation) and repressive (H3K27 trimethylation) histone modifications (bivalent genes). However, little is known about bivalent gene regulation. In this study, we investigated the regulation of the bivalent gene Sox21, which is activated rapidly when ESCs differentiate in response to increases in Sox2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that prior to differentiation, the Sox21 gene is bound by a complex array of repressive and activating transcriptional machinery. Upon activation, all identified repressive machinery and histone modifications associated with the gene are lost, but the activating modifications and transcriptional machinery are retained. Notably, these changes do not occur when ESCs differentiate in response to retinoic acid. Moreover, ESCs lacking a functional PRC2 complex fail to activate this gene, apparently due to its association with other repressive complexes. Together, these findings suggest that bivalent genes, such as Sox21, are silenced by a complex set of redundant repressive machinery, which exit rapidly in response to appropriate differentiation signals.—Chakravarthy, H., Ormsbee, B. D., Mallanna, S. K., Rizzino, A. Rapid activation of the bivalent gene Sox21 requires displacement of multiple layers of gene-silencing machinery

Assessment of Disease Knowledge, Medication Adherence, HRQOL in COPD Patients at a South Indian Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, life-threatening disease of the lungs, gradually causes breathlessness and predisposes to exacerbations and serious illness. The main objectives of the study are to evaluate disease knowledge, medication adherence, and health-related quality of life among COPD patients. Methodology: A Hospital-based, single-entered prospective observational study was conducted at a government general hospital, Andhra Pradesh. India after ethical committee approval. This study was conducted for 6 months with a sample size of 80 patients. Results: According to our study, the majority of the patients 36 (45%) don’t have disease knowledge, where a few numbers of patients 7 (8.75%) is having disease knowledge as per BCKQ score values. 11.25% of patients have the lowest MMAS scores whereas 58.75% were found to have higher MMAS scores and 37.5% of total patients have higher CAT scores, and 12.5% of patients have lower CAT scores. Conclusion: We found that majority of the patients have poor disease knowledge, lower adherence to medication regimens, and substandard HRQOL. Keywords: COPD knowledge, medication adherence, and HRQOL

Effect of Sox2 overexpression on Sox2:Oct-3/4 target gene constructs containing mutant HMG/POU cassettes

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Elevating the levels of Sox2 in embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonic stem cells inhibits the expression of Sox2:Oct-3/4 target genes"</p><p></p><p>Nucleic Acids Research 2007;35(6):1773-1786.</p><p>Published online 25 Feb 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1874607.</p><p>© 2007 The Author(s)</p> Schematics of each of the promoter/reporter constructs are shown. The gray boxes indicate critical enhancers, the basal promoter is represented by a black box adjacent to the CAT reporter gene, and the relative HMG/POU cassette (or mutant) is indicated with an asterisk. In each promoter/reporter construct, the HMG/POU cassette was destroyed. Where indicated, the POU motif in the HMG/POU cassette was mutated. F9 EC cells were transfected with 12 µg of the indicated promoter/reporter gene construct plus 1 µg of the CMV-β-gal expression vector. Where indicated, 1 or 3 µg of the Sox2 expression vector was co-transfected. Reporter activity was normalized to that of β-galactosidase and the activity of each individual promoter/reporter construct (with no overexpression) was set to 1. Overexpression values are shown relative to each particular gene construct. The data shown represents the mean and standard deviation of duplicate samples from representative experiments. This experiment was repeated twice and similar results were obtained