Social-cultural aspects of the functioning of an institutional network, which is the base for the regional pro-innovating strategy implementation

A technology transfer is a key to an efficient innovating strategy implementation process. The institutional network should support this process. The aim of the paper is to point out the 'soft' circumstances which appear when institutions start to co-operate in such network. Furthermore some directions will be given how to face with negative circumstances. In the first part of the paper the social cultural aspects of cooperation between institutions within the network will be presented. The analyse will be mainly focused on processes of autonomisation and enclosing on an external cooperation in these institutions. The second part of the paper is a case study. A creation process of technological parks at the Silesian region will be analysed. Using this example the methods of dealing with difficulties which are discussed will be demonstrated.

Palimpsests of the romantic

This articles offers a longue durée perspective to illustrate that just as romanticism was a necessary, though not single-handedly sufficient condition for nationalist movements of the 19th century, an understanding of later cultural and political phenomena – including contemporary neo-nationalisms – benefits from an appreciation of the romantics’ continuing, albeit often unacknowledged legacy. Empirically, we make this argument through select and carefully contextualized Polish and Austrian discursive ‘snapshots’. Conceptually, we propose that new theoretical terminology is needed, which we find in what we describe and analyse as palimpsests of the romantic. Key assumptions and sentiments that defined romanticism are thereby shown to be re- and over-written, under novel social conditions and by later generations of political and cultural actors in both Poland and Austria

NPM1 alternative transcripts are upregulated in acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia and their expression level affects patient outcome

Abstract Background Expression of the NPM1 gene, encoding nucleophosmin, is upregulated in cancers. Although more than ten NPM1 transcripts are known, the reports were usually limited to one predominant transcript. In leukemia, the NPM1 expression has not been widely studied so far. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the mutational status of the gene seems to play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. Therefore, the aim of the study was to quantify alternative NPM1 transcripts in two types of acute leukemia, AML and ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). Methods Using droplet digital PCR, we analyzed the levels of three protein-coding NPM1 transcripts in 66 samples collected from AML and ALL patients and 16 control samples. Using RNA-seq, we detected 8 additional NPM1 transcripts, including non-coding splice variants with retained introns. For data analysis, Welch two sample t-test, Pearson’s correlation and Kaplan–Meier analysis were applied. Results The levels of the particular NPM1 transcripts were significantly different but highly correlated with each other in both leukemia and control samples. Transcript NPM1.1, encoding the longest protein (294 aa), had the highest level of accumulation and was one of the most abundant transcripts in the cell. Comparing to NPM1.1, the levels of the NPM1.2 and NPM1.3 transcripts, encoding a 265-aa and 259-aa proteins, were 30 and 3 times lower, respectively. All three NPM1 transcripts were proportionally upregulated in both types of leukemia compared to control samples. In AML, the levels of NPM1 transcripts decreased in complete remission and increased again with relapse of the disease. Low levels of NPM1.1 and NPM1.3 were associated with better prognosis. The contribution of non-coding transcripts to the total level of NPM1 gene seemed to be marginal, except for one short 5-end transcript accumulated at high levels in AML and control cells. Aberrant proportions of particular NPM1 splice variants could be linked to abnormal expression of genes encoding alternative splicing factors. Conclusions The levels of the studied NPM1 transcripts were different but highly correlated with each other. Their upregulation in AML and ALL, decrease after therapy and association with patient outcome suggests the involvement of elevated NPM1 expression in the acute leukemia pathogenesis

T4 Phage Tail Adhesin Gp12 Counteracts LPS-induced Inflammation In Vivo

Bacteriophages that infect Gram-negative bacteria often bind to the bacterial surface by interaction of specific proteins with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Short tail fiber proteins (tail adhesin, gp12) mediate adsorption of T4-like bacteriophages to Escherichia coli, binding surface proteins or LPS. Produced as a recombined protein, gp12 retains its ability to bind LPS. Since LPS is able to exert a major impact on the immune response in animals and in humans, we have tested LPS-binding phage protein gp12 as a potential modulator of the LPS-induced immune response. We have produced tail adhesin gp12 in a bacterial expression system and confirmed its ability to form trimers and to bind lipopolysaccharide in vitro by dynamic light scattering. This product had no negative effect on mammalian cell proliferation in vitro. Further, no harmful effects of this protein were observed in mice. Thus, gp12 was used in combination with LPS in a murine model, and it decreased the inflammatory response to LPS in vivo, as assessed by serum levels of cytokines IL-1 alpha and IL-6 and by histopathological analysis of spleen, liver, kidney and lungs. Thus, in future studies gp12 may be considered as a potential tool for modulation and specifically for counteracting LPS-related physiological effects in vivo