Searching low-energy conformations of two elastin sequences

The three-dimensional structures of two common repeat motifs Val$^1$-Pro$^2$-Gly$^3$-Val$^4$-Gly$^5$ and Val$^1$-Gly$^2$-Val$^3$-Pro$^4$-Gly$^5$-Val$^6$-Gly$^7$-Val$^8$-Pro$^9$ of tropoelastin are investigated by using the multicanonical simulation procedure. By minimizing the energy structures along the trajectory the thermodynamically most stable low-energy microstates of the molecule are determined. The structural predictions are in good agreement with X-ray diffraction experiments.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

MICA-129 dimorphism and soluble MICA are associated with the progression of multiple myeloma

Natural killer (NK) cells are immune innate effectors playing a pivotal role in the immunosurveillance of multiple myeloma (MM) since they are able to directly recognize and kill MM cells. In this regard, among activating receptors expressed by NK cells, NKG2D represents an important receptor for the recognition of MM cells, being its ligands expressed by tumor cells, and being able to trigger NK cell cytotoxicity. The MHC class I-related molecule A (MICA) is one of the NKG2D ligands; it is encoded by highly polymorphic genes and exists as membrane-bound and soluble isoforms. Soluble MICA (sMICA) is overexpressed in the serum of MM patients, and its levels correlate with tumor progression. Interestingly, a methionine (Met) to valine (Val) substitution at position 129 of the α2 heavy chain domain classifies the MICA alleles into strong (MICA-129Met) and weak (MICA-129Val) binders to NKG2D receptor. We addressed whether the genetic polymorphisms in the MICA-129 alleles could affect MICA release during MM progression. The frequencies of Val/Val, Val/Met, and Met/Met MICA-129 genotypes in a cohort of 137 MM patients were 36, 43, and 22%, respectively. Interestingly, patients characterized by a Val/Val genotype exhibited the highest levels of sMICA in the sera. In addition, analysis of the frequencies of MICA-129 genotypes among different MM disease states revealed that Val/Val patients had a significant higher frequency of relapse. Interestingly, NKG2D was downmodulated in NK cells derived from MICA-129Met/Met MM patients. Results obtained by structural modeling analysis suggested that the Met to Val dimorphism could affect the capacity of MICA to form an optimal template for NKG2D recognition. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the MICA-129Val/Val variant is associated with significantly higher levels of sMICA and the progression of MM, strongly suggesting that the usage of soluble MICA as prognostic marker has to be definitely combined with the patient MICA genotype

Documenting London's Legendary Club Culture

An open lecture at CSM in conjunction with Rowan Arts, as part of a Heritage Lottery funding bid to research 'London's Night-time Economies'. The lecture examined London's music-led club culture from the late 1950s to the present. Guest speakers were Fred Deakin (Airside, Lemon Jelly), Eddie Piller (Acid Jazz records, Blue Note Club) and Dave Hendley (Trojan Records, photographer)

What Happened Here: A Photographer in Sarajevo, 1992-1996

An essay discussing Paul Lowe's photographs, made during the Siege of Sarajevo. The essay appeared in Fieldstudy 21, to accommpany the exhibition SCAR, which was the lead exhibition in the 2015 Moose on the Loose Biennale of Research: Archives in Time and Spac

It Hurts!

Luke 12:49-5

The role of external examinations in the making of secondary modern schools in England 1945-65

Secondary modern schools form the focus for this paper, which explores an aspect of this topic that has received comparatively little attention: the role of external examinations in determining the character and fate of these schools during the 20-year period when they educated the 'large majority'1 of pupils in the 11 to 15 age range. Particular attention is paid to the pivotal role played by external examinations in secondary modern schools' quest for parity of esteem with grammar schools. Various functions performed by external examinations are considered and it is shown that, while some worked against the interests of secondary modern schools, individual schools were able to turn others to their own advantage. The paper ends by considering a darker side to examining, which was asserting itself as this brief period of history drew to a close. 1 McCulloch, G. Failing the Ordinary Child? The Theory and Practice of Working-class Secondary Education. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1998: 6

Model Driven Development of m-Health Systems (with a Touch of Formality)

We propose a model driven design and development methodology augmented with formal validation and verification (V&V) for the development of mobile health systems. Systems which deliver healthcare services remotely should be developed using robust and trusted engineering technologies. The methodology instantiates steps in the MDA trajectory using formal methods to verify critical properties of models, to test preservation of those properties in the derived implementations and to effect model transformations by correctness preserving transformations. The methodology is described and some initial modelling is reported

Numeracy for 14 to 19-year-olds

GCSE results and international comparisons show that performance in numeracy is lower in Wales than that in the other home nations and below the average for OECD countries. Standards of numeracy as judged in school inspections are also lower than for communication in English and information and communication technology. The number of learners in schools, colleges and work-based learning providers who gain application of number qualifications has increased substantially over the last five years. However, too many of these learners gain qualifications at too low a level relative to their ability. These learners do not improve their numeracy skills by taking qualifications at too low a level. Only a minority of schools plan to develop numeracy systematically across the curriculum. Only a few schools track the progress of pupils in numeracy well enough, including the pupils who previously received support for numeracy in key stage 3. Around a half of the schools surveyed do not provide specific support for learners with poor numeracy skills in key stage 4. Although schools assess pupils’ numeracy skills, they do not share this information well enough when their learners attend courses at college or other providers. Further education colleges and work-based learning providers assess the level of learners’ numeracy skills at the start of courses. They generally use this information well to identify whether learners need basic support. As a result, many learners have individual learning plans and benefit from a range of support strategies. However, providers often enter learners for key skills qualifications only at the level needed to complete their framework qualification aim and do not challenge learners to achieve beyond this level

Figures of Folk

A collaboration between London College of Communication, the UAL Photography and the Archive Research Centre (PARC) and the Museum of British Folklore, Figures of Folk, curated by Val Williams, explores ongoing traditions through a series of large format photographs by Graham Goldwater of objects associated with British folklore, alongside letterpress posters created by LCC students, inspired by ancient phrases and words. In 2009, Simon Costin, the Director of the Museum of British Folklore, put out a call to the nation’s Morris sides to replicate their team kit in miniature, as handmade dolls. The response has been overwhelming, with nearly three hundred sides participating in the creation of a physical archive. Together with the Morris dolls, The Museum of British Folklore owns a collection of jig dolls – articulated wooden figures which were used by street performers to create a rhythmic beat and movement, mimicking traditional folk dance. Both collections have been photographed by Graham Goldwater, exploring the ways in which the photographic image both documents museum objects and extends their meaning and reach. Both object and photograph become an artefact of dancing and celebration which has taken place in Britain for nearly five hundred years. As a temporal equivalent, letterpress has also been in continuous existence since 15th century and the work produced by LCC students, Oliver Zandi, Emily Jane Todd and Vaida Klimaviciute, pays homage to this tradition. Much as Morris dancing has grown in popularity after an earlier decline, the letterpress was superseded by industrial and digital methods of printing. Today, Morris now has over eight hundred active sides and letterpress has seen a huge resurrection of interest. Both of these activities represent a means of reaching out and connecting to the old ways. But, rather than being a purely nostalgic exercise, their acknowledgment of a rich, deep-rooted past serves to highlight the value of continuity in building a stronger future

Marking as judgment

An aspect of assessment which has received little attention compared with perennial concerns, such as standards or reliability, is the role of judgment in marking. This paper explores marking as an act of judgment, paying particular attention to the nature of judgment and the processes involved. It brings together studies which have explored marking from a psychological perspective for the purpose of critical discussion of the light they shed on each other and on the practice of marking. Later stages speculate on recent developments in psychology and neuroscience which may cast further light on educational assessment