ADAMTS15 (ADAM Metallopeptidase With Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif, 15)

Review on ADAMTS15, with data on DNA/RNA, on the protein encoded and where the gene is implicated

ADAMTS12 (ADAM Metallopeptidase With Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif, 12)

Review on ADAMTS12, with data on DNA/RNA, on the protein encoded and where the gene is implicated

Subjectivity in a context of environmental change: opening new dialogues in mental health research

In a period of unstable experimentation with challenges of globalization of associated risks, and disenchantment with ‘enduring injustice’, we bring forward a consideration of subjectivity to the study of environmental change and mental health. We begin by identifying how mainstream climate change and mental health studies are unable to explain the emergent and co-evolutionary pathways of agency. As a means of freeing these studies of their objective dimensions of linear-causation, we argue in favour of a re-positioning of subjectivity within an appreciation of recognition conflicts and beyond the over-deterministic interpretations of power centres—state, market or religion. We draw on one example of scientific research that was conducted in a region undergoing strong environmental, social and cultural changes, in the state of São Paulo/Brazil, with the aim to open mental health research to new dialogues, to which we contribute with the notion of the ‘pluriversal subject’

Site-selective protein-modification chemistry for basic biology and drug development.

Nature has produced intricate machinery to covalently diversify the structure of proteins after their synthesis in the ribosome. In an attempt to mimic nature, chemists have developed a large set of reactions that enable post-expression modification of proteins at pre-determined sites. These reactions are now used to selectively install particular modifications on proteins for many biological and therapeutic applications. For example, they provide an opportunity to install post-translational modifications on proteins to determine their exact biological roles. Labelling of proteins in live cells with fluorescent dyes allows protein uptake and intracellular trafficking to be tracked and also enables physiological parameters to be measured optically. Through the conjugation of potent cytotoxicants to antibodies, novel anti-cancer drugs with improved efficacy and reduced side effects may be obtained. In this Perspective, we highlight the most exciting current and future applications of chemical site-selective protein modification and consider which hurdles still need to be overcome for more widespread use.We thank FCT Portugal (FCT Investigator to G.J.L.B.), the EU (Marie-Curie CIG to G.J.L.B. and Marie-Curie IEF to O.B.) and the EPSRC for funding. G.J.L.B. is a Royal Society University Research Fellow.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from NPG via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nchem.239

Intestinal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus: How does its frequency compare with that of nasal carriage and what is its clinical impact?

The bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, including its methicillin-resistant variant (MRSA), finds its primary ecological niche in the human nose, but is also able to colonize the intestines and the perineal region. Intestinal carriage has not been widely investigated despite its potential clinical impact. This review summarizes literature on the topic and sketches the current state of affairs from a microbiological and infectious diseases' perspective. Major findings are that the average reported detection rate of intestinal carriage in healthy individuals and patients is 20% for S. aureus and 9% for MRSA, which is approximately half of that for nasal carriage. Nasal carriage seems to predispose to intestinal carriage, but sole intestinal carriage occurs relatively frequently and is observed in 1 out of 3 intestinal carriers, which provides a rationale to include intestinal screening for surveillance or in outbreak settings. Colonization of the intestinal tract with S. aureus at a young age occurs at a high frequency and may affect the host's immune system. The frequency of intestinal carriage is generally underestimated and may significantly contribute to bacterial dissemination and subsequent risk of infections. Whether intestinal rather than nasal S. aureus carriage is a primary predictor for infections is still ill-defined

Liverpool telescope 2: a new robotic facility for rapid transient follow-up

The Liverpool Telescope is one of the world's premier facilities for time domain astronomy. The time domain landscape is set to radically change in the coming decade, with surveys such as LSST providing huge numbers of transient detections on a nightly basis; transient detections across the electromagnetic spectrum from other facilities such as SVOM, SKA and CTA; and the era of `multi-messenger astronomy', wherein events are detected via non-electromagnetic means, such as gravitational wave emission. We describe here our plans for Liverpool Telescope 2: a new robotic telescope designed to capitalise on this new era of time domain astronomy. LT2 will be a 4-metre class facility co-located with the LT at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos on the Canary island of La Palma. The telescope will be designed for extremely rapid response: the aim is that the telescope will take data within 30 seconds of the receipt of a trigger from another facility. The motivation for this is twofold: firstly it will make it a world-leading facility for the study of fast fading transients and explosive phenomena discovered at early times. Secondly, it will enable large-scale programmes of low-to-intermediate resolution spectral classification of transients to be performed with great efficiency. In the target-rich environment of the LSST era, minimising acquisition overheads will be key to maximising the science gains from any follow-up programme. The telescope will have a diverse instrument suite which is simultaneously mounted for automatic changes, but it is envisaged that the primary instrument will be an intermediate resolution, optical/infrared spectrograph for scientific exploitation of transients discovered with the next generation of synoptic survey facilities. In this paper we outline the core science drivers for the telescope, and the requirements for the optical and mechanical design

Surface features, rotation and atmospheric variability of ultra cool dwarfs

Photometric I band light curves of 21 ultra cool M and L dwarfs are presented. Variability with amplitudes of 0.01 to 0.055 magnitudes (RMS) with typical timescales of an hour to several hours are discovered in half of these objects. Periodic variability is discovered in a few cases, but interestingly several variable objects show no significant periods, even though the observations were almost certainly sensitive to the expected rotation periods. It is argued that in these cases the variability is due to the evolution of the surface features on timescales of a few hours. This is supported in the case of 2M1145 for which no common period is found in two separate light curves. It is speculated that these features are photospheric dust clouds, with their evolution possibly driven by rotation and turbulence. An alternative possibility is magnetically-induced surface features. However, chromospheric activity undergoes a sharp decrease between M7 and L1, whereas a greater occurrence of variability is observed in objects later than M9, lending support to the dust interpretation.Comment: To appear in "Ultracool Dwarf Stars" (Lecture Notes in Physics), H.R.A. Jones, I. Steele (eds), Springer-Verlag, 2001. Also available from http://www.mpia-hd.mpg.de/homes/calj/ultra.htm

Multiplicity of young brown dwarfs in Cha I

How frequent are brown dwarf binaries? Do brown dwarfs have planets? Are current theoretical pre-main-sequence evolutionary tracks valid down to the substellar regime? - Any detection of a companion to a brown dwarf takes us one step forward towards answering these basic questions of star formation. We report here on a search for spectroscopic and visual companions to young brown dwarfs in the Cha I star forming cloud. Based on spectra taken with UVES at the VLT, we found significant radial velocity (RV) variations for five bona-fide and candidate brown dwarfs in Cha I. They can be caused by either a (substellar or planetary) companion or stellar activity. A companion causing the detected RV variations would have about a few Jupiter masses. We are planning further UVES observations in order to explore the nature of the detected RV variations. We also found that the RV dispersion is only ~ 2km/s indicating that there is probably no run-away brown dwarf among them. Additionally a search for companions by direct imaging with the HST and SOFI (NTT) has yielded to the detection of a few companion candidates in larger orbits.Comment: Conference proceeding "Origins of stars and planets: The VLT view", ESO, Garching, April 24-27 200

Variability of Brown Dwarfs

Brown dwarfs constitute a missing link between low-mass stars and giant planets. Their atmospheres display chemical species typical of planets, and one could wonder whether they also have weather-like patterns. While brown dwarf surface features cannot be directly resolved, the photometric and spectroscopic modulations induced by these features, as they rotate in and out of view, provide a wealth of information on the evolution of their atmosphere. A review of brown dwarfs variability through the L, T and Y spectral types sequence is presented, as well as the constraints that they set on the nature of weather-like patterns on their surface.Comment: Accepted chapter in the "Handbook of Exoplanets"; Springe

Human DESC1 serine protease confers tumorigenic properties to MDCK cells and it is upregulated in tumours of different origin

Proteolysis of the extracellular matrix components plays a crucial role in the regulation of the cellular and physiological processes, and different pathologies have been associated with the loss or gain of function of proteolytic enzymes. DESC1 (differentially expressed in squamous cell carcinoma gene 1), a member of the TTSP (type II transmembrane serine protease) family of serine proteases, is an epithelial-specific enzyme that has been found downregulated in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region. We describe new properties of DESC1 suggesting that this protease may be involved in the progression of some type of tumours. Thus, this enzyme hydrolyses some extracellular matrix components, such as fibronectin, gelatin or fibrinogen. Moreover, Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells expressing exogenous human DESC1 acquire properties associated with tumour growth such as enhanced motility and an increase of tubular forms in a 3D collagen lattice following HGF treatment. Finally, we generated polyclonal anti-DESC1 antibodies and immunohistochemical analysis in tissues different from head and neck region indicated that this protease was overexpressed in tumours of diverse origins. Taken together, our results suggest that DESC1 could be considered as a potential therapeutic target in some type of tumours