Distinctive pattern and translational control of mitochondrial protein synthesis in rat brain synaptic endings

Mitochondrial gene expression has been investigated in synaptic endings from rat cerebral cortex isolated at various stages during the postnatal development and maturation of the animal. The pattern of the mitochondrial translation products labeled in vitro in rat brain synaptosomes revealed some distinctive features when compared with the pattern observed in a rat fibroblast cell line, the most remarkable being the apparent absence of labeling of the ND5 product. This absence contrasted with the presence in synaptosomes of an amount of ND5 mRNA comparable with that found in the rat fibroblast cell line. The rate of mitochondrial protein synthesis per unit amount of mtDNA inbrain synaptosomes showed a characteristic reproducible burst at 10-13 days after birth, thereafter declining sharply in the 3rd week to reach a level that remained constant over a 2-year period. The postnatal burst of mitochondrial protein synthesis coincided with a sharp increase in cytochrome c oxidase activity, pointing to a phase of rapid assembly of respiratory complexes. A comparison of the levels of mitochondrial mRNAs with the corresponding rates of protein synthesis during the animal development and maturation showed a lack of correlation. These observations, together with the apparent lack of translation of the ND5 mRNA, indicate that translational control plays a major role in the regulation of gene expression in rat brain synaptic mitochondria

Les stratégies de traduction dans des traités internationaux signés par le Brésil et la France : un regard sur la terminologie juridique

Ce travail se propose d’analyser, à partir d’une étude exploratoire des traités internationaux signés par le Brésil et la France, le traitement donné à la terminologie et la façon dont celle-ci se construit dans un contexte impliquant la réglementation juridique et le bilinguisme. Nous partons du principe selon lequel la terminologie des traités est étroitement liée aux stratégies de traduction adoptées par les deux communautés concernées. De là, nous procédons à une analyse comparative des traités ayant pour base des principes de terminologie, qui envisagent la dimension textuelle et communicative de la langue de spécialité, et des principes de traduction, qui voient le texte traduit en tant que produit d’une situation communicative donnée, socioculturellement définie. À partir de cette analyse, qui met en évidence l’interférence du processus de traduction dans la constitution de la terminologie des lois, certaines préférences à propos des stratégies de traduction dans les deux cultures concernées apparaissent également et, par voie de conséquence, le caractère singulier de la production traductionnelle.The goal of the present study is to examine how terminology is dealt with and how terms are composed in a context involving legal regulations and bilingualism. To this end, an exploratory and contrastive study of the international treaties signed between Brazil and France was conducted. The analysis of the texts was based on terminology theories that take the textual and communicative dimensions of language into account, and on translation studies that view the translated text as a product of a culturally and socially determined communicative event. Highlighting the interference of the translation process in establishing legal terminology, the analysis also revealed preferences for certain translation strategies in each culture, thus underlining the specific nature of the product of the translation

Modelling short channel mosfets for use in VLSI

In an investigation of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOFSET) devices, a one-dimensional mathematical model of device dynamics was prepared, from which an accurate and computationally efficient drain current expression could be derived for subsequent parameter extraction. While a critical review revealed weaknesses in existing 1-D models (Pao-Sah, Pierret-Shields, Brews, and Van de Wiele), this new model in contrast was found to allow all the charge distributions to be continuous, to retain the inversion layer structure, and to include the contribution of current from the pinched-off part of the device. The model allows the source and drain to operate in different regimes. Numerical algorithms used for the evaluation of surface potentials in the various models are presented

The Cure: Making a game of gene selection for breast cancer survival prediction

Motivation: Molecular signatures for predicting breast cancer prognosis could greatly improve care through personalization of treatment. Computational analyses of genome-wide expression datasets have identified such signatures, but these signatures leave much to be desired in terms of accuracy, reproducibility and biological interpretability. Methods that take advantage of structured prior knowledge (e.g. protein interaction networks) show promise in helping to define better signatures but most knowledge remains unstructured. Crowdsourcing via scientific discovery games is an emerging methodology that has the potential to tap into human intelligence at scales and in modes previously unheard of. Here, we developed and evaluated a game called The Cure on the task of gene selection for breast cancer survival prediction. Our central hypothesis was that knowledge linking expression patterns of specific genes to breast cancer outcomes could be captured from game players. We envisioned capturing knowledge both from the players prior experience and from their ability to interpret text related to candidate genes presented to them in the context of the game. Results: Between its launch in Sept. 2012 and Sept. 2013, The Cure attracted more than 1,000 registered players who collectively played nearly 10,000 games. Gene sets assembled through aggregation of the collected data clearly demonstrated the accumulation of relevant expert knowledge. In terms of predictive accuracy, these gene sets provided comparable performance to gene sets generated using other methods including those used in commercial tests. The Cure is available at http://genegames.org/cure

Plantaciones en Patagonia

Se presenta un contrapunto sobre diferentes aspectos relacionados con las forestaciones en los ecosistemas del norte de la patagonia. Se aborda los principales efectos ambientales que ocasionan las forestaciones, las politicas de subsidios a las plantaciones y los efectos socialkes y economicos que pueden tener las plantacionesFil: Grosfeld, Javier Edgardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación En Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Loguercio, Gabriel Angel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia; Argentin

Trans-orgânica : uma proposta de ensino de química orgânica utilizando as temáticas de gênero e sexualidade

O artigo apresenta e analisa uma Proposta de Ensino de Química Orgânica desenvolvida abordando as temáticas de gênero e sexualidade. A proposta tem como eixo químico a compreensão da estrutura e da função dos hormônios, interconectado ao eixo social-cultural das questões de gênero e à sexualidade: Os hormônios definem a identidade de gênero ou a sexualidade de uma pessoa? As diferenças entre as estruturas químicas dos hormônios ditos femininos e masculinos definem essas diferenças? Quais os argumentos científicos os e as estudantes utilizam para explicar as identidades de gênero e o exercício de sexualidades que fogem ao 'normativo'? Através destes questionamentos foi possível realizar, na sala de aula, debates de cunho social, cultural e ético, além da relaçã

Insecticidal activity of culture supernatants from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner strains against Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae.

Recentemente, proteinas inseticidas vegetativas (Vips), identificadas no sobrenadante da cultura de certas cepas de Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.), foram capazes de controlar alguns insetos-praga economicamente importantes. Como avaliacao do potencial de aplicabilidade destas proteinas contra a lagarta-do-cartucho (Spodoptera frugiperda Smith), o inseto-praga mais importante da cultura do milho, as caracteristicas e o efeito de mortalidade do sobrenadante da cultura de cinco cepas de B.t. foram investigadas. Notaveis diferencas entre as cepas foram detectadas, nao somente em termos de eficiencia na mortalidade dos insetos, mas tambem nas diferencas de mortalidade entre os sobrenadantes aquecido e nao-aquecido tratamentos estes que foram usados para distinguir a fracao proteica inseticida termo-sensivel de outra fracao termo-estavel, de natureza nao-proteica (b-exotoxinas). Os padroes qualitativo , quantitativo e temporal de secrecao da proteina total no meio (sobrenadante) foram avaliados por espectrofotometria e eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida. As cepas apresentaram distintas taxas de crescimento e tempos de secrecao de proteinas em relacao a densidade de celulas na cultura. Alem disso, o padrao de bandas eletroforeticas tambem variou de maneira cepa-especifica, em ambas condicoes desnaturantes e nao-desnaturantes. Polipeptideos que apresentaram peso molecular semelhantes aos esperados para proteinas Vip3A identificadas anteriormente foram encontradas em cepas com alta taxa de mortalidade do sobrenadante. Os dados sugerem a possibilidade e a utilidade de pesquisar fracoes inseticidas de natureza proteica (do tipo Vip) em sobrenadantes de B.t., como forma para desenvolver alternativas especificas e eficientes de controle biologico que possam ser empregadas em programas de manejo integrado de S. frugiperda em milho tropical

Quantitating the epigenetic transformation contributing to cholesterol homeostasis using Gaussian process.

To understand the impact of epigenetics on human misfolding disease, we apply Gaussian-process regression (GPR) based machine learning (ML) (GPR-ML) through variation spatial profiling (VSP). VSP generates population-based matrices describing the spatial covariance (SCV) relationships that link genetic diversity to fitness of the individual in response to histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACi). Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is a Mendelian disorder caused by >300 variants in the NPC1 gene that disrupt cholesterol homeostasis leading to the rapid onset and progression of neurodegenerative disease. We determine the sequence-to-function-to-structure relationships of the NPC1 polypeptide fold required for membrane trafficking and generation of a tunnel that mediates cholesterol flux in late endosomal/lysosomal (LE/Ly) compartments. HDACi treatment reveals unanticipated epigenomic plasticity in SCV relationships that restore NPC1 functionality. GPR-ML based matrices capture the epigenetic processes impacting information flow through central dogma, providing a framework for quantifying the effect of the environment on the healthspan of the individual

Effectiveness of sealing active proximal caries lesions with an adhesive system: 1-year clinical evaluation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic sealant to arrest non-cavitated proximal carious lesion progression. The study population comprised 44 adolescents who had bitewing radiographs taken for caries diagnosis. Non-cavitated lesions extending up to half of dentin thickness were included in the sample. In the experimental group (n = 33), the proximal caries-lesion surfaces were sealed with an adhesive (OptiBond Solo, Kerr) after tooth separation. The control group (n = 11) received no treatment, except for oral hygiene instructions including use of dental floss. Follow-up radiographs were taken after one year and were analyzed in comparison with baseline radiographs. In a blind study setting, visual readings were performed by two examiners, blinded to whether the examined radiograph was baseline or follow-up, and whether it concerned a test or control lesion. The efficacy of sealing treatment was evaluated by the McNemar test (0.05). About 22% of the sealed lesions showed reduction, 61% showed no change and 16% showed progression. For the control lesions, the corresponding values were 27%, 36% and 36% respectively. The number of lesions that showed reduction and no changes were merged and therefore 83.3% of the sealed lesions and 63.6% of the control lesions were considered clinically successful. No statistical significance was detected (p > 0.05). In the course of 1 year, sealing proximal caries lesions was not shown to be superior to lesion monitoring.Dr. Priscila Bresciani, Dr. Bernardo Hahn and Dr. Franciele Loeblein for the help provided in the clinical part of this stud