SDGs: Bridging of science and innovations with local conditions

Agriculture faces several unexpected challenges at global level but in low income countries these challenges are particularly acute as the agriculture represents the dominant part of their economy. Food and water shortages can lead to further unrest and wars. There is significant international consensus around the set of normative goals (SDGs) for food and water security in the changing climate. Yet the visions materialization calls for bridging to local practices and conditions (1-3). Development Research Conference ‘Global Visions and Local Practices Development Research in a Post-2015 World was held in Stockholm (4). What is the best way to design helping programs? How should the academic institutions interact? What is the role of knowledge production in the new policy context? In order to reduce vulnerability of the countries to climate change agricultural technologies should be environmentally friendly (i), ensure high productivity (ii) and be suitable for small-holder farmers adaptation (iii). These goals can only be achieved via development of innovative interdisciplinary technologies

Nucleolar Enrichment of Brain Proteins with Critical Roles in Human Neurodevelopment*

To study nucleolar involvement in brain development, the nuclear and nucleolar proteomes from the rat cerebral cortex at postnatal day 7 were analyzed using LC-MS/iTRAQ methodology. Data of the analysis are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002188. Among 504 candidate nucleolar proteins, the overrepresented gene ontology terms included such cellular compartmentcategories as “nucleolus”, “ribosome” and “chromatin”. Consistent with such classification, the most overrepresented functional gene ontology terms were related to RNA metabolism/ribosomal biogenesis, translation, and chromatin organization. Sixteen putative nucleolar proteins were associated with neurodevelopmental phenotypes in humans. Microcephaly and/or cognitive impairment were the most common phenotypic manifestations. Although several such proteins have links to ribosomal biogenesis and/or genomic stability/chromatin structure (e.g. EMG1, RPL10, DKC1, EIF4A3, FLNA, SMC1, ATRX, MCM4, NSD1, LMNA, or CUL4B), others including ADAR, LARP7, GTF2I, or TCF4 have no such connections known. Although neither the Alazami syndrome-associated LARP7nor the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome-associated TCF4 were reported in nucleoli of non-neural cells, in neurons, their nucleolar localization was confirmed by immunostaining. In cultured rat hippocampal neurons, knockdown of LARP7 reduced both perikaryal ribosome content and general protein synthesis. Similar anti-ribosomal/anti-translation effects were observed after knockdown of the ribosomal biogenesis factor EMG1 whose deficiency underlies Bowen-Conradi syndrome. Finally, moderate reduction of ribosome content and general protein synthesis followed overexpression of two Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mutant variants of TCF4. Therefore, dysregulation of ribosomal biogenesis and/or other functions of the nucleolus may disrupt neurodevelopment resulting in such phenotypes as microcephaly and/or cognitive impairment

Decrease due to pollution in the rhizosphere microbial diversity can be amended by supplementation from adapted plants of another species

Manipulating the rhizosphere microbiome to enhance plant stress tolerance is an environmentally friendly technology and a renewable resource to restore degraded environments. Here we suggest a sustainable bioremediation strategy on the example of Stebnyk mine tailings storage. We consider Salicornia europaea rhizosphere community, and the ability of the phytoremediation plant Salix viminalis to recruit its beneficial microbiome to mediate the pollution stress at the Stebnyk mine tailings storage. The tailings contain large amounts of brine salts and heavy metals that contaminate the ground water and surrounding areas, changing soil biogeochemistry and causing increased erosion. The species richness of the endophytic bacterial community of S. viminalis roots was assessed based on observed OTUs, Shannon-InvSimpson, and evenness index. Our results obtained using the plant-based enrichment strategy show that biodiversity was decreased across the contamination zones and that S. europaea supplementation significantly increased the species richness. Our results also indicate that the number of dominating bacteria was not changed across zones in both S. europaea-treated and untreated bacterial populations, and that the decrease in richness was mainly caused by the low abundant bacterial OTUs. The importance of selecting the bioremediation strains that are likely to harbor a reservoir of genetic traits that aid in bioremediation function from the target environment is discusse

Koolide õppekava noorte õigusliku sotsialiseerimise teenistuses

http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2658849~S1*es

Meta-coexpression conservation analysis of microarray data: a "subset" approach provides insight into brain-derived neurotrophic factor regulation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (<it>BDNF</it>) gene expression contribute to serious pathologies such as depression, epilepsy, cancer, Alzheimer's, Huntington and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms of <it>BDNF </it>regulation represents a great clinical importance. Studying <it>BDNF </it>expression remains difficult due to its multiple neural activity-dependent and tissue-specific promoters. Thus, microarray data could provide insight into the regulation of this complex gene. Conventional microarray co-expression analysis is usually carried out by merging the datasets or by confirming the re-occurrence of significant correlations across datasets. However, co-expression patterns can be different under various conditions that are represented by subsets in a dataset. Therefore, assessing co-expression by measuring correlation coefficient across merged samples of a dataset or by merging datasets might not capture all correlation patterns.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our study, we performed meta-coexpression analysis of publicly available microarray data using <it>BDNF </it>as a "guide-gene" introducing a "subset" approach. The key steps of the analysis included: dividing datasets into subsets with biologically meaningful sample content (e.g. tissue, gender or disease state subsets); analyzing co-expression with the <it>BDNF </it>gene in each subset separately; and confirming co- expression links across subsets. Finally, we analyzed conservation in co-expression with <it>BDNF </it>between human, mouse and rat, and sought for conserved over-represented TFBSs in <it>BDNF </it>and BDNF-correlated genes. Correlated genes discovered in this study regulate nervous system development, and are associated with various types of cancer and neurological disorders. Also, several transcription factor identified here have been reported to regulate <it>BDNF </it>expression <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study demonstrates the potential of the "subset" approach in co-expression conservation analysis for studying the regulation of single genes and proposes novel regulators of <it>BDNF </it>gene expression.</p

Avalik diplomaatia ja selle mõju Euroopa Liidu laienemisel

Uurimisteema on aktuaalne, kuna Euroopa Liidu välispoliitika, laienemine ning kodanikkonna kasv on palju kõneainet pakkuv temaatika. Lisaks liikmes- ja kandidaatriikide sisepoliitikale kui ka Euroopa Liidu sees toimivatele poliitilistele jõududele, mis laienemist mõjutavad, muutub oluliseks avalik diplomaatia, mis on üks poliitika tegemise vahenditest. Käesoleva magistritöö eesmärgiks oli analüüsida avaliku diplomaatia olemust ja hinnata selle mõju Euroopa Liidu laienemise valdkonnas. Selleks, et Euroopa Liit suudaks tulevikus olla edukas, peab EL laienemispoliitika säilitama oma läbipaistvust ja usaldatavust ning seda on võimalik mõjutada avaliku diplomaatia tegevustega. Tegevuste kategoriseerimine dimensioonidesse ning loogilise mudeli olemusel tuginev relatiivne analüüs võimaldab luua selgemat arusaama ning välja tuua aspekte, mis vajavad lisaressursside rakendamist. Meetod Magistritöös kasutati empiirilise materjalina avatud küsimustega ekspertintervjuusid laienemise ala spetsialistidega ja sekundaarseid andmeid ametlikest allikatest ning Eurobaromeetri uuringutest. Analüüs teostati tuginedes loogilisele mudelile ning avaliku diplomaatia sisend- ja väljundtegurite mõju määratlusel kasutatai relatiivset hindamise meetodit. Uurimistulemused Uurimise tulemused näitasid, et Euroopa Liidu laienemise valdkonnas on avalikul diplomaatial puudu ühtse sõnumi olemasolu ning avaliku diplomaatia temaatikaga seotud artiklite konkreetne arvuline määratlus. Oluline on finantseeringu ehk eelarve eraldamise suurendamine, ametnikkonna koolitamine ja vajaliku varustuse võimaldamine koormusega toimetulekuks, et tagada institutsioonide ja programmide areng ning parem rahvusvaheline toetus ja koostöö partnerlussuhetes. Olemas on vajalikud igapäevast informatsiooni edastavad veebiportaalid ja toimivad teavitustegevused, programmid ning spiikrid tagamaks kahesuunaline ja tasakaalustatum meediakajastus. Seega, tuginedes loogiise mudeli sisend- ja väljundtegurite analüüsile selgus, et avaliku diplomaatia mõju Euroopa Liidu laienemise valdkonnas on olnud tõhus, kuna planeeritud töö on suurel määral teostatud ning selle tõttu on ka saavutatud tulemeid. Kas ja miks peaks teemat edasi uurima Teemat on oluline edasi uurida, kuna avaliku diplomaatia mõju on digitaliseeritud maailmas üha suurenev ning jätkub akadeemiliste uuringute vajadus antud valdkonnas. Oluline on avaliku diplomaatia mõju määratlemine nii Euroopa Liidu teistes poliitvaldkondades kui ka liidus tervikuna. Liidu üleüldise mõju määratlemisel on soovituslik kasutada hindamiseks T. Saaty poolt välja töötatud analüütilist hierarhiate meetodit, mille rakendamine nõuab piisava finantseeringu olemasolu.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4412517~S58*es

Jooga ja selle kasutamine taastusravis

http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2655209~S1*es

Alkogeel kütusetableti kütteväärtuse optimeerimine

https://www.ester.ee/record=b5379666*es