Long Non-coding RNA Signature for Liver Metastasis of Colorectal Cancers

Colorectal cancer ranks within the top three cancers both in terms of incidence as well as deaths. Metastasis is often the major cause of mortality and liver is the primary and most common site to which colorectal cancers metastasize. We tested the prognostic ability of a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) signature in liver metastatic colorectal cancers. We first evaluated expression levels of several lncRNAs in eight excised liver metastases from primary colorectal cancers and found significantly upregulated lncRNAs HOTAIR and MALAT1 along with significantly downregulated LOC285194. We further compared the expression levels of HOTAIR, MALAT1 and LOC285194 in primary colorectal tumors at the time of initial diagnosis and correlated them with disease progression and liver metastasis. HOTAIR and MALAT1 were significantly upregulated and LOC285194 was significantly downregulated in twelve patients who were diagnosed with liver metastasis within 5 years of initial diagnosis, compared to the five patients with no metastasis. A positive signature comprising of high HOTAIR/MALAT1 and low LOC285194 also correlated with progression to higher grade tumors. Thus, the lncRNA signature comprising of high HOTAIR/MALAT1 and low LOC285194 could be a prognostic signature for liver metastasis as well as overall poor survival.

From Inquilines to Gall Inducers: Genomic Signature of a Life-Style Transition in Synergus Gall Wasps

Gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) induce complex galls on oaks, roses, and other plants, but the mechanism of gall induction is still unknown. Here, we take a comparative genomic approach to revealing the genetic basis of gall induction. We focus on Synergus itoensis, a species that induces galls inside oak acorns. Previous studies suggested that this species evolved the ability to initiate gall formation recently, as it is deeply nested within the genus Synergus, whose members are mostly inquilines that develop inside the galls of other species. We compared the genome of S. itoensis with that of three related Synergus inquilines to identify genomic changes associated with the origin of gall induction. We used a novel Bayesian selection analysis, which accounts for branch-specific and gene-specific selection effects, to search for signatures of selection in 7,600 single-copy orthologous genes shared by the four Synergus species. We found that the terminal branch leading to S. itoensis had more genes with a significantly elevated dN/dS ratio (positive signature genes) than the other terminal branches in the tree; the S. itoensis branch also had more genes with a significantly decreased dN/dS ratio. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that the positive signature gene set of S. itoensis, unlike those of the inquiline species, is enriched in several biological process Gene Ontology terms, the most prominent of which is “Ovarian Follicle Cell Development.” Our results indicate that the origin of gall induction is associated with distinct genomic changes, and provide a good starting point for further characterization of the genes involved.

Geography of simply connected nonspin symplectic 4-manifolds with positive signature. II

Building upon our earlier work with M. C. Hughes, we construct many new smooth structures on closed simply connected nonspin $4$ -manifolds with positive signature. We also provide numerical and asymptotic upper bounds on the function $\lambda (\sigma )$ that was defined in our earlier work.

Double Kodaira fibrations with small signature

Kodaira fibrations are surfaces of general type with a non-isotrivial fibration, which are differentiable fiber bundles. They are known to have positive signature divisible by [Formula: see text]. Examples are known only with signature 16 and more. We review approaches to construct examples of low signature which admit two independent fibrations. Special attention is paid to ramified covers of product of curves which we analyze by studying the monodromy action for bundles of punctured curves. As a by-product, we obtain a classification of all fix-point-free automorphisms on curves of genus at most [Formula: see text].

’n Empiriese ondersoek na die sosiale en mediese omstandighede van gelowiges met MIV/VIGS ten einde riglyne vir hoop-getuienis te bepaal

Hierdie eerste artikel in ’n reeks waar die sentrale en skerpsinnig-wyse sleutelposisie van eskatologiese hoop en getuienis daarvan in die lewe van die gelowiges met MIV/VIGS beklemtoon word, fokus op die mediese en sosiale omstandighede van die persoon met Vigs in ’n terminale fase. Empiriese navorsing is onderneem aan die hand van ’n kwalitatiewe studie by die gesondheidsentrum van ’n voorstedelike motorvervaardigingsaanleg. Die navorsingsontwerp en -metodologie word bespreek en geverifieer. Twee groepsonderhoude met multi-veranderlikes per deelnemer (gelowiges met MIV/VIGS en ’n kontrolegroep van mediese personeel/gesondheidwerkers) wat onderneem is, het vasgestel dat die persone met MIV/VIGS in ’n uiters negatiewe situasie leef, wat onder meer bestuurbaar gemaak word deur die sogenaamde signature strengths van die Positiewe Psigologie. Pastorale behoeftes sluit gebed, vertroosting en koinonia/samesyn (fellowship) in. Opvolartikels sal fokus op die bydrae van die metateorieë van die mediese en kommunikasiewetenskap en die Positiewe Psigologie as komplementerende ervaringsveld. Op ’n veel hoër vlak is spirituele gesondheid en heling as vrug van die Heilige Gees van kardinale belang vir die ewige lewe: versterkende geestelike krag vanuit hulle eskatologiese hoop vir die ewige lewe saam met God, waar geen swaarkry is nie. Praktiese riglyne tot kerugmatiese, liturgiese, koinoniale en diakoniale getuienis oor hoop sal in hierdie opvolgartikels voorgestel word.An empirical investigation into the social and medical conditions of religious people living with HIV or AIDS in order to determine guidelines for hope. This first article in a series where the central and perspicacious position of eschatological hope and witnessing thereof in the life of a believer with HIV or AIDS is emphasised, focuses on the medical and social circumstances of people with HIV or AIDS. Empirical research via a qualitative study at the health centre of an urban vehicle manufacturing plant was conducted in this study. The research methodology and design are discussed and verified. Two group interviews with multi-variables per participant (believers with HIV or AIDS and a control group of health workers) established that people living with HIV or AIDS are spiritually enormously strengthened by their eschatological hope of eternal life with God without this earthly suffering. Pastoral needs include prayer, comfort and koinonia and/or fellowship. They revealed an extremely grave situation, which can, however, be made manageable with inter alia positive signature strengths. Follow-up articles will focus on the contribution of meta-theories of complementary and entwined sciences. Practical guidelines in terms of witnessing hope by means of kerygmatical, liturgical, koinonial and diaconial communication and acts will be suggested in these articles.

Alternating group actions on spin 4-manifolds

Let $X$ be a smooth, closed, connected spin 4-manifold with $b_1(X)=0$ and non-positive signature $\sigma(X)$. In this paper we use Seiberg-Witten theory to prove that if $X$ admits a spin alternating $A_5$ action, then $b_2^+(X)\geq |\sigma(X)|/8 +3$ under some non-degeneracy conditions.