REMA: A computer-based mapping tool for analysis of restriction sites in multiple DNA sequences

REMA is an interactive web-based program which predicts endonuclease cut sites in DNA sequences. It analyses Multiple sequences simultaneously and predicts the number and size of fragments as well as provides restriction maps. The users can select single or paired combinations of all commercially available enzymes. Additionally, REMA permits prediction of multiple sequence terminal fragment sizes and suggests suitable restriction enzymes for maximally discriminatory results. REMA is an easy to use, web based program which will have a wide application in molecular biology research. Availability: REMA is written in Perl and is freely available for non-commercial use. Detailed information on installation can be obtained from Jan Szubert (jan.szubert@gmail.com) and the web based application is accessible on the internet at the URL http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/rema. Contact: b.singh@macaulay.ac.uk. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use and views on social networking sites of pharmacy students in the United Kingdom

Objective. To investigate students' use and views on social networking sites and assess differences in attitudes between genders and years in the program.

Methods. All pharmacy undergraduate students were invited via e-mail to complete an electronic questionnaire consisting of 21 questions relating to social networking.

Results. Most (91.8%) of the 377 respondents reported using social networking Web sites, with 98.6% using Facebook and 33.7% using Twitter. Female students were more likely than male students to agree that they had been made sufficiently aware of the professional behavior expected of them when using social networking sites (76.6% vs 58.1% p=0.002) and to agree that students should have the same professional standards whether on placement or using social networking sites (76.3% vs 61.6%; p<0.001).

Conclusions. A high level of social networking use and potentially inappropriate attitudes towards professionalism were found among pharmacy students. Further training may be useful to ensure pharmacy students are aware of how to apply codes of conduct when using social networking sites.

The androgen receptor induces a distinct transcriptional program in castration-resistant prostate cancer in man

The androgen receptor (AR) regulates prostate cell growth in man, and prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men in the UK. We present a comprehensive analysis of AR binding sites in human prostate cancer tissues, including castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We identified thousands of AR binding sites in CRPC tissue, most of which were not identified in PC cell lines. Many adjacent genes showed AR regulation in xenografts but not in cultured LNCaPs, demonstrating an in-vivo-restricted set of AR-regulated genes. Functional studies support a model of altered signaling in vivo that directs AR binding. We identified a 16 gene signature that outperformed a larger in-vitro-derived signature in clinical data sets, showing the importance of persistent AR signaling in CRPC.

The African Pediatric Fellowship Program: Training in Africa for Africans

Africa has a significant burden of childhood disease, with relatively few skilled health care professionals. The African Paediatric Fellowship Programme was developed by the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Cape Town to provide relevant training for African child health professionals, by Africans, within Africa. Trainees identified by partner academic institutions spend 6 months to 2 years training in the Department of Pediatrics and allied disciplines. They then return to their home institution to build practice, training, research, and advocacy. From 2008 to 2015, 73 physicians have completed or are completing training in general pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty. At 1 year posttraining, 98% to 100% are practicing back in their home institution. The impact of the returning fellows is evident from their practice interventions, research collaborations, and positions as stakeholders who can change health care policies. Thirty-three centers in 13 African countries are partners with the program, and the program template is now followed by other partner sites in Africa. Increasing and retaining the skills pool of African child health specialists is building a network of motivated, highly skilled clinicians who are equipped to advance child health in Africa.