Predicting cancer involvement of genes from heterogeneous data

Background: Systematic approaches for identifying proteins involved in different types of cancer are needed. Experimental techniques such as microarrays are being used to characterize cancer, but validating their results can be a laborious task. Computational approaches are used to prioritize between genes putatively involved in cancer, usually based on further analyzing experimental data. Results: We implemented a systematic method using the PIANA software that predicts cancer involvement of genes by integrating heterogeneous datasets. Specifically, we produced lists of genes likely to be involved in cancer by relying on: (i) protein-protein interactions; (ii) differential expression data; and (iii) structural and functional properties of cancer genes. The integrative approach that combines multiple sources of data obtained positive predictive values ranging from 23% (on a list of 811 genes) to 73% (on a list of 22 genes), outperforming the use of any of the data sources alone. We analyze a list of 20 cancer gene predictions, finding that most of them have been recently linked to cancer in literature. Conclusion: Our approach to identifying and prioritizing candidate cancer genes can be used to produce lists of genes likely to be involved in cancer. Our results suggest that differential expression studies yielding high numbers of candidate cancer genes can be filtered using protein interaction networks.

La infàmia de tenir sang jueva a la Catalunya moderna: ecos del Reial Consell i de la literatura jurídica

El modest propòsit de la nostra participació en aquesta miscel·lània és posar de relleu dues importants resolucions adoptades al Reial Consell i Audiència de Catalunya a principi de la dècada de 1580, en relació amb discriminacions per motius de genealogia i de pretesa condició o sang jueva. Dóna fe de la rellevància de tals resolucions el fet que fossin comentades amb deteniment per dos autors de literatura jurídica cabdal com Lluís de Peguera (1540-1610) iJoan Pere Fontanella (1575-1649). Per bé que tinguessin trajectòries professionals molt dissímils –el primer seria ministre de la monarquia al Principat i el segon advocat de grans corporacions i particulars–, ambdós contribuirien a difondre sentències de les principals jurisdiccions del país i s’esplaiarien sobre llurs fonaments legals i doctrinals. És a dir, cultivarien, cadascú a la seva manera, el gènere ‘decisionista’ tan en boga a l’Europa moderna del ius commune tardà.

Dialogic learning and interactive groups: an IMS LD template integrated in runtime systems

Dialogic learning and interactive groups have proved to be a useful methodological approach appliedin educational situations for lifelong adult learners. The principles of this approach stress theimportance of dialogue and equal participation also when designing the training activities. This paperadopts these principles as the basis for a configurable template that can be integrated in runtimesystems. The template is formulated as a meta-UoL which can be interpreted by IMS Learning Designplayers. This template serves as a guide to flexibly select and edit the activities at runtime (on the fly).The meta-UoL has been used successfully by a practitioner so as to create a real-life example, withpositive and encouraging results