The adaptor protein Crk connects multiple cellular stimuli to the JNK signaling pathway

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are potently activated by a number of cellular stimuli. Small GTPases, in particular Rac, are responsible for initiating the activation of the JNK pathways. So far, the signals leading from extracellular stimuli to the activation of Rac have remained elusive. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Src homology 2 (SH2)- and Src homology 3 (SH3)-containing adaptor protein Crk is capable of activating JNK when ectopically expressed. We found here that transient expression of Crk induces JNK activation, and this activation was dependent on both the SH2- and SH3-domains of Crk. Expression of p130Cas (Cas), a major binding protein for the Crk SH2-domain, also induced JNK activation, which was blocked by the SH2-mutant of Crk. JNK activation by Cas and Crk was effectively blocked by a dominant-negative form of Rac, suggesting for a linear pathway from the Cas-Crk-complex to the Rac-JNK activation. Many of the stimuli that activate the Rac-JNK pathway enhance engagement of the Crk SH2-domain. JNK activation by these stimuli, such as epidermal growth factor, integrin ligand binding and v-Src, was efficiently blocked by dominant-negative mutants of Crk. A dominant-negative form of Cas in turn blocked the integrin-, but not epidermal growth factor - nor v-Src-mediated JNK activation. Together, these results demonstrate an important role for Crk in connecting multiple cellular stimuli to the Rac-JNK pathway, and a role for the Cas-Crk complex in integrin-mediated JNK activation.

Comprehensive copy number and gene expression profiling of the 17q23 amplicon in human breast cancer

The biological significance of DNA amplification in cancer is thought to be due to the selection of increased expression of a single or few important genes. However, systematic surveys of the copy number and expression of all genes within an amplified region of the genome have not been performed. Here we have used a combination of molecular, genomic, and microarray technologies to identify target genes for 17q23, a common region of amplification in breast cancers with poor prognosis. Construction of a 4-Mb genomic contig made it possible to define two common regions of amplification in breast cancer cell lines. Analysis of 184 primary breast tumors by fluorescence in situ hybridization on tissue microarrays validated these results with the highest amplification frequency (12.5%) observed for the distal region. Based on GeneMap'99 information, 17 known genes and 26 expressed sequence tags were localized to the contig. Analysis of genomic sequence identified 77 additional transcripts. A comprehensive analysis of expression levels of these transcripts in six breast cancer cell lines was carried out by using complementary DNA microarrays. The expression patterns varied from one cell line to another, and several overexpressed genes were identified. Of these, RPS6KB1, MUL, APPBP2, and TRAP240 as well as one uncharacterized expressed sequence tag were located in the two common amplified regions. In summary, comprehensive analysis of the 17q23 amplicon revealed a limited number of highly expressed genes that may contribute to the more aggressive clinical course observed in breast cancer patients with 17q23-amplified tumors.

Farm-level Capital: Capital positions, structures, the dynamics of farm-level investments, capital accumulation and leverage positions. Factor Markets Working Paper No. 7, October 2011

This Factor Markets Working Paper describes and highlights the key issues of farm capital structures, the dynamics of investments and accumulation of farm capital, and the financial leverage and borrowing rates on farms in selected European countries. Data collected from the Farm Account Data Network (FADN) suggest that the European farming sector uses quite different farm business strategies, capabilities to generate capital revenues, and segmented agricultural loan market regimes. Such diverse business strategies have substantial, and perhaps more substantial than expected, implications for the financial leverage and performance of farms. Different countries adopt different approaches to evaluating agricultural assets, or the agricultural asset markets simply differ substantially depending on the country in question. This has implications for most of the financial indicators. In those countries that have seen rapidly increasing asset prices at the margin, which were revised accordingly in the accounting systems for the whole stock of assets, firm values increased significantly, even though the firms had been disinvesting. If there is an asset price bubble and it bursts, there may be serious knock-on effects for some countries.

Effects of Economic Factors on Adoption of Robotics and Consequences of Automation for Productivity Growth of Dairy Farms. Factor Markets Working Paper No. 32, December 2012

In the long term, productivity and especially productivity growth are necessary conditions for the survival of a farm. This paper focuses on the technology choice of a dairy farm, i.e. the choice between a conventional and an automatic milking system. Its aim is to reveal the extent to which economic rationality explains investing in new technology. The adoption of robotics is further linked to farm productivity to show how capital-intensive technology has affected the overall productivity of milk production. The empirical analysis applies a probit model and an extended Cobb-Douglas-type production function to a Finnish farm-level dataset for the years 2000–10. The results show that very few economic factors on a dairy farm or in its economic environment can be identified to affect the switch to automatic milking. Existing machinery capital and investment allowances are among the significant factors. The results also indicate that the probability of investing in robotics responds elastically to a change in investment aids: an increase of 1% in aid would generate an increase of 2% in the probability of investing. Despite the presence of non-economic incentives, the switch to robotic milking is proven to promote productivity development on dairy farms. No productivity growth is observed on farms that keep conventional milking systems, whereas farms with robotic milking have a growth rate of 8.1% per year. The mean rate for farms that switch to robotic milking is 7.0% per year. The results show great progress in productivity growth, with the average of the sector at around 2% per year during the past two decades. In conclusion, investments in new technology as well as investment aids to boost investments are needed in low-productivity areas where investments in new technology still have great potential to increase productivity, and thus profitability and competitiveness, in the long run.

C. Cornelii Taciti Opera supplementis /

Contiene : De moribus germanicorum, p. 3. De vita Agricolae, p. 45. C. Cornelii Taciti dialogus de oratioribus. Accesit supplementum / Auctore Gabriele Brotier, p.103. Notae in librum C. Corn. Taciti De moribus Germanorum, Vitam Agricolae, Dialogum de oratoribus, et in supplementum Dialogi, p.177

M. Tullii Ciceronis Opera ad optimas editiones collata. Praemittitur vita ex Plutarchi graeco latine reddita, cum notitia literaria;

--v. 12. De officiis ad Marcum filium libri III. Cato Maior; seu, De senectute. Laelius; sive, De amicitia dialogus. Paradoxa. Fragmenta ex libris philosophicis. Index geographicus. Index historicus.--v. 13. Io. Augusti Ernesti Index latinitatis philologico criticus in opera Ciceronis auctior et emendatior; accedunt graeca Ciceronis necessariis observationibus illustrata. Index graeco latinus. Index signorum.

Platonis et quae vel Platonis esse feruntur vel Platonica solent comitari seripta graece omnia ad codices manuscriptos recensuit variasque inde lectiones /

Edited by George Burges.

C. Cornelii Taciti Dialogus de oratoribus a corruptelis nuper illatis repurgatus ex Lipsiana ed. anni M.D.LXXIIII.

Mode of access: Internet.

Platonis Convivium Phaedrus,

Reprinted from Platonis Dialogi secundum Thrasylli ... ex rec. C.F. Hermanni. Lipsiae, 1856, v. 2, p. 139-270.

Bischofs Waerferths von Worcester übersetzung der Dialoge Gregors des Grossen über das Leben und die wunderthaten italienischer Väter und über die unsterblichkeit der seelen.

Tr. of: Dialogi de vita.

Henrici Mori Cantabrigiensis Opera omnia tum quae Latin[a]è, tum quae Anglic[a]è scripta sunt : nunc vero latinitate donata /

Contiene con portada propia: Enchiridion ethicum, praecipua Moralis Philosophiae rudimenta complectens. Editio tertia. - Epistola H. Mori ad V.C. quae Apologiam complectitur pro Cartesio, quaeque introductionis loco esse poterit ad Universam Philosophiam Cartesianam. Editio quarta. - Enchiridion Metaphysicum sive De rebus incorporeis succinta [et] luculenta dissertatio. - Philosophematum eruditi authoris Difficilium Nugarum de principiis motuum naturalium sive de essentiis mediis et de modo rarefactionis [et] condenationis, examinatio. - Adnotamenta in duas Ingeniosas Dissertationes : alteram, tentamen de gravitatione et non-gravitatione corporum fluidorum ; alteram, Difficiles Nugas, sive observationes circa experimentum torricellianum... . - Trium tabularum cabbalisticarum decem sephirothas sive numerationes exhibentium descriptio... . - Quaestiones et considerationes paucae brevésque in Tractatum primum libri Druschim, sive introductoniem methaphysicam ad Cabbalam Genuiam / authore R. Isaaco Loriensi... . - Visionis Ezechielis sive mercavae expositio, ex prinicpiis philosophiae pythagoricae praecipuisque Theosophiae Judaicae reliquiis concinnata... . - Catechismus cabbalisticus sive mercavaeus : quo, in divinis mysteriis Mercavae Ezechielis explicandis [et] Memoriâ retinendis, decem sphirotharum... - Fundamenta Philosophiae sive Caballae Aeto-paedo-melissaeae... - Philosophiae Teutonicae censura sive Epistola privata ad amicum... - Ad V.C. Epistola altera... - Dialogi divini...

Impact of diet composition on blood glucose regulation

Abstract Nutritional management of blood glucose levels is a strategic target in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To implement such an approach it is essential to understand the effect of food on glycaemic regulation and on the underlying metabolic derangements. This comprehensive review summarises the results from human dietary interventions exploring the impact of dietary components on blood glucose levels. Included are the major macronutrients; carbohydrate, protein and fat, micronutrient vitamins and minerals, non-nutrient phytochemicals and additional foods including low-calorie sweeteners, vinegar and alcohol. Based on the evidence presented in this review, it is clear that dietary components have significant and clinically relevant effects on blood glucose modulation. An integrated approach that includes reducing excess body weight, increased physical activity along with a dietary regime to regulate blood glucose levels will not only be advantages in T2DM management, but will benefit the health of the population and limit the increasing worldwide incidence of T2DM.

The Structure of Information Dialogues: A Case Study

In the paper we consider the structure of information dialogues. Our study is based on Estonian dialogue corpus which contains two kinds of dialogues – transcriptions of spoken conversations, and dialogues collected with the Wizard of Oz method. We are using two ways for describing the structure of dialogues – a typology of dialogue acts, and a system of communicative strategies. We depart from the notion of communicative strategy introduced by Kristiina Jokinen in her Constructive Dialogue Model. The analysis of our empirical material shows that people are using similar communicative strategies in telephone conversations and computer interactions. In the same time, the structure of human-human conversation is much more complicated.