Educational targeting in the fight against poverty: limits,omissions and opportunities

Educational targeting has become one of the hegemonic mechanisms in the fight against poverty. Both international organisms and developing countries support targeting as one of the best strategies in order to simultaneously guarantee poverty reduction and economic growth, and consequently to tackle the challenges generated by globalisation. The main objective of the article is to point out some of the limits, omissions and opportunities of educational targeting as a priority strategy to fight against poverty. In doing so, it analyses the World Bank’s proposals in education, poverty and targeting and it presents one of the targeting pioneering programmes implemented in Latin America: the Bolsa Escola programme (BE). An analysis of the impacts of the programme is also included. This analysis is based on the results of an intensive qualitiative fieldwork containing more than 80 interviews with mothers and students who benefit from the programme as well as with teaching staff. The analysis demonstrates that although targeting could be a necessary and useful strategy, it is not sufficient either for ensuring school attainment or for reducing poverty.     

Gene expression and apoptosis response in hepatocellular carcinoma cells induced by biocompatible polymer/magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-fluorouracil

BackgroundSuper-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) contain a chemotherapeutic drug and are regarded as a promising technique for improving targeted delivery into cancer cells.ResultsIn this study, the fabrication of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was investigated with loaded Dextran (DEX-SPION) using the co-precipitation technique and conjugated by folate (FA). These nanoparticles (NPs) were employed as carriers and anticancer compounds against liver cancer cells in vitro. Structural, magnetic, morphological characterization, size, and drug loading activities of the obtained FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION NPs were checked using FTIR, VSM, FESEM, TEM, DLS, and zeta potential techniques. The cellular toxicity effect of FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION NPs was evaluated using the MTT test on liver cancer (SNU-423) and healthy cells (LO2). Furthermore, the apoptosis measurement and the expression levels of NF-1, Her-2/neu, c-Raf-1, and Wnt-1 genes were evaluated post-treatment using flow cytometry and RT-PCR, respectively. The obtained NPs were spherical with a suitable dispersity without noticeable aggregation. The size of the NPs, polydispersity, and zeta were 74 ± 13 nm, 0.080 and −45 mV, respectively. The results of the encapsulation efficiency of the nano-compound showed highly colloidal stability and proper drug maintenance. The results indicated that FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION demonstrated a sustained release profile of 5-FU in both phosphate and citrate buffer solutions separately, with higher cytotoxicity against SNU-423 cells than against other cells types. These findings suggest that FA-DEX-SPION NPs exert synergistic effects for targeting intracellular delivery of 5-FU, apoptosis induction, and gene expression stimulation.ConclusionsThe findings proved that FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION presented remarkable antitumor properties; no adverse subsequences were revealed against normal cells.How to cite: Mahdia SA, Kadhimb AA, Albukhaty S, et al. Gene expression and apoptosis response in hepatocellular carcinoma cells induced by biocompatible polymer/magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-fluorouracil. Electron J Biotechnol 2021;52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.04.001     

Application of cDNA array for studying the gene expression profile of mature appressoria of Magnaporthe grisea

Appressorium is an infection structure of the phytopathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea. Analysis of gene expression profiles ofappressorium development provides insight into the molecular basis of pathogenicity and control of this fungal plant disease. A cDNA array representing 2927 unique genes based on a large EST （expressed sequence tag） database ofM. grisea strain Y34 was constructed and used to profile the gene expression patterns at mycelium and appressorium maturation stages. Compared with mycelia, 55 up-regulated and 22 down-regulated genes were identified in mature appressoria. Among 77 genes, 16 genes showed no similarity to the genome sequences of M. grisea. A novel homologue of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase was found to be expressed at low-level in mature appressoria of M. grisea. The results indicated that the genes such as pyruvate carboxylase, phospholipid metabolism-related protein and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase involved in gluconeogenesis, lipid metabolism and glycolysis, showed differential expression in mature appressoria. Furthermore, genes such as PTHll, beta subunit of G protein and SGTI involved in cell signalling, were expressed differentially in mature appressoria. Northern blot analysis was used to confirm the cDNA array results.     

A new mutation （1062 del 16） of iduronate-2-sulfatase gene from a Chinese patient with Hunter syndrome

Objective: To identify the mutations of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) gene, to reveal its mutation features, and to establish a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal gene diagnosis of Hunter syndrome. Methods: Urine glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) assay, PCR and DNA sequencing were performed to detect mutation of IDS gene of the patient and his parents. Results: The result showed that the patient was: DS( ), HS( ), KS(-), CS(-), and that both of his parents were negative. A frame-shift deletion mutation (1062 del 16) was identified in exon 7 of the patient's IDS gene. His parents' genotypes were normal. Conclusion:The patient's mutation was not inherited by his parents but a novel one. The mutation probably altered the primary structure and tertiary structure of IDS enzyme protein remarkably and lowered the activity of IDS enzyme greatly. Therefore it is supposed to be the direct cause of the disorder.     

培养条件对保加利亚乳杆菌蛋白水解体系关键酶基因表达的影响

目的：研究不同培养条件（不同生长阶段、初始pH值、培养温度和氮源）对保加利亚乳杆菌蛋白水解体系关键蛋白酶基因表达的影响。
　　创新点：首次证明在脱脂乳中培养保加利亚乳杆菌可以显著增加蛋白酶体系中关键酶基因表达,而在MRS培养基中,关键酶基因表达则显著下调。
　　方法：应用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）技术,测定不同生长阶段的3株保加利亚乳杆菌（KLDS 08006、KLDS 08007和KLDS 08012）中7种关键酶基因表达的动态变化规律。
　　结论：研究发现保加利亚乳杆菌的初始 pH值、氮源和培养阶段影响关键酶基因的表达。稳定生长期的7个蛋白酶基因表达比指数生长期的表达平均下降30倍,其中KLDS 08006、KLDS 08007和KLDS 08012菌株的7个蛋白酶基因表达分别下降62.5、15.0和59.0倍。菌株间的7个蛋白酶基因表达显著不同。研究发现含有酪蛋白胨的 MRS 培养基抑制7个蛋白酶基因表达,其中对 PepX基因表达影响最弱,而对OppD基因表达影响最强。     

通货膨胀目标制及其在我国的适用性分析

通货膨胀目标制是一种以保持较低且稳定的通货膨胀率为目标的货币制度或政策框架,代表观点主要有：货币政策框架、货币政策目标规则及货币政策的制度性框架。考量我国现实经济现状,对通货膨胀目标制进行适用性分析,结果发现：通货膨胀已成为我国宏观调控中重要的考量因素,其在我国的实行是一个渐进式过程,随着金融体制的进一步改革,通货膨胀目标制必将成为我国宏观调控的首要目标。     

Emerging Bioinformatic Networks: Contesting the Public Meaning of Private and the Private Meaning of Public

This paper explores the complexity of public/private identities in the emerging global economies of gene sequence mapping and analysis. In so doing we seek to offer a less over-determined acccount of what it means to describe institutional actors as either 'public' or 'private'. Instead, these 'codes' can be seen to offer actors a means of mutual positioning that, more usually conceals broader interdependencies within the world's bioinformatics networks.     

运动训练促进学习记忆相关机制的研究述评

本文通过对可能与学习记忆相关脑区突触形态与功能、中枢神经递质系统以及基因表达等3个方面的简要综述研究,对运动影响学习与记忆能力的机制将有更为精确与全面的认识,从而进一步推动相关研究的不断深入。     

运动对心脑血管系统内皮素及降钙素基因相关肽的影响

运动对心脑血管生长的影响在临床中已获得资料。本文回顾了对血管的收缩和舒张有重要作用的内皮素和降钙素基因相关肽分子生物学方面的研究，认为两者的生物学活性对运动心脏的形成和心脏康复有重要的调节作用，，深入对它们的研究将使我们从分子生物学水平加深运动心脏与运动疗法和心脏康复在机理方面的认识。