1,720,977 research outputs found
Mgat5, a regulator of metabolic homeostasis in mice
No full textGolgi beta1,6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5) produces beta1,6GIcNAc-branched N-glycans on glycoproteins, which increases their affinity for galectins and opposes loss from cell surface to constitutive endocytosis. Oncogenic transformation increases Mgat5 expression, and enhances sensitivities to growth factors, cell motility and tumour metastasis. Therefore, I explored growth and tissue renewal of Mgat5-/- mice, and found that they are hypoglycaemic, resistant to weight-gain, hypersensitive to fasting, display increased oxidative respiration, reduced fecundity and decreased serum leptin. These phenotypes are similar to that of calorie restricted (CR) rodents; however, unlike CR animals, Mgat5-/- mice have accelerated loss of muscle and bone mass and reduced lifespan. CR-induced longevity involve downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/TOR pathway, downstream of many growth factor receptors including EGF, PDGF and IR. In this regard, Mgat5-/- primary MEFs and macrophages are suppressed in MAPK activation in response to EGF, PDGF, IGF, and FCS. However, muscle satellite cells and bone marrow osteoblasts revealed a FCS-induced signalling imbalance, favouring Smad2/3 activation over Erk, which may contribute to reduced growth, self-renewal and longevity of the Mgat5-/- animals. Pten opposes PI3K/Akt signalling and is a potent tumour suppressor. Mgat5 +/- Pten+/- and Mgat5-/- Pten +/- mutant mice showed a small increase in lifespan compared with Pten+/- mice, due to an apparent delay in tumour progression. Primary Pten+/-Mgat5-/- MEFs are normalised for Akt activation and cell spreading, and Pten+/- MEFs have enhanced L-PHA staining, suggesting that Mgat5 structures are regulated by P13K signalling. Aged CR rodents exhibit decreased oxidative damage, implicating either decreased ROS production or elevated antioxidant activity. I demonstrated that Mgat5-/- primary MEFs have decreased glucose uptake and mitochondrial ROS. Unlike WT control, PyMT Mgat5-/- cells fail to down regulate glucose transport, protein synthesis, ROS and activation of Erk and Akt following serum withdrawal. PyMT transformation reveals that Mgat5-deficiency not only impairs positive growth signalling, but also suppresses negative growth regulation, allowing for proliferation and tumourigenicity. Mgat5 participates upstream of PyMT signalling through N-glycan modification of growth factor receptors, but also downstream of Akt signalling through its dependence on glucose uptake for supply of UDP-GlcNAc. Therefore, Mgat5 enhances cellular signalling and growth, and metabolism and longevity in the animal.Ph.D
Investigating the suitability of customised playlists for childbirth in Ireland and Hong Kong
Full text linkThe aim of this study was to explore the experience of two couples using customised playlists to support childbirth at the public maternity hospitals in Ireland and in Hong Kong. Two couples participated in a pre-delivery meeting with a music therapist one month before their infant’s due birth date. During this meeting, the couples were assisted in setting up customised playlists and received recommendations on strategies and relaxation techniques to use with the playlists. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews with the participants two weeks after the childbirth. The interviews were then examined through Thematic Content Analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006). Three final themes arose included: (1) feasibility of using customised playlists during childbirth; (2) preferred music selection; and (3) perceived benefits of the playlists. The feasibility of using playlists was affected by the adaptability of the playlists to the changeable birth situations and the uncertain feedback and restriction from hospital staff. The suitability of original music selection and the meaning of songs were highlighted. Participants reported that the birthing playlists promoted relaxation and better sleep; provided spiritual support; and diverted attention from discomfort and disturbances
Engendering parenthood: a study of Chinese family in Hong Kong.
Full text linkby Cheung Pui Sze.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves [130-134]).List of Tables --- p.iAbstract --- p.iiAcknowledgments --- p.iiiChapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter Chapter Two: --- Literature Review --- p.12Chapter Chapter Three: --- Social Conditions and Meanings of Being Parents --- p.28Chapter Chapter Four: --- Organization of Parenthood --- p.47Chapter Chapter Five: --- Experiences of Motherhood and Fatherhood --- p.87Chapter Chapter Six: --- Conclusion --- p.121Appendix AAppendix BBibliograph
Investigating the suitability of customised playlists for childbirth in Ireland and Hong Kong
Full text linkΣτόχος της παρούσας μελέτης ήταν η διερεύνηση της εμπειρίας δύο ζευγαριών που χρησιμοποίησαν προσαρμοσμένες λίστες αναπαραγωγής [playlists] για την υποστήριξη του τοκετού σε δημόσια μαιευτήρια στην Ιρλανδία και στο Χονγκ Κονγκ. Τα δύο ζευγάρια συμμετείχαν σε μία συνάντηση με τη μουσικοθεραπεύτρια ένα μήνα πριν από την ημερομηνία γέννησης του βρέφους τους. Κατά τη διάρκεια αυτής της συνάντησης, τα ζευγάρια βοηθήθηκαν στη δημιουργία εξατομικευμένων λιστών τραγουδιών και τους προτάθηκαν στρατηγικές και τεχνικές χαλάρωσης τις οποίες μπορούσαν να χρησιμοποιούν με αυτές τις λίστες. Η συλλογή δεδομένων έγινε μέσω ημι-δομημένων συνεντεύξεων με τους συμμετέχοντες, δύο εβδομάδες μετά τον τοκετό. Στη συνέχεια οι συνεντεύξεις αναλύθηκαν βάσει της Θεματικής Ανάλυσης Περιεχομένου (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Οι τρεις τελικές κατηγορίες που προέκυψαν περιλαμβάνουν (1) την εφικτότητα χρήσης προσαρμοσμένων λιστών αναπαραγωγής κατά τον τοκετό, (2) την προτιμώμενη επιλογή μουσικής, και (3) τα αντιλαμβανόμενα οφέλη από τη χρήση των λιστών. Η εφικτότητα της χρήσης των λιστών αναπαραγωγής επηρεάστηκε από την προσαρμοστικότητα των λιστών στις μεταβαλλόμενες συνθήκες της γέννας και στην αβέβαιη ανατροφοδότηση και τον περιορισμό από το προσωπικό του νοσοκομείου. Επισημάνθηκε η καταλληλότητα των αρχικών μουσικών επιλογών και το νόημα των τραγουδιών. Οι συμμετέχοντες ανέφεραν ότι οι λίστες αναπαραγωγής για τον τοκετό ενίσχυσαν αισθήματα χαλάρωσης και καλύτερο ύπνο, παρείχαν πνευματική στήριξη και αποσπάσαν την προσοχή από τη δυσφορία και τις ενοχλήσεις.The aim of this study was to explore the experience of two couples using customised playlists to support childbirth at the public maternity hospitals in Ireland and in Hong Kong. Two couples participated in a pre-delivery meeting with a music therapist one month before their infant’s due birth date. During this meeting, the couples were assisted in setting up customised playlists and received recommendations on strategies and relaxation techniques to use with the playlists. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews with the participants two weeks after the childbirth. The interviews were then examined through Thematic Content Analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006). Three final themes arose included: (1) feasibility of using customised playlists during childbirth; (2) preferred music selection; and (3) perceived benefits of the playlists. The feasibility of using playlists was affected by the adaptability of the playlists to the changeable birth situations and the uncertain feedback and restriction from hospital staff. The suitability of original music selection and the meaning of songs were highlighted. Participants reported that the birthing playlists promoted relaxation and better sleep; provided spiritual support; and diverted attention from discomfort and disturbances
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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