title: An Integrated Alerting Service for Open Digital Libraries: Design and Implementation

authors: Hinze, Annika

subjects: computer science

abstract: Alerting services can provide a valuable support for information seeking in Digital Libraries (DL). Several systems have been proposed. Most of them have serious drawbacks, such as limited expressiveness, limited coverage, and poor support of federated and distributed collections. 
In this paper, we present the detailed design and implementation for a comprehensive alerting service for digital libraries. We demonstrate typical user interactions with the system. Our alerting service is open to other event sources, supports a rich variety of event types, and works on distributed as well as on federated DL collections.

text: An Integrated Alerting Service for Open Digital Libraries: Design and Implementation Alerting services can provide a valuable support for information seeking in Digital Libraries (DL). Several systems have been proposed. Most of them have serious drawbacks, such as limited expressiveness, limited coverage, and poor support of federated and distributed collections. 
In this paper, we present the detailed design and implementation for a comprehensive alerting service for digital libraries. We demonstrate typical user interactions with the system. Our alerting service is open to other event sources, supports a rich variety of event types, and works on distributed as well as on federated DL collections.

year: 2005

title: In vitro Effects of Selenium on DNA Damage in BRCA1 Cell Lines

authors: Mayall, Kirsty Rose

subjects: Selenium

abstract: Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer affecting women, with a 1 in 9 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Carriers of mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA1, present with an increased lifetime risk of 80-95% of developing breast cancer. BRCA1 is a tumour-suppressor gene that is involved in DNA repair of double-strand breaks and transcriptional regulation.

Studies have shown that oral supplementation with Selenium (Se) could potentially be an effective preventive agent against BRCA1-mutation carriers. Se is an essential trace mineral that plays critical roles in maintaining health in humans. Se functions by protecting lipid membranes, proteins and DNA from free radical damage and is involved in redox regulation in the cell. These functions are mediated through specific Se-dependent proteins termed selenoproteins, in which Se is incorporated.

Se supplementation may exert its benefits by enhancing the DNA damage repair response. The effects also appear to be dependent on selenoprotein genotypes and concentration of Se in the body/diet. It is possible that Se supplementation may be effective in reducing the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 carriers, but the use of organic Se compounds is likely to be preferable, but the dose-response needs to be determined.

The objectives of this research thesis are to evaluate the dose-response of sodium selenite and methylseleninic acid (MSA) in two BRCA1-mutated cancer cell lines in vitro. The MTT assay was used to monitor cell activity, along with the comet assay to evaluate the DNA damage level using a dose-response curve of the two Se compounds on control and bleomycin-induced DNA damaged cells. In addition, DNA from each cell line was sequenced to confirm the presence of the published BRCA1 mutation.

The data presented within this thesis demonstrates that a commonly-used inorganic form of Se, sodium selenite, is more genotoxic than the organic Se compound, MSA, in malignant BRCA1-mutated cells. Sodium selenite also has more direct cytotoxicity in BRCA1-mutated cells than MSA, as demonstrated by the MTT assay. However the enhanced repair capacity from Se on DNA damage in cells demonstrated by others has not been reproduced. Preliminary data showed potential at much lower doses (2 μM) of Se. Interestingly, the volatile metabolites produced from MSA appear to reduce DNA damage, supportive of this hypothesis. In order to understand if the effects observed are linked specifically to the BRCA1 mutation or breast cancer in general, future research should include the investigation of the effects of Se on breast cancer using alternative breast cancer cell lines, as well as non-malignant cells.

text: In vitro Effects of Selenium on DNA Damage in BRCA1 Cell Lines Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer affecting women, with a 1 in 9 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Carriers of mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA1, present with an increased lifetime risk of 80-95% of developing breast cancer. BRCA1 is a tumour-suppressor gene that is involved in DNA repair of double-strand breaks and transcriptional regulation.

Studies have shown that oral supplementation with Selenium (Se) could potentially be an effective preventive agent against BRCA1-mutation carriers. Se is an essential trace mineral that plays critical roles in maintaining health in humans. Se functions by protecting lipid membranes, proteins and DNA from free radical damage and is involved in redox regulation in the cell. These functions are mediated through specific Se-dependent proteins termed selenoproteins, in which Se is incorporated.

Se supplementation may exert its benefits by enhancing the DNA damage repair response. The effects also appear to be dependent on selenoprotein genotypes and concentration of Se in the body/diet. It is possible that Se supplementation may be effective in reducing the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 carriers, but the use of organic Se compounds is likely to be preferable, but the dose-response needs to be determined.

The objectives of this research thesis are to evaluate the dose-response of sodium selenite and methylseleninic acid (MSA) in two BRCA1-mutated cancer cell lines in vitro. The MTT assay was used to monitor cell activity, along with the comet assay to evaluate the DNA damage level using a dose-response curve of the two Se compounds on control and bleomycin-induced DNA damaged cells. In addition, DNA from each cell line was sequenced to confirm the presence of the published BRCA1 mutation.

The data presented within this thesis demonstrates that a commonly-used inorganic form of Se, sodium selenite, is more genotoxic than the organic Se compound, MSA, in malignant BRCA1-mutated cells. Sodium selenite also has more direct cytotoxicity in BRCA1-mutated cells than MSA, as demonstrated by the MTT assay. However the enhanced repair capacity from Se on DNA damage in cells demonstrated by others has not been reproduced. Preliminary data showed potential at much lower doses (2 μM) of Se. Interestingly, the volatile metabolites produced from MSA appear to reduce DNA damage, supportive of this hypothesis. In order to understand if the effects observed are linked specifically to the BRCA1 mutation or breast cancer in general, future research should include the investigation of the effects of Se on breast cancer using alternative breast cancer cell lines, as well as non-malignant cells.

year: 2015

title: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

abstract: In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

text: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

year: 2016