Friday, December 27, 2019

Molecular characterization of NS-1 with robust growth and enhanced phenotypic properties - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 472 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/03/18 Category Analytics Essay Level High school Tags: Characterization Essay Did you like this example? Basic research for neurodegenerative disease largely relies on cell line studies, which also act as the primary platform for drug screening in translational medicine. Neuroscreen-1 (NS-1), is a sub-clone of PC12, a noradrenergic cell line that shows dopaminergic properties are widely used in neurobiology, neurotoxicology, and drug discovery studies [1,2]. 1,2 Differentiation of PC12 by NGF is well documented. NGF treatment on PC12 cell leads to cessation of cell division, induction of neurite outgrowth, and production of electrically excitable cells in culture, mimicking the characteristics of sympathetic-like neurons[6] 6. In addition to the neuroprotective and neuro-restorative properties of NGF, dysregulation in NGF signaling has been positively correlated with Alzheimers disease (AD)[7] 7, epilepsy[9] 9, and cancer[12] 12. AD is characterized by death of forebrain cholinergic neurons, resulting from imbalance in expression of NGF, Pro NGF, TrkA, p75NTR ( Mufson 2008). NGF regulates proliferation and differentiation of neuronal cells via activation of tyrosine protein kinase (TrkA) receptor, and downstream signaling molecules that include Ras/MAP kinase cascade, IP3-dependent Ca2+ release, and PI3K/Akt pathways[13] 13. Furthermore, NGF increases expression of ChAT and VAChT, cholinergic markers are required for cholinergic neurotransmi ssion[14,15] 14,15. ChAT enables the synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) from acetyl-CoA and choline, whereas VAChT acts as a membrane transporter loading ACh into secretory vesicle and makes it available for secretion[16] 16. Decrease in ChAT and VAChT is suggested to play a role in the progression of AD[17,18] 17,18. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Molecular characterization of NS-1 with robust growth and enhanced phenotypic properties" essay for you Create order Muscarinic acetyl choline receptors (Chrms) GPCR found in the cholinergic system signal through binding of acetylcholine and are involved in learning and memory[19,20] 20, and thus been implicated in neuronal diseases [22], [23] [24] 22,23. Similarly, adenosine receptors (AR) mediates the actions of adenosine in CNS by release of neurotransmitters and synaptic plasticity[25] 25. Among four members, A1 receptor is prevalent in the synaptic regions whereas A2A receptor is localized in the striatum and olfactory bulb[26] 26. The A2A receptor has been shown to modulate NGF-induced neurite outgrowth (NOG) in PC12 and neuritogenesis in primary hippocampal neuron in association with translin-associated protein X (TRAX)[27] 27. NS-1 cell line has been used as a neuronal cell model to study the chemical dependent initiation, progression, inhibition, and toxicity in neurite outgrowth assays[2,5,28,29] 29,30. Despite increasing interest in the use of NS-1 as a substitute model for PC12, investigations of alterations in growth and differentiation characteristic has been limited at the molecular level. Understanding traits of NS-1 gene expression in differentiated and nave states is critical in defining the representative neuronal subtype for utility as a relevant substitute experimental model for PC12. . In the present study, we compared the gene and protein expression profiles by analysis of neuronal molecular markers by qPCR and immunoblot analyses. We conclude that changes in gene and protein expression could account for enhanced phenotypic properties of NS-1, and that the expression of neuronal markers support the use of NS-1 as an alternative and substitute cell model to PC12.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

My Childhood Memories Of A Summer Day - 1422 Words

If someone were to ask you what your favorite childhood memory was, would you be able to answer it without second guessing yourself? I could. In a heartbeat. Some of my fondest memories as a child were roaming around my luscious garden with my father. The vibrant colors, the fresh smells, the wild life trying to snatch every gleam of sunlight possible. My favorite part of a summer day was going out and helping my father pick through our garden. It might not have been a huge garden but my father and I were so proud of it. I have never tasted something as delicious as our home grown fruits and vegetables. I remember my 7th birthday like it was yesterday. My father decided to give me my own very first plant, my favorite fruit of all time, a raspberry bush. I felt so grown up when he handed this to me, I felt like he had just handed me my own child. I thought to myself, I must keep this alive for as long as I live. Sometimes when I think about it hard enough, I can still taste that sensational juicy taste of the first raspberry to grow off the bush. Ever since my that birthday I have been really interested in getting my own organic garden started. Yet it is very time consuming, I believe one day organic gardening could save the world. Organic gardening can benefit us in so many ways and I don’t think people realize this. So my goal is to spread the word of how brilliant organic gardening is and eventually have my own organic garden. Gardening is a great way of getting freshShow MoreRelatedMy First Place For Ice Cream After Dinner !938 Words   |  4 Pageschild one of my motherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s favourite motivational tools to make me behave involved her saying, â€Å"if you’re good we’ll go for ice cream after dinner!†. She cleverly knew I loved the cold treat and using it as an incentive reward became part of her parental repertoire. From the first time she used such tactics I was hooked. Going out for ice cream quickly became the beginning of something very special for me growing up in the Hamilton area. My hot summers were marked by many childhood memories, but oneRead MoreChildhood Summer Memories704 Words   |  3 PagesBack in the day, when I remember of me being a child and it was one of the best moment I could think of my childhood that happened in the summer, where good time start it and not too far off that it sound it like that we played in the water and we figured since it is a bit hot outside i was going to six flags and having some fun with our family and friend having an enjoyable time. Few things I would say about my child hood was also the summer time, when the sun was hitting my body my mom used to worryRead MoreThe Old Pond Essay1160 Words   |  5 Pagesthere again. The scent of the giant pine trees, the feeling of the pond’s minnows tickling my feet, the sunshine cascading down from the opening of the trees. No other place has ever made me feel so in touch with nature, and so in touch with myself. I think of the Old Pond, my mind brewing a concoction of memories, and my childhood is reborn. Our daily regimen at the park was quite simple. Our day started early. We always awoke to the children on our street riding their bicycles or theRead MoreDescribing My Childhood Home830 Words   |  4 PagesQuincy, Mass is where my childhood home stands Homes are places that people can go to for warmth, memories and comfort. My childhood home resides or stands in Quincy, MA. The home is full of comfort for me and my family. My home is your typical Cape Code style. It’s gray in color with Maroon shutters. There is a 2 car attached garage. Flowers, bushes and other landscape surround the house. The front living room window is a large bay window that allows a lot of sunlight into the home whenRead MoreMy Summer Fun At The Family Farm899 Words   |  4 PagesMy Summer Fun at the Family Farm Childhood is the most important phase of any person’s life. It is when we start to improve our personality. I had many childhood memories, but the ones that I judge to be most important in my life were my summer times with my family on the family farm. Every summer my father planned our trip for weeks, and always a threatened to not let me go if my grades were low, but I knew that even with low grades I was going. My memories were great not just because my familyRead MoreSummary Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1307 Words   |  6 PagesThey live in old tired town called Maycomb, in Alabama, where there isn’t much to see nor do, and the only excitement they obtain is from there own games and imaginations. Maycomb is also a old fashion town where racism is still very much alive. One day, the town becomes engulfed in a court case in which a black man, Tom Robinson, is accused of rape. Tom’s attorney is Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus. Because of this ma ny people in the town start treating Scout and Jem unkindly because the people inRead MoreMy Perfect Life Essay763 Words   |  4 Pagesyou want, and having everything you ever wanted. But in my mind, that isn’t the perfect life. The perfect life to me is living life to the fullest creating memories you won’t forget and creating friendships that last forever. Many people think that when something bad happens in life it is the devil trying to get to you, but you have to use that to motivate yourself to be the greatest you can be. Now here are some of my lifelong lasting memories and stories that motivate me to be the greatest I canRead MoreBest Days in My Life1094 Words   |  5 PagesENGLISH -119 ESSAY # 1 Best Days in My Life After a long time I went to visit my homeland . Those days were my best days in my life. I mean colorful days in my life. for the first time, after a long time, I saw my grandparents . who were amazed to see me again . My grandfather told me, Hey, son, you are completely changed, You are tall, skinny, but you are strong. My grandmother said that when I Read MoreInformative Essay About My Love For The Outdoors And Canoeing855 Words   |  4 PagesRiveting Rivers I can recall a memory from my childhood around the age of five or six. In the memory, I am in a yellow lifejacket surrounded by my twin brother and my two cousins. We are all playing and splashing around as we float down the Buffalo River in Arkansas with our family. There is a picture of this sweet moment in one of our photo albums, and every time I look at it, it makes me feel warm and blissful. I would have to say this is the beginning of my love for the outdoors and canoeingRead MoreWhy I Chose The Word Childhood1395 Words   |  6 Pageswho didn’t care or worse scared and stopped. Love changes every day. That’s why I chose a different route a more challenging route. I chose the word Childhood. The definition of childhood is a â€Å"period of life from birth to puberty† with the etymology being old English. Everybody has experienced childhood, and everybody has a different experience on it but not everybody has come out the same way. The first person I asked was my friend Brian. We had decided to hang out on a whim, and I decided

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Belonging In Shawshank REdemption and Jasper Jones free essay sample

‘Belonging to a group or community has a significant impact on an individual’s sense of self. ’ Discuss this statement, referring to your PRESCRIBED TEXT and ONE related text of your own choosing. One of the ways in which individuals establish their sense of self is determined by the affiliations they choose, and the groups with which they create connections. An individual may be said to have a strong sense of self if they have a clear notion of their purpose and direction as they move forward through life, as well as a sense of who they are and what they stand for. Through his collection of poems entitled Immigrant Chronicle, Peter Skrzynecki explores the extent to which a lack of belonging has had a damaging impact on his own sense of self. In his poems ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘St Patrick’s College’ he considers how a lack of belonging as a child impacted upon his own sense of purpose, whilst in ‘Ancestors’ he explores the extent to which his connections with family ancestry affect his sense of self-identity. Likewise, in the film The Shawshank Redemption, director Frank Darabont uses the characters of Brooks Hatlen and Andy Dufresne to explore how it is affiliation with community that creates a strong sense of self. It is through the process of belonging to groups and communities that individuals clarify their sense of purpose and self-identity, thereby creating and shaping their individual sense of self. ‘Migrant Hostel’ is Skrzynecki’s account of his childhood experiences living in a migrant hostel in Parkes, where he and his mother stayed for two years after their arrival from Poland in 1949. Whilst his father worked in Sydney, he and his Mother found it very difficult to establish any sense of purpose in a place where they did not truly belong. Skrzynecki’s use of non-specific language, describing people in the camp as ‘comings’, ‘goings’, ‘newcomers’ and ‘departures’, highlights just how transient life seemed in the hostel. Day to day living was something over which the ‘Workers for Australia’ had no control; they ‘lived like birds of a passage / Always sensing a change / In the weather: / Unaware of the season / Whose track we would follow’. This migratory bird metaphor highlights the confusion experienced by the immigrants who seem aware that they should be doing something but are entirely out-of-tune with the environment into which they have been thrusted. The personified boom gate ‘Pointed in reprimand or shame’ indicates how rejected they seem from mainstream Australian society. In addition, Skrzynecki’s paradoxical description of their ‘lives / That had only begun / Or were dying’ further highlights their confusion: they have no sense of where their lives are heading or whether the experience of emigration is to bring the newfound purpose it promised. Without a sense of belonging to this community, the immigrants are unable to identify a sense of purpose, and therefore fail to develop any positive sense of self. Skrzynecki’s exploration of a lack of belonging resulting in purposelessness is developed in ‘St Patrick’s College’, a poem exploring institutional alienation and its harmful effect on an individual’s sense of self. From the beginning of the poem, it is clear that the young Skrzynecki feels no affiliation with his new Catholic school. He describes how from the roof of the secondary school ‘Our Lady watched / With outstretched arms, / Her face overshadowed by clouds’. To him, the statue of Mary is not having its intended effect: the symbolic inclusiveness of her gesture is corrupted by the pathetic fallacy of the clouds over her face, foreshadowing the fact that the school is unable to welcome and integrate him as it wishes. In fact, his lack of belonging is having a disastrous impact on his sense of self. He describes how he ‘stuck pine needles / Into the motto / On my breast: Luceat Lux Vestra / I thought was a brand of soap’. The self-harm imagery highlights how painful a lack of belonging can be, whilst the pun on ‘Lux’ underscores and ridicules the school’s Latin motto of ‘Let your light shine’. Skrzynecki’s recollections of learning in the school all seem to highlight his purposeless nature whilst there: for instance, learning to say ‘The Lord’s Prayer / In Latin, all in one breath’ suggests that he was more interested in the personal challenge than the religious content. Without belonging, it seems that life can often appear meaningless, sometimes resulting in dangerous consequences and a corrupted sense of self. The idea that belonging breeds purpose and a strong sense of self is also explored in Frank Darabont’s film The Shawshank Redemption. In a fascinating sub-plot, the film presents the story of an old criminal, Brooks Hatlen, who is finally released from Shawshank State Penitentiary after many years. Just before his release, a close up shot of Brooks reveals him inside the dark and oppressive prison, symbolically releasing his pet bird Jake into the brightness of the outside world, which foreshadows his own release. This use of chiaroscuro seems to suggest the prison world is an undesirable environment in which to belong, yet for Brooks, his whole sense of self is bound up in this place. As he enters the outside world, the non-diegetic piano music creates a wistful tone, as does a reverse long shot of Brooks sitting among birds in a park, but unable to communicate with the silhouetted characters in the background. Brooks has been institutionalised, and cannot be forced against his will to belong in a new environment. In the same way that Skrzynecki feels no sense of connection with the ideologies of the migrant hostel and St. Patrick’s College, Brooks does not feel connected to the outside world. However, whereas Skrzynecki is able to anticipate a brighter future, one in which the ‘darkness’ will disappear and his light will finally ‘shine’, Brooks uses his voiceover to tell the viewer ‘I’ve decided not to stay’, a euphemism for his final act of suicide. For some, a lack of belonging to the community can have a truly disastrous impact upon one’s sense of purpose, resulting in complete disintegration of one’s sense of self. In Skrzynecki’s ‘Ancestors’, the poet explores how connection to one’s ancestry is an essential part of understanding one’s purpose and establishing a sense of self identity. In a reflection on human identity and the chain of life that links us with our ancestors, Skrzynecki relates a dream in which he perceives a group of ghostly ancestors surrounding him, implying that his connection to his past is perhaps stronger than he acknowledges. Initially, these ancestors seem intimidating, as indicated by the threatening imagery of the ‘bearded, faceless men’ and the sibilance of the phrase ‘Standing shoulder to shoulder’, almost suggesting they are united against him. This is a poem of questions but few answers; the narrator does not know where they are pointing, or why they do not speak, or why he is unable to determine their identity. On a complex psychological level, the poem explores the fact that Skrzynecki cannot escape his ancestors and their expectations, but is not able to identify what these expectations are. In the final stanza, the dreamer has a taste of what binds him to his family, remarking that ‘The wind taste of blood’, a metaphor for the ancestral connection that they have in common. The poem highlights how connection to community, in this case a family group, does impact on one’s sense of identity, although in this poem it is unclear whether this connection creates a positive or negative effect. In contrast, The Shawshank Redemption shows how connection to a desired community can have a hugely beneficial effect on self-esteem and self-identity. In the film, the main character Andy Dufresne has been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and is exposed to unspeakable horrors whilst imprisoned. By the end of the film, the viewer is manipulated to believe that, like Brooks Hatlen, his lack of belonging is having such a negative impact on his sense of self that he is contemplating suicide. Unlike the persona in ‘Ancestors’, it seems that he is unable to cling to any sense of family or ancestry that makes life bearable. However, in a powerful finale, the film reveals his magnificent and timely escape. In the voiceover, the narrator reveals the fact that ‘Andy crawled to freedom through five-hundred yards of shit-smelling foulness I can’t even imagine’. The use of the personal perspective and the belittling verb ‘crawled’ conveys just how important escape is for Andy, in terms of his own sense of self. When he finally emerges from the refuse pipe, the image is symbolic of deliverance and re-birth, suggesting that he has been born again into a world where he truly belongs. As he removes his prison clothes, which symbolise the world he has left behind, the camera reverse pans to a high angle shot, depicting Andy’s arms outstretched as he celebrates his renewed self-identity. For Andy, re-connection with the world is an epiphanaic moment, a moment of great significance. In contrast to ‘Ancestors’, where Skrzynecki is never quite able to forge a connection with his past, Andy fundamentally connects with the community of life, and in doing so re-discovers, once again, who he truly is. It is through the process of belonging to groups and communities that individuals discover their sense of self, finding a purpose for their lives and understanding who they are. In ‘Migrant Hostel’, ‘St Patrick’s College’, and the story of Brooks Hatlen, a lack of belonging can lead to a dangerously purposeless life, where an individual’s sense of self can be seriously damaged. However, in ‘Ancestors’ it is clear that connection to one’s community can at least provide the beginnings of a stronger sense of self whereas, through the story of Andy Dufresne in the film The Shawshank Redemption, the viewer is led to appreciate the inspiring re-discovery of self that comes with a sense of belonging. It is through experiencing connection to groups or communities that individuals, to different degrees, come to affirm their self-identity and forge a new sense of direction through life.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Planning Issues for Children of Heaven

Table of Contents Family Values, Family Ties and Social Network Cultural Differences among Haves and Have-nots Consequences of Urban Environment Use of Alleys and other Neighborhood Conditions Slum Environment Conclusion References Cities are not just about structures such as streets, buildings, and stores but they are also about people (Clayton, 2000). Cities are made up of people (Clayton Optow, 2003). There is a link between people who live in a city and the way the city is created and inhabited (Stucky, 2005). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Planning Issues for Children of Heaven specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the same time it can be said that poverty is not just about people without money. Poverty is also connected to the environment where poor people live. Using this analogy it can be said that there is great importance to look into the development of cities. In the movie Children of Heaven the i nteraction between the people, the city and poverty was the backdrop used for an amazing story. Family Values, Family Ties and Social Network City planners may want to improve the layout to the city but they have to consider family ties and social network. Family values dictate that it is more important to maintain family ties and social network than the need to improve the environment. Surely, it is much better to live in a nice city. But the question is how can people be compelled to move out from the slums or the city into the rural areas and to deal with the problem of congestion and overpopulation? It is also unlikely that the government can uproot people and force them to live in a place or a town where they have no relatives. It is indeed a challenge to force people to leave the slums. Planners and policymakers may want to implement a more radical solution to the problem of poverty and urban decay by destroying the slums. But it can be argued that people will resist. It is e asy to understand why people are willing to use violence to stay where they live. Aside form the social values, there is a reason why people in cities try their best to maintain family ties and the social network. It can be argued that the family ties and social network are intangible resources that they can rely upon when they in need. For example, there is a scene in the movie when the boy could buy food even though he had no money. There was trust because the storeowner knew the parents of the boy. It can also be said that a social network built by community values existed there and it punished those who would try to avoid payment and not respect the informal business relationships built through many generations.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cultural Differences among Haves and Have-nots Cultural difference among the Rich and the Poor must be considered in the event of urb an planning or urban renewal. If the government wants to improve the physical environment of the city, there is a need to understand cultural difference between different social layers of the society The Rich have resources that enable them to transfer to a community where they do not know their neighbors. The Rich are self-sufficient and self-reliant in such a way that they will not mind if they are not at a walking distance away from their relatives. The Poor may not be happy with the idea of changing the key aspects of their living because they believe that it is a part of their ability to deal with the problems of living in an urban setting. It can be said that poverty may have shaped the social outlook and the culture that surrounds the Rich and the Poor. For example, the Rich can appreciate the importance of long-term planning. The Poor on the other hand live their lives on a daily basis. In other words, there are those who will not go to doctor’s office to treat a med ical problem they do not have, it is more important for them to spend the money on bread rather than on medical purposes. Consequences of Urban Environment It is important to highlight the meaning of poverty. According to the experts in urban development, â€Å"Households or individuals are considered poor when the resources they command are insufficient to enable them to consume sufficient goods and services to achieve a reasonable minimum level of welfare† (Lloyd-Jones Radoki, 2002, p.12). It is therefore important define at first the minimum level of welfare required. Therefore, urban planners must have a specific goal with regard to the delivery of basic services as well as the capability of the residents to purchase the things that they need. In this movie the basic level of welfare is centered on food, health care, shelter and education. The inability of a family to acquire all these things proves that they are poor. However, it has to be made clear that the urban en vironment is a major factor to their poverty. The urban environment is a major reason why they remain poor. One factor to consider is house rent. It is not difficult to understand the great impact of house rent on the family welfare. A family struggling to get the basic food, clothes and medications should not be burdened by high cost of rent. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Planning Issues for Children of Heaven specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But in an urban environment real estate is a luxury. People living in cities cannot afford to have their own land and their own house. In most cases, urban dwellers can only live in a city if they are willing to pay rent. Urban planners and policy makers must seriously consider a solution to the high cost of rent of houses and apartments. Use of Alleys and other Neighborhood Conditions There was a scene in the movie where the girl was running through the heart of the ur ban landscape chasing after her shoe that had fallen into an open sewer. Many people living in industrialized countries may find it difficult to imagine an urban setting where one can find an open sewer. The first problem with open sewers is that it is a safety concern. Children can fall into an open sewer and break their ankles. Another major problem with open sewers is linked to health concerns. Children have the tendency to wander into these open sewers and play with dirty water. Aside from structural problems like open sewers, urban planners must look into the congestion of alleys and streets because of hawkers and sellers of goods. These places must be easily accessible by people and not clogged with merchandize. Slum Environment There was a moving scene in the movie when the poor boy played in the home of a rich family. The poor boy was happy because he was playing in the midst of a garden. It must have been paradise for him. Poor cities may tend to consider gardens as luxury, but urban planners must create gardens and parks that are easily accessible by both rich and poor families. Conclusion Cities are not just about physical structures built by engineers and city planners, cities are also about people. In the same way poverty is not just about the lack of funds but it is also the result of the physical environment where poor people live. The movie seems to say that the physical environment of the city is a contributing factor to poverty of the people. Thus, it is important that policy makers develop solutions not only to address poverty in general but also the urban environment where poor people live. References Clayton, J. (2000). Small town bound. New York: Xlibris Corporation. Clayton, S., Optow, S. (2003). Identity and the natural environment. MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lloyd-Jones, T., Rakodi, J. (2002). Urban livelihoods: a people-centered approach to reducing poverty. VA: Earthscan Publications. Stucky, T. (2005). Urban politics, crime rates, and police strength. Washington, D.C.: LFB Scholarly Publishing. This essay on Planning Issues for Children of Heaven was written and submitted by user Ale1gha to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.