University of Lincoln

About: University of Lincoln is a education organization based out in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Higher education. The organization has 2341 authors who have published 7025 publications receiving 124797 citations.

Breast cancer chemoresistance: emerging importance of cancer stem cells.

Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have recently been documented in solid tumours. Evidence has sug- gested that CSCs are involved in carcinogenesis, tumour invasion and metastases, and resis- tance to various forms of therapies, including chemotherapy. Breast CSCs are characterised by the expression of CD44 but lack of CD24 (CD44 þ /CD24 � cells). The mechanisms involved in chemoresistance of breast CSCs are complex and not clearly defined. Overexpression of ABC transporters, detoxification enzymes (aldehyde dehydrogenase), low cell turn over rate and the ability to activate the DNA check point response are possibly all involved. Innovative therapies, based on a better understanding of CSCs, should lead to enhanced and long-term cure rates in breast cancer.

Using probabilistic movement primitives in robotics

Abstract: Movement Primitives are a well-established paradigm for modular movement representation and generation. They provide a data-driven representation of movements and support generalization to novel situations, temporal modulation, sequencing of primitives and controllers for executing the primitive on physical systems. However, while many MP frameworks exhibit some of these properties, there is a need for a unified framework that implements all of them in a principled way. In this paper, we show that this goal can be achieved by using a probabilistic representation. Our approach models trajectory distributions learned from stochastic movements. Probabilistic operations, such as conditioning can be used to achieve generalization to novel situations or to combine and blend movements in a principled way. We derive a stochastic feedback controller that reproduces the encoded variability of the movement and the coupling of the degrees of freedom of the robot. We evaluate and compare our approach on several simulated and real robot scenarios.

Genetic architecture of metabolic rate: environment specific epistasis between mitochondrial and nuclear genes in an insect.

Abstract: The extent to which mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation is involved in adaptive evolutionary change is currently being reevaluated. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that mtDNA genes coevolve with the nuclear genes with which they interact to form the energy producing enzyme complexes in the mitochondria. This suggests that intergenomic epistasis between mitochondrial and nuclear genes may affect whole-organism metabolic phenotypes. Here, we use crossed combinations of mitochondrial and nuclear lineages of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus and assay metabolic rate under two different temperature regimes. Metabolic rate was affected by an interaction between the mitochondrial and nuclear lineages and the temperature regime. Sequence data suggests that mitochondrial genetic variation has a role in determining the outcome of this interaction. Our genetic dissection of metabolic rate reveals a high level of complexity, encompassing genetic interactions over two genomes, and genotype × genotype × environment interactions. The evolutionary implications of these results are twofold. First, because metabolic rate is at the root of life histories, our results provide insights into the complexity of life-history evolution in general, and thermal adaptation in particular. Second, our results suggest a mechanism that could contribute to the maintenance of nonneutral mtDNA polymorphism.

Impact of driving characteristics on electric vehicle energy consumption and range

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of driver behaviour/driving-style on the energy consumption, state-of-charge (SOC) usage and range, of all-electric vehicles (EVs). Results from many driving cycles using a sole driver, along with those from a pre-defined �40km route encompassing both urban and rural roads in Sheffield (UK) with various drivers, are given and analysed. The platform for the study is an all electric-drive Smart Fortwo ED, supplied using Zebra battery technology. Measurements of real-time quantities such as wheel speed and SOC over a number of driving trials show that energy consumption is significantly affected by driving style, and that through basic statistical analysis of acceleration profiles, for instance, a metric for assessing 'good driving practice' can be obtained. It is ultimately shown that the difference between driving in a moderate manner, and more aggressively, can make �30 difference in energy consumption - amounting to 30g/km of CO 2 (equivalent) over the driving duty considered in this case. The results also highlight the substantial savings that can be accrued by appropriate traffic management in congested areas, by allowing the driver to minimise periods of repeated acceleration/deceleration and allow longer periods of steady-speed motion. Although a pure EV platform is used to focus the study, ultimately the results are more widely applicable to plug-in hybrid counterparts. © 2012 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Exosome-Coated Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles: An Efficient Drug Delivery Platform

Abstract: Drug delivery systems aim at a reduction of side effects in chemotherapy. This is achieved by encapsulation of drugs in nanocarriers followed by controlled release of these drugs at the site of the diseased tissue. Though inorganic or polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are often used as nanocarriers,(1, 2) hybrid nanomaterials such as metal−organic framework (MOF) NPs have recently emerged as a valuable alternative.(3-6) They are synthesized from inorganic and organic building block units to create porous three-dimensional frameworks. Because of this building principle, the composition and structure of these materials are highly tunable.(7-10) Furthermore, both external and internal surfaces can be functionalized independently. With these properties, MOF NPs can be designed to fit the specific requirements of the desired application.(3, 11) For drug delivery purposes these so-called “design materials” have been synthesized with high porosity allowing for high drug loading capacities. They also have been designed to be biodegradable. Specifically, iron-based MOF NPs have attracted great attention. In addition to the above-mentioned properties, they can be detected via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), rendering them an ideal platform for theranostics.(12-14) In our study, we focus on one of these iron-based MOFs, namely MIL-88A NPs, which are composed of iron(III) and fumaric acid.(15, 16) Both compounds can be found in the body and the NPs are reported to be nontoxic.(12) Additionally, MIL-88A NPs have been shown to efficiently host chemotherapeutic drugs.(12) Thus, they represent a promising nanocarrier.