The biology of breast cancer at the cellular level

Two properties seem fundamental to cancer; heterogeneity and progression (Foulds (1975) Academic Press, New York; Heppner et al. (1979) Commentaries on Research in Breast Disease, Vol. 1 (Bulbrook, R. and Taylor, D.J., eds.), pp. 177-191, Plenum Press, New York). Relatively little is understood about the premalignant stages of human breast disease in vivo. When the disease manifests as invasive carcinoma, its behavior exhibits great diversity, sometimes metastasizing rapidly, while in other cases 10-30 years pass before metastases proliferate. Here we review various aspects of breast cancer in vivo and consider how they predict properties of breast cancer found in culture. All of the experiments are consistent with the hypothesis proposed by Nowell (1976) Science 194, 23-28, that a fundamental aspect of malignancy is an increased genetic instability and that many of the cells within tumors are nonviable results of genetic instability. We suggest that most of the viable cells within primary breast carcinomas are diploid and are not yet capable of aspects of metastatic spread. What these cells have attained is an increased propensity for genetic instability which enables them to generate randomly aneuploid but frequently lethal genetic configurations. Occasionally one of these altered genomes is associated with the ability to proliferate at a metastatic site. This hypothesis implies that metastases from various patients may have arisen by divergent pathways and may also be divergent in many other aspects of their physiology, unrelated to malignancy. Such extreme heterogeneity may hamper attempts to understand fundamental aspects of malignancy. Hence we suggest that the less anaplastic and less divergent diploid cells within the primary carcinomas might be an important resource to gain insights into the critical alterations that are responsible for initiating frankly malignant behavior.     

Investigating pathogen biology at the level of the proteome

Bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. By extending our understanding of the process of bacterial pathogenesis at the molecular level new strategies for their treatment and prevention can be developed. Proteomic technologies, along with other methods for global gene expression analysis, play an important role in understanding the mechanism(s) of bacterial pathogenesis. This review highlights the use of proteomics to identify protein biomarkers for virulent bacterial isolates and how these biomarkers can be correlated with the outcome of bacterial infection. Biomarker identification typically looks at the proteomes of bacteria grown under laboratory conditions. It is, however, the characterisation of the bacterial proteome during in vivo infection of its host that will eventually provide the most significant insights into bacterial pathogenesis. Although this area of research has significant technical challenges, a number of complementary proteome analytical approaches are being developed to identify and characterise the bacterial genes specifically expressed in vivo. Ultimately, the development of newly targeted therapies and vaccines using specific protein targets identified through proteomic analyses will be one of the major practical benefits arising from the proteomic analysis of bacterial pathogens.     

A scheme for teacher assessment of practical work in Advanced level Biology and its moderation

Science: The Salters' Approach, key stage 4 Book 1 R. Campbell, J. Lazonby, R. Millar and S. Smvlh. 90 pp. Oxford: Heinemann, 1990. £4.95. ISBN 0 435 63004 0 Reviewed by Richard Doggett

Science: The Salters' Approach, key stage 4 Book 2 R. Campbell, J. Lazonby, R. Millar, and S. Smyth. 90 pp. Oxford: Heinemann, 1991. £5.50. ISBN 0 435 63009 1 Reviewed by Richard Doggett

Understanding science: Pupils' books 1, 2, 3; Teachers' resource books 1, 2, 3 J. Boyd, W. Whitelaw, P. Warren. 144/176/176 and 170/198/235 pp. London: John Murray, 1989–1991. Students' books £5.50 each: Teachers' £16.50/£17.50/£17.50. ISBNs 0 7195 4621 4/4623 0/4824 1/4622 2/4624 9/4825 X Reviewed by Maureen Hayward

Practical science: the role and reality of practical work in school science Ed. B. E. Woolnough. 203 pp. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire: Open University Press, 1990. £30.00/£10.99. ISBNs 0335 09390 6/09389 2 Reviewed by John A. Barker

Investigating the nature of science Ed. J. Honey. Ringbinder containing 12 copymasters and booklet of teachers' notes. Harlow, Essex: Longman (for the Nuffield-Chelsea Curriculum Trust), 1990. £47.50 (+ VAT). ISBNO 582 06657 3 Reviewed by Geoff Welford

Biology plus 2: Resource material for GCSE biology Hobsons Publishing and The Standing Conference on Schools' Science and Technology. 42 pp. Cambridge: Hobsons Publishing, 1989. £22.50. ISBN 1 85324 138 5 Reviewed by A. E. Flaherty

Science activities: Environment and living organisms Science activities: Energy and matter P. Spychal. Each 64 pp. Sevenoaks, Kent: Hodder and Stoughton, 1990. £3.95 each. ISBNs 340 49919 2/41484 7 Reviewed by Nigel Collins

Essential science activities for key stage 4 K. Bishop, W. Scott, D. Maddocks. 126 pp. Cheltenham, Glos: Stanley Thornes, 1990. £33plus VAT. ISBNO 7487 0429 9 Reviewed by John A. Barker

Studying for science: a guide to information, communication and study techniques B. White. 202 pp. London: E. &; F. N. Spon (Chapman and Hall), 1990. £9.95. ISBN 0 419 14820 5 Reviewed by Alan Cadogan

Biology in practice (for standard grade) X Carrie, J. Dorward, J. Robertson, andL. Russell. 108 pp. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990. £5.50. ISBN 0 19 914288 2 Reviewed by A. E. Flaherty

Physics in the life sciences 2nd edn. G. Duncan. 324 pp. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1990. £14.95. ISBN 0 632 01778 3 Reviewed by J. E. Philpott

Humanities insights: health B. J. Dady. 48 pp. Sevenoaks, Kent: Hodder and Stoughton, 1990. £3.50. ISBN 0 340 50538 9 Reviewed by Carolyn A. Mulley

The responsible use of animals in biology classrooms including alternatives to dissection Ed. R. Hairston. Reston, Virginia, USA: National Association of Biology Teachers, 1990. USS15.00. ISBN 0 941212 06 8 Reviewed by Angela Dixon

Animals in education The Hume Memorial Lecture 1990. P. N. O'Donoghue. 32 pp. Potters Bar, Herts: Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (8 Hamilton Close, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 3QD), 1990. £1.25. ISBN 0 900767 71 5 Reviewed by Katherine Millett and Roger Lock

Teaching biotechnology in schools Science and technology education, document series no. 39. Ed. J. D. Mclnerney. 279 pp. Paris: UNESCO (Section of Science and Technology Education), 1990. ED-90/WS/33 Reviewed by Dean Madden

Biology now!: genetic engineering Topics in contemporary science and technology for A-level, AS-level, BTEC. P. E. O. Wymer. 15 pp. Cambridge: Hobsons Publishing, 1989. £2.50. ISBN 1 85324 160 1 Reviewed by Vic lally

Biotechnology, genetic engineering and society Monograph series III. G. H. Kieffer. 89 pp. Virginia, USA: National Association of Biology Teachers, 1987. $10,001 S8.00 (members). ISBN 0 941212 05 X Reviewed by Vic Lally

Heredity and human diversity Cambridge social biology topics. S. Tomkins. 131 pp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. £5.50. ISBN 0 521 31229 9 Reviewed by Mike Tribe

Practical genetics R. N. Jones and G. K. Rickards. 228 pp. Milton Keynes, Bucks: Open University Press, 1991. £35.00/£14.99. ISBNs 0 335 09218 7/09217 9 Reviewed by Stuart Elford

Essential genetics: a course book L. Burnet. 146 pp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986. £5.95. ISBN 0 521 31380 5 Reviewed by Dave Devey

A student's companion to molecular cell biology D. Rintoul, R. Welti, M. Lederman, B. Storrie, and R. Van Buskirk. 397 pp. Oxford: W. H. Freeman (for Scientific American Books), 1990. £14.95. ISBN 0 7167 2110 4 Reviewed by Alan Cadogan

The Paramecium A 12-minute colour video (VHS format) produced by Benchmark Films. Available from Boulton-Hawker Films Ltd, Hadleigh, nr Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 5BG (Tel. 0473 822235.) Price £29 plus VAT Reviewed by J. M. Cooper

The life cycle of the tsetse fly A 9-minute colour video (PAL and VHS formats). Available from the Wellcome Trust Film Unit, 1 Park Square West, London NW1 4U. (Tel. 071^864902.) Price £15.00 plus VAT and p &; p. Reviewed by David Worley

Blood transfusion and blood groups A 13-minute colour video produced by Eileen Ingham and E. J. Wood. Available in VHS and PAL formats from The Audio Visual Service, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9TJ. (Tel. 0532 332661. Fax 0532 332655.) Price £11.50 inc. VAT and p &; p Reviewed by Richard Fosbery

ABAL videotapes Five videos (of 10) produced by Battersea Studios (formerly ILEA Education Television) and TVS Education to support the Advanced Biology Alternative Learning (ABAL) project of the former Inner London Education Authority (ILEA). Available from Educational Media International, 235 Imperial Drive, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7HE. (Tel. 081-868 19081 1915.) Price £30.00 each (plus VAT and p &; p)

ABAL Videotape 1 The Venus fly-trap (7 mins) The characteristics of living organisms (9 mins) Chemical foundations (27 mins) Reviewed by J. M. Gregory

ABAL Videotape 2 The chemicals of life (30 mins) Spontaneous generation and the origin of life (15 mins) Mitosis (9 mins) Reviewed by J. M. Gregory

ABAL Videotape 3 Man and energy (15 mins) The pond ecosystem (13 mins) Methods of feeding (21 mins) Reviewed by J. M. Gregory

ABAL Videotape 6 Fertilization (15 mins) Birth control (25 mins) Growth of pollen tubes (5 mins) The counter-current principle (14 mins) Reviewed by George Fussey

ABAL Videotape 7 Defence against disease (25 mins) Observing stimuli and response (7 mins) Controlling the plant environment (15 mins) Reviewed by George Fussey

Mitosis and genetics A 17-minute colour video produced by Barr/USA. Available from Educational Media International, 235 Imperial Drive, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7HE. (Tel. 081-868 19081 1915.) Price £49.50 Reviewed by R. Ballager

Concepts in science Four 60-minute colour videos produced by TV Ontario. Available from Educational Media International, 235 Imperial Drive, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7HE. (Tel. 081-868 19081 1915.) Price £49.50 each Reviewed by Alan Morris

Energy flow Reviewed by Susan Ashby

Ocean plankton A 17-minute colour video written by Frank Evans, Dove Marine Laboratory, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Available from the Audio VisualCentre, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, The Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE2 4HH. (Tel. 091-222 6000.) Purchase price £37.00 (plus VAT andp &; p). Also available for hire, and on a sale or return basis, at a charge of £12.00 (plus VAT and p &; p) Reviewed by Lesley Annan     

Advanced computing for systems biology

Systems biology is based on computational modelling and simulation of large networks of interacting components. Models may be intended to capture processes, mechanisms, components and interactions at different levels of fidelity. Input data are often large and geographically disperse, and may require the computation to be moved to the data, not vice versa. In addition, complex system-level problems require collaboration across institutions and disciplines. Grid computing can offer robust, scaleable solutions for distributed data, compute and expertise. We illustrate some of the range of computational and data requirements in systems biology with three case studies: one requiring large computation but small data (orthologue mapping in comparative genomics), a second involving complex terabyte data (the Visible Cell project) and a third that is both computationally and data-intensive (simulations at multiple temporal and spatial scales). Authentication, authorisation and audit systems are currently not well scalable and may present bottlenecks for distributed collaboration particularly where outcomes may be commercialised. Challenges remain in providing lightweight standards to facilitate the penetration of robust, scalable grid-type computing into diverse user communities to meet the evolving demands of systems biology.     

HUPO Brain Proteome Project Pilot Studies: bioinformatics at work

The data acquisition phase of initial pilot studies (human and mouse brain samples) of the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO) Brain Proteome Project (BPP) is now complete and the data generated by the participating laboratories has been submitted to the central Data Collection Center. The BPP Bioinformatics Group met on 8th April 2005 at the European Bioinformatics Institute (Hinxton, UK) to discuss strategies for the reanalysis of the pooled data from all the participating laboratories. A summary of the results of the data reprocessing will be presented at the 4th HUPO World Congress that will be held in August/September 2005.     

Advanced technologies for studying circulating tumor cells at the protein level

Metastasis is the main cause of cancer death. As the tumor progresses, cells from the primary tumor site are shed into the bloodstream as circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Eventually, these cells colonize other organs and form distant metastases. It is therefore imperative that we gain a better understanding of the biological characteristics of CTCs for development of novel treatment modalities to minimize metastasis-associated cancer deaths. In recent years, rapid developments in technologies for the study of CTCs have taken place. We now have a variety of tools for the isolation and examination of CTCs which were not available before. This review introduces some commonly used protein markers in CTC investigations and summarizes a few advanced technologies which have been successfully applied for studying CTC biology at the protein level.     

Mathematical biology of social behavior

When an individual grows up in a society, he learns certain behavior patterns which are “accepted” by that society. He may in general have a tendency toward behavior patterns other than those which are “accepted” by the society. This tendency toward such unaccepted behavior may be due to a process of cerebration which results in doubt as to the “correctness” of the accepted behavior. Thus, on the one hand, the individual learns to follow the accepted rules almost automatically; on the other hand, he may tend to consciously break those rules. Using a neural circuit, suggested by H. D. Landahl in his theory of learning, a neurobiophysical interpretation of the above situation is outlined. Mathematical expressions are derived which describe the social behavior of an individual as a function of his age, social status, and some neurobiophysical parameters.     

Making systems biology work in the 21st century

A report on the Biochemical Society meeting 'Systems biology: will it work?', Sheffield, UK, 5 January 2005.     

Mathematical biology of social behavior: III

A society composed of individuals each of whom can perform one of two mutually exclusive activitiesR ₁ andR ₂ is considered. The tendency toward the performance of those activities is measured by the intensities ε₁ and ε₂ of excitation of two corresponding neural centers, which cross-inhibit each other. It follows from the theory developed by H. D. Landahl that an individual with ε₁ − ε₂ = 0, that is one who has no preference for either one of the two activities, will on the average performR ₁ andR ₂ with equal probability. As ε₁ − ε₂ increases, the probabilityP ₁ ofR ₁ increases, tending to 1. As ε₂ − ε₁ increases, the probabilityP ₂ ofR ₂ increases, tending to 1. We haveP ₁+P ₂=1. The effect of imitation is now studied. The total number of individuals in the society which exhibits an activityR ₁ at a given time is considered as constituting a stimulus which increases ε₁. Similarly, the total number of individuals which exhibits activityR ₂ at a given time constitutes a stimulus which increases ε₂. Using the standard equations of the mathematical biophysics of the central nervous system, equations are established which govern the behavior of such a society and the following conclusions are reached. It the quantity ε₁ − ε₂ is distributed in the society in such a way that the distribution function is symmetric with respect to ε₁ − ε₂ = 0, then on the average one-half of the population exhibitsR ₁, the other halfR ₂. This social configuration may, however, be unstable. The slightest accidental excess of individuals exhibiting, for example,R ₁, may bring it into a stable configuration, in which most individuals exhibitR ₁, and only a smaller fraction exhibitR ₂. A slight initial deviation in favor ofR ₂ brings it into a stable configuration, in which most individuals exhibitR ₂. Thus in this case there may be two stable configurations. If the population is in one of those stable configurations, and the distribution function of ε₁ − ε₂ is made asymmetric, favoring the other activity, the population will pass into a stable configuration, in which that other activity is predominant, if the asymmetry of the distribution exceeds a threshold value. By making some drastic simplifications the equations derived here may be reduced to a form which waspostulated by the author previously in his mathematical theory of human relations.     

Co-evolution of physical and social sciences in synthetic biology

Emerging technologies research often covers various perspectives in disciplines and research areas ranging from hard sciences, engineering, policymaking, and sociology. However, the interrelationship between these different disciplinary domains, particularly the physical and social sciences, often occurs many years after a technology has matured and moved towards commercialization. Synthetic biology may serve an exception to this idea, where, since 2000, the physical and the social sciences communities have increasingly framed their research in response to various perspectives in biological engineering, risk assessment needs, governance challenges, and the social implications that the technology may incur. This paper reviews a broad collection of synthetic biology literature from 2000–2016, and demonstrates how the co-development of physical and social science communities has grown throughout synthetic biology’s earliest stages of development. Further, this paper indicates that future co-development of synthetic biology scholarship will assist with significant challenges of the technology’s risk assessment, governance, and public engagement needs, where an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to foster sustainable, risk-informed, and societally beneficial technological advances moving forward.     

Analyzing the biology on the system level

Although various genome projects have provided us enormous static sequence information, understanding of the sophisticated biology continues to require integrating the computational modeling, system analysis, technology development for experiments, and quantitative experiments all together to analyze the biology architecture on various levels, which is just the origin of systems biology subject. This review discusses the object, its characteristics, and research attentions in systems biology, and summarizes the analysis methods, experimental technologies, research developments, and so on in the four key fields of systems biology--systemic structures, dynamics, control methods, and design principles.     

A critical view on social performance assessment at company level: social life cycle analysis of an algae case

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Social indicators are not easy to be quantitatively analyzed, although at the local scale, the social impacts might be relevant and important....