sábado, 24 de setembro de 2011

Online Activities – 4th week (part 2)


Online Activities – 4th week (part 2)

Dear students,

Your other assignment this week is to find a Research Paper Abstract and analyze it. Remember to study what you have discussed in class about writing abstracts and check if the abstract you chose has the characteristics that correspond to the information you have studied. You should post your comments until Tuesday, September 27th, 4p.m.

If you have any doubts, contact me.

Sincerely,

Claudia

7 comentários:

  1. I’ll use the abstract of the article of part 1:

    We present a summary of the results of a simple two-level theory of Doppler cooling in optical molasses and contrast it with the recent theories of multilevel, polarization-gradient cooling. The effects of single-photon recoil and of trapping in microscopic optical potential wells are also considered.
    Experiments are described in which the temperature of sodium atoms released from optical molasses is measured and found to be well below the Doppler-cooling limit. Measurements of the temperature dependence on many experimental parameters are found to be in good qualitative agreement with the new theories of polarization-gradient cooling.

    We can see the authors use the first person plural simple present. That shows the work is done by a group and not just one person. At first, they show the subject of the study, speaking of the considerations made at the article. After, they show their objectives. And, at least, they show, superficially, the results of the experiments.

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  2. Review - Enzymes of triacylglycerol synthesis and their regulation

    Abstract

    Since the pathways of glycerolipid biosynthesis were elucidated in the 1950’s, considerable knowledge has been gained about the enzymes that catalyze the lipid biosynthetic reactions and the factors that regulate triacylglycerol biosynthesis. In the last few decades, in part due to advances in technology and the wide
    availability of nucleotide and amino acid sequences, we have made enormous strides in our understanding of
    these enzymes at the molecular level. In many cases, sequence information obtained from lipid biosynthetic
    enzymes of prokaryotes and yeast has provided the means to search the genomic and expressed sequence tag databases for mammalian homologs and most of the genes have now been identified. Surprisingly, multiple isoforms appear to catalyze the same chemical reactions, suggesting that each isoform may play a distinct functional role in the pathway of triacylglycerol and phospholipid biosynthesis. This review focuses on the de novo biosynthesis of triacylglycerol in eukaryotic cells, the isoenzymes that are involved, their subcellular locations, how they are regulated, and their putative individual roles in glycerolipid biosynthesis.

    [Rosalind A. Coleman, Douglas P. Lee
    Departments of Nutrition and Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Progress in Lipid Research 43 (2004) 134–176.]

    * In this abstract, we can clearly see the large use of present tenses, that usually produce an effect of contemporary relevance to the studies:
    "considerable knowledge has been gained", "sequence information obtained from lipid biosynthetic enzymes of prokaryotes and yeast has provided the means", "most of the genes have now been identified", "This review focuses on the de novo biosynthesis of triacylglycerol"...
    We can also note de use of the plural first person, indicating an group job: "we have made enormous strides in our understanding", althougnt the text is mostly written in the impersonal form.
    About the structure, we can delineate two major parts:
    1. Theme introduction or motivation: first 9 lines.
    2. Introduction of the idea of the study, what they're going to talk about: last 3 lines.
    As this is a review article, there's no methods or results.

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  3. Fritz-Laylin, L. K. ;Prochnik, S. E. ;Ginger, (...);Dawson, S. C.

    The genome of Naegleria gruberi illuminates early eukaryotic versatility.
    2010
    Journal: Cell
    Volume: 140
    Issue: 5
    Pages: 631-42

    Genome sequences of diverse free-living protists are essential for understanding eukaryotic evolution and molecular and cell biology. The free-living amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi belongs to a varied and ubiquitous protist clade (Heterolobosea) that diverged from other eukaryotic lineages over a billion years ago. Analysis of the 15,727 protein-coding genes encoded by Naegleria's 41 Mb nuclear genome indicates a capacity for both aerobic respiration and anaerobic metabolism with concomitant hydrogen production, with fundamental implications for the evolution of organelle metabolism. The Naegleria genome facilitates substantially broader phylogenomic comparisons of free-living eukaryotes than previously possible, allowing us to identify thousands of genes likely present in the pan-eukaryotic ancestor, with 40% likely eukaryotic inventions. Moreover, we construct a comprehensive catalog of amoeboid-motility genes. The Naegleria genome, analyzed in the context of other protists, reveals a remarkably complex ancestral eukaryote with a rich repertoire of cytoskeletal, sexual, signaling, and metabolic modules.

    This research paper abstract consists of a single paragraph containing six full sentences. It was written in the present tense and using the personal active voice, in the first person plural, opposing what we have discussed in class about writing abstracts (the use of the past tense and the impersonal passive). It doesn't have negative sentences, and doesn't have abbreviations, as recommended. Therefore, it is concluded that, in general, the text follows the pattern of writing research paper abstracts.

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  4. Abstract
    Searches for anisotropies due to Earth’s motion relative to a preferred frame - modem versions of the Michelson-Morley
    experiment - provide precise verifications of special relativity. We describe other tests, independent of this motion, that
    are or can become even more sensitive. The existence of high-energy cosmic rays places strong constraints on Lorentz
    non-invariance. Furthermore, if the maximum attainable speed of a particle depends on its identity, then neutrinos, even
    if massless, may exhibit flavor oscillations. Velocity differences far smaller than any previously probed can produce
    characteristic effects at accelerators and solar neutrino experiments. @ 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

    In this abstract is predominant the use of Simple Present tense and first person plural. In the beggining (first two lines), there is a theme introduction. Next, the research is introduced and the results are implicit announced in this part, because the research is , in fact, a study to show new tests about the validity of Special Relativity. The methods are described in the final lines. Therefore, this abstract has the usual structure.

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  5. There has been much effort recently to define the role of adipocytokines, which are soluble mediators derived mainly from adipocytes (fat cells), in the interaction between adipose tissue, inflammation and immunity. The adipocytokines adiponectin and leptin have emerged as the most abundant adipocyte products, thereby redefining adipose tissue as a key component not only of the endocrine system, but also of the immune system. Indeed, as we discuss here, several adipocytokines have a central role in the regulation of insulin resistance, as well as many aspects of inflammation and immunity. Other adipocytokines, such as visfatin, have only recently been identified. Understanding this rapidly growing family of mainly adipocyte-derived mediators might be of importance in the development of new therapies for obesity-associated diseases.
    Source: http://www.nature.com/nri/journal/v6/n10/abs/nri1937.html
    This abstract has the characteristics that correspond with what we have studied in class. Since it is an abstract of a review, that describes the latest discovers in a specific subject, it is not informative but descriptive. Also, it is short and there is the use of perfect and present tense, which adds pace to the text. Talking about structure we find a little theme introduction in the first two sentences, then we find an introduction of the research written in first person in the third sentence and finally the results and perspectives of this study. Besides that, we also find the use of full sentences, the absence of negatives and abbreviations.

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  6. Caracterização, classificação
    e análise de redes complexas

    Francisco Aparecido Rodrigues

    Complex networks theory has been used for analysis, modeling and characterization
    of natural and artificial systems, such as the Internet, protein interaction,
    society, the World Wide Web and ecosystems. Basically, such systems are characterized
    in terms of complex networks measurements. Despite the large number
    of network measurements that has been developed, generally only the degree
    distribution, the average clustering coefficient and the average shortest path are
    considered for network characterization and modeling. Since the network models
    are generally quantified in terms of these measurements, the modeling is frequently
    incomplete. In order to obtain more detailed characterization of networks,
    and consequently more accurate models, several networks measurements must be
    taken into account. The analysis of a large set of measurements can be performed
    through multivariate statistical analysis and pattern recognition methods, as
    presented in this work. We characterize and classify various real networks considering
    canonical variable analysis and bayesian decision theory. We determine
    the accuracy of the most well-known networks models considering several real
    networks, such as the Internet. Besides, we apply the complex networks theory
    to study the connectivity-lethality relation for proteins interaction network and
    the protein domain network of the yeast S. cerevisiae and show that this relation
    is better defined between the domains. Finally, we characterize and analyze
    the similarities of wine producers of Bordeaux region (France) through complex
    networks theory. Our results suggest that the cultivation techniques and production
    properties are strongly influenced by the territory, which stress the concept of
    terroir.

    This abstract talks about some methods to characterize a complex network. Usually just a feel measurements are used to describe such network, but the system can be better analyzed if we used some other methods different fron the usual. In this article the author uses pattern recognition methods and multivariate statistical analysis to Analise some real complex networks like wine production and a protein interaction.

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