Critically evaluate the current methods of high-throughput expression Essay

Critically evaluate the current methods of high-throughput expression profiling in normal and disease states - Essay Example These studies have provided information that was challenging to find, making it easy to detect diseases very early and applying the necessary intervention and treatment procedures on time reducing rates of morbidity and mortality. The first step n the quest to understand the cell function would be understanding gene expression of the various cells of the body. In that case, it would be easier to determine when cells are not expressed as expected. Scientists and researchers point out that gene expression anomalies mostly involve the Messenger RNA (mRNA). DNA Microarrays are used to measure the expression of cells within a predefined mRNA. Different cells are expected to be expressed in a certain way in the mRNA. Changes in expression include over-expression or under-expression. For example, scientists have confirmed that breast cancer cells express more mRNA for the membrane receptor (Suter, Babiss and Wheeldon, 2004). DNA methylation which is important in the normal DNA function and gene expression can be used to detect the changes in the DNA leading to abnormal expression and disease. Hyper-methylation and hypo-methylation have been associated with significant changes in some cells. Cells of the breast canter are usually hyper-methylated leading to neuroblastoma risks and response to the tamoxifen (Widschwendter et al., 2004; Martens et al., 2005). Hyper methylation has also been associated with Leukemia, Ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer (Baylin, 2005). The varying magnitudes of methylation in the cells are associated with different stages of cancer development, and DNA methylation technique can be used to determine the exact stage (Costello et al, 2000). Use of DNA and genes is made very easy by the availability of data of all genomes in the human body. Researchers can access this information anytime from the human genome project databases. Use of gene expression is a three step process that involves class comparison, class prediction and analyzing the va rious genes sets profiles. All this information is presented on pre-processed images which are normalized to make sense (Tarca et al, 2006). DNA microarrays are limiting in that they can only be used for know cells. This limitation necessitated the introduction of RNA sequencing in which unknown genes expression can be studied (Cloonan et al, 2008). Single cell sequencing in which the different types of healthy and cancerous cells can be sequenced individually has improved the effectiveness of DNA micro array studies. All the cells that are studies are amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to achieve better and accurate results (Wang and Bodovitz, 2010). Micro arrays can be used to analyze thousands of cells from different patients at once making it time efficient unlike the previous methods of analysis. The technique provides information on DNA, RNA and the proteins simultaneously. Throughput profiling can also be done at the product level of gene expression; proteins in this case are studied for any anomalies. Mass Spectrometry is used to determine the differences between normal cells and diseased cells for example cancer cells (Aebersold and Mann, 2003). This procedure has proved very important in detecting prostate cancer in early stages, which has been a major challenge. In this case, the fluids, peptides and serum from the prostate are examined using the SELDI mass spectrometer which uses affinity capture. Some cells are

'Nationalism has done more to shape the modern world system than Essay

'Nationalism has done more to shape the modern world system than anything else' Discuss - Essay Example The last section of this paper deals with the anti-colonial nationalism and the different forms of nationalism in both the new and old nation-states; finally, the paper draws a conclusion that nationalism has exerted a huge amount of influence on the modern world political system, in terms of both opposition and a claim to the modern state, which, however, shouldn’t be overestimated. Introduction Breuilly writes that the term ‘nationalism’ is used to denote a political movement seeking or exercising state power and justifying its actions with nationalist arguments, where the latter are seen as a political doctrine â€Å"built upon three basic assertions† (2). Thus, in the first place, there should be a nation with an explicit character, which is peculiar to that nation; secondly, the nation’s values and interests should take priority over all other suchlike; and last but not least, the attainment of political sovereignty is required (Breuilly 2). And erson, in turn, considers nationalism, along with nation and nationality, rather difficult for one to define let alone to analyze, and suggests that nationality and nationalism are cultural artifacts which have been transplanted to a variety of social terrains as well as merged with a corresponding variety of political and ideological constellations (3-4). On the other hand, as Seton-Watson points out, the ‘nation’ phenomenon â€Å"has existed and exists†, insofar as a significant number of people in a community possess national consciousness, i.e. consider themselves to have formed a nation, or behave as such. Hence, if a nationally conscious elite succeeded in creating a nation, it would be able to remain in power on the basis of that nation, and conversely (5). So, however one may go into nationalism – whether as a state of mind, the search for some sort of national identity or the expression of certain national consciousness – there’s no doubt that, as Breuilly put it, nationalism is, above and beyond anything else, about politics (1). Since politics is infinitely, if not exclusively, concerned with power and power, in the modern world, is mainly about the control of the state, nationalism, besides its cultural, ideological, class, etc. dimensions, is inevitably related to the objectives of obtaining and using the state power (Breuilly 1). Thus, the modern state, hence the modern state system and nationalism appear far too intertwined with each other, insofar as nationalist politics have given rise to the creation of many present-day nation-states, and could be held responsible for certain developments in others; and not surprisingly therefore, the modern state would offer â€Å"the key to an understanding of nationalism† (Breuilly 2). Origins of Nationalism - Prelude to Nationalism in Early Modern Europe The roots of modern nationalism could be traced back to the monarchical states of Western Europe in the e arly modern period (Breuilly 75; Seton-Watson 19-22). With the dramatic increase of state power by that time, the opposition to the state also increased and consolidated; as the state extended its authority over its subjects and diminished that of other institutions, like guilds, churches, etc., the idea of the ‘nation’ could be deemed to have achieved certain political relevance (Breuilly 75). This idea, however,