Adult Onset-Hypothyroidism: Alterations in Hippocampal Field Potentials in the Denate Gyrus are Largely Associated with Anesthesia-Induced Hypothermia

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for a number of physiological processes and is particularly critical during nervous system development. The hippocampus is a structure strongly implicated in cognition and is sensitive to developmental hypothyroidism. The impact of TH insuffici...

The brain adapts to orthography with experience: Evidence from English and Chinese

PubMed Central

Cao, Fan; Brennan, Christine; Booth, James R.

2016-01-01

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the process of language specialization in the brain by comparing developmental changes in two contrastive orthographies: Chinese and English. In a visual word rhyming judgment task, we found a significant interaction between age and language in left inferior parietal lobule and left superior temporal gyrus, which was due to greater developmental increases in English than in Chinese. Moreover, we found that higher skill only in English children was correlated with greater activation in left inferior parietal lobule. These findings suggest that the regions associated with phonological processing are essential in English reading development. We also found greater developmental increases in English than in Chinese in left inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting refinement of this region for fine-grained word form recognition. In contrast, greater developmental increases in Chinese than in English were found in right middle occipital gyrus, suggesting the importance of holistic visual-orthographic analysis in Chinese reading acquisition. Our results suggest that the brain adapts to the special features of the orthography by engaging relevant brain regions to a greater degree over development. PMID:25444089

Neonatal isolation delays the developmental decline of long-term depression in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Ku, Hsiao-Yun; Huang, Yu-Fei; Chao, Pei-Hsuan; Huang, Chiung-Chun; Hsu, Kuei-Sen

2008-11-01

Activity-dependent alterations of synaptic efficacy or connectivity are essential for the development, signal processing, and learning and memory functions of the nervous system. It was observed that, in particular in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, low-frequency stimulation (LFS) became progressively less effective at inducing long-term depression (LTD) with advancing developmental age. The physiological factors regulating this developmental plasticity change, however, have not yet been elucidated. Here we examined the hypothesis that neonatal isolation (once per day for 1 h from postnatal days 1-7) is able to alter processes underlying the developmental decline of LTD. We confirm that the magnitude of LTD induced by LFS (900 stimuli at 1 Hz) protocol correlates negatively with developmental age and illustrates that neonatal isolation delays this developmental decline via the activation of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) system. Furthermore, this modulation appears to be mediated by an increased transcription of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR2B subunits. We also demonstrate that intracerebroventricular injection of CRF postnatally mimicked the effect of neonatal isolation to increase the expression of NR2B subunits and delayed the developmental decline of LTD, which was specifically blocked by CRF receptor 1 antagonist NBI27914 pretreatment. These results suggest a novel role for CRF in regulating developmental events in the hippocampus and indicate that although maternal deprivation is stressful for neonate, appropriate neonatal isolation can serve to promote an endocrine state that may regulate the gradual developmental change in the induction rules for synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 region.

Pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids: using principles of developmental biology to grow human tissues in a dish.

PubMed

McCauley, Heather A; Wells, James M

2017-03-15

Pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived organoids are miniature, three-dimensional human tissues generated by the application of developmental biological principles to PSCs in vitro The approach to generate organoids uses a combination of directed differentiation, morphogenetic processes, and the intrinsically driven self-assembly of cells that mimics organogenesis in the developing embryo. The resulting organoids have remarkable cell type complexity, architecture and function similar to their in vivo counterparts. In the past five years, human PSC-derived organoids with components of all three germ layers have been generated, resulting in the establishment of a new human model system. Here, and in the accompanying poster, we provide an overview of how principles of developmental biology have been essential for generating human organoids in vitro , and how organoids are now being used as a primary research tool to investigate human developmental biology. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

An epigenetic view of developmental diseases: new targets, new therapies.

PubMed

Xie, Pei; Zang, Li-Qun; Li, Xue-Kun; Shu, Qiang

2016-08-01

Function of epigenetic modifications is one of the most competitive fields in life science. Over the past several decades, it has been revealed that epigenetic modifications play essential roles in development and diseases including developmental diseases. In the present review, we summarize the recent progress about the function of epigenetic regulation, especially DNA and RNA modifications in developmental diseases. Original research articles and literature reviews published in PubMed-indexed journals. DNA modifications including methylation and demethylation can regulate gene expression, and are involved in development and multiple diseases including Rett syndrome, Autism spectrum disorders, congenital heart disease and cancer, etc. RNA methylation and demethylation play important roles in RNA processing, reprogramming, circadian, and neuronal activity, and then modulate development. DNA and RNA modifications play important roles in development and diseases through regulating gene expression. Epigenetic components could serve as novel targets for the treatment of developmental diseases.

The Role of Facial Expressions in Attention-Orienting in Adults and Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigato, Silvia; Menon, Enrica; Di Gangi, Valentina; George, Nathalie; Farroni, Teresa

2013-01-01

Faces convey many signals (i.e., gaze or expressions) essential for interpersonal interaction. We have previously shown that facial expressions of emotion and gaze direction are processed and integrated in specific combinations early in life. These findings open a number of developmental questions and specifically in this paper we address whether…

Computer modeling in developmental biology: growing today, essential tomorrow.

PubMed

Sharpe, James

2017-12-01

D'Arcy Thompson was a true pioneer, applying mathematical concepts and analyses to the question of morphogenesis over 100 years ago. The centenary of his famous book, On Growth and Form , is therefore a great occasion on which to review the types of computer modeling now being pursued to understand the development of organs and organisms. Here, I present some of the latest modeling projects in the field, covering a wide range of developmental biology concepts, from molecular patterning to tissue morphogenesis. Rather than classifying them according to scientific question, or scale of problem, I focus instead on the different ways that modeling contributes to the scientific process and discuss the likely future of modeling in developmental biology. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

A resource for characterizing genome-wide binding and putative target genes of transcription factors expressed during secondary growth and wood formation in Populus

Treesearch

Lijun Liu; Trevor Ramsay; Matthew S. Zinkgraf; David Sundell; Nathaniel Robert Street; Vladimir Filkov; Andrew Groover

2015-01-01

Identifying transcription factor target genes is essential for modeling the transcriptional networks underlying developmental processes. Here we report a chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) resource consisting of genome-wide binding regions and associated putative target genes for four Populus homeodomain transcription factors...

Plastid ribosomal protein S5 plays a critical role in photosynthesis, plant development, and cold stress tolerance in arabidopsis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plastid ribosomal proteins (RPs) are essential components for protein synthesis machinery and exert diverse roles in plant growth and development. Mutations in plastid RPs lead to a range of developmental phenotypes in plants. However, how they regulate these processes is not fully understood and th...

Common Processes in Evidence-Based Adolescent HIV Prevention Programs

PubMed Central

Ingram, Barbara L.; Flannery, Diane; Elkavich, Amy

2014-01-01

Dissemination of evidence-based HIV prevention programs for adolescents will be increased if community interventionists are able to distinguish core, essential program elements from optional, discretionary ones. We selected five successful adolescent HIV prevention programs, used a qualitative coding method to identify common processes described in the procedural manuals, and then compared the programs. Nineteen common processes were categorized as structural features, group management strategies, competence building, and addressing developmental challenges of adolescence. All programs shared the same structural features (goal-setting and session agendas), used an active engagement style of group management, and built cognitive competence. Programs varied in attention to developmental challenges, emphasis on behavioral and emotional competence, and group management methods. This qualitative analysis demonstrated that successful HIV programs contain processes not articulated in their developers’ theoretical models. By moving from the concrete specifics of branded interventions to identification of core, common processes, we are consistent with the progress of “common factors” research in psychotherapy. PMID:18330687

Evolution and development of brain networks: from Caenorhabditis elegans to Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Kaiser, Marcus; Varier, Sreedevi

2011-01-01

Neural networks show a progressive increase in complexity during the time course of evolution. From diffuse nerve nets in Cnidaria to modular, hierarchical systems in macaque and humans, there is a gradual shift from simple processes involving a limited amount of tasks and modalities to complex functional and behavioral processing integrating different kinds of information from highly specialized tissue. However, studies in a range of species suggest that fundamental similarities, in spatial and topological features as well as in developmental mechanisms for network formation, are retained across evolution. 'Small-world' topology and highly connected regions (hubs) are prevalent across the evolutionary scale, ensuring efficient processing and resilience to internal (e.g. lesions) and external (e.g. environment) changes. Furthermore, in most species, even the establishment of hubs, long-range connections linking distant components, and a modular organization, relies on similar mechanisms. In conclusion, evolutionary divergence leads to greater complexity while following essential developmental constraints.

Cervical spondylosis anatomy: pathophysiology and biomechanics.

PubMed

Shedid, Daniel; Benzel, Edward C

2007-01-01

Cervical spondylosis is the most common progressive disorder in the aging cervical spine. It results from the process of degeneration of the intervertebral discs and facet joints of the cervical spine. Biomechanically, the disc and the facets are the connecting structures between the vertebrae for the transmission of external forces. They also facilitate cervical spine mobility. Symptoms related to myelopathy and radiculopathy are caused by the formation of osteophytes, which compromise the diameter of the spinal canal. This compromise may also be partially developmental. The developmental process, together with the degenerative process, may cause mechanical pressure on the spinal cord at one or multiple levels. This pressure may produce direct neurological damage or ischemic changes and, thus, lead to spinal cord disturbances. A thorough understanding of the biomechanics, the pathology, the clinical presentation, the radiological evaluation, as well as the surgical indications of cervical spondylosis, is essential for the management of patients with cervical spondylosis.

For All Our Daughters: How Mentoring Helps Young Women and Girls Master the Art of Growing Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Echevarria, Pegine

As girls face the serious emotional, physical, and developmental challenges during youth and adolescence, external support from a nonparental female role model is an essential, and too frequently ignored, requirement for healthy development. This book presents a process for mentoring young women and girls by providing guidance in five areas:…

Kohlberg's theory of moral development: insights into rights reasoning.

PubMed

Peens, B J; Louw, D A

2000-01-01

Kohlberg's theory of moral development was based on extensive research done on the reactions of people of all ages to specific moral situational dilemmas. Kohlberg was specifically interested in reasoning processes involved in decision-making. The way in which children perceive their rights is also based on reasoning processes that are inextricably linked to their level of development and more specifically to their level of moral development since the area of human rights can be considered essentially moral. Since Kohlberg's theory is primarily concerned with development, a great deal of insight can be gained into the developmental shift that occurs in children's reasoning about the rights to which they feel they should be entitled. This article focuses on Kohlberg's six-stage theory, specifically as it pertains to reasoning processes similar to those that would be used in rights reasoning. At each stage the authors propose a potential view of how children at each developmental stage might perceive their rights based on the description Kohlberg gives of the developmental trends associated with each stage. A critical assessment of Kohlberg's work is also given in order to highlight certain considerations about the limitations of this theory that need to be considered for future research.

A PAIR OF TRANSMEMBRANE RECEPTORS ESSENTIAL FOR THE RETENTION AND PIGMENTATION OF HAIR

PubMed Central

Han, Rong; Beppu, Hideyuki; Lee, Yun-Kyoung; Georgopoulos, Katia; Larue, Lionel; Li, En; Weiner, Lorin; Brissette, Janice L.

2012-01-01

Hair follicles are simple, accessible models for many developmental processes. Here, using mutant mice, we show that Bmpr2, a known receptor for bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps), and Acvr2a, a known receptor for Bmps and activins, are individually redundant but together essential for multiple follicular traits. When Bmpr2/Acvr2a function is reduced in cutaneous epithelium, hair follicles undergo rapid cycles of hair generation and loss. Alopecia results from a failure to terminate hair development properly, as hair clubs never form, and follicular retraction is slowed. Hair regeneration is rapid due to premature activation of new hair-production programs. Hair shafts differentiate aberrantly due to impaired arrest of medullary-cell proliferation. When Bmpr2/Acvr2a function is reduced in melanocytes, gray hair develops, as melanosomes differentiate but fail to grow, resulting in organelle miniaturization. We conclude that Bmpr2 and Acvr2a normally play cell-type-specific, necessary roles in organelle biogenesis and the shutdown of developmental programs and cell division. PMID:22611050

Malignancy in Noonan syndrome and related disorders.

PubMed

Smpokou, P; Zand, D J; Rosenbaum, K N; Summar, M L

2015-12-01

Noonan syndrome (NS) and related disorders, such as NS with multiple lentigines (formerly called LEOPARD syndrome), cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, and Costello syndrome, constitute an important group of developmental malformation syndromes with variable clinical and molecular features. Their underlying pathophysiologic mechanism involves dysregulation of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, an essential mediator of developmental and growth processes in the prenatal and postnatal setting. Malignant tumor development is an important complication encountered in other RASopathies, such as neurofibromatosis type 1, but the neoplastic risks and incidence of malignant tumors are less clearly defined in NS and related disorders of the Noonan spectrum. Malignant tumor development remains an important complication variably seen in the RASopathies and, thus, a clear understanding of the underlying risks is essential for appropriate clinical care in this patient population. This review discusses previously published reports of malignancies in individuals with RASopathies of the Noonan spectrum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The search for evolutionary developmental origins of aging in zebrafish: a novel intersection of developmental and senescence biology in the zebrafish model system.

PubMed

Kishi, Shuji

2011-09-01

Senescence may be considered the antithesis of early development, but yet there may be factors and mechanisms in common between these two phenomena during the process of aging. We investigated whether any relationship exists between the regulatory mechanisms that function in early development and in senescence using the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small freshwater fish and a useful model animal for genetic studies. We conducted experiments to isolate zebrafish mutants expressing an apparent senescence phenotype during embryogenesis (embryonic senescence). Some of the genes we thereby identified had already been associated with cellular senescence and chronological aging in other organisms, but many had not yet been linked to these processes. Complete loss-of-function of developmentally essential genes induce embryonic (or larval) lethality, whereas it seems like their partial loss-of-function (i.e., decrease-of-function by heterozygote or hypomorphic mutations) still remains sufficient to go through the early developmental process because of its adaptive plasticity or rather heterozygote advantage. However, in some cases, such partial loss-of-function of genes compromise normal homeostasis due to haploinsufficiency later in adult life having many environmental stress challenges. By contrast, any heterozygote-advantageous genes might gain a certain benefit(s) (much more fitness) by such partial loss-of-function later in life. Physiological senescence may evolutionarily arise from both genetic and epigenetic drifts as well as from losing adaptive developmental plasticity in face of stress signals from the external environment that interacts with functions of multiple genes rather than effects of only a single gene mutation or defect. Previously uncharacterized developmental genes may thus mediate the aging process and play a pivotal role in senescence. Moreover, unexpected senescence-related genes might also be involved in the early developmental process and regulation. We wish to ascertain whether we can identify such genes promptly in a comprehensive manner. The ease of manipulation using the zebrafish system allows us to conduct an exhaustive exploration of novel genes and small molecular compounds that can be linked to the senescence phenotype and thereby facilitates searching for the evolutionary and developmental origins of aging in vertebrates. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Psychological essentialism among Korean children and adults: a modified replication study.

PubMed

Kim, Geunyoung

2013-01-01

Developmental psychologists have shown interest in the development of psychological essentialism among children; that is, a belief that certain psychological characteristics (such as personality) are relatively stable and unchanging. Although previous studies have shown that children are essentialistic about human traits, and the coherence among various essentialism dimensions increases with age, moderating cultural factors in the development of essentialism, especially among Asian children, have received little attention. Using the methodologies of Gelman, Heyman, and Legare (2007), levels of psychological essentialism among Korean children and adults were measured, and compared with the original US data. Results demonstrated cross-cultural similarity in the development of coherence in essentialistic thought, and difference in the level of essentialism among adult participants. The present findings imply that different cultural values between Asians and Westerners can play a role in the developmental trajectory of psychological essentialism.

Cutaneous wound healing: recruiting developmental pathways for regeneration.

PubMed

Bielefeld, Kirsten A; Amini-Nik, Saeid; Alman, Benjamin A

2013-06-01

Following a skin injury, the damaged tissue is repaired through the coordinated biological actions that constitute the cutaneous healing response. In mammals, repaired skin is not identical to intact uninjured skin, however, and this disparity may be caused by differences in the mechanisms that regulate postnatal cutaneous wound repair compared to embryonic skin development. Improving our understanding of the molecular pathways that are involved in these processes is essential to generate new therapies for wound healing complications. Here we focus on the roles of several key developmental signaling pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β, Hedgehog, Notch) in mammalian cutaneous wound repair, and compare this to their function in skin development. We discuss the varying responses to cutaneous injury across the taxa, ranging from complete regeneration to scar tissue formation. Finally, we outline how research into the role of developmental pathways during skin repair has contributed to current wound therapies, and holds potential for the development of more effective treatments.

Constrained vertebrate evolution by pleiotropic genes.

PubMed

Hu, Haiyang; Uesaka, Masahiro; Guo, Song; Shimai, Kotaro; Lu, Tsai-Ming; Li, Fang; Fujimoto, Satoko; Ishikawa, Masato; Liu, Shiping; Sasagawa, Yohei; Zhang, Guojie; Kuratani, Shigeru; Yu, Jr-Kai; Kusakabe, Takehiro G; Khaitovich, Philipp; Irie, Naoki

2017-11-01

Despite morphological diversification of chordates over 550 million years of evolution, their shared basic anatomical pattern (or 'bodyplan') remains conserved by unknown mechanisms. The developmental hourglass model attributes this to phylum-wide conserved, constrained organogenesis stages that pattern the bodyplan (the phylotype hypothesis); however, there has been no quantitative testing of this idea with a phylum-wide comparison of species. Here, based on data from early-to-late embryonic transcriptomes collected from eight chordates, we suggest that the phylotype hypothesis would be better applied to vertebrates than chordates. Furthermore, we found that vertebrates' conserved mid-embryonic developmental programmes are intensively recruited to other developmental processes, and the degree of the recruitment positively correlates with their evolutionary conservation and essentiality for normal development. Thus, we propose that the intensively recruited genetic system during vertebrates' organogenesis period imposed constraints on its diversification through pleiotropic constraints, which ultimately led to the common anatomical pattern observed in vertebrates.

Attachment in integrative neuroscientific perspective.

PubMed

Hruby, Radovan; Hasto, Jozef; Minarik, Peter

2011-01-01

Attachment theory is a very influential general concept of human social and emotional development, which emphasizes the role of early mother-infant interactions for infant's adaptive behavioural and stress copying strategies, personality organization and mental health. Individuals with disrupted development of secure attachment to mother/primary caregiver are at higher risk of developing mental disorders. This theory consists of the complex developmental psycho-neurobiological model of attachment and emerges from principles of psychoanalysis, evolutionary biology, cognitive-developmental psychology, ethology, physiology and control systems theory. The progress of modern neuroscience enables interpretation of neurobiological aspects of the theory as multi-level neural interactions and functional development of important neural structures, effects of neuromediattors, hormones and essential neurobiological processes including emotional, cognitive, social interactions and the special key role of mentalizing. It has multiple neurobiological, neuroendocrine, neurophysiological, ethological, genetic, developmental, psychological, psychotherapeutic and neuropsychiatric consequences and is a prototype of complex neuroscientific concept as interpretation of modern integrated neuroscience.

The very-long-chain hydroxy fatty acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 is essential and limiting for plant development

PubMed Central

Bach, Liên; Michaelson, Louise V.; Haslam, Richard; Bellec, Yannick; Gissot, Lionel; Marion, Jessica; Da Costa, Marco; Boutin, Jean-Pierre; Miquel, Martine; Tellier, Frédérique; Domergue, Frederic; Markham, Jonathan E.; Beaudoin, Frederic; Napier, Johnathan A.; Faure, Jean-Denis

2008-01-01

Very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are synthesized as acyl-CoAs by the endoplasmic reticulum-localized elongase multiprotein complex. Two Arabidopsis genes are putative homologues of the recently identified yeast 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase (PHS1), the third enzyme of the elongase complex. We showed that Arabidopsis PASTICCINO2 (PAS2) was able to restore phs1 cytokinesis defects and sphingolipid long chain base overaccumulation. Conversely, the expression of PHS1 was able to complement the developmental defects and the accumulation of long chain bases of the pas2–1 mutant. The pas2–1 mutant was characterized by a general reduction of VLCFA pools in seed storage triacylglycerols, cuticular waxes, and complex sphingolipids. Most strikingly, the defective elongation cycle resulted in the accumulation of 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA intermediates, indicating premature termination of fatty acid elongation and confirming the role of PAS2 in this process. We demonstrated by in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation that PAS2 was specifically associated in the endoplasmic reticulum with the enoyl-CoA reductase CER10, the fourth enzyme of the elongase complex. Finally, complete loss of PAS2 function is embryo lethal, and the ectopic expression of PHS1 led to enhanced levels of VLCFAs associated with severe developmental defects. Altogether these results demonstrate that the plant 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 is an essential and limiting enzyme in VLCFA synthesis but also that PAS2-derived VLCFA homeostasis is required for specific developmental processes. PMID:18799749

48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

A DNA damage checkpoint pathway coordinates the division of dikaryotic cells in the ink cap mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea.

PubMed

de Sena-Tomás, Carmen; Navarro-González, Mónica; Kües, Ursula; Pérez-Martín, José

2013-09-01

The fungal fruiting body or mushroom is a multicellular structure essential for sexual reproduction. It is composed of dikaryotic cells that contain one haploid nucleus from each mating partner sharing the same cytoplasm without undergoing nuclear fusion. In the mushroom, the pileus bears the hymenium, a layer of cells that includes the specialized basidia in which nuclear fusion, meiosis, and sporulation occur. Coprinopsis cinerea is a well-known model fungus used to study developmental processes associated with the formation of the fruiting body. Here we describe that knocking down the expression of Atr1 and Chk1, two kinases shown to be involved in the response to DNA damage in a number of eukaryotic organisms, dramatically impairs the ability to develop fruiting bodies in C. cinerea, as well as other developmental decisions such as sclerotia formation. These developmental defects correlated with the impairment in silenced strains to sustain an appropriated dikaryotic cell cycle. Dikaryotic cells in which chk1 or atr1 genes were silenced displayed a higher level of asynchronous mitosis and as a consequence aberrant cells carrying an unbalanced dose of nuclei. Since fruiting body initiation is dependent on the balanced mating-type regulator doses present in the dikaryon, we believe that the observed developmental defects were a consequence of the impaired cell cycle in the dikaryon. Our results suggest a connection between the DNA damage response cascade, cell cycle regulation, and developmental processes in this fungus.

The Zebrafish Models to Explore Genetic and Epigenetic Impacts on Evolutionary Developmental Origins of Aging

PubMed Central

Kishi, Shuji

2014-01-01

Can we reset, reprogram, rejuvenate or reverse the organismal aging process? Certain genetic manipulations could at least reset and reprogram epigenetic dynamics beyond phenotypic plasticity and elasticity in cells, which can be further manipulated into organisms. However, in a whole complex aging organism, how can we rejuvenate intrinsic resources and infrastructures in an intact/noninvasive manner? The incidence of diseases increases exponentially with age, accompanied by progressive deteriorations of physiological functions in organisms. Aging-associated diseases are sporadic but essentially inevitable complications arising from senescence. Senescence is often considered the antithesis of early development, but yet there may be factors and mechanisms in common between these two phenomena to rejuvenate over the dynamic process of aging. The association between early development and late-onset disease with advancing age is thought to come from a consequence of developmental plasticity, the phenomenon by which one genotype can give rise to a range of physiologically and/or morphologically adaptive states based on diverse epigenotypes, in response to intrinsic or extrinsic environmental cues and genetic perturbations. We hypothesized that the future aging process can be predictive based on adaptivity during the early developmental period. Modulating the thresholds and windows of plasticity and its robustness by molecular genetic and chemical epigenetic approaches, we have successfully conducted experiments to isolate zebrafish mutants expressing apparently altered senescence phenotypes during their embryonic and/or larval stages (“embryonic/larval senescence”). Subsequently, at least some of these mutant animals were found to show shortened lifespan, while some others would be expected to live longer in adulthoods. We anticipate that previously uncharacterized developmental genes may mediate the aging process and play a pivotal role in senescence. On the other hand, unexpected senescence-related genes might also be involved in the early developmental process and its regulation. The ease of manipulation using the zebrafish system allows us to conduct an exhaustive exploration of novel genes/genotypes and epigenotype that can be linked to the senescence phenotype, and thereby facilitates searching for the evolutionary and developmental origins of aging in vertebrates. PMID:24239812

Long-term C. elegans immobilization enables high resolution developmental studies in vivo.

PubMed

Berger, Simon; Lattmann, Evelyn; Aegerter-Wilmsen, Tinri; Hengartner, Michael; Hajnal, Alex; deMello, Andrew; Casadevall I Solvas, Xavier

2018-05-01

Live-imaging of C. elegans is essential for the study of conserved cellular pathways (e.g. EGFR/Wnt signaling) and morphogenesis in vivo. However, the usefulness of live imaging as a research tool has been severely limited by the need to immobilize worms prior to and during imaging. Conventionally, immobilization is achieved by employing both physical and chemical interventions. These are known to significantly affect many physiological processes, and thus limit our understanding of dynamic developmental processes. Herein we present a novel, easy-to-use microfluidic platform for the long-term immobilization of viable, normally developing C. elegans, compatible with image acquisition at high resolution, thereby overcoming the limitations associated with conventional worm immobilization. The capabilities of the platform are demonstrated through the continuous assessment of anchor cell (AC) invasion and distal tip cell (DTC) migration in larval C. elegans and germ cell apoptosis in adult C. elegans in vivo for the first time.

Pathways to recovery: promoting change within a developmental-systemic framework.

PubMed

Bryant-Waugh, Rachel

2006-04-01

This article describes a format for the process of achieving therapeutic change through structured individual sessions with adolescents or adults with eating disorders. It is a model for change based on three separate existing theoretical or conceptual strands: Developmental theory; the application of systems theory and cybernetics to clinical practice; and feminist ideology. It was developed as a pragmatic, clinician-friendly model that could be successfully used by therapists from different disciplines, and is referred to here as developmental-systemic-feminist therapy or individual developmental-systemic therapy. Change in this context is defined as the overt and measurable alteration in feelings, thoughts and behaviours of the participant(s) over the course of treatment. The article provides an overview of the treatment model and outlines the five steps used to achieve change (explore; understand; accept; challenge; change). Essential components of the therapist's stance, skills and knowledge are described, followed by a discussion of the structure and content of sessions in different stages of the therapy. Finally, clinical examples are given to illustrate the clinical use of this model in young patients with eating disorders.

What We Know about Developmental Education Outcomes. Research Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaggars, Shanna Smith; Stacey, Georgia West

2014-01-01

Many recent high school graduates who enter community college are required to take remedial or developmental education courses before enrolling in college-level courses. Developmental courses essentially reteach high school- and junior high school-level content in reading, writing, and math. In some cases, students are referred to two or even…

The Relationship between the Severity of Eating Problems and Intellectual Developmental Deficit Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gal, Eynat; Hardal-Nasser, Reem; Engel-Yeger, Batya

2011-01-01

Nutrition, essential in the daily living functions promoting life quality of persons with intellectual developmental deficits (IDD), is adversely affected by the highly prevalent eating problems in these persons. The current study explores the characteristics of eating problems in population of children with intellectual developmental disorders.…

A proposed model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development.

PubMed

Knight, Zelda Gillian

2017-09-01

Just as Freud used stages of psychosexual development to ground his model of psychoanalysis, it is possible to do the same with Erik Erikson's stages of development with regards to a model of psychodynamic psychotherapy. This paper proposes an eight-stage model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development. Various suggestions are offered. One such suggestion is that as each of Erikson's developmental stages is triggered by a crisis, in therapy it is triggered by the client's search. The resolution of the search often leads to the development of another search, which implies that the therapy process comprises a series of searches. This idea of a series of searches and resolutions leads to the understanding that identity is developmental and therapy is a space in which a new sense of identity may emerge. The notion of hope is linked to Erikson's stage of Basic Trust and the proposed model of therapy views hope and trust as essential for the therapy process. Two clinical vignettes are offered to illustrate these ideas. Psychotherapy can be approached as an eight-stage process and linked to Erikson's eight stages model of development. Psychotherapy may be viewed as a series of searches and thus as a developmental stage resolution process, which leads to the understanding that identity is ongoing throughout the life span. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Light-Mediated Hormonal Regulation of Plant Growth and Development.

PubMed

de Wit, Mieke; Galvão, Vinicius Costa; Fankhauser, Christian

2016-04-29

Light is crucial for plant life, and perception of the light environment dictates plant growth, morphology, and developmental changes. Such adjustments in growth and development in response to light conditions are often established through changes in hormone levels and signaling. This review discusses examples of light-regulated processes throughout a plant's life cycle for which it is known how light signals lead to hormonal regulation. Light acts as an important developmental switch in germination, photomorphogenesis, and transition to flowering, and light cues are essential to ensure light capture through architectural changes during phototropism and the shade avoidance response. In describing well-established links between light perception and hormonal changes, we aim to give insight into the mechanisms that enable plants to thrive in variable light environments.

A microRNA family exerts maternal control on sex determination in C. elegans

PubMed Central

McJunkin, Katherine; Ambros, Victor

2017-01-01

Gene expression in early animal embryogenesis is in large part controlled post-transcriptionally. Maternally contributed microRNAs may therefore play important roles in early development. We elucidated a major biological role of the nematode mir-35 family of maternally contributed essential microRNAs. We show that this microRNA family regulates the sex determination pathway at multiple levels, acting both upstream of and downstream from her-1 to prevent aberrantly activated male developmental programs in hermaphrodite embryos. Both of the predicted target genes that act downstream from the mir-35 family in this process, suppressor-26 (sup-26) and NHL (NCL-1, HT2A, and LIN-41 repeat) domain-containing-2 (nhl-2), encode RNA-binding proteins, thus delineating a previously unknown post-transcriptional regulatory subnetwork within the well-studied sex determination pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans. Repression of nhl-2 by the mir-35 family is required for not only proper sex determination but also viability, showing that a single microRNA target site can be essential. Since sex determination in C. elegans requires zygotic gene expression to read the sex chromosome karyotype, early embryos must remain gender-naïve; our findings show that the mir-35 family microRNAs act in the early embryo to function as a developmental timer that preserves naïveté and prevents premature deleterious developmental decisions. PMID:28279983

Proteomic analysis of maize grain development using iTRAQ reveals temporal programs of diverse metabolic processes.

PubMed

Yu, Tao; Li, Geng; Dong, Shuting; Liu, Peng; Zhang, Jiwang; Zhao, Bin

2016-11-04

Grain development in maize is an essential process in the plant's life cycle and is vital for use of the plant as a crop for animals and humans. However, little is known regarding the protein regulatory networks that control grain development. Here, isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technology was used to analyze temporal changes in protein expression during maize grain development. Maize grain proteins and changes in protein expression at eight developmental stages from 3 to 50 d after pollination (DAP) were performed using iTRAQ-based proteomics. Overall, 4751 proteins were identified; 2639 of these were quantified and 1235 showed at least 1.5-fold changes in expression levels at different developmental stages and were identified as differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The DEPs were involved in different cellular and metabolic processes with a preferential distribution to protein synthesis/destination and metabolism categories. A K-means clustering analysis revealed coordinated protein expression associated with different functional categories/subcategories at different development stages. Our results revealed developing maize grain display different proteomic characteristics at distinct stages, such as numerous DEPs for cell growth/division were highly expressed during early stages, whereas those for starch biosynthesis and defense/stress accumulated in middle and late stages, respectively. We also observed coordinated expression of multiple proteins of the antioxidant system, which are essential for the maintenance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis during grain development. Particularly, some DEPs, such as zinc metallothionein class II, pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) and 14-3-3 proteins, undergo major changes in expression at specific developmental stages, suggesting their roles in maize grain development. These results provide a valuable resource for analyzing protein function on a global scale and also provide new insights into the potential protein regulatory networks that control grain yield and quality.

Integrative Analysis of Disease Signatures Shows Inflammation Disrupts Juvenile Experience-Dependent Cortical Plasticity

PubMed Central

Smith, Milo R.; Burman, Poromendro

2016-01-01

Throughout childhood and adolescence, periods of heightened neuroplasticity are critical for the development of healthy brain function and behavior. Given the high prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, identifying disruptors of developmental plasticity represents an essential step for developing strategies for prevention and intervention. Applying a novel computational approach that systematically assessed connections between 436 transcriptional signatures of disease and multiple signatures of neuroplasticity, we identified inflammation as a common pathological process central to a diverse set of diseases predicted to dysregulate plasticity signatures. We tested the hypothesis that inflammation disrupts developmental cortical plasticity in vivo using the mouse ocular dominance model of experience-dependent plasticity in primary visual cortex. We found that the administration of systemic lipopolysaccharide suppressed plasticity during juvenile critical period with accompanying transcriptional changes in a particular set of molecular regulators within primary visual cortex. These findings suggest that inflammation may have unrecognized adverse consequences on the postnatal developmental trajectory and indicate that treating inflammation may reduce the burden of neurodevelopmental disorders. PMID:28101530

Developmental delay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutrition support is essential for the care of the child with developmental delay. After a thorough evaluation, an individualized intervention plan that accounts for the child’s nutrition status, feeding ability, and medical condition may be determined. Nutrition assessments may be performed at leas...

The "Globularization Hypothesis" of the Language-ready Brain as a Developmental Frame for Prosodic Bootstrapping Theories of Language Acquisition.

PubMed

Irurtzun, Aritz

2015-01-01

In recent research (Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco, 2014a,b) have advanced the hypothesis that our species-specific language-ready brain should be understood as the outcome of developmental changes that occurred in our species after the split from Neanderthals-Denisovans, which resulted in a more globular braincase configuration in comparison to our closest relatives, who had elongated endocasts. According to these authors, the development of a globular brain is an essential ingredient for the language faculty and in particular, it is the centrality occupied by the thalamus in a globular brain that allows its modulatory or regulatory role, essential for syntactico-semantic computations. Their hypothesis is that the syntactico-semantic capacities arise in humans as a consequence of a process of globularization, which significantly takes place postnatally (cf. Neubauer et al., 2010). In this paper, I show that Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco's hypothesis makes an interesting developmental prediction regarding the path of language acquisition: it teases apart the onset of phonological acquisition and the onset of syntactic acquisition (the latter starting significantly later, after globularization). I argue that this hypothesis provides a developmental rationale for the prosodic bootstrapping hypothesis of language acquisition (cf. i.a. Gleitman and Wanner, 1982; Mehler et al., 1988, et seq.; Gervain and Werker, 2013), which claim that prosodic cues are employed for syntactic parsing. The literature converges in the observation that a large amount of such prosodic cues (in particular, rhythmic cues) are already acquired before the completion of the globularization phase, which paves the way for the premises of the prosodic bootstrapping hypothesis, allowing babies to have a rich knowledge of the prosody of their target language before they can start parsing the primary linguistic data syntactically.

The Epidermis of Grhl3-Null Mice Displays Altered Lipid Processing and Cellular Hyperproliferation

PubMed Central

Ting, Stephen B; Caddy, Jacinta; Wilanowski, Tomasz; Auden, Alana; Cunningham, John M; Elias, Peter M; Holleran, Walter M

2005-01-01

The presence of an impermeable surface barrier is an essential homeostatic mechanism in almost all living organisms. We have recently described a novel gene that is critical for the developmental instruction and repair of the integument in mammals. This gene, Grainy head-like 3 (Grhl3) is a member of a large family of transcription factors that are homologs of the Drosophila developmental gene grainy head (grh). Mice lacking Grhl3 fail to form an adequate skin barrier, and die at birth due to dehydration. These animals are also unable to repair the epidermis, exhibiting failed wound healing in both fetal and adult stages of development. These defects are due, in part, to diminished expression of a Grhl3 target gene, Transglutaminase 1 (TGase 1), which encodes a key enzyme involved in cross-linking of epidermal structural proteins and lipids into the cornified envelope (CE). Remarkably, the Drosophila grh gene plays an analogous role, regulating enzymes involved in the generation of quinones, which are essential for cross-linking structural components of the fly epidermis. In an extension of our initial analyses, we focus this report on additional defects observed in the Grhl3-null epidermis, namely defective extra-cellular lipid processing, altered lamellar lipid architecture and cellular hyperproliferation. These abnormalities suggest that Grhl3 plays diverse mechanistic roles in maintaining homeostasis in the skin. PMID:19521564

The epidermis of grhl3-null mice displays altered lipid processing and cellular hyperproliferation.

PubMed

Ting, Stephen B; Caddy, Jacinta; Wilanowski, Tomasz; Auden, Alana; Cunningham, John M; Elias, Peter M; Holleran, Walter M; Jane, Stephen M

2005-04-01

The presence of an impermeable surface barrier is an essential homeostatic mechanism in almost all living organisms. We have recently described a novel gene that is critical for the developmental instruction and repair of the integument in mammals. This gene, Grainy head-like 3 (Grhl3) is a member of a large family of transcription factors that are homologs of the Drosophila developmental gene grainy head (grh). Mice lacking Grhl3 fail to form an adequate skin barrier, and die at birth due to dehydration. These animals are also unable to repair the epidermis, exhibiting failed wound healing in both fetal and adult stages of development. These defects are due, in part, to diminished expression of a Grhl3 target gene, Transglutaminase 1 (TGase 1), which encodes a key enzyme involved in cross-linking of epidermal structural proteins and lipids into the cornified envelope (CE). Remarkably, the Drosophila grh gene plays an analogous role, regulating enzymes involved in the generation of quinones, which are essential for cross-linking structural components of the fly epidermis. In an extension of our initial analyses, we focus this report on additional defects observed in the Grhl3-null epidermis, namely defective extra-cellular lipid processing, altered lamellar lipid architecture and cellular hyperproliferation. These abnormalities suggest that Grhl3 plays diverse mechanistic roles in maintaining homeostasis in the skin.

The Potential Contribution of Advanced Imaging Techniques to Developmental Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Neuropathologic assessment provides critical data essential to developmental neurotoxicity risk assessment. There are a number of objectives in conducting a neuropathologic assessment to effectively support risk assessment. These include a comprehensive assessment of the adult an...

In Vitro Experimental Model for the Long-Term Analysis of Cellular Dynamics During Bronchial Tree Development from Lung Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Maruta, Naomichi; Marumoto, Moegi

2017-01-01

Lung branching morphogenesis has been studied for decades, but the underlying developmental mechanisms are still not fully understood. Cellular movements dynamically change during the branching process, but it is difficult to observe long-term cellular dynamics by in vivo or tissue culture experiments. Therefore, developing an in vitro experimental model of bronchial tree would provide an essential tool for developmental biology, pathology, and systems biology. In this study, we succeeded in reconstructing a bronchial tree in vitro by using primary human bronchial epithelial cells. A high concentration gradient of bronchial epithelial cells was required for branching initiation, whereas homogeneously distributed endothelial cells induced the formation of successive branches. Subsequently, the branches grew in size to the order of millimeter. The developed model contains only two types of cells and it facilitates the analysis of lung branching morphogenesis. By taking advantage of our experimental model, we carried out long-term time-lapse observations, which revealed self-assembly, collective migration with leader cells, rotational motion, and spiral motion of epithelial cells in each developmental event. Mathematical simulation was also carried out to analyze the self-assembly process and it revealed simple rules that govern cellular dynamics. Our experimental model has provided many new insights into lung development and it has the potential to accelerate the study of developmental mechanisms, pattern formation, left–right asymmetry, and disease pathogenesis of the human lung. PMID:28471293

Play Therapy. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landreth, Garry; Bratton, Sue

Play therapy is based on developmental principles and, thus, provides, through play, developmentally appropriate means of expression and communication for children. Therefore, skill in using play therapy is an essential tool for mental health professionals who work with children. Therapeutic play allows children the opportunity to express…

A microRNA family exerts maternal control on sex determination in C. elegans.

PubMed

McJunkin, Katherine; Ambros, Victor

2017-02-15

Gene expression in early animal embryogenesis is in large part controlled post-transcriptionally. Maternally contributed microRNAs may therefore play important roles in early development. We elucidated a major biological role of the nematode mir-35 family of maternally contributed essential microRNAs. We show that this microRNA family regulates the sex determination pathway at multiple levels, acting both upstream of and downstream from her-1 to prevent aberrantly activated male developmental programs in hermaphrodite embryos. Both of the predicted target genes that act downstream from the mir-35 family in this process, suppressor-26 ( sup-26 ) and NHL (NCL-1, HT2A, and LIN-41 repeat) domain-containing-2 ( nhl-2 ), encode RNA-binding proteins, thus delineating a previously unknown post-transcriptional regulatory subnetwork within the well-studied sex determination pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans Repression of nhl-2 by the mir-35 family is required for not only proper sex determination but also viability, showing that a single microRNA target site can be essential. Since sex determination in C. elegans requires zygotic gene expression to read the sex chromosome karyotype, early embryos must remain gender-naïve; our findings show that the mir-35 family microRNAs act in the early embryo to function as a developmental timer that preserves naïveté and prevents premature deleterious developmental decisions. © 2017 McJunkin and Ambros; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

A Cascade of Wnt, Eda, and Shh Signaling Is Essential for Touch Dome Merkel Cell Development.

PubMed

Xiao, Ying; Thoresen, Daniel T; Miao, Lingling; Williams, Jonathan S; Wang, Chaochen; Atit, Radhika P; Wong, Sunny Y; Brownell, Isaac

2016-07-01

The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway regulates developmental, homeostatic, and repair processes throughout the body. In the skin, touch domes develop in tandem with primary hair follicles and contain sensory Merkel cells. The developmental signaling requirements for touch dome specification are largely unknown. We found dermal Wnt signaling and subsequent epidermal Eda/Edar signaling promoted Merkel cell morphogenesis by inducing Shh expression in early follicles. Lineage-specific gene deletions revealed intraepithelial Shh signaling was necessary for Merkel cell specification. Additionally, a Shh signaling agonist was sufficient to rescue Merkel cell differentiation in Edar-deficient skin. Moreover, Merkel cells formed in Fgf20 mutant skin where primary hair formation was defective but Shh production was preserved. Although developmentally associated with hair follicles, fate mapping demonstrated Merkel cells primarily originated outside the hair follicle lineage. These findings suggest that touch dome development requires Wnt-dependent mesenchymal signals to establish reciprocal signaling within the developing ectoderm, including Eda signaling to primary hair placodes and ultimately Shh signaling from primary follicles to extrafollicular Merkel cell progenitors. Shh signaling often demonstrates pleiotropic effects within a structure over time. In postnatal skin, Shh is known to regulate the self-renewal, but not the differentiation, of touch dome stem cells. Our findings relate the varied effects of Shh in the touch dome to the ligand source, with locally produced Shh acting as a morphogen essential for lineage specification during development and neural Shh regulating postnatal touch dome stem cell maintenance.

The Essential Gene EMB1611 Maintains Shoot Apical Meristem Function During Arabidopsis Development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Arabidopsis thaliana genome contains hundreds of genes essential for seed development. Because null mutations in these genes cause embryo lethality, their specific molecular and developmental functions are largely unknown. Here, we identify a role for EMB1611/MEE22, an essential gene in Arabidop...

A genome-wide analysis reveals that the Drosophila transcription factor Lola promotes axon growth in part by suppressing expression of the actin nucleation factor Spire.

PubMed

Gates, Michael A; Kannan, Ramakrishnan; Giniger, Edward

2011-11-30

The phylogenetically conserved transcription factor Lola is essential for many aspects of axon growth and guidance, synapse formation and neural circuit development in Drosophila. To date it has been difficult, however, to obtain an overall view of Lola functions and mechanisms. We use expression microarrays to identify the lola-dependent transcriptome in the Drosophila embryo. We find that lola regulates the expression of a large selection of genes that are known to affect each of several lola-dependent developmental processes. Among other loci, we find lola to be a negative regulator of spire, an actin nucleation factor that has been studied for its essential role in oogenesis. We show that spire is expressed in the nervous system and is required for a known lola-dependent axon guidance decision, growth of ISNb motor axons. We further show that reducing spire gene dosage suppresses this aspect of the lola phenotype, verifying that derepression of spire is an important contributor to the axon stalling phenotype of embryonic motor axons in lola mutants. These data shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of many lola-dependent processes, and also identify several developmental processes not previously linked to lola that are apt to be regulated by this transcription factor. These data further demonstrate that excessive expression of the actin nucleation factor Spire is as deleterious for axon growth in vivo as is the loss of Spire, thus highlighting the need for a balance in the elementary steps of actin dynamics to achieve effective neuronal morphogenesis.

Developmental Programming of Branching Morphogenesis in the Kidney

PubMed Central

Schneider, Laura; Al-Awqati, Qais

2015-01-01

The kidney developmental program encodes the intricate branching and organization of approximately 1 million functional units (nephrons). Branching regulation is poorly understood, as is the source of a 10-fold variation in nephron number. Notably, low nephron count increases the risk for developing hypertension and renal failure. To better understand the source of this variation, we analyzed the complete gestational trajectory of mouse kidney development. We constructed a computerized architectural map of the branching process throughout fetal life and found that organogenesis is composed of two distinct developmental phases, each with stage-specific rate and morphologic parameters. The early phase is characterized by a rapid acceleration in branching rate and by branching divisions that repeat with relatively reproducible morphology. The latter phase, however, is notable for a significantly decreased yet constant branching rate and the presence of nonstereotyped branching events that generate progressive variability in tree morphology until birth. Our map identifies and quantitates the contribution of four developmental mechanisms that guide organogenesis: growth, patterning, branching rate, and nephron induction. When applied to organs that developed under conditions of malnutrition or in the setting of growth factor mutation, our normative map provided an essential link between kidney architecture and the fundamental morphogenetic mechanisms that guide development. This morphogenetic map is expected to find widespread applications and help identify modifiable targets to prevent developmental programming of common diseases. PMID:25644110

Developmental Programming of Branching Morphogenesis in the Kidney.

PubMed

Sampogna, Rosemary V; Schneider, Laura; Al-Awqati, Qais

2015-10-01

The kidney developmental program encodes the intricate branching and organization of approximately 1 million functional units (nephrons). Branching regulation is poorly understood, as is the source of a 10-fold variation in nephron number. Notably, low nephron count increases the risk for developing hypertension and renal failure. To better understand the source of this variation, we analyzed the complete gestational trajectory of mouse kidney development. We constructed a computerized architectural map of the branching process throughout fetal life and found that organogenesis is composed of two distinct developmental phases, each with stage-specific rate and morphologic parameters. The early phase is characterized by a rapid acceleration in branching rate and by branching divisions that repeat with relatively reproducible morphology. The latter phase, however, is notable for a significantly decreased yet constant branching rate and the presence of nonstereotyped branching events that generate progressive variability in tree morphology until birth. Our map identifies and quantitates the contribution of four developmental mechanisms that guide organogenesis: growth, patterning, branching rate, and nephron induction. When applied to organs that developed under conditions of malnutrition or in the setting of growth factor mutation, our normative map provided an essential link between kidney architecture and the fundamental morphogenetic mechanisms that guide development. This morphogenetic map is expected to find widespread applications and help identify modifiable targets to prevent developmental programming of common diseases. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

An Integrated Nursing Management Information System: From Concept to Reality

PubMed Central

Pinkley, Connie L.; Sommer, Patricia K.

1988-01-01

This paper addresses the transition from the conceptualization of a Nursing Management Information System (NMIS) integrated and interdependent with the Hospital Information System (HIS) to its realization. Concepts of input, throughout, and output are presented to illustrate developmental strategies used to achieve nursing information products. Essential processing capabilities include: 1) ability to interact with multiple data sources; 2) database management, statistical, and graphics software packages; 3) online, batch and reporting; and 4) interactive data analysis. Challenges encountered in system construction are examined.

Development of Mentalizing and Communication: From Viewpoint of Developmental Cybernetics and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itakura, Shoji

The ability to mentalize is essential for human socialization. Such ability is strongly related to communication. In this paper, I discuss the development of mentalizing and communication from the perspectives of a new idea, Developmental Cybernetics, and developmental cognitive neuroscience. Children only attributed intention to a robot when they saw it behaving as a human and displaying social signals such as eye gaze. The emergence of powerful new methods and tools, such as neuroimaging, now allows questions about mentalizing to resolved more directly than before.

Environmental Toxicants and Developmental Disabilities: A Challenge for Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koger, Susan M.; Schettler, Ted; Weiss, Bernard

2005-01-01

Developmental, learning, and behavioral disabilities are a significant public health problem. Environmental chemicals can interfere with brain development during critical periods, thereby impacting sensory, motor, and cognitive function. Because regulation in the United States is based on limited testing protocols and essentially requires proof of…

Developmental Thyroid Hormone Insufficiency Induces Cortical Brain Malformation and Learning Impairments: A Cross-Fostering Study

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development, but animal models of well-defined and sensitive downstream apical neurotoxic outcomes associated with developmental TH disruption are lacking. A structural anomaly, a cortical heterotopia, in the brains of hypothyroid rat...

The Alternative Peer Group: A Developmentally Appropriate Recovery Support Model for Adolescents.

PubMed

Nash, Angela; Collier, Crystal

2016-01-01

Recovery as the goal for substance use disorder treatment has been a key component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's mission for the past decade. Consistent with their mission, there is a call for research and development of recovery-oriented systems of care to support affected individuals through all stages of the recovery process. Evidence is emerging to support recovery practice and research for adults, but recovery-oriented models for adolescents are scant. The Alternative Peer Group (APG) is a comprehensive adolescent recovery support model that integrates recovering peers and prosocial activities into evidence-based clinical practice. Employing APG participants' own words, this article will describe the essential elements and three theoretical frameworks underlying the APG model to illustrate how the APG serves as a developmentally appropriate recovery support service for adolescents with substance use disorder.

The Improbable State: The Prospects for a Developmental Turn in North Korea

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

more developed than South Korea. During the Japanese occupation, North Korea was built up with the most modern industrial complex in East Asia. When...political economy as Chalmers Johnson’s writings on the developmental state. Originally written in 1982, his book MITI and the Japanese Miracle...initially coined the phrase “ Japanese developmental state.”14 His argument was essentially that Japan’s system was fundamentally different from either the

[Maturation, separation and social integration. Some developmental psychology aspects of childhood sports].

PubMed

Günter, Michael

2002-04-01

The unfolding of motorical and social experiences with one's own body is a core element of ego-development and identity in childhood and adolescence. This paper describes essential elements of this process in different age stages. Especially in adolescence, the maturational and separational development are determined by the complex interaction between integration into the peer group and separation from adults, between search for appreciation and oppositional tendencies. On the one hand sport plays an important role for many adolescents during this process. On the other hand adolescent conflicts have a great impact on practising sport. These considerations are illustrated by two case vignettes.

Microglia and Inflammation: Impact on Developmental Brain Injuries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chew, Li-Jin; Takanohashi, Asako; Bell, Michael

2006-01-01

Inflammation during the perinatal period has become a recognized risk factor for developmental brain injuries over the past decade or more. To fully understand the relationship between inflammation and brain development, a comprehensive knowledge about the immune system within the brain is essential. Microglia are resident immune cells within the…

Single Case Design Elements in Text Comprehension Research for Students with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Sara M.; Knight, Victoria F.; Ayres, Kevin M.; Mims, Pamela J.; Sartini, Emily C.

2017-01-01

Recently researchers have begun exploring the efficacy of interventions designed to improve text comprehension skills for students with developmental disabilities (DD). Text comprehension is essential for understanding academic content as students with disabilities make progress in the general education curriculum. This article focuses on single…

Predictors of Primary School Teachers' Knowledge about Developmental Dyscalculia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Paula; Dias, Paulo C.; Cadime, Irene

2017-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that is described as a heterogeneous and persistent cognitive disorder. Given the need to detect and intervene as early as possible to minimise its effects, teachers' knowledge about symptoms, characteristics and effective intervention strategies in dyscalculia is essential. Given the…

Multiple Sensory-Motor Pathways Lead to Coordinated Visual Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Chen; Smith, Linda B.

2017-01-01

Joint attention has been extensively studied in the developmental literature because of overwhelming evidence that the ability to socially coordinate visual attention to an object is essential to healthy developmental outcomes, including language learning. The goal of this study was to understand the complex system of sensory-motor behaviors that…

A Dialectical Approach to Theoretical Integration in Developmental-Contextual Identity Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seaman, Jayson; Sharp, Erin Hiley; Coppens, Andrew D.

2017-01-01

Future advances in identity research will depend on integration across major theoretical traditions. Developmental-contextualism has established essential criteria to guide this effort, including specifying the context of identity development, its timing over the life course, and its content. This article assesses 4 major traditions of identity…

Family Perspectives on Integrated Employment for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilson, Carly B.; Carter, Erik W.; Bumble, Jennifer L.; McMillan, Elise D.

2018-01-01

Families are essential partners in efforts to elevate the employment outcomes of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We examined the employment-related expectations, preferences, and concerns of 673 parents and other family members of adults with IDD. Participants prioritized paid integrated employment over sheltered…

Nrf2 and Nrf2-Related Proteins in Development and Developmental Toxicity: Insights from studies in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

PubMed Central

Hahn, Mark E.; Timme-Laragy, Alicia R.; Karchner, Sibel I.; Stegeman, John J.

2015-01-01

Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of chemical toxicity, contributing to developmental toxicity and teratogenesis as well as to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetic embryopathy. Developing animals are especially sensitive to effects of chemicals that disrupt the balance of processes generating reactive species and oxidative stress, and those anti-oxidant defenses that protect against oxidative stress. The expression and inducibility of anti-oxidant defenses through activation of NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and related proteins is an essential process affecting the susceptibility to oxidants, but the complex interactions of Nrf2 in determining embryonic response to oxidants and oxidative stress are only beginning to be understood. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an established model in developmental biology and now also in developmental toxicology and redox signaling. Here we review the regulation of genes involved in protection against oxidative stress in developing vertebrates, with a focus on Nrf2 and related cap’n’collar (CNC)-basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors. Vertebrate animals including zebrafish share Nfe2, Nrf1, Nrf2, and Nrf3 as well as a core set of genes that respond to oxidative stress, contributing to the value of zebrafish as a model system with which to investigate the mechanisms involved in regulation of redox signaling and the response to oxidative stress during embryolarval development. Moreover, studies in zebrafish have revealed nrf and keap1 gene duplications that provide an opportunity to dissect multiple functions of vertebrate NRF genes, including multiple sensing mechanisms involved in chemical-specific effects. PMID:26130508

Look into my eyes: Investigating joint attention using interactive eye-tracking and fMRI in a developmental sample.

PubMed

Oberwelland, E; Schilbach, L; Barisic, I; Krall, S C; Vogeley, K; Fink, G R; Herpertz-Dahlmann, B; Konrad, K; Schulte-Rüther, M

2016-04-15

Joint attention, the shared attentional focus of at least two people on a third significant object, is one of the earliest steps in social development and an essential aspect of reciprocal interaction. However, the neural basis of joint attention (JA) in the course of development is completely unknown. The present study made use of an interactive eye-tracking paradigm in order to examine the developmental trajectories of JA and the influence of a familiar interaction partner during the social encounter. Our results show that across children and adolescents JA elicits a similar network of "social brain" areas as well as attention and motor control associated areas as in adults. While other-initiated JA particularly recruited visual, attention and social processing areas, self-initiated JA specifically activated areas related to social cognition, decision-making, emotions and motivational/reward processes highlighting the rewarding character of self-initiated JA. Activation was further enhanced during self-initiated JA with a familiar interaction partner. With respect to developmental effects, activation of the precuneus declined from childhood to adolescence and additionally shifted from a general involvement in JA towards a more specific involvement for self-initiated JA. Similarly, the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) was broadly involved in JA in children and more specialized for self-initiated JA in adolescents. Taken together, this study provides first-time data on the developmental trajectories of JA and the effect of a familiar interaction partner incorporating the interactive character of JA, its reciprocity and motivational aspects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A framework for institutionalizing quality assurance.

PubMed

Silimperi, Diana R; Franco, Lynne Miller; Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Tisna; MacAulay, Catherine

2002-12-01

To develop a framework to support the institutionalization of quality assurance (QA). The framework for institutionalizing QA consists of a model of eight essential elements and a 'roadmap' for the process of institutionalization. The essential elements are the building blocks required for implementing and sustaining QA activities. Core QA activities include defining, measuring and improving quality. The essential elements are grouped under three categories: the internal enabling environment (internal to the organization or system), organizing for quality, and support functions. The enabling environment contains the essential elements of leadership, policy, core values, and resources. Organizing for quality includes the structure for implementing QA. Three essential elements are primarily support functions: capacity building, communication and information, and rewarding quality. The model can be applied at the level of an organization or a system. The paper also describes the process of institutionalizing QA, starting from a state of preawareness, passing through four phases (awareness, experiential, expansion, and consolidation), and culminating in a state of maturity. The process is not linear; an organization may regress, vacillate between phases, or even remain stagnant. Some phases (e.g. awareness and experiential) may occur simultaneously. The framework has been introduced in nearly a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. The conceptual model has been used to support strategic planning and directing Ministry of Health work plans, and also as a resource for determining the elements necessary to strengthen and sustain QA. The next step will be the development and evaluation of an assessment tool to monitor developmental progress in the institutionalization of QA.

Spatial fluctuations in expression of the heterocyst differentiation regulatory gene hetR in Anabaena filaments.

PubMed

Corrales-Guerrero, Laura; Tal, Asaf; Arbel-Goren, Rinat; Mariscal, Vicente; Flores, Enrique; Herrero, Antonia; Stavans, Joel

2015-04-01

Under nitrogen deprivation, filaments of the cyanobacterium Anabaena undergo a process of development, resulting in a one-dimensional pattern of nitrogen-fixing heterocysts separated by about ten photosynthetic vegetative cells. Many aspects of gene expression before nitrogen deprivation and during the developmental process remain to be elucidated. Furthermore, the coupling of gene expression fluctuations between cells along a multicellular filament is unknown. We studied the statistics of fluctuations of gene expression of HetR, a transcription factor essential for heterocyst differentiation, both under steady-state growth in nitrogen-rich conditions and at different times following nitrogen deprivation, using a chromosomally-encoded translational hetR-gfp fusion. Statistical analysis of fluorescence at the individual cell level in wild-type and mutant filaments demonstrates that expression fluctuations of hetR in nearby cells are coupled, with a characteristic spatial range of circa two to three cells, setting the scale for cellular interactions along a filament. Correlations between cells predominantly arise from intercellular molecular transfer and less from cell division. Fluctuations after nitrogen step-down can build up on those under nitrogen-replete conditions. We found that under nitrogen-rich conditions, basal, steady-state expression of the HetR inhibitor PatS, cell-cell communication influenced by the septal protein SepJ and positive HetR auto-regulation are essential determinants of fluctuations in hetR expression and its distribution along filaments. A comparison between the expression of hetR-gfp under nitrogen-rich and nitrogen-poor conditions highlights the differences between the two HetR inhibitors PatS and HetN, as well as the differences in specificity between the septal proteins SepJ and FraC/FraD. Activation, inhibition and cell-cell communication lie at the heart of developmental processes. Our results show that proteins involved in these basic ingredients combine together in the presence of inevitable stochasticity in gene expression, to control the coupled fluctuations of gene expression that give rise to a one-dimensional developmental pattern in this organism.

Essential Roles of Local Auxin Biosynthesis in Plant Development and in Adaptation to Environmental Changes.

PubMed

Zhao, Yunde

2018-04-29

It has been a dominant dogma in plant biology that the self-organizing polar auxin transport system is necessary and sufficient to generate auxin maxima and minima that are essential for almost all aspects of plant growth and development. However, in the past few years, it has become clear that local auxin biosynthesis is required for a suite of developmental processes, including embryogenesis, endosperm development, root development, and floral initiation and patterning. Moreover, it was discovered that local auxin biosynthesis maintains optimal plant growth in response to environmental signals, including light, temperature, pathogens, and toxic metals. In this article, I discuss the recent progress in auxin biosynthesis research and the paradigm shift in recognizing the important roles of local auxin biosynthesis in plant biology.

The psychoanalyst of the adolescent.

PubMed

Laufer, M

1996-01-01

The adolescent who comes for psychoanalytic treatment has probably experienced a developmental breakdown-a rejection of his or her body and a distorted image of himself or herself as being male or female. A critical requisite for work with such adolescents is an understanding of one's own adolescent development. The internal freedom of the psychoanalyst is an essential ingredient in the treatment of the adolescent. This means that the psychoanalyst of the adolescent can separate his own sexual life and thoughts from what is lived out in the analytic sessions and thus can ensure that the treatment will confront whatever is essential and that he will avoid deriving gratification from the treatment process through taking over the adolescent's body or feeling that he is secretly sharing the intimacies of the patient.

The Development of Emotional and Behavioral Self-Regulation and Their Effects on Academic Achievement in Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edossa, Ashenafi Kassahun; Schroeders, Ulrich; Weinert, Sabine; Artelt, Cordula

2018-01-01

Self-regulation is an essential ability of children to cope with various developmental challenges. This study examines the developmental interplay between emotional and behavioral self-regulation during childhood and the relationship with academic achievement using data from the longitudinal Millennium Cohort Study (UK). Using cross-lagged panel…

Take a Breath: Yoga and Meditation in the Developmental Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbeau, Denise Cady

2016-01-01

Teachers of developmental education are familiar with non-traditional students who are balancing innumerate stressors in their lives, in addition to the overwhelming stress of college. Stress relief methods like yoga and meditation are essential life management tools in helping new college students succeed, not only in their education but also in…

What Should We Know about Developmental Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lake, Pat, Ed.

2001-01-01

This document argues that the availability of developmental education is essential to the well being of the American economy and social structure. By the year 2050, U.S. citizens will be older and nearly 50% will belong to a minority group. The fastest growing population is Hispanic American, resulting from immigration and higher birth rates. This…

Developmental Origins of Infant Emotion Regulation: Mediation by Temperamental Negativity and Moderation by Maternal Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jenna C.; Letourneau, Nicole; Campbell, Tavis S.; Tomfohr-Madsen, Lianne; Giesbrecht, Gerald F.

2017-01-01

Emotion regulation is essential to cognitive, social, and emotional development and difficulties with emotion regulation portend future socioemotional, academic, and behavioral difficulties. There is growing awareness that many developmental outcomes previously thought to begin their development in the postnatal period have their origins in the…

The Cognitive-Developmental Approach to Inter-Ethnic Attitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohlberg, Lawrence; Davidson, Florence

Psychological research on race and ethnic stereotypes and attitudes has been carried out from two points of view -- a social learning view and a psychodynamic view. Neither of these grasp essential components of young children's ethnic attitudes or prejudices, nor do they detail the major developmental factors leading to the growth of tolerance…

Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in leaves and glandular trichomes of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Deschamps, Cícero; Simon, James E

2010-01-01

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil phenylpropenes are synthesized and accumulate in peltate glandular trichomes and their content and composition depend on plant developmental stage. Studies on gene expression and enzymatic activity indicate that the phenylpropene biosynthetic genes are developmentally regulated. In this study, the methylchavicol accumulation in basil leaves and the enzyme activities and gene expression of both chavicol O-methyltransferase (CVOMT) and eugenol O-methyltransferase (EOMT) were investigated in all leaves at four plant developmental stages. Methylchavicol accumulation decreased over time as leaves matured. There was a significant correlation between methylchavicol accumulation and CVOMT (r(2) = 0.88) enzyme activity, suggesting that the levels of biosynthetic enzymes control the essential oil content. CVOMT and EOMT transcript expression levels, which decreased with leaf age, followed the same pattern in both whole leaves and isolated glandular trichomes, providing evidence that CVOMT transcript levels are developmentally regulated in basil glandular trichomes themselves and that differences in CVOMT expression observed in whole leaves are not solely the result of differences in glandular trichome density.

Developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

Kucian, Karin; von Aster, Michael

2015-01-01

Numerical skills are essential in our everyday life, and impairments in the development of number processing and calculation have a negative impact on schooling and professional careers. Approximately 3 to 6 % of children are affected from specific disorders of numerical understanding (developmental dyscalculia (DD)). Impaired development of number processing skills in these children is characterized by problems in various aspects of numeracy as well as alterations of brain activation and brain structure. Moreover, DD is assumed to be a very heterogeneous disorder putting special challenges to define homogeneous diagnostic criteria. Finally, interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, neuroscience and education can contribute to the design for interventions, and although results are still sparse, they are promising and have shown positive effects on behaviour as well as brain function. In the current review, we are going to give an overview about typical and atypical development of numerical abilities at the behavioural and neuronal level. Furthermore, current status and obstacles in the definition and diagnostics of DD are discussed, and finally, relevant points that should be considered to make an intervention as successful as possible are summarized.

The developmental dynamics of gait maturation with a focus on spatiotemporal measures.

PubMed

Kraan, C M; Tan, A H J; Cornish, K M

2017-01-01

Gait analysis is recognised as a powerful clinical tool for studying relationships between motor control and brain function. By drawing on the literature investigating gait in individuals with neurological disorders, this review provides insight into the neural processes that contribute to and regulate specific spatiotemporal sub-components of gait and how they may mature across early to late childhood. This review also discusses the roles of changing anthropomorphic characteristics, and maturing sensory and higher-order cognitive processes in differentiating the developmental trajectories of the sub-components of gait. Importantly, although studies have shown that cognitive-gait interference is larger in children compared to adults, the contributing neurocognitive mechanisms may vary across age groups who have different types of attentional or cognitive vulnerabilities. These findings have implications for current models of gait maturation by highlighting the need for a dynamic model that focuses on the integration of various factors that contribute to gait though experience and practice. This is essential to elucidating why gait and other motor deficits are often contiguous with cognitive neurodevelopmental disorders. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A genome-wide survey on basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors in giant panda.

PubMed

Dang, Chunwang; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Debao; Yao, Qin; Chen, Keping

2011-01-01

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a critically endangered mammalian species. Studies on functions of regulatory proteins involved in developmental processes would facilitate understanding of specific behavior in giant panda. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins play essential roles in a wide range of developmental processes in higher organisms. bHLH family members have been identified in over 20 organisms, including fruit fly, zebrafish, mouse and human. Our present study identified 107 bHLH family members being encoded in giant panda genome. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that they belong to 44 bHLH families with 46, 25, 15, 4, 11 and 3 members in group A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively, while the remaining 3 members were assigned into "orphan". Compared to mouse, the giant panda does not encode seven bHLH proteins namely Beta3a, Mesp2, Sclerax, S-Myc, Hes5 (or Hes6), EBF4 and Orphan 1. These results provide useful background information for future studies on structure and function of bHLH proteins in the regulation of giant panda development.

Developmental Origins of Biological Explanations: The case of infants' internal property bias.

PubMed

Taborda-Osorio, Hernando; Cheries, Erik W

2017-10-01

People's explanations about the biological world are heavily biased toward internal, non-obvious properties. Adults and children as young as 5 years of age find internal properties more causally central than external features for explaining general biological processes and category membership. In this paper, we describe how this 'internal property bias' may be grounded in two different developmental precursors observed in studies with infants: (1) an early understanding of biological agency that is apparent in infants' reasoning about animals, and (2) the acquisition of kind-based representations that distinguish between essential and accidental properties, spanning from animals to artifacts. We argue that these precursors may support the progressive construction of the notion of biological kinds and explanations during childhood. Shortly after their first year of life, infants seem to represent the internal properties of animates as more central and identity-determining that external properties. Over time, this skeletal notion of biological kinds is integrated into diverse explanations about kind membership and biological processes, with an increasingly better understanding of the causal role of internal properties.

Cortical Evolution: Judge the Brain by Its Cover

PubMed Central

Geschwind, Daniel H.; Rakic, Pasko

2014-01-01

To understand the emergence of human higher cognition, we must understand its biological substrate—the cerebral cortex, which considers itself the crowning achievement of evolution. Here, we describe how advances in developmental neurobiology, coupled with those in genetics, including adaptive protein evolution via gene duplications and the emergence of novel regulatory elements, can provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms culminating in the human cerebrum. Given that the massive expansion of the cortical surface and elaboration of its connections in humans originates from developmental events, understanding the genetic regulation of cell number, neuronal migration to proper layers, columns, and regions, and ultimately their differentiation into specific phenotypes, is critical. The pre- and postnatal environment also interacts with the cellular substrate to yield a basic network that is refined via selection and elimination of synaptic connections, a process that is prolonged in humans. This knowledge provides essential insight into the pathogenesis of human-specific neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:24183016

Zinc and Zinc Transporters: Novel Regulators of Ventricular Myocardial Development.

PubMed

Lin, Wen; Li, Deqiang

2018-06-01

Ventricular myocardial development is a well-orchestrated process involving different cardiac structures, multiple signal pathways, and myriad proteins. Dysregulation of this important developmental event can result in cardiomyopathies, such as left ventricle non-compaction, which affect the pediatric population and the adults. Human and mouse studies have shed light upon the etiology of some cardiomyopathy cases and highlighted the contribution of both genetic and environmental factors. However, the regulation of ventricular myocardial development remains incompletely understood. Zinc is an essential trace metal with structural, enzymatic, and signaling function. Perturbation of zinc homeostasis has resulted in developmental and physiological defects including cardiomyopathy. In this review, we summarize several mechanisms by which zinc and zinc transporters can impact the regulation of ventricular myocardial development. Based on our review, we propose that zinc deficiency and mutations of zinc transporters may underlie some cardiomyopathy cases especially those involving ventricular myocardial development defects.

TAM receptor signaling in development.

PubMed

Burstyn-Cohen, Tal

2017-01-01

TYRO3, AXL and MERTK comprise the TAM family of receptor protein tyrosine kinases. Activated by their ligands, protein S (PROS1) and growth-arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), they mediate numerous cellular functions throughout development and adulthood. Expressed by a myriad of cell types and tissues, they have been implicated in homeostatic regulation of the immune, nervous, vascular, bone and reproductive systems. The loss-of-function of TAM signaling in adult tissues culminates in the destruction of tissue homeostasis and diseased states, while TAM gain-of-function in various tumors promotes cancer phenotypes. Combinatorial ligand-receptor interactions may elicit different molecular and cellular responses. Many of the TAM regulatory functions are essentially developmental, taking place both during embryogenesis and postnatally. This review highlights current knowledge on the role of TAM receptors and their ligands during these developmental processes in the immune, nervous, vascular and reproductive systems.

Using Community-based Participatory Research to Adapt keepin’ it REAL: Creating a Socially, Developmentally, and Academically Appropriate Prevention Curriculum for 5th Graders

PubMed Central

Harthun, Mary L.; Dustman, Patricia A.; Reeves, Leslie J.; Marsiglia, Flavio F.; Hecht, Michael L.

2010-01-01

This paper reports on a process in which program designers, classroom teachers, and students worked together to adapt the 7th grade “keepin’ it REAL” prevention curriculum to a developmentally, socially, and academically appropriate curriculum for 5th graders. A Community-Based Participatory Research methodology (CBPR), combined with a 9-step adaptation model, emphasized a collaborative approach, both transformative and empowering. Essential adaptation elements were the Risk-to-Resiliency Continuum; the teaching of a wide range of skills including risk assessment, decision making, and resistance strategies; and, maintaining the theoretical grounding of Narrative Theory, Communication Competence, and Focus Theory of Norms. This paper describes how CBPR methodology can be conducted successfully while focusing on sustained theoretical grounding and effective research practices in a school-based setting. PMID:21057596

Ethylene and Hormonal Cross Talk in Vegetative Growth and Development1

PubMed Central

Van de Poel, Bram; Smet, Dajo; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

2015-01-01

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that most likely became a functional hormone during the evolution of charophyte green algae, prior to land colonization. From this ancient origin, ethylene evolved into an important growth regulator that is essential for myriad plant developmental processes. In vegetative growth, ethylene appears to have a dual role, stimulating and inhibiting growth, depending on the species, tissue, and cell type, developmental stage, hormonal status, and environmental conditions. Moreover, ethylene signaling and response are part of an intricate network in cross talk with internal and external cues. Besides being a crucial factor in the growth control of roots and shoots, ethylene can promote flowering, fruit ripening and abscission, as well as leaf and petal senescence and abscission and, hence, plays a role in virtually every phase of plant life. Last but not least, together with jasmonates, salicylate, and abscisic acid, ethylene is important in steering stress responses. PMID:26232489

A genome-wide analysis reveals that the Drosophila transcription factor Lola promotes axon growth in part by suppressing expression of the actin nucleation factor Spire

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The phylogenetically conserved transcription factor Lola is essential for many aspects of axon growth and guidance, synapse formation and neural circuit development in Drosophila. To date it has been difficult, however, to obtain an overall view of Lola functions and mechanisms. Results We use expression microarrays to identify the lola-dependent transcriptome in the Drosophila embryo. We find that lola regulates the expression of a large selection of genes that are known to affect each of several lola-dependent developmental processes. Among other loci, we find lola to be a negative regulator of spire, an actin nucleation factor that has been studied for its essential role in oogenesis. We show that spire is expressed in the nervous system and is required for a known lola-dependent axon guidance decision, growth of ISNb motor axons. We further show that reducing spire gene dosage suppresses this aspect of the lola phenotype, verifying that derepression of spire is an important contributor to the axon stalling phenotype of embryonic motor axons in lola mutants. Conclusions These data shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of many lola-dependent processes, and also identify several developmental processes not previously linked to lola that are apt to be regulated by this transcription factor. These data further demonstrate that excessive expression of the actin nucleation factor Spire is as deleterious for axon growth in vivo as is the loss of Spire, thus highlighting the need for a balance in the elementary steps of actin dynamics to achieve effective neuronal morphogenesis. PMID:22129300

Rethinking health sector procurement as developmental linkages in East Africa.

PubMed

Mackintosh, Maureen; Tibandebage, Paula; Karimi Njeru, Mercy; Kariuki Kungu, Joan; Israel, Caroline; Mujinja, Phares G M

2018-03-01

Health care forms a large economic sector in all countries, and procurement of medicines and other essential commodities necessarily creates economic linkages between a country's health sector and local and international industrial development. These procurement processes may be positive or negative in their effects on populations' access to appropriate treatment and on local industrial development, yet procurement in low and middle income countries (LMICs) remains under-studied: generally analysed, when addressed at all, as a public sector technical and organisational challenge rather than a social and economic element of health system governance shaping its links to the wider economy. This article uses fieldwork in Tanzania and Kenya in 2012-15 to analyse procurement of essential medicines and supplies as a governance process for the health system and its industrial links, drawing on aspects of global value chain theory. We describe procurement work processes as experienced by front line staff in public, faith-based and private sectors, linking these experiences to wholesale funding sources and purchasing practices, and examining their implications for medicines access and for local industrial development within these East African countries. We show that in a context of poor access to reliable medicines, extensive reliance on private medicines purchase, and increasing globalisation of procurement systems, domestic linkages between health and industrial sectors have been weakened, especially in Tanzania. We argue in consequence for a more developmental perspective on health sector procurement design, including closer policy attention to strengthening vertical and horizontal relational working within local health-industry value chains, in the interests of both wider access to treatment and improved industrial development in Africa. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Impact of divorce on children: developmental considerations.

PubMed

Kleinsorge, Christy; Covitz, Lynne M

2012-04-01

Although divorce can have significant negative impact on children, a variety of protective factors can increase the likelihood of long-term positive psychological adjustment. • Exposure to high levels of parental conflict is predictive of poor emotional adjustment by the child regardless of the parents' marital status. • Epidemiologic data reveal that custody and parenting arrangements are evolving, with more emphasis on joint custody and access to both parents by the child. • Pediatricians' knowledge of childhood development is essential in providing anticipatory guidance to parents throughout the divorce process and beyond.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities on Laserpitium carduchorum Hedge & Lamond Essential Oil and Extracts During Various Growing Stages.

PubMed

Dastan, Dara; Salehi, Peyman; Maroofi, Hossein

2016-10-01

Laserpitium carduchorum is frequently used as a spice, and in Bane folk medicine, the aerial parts of this are used to treat urinary infections. Variation in the quantity and quality of the essential oil of Iranian L. carduchorum at different developmental growth stages including vegetative, flowering, and seed ripening is reported. In total, 33 compounds were identified and quantified in the oils of vegetative, flowering, and seed ripening stages, representing 97.8%, 98.8%, and 98.7% of the oils, respectively. α-Pinene (45.1, 61.4, and 46.4%), sabinene (16.5, 10.3, and 17.5%), and limonene (6.4, 8.5, and 20.4%) were the main compounds in all samples. The antioxidant activities of different extracts of L. carduchorum at different developmental growth stages were examined by employing various established in vitro experiments including DPPH, FRAP, and TEAC assays. The amounts of total phenolics were also determined spectrophotometerically. Antimicrobial activities of different extracts and essential oils of L. carduchorum at different developmental growth stages were examined against five Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria, as well as two fungi. The results showed that maximum antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of extracts were at the flowering stage of the plant. Maximum antimicrobial activity of essential oils was at seed ripening stage. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zürich.

Cellular manganese content is developmentally regulated in human dopaminergic neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Kevin K.; Lowe, Edward W., Jr.; Aboud, Asad A.; Neely, M. Diana; Redha, Rey; Bauer, Joshua A.; Odak, Mihir; Weaver, C. David; Meiler, Jens; Aschner, Michael; Bowman, Aaron B.

2014-10-01

Manganese (Mn) is both an essential biological cofactor and neurotoxicant. Disruption of Mn biology in the basal ganglia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, such as parkinsonism and Huntington's disease. Handling of other essential metals (e.g. iron and zinc) occurs via complex intracellular signaling networks that link metal detection and transport systems. However, beyond several non-selective transporters, little is known about the intracellular processes regulating neuronal Mn homeostasis. We hypothesized that small molecules that modulate intracellular Mn could provide insight into cell-level Mn regulatory mechanisms. We performed a high throughput screen of 40,167 small molecules for modifiers of cellular Mn content in a mouse striatal neuron cell line. Following stringent validation assays and chemical informatics, we obtained a chemical `toolbox' of 41 small molecules with diverse structure-activity relationships that can alter intracellular Mn levels under biologically relevant Mn exposures. We utilized this toolbox to test for differential regulation of Mn handling in human floor-plate lineage dopaminergic neurons, a lineage especially vulnerable to environmental Mn exposure. We report differential Mn accumulation between developmental stages and stage-specific differences in the Mn-altering activity of individual small molecules. This work demonstrates cell-level regulation of Mn content across neuronal differentiation.

Functional-Lesion Investigation of Developmental Stuttering with Positron Emission Tomography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingham, Roger J.; And Others

1996-01-01

Analysis of use of positron emission tomographic measurements of resting-state regional cerebral blood flow in 29 men, 10 of whom stuttered, did not support the idea that developmental stuttering is associated with abnormalities of blood flow at rest. Findings did suggest an essentially normal functional brain terrain with a small number of minor…

Systematic Review of Instructional Methods to Teach Employment Skills to Secondary Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilson, Carly B.; Carter, Erik W.; Biggs, Elizabeth E.

2017-01-01

Effective vocational instruction is an essential aspect of preparing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for the world of work. We systematically reviewed research on instructional methods used to teach employment skills to secondary students with IDD. We identified 56 studies involving 766 participants with IDD. Four…

Timing Abilities among Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) in Comparison to Children with Typical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblum, Sara; Regev, Noga

2013-01-01

Timing ability is essential for common everyday performance. The aim of the study was to compare timing abilities and temporal aspects of handwriting performance and relationships between these two components among children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) and a control group. Forty two children, 21 diagnosed as DCD and 21 with…

Child Development and Cultural Diversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell, Bettye M.

1983-01-01

Each child is to some extent like all children, to some extent like some children, and to some extent like no other child. There are at least three sets of universals that characterize children: (1) they have the same needs and rights; (2) they go through the same developmental stages; and (3) they have essentially the same developmental goals,…

Microarray Analysis of microRNA Expression during Axolotl Limb Regeneration

PubMed Central

Holman, Edna C.; Campbell, Leah J.; Hines, John; Crews, Craig M.

2012-01-01

Among vertebrates, salamanders stand out for their remarkable capacity to quickly regrow a myriad of tissues and organs after injury or amputation. The limb regeneration process in axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) has been well studied for decades at the cell-tissue level. While several developmental genes are known to be reactivated during this epimorphic process, less is known about the role of microRNAs in urodele amphibian limb regeneration. Given the compelling evidence that many microRNAs tightly regulate cell fate and morphogenetic processes through development and adulthood by modulating the expression (or re-expression) of developmental genes, we investigated the possibility that microRNA levels change during limb regeneration. Using two different microarray platforms to compare the axolotl microRNA expression between mid-bud limb regenerating blastemas and non-regenerating stump tissues, we found that miR-21 was overexpressed in mid-bud blastemas compared to stump tissue. Mature A. mexicanum (“Amex”) miR-21 was detected in axolotl RNA by Northern blot and differential expression of Amex-miR-21 in blastema versus stump was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. We identified the Amex Jagged1 as a putative target gene for miR-21 during salamander limb regeneration. We cloned the full length 3′UTR of Amex-Jag1, and our in vitro assays demonstrated that its single miR-21 target recognition site is functional and essential for the response of the Jagged1 gene to miR-21 levels. Our findings pave the road for advanced in vivo functional assays aimed to clarify how microRNAs such as miR-21, often linked to pathogenic cell growth, might be modulating the redeployment of developmental genes such as Jagged1 during regenerative processes. PMID:23028429

Ovule identity mediated by pre-mRNA processing in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Cazorla, Encarnación; Candela, Héctor; Bailey-Steinitz, Lindsay J.; Yanofsky, Martin F.; Martínez-Laborda, Antonio

2018-01-01

Ovules are fundamental for plant reproduction and crop yield as they are the precursors of seeds. Therefore, ovule specification is a critical developmental program. In Arabidopsis thaliana, ovule identity is redundantly conferred by the homeotic D-class genes SHATTERPROOF1 (SHP1), SHP2 and SEEDSTICK (STK), phylogenetically related to the MADS-domain regulatory gene AGAMOUS (AG), essential in floral organ specification. Previous studies have shown that the HUA-PEP activity, comprised of a suite of RNA-binding protein (RBP) encoding genes, regulates AG pre-mRNA processing and thus flower patterning and organ identity. Here, we report that the HUA-PEP activity additionally governs ovule morphogenesis. Accordingly, in severe hua-pep backgrounds ovules transform into flower organ-like structures. These homeotic transformations are most likely due to the dramatic reduction in SHP1, SHP2 and STK activity. Our molecular and genome-wide profiling strategies revealed the accumulation of prematurely terminated transcripts of D-class genes in hua-pep mutants and reduced amounts of their respective functional messengers, which points to pre-mRNA processing misregulation as the origin of the ovule developmental defects in such backgrounds. RNA processing and transcription are coordinated by the RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD). Our results show that HUA-PEP activity members can interact with the CTD regulator C-TERMINAL DOMAIN PHOSPHATASE-LIKE1 (CPL1), supporting a co-transcriptional mode of action for the HUA-PEP activity. Our findings expand the portfolio of reproductive developmental programs in which HUA-PEP activity participates, and further substantiates the importance of RNA regulatory mechanisms (pre-mRNA co-transcriptional regulation) for correct gene expression during plant morphogenesis. PMID:29329291

Autophagy genes Smatg8 and Smatg4 are required for fruiting-body development, vegetative growth and ascospore germination in the filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora.

PubMed

Voigt, Oliver; Pöggeler, Stefanie

2013-01-01

Autophagy is a tightly controlled degradation process involved in various developmental aspects of eukaryotes. However, its involvement in developmental processes of multicellular filamentous ascomycetes is largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the impact of the autophagic proteins SmATG8 and SmATG4 on the sexual and vegetative development of the filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. A Saccharomyces cerevisiae complementation assay demonstrated that the S. macrospora Smatg8 and Smatg4 genes can functionally replace the yeast homologs. By generating homokaryotic deletion mutants, we showed that the S. macrospora SmATG8 and SmATG4 orthologs were associated with autophagy-dependent processes. Smatg8 and Smatg4 deletions abolished fruiting-body formation and impaired vegetative growth and ascospore germination, but not hyphal fusion. We demonstrated that SmATG4 was capable of processing the SmATG8 precursor. SmATG8 was localized to autophagosomes, whereas SmATG4 was distributed throughout the cytoplasm of S. macrospora. Furthermore, we could show that Smatg8 and Smatg4 are not only required for nonselective macroautophagy, but for selective macropexophagy as well. Taken together, our results suggest that in S. macrospora, autophagy seems to be an essential and constitutively active process to sustain high energy levels for filamentous growth and multicellular development even under nonstarvation conditions.

Autophagy genes Smatg8 and Smatg4 are required for fruiting-body development, vegetative growth and ascospore germination in the filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora

PubMed Central

Voigt, Oliver; Pöggeler, Stefanie

2013-01-01

Autophagy is a tightly controlled degradation process involved in various developmental aspects of eukaryotes. However, its involvement in developmental processes of multicellular filamentous ascomycetes is largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the impact of the autophagic proteins SmATG8 and SmATG4 on the sexual and vegetative development of the filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. A Saccharomyces cerevisiae complementation assay demonstrated that the S. macrospora Smatg8 and Smatg4 genes can functionally replace the yeast homologs. By generating homokaryotic deletion mutants, we showed that the S. macrospora SmATG8 and SmATG4 orthologs were associated with autophagy-dependent processes. Smatg8 and Smatg4 deletions abolished fruiting-body formation and impaired vegetative growth and ascospore germination, but not hyphal fusion. We demonstrated that SmATG4 was capable of processing the SmATG8 precursor. SmATG8 was localized to autophagosomes, whereas SmATG4 was distributed throughout the cytoplasm of S. macrospora. Furthermore, we could show that Smatg8 and Smatg4 are not only required for nonselective macroautophagy, but for selective macropexophagy as well. Taken together, our results suggest that in S. macrospora, autophagy seems to be an essential and constitutively active process to sustain high energy levels for filamentous growth and multicellular development even under nonstarvation conditions. PMID:23064313

Signaling pathways effecting crosstalk between cartilage and adjacent tissues: Seminars in cell and developmental biology: The biology and pathology of cartilage.

PubMed

Maes, Christa

2017-02-01

Endochondral ossification, the mechanism responsible for the development of the long bones, is dependent on an extremely stringent coordination between the processes of chondrocyte maturation in the growth plate, vascular expansion in the surrounding tissues, and osteoblast differentiation and osteogenesis in the perichondrium and the developing bone center. The synchronization of these processes occurring in adjacent tissues is regulated through vigorous crosstalk between chondrocytes, endothelial cells and osteoblast lineage cells. Our knowledge about the molecular constituents of these bidirectional communications is undoubtedly incomplete, but certainly some signaling pathways effective in cartilage have been recognized to play key roles in steering vascularization and osteogenesis in the perichondrial tissues. These include hypoxia-driven signaling pathways, governed by the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which are absolutely essential for the survival and functioning of chondrocytes in the avascular growth plate, at least in part by regulating the oxygenation of developing cartilage through the stimulation of angiogenesis in the surrounding tissues. A second coordinating signal emanating from cartilage and regulating developmental processes in the adjacent perichondrium is Indian Hedgehog (IHH). IHH, produced by pre-hypertrophic and early hypertrophic chondrocytes in the growth plate, induces the differentiation of adjacent perichondrial progenitor cells into osteoblasts, thereby harmonizing the site and time of bone formation with the developmental progression of chondrogenesis. Both signaling pathways represent vital mediators of the tightly organized conversion of avascular cartilage into vascularized and mineralized bone during endochondral ossification. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Nrf2 and Nrf2-related proteins in development and developmental toxicity: Insights from studies in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

Hahn, Mark E; Timme-Laragy, Alicia R; Karchner, Sibel I; Stegeman, John J

2015-11-01

Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of chemical toxicity, contributing to developmental toxicity and teratogenesis as well as to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetic embryopathy. Developing animals are especially sensitive to effects of chemicals that disrupt the balance of processes generating reactive species and oxidative stress, and those anti-oxidant defenses that protect against oxidative stress. The expression and inducibility of anti-oxidant defenses through activation of NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and related proteins is an essential process affecting the susceptibility to oxidants, but the complex interactions of Nrf2 in determining embryonic response to oxidants and oxidative stress are only beginning to be understood. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an established model in developmental biology and now also in developmental toxicology and redox signaling. Here we review the regulation of genes involved in protection against oxidative stress in developing vertebrates, with a focus on Nrf2 and related cap'n'collar (CNC)-basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors. Vertebrate animals including zebrafish share Nfe2, Nrf1, Nrf2, and Nrf3 as well as a core set of genes that respond to oxidative stress, contributing to the value of zebrafish as a model system with which to investigate the mechanisms involved in regulation of redox signaling and the response to oxidative stress during embryolarval development. Moreover, studies in zebrafish have revealed nrf and keap1 gene duplications that provide an opportunity to dissect multiple functions of vertebrate NRF genes, including multiple sensing mechanisms involved in chemical-specific effects. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evolution of female-specific wingless forms in bagworm moths.

PubMed

Niitsu, Shuhei; Sugawara, Hirotaka; Hayashi, Fumio

2017-01-01

The evolution of winglessness in insects has been typically interpreted as a consequence of developmental and other adaptations to various environments that are secondarily derived from a winged morph. Several species of bagworm moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera, Psychidae) exhibit a case-dwelling larval life style along with one of the most extreme cases of sexual dimorphism: wingless female adults. While the developmental process that led to these wingless females is well known, the origins and evolutionary transitions are not yet understood. To examine the evolutionary patterns of wing reduction in bagworm females, we reconstruct the molecular phylogeny of over 30 Asian species based on both mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and nuclear (28S rRNA) DNA sequences. Under a parsimonious assumption, the molecular phylogeny implies that: (i) the evolutionary wing reduction towards wingless females consisted of two steps: (Step I) from functional wings to vestigial wings (nonfunctional) and (Step II) from vestigial wings to the most specialized vermiform adults (lacking wings and legs); and (ii) vermiform morphs evolved independently at least twice. Based on the results of our study, we suggest that the evolutionary changes in the developmental system are essential for the establishment of different wingless forms in insects. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor-c-MET Signaling Mediates the Development of Nonsensory Structures of the Mammalian Cochlea and Hearing.

PubMed

Shibata, Shumei; Miwa, Toru; Wu, Hsiao-Huei; Levitt, Pat; Ohyama, Takahiro

2016-08-03

The stria vascularis is a nonsensory structure that is essential for auditory hair cell function by maintaining potassium concentration of the scala media. During mouse embryonic development, a subpopulation of neural crest cell-derived melanocytes migrates and incorporates into a subregion of the cochlear epithelium, forming the intermediate cell layer of the stria vascularis. The relation of this developmental process to stria vascularis function is currently unknown. In characterizing the molecular differentiation of developing peripheral auditory structures, we discovered that hepatocyte growth factor (Hgf) is expressed in the future stria vascularis of the cochlear epithelium. Its receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Met, is expressed in the cochlear epithelium and melanocyte-derived intermediate cells in the stria vascularis. Genetic dissection of HGF signaling via c-MET reveals that the incorporation of the melanocytes into the future stria vascularis of the cochlear duct requires c-MET signaling. In addition, inactivation of either the ligand or receptor developmentally resulted in a profound hearing loss at young adult stages. These results suggest a novel connection between HGF signaling and deafness via melanocyte deficiencies. We found the roles of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling in stria vascularis development for the first time and that lack of HGF signaling in the inner ear leads to profound hearing loss in the mouse. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism that may underlie human deafness DFNB39 and DFNB97. Our findings reveal an additional example of context-dependent c-MET signaling diversity, required here for proper cellular invasion developmentally that is essential for specific aspects of auditory-related organogenesis. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/368200-10$15.00/0.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor–c-MET Signaling Mediates the Development of Nonsensory Structures of the Mammalian Cochlea and Hearing

PubMed Central

Shibata, Shumei; Miwa, Toru; Wu, Hsiao-Huei; Levitt, Pat

2016-01-01

The stria vascularis is a nonsensory structure that is essential for auditory hair cell function by maintaining potassium concentration of the scala media. During mouse embryonic development, a subpopulation of neural crest cell-derived melanocytes migrates and incorporates into a subregion of the cochlear epithelium, forming the intermediate cell layer of the stria vascularis. The relation of this developmental process to stria vascularis function is currently unknown. In characterizing the molecular differentiation of developing peripheral auditory structures, we discovered that hepatocyte growth factor (Hgf) is expressed in the future stria vascularis of the cochlear epithelium. Its receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Met, is expressed in the cochlear epithelium and melanocyte-derived intermediate cells in the stria vascularis. Genetic dissection of HGF signaling via c-MET reveals that the incorporation of the melanocytes into the future stria vascularis of the cochlear duct requires c-MET signaling. In addition, inactivation of either the ligand or receptor developmentally resulted in a profound hearing loss at young adult stages. These results suggest a novel connection between HGF signaling and deafness via melanocyte deficiencies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We found the roles of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling in stria vascularis development for the first time and that lack of HGF signaling in the inner ear leads to profound hearing loss in the mouse. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism that may underlie human deafness DFNB39 and DFNB97. Our findings reveal an additional example of context-dependent c-MET signaling diversity, required here for proper cellular invasion developmentally that is essential for specific aspects of auditory-related organogenesis. PMID:27488639

Child versus adult psychoanalysis: two processes or one?

PubMed

Sugarman, Alan

2009-12-01

Child analysis continues to be seen as a different technique from adult analysis because children are still involved in a developmental process and because the primary objects continue to play active roles in their lives. This paper argues that this is a false dichotomy. An extended vignette of the analysis of a latency-aged girl is used to demonstrate that the psychoanalytic process that develops in child analysis is structurally the same as that in adult analysis. Both revolve around the analysis of resistance and transference and use both to promote knowledge of the patient's mind at work. And both techniques formulate interventions based on the analyst's appraisal of the patient's mental organization. It is hoped that stressing the essential commonality of both techniques will promote the development of an overarching theory of psychoanalytic technique.

Managing Tensions between Evaluation and Research: Illustrative Cases of Developmental Evaluation in the Context of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rey, Lynda; Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Brousselle, Astrid

2014-01-01

Developmental evaluation (DE), essentially conceptualized by Patton over the past 30 years, is a promising evaluative approach intended to support social innovation and the deployment of complex interventions. Its use is often justified by the complex nature of the interventions being evaluated and the need to produce useful results in real time.…

State Policies and Practices in Behavior Supports for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotholz, David A.; Moseley, Charles R.; Carlson, Kinsey B.

2013-01-01

Providing effective behavioral supports to decrease challenging behavior and replace it with appropriate alternative skills is essential to meeting the needs of many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It is also necessary for fulfilling the requirements of Medicaid-funded individual support plans and is important…

Developmental Changes in Anger Expression and Attention Focus: Learning to Wait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Pamela M.; Tan, Patricia Z.; Hall, Sarah E.; Zhang, Yiyun; Crnic, Keith A.; Blair, Clancy B.; Li, Runze

2011-01-01

Being able to wait is an essential part of self-regulation. In the present study, the authors examined the developmental course of changes in the latency to and duration of target-waiting behaviors by following 65 boys and 55 girls from rural and semirural economically strained homes from ages 18 months to 48 months. Age-related changes in latency…

Modeling Skills, Signs and Lettering for Children with Down Syndrome, Autism and Other Severe Developmental Delays by Video Instruction in Classroom Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biederman, G. B.; Freedman, B.

2007-01-01

This paper addresses optimal strategies in teaching essential life and communication skills to children with Down syndrome, autism and other developmental delays. Evidence from the literature concerning the relative efficacy of hand-over-hand (self-modeling) in contrast to passive observational teaching techniques (e.g., video modeling) shows the…

Defining the Role of Essential Genes in Human Disease

PubMed Central

Robertson, David L.; Hentges, Kathryn E.

2011-01-01

A greater understanding of the causes of human disease can come from identifying characteristics that are specific to disease genes. However, a full understanding of the contribution of essential genes to human disease is lacking, due to the premise that these genes tend to cause developmental abnormalities rather than adult disease. We tested the hypothesis that human orthologs of mouse essential genes are associated with a variety of human diseases, rather than only those related to miscarriage and birth defects. We segregated human disease genes according to whether the knockout phenotype of their mouse ortholog was lethal or viable, defining those with orthologs producing lethal knockouts as essential disease genes. We show that the human orthologs of mouse essential genes are associated with a wide spectrum of diseases affecting diverse physiological systems. Notably, human disease genes with essential mouse orthologs are over-represented among disease genes associated with cancer, suggesting links between adult cellular abnormalities and developmental functions. The proteins encoded by essential genes are highly connected in protein-protein interaction networks, which we find correlates with an over-representation of nuclear proteins amongst essential disease genes. Disease genes associated with essential orthologs also are more likely than those with non-essential orthologs to contribute to disease through an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, suggesting that these diseases may actually result from semi-dominant mutant alleles. Overall, we have described attributes found in disease genes according to the essentiality status of their mouse orthologs. These findings demonstrate that disease genes do occupy highly connected positions in protein-protein interaction networks, and that due to the complexity of disease-associated alleles, essential genes cannot be ignored as candidates for causing diverse human diseases. PMID:22096564

Acquisition of oocyte competence to develop as an embryo: integrated nuclear and cytoplasmic events.

PubMed

Conti, Marco; Franciosi, Federica

2018-05-01

Infertility affects ~7% of couples of reproductive age with little change in incidence in the last two decades. ART, as well as other interventions, have made major strides in correcting this condition. However, and in spite of advancements in the field, the age of the female partner remains a main factor for a successful outcome. A better understanding of the final stages of gamete maturation yielding an egg that can sustain embryo development and a pregnancy to term remains a major area for improvement in the field. This review will summarize the major cellular and molecular events unfolding at the oocyte-to-embryo transition. We will provide an update on the most important processes/pathways currently understood as the basis of developmental competence, including the molecular processes involved in mRNA storage, its recruitment to the translational machinery, and its degradation. We will discuss the hypothesis that the translational programme of maternal mRNAs plays a key role in establishing developmental competence. These regulations are essential to assemble the machinery that is used to establish a totipotent zygote. This hypothesis further supports the view that embryogenesis begins during oogenesis. A better understanding of the events required for developmental competence will guide the development of novel strategies to monitor and improve the success rate of IVF. Using this information, it will be possible to develop new biomarkers that may be used to better predict oocyte quality and in selection of the best egg for IVF.

A mitochondrial alkaline/neutral invertase isoform (A/N-InvC) functions in developmental energy-demanding processes in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Martín, Mariana L; Lechner, Leandra; Zabaleta, Eduardo J; Salerno, Graciela L

2013-03-01

Recent findings demonstrate that alkaline/neutral invertases (A/N-Invs), enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of sucrose into glucose and fructose, are essential proteins in plant life. The fact that different isoforms are present in multiple locations makes them candidates for the coordination of metabolic processes. In the present study, we functionally characterized the encoding gene of a novel A/N-Inv (named A/N-InvC) from Arabidopsis, which localizes in mitochondria. A/N-InvC is expressed in roots, in aerial parts (shoots and leaves) and flowers. A detailed phenotypic analysis of knockout mutant plants (invc) reveals an impaired growth phenotype. Shoot growth was severely reduced, but root development was not affected as reported for A/N-InvA mutant (inva) plants. Remarkably, germination and flowering, two energy demanding processes, were the most affected stages. The effect of exogenous growth regulators led us to suggest that A/N-InvC may be modulating hormone balance in relation to the radicle emergence. We also show that oxygen consumption is reduced in inva and invc in comparison with wild-type plants, indicating that both organelle isoenzymes may play a fundamental role in mitochondrion functionality. Taken together, our results emphasize the involvement of mitochondrial A/N-Invs in developmental processes and uncover the possibility of playing different roles for the two isoforms located in the organelle.

[Methodologic developmental principles of standardized surveys within the scope of social gerontologic studies].

PubMed

Bansemir, G

1987-01-01

The conception and evaluation of standardized oral or written questioning as quantifying instruments of research orientate by the basic premises of Marxist-Leninist theory of recognition and general scientific logic. In the present contribution the socio-gerontological research process is outlined in extracts. By referring to the intrinsic connection between some of its essential components--problem, formation of hypotheses, obtaining indicators/measurement, preliminary examination, evaluation-as well as to typical errors and (fictitious) examples of practical research, this contribution contrasts the natural, apparently uncomplicated course of structured questioning with its qualitative methodological fundamentals and demands.

Child-Bearing Decision Making Among Women Previously Treated for Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-04-01

this kind of study is an essential preliminary step to developing meaningful theory-driven psychosocial research on the issues of childbearing among...than older women with the disease and may experience unique vulnerability factors. Adult developmental theory ( Erikson , 1963; Levinson, Darrow, Klein...variety of developmental tasks characterize different stages of the adult life cycle. Several significant tasks for younger women are likely to be

Developmental Localization of Nephrin in Zebrafish and Medaka Pronephric Glomerulus

PubMed Central

Ichimura, Koichiro; Fukuyo, Yayoi; Nakamura, Tomomi; Powell, Rebecca; Sakai, Tatsuo; Janknecht, Ralf

2013-01-01

Slit diaphragm (SD) is a highly specialized intercellular junction between podocyte foot processes and plays a crucial role in the formation of the filtration barrier. In this study, we examined the developmental localization of Nephrin, an essential component of SD, in the pronephric glomerulus of zebrafish and medaka. In the mature glomerulus of both fish, Nephrin is localized along the glomerular basement membrane as seen in mammals, indicating that Nephrin is localized at the SD. Interestingly, Nephrin was detected already in immature podocytes before the SD and foot processes started to form in both fish. Nephrin was localized along the cell surface of immature podocytes but as different localization patterns. In zebrafish, Nephrin signal bordered the lateral membrane of podocytes, which were columnar in shape, as in rat immature podocytes. However, in medaka immature podocytes, Nephrin was localized in a punctate pattern among podocyte cell bodies. These findings suggest that Nephrin needs to be integrated to the membrane before the formation of the SD and then moves to the proper site to form the SD. Furthermore, a podocyte-specific marker, such as Nephrin, should be a useful tool for the future analysis of pronephric glomerular development in fish mutants and morphants. PMID:23324868

Human implantation: the last barrier in assisted reproduction technologies?

PubMed

Edwards, Robert G

2006-12-01

Implantation processes are highly complex involving the actions of numerous hormones, immunoglobulins, cytokines and other factors in the endometrium. They are also essential matters for the success of assisted reproduction. The nature of early embryonic development is of equal significance. It involves ovarian follicle growth, ovulation, fertilization and preimplantation growth. These processes are affected by imbalanced chromosomal constitutions or slow developmental periods. Post-implantation death is also a significant factor in cases of placental insufficiency or recurrent abortion. Clearly, many of these matters can significantly affect birth rates. This review is concerned primarily with the oocyte, the early embryo and its chromosomal anomalies, and the nature of factors involved in implantation. These are clearly among the most important features in determining successful embryonic and fetal growth. Successive sections cover the endocrine stimulation of follicle growth in mice and humans, growth of human embryos in vitro, their apposition and attachment to the uterus, factors involved in embryo attachment to uterine epithelium and later stages of implantation, and understanding the gene control of polarities and other aspects of preimplantation embryo differentiation. New aspects of knowledge include the use of human oocyte maturation in vitro as an approach to simpler forms of IVF, and new concepts in developmental genetics.

Recapitulation of developmental mechanisms to revascularize the ischemic heart

PubMed Central

Dubé, Karina N.; Thomas, Tonia M.; Munshaw, Sonali; Rohling, Mala; Riley, Paul R.

2017-01-01

Restoring blood flow after myocardial infarction (MI) is essential for survival of existing and newly regenerated tissue. Endogenous vascular repair processes are deployed following injury but are poorly understood. We sought to determine whether developmental mechanisms of coronary vessel formation are intrinsically reactivated in the adult mouse after MI. Using pulse-chase genetic lineage tracing, we establish that de novo vessel formation constitutes a substantial component of the neovascular response, with apparent cellular contributions from the endocardium and coronary sinus. The adult heart reverts to its former hypertrabeculated state and repeats the process of compaction, which may facilitate endocardium-derived neovascularization. The capacity for angiogenic sprouting of the coronary sinus vein, the adult derivative of the sinus venosus, may also reflect its embryonic origin. The quiescent epicardium is reactivated and, while direct cellular contribution to new vessels is minimal, it supports the directional expansion of the neovessel network toward the infarcted myocardium. Thymosin β4, a peptide with roles in vascular development, was required for endocardial compaction, epicardial vessel expansion, and smooth muscle cell recruitment. Insight into pathways that regulate endogenous vascular repair, drawing on comparisons with development, may reveal novel targets for therapeutically enhancing neovascularization. PMID:29202457

HSF4 is required for normal cell growth and differentiation during mouse lens development

PubMed Central

Fujimoto, Mitsuaki; Izu, Hanae; Seki, Keisuke; Fukuda, Ken; Nishida, Teruo; Yamada, Shu-ichi; Kato, Kanefusa; Yonemura, Shigenobu; Inouye, Sachiye; Nakai, Akira

2004-01-01

The heat shock transcription factor (HSF) family consists of three members in mammals and regulates expression of heat shock genes via a heat shock element. HSF1 and HSF2 are required for some developmental processes, but it is unclear how they regulate these processes. To elucidate the mechanisms of developmental regulation by HSFs, we generated mice in which the HSF4 gene is mutated. HSF4-null mice had cataract with abnormal lens fiber cells containing inclusion-like structures, probably due to decreased expression of γ-crystallin, which maintains protein stability. Furthermore, we found increased proliferation and premature differentiation of the mutant lens epithelial cells, which is associated with increased expression of growth factors, FGF-1, FGF-4, and FGF-7. Unexpectedly, HSF1 competed with HSF4 for the expression of FGFs not only in the lens but also in other tissues. These findings reveal the lens-specific role of HSF4, which activates γ-crystallin genes, and also indicate that HSF1 and HSF4 are involved in regulating expression of growth factor genes, which are essential for cell growth and differentiation. PMID:15483628

Regulation of the Embryonic Cell Cycle During Mammalian Preimplantation Development.

PubMed

Palmer, N; Kaldis, P

2016-01-01

The preimplantation development stage of mammalian embryogenesis consists of a series of highly conserved, regulated, and predictable cell divisions. This process is essential to allow the rapid expansion and differentiation of a single-cell zygote into a multicellular blastocyst containing cells of multiple developmental lineages. This period of development, also known as the germinal stage, encompasses several important developmental transitions, which are accompanied by dramatic changes in cell cycle profiles and dynamics. These changes are driven primarily by differences in the establishment and enforcement of cell cycle checkpoints, which must be bypassed to facilitate the completion of essential cell cycle events. Much of the current knowledge in this area has been amassed through the study of knockout models in mice. These mouse models are powerful experimental tools, which have allowed us to dissect the relative dependence of the early embryonic cell cycles on various aspects of the cell cycle machinery and highlight the extent of functional redundancy between members of the same gene family. This chapter will explore the ways in which the cell cycle machinery, their accessory proteins, and their stimuli operate during mammalian preimplantation using mouse models as a reference and how this allows for the usually well-defined stages of the cell cycle to be shaped and transformed during this unique and critical stage of development. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recapitulating cortical development with organoid culture in vitro and modeling abnormal spindle-like (ASPM related primary) microcephaly disease.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Sun, Le; Fang, Ai; Li, Peng; Wu, Qian; Wang, Xiaoqun

2017-11-01

The development of a cerebral organoid culture in vitro offers an opportunity to generate human brain-like organs to investigate mechanisms of human disease that are specific to the neurogenesis of radial glial (RG) and outer radial glial (oRG) cells in the ventricular zone (VZ) and subventricular zone (SVZ) of the developing neocortex. Modeling neuronal progenitors and the organization that produces mature subcortical neuron subtypes during early stages of development is essential for studying human brain developmental diseases. Several previous efforts have shown to grow neural organoid in culture dishes successfully, however we demonstrate a new paradigm that recapitulates neocortical development process with VZ, OSVZ formation and the lamination organization of cortical layer structure. In addition, using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with dysfunction of the Aspm gene from a primary microcephaly patient, we demonstrate neurogenesis defects result in defective neuronal activity in patient organoids, suggesting a new strategy to study human developmental diseases in central nerve system.

Ethylene and Hormonal Cross Talk in Vegetative Growth and Development.

PubMed

Van de Poel, Bram; Smet, Dajo; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

2015-09-01

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that most likely became a functional hormone during the evolution of charophyte green algae, prior to land colonization. From this ancient origin, ethylene evolved into an important growth regulator that is essential for myriad plant developmental processes. In vegetative growth, ethylene appears to have a dual role, stimulating and inhibiting growth, depending on the species, tissue, and cell type, developmental stage, hormonal status, and environmental conditions. Moreover, ethylene signaling and response are part of an intricate network in cross talk with internal and external cues. Besides being a crucial factor in the growth control of roots and shoots, ethylene can promote flowering, fruit ripening and abscission, as well as leaf and petal senescence and abscission and, hence, plays a role in virtually every phase of plant life. Last but not least, together with jasmonates, salicylate, and abscisic acid, ethylene is important in steering stress responses. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Chloroplast targeting of FtsHprotease is essential for chloroplast development and thylakoid stability at elevated temperatures in plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

AtFtsH11 is a chloroplast and mitochondria dual targeted metalloprotease, identified as essential for Arabidopsis plant to survive at moderate high temperatures at all developmental stages. Our study showed that FtsH11 plays critical roles in both the early stages of chloroplast biogenesis and main...

Validity and Reliability of the "Behavior Problems Inventory," the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist," and the "Repetitive Behavior Scale--Revised" among Infants and Toddlers at Risk for Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities: A Multi-Method Assessment Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojahn, Johannes; Schroeder, Stephen R.; Mayo-Ortega, Liliana; Oyama-Ganiko, Rosao; LeBlanc, Judith; Marquis, Janet; Berke, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Reliable and valid assessment of aberrant behaviors is essential in empirically verifying prevention and intervention for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Few instruments exist which assess behavior problems in infants. The current longitudinal study examined the performance of three behavior-rating scales for…

A strategy for translating evidence into policy and practice to close the gap - developing essential service standards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cardiovascular care.

PubMed

Brown, Alex; O'Shea, Rebekah L; Mott, Kathy; McBride, Katharine F; Lawson, Tony; Jennings, Garry L R

2015-02-01

The development and application of essential standards for cardiovascular care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people creates a strategic platform on which to systematically close the gap in the health outcomes and life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people in Australia. We outline six developmental stages that can be used to enhance the effective translation of evidence into practice that reduces life expectancy differentials. Focussing efforts where the biggest gain can be made; considering how to make a policy-relevant difference with an emphasis on translation into policy and practice; establishing a foundation for action by engaging with stakeholders throughout the process; developing a framework to guide action; drafting policy-relevant and framework-appropriate essential service standards; and defining standards that help policy decision makers achieve current priority policy targets. Copyright © 2014 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sucrose affects the developmental transition of rhizomes in Oryza longistaminata.

PubMed

Bessho-Uehara, Kanako; Nugroho, Jovano Erris; Kondo, Hirono; Angeles-Shim, Rosalyn B; Ashikari, Motoyuki

2018-05-08

Oryza longistaminata, the African wild rice, can propagate vegetatively through rhizomes. Rhizomes elongate horizontally underground as sink organs, however, they undergo a developmental transition that shifts their growth to the surface of the ground to become aerial stems. This particular stage is essential for the establishment of new ramets. While several determinants such as abiotic stimuli and plant hormones have been reported as key factors effecting developmental transition in aerial stem, the cause of this phenomenon in rhizome remains elusive. This study shows that depletion of nutrients, particularly sucrose, is the key stimulus that induces the developmental transition in rhizomes, as indicated by the gradient of sugars from the base to the tip of the rhizome. Sugar treatments revealed that sucrose specifically represses the developmental transition from rhizome to aerial stem by inhibiting the expression of sugar metabolism and hormone synthesis genes at the bending point. Sucrose depletion affected several factors contributing to the developmental transition of rhizome including signal transduction, transcriptional regulation and plant hormone balance.

Collaborating in the context of co-location: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Wener, Pamela; Woodgate, Roberta L

2016-03-10

Most individuals with mental health concerns seek care from their primary care provider, who may lack comfort, knowledge, and time to provide care. Interprofessional collaboration between providers improves access to primary mental health services and increases primary care providers' comfort offering these services. Building and sustaining interprofessional relationships is foundational to collaborative practice in primary care settings. However, little is known about the relationship building process within these collaborative relationships. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain a theoretical understanding of the interprofessional collaborative relationship-building process to guide health care providers and leaders as they integrate mental health services into primary care settings. Forty primary and mental health care providers completed a demographic questionnaire and participated in either an individual or group interview. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were reviewed several times and then individually coded. Codes were reviewed and similar codes were collapsed to form categories using using constant comparison. All codes and categories were discussed amongst the researchers and the final categories and core category was agreed upon using constant comparison and consensus. A four-stage developmental interprofessional collaborative relationship-building model explained the emergent core category of Collaboration in the Context of Co-location. The four stages included 1) Looking for Help, 2) Initiating Co-location, 3) Fitting-in, and 4) Growing Reciprocity. A patient-focus and communication strategies were essential processes throughout the interprofessional collaborative relationship-building process. Building interprofessional collaborative relationships amongst health care providers are essential to delivering mental health services in primary care settings. This developmental model describes the process of how these relationships are co-created and supported by the health care region. Furthermore, the model emphasizes that all providers must develop and sustain a patient-focus and communication strategies that are flexible. Applying this model, health care providers can guide the creation and sustainability of primary care interprofessional collaborative relationships. Moreover, this model may guide health care leaders and policy makers as they initiate interprofessional collaborative practice in other health care settings.

The developmental dynamics of behavioral growth processes in rodent egocentric and allocentric space.

PubMed

Golani, Ilan

2012-06-01

In this review I focus on how three methodological principles advocated by Philip Teitelbaum influenced my work to this day: that similar principles of organization should be looked for in ontogeny and recovery of function; that the order of emergence of behavioral components provides a view on the organization of that behavior; and that the components of behavior should be exhibited by the animal itself in relatively pure form. I start by showing how these principles influenced our common work on the developmental dynamics of rodent egocentric space, and then proceed to describe how these principles affected my work with Yoav Benjamini and others on the developmental dynamics of rodent allocentric space. We analyze issues traditionally addressed by physiological psychologists with methods borrowed from ethology, EW (Eshkol-Wachman) movement notation, dynamical systems and exploratory data analysis. Then we show how the natural origins of axes embodied by the behavior of the organism itself, are used by us as the origins of axes for the measurement of the developmental moment-by-moment dynamics of behavior. Using this methodology we expose similar principles of organization across situations, species and preparations, provide a developmental view on the organization of behavior, expose the natural components of behavior in relatively pure form, and reveal how low level primitives generate higher level constructs. Advances in tracking technology should allow us to study how movements in egocentric and allocentric spaces interlace. Tracking of multi-limb coordination, progress in online recording of neural activity in freely moving animals, and the unprecedented accumulation of genetically engineered mouse preparations makes the behavioral ground plan exposed in this review essential for a systematic study of the brain/behavior interface. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Receptor tyrosine kinase mutations in developmental syndromes and cancer: two sides of the same coin

PubMed Central

McDonell, Laura M.; Kernohan, Kristin D.; Boycott, Kym M.; Sawyer, Sarah L.

2015-01-01

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a family of ligand-binding cell surface receptors that regulate a wide range of essential cellular activities, including proliferation, differentiation, cell-cycle progression, survival and apoptosis. As such, these proteins play an important role during development and throughout life; germline mutations in genes encoding RTKs cause several developmental syndromes, while somatic alterations contribute to the pathogenesis of many aggressive cancers. This creates an interesting paradigm in which mutation timing, type and location in a gene leads to different cell signaling and biological responses, and ultimately phenotypic outcomes. In this review, we highlight the roles of RTKs in developmental disorders and cancer. The multifaceted roles of these receptors, their genetic signatures and their signaling during developmental morphogenesis and oncogenesis are discussed. Additionally, we propose that comparative analysis of RTK mutations responsible for developmental syndromes may shed light on those driving tumorigenesis. PMID:26152202

Functional Study of Genes Essential for Autogamy and Nuclear Reorganization in Paramecium▿§

PubMed Central

Nowak, Jacek K.; Gromadka, Robert; Juszczuk, Marek; Jerka-Dziadosz, Maria; Maliszewska, Kamila; Mucchielli, Marie-Hélène; Gout, Jean-François; Arnaiz, Olivier; Agier, Nicolas; Tang, Thomas; Aggerbeck, Lawrence P.; Cohen, Jean; Delacroix, Hervé; Sperling, Linda; Herbert, Christopher J.; Zagulski, Marek; Bétermier, Mireille

2011-01-01

Like all ciliates, Paramecium tetraurelia is a unicellular eukaryote that harbors two kinds of nuclei within its cytoplasm. At each sexual cycle, a new somatic macronucleus (MAC) develops from the germ line micronucleus (MIC) through a sequence of complex events, which includes meiosis, karyogamy, and assembly of the MAC genome from MIC sequences. The latter process involves developmentally programmed genome rearrangements controlled by noncoding RNAs and a specialized RNA interference machinery. We describe our first attempts to identify genes and biological processes that contribute to the progression of the sexual cycle. Given the high percentage of unknown genes annotated in the P. tetraurelia genome, we applied a global strategy to monitor gene expression profiles during autogamy, a self-fertilization process. We focused this pilot study on the genes carried by the largest somatic chromosome and designed dedicated DNA arrays covering 484 genes from this chromosome (1.2% of all genes annotated in the genome). Transcriptome analysis revealed four major patterns of gene expression, including two successive waves of gene induction. Functional analysis of 15 upregulated genes revealed four that are essential for vegetative growth, one of which is involved in the maintenance of MAC integrity and another in cell division or membrane trafficking. Two additional genes, encoding a MIC-specific protein and a putative RNA helicase localizing to the old and then to the new MAC, are specifically required during sexual processes. Our work provides a proof of principle that genes essential for meiosis and nuclear reorganization can be uncovered following genome-wide transcriptome analysis. PMID:21257794

Homeobox genes in the rodent pineal gland: roles in development and phenotype maintenance.

PubMed

Rath, Martin F; Rohde, Kristian; Klein, David C; Møller, Morten

2013-06-01

The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine gland responsible for nocturnal synthesis of melatonin. During early development of the rodent pineal gland from the roof of the diencephalon, homeobox genes of the orthodenticle homeobox (Otx)- and paired box (Pax)-families are expressed and are essential for normal pineal development consistent with the well-established role that homeobox genes play in developmental processes. However, the pineal gland appears to be unusual because strong homeobox gene expression persists in the pineal gland of the adult brain. Accordingly, in addition to developmental functions, homeobox genes appear to be key regulators in postnatal phenotype maintenance in this tissue. In this paper, we review ontogenetic and phylogenetic aspects of pineal development and recent progress in understanding the involvement of homebox genes in rodent pineal development and adult function. A working model is proposed for understanding the sequential action of homeobox genes in controlling development and mature circadian function of the mammalian pinealocyte based on knowledge from detailed developmental and daily gene expression analyses in rats, the pineal phenotypes of homebox gene-deficient mice and studies on development of the retinal photoreceptor; the pinealocyte and retinal photoreceptor share features not seen in other tissues and are likely to have evolved from the same ancestral photodetector cell.

Homeobox genes in the rodent pineal gland: roles in development and phenotype maintenance

PubMed Central

Rath, Martin F.; Rohde, Kristian; Klein, David C.; Møller, Morten

2012-01-01

The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine gland responsible for nocturnal synthesis of melatonin. During early development of the rodent pineal gland from the roof of the diencephalon, homeobox genes of the orthodenticle homeobox (Otx)- and paired box (Pax)-families are expressed and are essential for normal pineal development consistent with the well-established role that homeobox genes play in developmental processes. However, the pineal gland appears to be unusual because strong homeobox gene expression persists in the pineal gland of the adult brain. Accordingly, in addition to developmental functions, homeobox genes appear to be key regulators in postnatal phenotype maintenance in this tissue. In this paper, we review ontogenetic and phylogenetic aspects of pineal development and recent progress in understanding the involvement of homebox genes in rodent pineal development and adult function. A working model is proposed for understanding the sequential action of homeobox genes in controlling development and mature circadian function of the mammalian pinealocyte based on knowledge from detailed developmental and daily gene expression analyses in rats, the pineal phenotypes of homebox gene-deficient mice and studies on development of the retinal photoreceptor; the pinealocyte and retinal photoreceptor share features not seen in other tissues and are likely to have evolved from the same ancestral photodetector cell. PMID:23076630

Adolescent transformations of behavioral and neural processes as potential targets for prevention.

PubMed

Eldreth, Dana; Hardin, Michael G; Pavletic, Nevia; Ernst, Monique

2013-06-01

Adolescence is a transitional period in development that is marked by a distinct, typical behavioral profile of high rates of exploration, novelty-seeking, and emotional lability. While these behaviors generally assist the adolescent transition to independence, they can also confer vulnerability for excessive risk-taking and psychopathology, particularly in the context of specific environmental or genetic influences. As prevention research depends on the identification of targets of vulnerability, the following review will discuss the interplay among motivational systems including reward-related, avoidance-related, and regulatory processes in typical and atypical adolescent development. Each set of processes will be discussed in relation to their underlying neural correlates and distinct developmental trajectories. Evidence suggests that typical adolescent behavior and the risk for atypical development are mediated by heightened adolescent responsiveness of reward-related and avoidance-related systems under specific conditions, concurrent with poor modulation by immature regulatory processes. Finally, we will propose strategies to exploit heightened reward processing to reinforce inhibitory control, which is an essential component of regulatory processes in prevention interventions.

Individual Meaning and Increasing Complexity: Contributions of Sigmund Freud and Rene Spitz to Developmental Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emde, Robert N.

1992-01-01

Considers contributions of Sigmund Freud and Rene Spitz to developmental psychology. Freud's contributions include his observations about play, perspectives on developmental processes, and ideas about unconscious mental activity. Spitz's contributions include his assessments of infants, perspectives on developmental processes, and his concept of…

An Essential Component in Chloroplast Development and Maintenance at Moderate High Temperature in Higher Plants: Chloroplast-targeted FtsH11 Proteases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Among the 12 predicted FtsH proteases in Arabidopsis, AtFtsH11 is the only metalloprotease targeting to both chloroplast and mitochondria and the only one essential for Arabidopsis plant to survive at moderate heat stress at all developmental stages. Under optimal conditions, atftsh11 mutants were...

Sub-lethal and lethal toxicities of elevated CO2 on embryonic, juvenile, and adult stages of marine medaka Oryzias melastigma.

PubMed

Lee, Changkeun; Kwon, Bong-Oh; Hong, Seongjin; Noh, Junsung; Lee, Junghyun; Ryu, Jongseong; Kang, Seong-Gil; Khim, Jong Seong

2018-06-06

The potential leakage from marine CO 2 storage sites is of increasing concern, but few studies have evaluated the probable adverse effects on marine organisms. Fish, one of the top predators in marine environments, should be an essential representative species used for water column toxicity testing in response to waterborne CO 2 exposure. In the present study, we conducted fish life cycle toxicity tests to fully elucidate CO 2 toxicity mechanism effects. We tested sub-lethal and lethal toxicities of elevated CO 2 concentrations on marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) at different developmental stages. At each developmental stage, the test species was exposed to varying concentrations of gaseous CO 2 (control air, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30%), with 96 h of exposure at 0-4 d (early stage), 4-8 d (middle stage), and 8-12 d (late stage). Sub-lethal and lethal effects, including early developmental delays, cardiac edema, tail abnormalities, abnormal pigmentation, and mortality were monitored daily during the 14 d exposure period. At the embryonic stage, significant sub-lethal and lethal effects were observed at pH < 6.30. Hypercapnia can cause long-term and/or delayed developmental embryonic problems, even after transfer back to clean seawater. At fish juvenile and adult stages, significant mortality was observed at pH < 5.70, indicating elevated CO 2 exposure might cause various adverse effects, even during short-term exposure periods. It should be noted the early embryonic stage was found more sensitive to CO 2 exposure than other developmental stages of the fish life cycle. Overall, the present study provided baseline information for potential adverse effects of high CO 2 concentration exposure on fish developmental processes at different life cycle stages in marine ecosystems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental stages of cultivated strawberry flowers in relation to chilling sensitivity

PubMed Central

Ariza, Maria Teresa; Soria, Carmen; Martínez-Ferri, Elsa

2015-01-01

Environmental factors affecting flower development may limit the yields of fruiting crops worldwide. In temperate regions, chilling temperatures during flower development can compromise fruit production, but their negative effects vary depending on the differing susceptibilities of each developmental stage. The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria× ananassa Duch.) is widely grown worldwide but financial returns are influenced by sudden shifts to chilling temperatures occurring during the cropping cycle. Despite this important limitation, knowledge of F.× ananassa flower development is lacking, in contrast to the diploid wild-type strawberry (F. vesca). In this study we describe steps in floral development of cultivated strawberry and define their vulnerability to chilling temperatures. To achieve this, flower buds from strawberry plants of cv. ‘Camarosa’ were labelled and monitored from bud initiation until anthesis. Description of morphological and functional changes during flower development was based on histological sections and scanning electron microscopy. To determine the impact of low temperatures at different developmental stages, plants carrying buds of different sizes were chilled at 2 °C for 24 h. Several parameters related to male and female gametophyte development were later evaluated in flowers as they approached anthesis. Fragaria× ananassa flower development was divided into 16 stages according to landmark events. These stages were similar to those documented for F. vesca but three new additional intermediate stages were described. Timing of developmental processes was achieved by correlating developmental staging with specific bud sizes and days before anthesis. Time to reach anthesis from early bud stages was 17–18 days. During this period, we detected four critical periods vulnerable to low temperatures. These were mostly related to male gametophyte development but also to injury to female organs at late developmental stages. These results provide the essential groundwork on floral biology of cultivated strawberry that is a prerequisite for successful comparative studies of cold tolerance among genotypes during flower formation. PMID:25661200

Is auditory perceptual timing a core deficit of developmental coordination disorder?

PubMed

Trainor, Laurel J; Chang, Andrew; Cairney, John; Li, Yao-Chuen

2018-05-09

Time is an essential dimension for perceiving and processing auditory events, and for planning and producing motor behaviors. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 5-6% of children that is characterized by deficits in motor skills. Studies show that children with DCD have motor timing and sensorimotor timing deficits. We suggest that auditory perceptual timing deficits may also be core characteristics of DCD. This idea is consistent with evidence from several domains, (1) motor-related brain regions are often involved in auditory timing process; (2) DCD has high comorbidity with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity, which are known to be associated with auditory timing deficits; (3) a few studies report deficits in auditory-motor timing among children with DCD; and (4) our preliminary behavioral and neuroimaging results show that children with DCD at age 6 and 7 have deficits in auditory time discrimination compared to typically developing children. We propose directions for investigating auditory perceptual timing processing in DCD that use various behavioral and neuroimaging approaches. From a clinical perspective, research findings can potentially benefit our understanding of the etiology of DCD, identify early biomarkers of DCD, and can be used to develop evidence-based interventions for DCD involving auditory-motor training. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

Mentoring for the New Millennium.

PubMed

Walker, William O; Kelly, Patrick C; Hume, Roderick F

2002-12-01

The challenges and benefits of a formal mentoring program are considered within the context of learning organizations: specifically, graduate medical education and professional development. While no single definition addresses every aspect of mentoring, this process is a distinct one with established traditions and expectations. The core requirements of attraction, action and affect remain and are essential for this adult developmental process to be successful. This paper's review of the literature supports the belief that mentoring has value, even into the next millennium, with some conceptual evolution. We are encouraging a paradigm shift from the traditional dyad model of mentoring to a triad model: organization, mentor, and protégé. The future development of outcome measures will be a necessary goal to demonstrate that both personal and organizational goals can coexist.

Keep Your Eyes on Development: The Behavioral and Neurophysiological Development of Visual Mechanisms Underlying Form Processing

PubMed Central

van den Boomen, C.; van der Smagt, M. J.; Kemner, C.

2012-01-01

Visual form perception is essential for correct interpretation of, and interaction with, our environment. Form perception depends on visual acuity and processing of specific form characteristics, such as luminance contrast, spatial frequency, color, orientation, depth, and even motion information. As other cognitive processes, form perception matures with age. This paper aims at providing a concise overview of our current understanding of the typical development, from birth to adulthood, of form-characteristic processing, as measured both behaviorally and neurophysiologically. Two main conclusions can be drawn. First, the current literature conveys that for most reviewed characteristics a developmental pattern is apparent. These trajectories are discussed in relation to the organization of the visual system. The second conclusion is that significant gaps in the literature exist for several age-ranges. To complete our understanding of the typical and, by consequence, atypical development of visual mechanisms underlying form processing, future research should uncover these missing segments. PMID:22416236

ATP synthase promotes germ cell differentiation independent of oxidative phosphorylation

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Felipe K.; Sanchez, Carlos G.; Hurd, Thomas R.; Seifert, Jessica R. K.; Czech, Benjamin; Preall, Jonathan B.; Hannon, Gregory J.; Lehmann, Ruth

2015-01-01

The differentiation of stem cells is a tightly regulated process essential for animal development and tissue homeostasis. Through this process, attainment of new identity and function is achieved by marked changes in cellular properties. Intrinsic cellular mechanisms governing stem cell differentiation remain largely unknown, in part because systematic forward genetic approaches to the problem have not been widely used1,2. Analysing genes required for germline stem cell differentiation in the Drosophila ovary, we find that the mitochondrial ATP synthase plays a critical role in this process. Unexpectedly, the ATP synthesizing function of this complex was not necessary for differentiation, as knockdown of other members of the oxidative phosphorylation system did not disrupt the process. Instead, the ATP synthase acted to promote the maturation of mitochondrial cristae during differentiation through dimerization and specific upregulation of the ATP synthase complex. Taken together, our results suggest that ATP synthase-dependent crista maturation is a key developmental process required for differentiation independent of oxidative phosphorylation. PMID:25915123

A comprehensive study on regulatory requirements for development and filing of generic drugs globally

PubMed Central

Handoo, Shweta; Arora, Vandana; Khera, Deepak; Nandi, Prafulla Kumar; Sahu, Susanta Kumar

2012-01-01

The regulatory requirements of various countries of the world vary from each other. Therefore, it is challenging for the companies to develop a single drug which can be simultaneously submitted in all the countries for approval. The regulatory strategy for product development is essentially to be established before commencement of developmental work in order to avoid major surprises after submission of the application. The role of the regulatory authorities is to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all medicines in circulation in their country. It not only includes the process of regulating and monitoring the drugs but also the process of manufacturing, distribution, and promotion of it. One of the primary challenges for regulatory authority is to ensure that the pharmaceutical products are developed as per the regulatory requirement of that country. This process involves the assessment of critical parameters during product development. PMID:23373001

Endocytosis and Endosomal Trafficking in Plants.

PubMed

Paez Valencia, Julio; Goodman, Kaija; Otegui, Marisa S

2016-04-29

Endocytosis and endosomal trafficking are essential processes in cells that control the dynamics and turnover of plasma membrane proteins, such as receptors, transporters, and cell wall biosynthetic enzymes. Plasma membrane proteins (cargo) are internalized by endocytosis through clathrin-dependent or clathrin-independent mechanism and delivered to early endosomes. From the endosomes, cargo proteins are recycled back to the plasma membrane via different pathways, which rely on small GTPases and the retromer complex. Proteins that are targeted for degradation through ubiquitination are sorted into endosomal vesicles by the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) machinery for degradation in the vacuole. Endocytic and endosomal trafficking regulates many cellular, developmental, and physiological processes, including cellular polarization, hormone transport, metal ion homeostasis, cytokinesis, pathogen responses, and development. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms that mediate the recognition and sorting of endocytic and endosomal cargos, the vesiculation processes that mediate their trafficking, and their connection to cellular and physiological responses in plants.

Age-related changes in the activation of the intraparietal sulcus during nonsymbolic magnitude processing: an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Ansari, Daniel; Dhital, Bibek

2006-11-01

Numerical magnitude processing is an essential everyday skill. Functional brain imaging studies with human adults have repeatedly revealed that bilateral regions of the intraparietal sulcus are correlated with various numerical and mathematical skills. Surprisingly little, however, is known about the development of these brain representations. In the present study, we used functional neuroimaging to compare the neural correlates of nonsymbolic magnitude judgments between children and adults. Although behavioral performance was similar across groups, in comparison to the group of children the adult participants exhibited greater effects of numerical distance on the left intraparietal sulcus. Our findings are the first to reveal that even the most basic aspects of numerical cognition are subject to age-related changes in functional neuroanatomy. We propose that developmental impairments of number may be associated with atypical specialization of cortical regions underlying magnitude processing.

Orthographic Processing Efficiency in Developmental Dyslexia: An Investigation of Age and Treatment Factors at the Sublexical Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Beth A.; Wolf, Maryanne; Miller, Lynne T.; Lovett, Maureen W.; Morris, Robin

2011-01-01

Reading fluency beyond decoding is a limitation to many children with developmental reading disorders. In the interest of remediating dysfluency, contributing factors need to be explored and understood in a developmental framework. The focus of this study is orthographic processing in developmental dyslexia, and how it may contribute to reading…

Memory: As It Relates to Children Ages 9 to 12 Years. Skills Essential to Learning Television Project: Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Fred L., Jr.

An overview of theory and research in memory as it relates to developmental differences is offered in this paper, which is intended to provide background information for the staff of the Skills Essential to Learning Television Project (a multi-level series of video and print resources for classroom use). A model for viewing information processing…

A Rosa canina WUSCHEL-related homeobox gene, RcWOX1, is involved in auxin-induced rhizoid formation.

PubMed

Gao, Bin; Wen, Chao; Fan, Lusheng; Kou, Yaping; Ma, Nan; Zhao, Liangjun

2014-12-01

Homeobox (HB) proteins are important transcription factors that regulate the developmental decisions of eukaryotes. WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors, known as a plant-specific HB family, play a key role in plant developmental processes. Our previous work has indicated that rhizoids are induced by auxin in rose (Rosa spp.), which acts as critical part of an efficient plant regeneration system. However, the function of WOX genes in auxin-induced rhizoid formation remains unclear. Here, we isolated and characterized a WUSCHEL-related homeobox gene from Rosa canina, RcWOX1, containing a typical homeodomain with 65 amino acid residues. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that RcWOX1 was expressed in the whole process of callus formation and in the early stage of rhizoid formation. Moreover, its expression was induced by auxin treatment. In Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing the RcWOX1pro::GUS and 35S::GFP-RcWOX1, RcWOX1 was specifically expressed in roots and localized to the nucleus. Overexpression of RcWOX1 in Arabidopsis increased lateral root density and induced upregulation of PIN1 and PIN7 genes. Therefore, we postulated that RcWOX1 is a functional transcription factor that plays an essential role in auxin-induced rhizoid formation.

MtMAPKK4 is an essential gene for growth and reproduction of Medicago truncatula.

PubMed

Chen, Tao; Zhou, Bo; Duan, Liujian; Zhu, Hui; Zhang, Zhongming

2017-04-01

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are universal signaling modules in eukaryotes, including yeasts, animals and plants. They are involved in responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses, hormones, cell division and developmental processes. A MAPK cascade is composed of three functionally tiered protein kinases, namely MAPK, MAPK kinases (MAPKKs) and MAPK kinase kinases (MAPKKKs). These kinases have been intensively studied for their roles in developmental and physiological processes in various organisms. In this study, a Medicago truncatula MtMAPKK4 mutant with the tobacco retrotransposon Tnt1 insertion was identified using reverse genetics methods. No homozygous progeny could be produced by self-pollination of mapkk4/+ heterozygotes for 5 generations. Heterozygous mapkk4/+ mutant plants exhibited growth retardation, chlorosis symptoms and significantly reduced numbers of infection threads and nodules. The interaction between MtMAPKK4 and MtMAPK3/6 occurred both in yeast and in planta. Green fluorescent protein-tagged MtMAPKK4, MtMAPK3 and MtMAPK6 were all localized to membranes, cytoplasm and nuclei. Expression of MtMAPKK4, MtMAPK3 and MtMAPK6 was detected in various tissues of M. truncatula plants at the nodule maturation stage. Transcript levels of these genes were decreased in roots at the early symbiotic stage. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

A Functional Study of AUXILIN-LIKE1 and 2, Two Putative Clathrin Uncoating Factors in Arabidopsis[OPEN

PubMed Central

Adamowski, Maciek; Kania, Urszula

2018-01-01

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a cellular trafficking process in which cargoes and lipids are internalized from the plasma membrane into vesicles coated with clathrin and adaptor proteins. CME is essential for many developmental and physiological processes in plants, but its underlying mechanism is not well characterized compared with that in yeast and animal systems. Here, we searched for new factors involved in CME in Arabidopsis thaliana by performing tandem affinity purification of proteins that interact with clathrin light chain, a principal component of the clathrin coat. Among the confirmed interactors, we found two putative homologs of the clathrin-coat uncoating factor auxilin previously described in non-plant systems. Overexpression of AUXILIN-LIKE1 and AUXILIN-LIKE2 in Arabidopsis caused an arrest of seedling growth and development. This was concomitant with inhibited endocytosis due to blocking of clathrin recruitment after the initial step of adaptor protein binding to the plasma membrane. By contrast, auxilin-like1/2 loss-of-function lines did not present endocytosis-related developmental or cellular phenotypes under normal growth conditions. This work contributes to the ongoing characterization of the endocytotic machinery in plants and provides a robust tool for conditionally and specifically interfering with CME in Arabidopsis. PMID:29511054

Identification of Reference Genes for Normalizing Quantitative Real-Time PCR in Urechis unicinctus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yajiao; Zhou, Di; Wei, Maokai; Xie, Yueyang; Gao, Beibei; Qin, Zhenkui; Zhang, Zhifeng

2018-06-01

The reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) has become one of the most important techniques of studying gene expression. A set of valid reference genes are essential for the accurate normalization of data. In this study, five candidate genes were analyzed with geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and ΔCt methods to identify the genes stably expressed in echiuran Urechis unicinctus, an important commercial marine benthic worm, under abiotic (sulfide stress) and normal (adult tissues, embryos and larvae at different development stages) conditions. The comprehensive results indicated that the expression of TBP was the most stable at sulfide stress and in developmental process, while the expression of EF- 1- α was the most stable at sulfide stress and in various tissues. TBP and EF- 1- α were recommended as a suitable reference gene combination to accurately normalize the expression of target genes at sulfide stress; and EF- 1- α, TBP and TUB were considered as a potential reference gene combination for normalizing the expression of target genes in different tissues. No suitable gene combination was obtained among these five candidate genes for normalizing the expression of target genes for developmental process of U. unicinctus. Our results provided a valuable support for quantifying gene expression using RT-qPCR in U. unicinctus.

Cadmium affects muscle type development and axon growth in zebrafish embryonic somitogenesis.

PubMed

Hen Chow, Elly Suk; Cheng, Shuk Han

2003-05-01

We have previously reported that exposure to cadmium during zebrafish embryonic development caused morphological malformations of organs and ectopic expression of genes involved in regulating developmental process. One of the most common developmental defects observed was altered axial curvature resulting from defects in the myotomes of the somites. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of cadmium-induced toxicity in zebrafish somitogenesis. We showed that the critical period of exposure was the gastrulation period, which actually preceded the formation of the first morphologically distinct somites. The somites thus formed lost the typical chevron V-shape and are packed disorderly. The myogenic lineage commitment of the axial mesodermal cells was not affected, as the myogenic regulatory transcription factors were expressed normally. There were, however, losses of fast and slow muscle fibers in the myotomes. The innervation of the muscle blocks by spinal motoneurons is an important process of the somitogenesis. Both primary and secondary motoneurons appear to form normally while the axon growth is affected in cadmium-treated embryos. The notochord, which is essential in the patterning of the somites and the central nervous system, showed abnormal morphological features and failed to extend to the tail region. Taken together, it appears that cadmium exposure led to abnormal somite patterning of the muscle fibers and defects in axonogenesis.

Ligand-Specific Transcriptional Mechanisms Underlie Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Mediated Developmental Toxicity of Oxygenated PAHs

PubMed Central

Goodale, B. C.; La Du, J.; Tilton, S. C.; Sullivan, C. M.; Bisson, W. H.; Waters, K. M.; Tanguay, R. L.

2015-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are priority environmental contaminants that exhibit mutagenic, carcinogenic, proinflammatory, and teratogenic properties. Oxygen-substituted PAHs (OPAHs) are formed during combustion processes and via phototoxidation and biological degradation of parent (unsubstituted) PAHs. Despite their prevalence both in contaminated industrial sites and in urban air, OPAH mechanisms of action in biological systems are relatively understudied. Like parent PAHs, OPAHs exert structure-dependent mutagenic activities and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and cytochrome p450 metabolic pathway. Four-ring OPAHs 1,9-benz-10-anthrone (BEZO) and benz(a)anthracene-7,12-dione (7,12-B[a]AQ) cause morphological aberrations and induce markers of oxidative stress in developing zebrafish with similar potency, but only 7,12-B[a]AQ induces robust Cyp1a protein expression. We investigated the role of the AHR in mediating the toxicity of BEZO and 7,12-B[a]AQ, and found that knockdown of AHR2 rescued developmental effects caused by both compounds. Using RNA-seq and molecular docking, we identified transcriptional responses that precede developmental toxicity induced via differential interaction with AHR2. Redox-homeostasis genes were affected similarly by these OPAHs, while 7,12-B[a]AQ preferentially activated phase 1 metabolism and BEZO uniquely decreased visual system genes. Analysis of biological functions and upstream regulators suggests that BEZO is a weak AHR agonist, but interacts with other transcriptional regulators to cause developmental toxicity in an AHR-dependent manner. Identifying ligand-dependent AHR interactions and signaling pathways is essential for understanding toxicity of this class of environmentally relevant compounds. PMID:26141390

Prenatal stress and development: beyond the single cause and effect paradigm.

PubMed

Hamlin, Heather J

2012-12-01

Our awareness of the causes of stress-induced developmental dysfunction has increased dramatically over the past decade, and it is becoming increasingly clear that a number of factors can have considerable impacts on the developing fetus. Although there is a tendency in investigations of developmental teratogens to attribute specific causes to adverse fetal outcomes, it is important we recognize that for most developmental dysfunctions it is unlikely a single cause, but yet a series of environmental insults combined with genetic predisposition that ultimately leads to a disease state. Nonetheless, a number of developmental teratogens, such as maternal psychological stress and chemical exposures, have been shown to increase the likelihood of developmental defects. These defects can manifest during development, leading to observable birth defects, or could become evident long after birth, even into adulthood. In addition, epigenetic mutations in the germline can alter the phenotype of successive generations through transgenerational inheritance, and in this way environmental factors can alter the developmental outcomes and disease predispositions of future generations. Understanding this complexity is essential to interpretations of causality in the studies of stress-induced developmental dysfunction and needs to be fully considered to more effectively interpret potential outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Developmental milestones record - 4 months

MedlinePlus

... Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; ... Normal development. In: Marcdante KJ, Kliegman RM, eds. Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier ...

Septate Junction Proteins Play Essential Roles in Morphogenesis Throughout Embryonic Development in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Hall, Sonia; Ward, Robert E.

2016-01-01

The septate junction (SJ) is the occluding junction found in the ectodermal epithelia of invertebrate organisms, and is essential to maintain chemically distinct compartments in epithelial organs, to provide the blood–brain barrier in the nervous system, and to provide an important line of defense against invading pathogens. More than 20 genes have been identified to function in the establishment or maintenance of SJs in Drosophila melanogaster. Numerous studies have demonstrated the cell biological function of these proteins in establishing the occluding junction, whereas very few studies have examined further developmental roles for them. Here we examined embryos with mutations in nine different core SJ genes and found that all nine result in defects in embryonic development as early as germ band retraction, with the most penetrant defect observed in head involution. SJ genes are also required for cell shape changes and cell rearrangements that drive the elongation of the salivary gland during midembryogenesis. Interestingly, these developmental events occur at a time prior to the formation of the occluding junction, when SJ proteins localize along the lateral membrane and have not yet coalesced into the region of the SJ. Together, these observations reveal an underappreciated role for a large group of SJ genes in essential developmental events during embryogenesis, and suggest that the function of these proteins in facilitating cell shape changes and rearrangements is independent of their role in the occluding junction. PMID:27261004

Applying a Lifespan Developmental Perspective to Chronic Pain: Pediatrics to Geriatrics.

PubMed

Walco, Gary A; Krane, Elliot J; Schmader, Kenneth E; Weiner, Debra K

2016-09-01

An ideal taxonomy of chronic pain would be applicable to people of all ages. Developmental sciences focus on lifespan developmental approaches, and view the trajectory of processes in the life course from birth to death. In this article we provide a review of lifespan developmental models, describe normal developmental processes that affect pain processing, and identify deviations from those processes that lead to stable individual differences of clinical interest, specifically the development of chronic pain syndromes. The goals of this review were 1) to unify what are currently separate purviews of "pediatric pain," "adult pain," and "geriatric pain," and 2) to generate models so that specific elements of the chronic pain taxonomy might include important developmental considerations. A lifespan developmental model is applied to the forthcoming Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks-American Pain Society Pain Taxonomy to ascertain the degree to which general "adult" descriptions apply to pediatric and geriatric populations, or if age- or development-related considerations need to be invoked. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

From emotion resonance to empathic understanding: a social developmental neuroscience account.

PubMed

Decety, Jean; Meyer, Meghan

2008-01-01

The psychological construct of empathy refers to an intersubjective induction process by which positive and negative emotions are shared, without losing sight of whose feelings belong to whom. Empathy can lead to personal distress or to empathic concern (sympathy). The goal of this paper is to address the underlying cognitive processes and their neural underpinnings that constitute empathy within a developmental neuroscience perspective. In addition, we focus on how these processes go awry in developmental disorders marked by impairments in social cognition, such as autism spectrum disorder, and conduct disorder. We argue that empathy involves both bottom-up and top-down information processing, underpinned by specific and interacting neural systems. We discuss data from developmental psychology as well as cognitive neuroscience in support of such a model, and highlight the impact of neural dysfunctions on social cognitive developmental behavior. Altogether, bridging developmental science and cognitive neuroscience helps approach a more complete understanding of social cognition. Synthesizing these two domains also contributes to a better characterization of developmental psychopathologies that impacts the development of effective treatment strategies.

The importance of SERINE DECARBOXYLASE1 (SDC1) and ethanolamine biosynthesis during embryogenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Yunus, Ian Sofian; Liu, Yu-Chi; Nakamura, Yuki

2016-11-01

In plants, ethanolamine is considered a precursor for the synthesis of choline, which is an essential dietary nutrient for animals. An enzyme serine decarboxylase (SDC) has been identified and characterized in Arabidopsis, which directly converts serine to ethanolamine, a precursor to phosphorylethanolamine and its subsequent metabolites in plants. However, the importance of SDC and ethanolamine production in plant growth and development remains unclear. Here, we show that SDC is required for ethanolamine biosynthesis in vivo and essential in plant embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. The knockout of SDC1 caused an embryonic lethal defect due to the developmental arrest of the embryos at the heart stage. During embryo development, the expression was observed at the later stages, at which developmental defect occurred in the knockout mutant. Overexpression of SDC1 in planta increased levels of ethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine both in leaves and siliques. These results suggest that SDC1 plays an essential role in ethanolamine biosynthesis during the embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Activation of YUCCA5 by the Transcription Factor TCP4 Integrates Developmental and Environmental Signals to Promote Hypocotyl Elongation in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Challa, Krishna Reddy; Aggarwal, Pooja; Nath, Utpal

2016-09-05

Cell expansion is an essential process in plant morphogenesis and is regulated by the coordinated action of environmental stimuli and endogenous factors, such as the phytohormones auxin and brassinosteroid. Although the biosynthetic pathways that generate these hormones and their downstream signaling mechanisms have been extensively studied, the upstream transcriptional network that modulates their levels and connects their action to cell morphogenesis is less clear. Here we show that the miR319-regulated TCP (TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1, CYCLODEA, PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS) transcription factors, notably TCP4, directly activate YUCCA5 transcription and integrate the auxin response to a brassinosteroid-dependent molecular circuit that promotes cell elongation in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Further, TCP4 modulates the common transcriptional network downstream to auxin-BR signaling, which is also triggered by environmental cues, such as light, to promote cell expansion. Our study links TCP function with the hormone response during cell morphogenesis and shows that developmental and environmental signals converge on a common transcriptional network to promote cell elongation. {copyright, serif} 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Nasal embryonic LHRH factor plays a role in the developmental migration and projection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neurons in zebrafish.

PubMed

Palevitch, Ori; Abraham, Eytan; Borodovsky, Natalya; Levkowitz, Gil; Zohar, Yonathan; Gothilf, Yoav

2009-01-01

The initiation of puberty and the functioning of the reproductive system depend on proper development of the hypophysiotropic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) system. One critical step in this process is the embryonic migration of GnRH neurons from the olfactory area to the hypothalamus. Using a transgenic zebrafish model, Tg(gnrh3:EGFP), in which GnRH3 neurons and axons are fluorescently labeled, we investigated whether zebrafish NELF is essential for the development of GnRH3 neurons. The zebrafish nelf cDNA was cloned and characterized. During embryonic development, nelf is expressed in GnRH3 neurons and in target sites of GnRH3 projections and perikarya, before the initiation of their migration. Nelf knockdown resulted in a disruption of the GnRH3 system which included absence or misguiding of GnRH3 axonal outgrowth and incorrect or arrested migration of GnRH3 perikarya. These results suggest that Nelf is an important factor in the developmental migration and projection of GnRH3 neurons in zebrafish. Copyright (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Oscillatory Protein Expression Dynamics Endows Stem Cells with Robust Differentiation Potential

PubMed Central

Kaneko, Kunihiko

2011-01-01

The lack of understanding of stem cell differentiation and proliferation is a fundamental problem in developmental biology. Although gene regulatory networks (GRNs) for stem cell differentiation have been partially identified, the nature of differentiation dynamics and their regulation leading to robust development remain unclear. Herein, using a dynamical system modeling cell approach, we performed simulations of the developmental process using all possible GRNs with a few genes, and screened GRNs that could generate cell type diversity through cell-cell interactions. We found that model stem cells that both proliferated and differentiated always exhibited oscillatory expression dynamics, and the differentiation frequency of such stem cells was regulated, resulting in a robust number distribution. Moreover, we uncovered the common regulatory motifs for stem cell differentiation, in which a combination of regulatory motifs that generated oscillatory expression dynamics and stabilized distinct cellular states played an essential role. These findings may explain the recently observed heterogeneity and dynamic equilibrium in cellular states of stem cells, and can be used to predict regulatory networks responsible for differentiation in stem cell systems. PMID:22073296

BioAge: Toward A Multi-Determined, Mechanistic Account of Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

DeCarlo, Correne A.; Tuokko, Holly A.; Williams, Dorothy; Dixon, Roger A.; MacDonald, Stuart W.S.

2014-01-01

The search for reliable early indicators of age-related cognitive decline represents a critical avenue for progress in aging research. Chronological age is a commonly used developmental index; however, it offers little insight into the mechanisms underlying cognitive decline. In contrast, biological age (BioAge), reflecting the vitality of essential biological systems, represents a promising operationalization of developmental time. Current BioAge models have successfully predicted age-related cognitive deficits. Research on aging-related cognitive function indicates that the interaction of multiple risk and protective factors across the human lifespan confers individual risk for late-life cognitive decline, implicating a multi-causal explanation. In this review, we explore current BioAge models, describe three broad yet pathologically relevant biological processes linked to cognitive decline, and propose a novel operationalization of BioAge accounting for both moderating and causal mechanisms of cognitive decline and dementia. We argue that a multivariate and mechanistic BioAge approach will lead to a greater understanding of disease pathology as well as more accurate prediction and early identification of late-life cognitive decline. PMID:25278166

BioAge: toward a multi-determined, mechanistic account of cognitive aging.

PubMed

DeCarlo, Correne A; Tuokko, Holly A; Williams, Dorothy; Dixon, Roger A; MacDonald, Stuart W S

2014-11-01

The search for reliable early indicators of age-related cognitive decline represents a critical avenue for progress in aging research. Chronological age is a commonly used developmental index; however, it offers little insight into the mechanisms underlying cognitive decline. In contrast, biological age (BioAge), reflecting the vitality of essential biological systems, represents a promising operationalization of developmental time. Current BioAge models have successfully predicted age-related cognitive deficits. Research on aging-related cognitive function indicates that the interaction of multiple risk and protective factors across the human lifespan confers individual risk for late-life cognitive decline, implicating a multi-causal explanation. In this review, we explore current BioAge models, describe three broad yet pathologically relevant biological processes linked to cognitive decline, and propose a novel operationalization of BioAge accounting for both moderating and causal mechanisms of cognitive decline and dementia. We argue that a multivariate and mechanistic BioAge approach will lead to a greater understanding of disease pathology as well as more accurate prediction and early identification of late-life cognitive decline. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revealing 3D Ultrastructure and Morphology of Stem Cell Spheroids by Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Jaros, Josef; Petrov, Michal; Tesarova, Marketa; Hampl, Ales

2017-01-01

Cell culture methods have been developed in efforts to produce biologically relevant systems for developmental and disease modeling, and appropriate analytical tools are essential. Knowledge of ultrastructural characteristics represents the basis to reveal in situ the cellular morphology, cell-cell interactions, organelle distribution, niches in which cells reside, and many more. The traditional method for 3D visualization of ultrastructural components, serial sectioning using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), is very labor-intensive due to contentious TEM slice preparation and subsequent image processing of the whole collection. In this chapter, we present serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, together with complex methodology for spheroid formation, contrasting of cellular compartments, image processing, and 3D visualization. The described technique is effective for detailed morphological analysis of stem cell spheroids, organoids, as well as organotypic cell cultures.

Dead end1 is an essential partner of NANOS2 for selective binding of target RNAs in male germ cell development.

PubMed

Suzuki, Atsushi; Niimi, Yuki; Shinmyozu, Kaori; Zhou, Zhi; Kiso, Makoto; Saga, Yumiko

2016-01-01

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play important roles for generating various cell types in many developmental processes, including eggs and sperms. Nanos is widely known as an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein implicated in germ cell development. Mouse NANOS2 interacts directly with the CCR4-NOT (CNOT) deadenylase complex, resulting in the suppression of specific RNAs. However, the mechanisms involved in target specificity remain elusive. We show that another RBP, Dead end1 (DND1), directly interacts with NANOS2 to load unique RNAs into the CNOT complex. This interaction is mediated by the zinc finger domain of NANOS2, which is essential for its association with target RNAs. In addition, the conditional deletion of DND1 causes the disruption of male germ cell differentiation similar to that observed in Nanos2-KO mice. Thus, DND1 is an essential partner for NANOS2 that leads to the degradation of specific RNAs. We also present the first evidence that the zinc finger domain of Nanos acts as a protein-interacting domain for another RBP, providing a novel insight into Nanos-mediated germ cell development. © 2015 The Authors.

Latrunculin B-induced plant dwarfism: Plant cell elongation is F-actin-dependent.

PubMed

Baluska, F; Jasik, J; Edelmann, H G; Salajová, T; Volkmann, D

2001-03-01

Marine macrolides latrunculins are highly specific toxins which effectively depolymerize actin filaments (generally F-actin) in all eukaryotic cells. We show that latrunculin B is effective on diverse cell types in higher plants and describe the use of this drug in probing F-actin-dependent growth and in plant development-related processes. In contrast to other eukaryotic organisms, cell divisions occurs in plant cells devoid of all actin filaments. However, the alignment of the division planes is often distorted. In addition to cell division, postembryonic development and morphogenesis also continue in the absence of F-actin. These experimental data suggest that F-actin is of little importance in the morphogenesis of higher plants, and that plants can develop more or less normally without F-actin. In contrast, F-actin turns out to be essential for cell elongation. When latrunculin B was added during germination, morphologically normal Arabidopsis and rye seedlings developed but, as a result of the absence of cell elongation, these were stunted, resembling either genetic dwarfs or environmental bonsai plants. In conclusion, F-actin is essential for the plant cell elongation, while this F-actin-dependent cell elongation is not an essential feature of plant-specific developmental programs.

Learning to cooperate is essential for progress in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickau, Jonathan J.

2012-06-01

At the 10th Frontiers of Fundamental Physics symposium, Gerard't Hooft stated that, for some of the advances we hope to see in Physics during the future, there must be a great deal of cooperation between physicists from different disciplines, as well as mathematicians, programmers, technologists, and others. This requires us to evolve a new mindset; however, as so much of our past progress has come out of a fiercely competitive process - especially since a critical review of our ideas about reality remains essential to making clear progress and checking our progress. We must also address the fact that some frameworks appear incompatible, as with relativity and quantum mechanics, whose unification remains distant despite years of attempts to find a quantum gravity theory. I explore the idea that playful exploration, using both left-brained and right-brained approaches to learning, allows us to resolve conflicting ideas by taking advantage of innate human developmental and learning strategies and brain structure. It may thus foster the kind of interdisciplinary cooperation we are hoping to see.

Apoptosis: Focus on sea urchin development.

PubMed

Agnello, Maria; Roccheri, Maria Carmela

2010-03-01

It has been proposed that the apoptosis is an essential requirement for the evolution of all animals, in fact the apoptotic program is highly conserved from nematodes to mammals. Throughout development, apoptosis is employed by multicellular organisms to eliminate damaged or unnecessary cells. Here, we will discuss both developmental programmed cell death (PCD) under normal conditions and stress induced apoptosis, in sea urchin embryos. Sea urchin represent an excellent model system for studying embryogenesis and cellular processes involved in metamorphosis. PCD plays an essential role in sculpting and remodelling the embryos and larvae undergoing metamorphosis. Moreover, this marine organism directly interacts with its environment, and is susceptible to effects of several aquatic contaminants. Apoptosis can be adopted as a defence mechanism against any environmental chemical, physical and mechanical stress, for removing irreversibly damaged cells. This review, while not comprehensive in its reporting, aims to provide an overview of current knowledge on mechanisms to regulate physiological and the induced apoptotic program in sea urchin embryos.

The impairment of HCCS leads to MLS syndrome by activating a non-canonical cell death pathway in the brain and eyes

PubMed Central

Indrieri, Alessia; Conte, Ivan; Chesi, Giancarlo; Romano, Alessia; Quartararo, Jade; Tatè, Rosarita; Ghezzi, Daniele; Zeviani, Massimo; Goffrini, Paola; Ferrero, Ileana; Bovolenta, Paola; Franco, Brunella

2013-01-01

Mitochondrial-dependent (intrinsic) programmed cell death (PCD) is an essential homoeostatic mechanism that selects bioenergetically proficient cells suitable for tissue/organ development. However, the link between mitochondrial dysfunction, intrinsic apoptosis and developmental anomalies has not been demonstrated to date. Now we provide the evidence that non-canonical mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis explains the phenotype of microphthalmia with linear skin lesions (MLS), an X-linked developmental disorder caused by mutations in the holo-cytochrome c-type synthase (HCCS) gene. By taking advantage of a medaka model that recapitulates the MLS phenotype we demonstrate that downregulation of hccs, an essential player of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC), causes increased cell death via an apoptosome-independent caspase-9 activation in brain and eyes. We also show that the unconventional activation of caspase-9 occurs in the mitochondria and is triggered by MRC impairment and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We thus propose that HCCS plays a key role in central nervous system (CNS) development by modulating a novel non-canonical start-up of cell death and provide the first experimental evidence for a mechanistic link between mitochondrial dysfunction, intrinsic apoptosis and developmental disorders. PMID:23239471

A role for post-transcriptional control of endoplasmic reticulum dynamics and function in C. elegans germline stem cell maintenance.

PubMed

Maheshwari, Richa; Pushpa, Kumari; Subramaniam, Kuppuswamy

2016-09-01

Membrane-bound receptors, which are crucial for mediating several key developmental signals, are synthesized on endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The functional integrity of ER must therefore be important for the regulation of at least some developmental programs. However, the developmental control of ER function is not well understood. Here, we identify the C. elegans protein FARL-11, an ortholog of the mammalian STRIPAK complex component STRIP1/2 (FAM40A/B), as an ER protein. In the C. elegans embryo, we find that FARL-11 is essential for the cell cycle-dependent morphological changes of ER and for embryonic viability. In the germline, FARL-11 is required for normal ER morphology and for membrane localization of the GLP-1/Notch receptor involved in germline stem cell (GSC) maintenance. Furthermore, we provide evidence that PUF-8, a key translational regulator in the germline, promotes the translation of farl-11 mRNA. These findings reveal that ER form and function in the C. elegans germline are post-transcriptionally regulated and essential for the niche-GSC signaling mediated by GLP-1. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Practitioner’s Guide to Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers

PubMed Central

Goldsmith, Tina R.; Snow, Anne V.; Chawarska, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Recent advances in clinical research have made it possible to diagnosis autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as early as the second year of life. The diagnostic process early in development is often complex, and thus, familiarity with the most recent findings in clinical assessment instruments, early symptoms, and developmental trajectories of young children with autism is essential. This paper provides an empirically based practitioner’s guide to issues and concerns related to early diagnosis of ASD in very young children, documentation of the course and patterns of ASD symptomatology in infants and toddlers, and current understanding in the field of diagnostic outcomes of children identified in the first and second year of life. PMID:22057879

Getting over "the problem of other minds": communication in context.

PubMed

Costall, Alan; Leudar, Ivan

2007-05-01

Theories of communication often assume that communication has a single, essential form or telos, the culmination of a one-track developmental process where precursors eventually give rise to the real thing. At one time, this essence of communication was identified with linguistic competence, whereas now it is largely defined in terms of "Theory of Mind." But the fundamental problem with "Theory of Mind" is the very problem it pretends to solve: "the problem of other minds."That problem, as formulated, is insoluble, even with the aid of theory or innate modules. In this article, we reject the superficial depth psychology of "Theory of Mind" in favour of a breadth psychology based on context.

Developmental mechanisms facilitating the evolution of bills and quills

PubMed Central

Schneider, Richard A

2005-01-01

Beaks and feathers epitomize inimitable avian traits. Within individuals and across species there exists astounding diversity in the size, shape, arrangement, and colour of beaks and feathers in association with various functional adaptations. What has enabled the concomitantly divergent evolution of beaks and feathers? The common denominator may lie in their developmental programmes. As revealed through recent transplant experiments using quail and duck embryos, the developmental programme for each structure utilizes mesenchyme as a dominant source of species-specific patterning information, acts as a module of closely coupled molecular and histogenic events, and operates with a high degree of spatial and temporal plasticity. By synergizing these three features, the developmental programmes underlying beaks and feathers likely have the essential potential to react spontaneously to novel conditions and new gene functions, and as a consequence are well equipped to generate and accommodate innovative phenotypes during the course of evolution. PMID:16313392

FBXL19 recruits CDK-Mediator to CpG islands of developmental genes priming them for activation during lineage commitment

PubMed Central

Dimitrova, Emilia; Nakayama, Manabu; Koseki, Yoko; Konietzny, Rebecca; Kessler, Benedikt M; Koseki, Haruhiko

2018-01-01

CpG islands are gene regulatory elements associated with the majority of mammalian promoters, yet how they regulate gene expression remains poorly understood. Here, we identify FBXL19 as a CpG island-binding protein in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and show that it associates with the CDK-Mediator complex. We discover that FBXL19 recruits CDK-Mediator to CpG island-associated promoters of non-transcribed developmental genes to prime these genes for activation during cell lineage commitment. We further show that recognition of CpG islands by FBXL19 is essential for mouse development. Together this reveals a new CpG island-centric mechanism for CDK-Mediator recruitment to developmental gene promoters in ES cells and a requirement for CDK-Mediator in priming these developmental genes for activation during cell lineage commitment. PMID:29809150

The Residency as a Developmental Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brent, David A.

1981-01-01

The residency is examined from the standpoint of adult developmental theory, and significant developmental tasks facing residents are described. Recommendations for management of common developmental conflicts occurring in residency are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Chemical composition, phytotoxic and antifungal properties of Ruta chalepensis L. essential oils.

PubMed

Bouabidi, Wafa; Hanana, Mohsen; Gargouri, Samia; Amri, Ismail; Fezzani, Tarek; Ksontini, Mustapha; Jamoussi, Bassem; Hamrouni, Lamia

2015-01-01

The chemical composition, and phytotoxic and antifungal activities of the essential oils isolated by using hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Tunisian rue were evaluated. Significant variations were observed among harvest periods. The analysis of the chemical composition by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry showed that 2-undecanone (33.4-49.8%), 2-heptanol acetate (13.5-15.4%) and α-pinene (9.8-11.9%) were the main components. The antifungal ability of rue essential oils was tested by using disc agar diffusion against ten plant pathogenic fungi. A high antifungal activity was observed for the essential oil isolated at flowering developmental phase. Furthermore, rue essential oils showed high level of herbicidal activity against several weeds.

Transcriptomic and functional analyses unveil the role of long non-coding RNAs in anthocyanin biosynthesis during sea buckthorn fruit ripening.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoyun; Chen, Daoguo; Zhang, Tong; Duan, Aiguo; Zhang, Jianguo; He, Caiyun

2018-06-04

Fruit ripening is a developmental process regulated by a complex network of endogenous and exogenous cues. Sea buckthorn is an excellent material for fruit ripening studies due to its dramatic ripening process and high contents of nutritional and anti-oxidant compounds in berries. Here, the whole transcriptome of sea buckthorn fruit at three development stages were analysed using multiple high-throughput sequencings. We assembled and annotated 9,008 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in sea buckthorn fruits, and identified 118 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) and 32 differentially expressed microRNAs in fruit developmental process. In addition, we predicted 1,061 cis-regulated and 782 trans-regulated targets of DE-lncRNAs, and these DE-lncRNAs are specifically enriched in the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid, carotenoids and flavonoids. Moreover, the silencing of two lncRNAs (LNC1 and LNC2) in vivo and expression analysis revealed that LNC1 and LNC2 can act as endogenous target mimics of miR156a and miR828a to reduce SPL9 and induce MYB114 expression, respectively, which lead to increased and decreased anthocyanin content as revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Our results present the first global functional analysis of lncRNA in sea buckthorn and provide two essential regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis, which provides new insights into the regulation of fruit quality.

A four phase development model for integrated care services in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Minkman, Mirella MN; Ahaus, Kees TB; Huijsman, Robbert

2009-01-01

Background Multidisciplinary and interorganizational arrangements for the delivery of coherent integrated care are being developed in a large number of countries. Although there are many integrated care programs worldwide, the process of developing these programs and interorganizational collaboration is described in the literature only to a limited extent. The purpose of this study is to explore how local integrated care services are developed in the Netherlands, and to conceptualize and operationalize a development model of integrated care. Methods The research is based on an expert panel study followed by a two-part questionnaire, designed to identify the development process of integrated care. Essential elements of integrated care, which were developed in a previous Delphi and Concept Mapping Study, were analyzed in relation to development process of integrated care. Results Integrated care development can be characterized by four developmental phases: the initiative and design phase; the experimental and execution phase; the expansion and monitoring phase; and the consolidation and transformation phase. Different elements of integrated care have been identified in the various developmental phases. Conclusion The findings provide a descriptive model of the development process that integrated care services can undergo in the Netherlands. The findings have important implications for integrated care services, which can use the model as an instrument to reflect on their current practices. The model can be used to help to identify improvement areas in practice. The model provides a framework for developing evaluation designs for integrated care arrangements. Further research is recommended to test the developed model in practice and to add international experiences. PMID:19261176

RNA-seq of Rice Yellow Stem Borer Scirpophaga incertulas Reveals Molecular Insights During Four Larval Developmental Stages

PubMed Central

Renuka, Pichili; Madhav, Maganti S.; Padmakumari, Ayyagari Phani; Barbadikar, Kalyani M.; Mangrauthia, Satendra K.; Vijaya Sudhakara Rao, Kola; Marla, Soma S.; Ravindra Babu, Vemuri

2017-01-01

The yellow stem borer (YSB), Scirpophaga incertulas, is a prominent pest in rice cultivation causing serious yield losses. The larval stage is an important stage in YSB, responsible for maximum infestation. However, limited knowledge exists on the biology and mechanisms underlying the growth and differentiation of YSB. To understand and identify the genes involved in YSB development and infestation, so as to design pest control strategies, we performed de novo transcriptome analysis at the first, third, fifth, and seventh larval developmental stages employing Illumina Hi-seq. High-quality reads (HQR) of ∼229 Mb were assembled into 24,775 transcripts with an average size of 1485 bp. Genes associated with various metabolic processes, i.e., detoxification mechanism [CYP450, GSTs, and carboxylesterases (CarEs)], RNA interference (RNAi) machinery (Dcr-1, Dcr-2, Ago-1, Ago-2, Sid-1, Sid-2, Sid-3, and Sid-1-related gene), chemoreception (CSPs, GRs, OBPs, and ORs), and regulators [transcription factors (TFs) and hormones] were differentially regulated during the developmental stages. Identification of stage-specific transcripts made it possible to determine the essential processes of larval development. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that YSB has not evolved much with respect to the detoxification mechanism, but showed the presence of distinct RNAi machinery. The presence of strong specific visual recognition coupled with chemosensory mechanisms supports the monophagous nature of YSB. Designed expressed sequenced tags-simple-sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) will facilitate accurate estimation of the genetic diversity of YSB. This is the first report on characterization of the YSB transcriptome and the identification of genes involved in key processes, which will help researchers and industry to devise novel pest control strategies. This study also opens up a new avenue to develop next-generation resistant rice using RNAi or genome editing approaches. PMID:28717048

Eliciting perceptions of satisfaction with services and supports from persons with intellectual disability and developmental disabilities: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Copeland, S R; Luckasson, R; Shauger, R

2014-12-01

Assessing the perceptions of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) is an essential part of evaluating and planning services and an important component of respect for self-direction and autonomy. It can be difficult, however, to assess satisfaction in such a way that individuals with disabilities' actual perceptions of satisfaction are accurately represented because of intellectual and communication difficulties they may have, the restricted range and nature of service systems, and the limitations of strategies used by some researchers. The purpose of this literature review was to systematically examine research studies designed to solicit personal satisfaction information from individuals with ID and DD. We reviewed 29 studies that met inclusion criteria to determine (1) who were participants in the studies, (2) what processes researchers used to obtain opinions and perspectives of persons with ID and DD, and (3) how researchers ensured the credibility, accuracy and voluntariness of participants' responses. Findings revealed that most of the research participants had ID with higher IQs and limited needs for supports. Researchers utilised a variety of processes to elicit perceptions of satisfaction. Most studies employed individual interviews; researchers addressed comprehensibility of questions in a number of ways (e.g. use of visuals, adjusting wording of questions, providing clear examples). Few studies reported training interviewers or taking into account participants' primary language or cultural background. No studies reported educating participants about how to understand the satisfaction information data or how to use it in advocating for more appropriate supports. Assessing the satisfaction with supports and services of individuals with ID and DD is complex particularly for persons with extensive support needs. Continued research using varied conceptual frameworks and new technologies is needed. Also helpful will be teaching persons with disabilities about the assessment process and how to use its results. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration: Incidence, associations and co-morbidities.

PubMed

Allen, Susan; Casey, Jackie

2017-09-01

Children with developmental coordination disorder or sensory processing and integration difficulties face challenges to participation in daily living. To date there has been no exploration of the co-occurrence of developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration difficulties. Records of children meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - V criteria for developmental coordination disorder ( n  = 93) age 5 to 12 years were examined. Data on motor skills (Movement Assessment Battery for Children - 2) and sensory processing and integration (Sensory Processing Measure) were interrogated. Of the total sample, 88% exhibited some or definite differences in sensory processing and integration. No apparent relationship was observed between motor coordination and sensory processing and integration. The full sample showed high rates of some difficulties in social participation, hearing, body awareness, balance and motion, and planning and ideation. Further, children with co-morbid autistic spectrum disorder showed high rates of difficulties with touch and vision. Most, but not all, children with developmental coordination disorder presented with some difficulties in sensory processing and integration that impacted on their participation in everyday activities. Sensory processing and integration difficulties differed significantly between those with and without co-morbid autistic spectrum disorder.

Quantitative developmental transcriptomes of the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

PubMed

Gildor, Tsvia; Malik, Assaf; Sher, Noa; Avraham, Linor; Ben-Tabou de-Leon, Smadar

2016-02-01

Embryonic development progresses through the timely activation of thousands of differentially activated genes. Quantitative developmental transcriptomes provide the means to relate global patterns of differentially expressed genes to the emerging body plans they generate. The sea urchin is one of the classic model systems for embryogenesis and the models of its developmental gene regulatory networks are of the most comprehensive of their kind. Thus, the sea urchin embryo is an excellent system for studies of its global developmental transcriptional profiles. Here we produced quantitative developmental transcriptomes of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (P. lividus) at seven developmental stages from the fertilized egg to prism stage. We generated de-novo reference transcriptome and identified 29,817 genes that are expressed at this time period. We annotated and quantified gene expression at the different developmental stages and confirmed the reliability of the expression profiles by QPCR measurement of a subset of genes. The progression of embryo development is reflected in the observed global expression patterns and in our principle component analysis. Our study illuminates the rich patterns of gene expression that participate in sea urchin embryogenesis and provide an essential resource for further studies of the dynamic expression of P. lividus genes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescent development and risk of injury: Using developmental science to improve interventions

PubMed Central

Johnson, Sara B.; Jones, Vanya C.

2015-01-01

In adolescence, there is a complex interaction among physical, cognitive, and psychosocial developmental processes, culminating in greater risk-taking and novelty-seeking. Concurrently, adolescents face an increasingly demanding environment, which results in heightened vulnerability to injury. In this paper, we provide an overview of developmental considerations for adolescent injury interventions based on developmental science including findings from behavioral neuroscience and psychology. We examine the role that typical developmental processes play in the way adolescents perceive and respond to risk and how this integrated body of developmental research adds to our understanding of how to do injury prevention with adolescents. We then highlight strategies to improve the translation of developmental research into adolescent injury prevention practice, calling on examples of existing interventions including graduated driver licensing. PMID:20876765

Ligand-specific transcriptional mechanisms underlie aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated developmental toxicity of oxygenated PAHs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goodale, B. C.; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH; La Du, J.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are priority environmental contaminants that exhibit mutagenic, carcinogenic, proinflammatory, and teratogenic properties. Oxygen-substituted PAHs (OPAHs) are formed during combustion processes and via phototoxidation and biological degradation of parent (unsubstituted) PAHs. Despite their prevalence both in contaminated industrial sites and in urban air, OPAH mechanisms of action in biological systems are relatively understudied. Like parent PAHs, OPAHs exert structure-dependent mutagenic activities and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and cytochrome p450 metabolic pathway. Four-ring OPAHs 1,9-benz-10-anthrone (BEZO) and benz(a)anthracene-7,12-dione (7,12-B[a]AQ) cause morphological aberrations and induce markers of oxidative stress in developing zebrafish with similar potency, butmore » only 7,12-B[a]AQ induces robust Cyp1a protein expression. We investigated the role of the AHR in mediating the toxicity of BEZO and 7,12-B[a]AQ, and found that knockdown of AHR2 rescued developmental effects caused by both compounds. Using RNA-seq and molecular docking, we identified transcriptional responses that precede developmental toxicity induced via differential interaction with AHR2. Redox-homeostasis genes were affected similarly by these OPAHs, while 7,12-B[a]AQ preferentially activated phase 1 metabolism and BEZO uniquely decreased visual system genes. Analysis of biological functions and upstream regulators suggests that BEZO is a weak AHR agonist, but interacts with other transcriptional regulators to cause developmental toxicity in an AHR-dependent manner. Furthermore, identifying ligand-dependent AHR interactions and signaling pathways is essential for understanding toxicity of this class of environmentally relevant compounds.« less

Ligand-specific transcriptional mechanisms underlie aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated developmental toxicity of oxygenated PAHs

DOE PAGES

Goodale, B. C.; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH; La Du, J.; ...

2015-07-03

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are priority environmental contaminants that exhibit mutagenic, carcinogenic, proinflammatory, and teratogenic properties. Oxygen-substituted PAHs (OPAHs) are formed during combustion processes and via phototoxidation and biological degradation of parent (unsubstituted) PAHs. Despite their prevalence both in contaminated industrial sites and in urban air, OPAH mechanisms of action in biological systems are relatively understudied. Like parent PAHs, OPAHs exert structure-dependent mutagenic activities and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and cytochrome p450 metabolic pathway. Four-ring OPAHs 1,9-benz-10-anthrone (BEZO) and benz(a)anthracene-7,12-dione (7,12-B[a]AQ) cause morphological aberrations and induce markers of oxidative stress in developing zebrafish with similar potency, butmore » only 7,12-B[a]AQ induces robust Cyp1a protein expression. We investigated the role of the AHR in mediating the toxicity of BEZO and 7,12-B[a]AQ, and found that knockdown of AHR2 rescued developmental effects caused by both compounds. Using RNA-seq and molecular docking, we identified transcriptional responses that precede developmental toxicity induced via differential interaction with AHR2. Redox-homeostasis genes were affected similarly by these OPAHs, while 7,12-B[a]AQ preferentially activated phase 1 metabolism and BEZO uniquely decreased visual system genes. Analysis of biological functions and upstream regulators suggests that BEZO is a weak AHR agonist, but interacts with other transcriptional regulators to cause developmental toxicity in an AHR-dependent manner. Furthermore, identifying ligand-dependent AHR interactions and signaling pathways is essential for understanding toxicity of this class of environmentally relevant compounds.« less

PUF60 variants cause a syndrome of ID, short stature, microcephaly, coloboma, craniofacial, cardiac, renal and spinal features

PubMed Central

Low, Karen J; Ansari, Morad; Abou Jamra, Rami; Clarke, Angus; El Chehadeh, Salima; FitzPatrick, David R; Greenslade, Mark; Henderson, Alex; Hurst, Jane; Keller, Kory; Kuentz, Paul; Prescott, Trine; Roessler, Franziska; Selmer, Kaja K; Schneider, Michael C; Stewart, Fiona; Tatton-Brown, Katrina; Thevenon, Julien; Vigeland, Magnus D; Vogt, Julie; Willems, Marjolaine; Zonana, Jonathan; Study, D D D; Smithson, Sarah F

2017-01-01

PUF60 encodes a nucleic acid-binding protein, a component of multimeric complexes regulating RNA splicing and transcription. In 2013, patients with microdeletions of chromosome 8q24.3 including PUF60 were found to have developmental delay, microcephaly, craniofacial, renal and cardiac defects. Very similar phenotypes have been described in six patients with variants in PUF60, suggesting that it underlies the syndrome. We report 12 additional patients with PUF60 variants who were ascertained using exome sequencing: six through the Deciphering Developmental Disorders Study and six through similar projects. Detailed phenotypic analysis of all patients was undertaken. All 12 patients had de novo heterozygous PUF60 variants on exome analysis, each confirmed by Sanger sequencing: four frameshift variants resulting in premature stop codons, three missense variants that clustered within the RNA recognition motif of PUF60 and five essential splice-site (ESS) variant. Analysis of cDNA from a fibroblast cell line derived from one of the patients with an ESS variants revealed aberrant splicing. The consistent feature was developmental delay and most patients had short stature. The phenotypic variability was striking; however, we observed similarities including spinal segmentation anomalies, congenital heart disease, ocular colobomata, hand anomalies and (in two patients) unilateral renal agenesis/horseshoe kidney. Characteristic facial features included micrognathia, a thin upper lip and long philtrum, narrow almond-shaped palpebral fissures, synophrys, flared eyebrows and facial hypertrichosis. Heterozygote loss-of-function variants in PUF60 cause a phenotype comprising growth/developmental delay and craniofacial, cardiac, renal, ocular and spinal anomalies, adding to disorders of human development resulting from aberrant RNA processing/spliceosomal function. PMID:28327570

Ligand-Specific Transcriptional Mechanisms Underlie Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Mediated Developmental Toxicity of Oxygenated PAHs.

PubMed

Goodale, B C; La Du, J; Tilton, S C; Sullivan, C M; Bisson, W H; Waters, K M; Tanguay, R L

2015-10-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are priority environmental contaminants that exhibit mutagenic, carcinogenic, proinflammatory, and teratogenic properties. Oxygen-substituted PAHs (OPAHs) are formed during combustion processes and via phototoxidation and biological degradation of parent (unsubstituted) PAHs. Despite their prevalence both in contaminated industrial sites and in urban air, OPAH mechanisms of action in biological systems are relatively understudied. Like parent PAHs, OPAHs exert structure-dependent mutagenic activities and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and cytochrome p450 metabolic pathway. Four-ring OPAHs 1,9-benz-10-anthrone (BEZO) and benz(a)anthracene-7,12-dione (7,12-B[a]AQ) cause morphological aberrations and induce markers of oxidative stress in developing zebrafish with similar potency, but only 7,12-B[a]AQ induces robust Cyp1a protein expression. We investigated the role of the AHR in mediating the toxicity of BEZO and 7,12-B[a]AQ, and found that knockdown of AHR2 rescued developmental effects caused by both compounds. Using RNA-seq and molecular docking, we identified transcriptional responses that precede developmental toxicity induced via differential interaction with AHR2. Redox-homeostasis genes were affected similarly by these OPAHs, while 7,12-B[a]AQ preferentially activated phase 1 metabolism and BEZO uniquely decreased visual system genes. Analysis of biological functions and upstream regulators suggests that BEZO is a weak AHR agonist, but interacts with other transcriptional regulators to cause developmental toxicity in an AHR-dependent manner. Identifying ligand-dependent AHR interactions and signaling pathways is essential for understanding toxicity of this class of environmentally relevant compounds. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Investigating Biochemical and Developmental Dependencies of Lignification with a Click-Compatible Monolignol Analog in Arabidopsis thaliana Stems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pandey, Jyotsna L.; Kiemle, Sarah N.; Richard, Tom L.

Lignin is a key structural component of plant cell walls that provides rigidity, strength, and resistance against microbial attacks. This hydrophobic polymer also serves a crucial role in water transport. Despite its abundance and essential functions, several aspects of lignin biosynthesis and deposition remain cryptic. Lignin precursors are known to be synthesized in the cytoplasm by complex biosynthetic pathways, after which they are transported to the apoplastic space, where they are polymerized via free radical coupling reactions into polymeric lignin. However, the lignin deposition process and the factors controlling it are unclear. In this study, the biochemical and developmental dependenciesmore » of lignification were investigated using a click-compatible monolignol analog, 3-O-propargylcaffeyl alcohol (3-OPC), which can incorporate into both in vitro polymerized lignin and Arabidopsis thaliana tissues. Fluorescence labeling of 3-OPC using click chemistry followed by confocal fluorescence microscopy enabled the detection and imaging of 3-OPC incorporation patterns. These patterns were consistent with endogenous lignification observed in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems. However, the concentration of supplied monolignols influenced where lignification occurred at the subcellular level, with low concentrations being deposited in cell corners and middle lamellae and high concentrations also being deposited in secondary walls. Experimental inhibition of multiple lignification factors confirmed that 3-OPC incorporation proceeds via a free radical coupling mechanism involving peroxidases/laccases and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, the presence of peroxide-producing enzymes determined which cell walls lignified: adding exogenous peroxide and peroxidase caused cells that do not naturally lignify in Arabidopsis stems to lignify. In conclusion, 3-OPC accurately mimics natural lignification patterns in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems and allows for the dissection of key biochemical and enzymatic factors controlling lignification.« less

Investigating Biochemical and Developmental Dependencies of Lignification with a Click-Compatible Monolignol Analog in Arabidopsis thaliana Stems

PubMed Central

Pandey, Jyotsna L.; Kiemle, Sarah N.; Richard, Tom L.; Zhu, Yimin; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Anderson, Charles T.

2016-01-01

Lignin is a key structural component of plant cell walls that provides rigidity, strength, and resistance against microbial attacks. This hydrophobic polymer also serves a crucial role in water transport. Despite its abundance and essential functions, several aspects of lignin biosynthesis and deposition remain cryptic. Lignin precursors are known to be synthesized in the cytoplasm by complex biosynthetic pathways, after which they are transported to the apoplastic space, where they are polymerized via free radical coupling reactions into polymeric lignin. However, the lignin deposition process and the factors controlling it are unclear. In this study, the biochemical and developmental dependencies of lignification were investigated using a click-compatible monolignol analog, 3-O-propargylcaffeyl alcohol (3-OPC), which can incorporate into both in vitro polymerized lignin and Arabidopsis thaliana tissues. Fluorescence labeling of 3-OPC using click chemistry followed by confocal fluorescence microscopy enabled the detection and imaging of 3-OPC incorporation patterns. These patterns were consistent with endogenous lignification observed in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems. However, the concentration of supplied monolignols influenced where lignification occurred at the subcellular level, with low concentrations being deposited in cell corners and middle lamellae and high concentrations also being deposited in secondary walls. Experimental inhibition of multiple lignification factors confirmed that 3-OPC incorporation proceeds via a free radical coupling mechanism involving peroxidases/laccases and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, the presence of peroxide-producing enzymes determined which cell walls lignified: adding exogenous peroxide and peroxidase caused cells that do not naturally lignify in Arabidopsis stems to lignify. In summary, 3-OPC accurately mimics natural lignification patterns in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems and allows for the dissection of key biochemical and enzymatic factors controlling lignification. PMID:27630649

Investigating Biochemical and Developmental Dependencies of Lignification with a Click-Compatible Monolignol Analog in Arabidopsis thaliana Stems

DOE PAGES

Pandey, Jyotsna L.; Kiemle, Sarah N.; Richard, Tom L.; ...

2016-08-31

Lignin is a key structural component of plant cell walls that provides rigidity, strength, and resistance against microbial attacks. This hydrophobic polymer also serves a crucial role in water transport. Despite its abundance and essential functions, several aspects of lignin biosynthesis and deposition remain cryptic. Lignin precursors are known to be synthesized in the cytoplasm by complex biosynthetic pathways, after which they are transported to the apoplastic space, where they are polymerized via free radical coupling reactions into polymeric lignin. However, the lignin deposition process and the factors controlling it are unclear. In this study, the biochemical and developmental dependenciesmore » of lignification were investigated using a click-compatible monolignol analog, 3-O-propargylcaffeyl alcohol (3-OPC), which can incorporate into both in vitro polymerized lignin and Arabidopsis thaliana tissues. Fluorescence labeling of 3-OPC using click chemistry followed by confocal fluorescence microscopy enabled the detection and imaging of 3-OPC incorporation patterns. These patterns were consistent with endogenous lignification observed in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems. However, the concentration of supplied monolignols influenced where lignification occurred at the subcellular level, with low concentrations being deposited in cell corners and middle lamellae and high concentrations also being deposited in secondary walls. Experimental inhibition of multiple lignification factors confirmed that 3-OPC incorporation proceeds via a free radical coupling mechanism involving peroxidases/laccases and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, the presence of peroxide-producing enzymes determined which cell walls lignified: adding exogenous peroxide and peroxidase caused cells that do not naturally lignify in Arabidopsis stems to lignify. In conclusion, 3-OPC accurately mimics natural lignification patterns in different developmental stages of Arabidopsis stems and allows for the dissection of key biochemical and enzymatic factors controlling lignification.« less

Nitrate Transport, Sensing, and Responses in Plants.

PubMed

O'Brien, José A; Vega, Andrea; Bouguyon, Eléonore; Krouk, Gabriel; Gojon, Alain; Coruzzi, Gloria; Gutiérrez, Rodrigo A

2016-06-06

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient that affects plant growth and development. N is an important component of chlorophyll, amino acids, nucleic acids, and secondary metabolites. Nitrate is one of the most abundant N sources in the soil. Because nitrate and other N nutrients are often limiting, plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to ensure adequate supply of nutrients in a variable environment. Nitrate is absorbed in the root and mobilized to other organs by nitrate transporters. Nitrate sensing activates signaling pathways that impinge upon molecular, metabolic, physiological, and developmental responses locally and at the whole plant level. With the advent of genomics technologies and genetic tools, important advances in our understanding of nitrate and other N nutrient responses have been achieved in the past decade. Furthermore, techniques that take advantage of natural polymorphisms present in divergent individuals from a single species have been essential in uncovering new components. However, there are still gaps in our understanding of how nitrate signaling affects biological processes in plants. Moreover, we still lack an integrated view of how all the regulatory factors identified interact or crosstalk to orchestrate the myriad N responses plants typically exhibit. In this review, we provide an updated overview of mechanisms by which nitrate is sensed and transported throughout the plant. We discuss signaling components and how nitrate sensing crosstalks with hormonal pathways for developmental responses locally and globally in the plant. Understanding how nitrate impacts on plant metabolism, physiology, and growth and development in plants is key to improving crops for sustainable agriculture. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selection of stable reference genes for quantitative rt-PCR comparisons of mouse embryonic and extra-embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Veazey, Kylee J; Golding, Michael C

2011-01-01

Isolation and culture of both embryonic and tissue specific stem cells provide an enormous opportunity to study the molecular processes driving development. To gain insight into the initial events underpinning mammalian embryogenesis, pluripotent stem cells from each of the three distinct lineages present within the preimplantation blastocyst have been derived. Embryonic (ES), trophectoderm (TS) and extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) stem cells possess the developmental potential of their founding lineages and seemingly utilize distinct epigenetic modalities to program gene expression. However, the basis for these differing cellular identities and epigenetic properties remain poorly defined.Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a powerful and efficient means of rapidly comparing patterns of gene expression between different developmental stages and experimental conditions. However, careful, empirical selection of appropriate reference genes is essential to accurately measuring transcriptional differences. Here we report the quantitation and evaluation of fourteen commonly used references genes between ES, TS and XEN stem cells. These included: Actb, B2m, Hsp70, Gapdh, Gusb, H2afz, Hk2, Hprt, Pgk1, Ppia, Rn7sk, Sdha, Tbp and Ywhaz. Utilizing three independent statistical analysis, we identify Pgk1, Sdha and Tbp as the most stable reference genes between each of these stem cell types. Furthermore, we identify Sdha, Tbp and Ywhaz as well as Ywhaz, Pgk1 and Hk2 as the three most stable reference genes through the in vitro differentiation of embryonic and trophectoderm stem cells respectively.Understanding the transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms controlling cellular identity within these distinct stem cell types provides essential insight into cellular processes controlling both embryogenesis and stem cell biology. Normalizing quantitative RT-PCR measurements using the geometric mean CT values obtained for the identified mRNAs, offers a reliable method to assess differing patterns of gene expression between the three founding stem cell lineages present within the mammalian preimplantation embryo.

What Aspects of Face Processing Are Impaired in Developmental Prosopagnosia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Grand, Richard; Cooper, Philip A.; Mondloch, Catherine J.; Lewis, Terri L.; Sagiv, Noam; de Gelder, Beatrice; Maurer, Daphne

2006-01-01

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a severe impairment in identifying faces that is present from early in life and that occurs despite no apparent brain damage and intact visual and intellectual function. Here, we investigated what aspects of face processing are impaired/spared in developmental prosopagnosia by examining a relatively large group…

NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES IN HIPPOCAMPUS AS A FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL HYPOTHYROIDISM.

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones are essential for maturation and function of the mammalian central nervous system. Severe congenital hypothyroidism results in irreversible structural damage and mental retardation in children. Although a variety of environmental contaminants have been demonstrat...

Providing developmentally appropriate psychosocial care to adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

PubMed

D'Agostino, Norma M; Penney, Annette; Zebrack, Brad

2011-05-15

To deliver developmentally appropriate psychosocial care, the key developmental tasks facing adolescents and young adults (AYA) need to be taken into consideration. These include establishing autonomy from parents; a personal set of values and identity; strong peer relationships, including intimate and sexual relationships; and obtaining adequate preparation to join the workforce. To minimize the amount of disruption caused by the cancer experience and to maximize the health-related quality of life of AYA patients, young individuals with cancer need opportunities to participate as much as possible in typical AYA activities and to master the developmental tasks of this life stage. Promoting a sense of normalcy is essential. To achieve this, the health care environment must be flexible and recognize the important role of peers. Informational and practical supports also are necessary for AYA to stay on track developmentally in the context of coping with cancer. Critical elements of effective AYA psychosocial services should include access to AYA-specific information and support resources, fertility and sexuality counseling, programs to maximize academic and vocational functioning, and financial support. © 2011 American Cancer Society

The development of emotion perception in face and voice during infancy.

PubMed

Grossmann, Tobias

2010-01-01

Interacting with others by reading their emotional expressions is an essential social skill in humans. How this ability develops during infancy and what brain processes underpin infants' perception of emotion in different modalities are the questions dealt with in this paper. Literature review. The first part provides a systematic review of behavioral findings on infants' developing emotion-reading abilities. The second part presents a set of new electrophysiological studies that provide insights into the brain processes underlying infants' developing abilities. Throughout, evidence from unimodal (face or voice) and multimodal (face and voice) processing of emotion is considered. The implications of the reviewed findings for our understanding of developmental models of emotion processing are discussed. The reviewed infant data suggest that (a) early in development, emotion enhances the sensory processing of faces and voices, (b) infants' ability to allocate increased attentional resources to negative emotional information develops earlier in the vocal domain than in the facial domain, and (c) at least by the age of 7 months, infants reliably match and recognize emotional information across face and voice.

MicroRNA-Mediated Down-Regulation of M-CSF Receptor Contributes to Maturation of Mouse Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

PubMed Central

Riepsaame, Joey; van Oudenaren, Adri; den Broeder, Berlinda J. H.; van IJcken, Wilfred F. J.; Pothof, Joris; Leenen, Pieter J. M.

2013-01-01

Dendritic cell (DC) maturation is a tightly regulated process that requires coordinated and timed developmental cues. Here we investigate whether microRNAs are involved in this process. We identify microRNAs in mouse GM-CSF-generated, monocyte-related DC (GM-DC) that are differentially expressed during both spontaneous and LPS-induced maturation and characterize M-CSF receptor (M-CSFR), encoded by the Csf1r gene, as a key target for microRNA-mediated regulation in the final step toward mature DC. MicroRNA-22, -34a, and -155 are up-regulated in mature MHCIIhi CD86hi DC and mediate Csf1r mRNA and protein down-regulation. Experimental inhibition of Csf1r-targeting microRNAs in vitro results not only in sustained high level M-CSFR protein expression but also in impaired DC maturation upon stimulation by LPS. Accordingly, over-expression of Csf1r in GM-DC inhibits terminal differentiation. Taken together, these results show that developmentally regulated microRNAs control Csf1r expression, supplementing previously identified mechanisms that regulate its transcription and protein surface expression. Furthermore, our data indicate a novel function for Csf1r in mouse monocyte-derived DC, showing that down-regulation of M-CSFR expression is essential for final DC maturation. PMID:24198819

Holistic face training enhances face processing in developmental prosopagnosia

PubMed Central

Cohan, Sarah; Nakayama, Ken

2014-01-01

Prosopagnosia has largely been regarded as an untreatable disorder. However, recent case studies using cognitive training have shown that it is possible to enhance face recognition abilities in individuals with developmental prosopagnosia. Our goal was to determine if this approach could be effective in a larger population of developmental prosopagnosics. We trained 24 developmental prosopagnosics using a 3-week online face-training program targeting holistic face processing. Twelve subjects with developmental prosopagnosia were assessed before and after training, and the other 12 were assessed before and after a waiting period, they then performed the training, and were then assessed again. The assessments included measures of front-view face discrimination, face discrimination with view-point changes, measures of holistic face processing, and a 5-day diary to quantify potential real-world improvements. Compared with the waiting period, developmental prosopagnosics showed moderate but significant overall training-related improvements on measures of front-view face discrimination. Those who reached the more difficult levels of training (‘better’ trainees) showed the strongest improvements in front-view face discrimination and showed significantly increased holistic face processing to the point of being similar to that of unimpaired control subjects. Despite challenges in characterizing developmental prosopagnosics’ everyday face recognition and potential biases in self-report, results also showed modest but consistent self-reported diary improvements. In summary, we demonstrate that by using cognitive training that targets holistic processing, it is possible to enhance face perception across a group of developmental prosopagnosics and further suggest that those who improved the most on the training task received the greatest benefits. PMID:24691394

Developmental mechanisms underlying variation in craniofacial disease and evolution.

PubMed

Fish, Jennifer L

2016-07-15

Craniofacial disease phenotypes exhibit significant variation in penetrance and severity. Although many genetic contributions to phenotypic variation have been identified, genotype-phenotype correlations remain imprecise. Recent work in evolutionary developmental biology has exposed intriguing developmental mechanisms that potentially explain incongruities in genotype-phenotype relationships. This review focuses on two observations from work in comparative and experimental animal model systems that highlight how development structures variation. First, multiple genetic inputs converge on relatively few developmental processes. Investigation of when and how variation in developmental processes occurs may therefore help predict potential genetic interactions and phenotypic outcomes. Second, genetic mutation is typically associated with an increase in phenotypic variance. Several models outlining developmental mechanisms underlying mutational increases in phenotypic variance are discussed using Satb2-mediated variation in jaw size as an example. These data highlight development as a critical mediator of genotype-phenotype correlations. Future research in evolutionary developmental biology focusing on tissue-level processes may help elucidate the "black box" between genotype and phenotype, potentially leading to novel treatment, earlier diagnoses, and better clinical consultations for individuals affected by craniofacial anomalies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generation and analysis of ESTs from strawberry (Fragaria xananassa) fruits and evaluation of their utility in genetic and molecular studies

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Cultivated strawberry is a hybrid octoploid species (Fragaria xananassa Duchesne ex. Rozier) whose fruit is highly appreciated due to its organoleptic properties and health benefits. Despite recent studies on the control of its growth and ripening processes, information about the role played by different hormones on these processes remains elusive. Further advancement of this knowledge is hampered by the limited sequence information on genes from this species, despite the abundant information available on genes from the wild diploid relative Fragaria vesca. However, the diploid species, or one ancestor, only partially contributes to the genome of the cultivated octoploid. We have produced a collection of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from different cDNA libraries prepared from different fruit parts and developmental stages. The collection has been analysed and the sequence information used to explore the involvement of different hormones in fruit developmental processes, and for the comparison of transcripts in the receptacle of ripe fruits of diploid and octoploid species. The study is particularly important since the commercial fruit is indeed an enlarged flower receptacle with the true fruits, the achenes, on the surface and connected through a network of vascular vessels to the central pith. Results We have sequenced over 4,500 ESTs from Fragaria xananassa, thus doubling the number of ESTs available in the GenBank of this species. We then assembled this information together with that available from F. xananassa resulting a total of 7,096 unigenes. The identification of SSRs and SNPs in many of the ESTs allowed their conversion into functional molecular markers. The availability of libraries prepared from green growing fruits has allowed the cloning of cDNAs encoding for genes of auxin, ethylene and brassinosteroid signalling processes, followed by expression studies in selected fruit parts and developmental stages. In addition, the sequence information generated in the project, jointly with previous information on sequences from both F. xananassa and F. vesca, has allowed designing an oligo-based microarray that has been used to compare the transcriptome of the ripe receptacle of the diploid and octoploid species. Comparison of the transcriptomes, grouping the genes by biological processes, points to differences being quantitative rather than qualitative. Conclusions The present study generates essential knowledge and molecular tools that will be useful in improving investigations at the molecular level in cultivated strawberry (F. xananassa). This knowledge is likely to provide useful resources in the ongoing breeding programs. The sequence information has already allowed the development of molecular markers that have been applied to germplasm characterization and could be eventually used in QTL analysis. Massive transcription analysis can be of utility to target specific genes to be further studied, by their involvement in the different plant developmental processes. PMID:20849591

Space medicine research: Needs for the 21st century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepper, L. J.

1992-01-01

Space medicine research in the 21st century will continue to focus on the four major areas including: (1) expansion of the current incomplete knowledge base of clinical and subclinical physiological changes due to microgravity; (2) development of countermeasures to extend the capabilities of the human performance envelope in extended duration flights; (3) development of novel methods for delivering all aspects of a comprehensive health care system in extreme remote conditions: and (4) further research and application of systems for biological materials processing. New space transportation vehicles will place unique physiologic and human factors demands on the human system, while providing better access to platforms for materials processing. Success in meeting the demands in each of the noted research areas will require an extensive, interactive team approach. Personnel from the medical research,operational, developmental, and basic science communities will be essential to success.

Molecular Signaling in Tumorigenesis of Gastric Cancer

PubMed

Molaei, Fatemeh; Forghanifard, Mohammad Mahdi; Fahim, Yasaman; Abbaszadegan, Mohammad Reza

2018-07-01

Gastric cancer (GC) is regarded as the fifth most common cancer and the third cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Mechanism of GC pathogenesis is still unclear and relies on multiple factors, including environmental and genetic characteristics. One of the most important environmental factors of GC occurrence is infection with Helicobacter pylori that is classified as class one carcinogens. Dysregulation of several genes and pathways play an essential role during gastric carcinogenesis. Dysregulation of developmental pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Hedgehog signaling, Hippo pathway, Notch signaling, nuclear factor-kB, and epidermal growth factor receptor have been found in GC. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as an important process during embryogenesis and tumorigenesis, is supposed to play a role in initiation, invasion, metastasis, and progression of GC. Although surgery is the main therapeutic modality of the disease, the understanding of biological processes of cell signaling pathways may help to develop new therapeutic targets for GC.

Regulatory gene networks and the properties of the developmental process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, Eric H.; McClay, David R.; Hood, Leroy

2003-01-01

Genomic instructions for development are encoded in arrays of regulatory DNA. These specify large networks of interactions among genes producing transcription factors and signaling components. The architecture of such networks both explains and predicts developmental phenomenology. Although network analysis is yet in its early stages, some fundamental commonalities are already emerging. Two such are the use of multigenic feedback loops to ensure the progressivity of developmental regulatory states and the prevalence of repressive regulatory interactions in spatial control processes. Gene regulatory networks make it possible to explain the process of development in causal terms and eventually will enable the redesign of developmental regulatory circuitry to achieve different outcomes.

A Process Evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity. Interim Report IV, Volume 2: Development of the Implementation and Cost Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Allen G.; And Others

This interim report describes the development of program implementation and cost studies for Year II of the process evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC), a Head Start demonstration program aimed at providing educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and primary school experiences. Specific areas focused…

Capitalizing on Basic Brain Processes in Developmental Algebra--Part 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughbaum, Edward D.

2011-01-01

Basic brain function is not a mystery. Given that neuroscientists understand its basic functioning processes, one wonders what their research suggests to teachers of developmental algebra. What if we knew how to teach so as to improve understanding of the algebra taught to developmental algebra students? What if we knew how the brain processes…

Capitalizing on Basic Brain Processes in Developmental Algebra--Part One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughbaum, Edward D.

2011-01-01

Basic brain function is not a mystery. Given that neuroscientists understand the brain's basic functioning processes, one wonders what their research suggests to teachers of developmental algebra. What if we knew how to teach so as to improve understanding of the algebra taught to developmental algebra students? What if we knew how the brain…

Cell Migration Analysis: A Low-Cost Laboratory Experiment for Cell and Developmental Biology Courses Using Keratocytes from Fish Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto, Daniel; Aparicio, Gonzalo; Sotelo-Silveira, Jose R.

2017-01-01

Cell and developmental processes are complex, and profoundly dependent on spatial relationships that change over time. Innovative educational or teaching strategies are always needed to foster deep comprehension of these processes and their dynamic features. However, laboratory exercises in cell and developmental biology at the undergraduate level…

Viable School Improvement Requires a Developmental Strategy that Moves beyond the Skewed Wish List and Reworks Operational Infrastructure. A Center Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, 2011

2011-01-01

factors affecting learning and teaching and how the operational infrastructure is reworked to enable strategic and effective development of essential interventions. This is especially so for schools that…

NEOCORTICAL HYPERTROPHY FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IN RATS

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential to the normal development of the brain. Although severe congenital hypothyroidism has long been associated with mental retardation and motor defects, it has only recently been established that even subtle decreases in maternal TH alter fetal br...

Werner's Relevance for Contemporary Developmental Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glick, Joseph A.

1992-01-01

Considers the contributions of Heinz Werner to developmental psychology and identifies the tensions between Werner's theory and the practices of contemporary developmental psychology. Core issues of Werner's psychology concern: (1) development as heuristic, rather than phenomenon; (2) developmental process analysis; and (3) conceptions of the…

Evidence of a conserved role for Chlamydia HtrA in the replication phase of the chlamydial developmental cycle.

PubMed

Patel, Pooja; De Boer, Leonore; Timms, Peter; Huston, Wilhelmina May

2014-08-01

Identification of the HtrA inhibitor JO146 previously enabled us to demonstrate an essential function for HtrA during the mid-replicative phase of the Chlamydia trachomatis developmental cycle. Here we extend our investigations to other members of the Chlamydia genus. C. trachomatis isolates with distinct replicative phase growth kinetics showed significant loss of viable infectious progeny after HtrA was inhibited during the replicative phase. Mid-replicative phase addition of JO146 was also significantly detrimental to Chlamydia pecorum, Chlamydia suis and Chlamydia cavie. These data combined indicate that HtrA has a conserved critical role during the replicative phase of the chlamydial developmental cycle. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Relation between Item Identification Difficulty and Elaborative Conceptual Processing for Children and Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Brian P.; And Others

1990-01-01

Results of four experiments show that developmental differences in elaborative conceptual processing at acquisition and retrieval contribute independently to developmental increases in recall. Item identification processes for both words and pictures constrain children's elaborative processing. The constraints are time limited. (RH)

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology-and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity-remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children's development.

Representing Ontogeny Through Ontology: A Developmental Biologist’s Guide to The Gene Ontology

PubMed Central

Hill, David P.; Berardini, Tanya Z.; Howe, Douglas G.; Van Auken, Kimberly M.

2010-01-01

Developmental biology, like many other areas of biology, has undergone a dramatic shift in the perspective from which developmental processes are viewed. Instead of focusing on the actions of a handful of genes or functional RNAs, we now consider the interactions of large functional gene networks and study how these complex systems orchestrate the unfolding of an organism, from gametes to adult. Developmental biologists are beginning to realize that understanding ontogeny on this scale requires the utilization of computational methods to capture, store and represent the knowledge we have about the underlying processes. Here we review the use of the Gene Ontology (GO) to study developmental biology. We describe the organization and structure of the GO and illustrate some of the ways we use it to capture the current understanding of many common developmental processes. We also discuss ways in which gene product annotations using the GO have been used to ask and answer developmental questions in a variety of model developmental systems. We provide suggestions as to how the GO might be used in more powerful ways to address questions about development. Our goal is to provide developmental biologists with enough background about the GO that they can begin to think about how they might use the ontology efficiently and in the most powerful ways possible. PMID:19921742

Controlling Destiny through Chemistry: Small-Molecule Regulators of Cell Fate

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Controlling cell fate is essential for embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and the prevention of human disease. With each cell in the human body sharing a common genome, achieving the appropriate spectrum of stem cells and their differentiated lineages requires the selective activation of developmental signaling pathways, the expression of specific target genes, and the maintenance of these cellular states through epigenetic mechanisms. Small molecules that target these regulatory processes are therefore valuable tools for probing and manipulating the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells self-renew, differentiate, and arise from somatic cell reprogramming. Pharmacological modulators of cell fate could also help remediate human diseases caused by dysregulated cell proliferation or differentiation, heralding a new era in molecular therapeutics. PMID:20000447

Controlling destiny through chemistry: small-molecule regulators of cell fate.

PubMed

Firestone, Ari J; Chen, James K

2010-01-15

Controlling cell fate is essential for embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and the prevention of human disease. With each cell in the human body sharing a common genome, achieving the appropriate spectrum of stem cells and their differentiated lineages requires the selective activation of developmental signaling pathways, the expression of specific target genes, and the maintenance of these cellular states through epigenetic mechanisms. Small molecules that target these regulatory processes are therefore valuable tools for probing and manipulating the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells self-renew, differentiate, and arise from somatic cell reprogramming. Pharmacological modulators of cell fate could also help remediate human diseases caused by dysregulated cell proliferation or differentiation, heralding a new era in molecular therapeutics.

Nuclear localization of metabolic enzymes in immunity and metastasis.

PubMed

He, Yuchen; Gao, Menghui; Cao, Yiqu; Tang, Haosheng; Liu, Shuang; Tao, Yongguang

2017-12-01

Metabolism is essential to all living organisms that provide cells with energy, regulators, building blocks, enzyme cofactors and signaling molecules, and is in tune with nutritional conditions and the function of cells to make the appropriate developmental decisions or maintain homeostasis. As a fundamental biological process, metabolism state affects the production of multiple metabolites and the activation of various enzymes that participate in regulating gene expression, cell apoptosis, cancer progression and immunoreactions. Previous studies generally focus on the function played by the metabolic enzymes in the cytoplasm and mitochondrion. In this review, we conclude the role of them in the nucleus and their implications for cancer progression, immunity and metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revalorization Problems of the Down-Town Areas on the Example of Zielona Góra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kononowicz, Wanda; Sukienniczak, Joanna

2016-12-01

The aim of the considerations presented in the article is to determine the developmental directions of the inner urban areas respecting and honouring the cultural heritage of Zielona Gora city. The formation of useful physical form of the urban lifestyle environment is particularly important in the process of urban regeneration. The article presents polemics with the planning documents and raises the issues related to urban green areas and street furniture. The design proposal shows one of the possibilities to bring the improperly developed areas back to the city. Every city is made of people and, therefore, it is essential for these people to have social awareness of individual influence on the shape of urban areas.

Control of neuronal polarity and plasticity--a renaissance for microtubules?

PubMed

Hoogenraad, Casper C; Bradke, Frank

2009-12-01

Microtubules have been regarded as essential structures for stable neuronal morphology but new studies are highlighting their role in dynamic neuronal processes. Recent work demonstrates that the microtubule cytoskeleton has an active role during different phases of neuronal polarization - microtubules and their stability determine axon formation, they maintain the identity of axons and they regulate the dynamics of dendritic spines, the major sites of excitatory synaptic input. Although microtubules fulfill distinct cellular functions at different developmental stages, the underlying molecular mechanisms are remarkably similar. Reccurring themes are that microtubules direct specific membrane traffic and affect actin dynamics to locally organize axon growth and spine dynamics. We review the novel role of microtubules during neuronal development and discuss models for microtubule-dependent signaling in neuronal plasticity.

Analysing growth and development of plants jointly using developmental growth stages

PubMed Central

Dambreville, Anaëlle; Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Normand, Frédéric; Guédon, Yann

2015-01-01

Background and Aims Plant growth, the increase of organ dimensions over time, and development, the change in plant structure, are often studied as two separate processes. However, there is structural and functional evidence that these two processes are strongly related. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-ordination between growth and development using mango trees, which have well-defined developmental stages. Methods Developmental stages, determined in an expert way, and organ sizes, determined from objective measurements, were collected during the vegetative growth and flowering phases of two cultivars of mango, Mangifera indica. For a given cultivar and growth unit type (either vegetative or flowering), a multistage model based on absolute growth rate sequences deduced from the measurements was first built, and then growth stages deduced from the model were compared with developmental stages. Key Results Strong matches were obtained between growth stages and developmental stages, leading to a consistent definition of integrative developmental growth stages. The growth stages highlighted growth asynchronisms between two topologically connected organs, namely the vegetative axis and its leaves. Conclusions Integrative developmental growth stages emphasize that developmental stages are closely related to organ growth rates. The results are discussed in terms of the possible physiological processes underlying these stages, including plant hydraulics, biomechanics and carbohydrate partitioning. PMID:25452250

The Organizational Voice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkster, Bob

This overview of an English course, "Writing for Government, Business, and Industry" (listed as English 339 at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota), emphasizes the essential elements of audience and voice. Composition theorists' assertion that the absence of voice is symptomatic of a profound developmental deficit (suggesting an…

Does developmental hypothyroidism produce lasting effects on adult neurogenesis?

EPA Science Inventory

The subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus (DO) of the adult hippocampus generates new neurons throughout life. Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development, but impaired neurogenesis with adult hypothyroidism has also been reported. We investigated the role of milder...

H295R Human Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cells as a Screening Platform for Steroidogenesis (NC SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

Proper biosynthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones is essential for development and reproduction. Disruption of steroidogenesis by environmental toxicants results in altered hormone levels causing adverse reproductive and developmental effects. H295R human adrenocortical carc...

Activation of an AMP-activated protein kinase is involved in post-diapause development of Artemia franciscana encysted embryos.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiao-Jing; Dai, Jie-Qiong; Tan, Xin; Zhao, Yang; Yang, Wei-Jun

2009-03-16

Cysts of Artemia can remain in a dormant state for long periods with a very low metabolic rate, and only resume their development with the approach of favorable conditions. The post-diapause development is a very complicated process involving a variety of metabolic and biochemical events. However, the intrinsic mechanisms that regulate this process are unclear. Herein we report the specific activation of an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the post-diapause developmental process of Artemia. Using a phospho-AMPKalpha antibody, AMPK was shown to be phosphorylated in the post-diapause developmental process. Results of kinase assay analysis showed that this phosphorylation is essential for AMPK activation. Using whole-mount immunohistochemistry, phosphorylated AMPK was shown to be predominantly located in the ectoderm of the early developed embryos in a ring shape; however, the location and shape of the activation region changed as development proceeded. Additionally, Western blotting analysis on different portions of the cyst extracts showed that phosphorylated AMPKalpha localized to the nuclei and this location was not affected by intracellular pH. Confocal microscopy analysis of immunofluorescent stained cyst nuclei further showed that AMPKalpha localized to the nuclei when activated. Moreover, cellular AMP, ADP, and ATP levels in developing cysts were determined by HPLC, and the results showed that the activation of Artemia AMPK may not be associated with cellular AMP:ATP ratios, suggesting other pathways for regulation of Artemia AMPK activity. Together, we report evidence demonstrating the activation of AMPK in Artemia developing cysts and present an argument for its role in the development-related gene expression and energy control in certain cells during post-diapause development of Artemia.

Pathogenic Chlamydia Lack a Classical Sacculus but Synthesize a Narrow, Mid-cell Peptidoglycan Ring, Regulated by MreB, for Cell Division

PubMed Central

Packiam, Mathanraj; Hsu, Yen-Pang; Tekkam, Srinivas; Hall, Edward; Rittichier, Jonathan T.; VanNieuwenhze, Michael; Brun, Yves V.; Maurelli, Anthony T.

2016-01-01

The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall is a peptide cross-linked glycan polymer essential for bacterial division and maintenance of cell shape and hydrostatic pressure. Bacteria in the Chlamydiales were long thought to lack PG until recent advances in PG labeling technologies revealed the presence of this critical cell wall component in Chlamydia trachomatis. In this study, we utilize bio-orthogonal D-amino acid dipeptide probes combined with super-resolution microscopy to demonstrate that four pathogenic Chlamydiae species each possess a ≤ 140 nm wide PG ring limited to the division plane during the replicative phase of their developmental cycles. Assembly of this PG ring is rapid, processive, and linked to the bacterial actin-like protein, MreB. Both MreB polymerization and PG biosynthesis occur only in the intracellular form of pathogenic Chlamydia and are required for cell enlargement, division, and transition between the microbe’s developmental forms. Our kinetic, molecular, and biochemical analyses suggest that the development of this limited, transient, PG ring structure is the result of pathoadaptation by Chlamydia to an intracellular niche within its vertebrate host. PMID:27144308

Pathogenic Chlamydia Lack a Classical Sacculus but Synthesize a Narrow, Mid-cell Peptidoglycan Ring, Regulated by MreB, for Cell Division.

PubMed

Liechti, George; Kuru, Erkin; Packiam, Mathanraj; Hsu, Yen-Pang; Tekkam, Srinivas; Hall, Edward; Rittichier, Jonathan T; VanNieuwenhze, Michael; Brun, Yves V; Maurelli, Anthony T

2016-05-01

The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall is a peptide cross-linked glycan polymer essential for bacterial division and maintenance of cell shape and hydrostatic pressure. Bacteria in the Chlamydiales were long thought to lack PG until recent advances in PG labeling technologies revealed the presence of this critical cell wall component in Chlamydia trachomatis. In this study, we utilize bio-orthogonal D-amino acid dipeptide probes combined with super-resolution microscopy to demonstrate that four pathogenic Chlamydiae species each possess a ≤ 140 nm wide PG ring limited to the division plane during the replicative phase of their developmental cycles. Assembly of this PG ring is rapid, processive, and linked to the bacterial actin-like protein, MreB. Both MreB polymerization and PG biosynthesis occur only in the intracellular form of pathogenic Chlamydia and are required for cell enlargement, division, and transition between the microbe's developmental forms. Our kinetic, molecular, and biochemical analyses suggest that the development of this limited, transient, PG ring structure is the result of pathoadaptation by Chlamydia to an intracellular niche within its vertebrate host.

Psychosocial implications of pediatric surgical hospitalization.

PubMed

Lerwick, Julie L

2013-08-01

The prevalence of childhood surgical illness and injury requiring hospitalization suggests the need for implementation of an applied intervention to decrease levels of anxiety in these patients. When psychological concerns are not addressed in the present moment, potential for long-term negative psychological effects occur. To respond to the psychosocial needs of pediatric surgical patients it is important to understand foundational stages of development. Age is not always directly correlated with developmental stage and attunement to this subtle differentiation is essential. Some medical facilities offer services to pediatric surgical patients that include education about upcoming procedures as well as medical play which offers the opportunity to express emotions correlated with the hospitalization experience. This approach is directive in nature and controls the process of making sense of the medical environment. An alternative is Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) which creates an outlet for any emotions the children choose to express. CCPT offers comprehensive mental health care through a developmentally-appropriate, undirected intervention carried out by a mental health therapist and has been shown to reduce perceived and actual psychological trauma, anxiety, and behavioral issues in children preparing for surgery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative effects of Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oil and piperitone on Callosobruchus maculatus development.

PubMed

Ketoh, Guillaume K; Koumaglo, Honore K; Glitho, Isabelle A; Huignard, Jacques

2006-12-01

The insecticidal activity of crude essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon schoenanthus and of its main constituent, piperitone, was assessed on different developmental stages of Callosobruchus maculatus. Piperitone was more toxic to adults with a LC(50) value of 1.6 microl/l vs. 2.7 microl/l obtained with the crude extract. Piperitone inhibited the development of newly laid eggs and of neonate larvae, but was less toxic than the crude extract to individuals developing inside the seeds.

Developmental perspectives on personality: implications for ecological and evolutionary studies of individual differences.

PubMed

Stamps, Judy A; Groothuis, Ton G G

2010-12-27

Developmental processes can have major impacts on the correlations in behaviour across contexts (contextual generality) and across time (temporal consistency) that are the hallmarks of animal personality. Personality can and does change: at any given age or life stage it is contingent upon a wide range of experiential factors that occurred earlier in life, from prior to conception through adulthood. We show how developmental reaction norms that describe the effects of prior experience on a given behaviour can be used to determine whether the effects of a given experience at a given age will affect contextual generality at a later age, and to illustrate how variation within individuals in developmental plasticity leads to variation in contextual generality across individuals as a function of experience. We also show why niche-picking and niche-construction, behavioural processes which allow individuals to affect their own developmental environment, can affect the contextual generality and the temporal consistency of personality. We conclude by discussing how an appreciation of developmental processes can alert behavioural ecologists studying animal personality to critical, untested assumptions that underlie their own research programmes, and outline situations in which a developmental perspective can improve studies of the functional significance and evolution of animal personality.

[Contemporary cognitive theories about developmental dyscalculia].

PubMed

Castro-Cañizares, D; Estévez-Pérez, N; Reigosa-Crespo, V

To analyze the current theories describing the cognitive mechanisms underlying developmental dyscalculia. The four most researched hypotheses concerning the cognitive deficits related to developmental dyscalculia, as well as experimental evidences supporting or refusing them are presented. The first hypothesis states that developmental dyscalculia is consequence of domain general cognitive deficits. The second hypothesis suggests that it is due to a failure in the development of specialized brain systems dedicated to numerosity processing. The third hypothesis asserts the disorder is caused by a deficit in accessing quantity representation through numerical symbols. The last hypothesis states developmental dyscalculia appears as a consequence of impairments in a generalized magnitude system dedicated to the processing of continuous and discrete magnitudes. None of the hypotheses has been proven more plausible than the rest. Relevant issues rose by them need to be revisited and answered in the light of new experimental designs. In the last years the understanding of cognitive disorders involved in developmental dyscalculia has remarkably increased, but it is nonetheless insufficient. Additional research is required in order to achieve a comprehensive cognitive model of numerical processing development and its disorders. This will improve the diagnostic precision and the effectiveness of developmental dyscalculia intervention strategies.

microRNA profiling in the zoonotic parasite Echinococcus canadensis using a high-throughput approach.

PubMed

Macchiaroli, Natalia; Cucher, Marcela; Zarowiecki, Magdalena; Maldonado, Lucas; Kamenetzky, Laura; Rosenzvit, Mara Cecilia

2015-02-06

microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are key regulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level and play essential roles in fundamental biological processes such as development and metabolism. The particular developmental and metabolic characteristics of cestode parasites highlight the importance of studying miRNA gene regulation in these organisms. Here, we perform a comprehensive analysis of miRNAs in the parasitic cestode Echinococcus canadensis G7, one of the causative agents of the neglected zoonotic disease cystic echinococcosis. Small RNA libraries from protoscoleces and cyst walls of E. canadensis G7 and protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto G1 were sequenced using Illumina technology. For miRNA prediction, miRDeep2 core algorithm was used. The output list of candidate precursors was manually curated to generate a high confidence set of miRNAs. Differential expression analysis of miRNAs between stages or species was estimated with DESeq. Expression levels of selected miRNAs were validated using poly-A RT-qPCR. In this study we used a high-throughput approach and found transcriptional evidence of 37 miRNAs thus expanding the miRNA repertoire of E. canadensis G7. Differential expression analysis showed highly regulated miRNAs between life cycle stages, suggesting a role in maintaining the features of each developmental stage or in the regulation of developmental timing. In this work we characterize conserved and novel Echinococcus miRNAs which represent 30 unique miRNA families. Here we confirmed the remarkable loss of conserved miRNA families in E. canadensis, reflecting their low morphological complexity and high adaptation to parasitism. We performed the first in-depth study profiling of small RNAs in the zoonotic parasite E. canadensis G7. We found that miRNAs are the preponderant small RNA silencing molecules, suggesting that these small RNAs could be an essential mechanism of gene regulation in this species. We also identified both parasite specific and divergent miRNAs which are potential biomarkers of infection. This study will provide valuable information for better understanding of the complex biology of this parasite and could help to find new potential targets for therapy and/or diagnosis.

Community of Practice: A Path to Strategic Learning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nancy M. Carlson

2003-04-01

To explore the concept of community of practice, the research initially concentrates on a strategic business process in a research and applied engineering laboratory discovering essential communication tools and processes needed to cultivate a high functioning cross-disciplinary team engaged in proposal preparation. Qualitative research in the human ecology of the proposal process blends topic-oriented ethnography and grounded theory and includes an innovative addition to qualitative interviewing, called meta-inquiry. Meta-inquiry uses an initial interview protocol with a homogeneous pool of informants to enhance the researcher's sensitivity to the unique cultures involved in the proposal process before developing a formal interview protocol.more » In this study the preanalysis process uses data from editors, graphic artists, text processors, and production coordinators to assess, modify, enhance, and focus the formal interview protocol with scientists, engineers, and technical managers-the heterogeneous informants. Thus this human ecology-based interview protocol values homogeneous and heterogeneous informant data and acquires data from which concepts, categories, properties, and both substantive and formal theory emerges. The research discovers the five essential processes of owning, visioning, reviewing, producing, and contributing for strategic learning to occur in a proposal community of practice. The apprenticeship, developmental, and nurturing perspectives of adult learning provide the proposal community of practice with cohesion, interdependence, and caring, while core and boundary practices provide insight into the tacit and explicit dimensions of the proposal process. By making these dimensions explicit, the necessary competencies, absorptive capacity, and capabilities needed for strategic learning are discovered. Substantive theory emerges and provides insight into the ability of the proposal community of practice to evolve, flourish, and adapt to the strategic advantage of the laboratory. The substantive theory explores the dimensions of owning, visioning, reviewing, producing, and contributing and their interrelationship to community learning dynamics. Through dialogue, creative tension, and imagination, the proposal community of practice focuses on actionable goals linked by proactively participating in practice, creating possibilities, evaluating and enhancing potential, producing a valued product, and confirming strategic value. Lastly, a formal theory emerges linking competency-capacity-capability, cohesion, interdependence, and caring as essential attributes of strategic learning communities.« less

Normal composite face effects in developmental prosopagnosia.

PubMed

Biotti, Federica; Wu, Esther; Yang, Hua; Jiahui, Guo; Duchaine, Bradley; Cook, Richard

2017-10-01

Upright face perception is thought to involve holistic processing, whereby local features are integrated into a unified whole. Consistent with this view, the top half of one face appears to fuse perceptually with the bottom half of another, when aligned spatially and presented upright. This 'composite face effect' reveals a tendency to integrate information from disparate regions when faces are presented canonically. In recent years, the relationship between susceptibility to the composite effect and face recognition ability has received extensive attention both in participants with normal face recognition and participants with developmental prosopagnosia. Previous results suggest that individuals with developmental prosopagnosia may show reduced susceptibility to the effect suggestive of diminished holistic face processing. Here we describe two studies that examine whether developmental prosopagnosia is associated with reduced composite face effects. Despite using independent samples of developmental prosopagnosics and different composite procedures, we find no evidence for reduced composite face effects. The experiments yielded similar results; highly significant composite effects in both prosopagnosic groups that were similar in magnitude to the effects found in participants with normal face processing. The composite face effects exhibited by both samples and the controls were greatly diminished when stimulus arrangements were inverted. Our finding that the whole-face binding process indexed by the composite effect is intact in developmental prosopagnosia indicates that other factors are responsible for developmental prosopagnosia. These results are also inconsistent with suggestions that susceptibility to the composite face effect and face recognition ability are tightly linked. While the holistic process revealed by the composite face effect may be necessary for typical face perception, it is not sufficient; individual differences in face recognition ability likely reflect variability in multiple sequential processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A developmental-psychobiological approach to developmental neuropsychology.

PubMed

Michel, G F

2001-01-01

Although both developmental psychobiology and developmental neuropsychology examine the interface between biological and psychological processes, they differ in conceptual framework. This article argues for the incorporation into developmental neuropsychology of certain aspects of the conceptual framework of developmental psychobiology. Three principles of dynamic psychobiological interaction are described and applied to four issues in neuropsychology (handedness, sex differences in behavior, critical periods, and modularity of structure-function relations). Then, it is proposed that developmental psychobiology can make four direct contributions to developmental neuropsychology. Finally, it is argued that the value of the conceptual framework provided by developmental psychobiology depends, in part, on how well it translates into procedures that can be applied in the clinical settings of the developmental neuropsychologist.

Evolutionary psychology and evolutionary developmental psychology: understanding the evolution of human behavior and development.

PubMed

Hernández Blasi, Carlos; Causey, Kayla

2010-02-01

This is an introduction to this special issue on evolutionary psychology (EP) and evolutionary developmental psychology (EDP). We suggest here that, contrary to some common assumptions, mainstream psychology continues to be essentially non Darwinian and that EP and EDP are new approaches that can potentially help us to change this situation. We then present the organization of the special issue (composed of six papers). We conclude that evolution is certainly not the final consideration in psychology, but emphasize its importance as the basis upon which all modern behaviors and development are built.

EXTRAPOLATION FROM IN VITRO MECHANISMS TO IN VIVO EFFECTS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICOLOGY.

EPA Science Inventory

Processes that are critical to development of the nervous system can be altered by both genetic and epigenetic factors. Developmental exposure to neurotoxicants can alter these processes and lead to perturbation of normal neural development. As numerous processes occur in tande...

Auditory Processing of Amplitude Envelope Rise Time in Adults Diagnosed with Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasquini, Elisabeth S.; Corriveau, Kathleen H.; Goswami, Usha

2007-01-01

Studies of basic (nonspeech) auditory processing in adults thought to have developmental dyslexia have yielded a variety of data. Yet there has been little consensus regarding the explanatory value of auditory processing in accounting for reading difficulties. Recently, however, a number of studies of basic auditory processing in children with…

Prediction of C. elegans Longevity Genes by Human and Worm Longevity Networks

PubMed Central

de Magalhães, João Pedro; Ruvkun, Gary; Fraifeld, Vadim E.; Curran, Sean P.

2012-01-01

Intricate and interconnected pathways modulate longevity, but screens to identify the components of these pathways have not been saturating. Because biological processes are often executed by protein complexes and fine-tuned by regulatory factors, the first-order protein-protein interactors of known longevity genes are likely to participate in the regulation of longevity. Data-rich maps of protein interactions have been established for many cardinal organisms such as yeast, worms, and humans. We propose that these interaction maps could be mined for the identification of new putative regulators of longevity. For this purpose, we have constructed longevity networks in both humans and worms. We reasoned that the essential first-order interactors of known longevity-associated genes in these networks are more likely to have longevity phenotypes than randomly chosen genes. We have used C. elegans to determine whether post-developmental inactivation of these essential genes modulates lifespan. Our results suggest that the worm and human longevity networks are functionally relevant and possess a high predictive power for identifying new longevity regulators. PMID:23144747

Drosophila melanogaster cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes is a lysosomal protein essential for fly development

PubMed Central

Kowalewski-Nimmerfall, Elisabeth; Schähs, Philipp; Maresch, Daniel; Rendic, Dubravko; Krämer, Helmut; Mach, Lukas

2014-01-01

Mammalian cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes is a lysosomal glycoprotein implicated in cellular growth and differentiation. The genome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster encodes a putative orthologue (dCREG), suggesting evolutionarily conserved physiological functions of this protein. In D. melanogaster S2 cells, dCREG was found to localize in lysosomes. Further studies revealed that intracellular dCREG is subject of proteolytic maturation. Processing and turnover could be substantially reduced by RNAi-mediated silencing of cathepsin L. In contrast to mammalian cells, lysosomal delivery of dCREG does not depend on its carbohydrate moiety. Furthermore, depletion of the putative D. melanogaster lysosomal sorting receptor lysosomal enzyme receptor protein did not compromise cellular retention of dCREG. We also investigated the developmental consequences of dCREG ablation in whole D. melanogaster flies. Ubiquitous depletion of dCREG proved lethal at the late pupal stage once a knock-down efficiency of > 95% was achieved. These results demonstrate that dCREG is essential for proper completion of fly development. PMID:25173815

Drosophila melanogaster cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes is a lysosomal protein essential for fly development.

PubMed

Kowalewski-Nimmerfall, Elisabeth; Schähs, Philipp; Maresch, Daniel; Rendic, Dubravko; Krämer, Helmut; Mach, Lukas

2014-12-01

Mammalian cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes is a lysosomal glycoprotein implicated in cellular growth and differentiation. The genome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster encodes a putative orthologue (dCREG), suggesting evolutionarily conserved physiological functions of this protein. In D. melanogaster S2 cells, dCREG was found to localize in lysosomes. Further studies revealed that intracellular dCREG is subject of proteolytic maturation. Processing and turnover could be substantially reduced by RNAi-mediated silencing of cathepsin L. In contrast to mammalian cells, lysosomal delivery of dCREG does not depend on its carbohydrate moiety. Furthermore, depletion of the putative D. melanogaster lysosomal sorting receptor lysosomal enzyme receptor protein did not compromise cellular retention of dCREG. We also investigated the developmental consequences of dCREG ablation in whole D. melanogaster flies. Ubiquitous depletion of dCREG proved lethal at the late pupal stage once a knock-down efficiency of >95% was achieved. These results demonstrate that dCREG is essential for proper completion of fly development. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Virtual Tissue Models in Developmental Toxicity Research

EPA Science Inventory

Prenatal exposure to drugs and chemicals may perturb, directly or indirectly, core developmental processes in the embryo (patterning, morphogenesis, proliferation and apoptosis, and cell differentiation), leading to adverse developmental outcomes. Because embryogenesis entails a...

Graduate Education to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration: Identifying Individual Competencies and Developmental Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Valerie Ciocca

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinary research collaborations (IDRC) are considered essential for addressing the most complex global community problems concerning science, health, education, energy, the environment, and society. In spite of technological advances, supportive funding, and even researcher proclivity to collaborate, these complex interdisciplinary…

Promoting Health and Safety. Skills for Independent Living.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agran, Martin, Ed.; And Others

This guidebook provides behavioral-instructional strategies for teaching essential personal safety skills and promoting overall well-being to persons with developmental disabilities. Case studies demonstrate these strategies in practice, and detailed curriculum goals are included to guide intervention efforts. To ensure that learners both…

Facial expressions perceived by the adolescent brain: Towards the proficient use of low spatial frequency information.

PubMed

Peters, Judith C; Kemner, Chantal

2017-10-01

Rapid decoding of emotional expressions is essential for social communication. Fast processing of facial expressions depends on the adequate (subcortical) processing of important global face cues in the low spatial frequency (LSF) ranges. However, children below 9 years of age extract fearful expression information from local details represented by high SF (HSF) image content. Our ERP study investigated at which developmental stage this ineffective HSF-driven processing is replaced by the proficient and rapid LSF-driven perception of fearful faces, in which adults are highly skilled. We examined behavioral and neural responses to high- and low-pass filtered faces with a fearful or neutral expression in groups of children on the verge of pre-adolescence (9-10 years), adolescents (14-15 years), and young adults (20-28 years). Our results suggest that the neural emotional face processing network has a protracted maturational course into adolescence, which is related to changes in SF processing. In mid-adolescence, increased sensitivity to emotional LSF cues is developed, which aids the fast and adequate processing of fearful expressions that might signal impending danger. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Does the recent psychosocial research consider the perspective of developmental psychopathology?].

PubMed

Glaesmer, Heide; Petermann, Franz; Schüssler, Gerhard

2009-10-01

Developmental psychopathology is studying the development of psychological disorders with a life course perspective and an interdisciplinary approach considering the interplay of biological, psychological and social factors in complex models. The bibliometric analysis examines the implementation of this concept in the recent psychosocial research in the German-speaking area. Volumes 2007 and 2008 of three German psychological journals "Zeitschrift für Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Medizinische Psychologie", "Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie", and "Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie, Psychologie und Psychotherapie" were screened for articles dealing with issues of developmental psychopathology. 46 articles were identified and evaluated. Several aspects of developmental psychopathology are considered in a vast number of studies, but there is a main focus on risk factors, but not on protective factors and most of the studies are based on cross-sectional designs. Most of the recent practice in psychosocial research is not beneficial for the identification of causal effects or the complex interplay of risk and protective factors in the development of psychological disorders. Thus, longitudinal studies, taking biological, psychological and social factors and their interplay into account are essential to meet the requirement of developmental psychopathology. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart. New York.

De novo variants in EBF3 are associated with hypotonia, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and autism

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Akemi J.; Cho, Megan T.; Willaert, Rebecca; Retterer, Kyle; Zarate, Yuri A.; Bosanko, Katie; Stefans, Vikki; Oishi, Kimihiko; Williamson, Amy; Wilson, Golder N.; Basinger, Alice; Barbaro-Dieber, Tina; Ortega, Lucia; Sorrentino, Susanna; Gabriel, Melissa K.; Anderson, Ilse J.; Sacoto, Maria J. Guillen; Schnur, Rhonda E.; Chung, Wendy K.

2017-01-01

Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified seven unrelated individuals with global developmental delay, hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, and an increased frequency of short stature, ataxia, and autism with de novo heterozygous frameshift, nonsense, splice, and missense variants in the Early B-cell Transcription Factor Family Member 3 (EBF3) gene. EBF3 is a member of the collier/olfactory-1/early B-cell factor (COE) family of proteins, which are required for central nervous system (CNS) development. COE proteins are highly evolutionarily conserved and regulate neuronal specification, migration, axon guidance, and dendritogenesis during development and are essential for maintaining neuronal identity in adult neurons. Haploinsufficiency of EBF3 may affect brain development and function, resulting in developmental delay, intellectual disability, and behavioral differences observed in individuals with a deleterious variant in EBF3. PMID:29162653

Emotion and Cognition: An Intricately Bound Developmental Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Martha Ann; Wolfe, Christy D.

2004-01-01

Regulatory aspects of development can best be understood by research that conceptualizes relations between cognition and emotion. The neural mechanisms associated with regulatory processes may be the same as those associated with higher order cognitive processes. Thus, from a developmental cognitive neuroscience perspective, emotion and cognition…

Developmental trends in adaptive memory.

PubMed

Otgaar, Henry; Howe, Mark L; Smeets, Tom; Garner, Sarah R

2014-01-01

Recent studies have revealed that memory is enhanced when information is processed for fitness-related purposes. The main objective of the current experiments was to test developmental trends in the evolutionary foundation of memory using different types of stimuli and paradigms. In Experiment 1, 11-year-olds and adults were presented with neutral, negative, and survival-related DRM word lists. We found a memory benefit for the survival-related words and showed that false memories were more likely to be elicited for the survival-related word lists than for the other lists. Experiment 2 examined developmental trends in the survival processing paradigm using neutral, negative, and survival-related pictures. A survival processing advantage was found for survival-related pictures in adults, for negative pictures in 11/12-year-olds, and for neutral pictures in 7/8-year-olds. In Experiment 3, 11/12-year-olds and adults had to imagine the standard survival scenario or an adapted survival condition (or pleasantness condition) that was designed to reduce the possibilities for elaborative processing. We found superior memory retention for both survival scenarios in children and adults. Collectively, our results evidently show that the survival processing advantage is developmentally invariant and that certain proximate mechanisms (elaboration and distinctiveness) underlie these developmental trends.

Reaction-diffusion pattern in shoot apical meristem of plants.

PubMed

Fujita, Hironori; Toyokura, Koichi; Okada, Kiyotaka; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2011-03-29

A fundamental question in developmental biology is how spatial patterns are self-organized from homogeneous structures. In 1952, Turing proposed the reaction-diffusion model in order to explain this issue. Experimental evidence of reaction-diffusion patterns in living organisms was first provided by the pigmentation pattern on the skin of fishes in 1995. However, whether or not this mechanism plays an essential role in developmental events of living organisms remains elusive. Here we show that a reaction-diffusion model can successfully explain the shoot apical meristem (SAM) development of plants. SAM of plants resides in the top of each shoot and consists of a central zone (CZ) and a surrounding peripheral zone (PZ). SAM contains stem cells and continuously produces new organs throughout the lifespan. Molecular genetic studies using Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that the formation and maintenance of the SAM are essentially regulated by the feedback interaction between WUSHCEL (WUS) and CLAVATA (CLV). We developed a mathematical model of the SAM based on a reaction-diffusion dynamics of the WUS-CLV interaction, incorporating cell division and the spatial restriction of the dynamics. Our model explains the various SAM patterns observed in plants, for example, homeostatic control of SAM size in the wild type, enlarged or fasciated SAM in clv mutants, and initiation of ectopic secondary meristems from an initial flattened SAM in wus mutant. In addition, the model is supported by comparing its prediction with the expression pattern of WUS in the wus mutant. Furthermore, the model can account for many experimental results including reorganization processes caused by the CZ ablation and by incision through the meristem center. We thus conclude that the reaction-diffusion dynamics is probably indispensable for the SAM development of plants.

Reaction-Diffusion Pattern in Shoot Apical Meristem of Plants

PubMed Central

Fujita, Hironori; Toyokura, Koichi; Okada, Kiyotaka; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2011-01-01

A fundamental question in developmental biology is how spatial patterns are self-organized from homogeneous structures. In 1952, Turing proposed the reaction-diffusion model in order to explain this issue. Experimental evidence of reaction-diffusion patterns in living organisms was first provided by the pigmentation pattern on the skin of fishes in 1995. However, whether or not this mechanism plays an essential role in developmental events of living organisms remains elusive. Here we show that a reaction-diffusion model can successfully explain the shoot apical meristem (SAM) development of plants. SAM of plants resides in the top of each shoot and consists of a central zone (CZ) and a surrounding peripheral zone (PZ). SAM contains stem cells and continuously produces new organs throughout the lifespan. Molecular genetic studies using Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that the formation and maintenance of the SAM are essentially regulated by the feedback interaction between WUSHCEL (WUS) and CLAVATA (CLV). We developed a mathematical model of the SAM based on a reaction-diffusion dynamics of the WUS-CLV interaction, incorporating cell division and the spatial restriction of the dynamics. Our model explains the various SAM patterns observed in plants, for example, homeostatic control of SAM size in the wild type, enlarged or fasciated SAM in clv mutants, and initiation of ectopic secondary meristems from an initial flattened SAM in wus mutant. In addition, the model is supported by comparing its prediction with the expression pattern of WUS in the wus mutant. Furthermore, the model can account for many experimental results including reorganization processes caused by the CZ ablation and by incision through the meristem center. We thus conclude that the reaction-diffusion dynamics is probably indispensable for the SAM development of plants. PMID:21479227

Analysing growth and development of plants jointly using developmental growth stages.

PubMed

Dambreville, Anaëlle; Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Normand, Frédéric; Guédon, Yann

2015-01-01

Plant growth, the increase of organ dimensions over time, and development, the change in plant structure, are often studied as two separate processes. However, there is structural and functional evidence that these two processes are strongly related. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-ordination between growth and development using mango trees, which have well-defined developmental stages. Developmental stages, determined in an expert way, and organ sizes, determined from objective measurements, were collected during the vegetative growth and flowering phases of two cultivars of mango, Mangifera indica. For a given cultivar and growth unit type (either vegetative or flowering), a multistage model based on absolute growth rate sequences deduced from the measurements was first built, and then growth stages deduced from the model were compared with developmental stages. Strong matches were obtained between growth stages and developmental stages, leading to a consistent definition of integrative developmental growth stages. The growth stages highlighted growth asynchronisms between two topologically connected organs, namely the vegetative axis and its leaves. Integrative developmental growth stages emphasize that developmental stages are closely related to organ growth rates. The results are discussed in terms of the possible physiological processes underlying these stages, including plant hydraulics, biomechanics and carbohydrate partitioning. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Effectiveness of Aligned Developmental Feedback on the Overhand Throw in Third-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Rona; Goodway, Jacqueline D.; Lidor, Ronnie

2012-01-01

Background: To improve student performance, teachers need to evaluate the developmental level of the child and to deliver feedback statements that correspond with the student's ability to process the information delivered. Therefore, feedback aligned with the developmental level of the child (aligned developmental feedback--ADF) is sometimes…

Beyond Auditory Sensory Processing Deficits: Lexical Tone Perception Deficits in Chinese Children with Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Xiuhong; Tong, Xiuli; King Yiu, Fung

2018-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that children with developmental dyslexia exhibit a deficit not only at the segmental level of phonological processing but also, by extension, at the suprasegmental level. However, it remains unclear whether such a suprasegmental phonological processing deficit is due to a difficulty in processing acoustic cues of…

The Complexity of Developmental Predictions from Dual Process Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanovich, Keith E.; West, Richard F.; Toplak, Maggie E.

2011-01-01

Drawing developmental predictions from dual-process theories is more complex than is commonly realized. Overly simplified predictions drawn from such models may lead to premature rejection of the dual process approach as one of many tools for understanding cognitive development. Misleading predictions can be avoided by paying attention to several…

Developmental Implications of the Levels of Processing Memory Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naus, Mary J.

The levels of processing framework for understanding memory development has generated little empirical or theoretical work that furthers an understanding of the developmental memory system. Although empirical studies by those testing the levels of processing framework have demonstrated that mnemonic strategies employed by children are the critical…

Cultural Variations in Global versus Local Processing: A Developmental Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oishi, Shigehiro; Jaswal, Vikram K.; Lillard, Angeline S.; Mizokawa, Ai; Hitokoto, Hidefumi; Tsutsui, Yoshiro

2014-01-01

We conducted 3 studies to explore cultural differences in global versus local processing and their developmental trajectories. In Study 1 ("N" = 363), we found that Japanese college students were less globally oriented in their processing than American or Argentine participants. We replicated this effect in Study 2 ("N" =…

Cognitive Development and Reading Processes. Developmental Program Report Number 76.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Richard F.

In discussing the relationship between cognitive development (perception, pattern recognition, and memory) and reading processes, this paper especially emphasizes developmental factors. After an overview of some issues that bear on how written language is processed, the paper presents a discussion of pattern recognition, including general pattern…

DEVELOPMENTAL THYROID HORMONE INSUFFICIENCY ALTERS THE AMPLITUDE OF THE ACOUSTIC STARTLE RESPONSE IN RATS

EPA Science Inventory

Purpose: The thyroid hormone (TH) system is one of the targets of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Since TH is essential for proper brain development, disruption by exposure to chemicals during development can result in adverse neurological outcomes. Previous studies revealed th...

Development and Validity-Reliability Study of a Teacher-Child Communication Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbay, Filiz; Omeroglu, Esra; Cagdas, Aysel

2012-01-01

One of the essential factors for preschool education to succeed and meet expectations is the presence of teachers who have effective communication skills. Effective communication between preschool educators and children influences children's school adjustment, developmental outcomes in different domains, and their future relationship with…

Not so Fast: Reassessing Gender Essentialism in Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eidson, R. Cole; Coley, John D.

2014-01-01

We examined young adults' essentialist reasoning about gender categories. Previous developmental results suggest that until age 9 or 10, children show marked essentialist reasoning about gender, but this disappears by early adulthood. In contrast, results from social cognition suggest that essentialist thinking about social categories persists…

Developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency and brain development: A role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)?*

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for normal brain development. Even subclinical hypothyroidism experienced in utero can result in neuropsychological deficits in children despite normal thyroid status at birth. Neurotrophins have been implicated in a host of brain cellular func...

Selection System for the "Stay-green" Drought Tolerance Trait in Sorghum Germplasm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Post-flowering drought tolerance is an essential trait for increasing cereal production in Mediterranean climates. Current methodologies for identifying the nonsenescent (stay-green) trait require the right intensity of drought stress at the right developmental stage to visually evaluate lines in t...

The Liguleless narrow mutation affects proximal distal signaling and leaf growth

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

How cells acquire competence to differentiate according to position is an essential question in developmental biology. Maize leaves provide a unique opportunity to study positional information. In the developing leaf primordium, a line is drawn across a field of seemingly identical cells. Above the ...

Standardization of SOPs to Evaluations: Impacts on Regulatory Decisions using Learning and Memory as Case Studies

EPA Science Inventory

In an era of global trade and regulatory cooperation, consistent and scientifically based interpretation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) studies is essential, particularly for non­ standard assays and variable endpoints. Because there is flexibility in the selection of ...

Dance Like a Caterpillar: Movement Is a Big Part of Learning for Little Kids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paglin, Catherine

2000-01-01

Movement is essential to the physical and cognitive development of young children. Developmentally appropriate dance and movement activities at preschools and elementary schools in Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska are described, along with connections between movement and literacy and numeracy instruction. (SV)

Learning and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Dudley B., Jr.; Love, Patrick; Komives, Susan R

2000-01-01

An emphasis on learning and development is a student-centered focus. It is essential for student affairs professionals to keep the resources of the institution focused on the student experience. Student affairs personnel need to map the learning and developmental agenda for students and identify the educational strategies needed to help learners…

Dose-Response Analysis of Developmental Iodide Deficiency: Reductions in Thyroid Hormones and Impaired Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission

EPA Science Inventory

Iodide is an essential nutrient for thyroid hormone synthesis and severe iodide deficiency (ID) during early development is associated with neurological impairments. Several environmental contaminants can perturb the thyroid axis and this perturbation may be more acute under cond...

Instrument Development for Examining Student Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McRoberts, Timothy J.; Miller, Tess

2015-01-01

Instruments designed to track student changes in higher education are essential for monitoring program development in competitive higher education markets. As part of a developmental evaluation, a student questionnaire was developed and piloted to examine attrition rates in college programs. The purpose of the questionnaire was to explore factors…

Effects of ToxCast Phase I Chemicals on Steroidogenesis in H295R Human Adrenocortical Carcinoma cells (SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

Steroid hormones are essential for proper development and reproduction. Disruption of steroidogenesis by environmental toxicants results in altered hormone levels causing adverse reproductive and developmental effects. H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cells were used to evalu...

What is a species? Essences and generation.

PubMed

Wilkins, John S

2010-09-01

Arguments against essentialism in biology rely strongly on a claim that modern biology abandoned Aristotle's notion of a species as a class of necessary and sufficient properties. However, neither his theory of essentialism, nor his logical definition of species and genus (eidos and genos) play much of a role in biological research and taxonomy, including his own. The objections to natural kinds thinking by early twentieth century biologists wrestling with the new genetics overlooked the fact that species have typical developmental cycles and most have a large shared genetic component. These are the "what-it-is-to-be" members of that species. An intrinsic biological essentialism does not commit us to Aristotelian notions, nor even modern notions, of essence. There is a long-standing definition of "species" and its precursor notions that goes back to the Greeks, and which Darwin and pretty well all biologists since him share, that I call the Generative Conception of Species. It relies on there being a shared generative power that makes progeny resemble parents. The "what-it-is-to-be" a member of that species is that developmental type, mistakes in development notwithstanding. Moreover, such "essences" have always been understood to include deviations from the type. Finally, I shall examine some implications of the collapse of the narrative about essences in biology.

Plants: Novel Developmental Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Robert B.

1988-01-01

Describes the diversity of plants. Outlines novel developmental and complex genetic processes that are specific to plants. Identifies approaches that can be used to solve problems in plant biology. Cites the advantages of using higher plants for experimental systems. (RT)

RNA interference can be used to disrupt gene function in tardigrades

PubMed Central

Tenlen, Jennifer R.; McCaskill, Shaina; Goldstein, Bob

2012-01-01

How morphological diversity arises is a key question in evolutionary developmental biology. As a long-term approach to address this question, we are developing the water bear Hypsibius dujardini (Phylum Tardigrada) as a model system. We expect that using a close relative of two well-studied models, Drosophila (Phylum Arthropoda) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Phylum Nematoda), will facilitate identifying genetic pathways relevant to understanding the evolution of development. Tardigrades are also valuable research subjects for investigating how organisms and biological materials can survive extreme conditions. Methods to disrupt gene activity are essential to each of these efforts, but no such method yet exists for the Phylum Tardigrada. We developed a protocol to disrupt tardigrade gene functions by double-stranded RNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi). We show that targeting tardigrade homologs of essential developmental genes by RNAi produced embryonic lethality, whereas targeting green fluorescent protein did not. Disruption of gene functions appears to be relatively specific by two criteria: targeting distinct genes resulted in distinct phenotypes that were consistent with predicted gene functions, and by RT-PCR, RNAi reduced the level of a target mRNA and not a control mRNA. These studies represent the first evidence that gene functions can be disrupted by RNAi in the phylum Tardigrada. Our results form a platform for dissecting tardigrade gene functions for understanding the evolution of developmental mechanisms and survival in extreme environments. PMID:23187800

RNA interference can be used to disrupt gene function in tardigrades.

PubMed

Tenlen, Jennifer R; McCaskill, Shaina; Goldstein, Bob

2013-05-01

How morphological diversity arises is a key question in evolutionary developmental biology. As a long-term approach to address this question, we are developing the water bear Hypsibius dujardini (Phylum Tardigrada) as a model system. We expect that using a close relative of two well-studied models, Drosophila (Phylum Arthropoda) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Phylum Nematoda), will facilitate identifying genetic pathways relevant to understanding the evolution of development. Tardigrades are also valuable research subjects for investigating how organisms and biological materials can survive extreme conditions. Methods to disrupt gene activity are essential to each of these efforts, but no such method yet exists for the Phylum Tardigrada. We developed a protocol to disrupt tardigrade gene functions by double-stranded RNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi). We showed that targeting tardigrade homologs of essential developmental genes by RNAi produced embryonic lethality, whereas targeting green fluorescent protein did not. Disruption of gene functions appears to be relatively specific by two criteria: targeting distinct genes resulted in distinct phenotypes that were consistent with predicted gene functions and by RT-PCR, RNAi reduced the level of a target mRNA and not a control mRNA. These studies represent the first evidence that gene functions can be disrupted by RNAi in the phylum Tardigrada. Our results form a platform for dissecting tardigrade gene functions for understanding the evolution of developmental mechanisms and survival in extreme environments.

Context-Dependent Sensitivity to Mutations Disrupting the Structural Integrity of Individual EGF Repeats in the Mouse Notch Ligand DLL1

PubMed Central

Schuster-Gossler, Karin; Cordes, Ralf; Müller, Julia; Geffers, Insa; Delany-Heiken, Patricia; Taft, Manuel; Preller, Matthias; Gossler, Achim

2016-01-01

The highly conserved Notch-signaling pathway mediates cell-to-cell communication and is pivotal for multiple developmental processes and tissue homeostasis in adult organisms. Notch receptors and their ligands are transmembrane proteins with multiple epidermal-growth-factor-like (EGF) repeats in their extracellular domains. In vitro the EGF repeats of mammalian ligands that are essential for Notch activation have been defined. However, in vivo the significance of the structural integrity of each EGF repeat in the ligand ectodomain for ligand function is still unclear. Here, we analyzed the mouse Notch ligand DLL1. We expressed DLL1 proteins with mutations disrupting disulfide bridges in each individual EGF repeat from single-copy transgenes in the HPRT locus of embryonic stem cells. In Notch transactivation assays all mutations impinged on DLL1 function and affected both NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 receptors similarly. An allelic series in mice that carried the same point mutations in endogenous Dll1, generated using a mini-gene strategy, showed that early developmental processes depending on DLL1-mediated NOTCH activation were differently sensitive to mutation of individual EGF repeats in DLL1. Notably, some mutations affected only somite patterning and resulted in vertebral column defects resembling spondylocostal dysostosis. In conclusion, the structural integrity of each individual EGF repeat in the extracellular domain of DLL1 is necessary for full DLL1 activity, and certain mutations in Dll1 might contribute to spondylocostal dysostosis in humans. PMID:26801181

Nicotine-induced plasticity during development: modulation of the cholinergic system and long-term consequences for circuits involved in attention and sensory processing.

PubMed

Heath, Christopher J; Picciotto, Marina R

2009-01-01

Despite a great deal of progress, more than 10% of pregnant women in the USA smoke. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated correlations between developmental tobacco smoke exposure and sensory processing deficits, as well as a number of neuropsychiatric conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Significantly, data from animal models of developmental nicotine exposure have suggested that the nicotine in tobacco contributes significantly to the effects of developmental smoke exposure. Consequently, we hypothesize that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are important for setting and refining the strength of corticothalamic-thalamocortical loops during critical periods of development and that disruption of this process by developmental nicotine exposure can result in long-lasting dysregulation of sensory processing. The ability of nAChR activation to modulate synaptic plasticity is likely to underlie the effects of both endogenous cholinergic signaling and pharmacologically administered nicotine to alter cellular, physiological and behavioral processes during critical periods of development.

Characterization of the cork oak transcriptome dynamics during acorn development.

PubMed

Miguel, Andreia; de Vega-Bartol, José; Marum, Liliana; Chaves, Inês; Santo, Tatiana; Leitão, José; Varela, Maria Carolina; Miguel, Célia M

2015-06-25

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) has a natural distribution across western Mediterranean regions and is a keystone forest tree species in these ecosystems. The fruiting phase is especially critical for its regeneration but the molecular mechanisms underlying the biochemical and physiological changes during cork oak acorn development are poorly understood. In this study, the transcriptome of the cork oak acorn, including the seed, was characterized in five stages of development, from early development to acorn maturation, to identify the dominant processes in each stage and reveal transcripts with important functions in gene expression regulation and response to water. A total of 80,357 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were de novo assembled from RNA-Seq libraries representative of the several acorn developmental stages. Approximately 7.6 % of the total number of transcripts present in Q. suber transcriptome was identified as acorn specific. The analysis of expression profiles during development returned 2,285 differentially expressed (DE) transcripts, which were clustered into six groups. The stage of development corresponding to the mature acorn exhibited an expression profile markedly different from other stages. Approximately 22 % of the DE transcripts putatively code for transcription factors (TF) or transcriptional regulators, and were found almost equally distributed among the several expression profile clusters, highlighting their major roles in controlling the whole developmental process. On the other hand, carbohydrate metabolism, the biological pathway most represented during acorn development, was especially prevalent in mid to late stages as evidenced by enrichment analysis. We further show that genes related to response to water, water deprivation and transport were mostly represented during the early (S2) and the last stage (S8) of acorn development, when tolerance to water desiccation is possibly critical for acorn viability. To our knowledge this work represents the first report of acorn development transcriptomics in oaks. The obtained results provide novel insights into the developmental biology of cork oak acorns, highlighting transcripts putatively involved in the regulation of the gene expression program and in specific processes likely essential for adaptation. It is expected that this knowledge can be transferred to other oak species of great ecological value.

Phonological processes in the speech of school-age children with hearing loss: Comparisons with children with normal hearing.

PubMed

Asad, Areej Nimer; Purdy, Suzanne C; Ballard, Elaine; Fairgray, Liz; Bowen, Caroline

2018-04-27

In this descriptive study, phonological processes were examined in the speech of children aged 5;0-7;6 (years; months) with mild to profound hearing loss using hearing aids (HAs) and cochlear implants (CIs), in comparison to their peers. A second aim was to compare phonological processes of HA and CI users. Children with hearing loss (CWHL, N = 25) were compared to children with normal hearing (CWNH, N = 30) with similar age, gender, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Speech samples obtained from a list of 88 words, derived from three standardized speech tests, were analyzed using the CASALA (Computer Aided Speech and Language Analysis) program to evaluate participants' phonological systems, based on lax (a process appeared at least twice in the speech of at least two children) and strict (a process appeared at least five times in the speech of at least two children) counting criteria. Developmental phonological processes were eliminated in the speech of younger and older CWNH while eleven developmental phonological processes persisted in the speech of both age groups of CWHL. CWHL showed a similar trend of age of elimination to CWNH, but at a slower rate. Children with HAs and CIs produced similar phonological processes. Final consonant deletion, weak syllable deletion, backing, and glottal replacement were present in the speech of HA users, affecting their overall speech intelligibility. Developmental and non-developmental phonological processes persist in the speech of children with mild to profound hearing loss compared to their peers with typical hearing. The findings indicate that it is important for clinicians to consider phonological assessment in pre-school CWHL and the use of evidence-based speech therapy in order to reduce non-developmental and non-age-appropriate developmental processes, thereby enhancing their speech intelligibility. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The GTPase Rac-1 controls cell fate in the thymus by diverting thymocytes from positive to negative selection.

PubMed

Gomez, M; Kioussis, D; Cantrell, D A

2001-11-01

The positive selection of CD4 or CD8 single-positive mature peripheral T lymphocytes and the deletion of self-reactive cells are crucial for central tolerance in the peripheral immune system. Previously, the guanine nucleotide binding protein Rac-1 has been shown to control pre-T cell development. The present report now describes the actions of Rac-1 in thymocyte selection. The study reveals that this molecule has the striking and unique ability to efficiently divert cells from positive selection into a pathway of negative selection and deletion. The ability of Rac-1 to switch thymocytes from a destiny of positive to negative selection identifies this molecule as a critical regulator of the developmental processes in T cells that are essential for immune homeostasis.

Polarised Organisation of the Cytoskeleton: Regulation by Cell Polarity Proteins.

PubMed

Raman, Renuka; Savio, Clyde; Sonawane, Mahendra

2018-06-24

Polarity is one of the fundamental properties displayed by living organisms. In metazoans, cell polarity governs developmental processes and plays an essential role during maintenance of forms of tissues as well as their functions. The mechanisms of establishment and maintenance of cell polarity have been investigated extensively in the last two decades. This has resulted in identification of "core cell polarity modules" that control anterior-posterior, front-rear and apical-basal polarity across various cell types. Here, we review how these polarity modules interact closely with the cytoskeleton during establishment and maintenance of cytoskeletal polarity. We further suggest that reciprocal interactions between cell polarity modules and the cytoskeleton consolidate the initial weaker polarity, arising from an external cue, into a committed polarised system. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Therapist self-disclosure with children, adolescents, and their parents.

PubMed

Gaines, Robert

2003-05-01

Many therapists who work with children and adolescents make extensive use of self-disclosure. However, these interventions have received little attention in the literature, and the basis for using them has not been well established. A developmental/relational perspective on the therapeutic process provides a cogent foundation using therapist self-disclosure with children, adolescents, and their parents. Therapist self-disclosure facilitates the negotiation of many important therapeutic tasks. Clinicians working with children and adolescents almost always work concurrently with parents, yet the nature of this work has not been clearly conceptualized. I advance a collaborative model for parent work, highlighting the essential role of therapist self-disclosure. Extensive clinical examples of therapist self-disclosure with children, adolescents, and their parents are provided. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ECTODERMAL WNT/β-CATENIN SIGNALING SHAPES THE MOUSE FACE

PubMed Central

Reid, Bethany S.; Yang, Hui; Melvin, Vida Senkus; Taketo, Makoto M.; Williams, Trevor

2010-01-01

The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway is an essential component of multiple developmental processes. To investigate the role of this pathway in the ectoderm during facial morphogenesis, we generated conditional β-catenin mouse mutants using a novel ectoderm-specific Cre recombinase transgenic line. Our results demonstrate that ablating or stabilizing β-catenin in the embryonic ectoderm causes dramatic changes in facial morphology. There are accompanying alterations in the expression of Fgf8 and Shh, key molecules that establish a signaling center critical for facial patterning, the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ). These data indicate that Wnt/β-catenin signaling within the ectoderm is critical for facial development and further suggest that this pathway is an important mechanism for generating the diverse facial shapes of vertebrates during evolution. PMID:21087601

Complement-Related Regulates Autophagy in Neighboring Cells.

PubMed

Lin, Lin; Rodrigues, Frederico S L M; Kary, Christina; Contet, Alicia; Logan, Mary; Baxter, Richard H G; Wood, Will; Baehrecke, Eric H

2017-06-29

Autophagy degrades cytoplasmic components and is important for development and human health. Although autophagy is known to be influenced by systemic intercellular signals, the proteins that control autophagy are largely thought to function within individual cells. Here, we report that Drosophila macroglobulin complement-related (Mcr), a complement ortholog, plays an essential role during developmental cell death and inflammation by influencing autophagy in neighboring cells. This function of Mcr involves the immune receptor Draper, suggesting a relationship between autophagy and the control of inflammation. Interestingly, Mcr function in epithelial cells is required for macrophage autophagy and migration to epithelial wounds, a Draper-dependent process. This study reveals, unexpectedly, that complement-related from one cell regulates autophagy in neighboring cells via an ancient immune signaling program. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plant hormone signaling during development: insights from computational models.

PubMed

Oliva, Marina; Farcot, Etienne; Vernoux, Teva

2013-02-01

Recent years have seen an impressive increase in our knowledge of the topology of plant hormone signaling networks. The complexity of these topologies has motivated the development of models for several hormones to aid understanding of how signaling networks process hormonal inputs. Such work has generated essential insights into the mechanisms of hormone perception and of regulation of cellular responses such as transcription in response to hormones. In addition, modeling approaches have contributed significantly to exploring how spatio-temporal regulation of hormone signaling contributes to plant growth and patterning. New tools have also been developed to obtain quantitative information on hormone distribution during development and to test model predictions, opening the way for quantitative understanding of the developmental roles of hormones. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child Development Knowledge and Teacher Preparation: Confronting Assumptions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G.

This paper questions the widely held assumption that acquiring knowledge of child development is an essential part of teacher preparation and teaching competence, especially among teachers of young children. After discussing the influence of culture, parenting style, and teaching style on developmental expectations and outcomes, the paper asserts…

Challenges in Emotional Regulation in Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laurent, Amy C.; Rubin, Emily

2004-01-01

As positive outcomes for children and adolescents with either Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism are related to the development of social communicative competence, recognition of the developmental capacities that contribute to this achievement is essential. Although social communication skills play a central role, developmental…

Becoming a Scientific Observer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Greg

2016-01-01

Greg MacDonald leaves no stone unturned as he places the complexity of second-plane observation into one coherent vision that includes the fundamentals of self-construction, the essential field of observation (freedom of work within the prepared environment), the role of the human tendencies, the construction of developmental facets, and the…

Cognitive Underpinnings of Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Contribution of Executive Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vera-Estay, E.; Dooley, J. J.; Beauchamp, M. H.

2015-01-01

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by intense changes, which impact the interaction between individuals and their environments. Moral reasoning (MR) is an important skill during adolescence because it guides social decisions between right and wrong. Identifying the cognitive underpinnings of MR is essential to understanding the…

Developmental Differences in Speech Act Recognition: A Pragmatic Awareness Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Paula

2004-01-01

With the growing acknowledgement of the importance of pragmatic competence in second language (L2) learning, language researchers have identified the comprehension of speech acts as they occur in natural conversation as essential to communicative competence (e.g. Bardovi-Harlig, 2001; Thomas, 1983). Nonconventional indirect speech acts are formed…

Neurocognitive Development of Relational Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crone, Eveline A.; Wendelken, Carter; van Leijenhorst, Linda; Honomichl, Ryan D.; Christoff, Kalina; Bunge, Silvia A.

2009-01-01

Relational reasoning is an essential component of fluid intelligence, and is known to have a protracted developmental trajectory. To date, little is known about the neural changes that underlie improvements in reasoning ability over development. In this event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, children aged 8-12 and adults…

Differences in Child Care Quality for Children with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grisham-Brown, Jennifer; Cox, Megan; Gravil, Meg; Missall, Kristen

2010-01-01

Research Findings: Federal, state, and local agencies legislate and support inclusive settings for the education of young children with disabilities. Recommended practices outline critical elements for meeting the educational and developmental needs of children with and without disabilities in inclusive settings, and minimal and essential quality…

Preschool Individualized Movement Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Oteghen, Sharon; Jacobson, Phyllis A.

1981-01-01

Learning, beginning in infancy, depends chiefly upon the nature and quality of movement experiences. Since 50 percent of a child's potential for learning is developed by age five, it is essential that movement programs be devised for children of preschool age. Movement programs must be geared to the individual child's developmental level. (JN)

The High/Scope Preschool Key Experiences: Essential Elements of Young Children's Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann, Mary

2002-01-01

Discusses High/Scope's preschool key experiences (a set of 58 statements that describe young children's social, cognitive, and physical development). The key experiences are grouped into 10 major developmental areas (creative representation, language and literacy, social relations, movement, music, classification, seriation, number, space, and…

Family Support and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Lou Ann

2013-01-01

Family involvement is essential to the developmental outcome of infants born into Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In this article, evidence has been presented on the parent's perspective of having an infant in the NICU and the context of family. Key points to an educational assessment are also reviewed. Throughout, the parent's concerns and…

RNA-Seq analysis of stuA mutants in Fusarium verticillioides indicates dramatic genomic wide transcriptional reprogramming

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

StuA, first discovered in Aspergillus nidulans and a member of the APSES class of transcription factors, regulates several essential developmental stages in fungi such as virulence, sporulation and toxin production in phytopathogenic fungi. Fusarium verticillioides (Fv), a maize phytopathogen, produ...

Building Critical Capacities for Leadership Learning.

PubMed

Torrez, Mark Anthony; Rocco, Melissa L

2015-01-01

Cognitive elements of transformational learning, particularly metacognition and critical self-reflection, are discussed as essential considerations for leadership development in the 21st century. The importance of developmentally sequencing leadership-learning experiences and addressing evolving complexities of leadership identity are also explored. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Behavioural Indicators of Ineffective Managerial Coaching: A Cross-National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellinger, Andrea D.; Hamlin, Robert G.; Beattie, Rona S.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The concept of managers assuming developmental roles such as coaches and learning facilitators has received considerable attention in recent years. Yet, despite the growing body of expert opinion that suggests that coaching is an essential core activity of everyday management and leadership, the literature base remains largely…

Using the Communication Matrix to Assess Expressive Skills in Early Communicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Charity

2011-01-01

Many children born with severe and multiple disabilities have complex communication needs and may use no speech or only minimal speech to communicate. Meaningful assessment of their expressive skills to identify communication strengths along a developmental trajectory is an essential first step toward appropriate intervention. This article…

M.S.A.D. 11 Adult Education for the Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dulac, G. Paul; McCarthy, William F.

Intended as a guide for implementation of an educational program for handicapped adults, this manual discusses essential components for an educational developmental disabilities program using an adult education delivery system. Materials are based on efforts of the MSAD (Maine School Administrative District) #11 to offer educational programming to…

Kindergarten Teachers' Views about Outdoor Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdem, Devrim

2018-01-01

Preschool years constitute a vital developmental period during which foundations of later development are formed. It is during this period that essential developments such as establishing attachment bonds, forming a basic sense of autonomy and sense of self (ego), language acquisition and attaining life and social skills. Studies in developmental…

The development and use of a molecular model for soybean maturity groups

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Achieving appropriate maturity in a target environment is essential to maximizing crop yield potential. In soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], the time to maturity is largely dependent on developmental response to dark periods. Once the critical photoperiod is reached, flowering is initiated and rep...

Flowering Locus C (FLC) Is a Potential Major Regulator of Glucosinolate Content across Developmental Stages of Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae)

PubMed Central

Mohammadin, Setareh; Nguyen, Thu-Phuong; van Weij, Marco S.; Reichelt, Michael; Schranz, Michael E.

2017-01-01

The biochemical defense of plants can change during their life-cycle and impact herbivore feeding and plant fitness. The annual species Aethionema arabicum is part of the sister clade to all other Brassicaceae. Hence, it holds a phylogenetically important position for studying crucifer trait evolution. Glucosinolates (GS) are essentially Brassicales-specific metabolites involved in plant defense. Using two Ae. arabicum accessions (TUR and CYP) we identify substantial differences in glucosinolate profiles and quantities between lines, tissues and developmental stages. We find tissue specific side-chain modifications in aliphatic GS: methylthioalkyl in leaves, methylsulfinylalkyl in fruits, and methylsulfonylalkyl in seeds. We also find large differences in absolute glucosinolate content between the two accessions (up to 10-fold in fruits) that suggest a regulatory factor is involved that is not part of the quintessential glucosinolate biosynthetic pathway. Consistent with this hypothesis, we identified a single major multi-trait quantitative trait locus controlling total GS concentration across tissues in a recombinant inbred line population derived from TUR and CYP. With fine-mapping, we narrowed the interval to a 58 kb region containing 15 genes, but lacking any known GS biosynthetic genes. The interval contains homologs of both the sulfate transporter SULTR2;1 and FLOWERING LOCUS C. Both loci have diverse functions controlling plant physiological and developmental processes and thus are potential candidates regulating glucosinolate variation across the life-cycle of Aethionema. Future work will investigate changes in gene expression of the candidates genes, the effects of GS variation on insect herbivores and the trade-offs between defense and reproduction. PMID:28603537

Disruption of Canonical TGFβ-signaling in Murine Coronary Progenitor Cells by Low Level Arsenic

PubMed Central

Allison, Patrick; Huang, Tianfang; Broka, Derrick; Parker, Patti; Barnett, Joey V.; Camenisch, Todd D.

2013-01-01

Exposure to arsenic results in several types of cancers as well as heart disease. A major contributor to ischemic heart pathologies is coronary artery disease, however the influences by environmental arsenic in this disease process are not known. Similarly, the impact of toxicants on blood vessel formation and function during development has not been studied. During embryogenesis, the epicardium undergoes proliferation, migration, and differentiation into several cardiac cell types including smooth muscle cells which contribute to the coronary vessels. The TGFβ family of ligands and receptors are essential for developmental cardiac epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and differentiation into coronary smooth muscle cells. In this in vitrostudy, 18 hour exposure to 1.34 μMarsenite disrupted developmental EMT programming in murine epicardial cells causing a deficit in cardiac mesenchyme. The expression of EMT genes including TGFβ2, TGFβ receptor-3, Snail, and Has-2 are decreased in a dose-dependent manner following exposure to arsenite. TGFβ2 cell signaling is abrogated as detected by decreases in phosphorylated Smad2/3 when cells are exposed to 1.34 μMarsenite. There is also loss of nuclear accumulation pSmad due to arsenite exposure. These observations coincide with a decrease invimentinpositive mesenchymal cells invading three-dimensional collagen gels. However, arsenite does not block TGFβ2 mediated smooth muscle cell differentiation by epicardial cells. Overall these results show that arsenic exposure blocks developmental EMT gene programming in murine coronary progenitor cells by disrupting TGFβ2 signals and Smad activation, and that smooth muscle cell differentiation is refractory to this arsenic toxicity. PMID:23732083

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology—and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity—remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children’s development. PMID:26849071

Mutations in mitochondrial enzyme GPT2 cause metabolic dysfunction and neurological disease with developmental and progressive features

PubMed Central

Ouyang, Qing; Nakayama, Tojo; Baytas, Ozan; Davidson, Shawn M.; Yang, Chendong; Schmidt, Michael; Lizarraga, Sofia B.; Mishra, Sasmita; EI-Quessny, Malak; Niaz, Saima; Gul Butt, Mirrat; Imran Murtaza, Syed; Javed, Afzal; Chaudhry, Haroon Rashid; Vaughan, Dylan J.; Hill, R. Sean; Partlow, Jennifer N.; Yoo, Seung-Yun; Lam, Anh-Thu N.; Nasir, Ramzi; Al-Saffar, Muna; Barkovich, A. James; Schwede, Matthew; Nagpal, Shailender; Rajab, Anna; DeBerardinis, Ralph J.; Housman, David E.; Mochida, Ganeshwaran H.; Morrow, Eric M.

2016-01-01

Mutations that cause neurological phenotypes are highly informative with regard to mechanisms governing human brain function and disease. We report autosomal recessive mutations in the enzyme glutamate pyruvate transaminase 2 (GPT2) in large kindreds initially ascertained for intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). GPT2 [also known as alanine transaminase 2 (ALT2)] is one of two related transaminases that catalyze the reversible addition of an amino group from glutamate to pyruvate, yielding alanine and α-ketoglutarate. In addition to IDD, all affected individuals show postnatal microcephaly and ∼80% of those followed over time show progressive motor symptoms, a spastic paraplegia. Homozygous nonsense p.Arg404* and missense p.Pro272Leu mutations are shown biochemically to be loss of function. The GPT2 gene demonstrates increasing expression in brain in the early postnatal period, and GPT2 protein localizes to mitochondria. Akin to the human phenotype, Gpt2-null mice exhibit reduced brain growth. Through metabolomics and direct isotope tracing experiments, we find a number of metabolic abnormalities associated with loss of Gpt2. These include defects in amino acid metabolism such as low alanine levels and elevated essential amino acids. Also, we find defects in anaplerosis, the metabolic process involved in replenishing TCA cycle intermediates. Finally, mutant brains demonstrate misregulated metabolites in pathways implicated in neuroprotective mechanisms previously associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Overall, our data reveal an important role for the GPT2 enzyme in mitochondrial metabolism with relevance to developmental as well as potentially to neurodegenerative mechanisms. PMID:27601654

Flowering Locus C (FLC) Is a Potential Major Regulator of Glucosinolate Content across Developmental Stages of Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae).

PubMed

Mohammadin, Setareh; Nguyen, Thu-Phuong; van Weij, Marco S; Reichelt, Michael; Schranz, Michael E

2017-01-01

The biochemical defense of plants can change during their life-cycle and impact herbivore feeding and plant fitness. The annual species Aethionema arabicum is part of the sister clade to all other Brassicaceae. Hence, it holds a phylogenetically important position for studying crucifer trait evolution. Glucosinolates (GS) are essentially Brassicales-specific metabolites involved in plant defense. Using two Ae. arabicum accessions (TUR and CYP) we identify substantial differences in glucosinolate profiles and quantities between lines, tissues and developmental stages. We find tissue specific side-chain modifications in aliphatic GS: methylthioalkyl in leaves, methylsulfinylalkyl in fruits, and methylsulfonylalkyl in seeds. We also find large differences in absolute glucosinolate content between the two accessions (up to 10-fold in fruits) that suggest a regulatory factor is involved that is not part of the quintessential glucosinolate biosynthetic pathway. Consistent with this hypothesis, we identified a single major multi-trait quantitative trait locus controlling total GS concentration across tissues in a recombinant inbred line population derived from TUR and CYP. With fine-mapping, we narrowed the interval to a 58 kb region containing 15 genes, but lacking any known GS biosynthetic genes. The interval contains homologs of both the sulfate transporter SULTR2;1 and FLOWERING LOCUS C . Both loci have diverse functions controlling plant physiological and developmental processes and thus are potential candidates regulating glucosinolate variation across the life-cycle of Aethionema . Future work will investigate changes in gene expression of the candidates genes, the effects of GS variation on insect herbivores and the trade-offs between defense and reproduction.

Developmental theory of aging revisited: focus on causal and mechanistic links between development and senescence.

PubMed

Walker, Richard F

2011-08-01

Senescence violates the most basic tenet of natural selection by causing death rather than individual survival. Thus, current theories favor the concept of antagonistic pleiotropy (AP) to explain how aging emerged in metazoans. Presumably, pleiotropic genes reduce vigor and limit longevity in adults. However, they also promote fitness and reproduction in juveniles, causing them to be selected and retained in the gene pool. The general hypothesis presented herein is a special case of AP that identifies the common cause and mechanism of aging in iteroparous (i.e., capable of reproducing multiple times) animals. It ascribes senescence to unremitting, nonprogrammed change or remodeling forced upon the adult soma by postmaturation expression of developmental gene(s) affecting dynamic transformation of the single-celled conceptus into a complex, multicellular organism. Whereas persistent somatic change is necessary for development to proceed normally, it also has the potential to erode homeostasis in adults after maturation is complete. Thus, developmental inertia is the primary cause of senescence, whereas decay of internal order and integrated function among interdependent systems of the body is the general mechanism by which aging progresses over time. Accordingly, this global pathogenic process creates an environment in which the many recognized, age-associated physiologic and metabolic sequelae can arise as consequences of senescence rather than causes of it. Paradoxically, the genes that promote somatic remodeling essential for development and survival also guarantee aging and death by the same action whose outcomes differ only by the time it is expressed relevant to maturation.

Dual Systems Competence [Image Omitted] Procedural Processing: A Relational Developmental Systems Approach to Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricco, Robert B.; Overton, Willis F.

2011-01-01

Many current psychological models of reasoning minimize the role of deductive processes in human thought. In the present paper, we argue that deduction is an important part of ordinary cognition and we propose that a dual systems Competence [image omitted] Procedural processing model conceptualized within relational developmental systems theory…

Process Dissociation of Sight Vocabulary and Phonetic Decoding in Reading: A New Perspective on Surface and Phonological Dyslexias

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDougall, Patricia; Borowsky, Ron; MacKinnon, G. E.; Hymel, Shelley

2005-01-01

Recent research on developmental dyslexia has suggested a phonological core deficit hypothesis (e.g., Manis, Seidenberg, Doi, McBride-Chang, & Peterson, 1996; Stanovich, Siegel, & Gottardo, 1997) whereby pure cases of developmental phonological dyslexia (dysfunctional phonetic decoding processing but normal sight vocabulary processing) can exist,…

Advances in Special Education: Volume I. Basic Constructs and Theoretical Orientations. A Research Annual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keogh, Barbara K., Ed.

Intended for graduate students in special education, the text presents seven author contributed papers dealing with theoretical issues in the field. M. Faust and W. Faust ("Cognitive Constructing: Levels of Processing and Developmental Change") consider cognitive processing from a developmental perspective. In "Memory Processes in Exceptional…

Mapping the developmental constraints on working memory span performance.

PubMed

Bayliss, Donna M; Jarrold, Christopher; Baddeley, Alan D; Gunn, Deborah M; Leigh, Eleanor

2005-07-01

This study investigated the constraints underlying developmental improvements in complex working memory span performance among 120 children of between 6 and 10 years of age. Independent measures of processing efficiency, storage capacity, rehearsal speed, and basic speed of processing were assessed to determine their contribution to age-related variance in complex span. Results showed that developmental improvements in complex span were driven by 2 age-related but separable factors: 1 associated with general speed of processing and 1 associated with storage ability. In addition, there was an age-related contribution shared between working memory, processing speed, and storage ability that was important for higher level cognition. These results pose a challenge for models of complex span performance that emphasize the importance of processing speed alone.

[The principle of the energy minimum in ontogeny and the channeling of developmental processes].

PubMed

Ozerniuk, N D

1989-01-01

The principle of minimum of energy in ontogenesis has been formulated on the basis of data concerning age changes in energetic metabolism, as well as the influence of ecological factors on this process. According to this principle the smallest expenditures of energy are observed in the zone of the most favorable developmental conditions. The minimal level of energetic metabolism at every developmental stage that corresponds to the most stable state of organism is treated as homeostasis and the developmental stability is treated as homeorrhesis. Regulation mechanisms of energetic metabolism during ontogenesis and under the influence of environmental factors are analyzed.

Systems theory and cascades in developmental psychopathology.

PubMed

Cox, Martha J; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Propper, Cathi; Gariépy, Jean-Louis

2010-08-01

In the wake of prominent theoreticians in developmental science, whose contributions we review in this article, many developmental psychologists came to endorse a systems approach to understanding how the individual, as it develops, establishes functional relationships to social ecological contexts that from birth to school entry rapidly increase in complexity. The concept of developmental cascade has been introduced in this context to describe lawful processes by which antecedent conditions may be related with varying probabilities to specified outcomes. These are understood as processes by which function at one level or in one domain of behavior affect the organization of competency in later developing domains of general adaptation. Here we propose a developmental sequence by which the developing child acquires regulative capacities that are key to adjustment to a society that demands considerable control of emotional and cognitive functions early in life. We report empirical evidence showing that the acquisition of regulative capacities may be understood as a cascade of shifts in control parameters induced by the progressive integration of biological, transactional, and socioaffective systems over development. We conclude by suggesting how the developmental process may be accessed for effective intervention in populations deemed "at risk" for later problems of psychosocial adjustment.

Coherence of Personal Narratives across the Lifespan: A Multidimensional Model and Coding Method

PubMed Central

Reese, Elaine; Haden, Catherine A.; Baker-Ward, Lynne; Bauer, Patricia; Fivush, Robyn; Ornstein, Peter A.

2012-01-01

Personal narratives are integral to autobiographical memory and to identity, with coherent personal narratives being linked to positive developmental outcomes across the lifespan. In this article, we review the theoretical and empirical literature that sets the stage for a new lifespan model of personal narrative coherence. This new model integrates context, chronology, and theme as essential dimensions of personal narrative coherence, each of which relies upon different developmental achievements and has a different developmental trajectory across the lifespan. A multidimensional method of coding narrative coherence (the Narrative Coherence Coding Scheme or NaCCS) was derived from the model and is described here. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by its application to 498 narratives that were collected in six laboratories from participants ranging in age from 3 years to adulthood. The value of the model is illustrated further by a discussion of its potential to guide future research on the developmental foundations of narrative coherence and on the benefits of personal narrative coherence for different aspects of psychological functioning. PMID:22754399

De novo variants in EBF3 are associated with hypotonia, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and autism.

PubMed

Tanaka, Akemi J; Cho, Megan T; Willaert, Rebecca; Retterer, Kyle; Zarate, Yuri A; Bosanko, Katie; Stefans, Vikki; Oishi, Kimihiko; Williamson, Amy; Wilson, Golder N; Basinger, Alice; Barbaro-Dieber, Tina; Ortega, Lucia; Sorrentino, Susanna; Gabriel, Melissa K; Anderson, Ilse J; Sacoto, Maria J Guillen; Schnur, Rhonda E; Chung, Wendy K

2017-11-01

Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified seven unrelated individuals with global developmental delay, hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, and an increased frequency of short stature, ataxia, and autism with de novo heterozygous frameshift, nonsense, splice, and missense variants in the Early B-cell Transcription Factor Family Member 3 ( EBF3 ) gene. EBF3 is a member of the collier/olfactory-1/early B-cell factor (COE) family of proteins, which are required for central nervous system (CNS) development. COE proteins are highly evolutionarily conserved and regulate neuronal specification, migration, axon guidance, and dendritogenesis during development and are essential for maintaining neuronal identity in adult neurons. Haploinsufficiency of EBF3 may affect brain development and function, resulting in developmental delay, intellectual disability, and behavioral differences observed in individuals with a deleterious variant in EBF3 . © 2017 Tanaka et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Developmental mechanisms of the tympanic membrane in mammals and non-mammalian amniotes.

PubMed

Takechi, Masaki; Kitazawa, Taro; Hirasawa, Tatsuya; Hirai, Tamami; Iseki, Sachiko; Kurihara, Hiroki; Kuratani, Shigeru

2016-01-01

The tympanic membrane is a thin layer that originates from the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesenchyme. Molecular-genetic investigations have revealed that interaction between epithelial and mesenchymal cells in the pharyngeal arches is essential for development of the tympanic membrane. We have recently reported that developmental mechanisms underlying the tympanic membrane seem to be different between mouse and chicken, suggesting that the tympanic membrane evolved independently in mammals and non-mammalian amniotes. In this review, we summarize previous studies of tympanic membrane formation in the mouse. We also discuss its formation in amniotes from an evolutionary point of view. © 2015 Japanese Teratology Society.

Impairment in face processing in autism spectrum disorder: a developmental perspective.

PubMed

Greimel, Ellen; Schulte-Rüther, Martin; Kamp-Becker, Inge; Remschmidt, Helmut; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Konrad, Kerstin

2014-09-01

Findings on face identity and facial emotion recognition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are inconclusive. Moreover, little is known about the developmental trajectory of face processing skills in ASD. Taking a developmental perspective, the aim of this study was to extend previous findings on face processing skills in a sample of adolescents and adults with ASD. N = 38 adolescents and adults (13-49 years) with high-functioning ASD and n = 37 typically developing (TD) control subjects matched for age and IQ participated in the study. Moreover, n = 18 TD children between the ages of 8 and 12 were included to address the question whether face processing skills in ASD follow a delayed developmental pattern. Face processing skills were assessed using computerized tasks of face identity recognition (FR) and identification of facial emotions (IFE). ASD subjects showed impaired performance on several parameters of the FR and IFE task compared to TD control adolescents and adults. Whereas TD adolescents and adults outperformed TD children in both tasks, performance in ASD adolescents and adults was similar to the group of TD children. Within the groups of ASD and control adolescents and adults, no age-related changes in performance were found. Our findings corroborate and extend previous studies showing that ASD is characterised by broad impairments in the ability to process faces. These impairments seem to reflect a developmentally delayed pattern that remains stable throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Exploring the Williams syndrome face-processing debate: the importance of building developmental trajectories.

PubMed

Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Thomas, Michael; Annaz, Dagmara; Humphreys, Kate; Ewing, Sandra; Brace, Nicola; Duuren, Mike; Pike, Graham; Grice, Sarah; Campbell, Ruth

2004-10-01

Face processing in Williams syndrome (WS) has been a topic of heated debate over the past decade. Initial claims about a normally developing ('intact') face-processing module were challenged by data suggesting that individuals with WS used a different balance of cognitive processes from controls, even when their behavioural scores fell within the normal range. Measurement of evoked brain potentials also point to atypical processes. However, two recent studies have claimed that people with WS process faces exactly like normal controls. In this paper, we examine the details of this continuing debate on the basis of three new face-processing experiments. In particular, for two of our experiments we built task-specific full developmental trajectories from childhood to adolescence/adulthood and plotted the WS data on these trajectories. The first experiment used photos of real faces. While it revealed broadly equivalent accuracy across groups, the WS participants were worse at configural processing when faces were upright and less sensitive than controls to face inversion. In Experiment 2, measuring face processing in a storybook context, the face inversion effect emerged clearly in controls but only weakly in the WS developmental trajectory. Unlike the controls, the Benton Face Recognition Test and the Pattern Construction results were not correlated in WS, highlighting the different developmental patterns in the two groups. Again in contrast to the controls, Experiment 3 with schematic faces and non-face stimuli revealed a configural-processing deficit in WS both with respect to their chronological age (CA) and to their level of performance on the Benton. These findings point to both delay and deviance in WS face processing and illustrate how vital it is to build developmental trajectories for each specific task.

Complex furrows in a 2D epithelial sheet code the 3D structure of a beetle horn.

PubMed

Matsuda, Keisuke; Gotoh, Hiroki; Tajika, Yuki; Sushida, Takamichi; Aonuma, Hitoshi; Niimi, Teruyuki; Akiyama, Masakazu; Inoue, Yasuhiro; Kondo, Shigeru

2017-10-24

The external organs of holometabolous insects are generated through two consecutive processes: the development of imaginal primordia and their subsequent transformation into the adult structures. During the latter process, many different phenomena at the cellular level (e.g. cell shape changes, cell migration, folding and unfolding of epithelial sheets) contribute to the drastic changes observed in size and shape. Because of this complexity, the logic behind the formation of the 3D structure of adult external organs remains largely unknown. In this report, we investigated the metamorphosis of the horn in the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus. The horn primordia is essentially a 2D epithelial cell sheet with dense furrows. We experimentally unfolded these furrows using three different methods and found that the furrow pattern solely determines the 3D horn structure, indicating that horn formation in beetles occurs by two distinct processes: formation of the furrows and subsequently unfolding them. We postulate that this developmental simplicity offers an inherent advantage to understanding the principles that guide 3D morphogenesis in insects.

Fine-tuned SRF activity controls asymmetrical neuronal outgrowth: implications for cortical migration, neural tissue lamination and circuit assembly

PubMed Central

Scandaglia, Marilyn; Benito, Eva; Morenilla-Palao, Cruz; Fiorenza, Anna; del Blanco, Beatriz; Coca, Yaiza; Herrera, Eloísa; Barco, Angel

2015-01-01

The stimulus-regulated transcription factor Serum Response Factor (SRF) plays an important role in diverse neurodevelopmental processes related to structural plasticity and motile functions, although its precise mechanism of action has not yet been established. To further define the role of SRF in neural development and distinguish between cell-autonomous and non cell-autonomous effects, we bidirectionally manipulated SRF activity through gene transduction assays that allow the visualization of individual neurons and their comparison with neighboring control cells. In vitro assays showed that SRF promotes survival and filopodia formation and is required for normal asymmetric neurite outgrowth, indicating that its activation favors dendrite enlargement versus branching. In turn, in vivo experiments demonstrated that SRF-dependent regulation of neuronal morphology has important consequences in the developing cortex and retina, affecting neuronal migration, dendritic and axonal arborization and cell positioning in these laminated tissues. Overall, our results show that the controlled and timely activation of SRF is essential for the coordinated growth of neuronal processes, suggesting that this event regulates the switch between neuronal growth and branching during developmental processes. PMID:26638868

Senescence Meets Dedifferentiation

PubMed Central

Givaty Rapp, Yemima; Ransbotyn, Vanessa; Grafi, Gideon

2015-01-01

Senescence represents the final stage of leaf development but is often induced prematurely following exposure to biotic and abiotic stresses. Leaf senescence is manifested by color change from green to yellow (due to chlorophyll degradation) or to red (due to de novo synthesis of anthocyanins coupled with chlorophyll degradation) and frequently culminates in programmed death of leaves. However, the breakdown of chlorophyll and macromolecules such as proteins and RNAs that occurs during leaf senescence does not necessarily represent a one-way road to death but rather a reversible process whereby senescing leaves can, under certain conditions, re-green and regain their photosynthetic capacity. This phenomenon essentially distinguishes senescence from programmed cell death, leading researchers to hypothesize that changes occurring during senescence might represent a process of trans-differentiation, that is the conversion of one cell type to another. In this review, we highlight attributes common to senescence and dedifferentiation including chromatin structure and activation of transposable elements and provide further support to the notion that senescence is not merely a deterioration process leading to death but rather a unique developmental state resembling dedifferentiation. PMID:27135333

Towards an ontogenetic understanding of inflorescence diversity

PubMed Central

Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine; Bull-Hereñu, Kester

2013-01-01

Backgrounds and Aims Conceptual and terminological conflicts in inflorescence morphology indicate a lack of understanding of the phenotypic diversity of inflorescences. In this study, an ontogeny-based inflorescence concept is presented considering different meristem types and developmental pathways. By going back to the ontogenetic origin, diversity is reduced to a limited number of types and terms. Methods Species from 105 genera in 52 angiosperm families are investigated to identify their specific reproductive meristems and developmental pathways. Based on these studies, long-term experience with inflorescences and literature research, a conceptual framework for the understanding of inflorescences is presented. Key Results Ontogeny reveals that reproductive systems traditionally called inflorescences fall into three groups, i.e. ‘flowering shoot systems’ (FSS), ‘inflorescences’ sensu stricto and ‘floral units’ (FUs). Our concept is, first, based on the identification of reproductive meristem position and developmental potential. The FSS, defined as a seasonal growth unit, is used as a reference framework. As the FSS is a leafy shoot system bearing reproductive units, foliage and flowering sequence play an important role. Second, the identification of two different flower-producing meristems is essential. While ‘inflorescence meristems’ (IMs) share acropetal primordia production with vegetative meristems, ‘floral unit meristems’ (FUMs) resemble flower meristems in being indeterminate. IMs produce the basic inflorescence types, i.e. compound and simple racemes, panicles and botryoids. FUMs give rise to dense, often flower-like units (e.g. heads). They occur solitarily at the FSS or occupy flower positions in inflorescences, rendering the latter thyrses in the case of cymose branching. Conclusions The ontogenetic concept differs from all existing inflorescence concepts in being based on meristems and developmental processes. It includes clear terms and allows homology statements. Transitional forms are an explicit part of the concept, illustrating the ontogenetic potential for character transformation in evolution. PMID:23445936

Prefrontal Cortex and Social Cognition in Mouse and Man

PubMed Central

Bicks, Lucy K.; Koike, Hiroyuki; Akbarian, Schahram; Morishita, Hirofumi

2015-01-01

Social cognition is a complex process that requires the integration of a wide variety of behaviors, including salience, reward-seeking, motivation, knowledge of self and others, and flexibly adjusting behavior in social groups. Not surprisingly, social cognition represents a sensitive domain commonly disrupted in the pathology of a variety of psychiatric disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Schizophrenia (SCZ). Here, we discuss convergent research from animal models to human disease that implicates the prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a key regulator in social cognition, suggesting that disruptions in prefrontal microcircuitry play an essential role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders with shared social deficits. We take a translational perspective of social cognition, and review three key behaviors that are essential to normal social processing in rodents and humans, including social motivation, social recognition, and dominance hierarchy. A shared prefrontal circuitry may underlie these behaviors. Social cognition deficits in animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD and SCZ have been linked to an altered balance of excitation and inhibition (E/I ratio) within the cortex generally, and PFC specifically. A clear picture of the mechanisms by which altered E/I ratio in the PFC might lead to disruptions of social cognition across a variety of behaviors is not well understood. Future studies should explore how disrupted developmental trajectory of prefrontal microcircuitry could lead to altered E/I balance and subsequent deficits in the social domain. PMID:26635701

Development of Civic Engagement: Theoretical and Methodological Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerner, Richard M.; Wang, Jun; Champine, Robey B.; Warren, Daniel J. A.; Erickson, Karl

2014-01-01

Within contemporary developmental science, models derived from relational developmental systems (RDS) metatheory emphasize that the basic process of human development involves mutually-influential relations, termed developmental regulations, between the developing individual and his or her complex and changing physical, social, and cultural…

Virtual Embryo: Cell-Agent Based Modeling of Developmental Processes and Toxicities (CSS BOSC)

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial regulation of cellular dynamics is fundamental to morphological development. As such, chemical disruption of spatial dynamics is a determinant of developmental toxicity. Incorporating spatial dynamics into AOPs for developmental toxicity is desired but constrained by the ...

SpoVT: From Fine-Tuning Regulator in Bacillus subtilis to Essential Sporulation Protein in Bacillus cereus

PubMed Central

Eijlander, Robyn T.; Holsappel, Siger; de Jong, Anne; Ghosh, Abhinaba; Christie, Graham; Kuipers, Oscar P.

2016-01-01

Sporulation is a highly sophisticated developmental process adopted by most Bacilli as a survival strategy to withstand extreme conditions that normally do not support microbial growth. A complicated regulatory cascade, divided into various stages and taking place in two different compartments of the cell, involves a number of primary and secondary regulator proteins that drive gene expression directed toward the formation and maturation of an endospore. Such regulator proteins are highly conserved among various spore formers. Despite this conservation, both regulatory and phenotypic differences are observed between different species of spore forming bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the regulatory sporulation protein SpoVT results in a severe sporulation defect in Bacillus cereus, whereas this is not observed in Bacillus subtilis. Although spores are initially formed, the process is stalled at a later stage in development, followed by lysis of the forespore and the mother cell. A transcriptomic investigation of B. cereus ΔspoVT shows upregulation of genes involved in germination, potentially leading to premature lysis of prespores formed. Additionally, extreme variation in the expression of species-specific genes of unknown function was observed. Introduction of the B. subtilis SpoVT protein could partly restore the sporulation defect in the B. cereus spoVT mutant strain. The difference in phenotype is thus more than likely explained by differences in promoter targets rather than differences in mode of action of the conserved SpoVT regulator protein. This study stresses that evolutionary variances in regulon members of sporulation regulators can have profound effects on the spore developmental process and that mere protein homology is not a foolproof predictor of similar phenotypes. PMID:27790204

SpoVT: From Fine-Tuning Regulator in Bacillus subtilis to Essential Sporulation Protein in Bacillus cereus.

PubMed

Eijlander, Robyn T; Holsappel, Siger; de Jong, Anne; Ghosh, Abhinaba; Christie, Graham; Kuipers, Oscar P

2016-01-01

Sporulation is a highly sophisticated developmental process adopted by most Bacilli as a survival strategy to withstand extreme conditions that normally do not support microbial growth. A complicated regulatory cascade, divided into various stages and taking place in two different compartments of the cell, involves a number of primary and secondary regulator proteins that drive gene expression directed toward the formation and maturation of an endospore. Such regulator proteins are highly conserved among various spore formers. Despite this conservation, both regulatory and phenotypic differences are observed between different species of spore forming bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the regulatory sporulation protein SpoVT results in a severe sporulation defect in Bacillus cereus , whereas this is not observed in Bacillus subtilis . Although spores are initially formed, the process is stalled at a later stage in development, followed by lysis of the forespore and the mother cell. A transcriptomic investigation of B. cereus Δ spoVT shows upregulation of genes involved in germination, potentially leading to premature lysis of prespores formed. Additionally, extreme variation in the expression of species-specific genes of unknown function was observed. Introduction of the B. subtilis SpoVT protein could partly restore the sporulation defect in the B. cereus spoVT mutant strain. The difference in phenotype is thus more than likely explained by differences in promoter targets rather than differences in mode of action of the conserved SpoVT regulator protein. This study stresses that evolutionary variances in regulon members of sporulation regulators can have profound effects on the spore developmental process and that mere protein homology is not a foolproof predictor of similar phenotypes.

Proteomics as an approach to the understanding of the molecular physiology of fruit development and ripening.

PubMed

Palma, José M; Corpas, Francisco J; del Río, Luís A

2011-08-12

Fruit ripening is a developmental complex process which occurs in higher plants and involves a number of stages displayed from immature to mature fruits that depend on the plant species and the environmental conditions. Nowadays, the importance of fruit ripening comes mainly from the link between this physiological process in plants and the economic repercussions as a result of one of the human activities, the agricultural industry. In most cases, fruit ripening is accompanied by colour changes due to different pigment content and increases in sugar levels, among others. Major physiological modifications that affect colour, texture, flavour, and aroma are under the control of both external (light and temperature) and internal (developmental gene regulation and hormonal control) factors. Due to the huge amount of metabolic changes that take place during ripening in fruits from higher plants, the accomplishment of new throughput methods which can provide a global evaluation of this process would be desirable. Differential proteomics of immature and mature fruits would be a useful tool to gain information on the molecular changes which occur during ripening, but also the investigation of fruits at different ripening stages will provide a dynamic picture of the whole transformation of fruits. This subject is furthermore of great interest as many fruits are essential for human nutrition. Thus far different maturation profiles have been reported specific for each crop species. In this work, a thorough review of the proteomic database from fruit development and maturation of important crop species will be updated to understand the molecular physiology of fruits at ripening stages. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A transcriptional time-course analysis of oral vs. aboral whole-body regeneration in the Sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.

PubMed

Schaffer, Amos A; Bazarsky, Michael; Levy, Karine; Chalifa-Caspi, Vered; Gat, Uri

2016-09-07

The ability of regeneration is essential for the homeostasis of all animals as it allows the repair and renewal of tissues and body parts upon normal turnover or injury. The extent of this ability varies greatly in different animals with the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a basal cnidarian model animal, displaying remarkable whole-body regeneration competence. In order to study this process in Nematostella we performed an RNA-Seq screen wherein we analyzed and compared the transcriptional response to bisection in the wound-proximal body parts undergoing oral (head) or aboral (tail) regeneration at several time points up to the initial restoration of the basic body shape. The transcriptional profiles of regeneration responsive genes were analyzed so as to define the temporal pattern of differential gene expression associated with the tissue-specific oral and aboral regeneration. The identified genes were characterized according to their GO (gene ontology) assignations revealing groups that were enriched in the regeneration process with particular attention to their affiliation to the major developmental signaling pathways. While some of the genes and gene groups thus analyzed were previously known to be active in regeneration, we have also revealed novel and surprising candidate genes such as cilia-associated genes that likely participate in this important developmental program. This work highlighted the main groups of genes which showed polarization upon regeneration, notably the proteinases, multiple transcription factors and the Wnt pathway genes that were highly represented, all displaying an intricate temporal balance between the two sides. In addition, the evolutionary comparison performed between regeneration in different animal model systems may reveal the basic mechanisms playing a role in this fascinating process.

Making lineage decisions with biological noise: Lessons from the early mouse embryo.

PubMed

Simon, Claire S; Hadjantonakis, Anna-Katerina; Schröter, Christian

2018-04-30

Understanding how individual cells make fate decisions that lead to the faithful formation and homeostatic maintenance of tissues is a fundamental goal of contemporary developmental and stem cell biology. Seemingly uniform populations of stem cells and multipotent progenitors display a surprising degree of heterogeneity, primarily originating from the inherent stochastic nature of molecular processes underlying gene expression. Despite this heterogeneity, lineage decisions result in tissues of a defined size and with consistent proportions of differentiated cell types. Using the early mouse embryo as a model we review recent developments that have allowed the quantification of molecular intercellular heterogeneity during cell differentiation. We first discuss the relationship between these heterogeneities and developmental cellular potential. We then review recent theoretical approaches that formalize the mechanisms underlying fate decisions in the inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage embryo. These models build on our extensive knowledge of the genetic control of fate decisions in this system and will become essential tools for a rigorous understanding of the connection between noisy molecular processes and reproducible outcomes at the multicellular level. We conclude by suggesting that cell-to-cell communication provides a mechanism to exploit and buffer intercellular variability in a self-organized process that culminates in the reproducible formation of the mature mammalian blastocyst stage embryo that is ready for implantation into the maternal uterus. This article is categorized under: Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Cellular Differentiation Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Regulation of Size, Proportion, and Timing Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Quantitative Methods and Models. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Isolation and Functional Characterization of Two Distinct Sexual-Stage-Specific Promoters of the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum†

PubMed Central

Dechering, Koen J.; Kaan, Anita M.; Mbacham, Wilfred; Wirth, Dyann F.; Eling, Wijnand; Konings, Ruud N. H.; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G.

1999-01-01

Transmission of malaria depends on the successful development of the sexual stages of the parasite within the midgut of the mosquito vector. The differentiation process leading to the production of the sexual stages is delineated by several developmental switches. Arresting the progression through this sexual differentiation pathway would effectively block the spread of the disease. The successful development of such transmission-blocking agents is hampered by the lack of a detailed understanding of the program of gene expression that governs sexual differentiation of the parasite. Here we describe the isolation and functional characterization of the Plasmodium falciparum pfs16 and pfs25 promoters, whose activation marks the developmental switches executed during the sexual differentiation process. We have studied the differential activation of the pfs16 and pfs25 promoters during intraerythrocytic development by transfection of P. falciparum and during gametogenesis and early sporogonic development by transfection of the related malarial parasite P. gallinaceum. Our data indicate that the promoter of the pfs16 gene is activated at the onset of gametocytogenesis, while the activity of the pfs25 promoter is induced following the transition to the mosquito vector. Both promoters have unusual DNA compositions and are extremely A/T rich. We have identified the regions in the pfs16 and pfs25 promoters that are essential for high transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we have identified a DNA-binding protein, termed PAF-1, which activates pfs25 transcription in the mosquito midgut. The data presented here shed the first light on the details of processes of gene regulation in the important human pathogen P. falciparum. PMID:9891033

Computer Simulation of Developmental Processes and Toxicities (SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

Rationale: Recent progress in systems toxicology and synthetic biology have paved the way to new thinking about in vitro/in silico modeling of developmental processes and toxicities, both for embryological and reproductive impacts. Novel in vitro platforms such as 3D organotypic ...

HIGH-CONTENT ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY RAT NEURAL CORTICALCULTURES FOR DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICITY SCREENING

EPA Science Inventory

Development of the vertebrate nervous system proceeds through a number of critical processes, ultimately concluding with the extension of neurites and establishment of synaptic networks. Early-life exposure to toxicants that perturb these critical developmental processes can po...

Mutations in the RNA exosome component gene EXOSC3 cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia and spinal motor neuron degeneration

PubMed Central

Wan, Jijun; Yourshaw, Michael; Mamsa, Hafsa; Rudnik-Schöneborn, Sabine; Menezes, Manoj P.; Hong, Ji Eun; Leong, Derek W.; Senderek, Jan; Salman, Michael S.; Chitayat, David; Seeman, Pavel; von Moers, Arpad; Graul-Neumann, Luitgard; Kornberg, Andrew J.; Castro-Gago, Manuel; Sobrido, María-Jesús; Sanefuji, Masafumi; Shieh, Perry B.; Salamon, Noriko; Kim, Ronald C.; Vinters, Harry V.; Chen, Zugen; Zerres, Klaus; Ryan, Monique M.; Nelson, Stanley F.; Jen, Joanna C.

2012-01-01

RNA exosomes are multi-subunit complexes conserved throughout evolution1 and emerging as the major cellular machinery for processing, surveillance, and turnover of a diverse spectrum of coding and non-coding RNA substrates essential for viability2. By exome sequencing, we discovered recessive mutations in exosome component 3 (EXOSC3) in four siblings with infantile spinal motor neuron disease, cerebellar atrophy, progressive microcephaly, and profound global developmental delay, consistent with pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 1 [PCH1; OMIM 607596]3–6. We identified mutations in EXOSC3 in an additional 8 of 12 families with PCH1. Morpholino knockdown of exosc3 in zebrafish embryos caused embryonic maldevelopment with small brain and poor motility, reminiscent of human clinical features and largely rescued by coinjected wildtype but not mutant exosc3 mRNA. These findings represent the first example of an RNA exosome gene responsible for a human disease and further implicate dysregulation of RNA processing in cerebellar and spinal motor neuron maldevelopment and degeneration. PMID:22544365

Gut Microbiome and Infant Health: Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis and Host Genetic Factors.

PubMed

Cong, Xiaomei; Xu, Wanli; Romisher, Rachael; Poveda, Samantha; Forte, Shaina; Starkweather, Angela; Henderson, Wendy A

2016-09-01

The development of the neonatal gut microbiome is influenced by multiple factors, such as delivery mode, feeding, medication use, hospital environment, early life stress, and genetics. The dysbiosis of gut microbiota persists during infancy, especially in high-risk preterm infants who experience lengthy stays in the Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Infant microbiome evolutionary trajectory is essentially parallel with the host (infant) neurodevelopmental process and growth. The role of the gut microbiome, the brain-gut signaling system, and its interaction with the host genetics have been shown to be related to both short and long term infant health and bio-behavioral development. The investigation of potential dysbiosis patterns in early childhood is still lacking and few studies have addressed this host-microbiome co-developmental process. Further research spanning a variety of fields of study is needed to focus on the mechanisms of brain-gut-microbiota signaling system and the dynamic host-microbial interaction in the regulation of health, stress and development in human newborns.

Thinking as the control of imagination: a conceptual framework for goal-directed systems.

PubMed

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Castelfranchi, Cristiano

2009-07-01

This paper offers a conceptual framework which (re)integrates goal-directed control, motivational processes, and executive functions, and suggests a developmental pathway from situated action to higher level cognition. We first illustrate a basic computational (control-theoretic) model of goal-directed action that makes use of internal modeling. We then show that by adding the problem of selection among multiple action alternatives motivation enters the scene, and that the basic mechanisms of executive functions such as inhibition, the monitoring of progresses, and working memory, are required for this system to work. Further, we elaborate on the idea that the off-line re-enactment of anticipatory mechanisms used for action control gives rise to (embodied) mental simulations, and propose that thinking consists essentially in controlling mental simulations rather than directly controlling behavior and perceptions. We conclude by sketching an evolutionary perspective of this process, proposing that anticipation leveraged cognition, and by highlighting specific predictions of our model.

When mothering goes awry: Challenges and opportunities for utilizing evidence across rodent, nonhuman primate and human studies to better define the biological consequences of negative early caregiving☆

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Mar M.; Gonzalez, Andrea

2016-01-01

Across mammalian species, mothers shape socio-emotional development and serve as essential external regulators of infant physiology, brain development, behavior patterns, and emotional regulation. Caregiving quality, consistency and predictability shape the infant's underlying neurobiological processes. Although the requirements for “optimal” caregiving differ across species, the negative long-term consequences of the absence of needed caregiving (e.g. neglect) or the presence of harmful/aversive caregiving (e.g. physical abuse), are translatable across species. Recognizing the significant potential of cross species comparisons in terms of defining underlying mechanisms, effective translation requires consideration of the evolutionary, ecological, and fundamental biological and developmental differences between and among species. This review provides both an overview of several success stories of cross-species translations in relation to negative caregiving and a template for future studies seeking to most effectively define the underlying biological processes and advance research dedicated to mitigating the lasting negative health consequences of child maltreatment. PMID:26506032

The Role of Subjective Task Value in Service-Learning Engagement among Chinese College Students.

PubMed

Li, Yulan; Guo, Fangfang; Yao, Meilin; Wang, Cong; Yan, Wenfan

2016-01-01

Most service-learning studies in higher education focused on its effects on students' development. The dynamic processes and mechanisms of students' development during service-learning, however, have not been explored thoroughly. Student engagement in service-learning may affect service-learning outcomes and be affected by subjective task value at the same time. The present study aimed to explore the effect of subjective task value on Chinese college student engagement during service-learning. Fifty-four Chinese college students participated in a 9-weeks service-learning program of interacting with children with special needs. Students' engagement and subjective task value were assessed via self-report questionnaires and 433 weekly reflective journals. The results indicated that the cognitive, emotional and behavioral engagement of Chinese college students demonstrated different developmental trends during service-learning process. Subjective task value played an essential role in student engagement in service-learning activities. However, the role of subjective task value varied with different stages. Finally, the implications for implementing service-learning in Chinese education were discussed.

Putting together phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspectives on empathy.

PubMed

Decety, Jean; Svetlova, Margarita

2012-01-01

The ontogeny of human empathy is better understood with reference to the evolutionary history of the social brain. Empathy has deep evolutionary, biochemical, and neurological underpinnings. Even the most advanced forms of empathy in humans are built on more basic forms and remain connected to core mechanisms associated with affective communication, social attachment, and parental care. In this paper, we argue that it is essential to consider empathy within a neurodevelopmental framework that recognizes both the continuities and changes in socioemotional understanding from infancy to adulthood. We bring together neuroevolutionary and developmental perspectives on the information processing and neural mechanisms underlying empathy and caring, and show that they are grounded in multiple interacting systems and processes. Moreover, empathy in humans is assisted by other abstract and domain-general high-level cognitive abilities such as executive functions, mentalizing and language, as well as the ability to differentiate another's mental states from one's own, which expand the range of behaviors that can be driven by empathy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Redistribution of Adhesive Forces through Src/FAK Drives Contact Inhibition of Locomotion in Neural Crest.

PubMed

Roycroft, Alice; Szabó, András; Bahm, Isabel; Daly, Liam; Charras, Guillaume; Parsons, Maddy; Mayor, Roberto

2018-06-04

Contact inhibition of locomotion is defined as the behavior of cells to cease migrating in their former direction after colliding with another cell. It has been implicated in multiple developmental processes and its absence has been linked to cancer invasion. Cellular forces are thought to govern this process; however, the exact role of traction through cell-matrix adhesions and tension through cell-cell adhesions during contact inhibition of locomotion remains unknown. Here we use neural crest cells to address this and show that cell-matrix adhesions are rapidly disassembled at the contact between two cells upon collision. This disassembly is dependent upon the formation of N-cadherin-based cell-cell adhesions and driven by Src and FAK activity. We demonstrate that the loss of cell-matrix adhesions near the contact leads to a buildup of tension across the cell-cell contact, a step that is essential to drive cell-cell separation after collision. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impaired Letter-String Processing in Developmental Dyslexia: What Visual-to-Phonology Code Mapping Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdois, Sylviane; Lassus-Sangosse, Delphine; Lobier, Muriel

2012-01-01

Poor parallel letter-string processing in developmental dyslexia was taken as evidence of poor visual attention (VA) span, that is, a limitation of visual attentional resources that affects multi-character processing. However, the use of letter stimuli in oral report tasks was challenged on its capacity to highlight a VA span disorder. In…

Auditory Processing Interventions and Developmental Dyslexia: A Comparison of Phonemic and Rhythmic Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Jennifer M.; Leong, Victoria; Goswami, Usha

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two auditory processing interventions for developmental dyslexia, one based on rhythm and one based on phonetic training. Thirty-three children with dyslexia participated and were assigned to one of three groups (a) a novel rhythmic processing intervention designed to highlight auditory…

Electrocortical Reflections of Face and Gaze Processing in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemner, C.; Schuller, A-M.; Van Engeland, H.

2006-01-01

Background: Children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) show behavioral abnormalities in gaze and face processing, but recent studies have indicated that normal activation of face-specific brain areas in response to faces is possible in this group. It is not clear whether the brain activity related to gaze processing is also normal in…

Developmental Changes for the Hemolymph Metabolome of Silkworm (Bombyx moriL.)

PubMed Central

Zhou, Lihong; Li, Huihui; Hao, Fuhua; Li, Ning; Liu, Xin; Wang, Guoliang; Wang, Yulan; Tang, Huiru

2015-01-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a lepidopteran-holometabolic model organism. To understand its developmental biochemistry, we characterized the larval hemolymph metabonome from the third instar to prepupa stage using 1H NMR spectroscopy whilst hemolymph fatty acid composition using GC-FID/MS. We unambiguously assigned more than 60 metabolites, among which tyrosine-o-β-glucuronide, mesaconate, homocarnosine, and picolinate were reported for the first time from the silkworm hemolymph. Phosphorylcholine was the most abundant metabolite in all developmental stages with exception for the periods before the third and fourth molting. We also found obvious developmental dependence for the hemolymph metabonome involving multiple pathways including protein biosyntheses, glycolysis, TCA cycle, the metabolisms of choline amino acids, fatty acids, purines, and pyrimidines. Most hemolymph amino acids had two elevations during the feeding period of the fourth instar and prepupa stage. Trehalose was the major blood sugar before day 8 of the fifth instar, whereas glucose became the major blood sugar after spinning. C16:0, C18:0 and its unsaturated forms were dominant fatty acids in hemolymph. The developmental changes of hemolymph metabonome were associated with dietary nutrient intakes, biosyntheses of cell membrane, pigments, proteins, and energy metabolism. These findings offered essential biochemistry information in terms of the dynamic metabolic changes during silkworm development. PMID:25825269

A systematic study on hemocyte identification and plasma prophenoloxidase from Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus at different developmental stages.

PubMed

Wang, Zhixiang; Lu, Anrui; Li, Xuquan; Shao, Qimiao; Beerntsen, Brenda T; Liu, Chaoliang; Ma, Yajun; Huang, Yamin; Zhu, Huaimin; Ling, Erjun

2011-01-01

Culexpipiens quinquefasciatus (C. quinquefasciatus) is an important vector that can transmit human diseases such as West Nile virus, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis. However, very limited research concerning the humoral and cellular immune defenses of C. quinquefasciatus has been done. Here we present the research on hemocyte identification and plasma including hemocyte prophenoloxidase from C. quinquefasciatus at all developmental stages in order to obtain a complete picture of C. quinquefasciatus innate immunity. We identified hemocytes into four types: prohemocytes, oenocytoids, plasmatocytes and granulocytes. Prophenoloxidase (PPO) is an essential enzyme to induce melanization after encapsulation. PPO-positive hemocytes and plasma PPO were observed at all developmental stages. As for specific hemocyte types, prophenoloxidase was found in the plasmatocytes at larval stage alone and in the smallest prohemocytes during almost all developmental stages. Moreover, the granulocytes were PPO-positive from blood-fed female mosquitoes and oenocytoids were observed PPO-positive in pupae and in adult females after blood-feeding. As for plasma, there were different patterns of PPO in C. quinquefasciatus at different developmental stages. These results are forming a basis for further studies on the function of C. quinquefasciatus hemocytes and prophenoloxidase as well as their involvement in fighting against mosquito-borne pathogens. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early-Life Stress Triggers Juvenile Zebra Finches to Switch Social Learning Strategies.

PubMed

Farine, Damien R; Spencer, Karen A; Boogert, Neeltje J

2015-08-17

Stress during early life can cause disease and cognitive impairment in humans and non-humans alike. However, stress and other environmental factors can also program developmental pathways. We investigate whether differential exposure to developmental stress can drive divergent social learning strategies between siblings. In many species, juveniles acquire essential foraging skills by copying others: they can copy peers (horizontal social learning), learn from their parents (vertical social learning), or learn from other adults (oblique social learning). However, whether juveniles' learning strategies are condition dependent largely remains a mystery. We found that juvenile zebra finches living in flocks socially learned novel foraging skills exclusively from adults. By experimentally manipulating developmental stress, we further show that social learning targets are phenotypically plastic. While control juveniles learned foraging skills from their parents, their siblings, exposed as nestlings to experimentally elevated stress hormone levels, learned exclusively from unrelated adults. Thus, early-life conditions triggered individuals to switch strategies from vertical to oblique social learning. This switch could arise from stress-induced differences in developmental rate, cognitive and physical state, or the use of stress as an environmental cue. Acquisition of alternative social learning strategies may impact juveniles' fit to their environment and ultimately change their developmental trajectories. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Developmental Changes for the Hemolymph Metabolome of Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.).

PubMed

Zhou, Lihong; Li, Huihui; Hao, Fuhua; Li, Ning; Liu, Xin; Wang, Guoliang; Wang, Yulan; Tang, Huiru

2015-05-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a lepidopteran-holometabolic model organism. To understand its developmental biochemistry, we characterized the larval hemolymph metabonome from the third instar to prepupa stage using (1)H NMR spectroscopy whilst hemolymph fatty acid composition using GC-FID/MS. We unambiguously assigned more than 60 metabolites, among which tyrosine-o-β-glucuronide, mesaconate, homocarnosine, and picolinate were reported for the first time from the silkworm hemolymph. Phosphorylcholine was the most abundant metabolite in all developmental stages with exception for the periods before the third and fourth molting. We also found obvious developmental dependence for the hemolymph metabonome involving multiple pathways including protein biosyntheses, glycolysis, TCA cycle, the metabolisms of choline amino acids, fatty acids, purines, and pyrimidines. Most hemolymph amino acids had two elevations during the feeding period of the fourth instar and prepupa stage. Trehalose was the major blood sugar before day 8 of the fifth instar, whereas glucose became the major blood sugar after spinning. C16:0, C18:0 and its unsaturated forms were dominant fatty acids in hemolymph. The developmental changes of hemolymph metabonome were associated with dietary nutrient intakes, biosyntheses of cell membrane, pigments, proteins, and energy metabolism. These findings offered essential biochemistry information in terms of the dynamic metabolic changes during silkworm development.

Effects of Essential Oil from Hinoki Cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa, on Physiology and Behavior of Flies

PubMed Central

Min, Kyung-Jin

2015-01-01

Phytoncides, which are volatile substances emitted from plants for protection against plant pathogens and insects, are known to have insecticidal, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. In contrast to their negative effects on microorganisms and insects, phytoncides have been shown to have beneficial effects on human health. Essential oil from Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is mostly used in commercial products such as air purifiers. However, the physiological/behavioral impact of essential oil from C. obtusa on insects is not established. In this study, we tested the effects of essential oil extracted from C. obtusa on the physiologies and behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica. Exposure to essential oil from C. obtusa decreased the lifespan, fecundity, locomotive activity, and developmental success rate of D. melanogaster. In addition, both fruit flies and house flies showed strong repellent behavioral responses to the essential oil, with duration times of about 5 hours at 70 μg/ml. These results suggest that essential oil from C. obtusa can be used as a ‘human-friendly’ alternative insect repellent. PMID:26624577

Communication Deficits in Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hattier, Megan A.; Matson, Johnny L.; Sipes, Megan; Turygin, Nicole

2011-01-01

Research that focuses on detecting and assessing the presence of communication impairments in children with developmental disabilities exists. However, more research is needed which compares these deficits across individuals with various developmental disabilities. This information could inform the assessment process and treatment programs.…

Parenting Practices in Cultural Context: An Ecological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarnegar, Zohreh

2015-01-01

Despite general consensus that parenting practices influence the developmental processes of children, many questions about the impacts of parenting practices on child development within the cultural context remain unanswered. This article presents how cultural templates influence parenting practices and developmental processes of young children.…

The Growth of Developmental Thought: Implications for a New Evolutionary Psychology

PubMed Central

Lickliter, Robert

2009-01-01

Evolution has come to be increasingly discussed in terms of changes in developmental processes rather than simply in terms of changes in gene frequencies. This shift is based in large part on the recognition that since all phenotypic traits arise during ontogeny as products of individual development, a primary basis for evolutionary change must be variations in the patterns and processes of development. Further, the products of development are epigenetic, not just genetic, and this is the case even when considering the evolutionary process. These insights have led investigators to reconsider the established notion of genes as the primary cause of development, opening the door to research programs focused on identifying how genetic and non-genetic factors coact to guide and constrain the process of development and its outcomes. I explore this growth of developmental thought and its implications for the achievement of a unified theory of heredity, development, and evolution and consider its implications for the realization of a new, developmentally-based evolutionary psychology. PMID:19956346

Tracking and Quantifying Developmental Processes in C. elegans Using Open-source Tools.

PubMed

Dutta, Priyanka; Lehmann, Christina; Odedra, Devang; Singh, Deepika; Pohl, Christian

2015-12-16

Quantitatively capturing developmental processes is crucial to derive mechanistic models and key to identify and describe mutant phenotypes. Here protocols are presented for preparing embryos and adult C. elegans animals for short- and long-term time-lapse microscopy and methods for tracking and quantification of developmental processes. The methods presented are all based on C. elegans strains available from the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center and on open-source software that can be easily implemented in any laboratory independently of the microscopy system used. A reconstruction of a 3D cell-shape model using the modelling software IMOD, manual tracking of fluorescently-labeled subcellular structures using the multi-purpose image analysis program Endrov, and an analysis of cortical contractile flow using PIVlab (Time-Resolved Digital Particle Image Velocimetry Tool for MATLAB) are shown. It is discussed how these methods can also be deployed to quantitatively capture other developmental processes in different models, e.g., cell tracking and lineage tracing, tracking of vesicle flow.

Raising the bar for the care of seriously ill patients: results of a national survey to define essential palliative care competencies for medical students and residents.

PubMed

Schaefer, Kristen G; Chittenden, Eva H; Sullivan, Amy M; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S; Morrison, Laura J; Carey, Elise C; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D

2014-07-01

Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the United States, to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Proposed competencies were derived from existing hospice and palliative medicine fellowship competencies and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a Web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate = 72%, 71/98). Using predefined cutoff criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community.

Morphological and Molecular Descriptors of the Developmental Cycle of Babesia divergens Parasites in Human Erythrocytes.

PubMed

Rossouw, Ingrid; Maritz-Olivier, Christine; Niemand, Jandeli; van Biljon, Riette; Smit, Annel; Olivier, Nicholas A; Birkholtz, Lyn-Marie

2015-05-01

Human babesiosis, especially caused by the cattle derived Babesia divergens parasite, is on the increase, resulting in renewed attentiveness to this potentially life threatening emerging zoonotic disease. The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology and intra-erythrocytic development of these parasites are poorly understood. This impedes concerted efforts aimed at the discovery of novel anti-babesiacidal agents. By applying sensitive cell biological and molecular functional genomics tools, we describe the intra-erythrocytic development cycle of B. divergens parasites from immature, mono-nucleated ring forms to bi-nucleated paired piriforms and ultimately multi-nucleated tetrads that characterizes zoonotic Babesia spp. This is further correlated for the first time to nuclear content increases during intra-erythrocytic development progression, providing insight into the part of the life cycle that occurs during human infection. High-content temporal evaluation elucidated the contribution of the different stages to life cycle progression. Moreover, molecular descriptors indicate that B. divergens parasites employ physiological adaptation to in vitro cultivation. Additionally, differential expression is observed as the parasite equilibrates its developmental stages during its life cycle. Together, this information provides the first temporal evaluation of the functional transcriptome of B. divergens parasites, information that could be useful in identifying biological processes essential to parasite survival for future anti-babesiacidal discoveries.

A C-terminally truncated form of β-catenin acts as a novel regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in planarians

PubMed Central

Rabaneda-Lombarte, Neus; Gelabert, Maria; Xie, Jianlei; Wu, Wei

2017-01-01

β-Catenin, the core element of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is a multifunctional and evolutionarily conserved protein which performs essential roles in a variety of developmental and homeostatic processes. Despite its crucial roles, the mechanisms that control its context-specific functions in time and space remain largely unknown. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been extensively studied in planarians, flatworms with the ability to regenerate and remodel the whole body, providing a ‘whole animal’ developmental framework to approach this question. Here we identify a C-terminally truncated β-catenin (β-catenin4), generated by gene duplication, that is required for planarian photoreceptor cell specification. Our results indicate that the role of β-catenin4 is to modulate the activity of β-catenin1, the planarian β-catenin involved in Wnt signal transduction in the nucleus, mediated by the transcription factor TCF-2. This inhibitory form of β-catenin, expressed in specific cell types, would provide a novel mechanism to modulate nuclear β-catenin signaling levels. Genomic searches and in vitro analysis suggest that the existence of a C-terminally truncated form of β-catenin could be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to achieve a fine-tuned regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in specific cellular contexts. PMID:28976975

Scrambled eggs: mechanical forces as ecological factors in early development.

PubMed

Moore, Steven W

2003-01-01

Many ecological interactions involve, at some level, mechanical forces and the movements or structural deformations they produce. Although the most familiar examples involve the functional morphology of adult structures, all life history stages (not just the adults) are subject to the laws of physics. Moreover, the success of every lineage depends on the success of every life history stage (again, not just the adults). Therefore, insights gained by using mechanical engineering principles and techniques to study ecological interactions between gametes, embryos, larvae, and their environment are essential to a well-rounded understanding of development, ecology, and evolution. Here I draw on examples from the literature and my own research to illustrate ways in which mechanical forces in the environment shape development. These include mechanical forces acting as selective factors (e.g., when coral gamete size and shape interact with turbulent water flow to determine fertilization success) and as developmental cues (e.g., when plant growth responds to gravity or bone growth responds to mechanical loading). I also examine the opposite cause-and-effect relationship by considering examples in which the development of organisms impacts ecologically relevant mechanical forces. Finally, I discuss the potential for ecological pattern formation as a result of feedback loops created by such bidirectional interactions between developmental processes and mechanical forces in the environment.

Spatial and temporal expression of the Grainyhead-like transcription factor family during murine development.

PubMed

Auden, Alana; Caddy, Jacinta; Wilanowski, Tomasz; Ting, Stephen B; Cunningham, John M; Jane, Stephen M

2006-10-01

The Drosophila transcription factor Grainyhead (grh) is expressed in ectoderm-derived tissues where it regulates several key developmental events including cuticle formation, tracheal elongation and dorsal closure. Our laboratory has recently identified three novel mammalian homologues of the grh gene, Grainyhead-like 1, -2 and -3 (Grhl1-3) that rewrite the phylogeny of this family. Using gene targeting in mice, we have shown that Grhl3 is essential for neural tube closure, skin barrier formation and wound healing. Despite their extensive sequence homology, Grhl1 and Grhl2 are unable to compensate for loss of Grhl3 in these developmental processes. To explore this lack of redundancy, and to gain further insights into the functions of this gene family in mammalian development we have performed an extensive in situ hybridisation analysis. We demonstrate that, although all three Grhl genes are highly expressed in the developing epidermis, they display subtle differences in the timing and level of expression. Surprisingly, we also demonstrate differential expression patterns in non-ectoderm-derived tissues, including the heart, the lung, and the metanephric kidney. These findings expand our understanding of the unique role of Grhl3 in neurulation and epidermal morphogenesis, and provide a focus for further functional analysis of the Grhl genes during mouse embryogenesis.

A C-terminally truncated form of β-catenin acts as a novel regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in planarians.

PubMed

Su, Hanxia; Sureda-Gomez, Miquel; Rabaneda-Lombarte, Neus; Gelabert, Maria; Xie, Jianlei; Wu, Wei; Adell, Teresa

2017-10-01

β-Catenin, the core element of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is a multifunctional and evolutionarily conserved protein which performs essential roles in a variety of developmental and homeostatic processes. Despite its crucial roles, the mechanisms that control its context-specific functions in time and space remain largely unknown. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been extensively studied in planarians, flatworms with the ability to regenerate and remodel the whole body, providing a 'whole animal' developmental framework to approach this question. Here we identify a C-terminally truncated β-catenin (β-catenin4), generated by gene duplication, that is required for planarian photoreceptor cell specification. Our results indicate that the role of β-catenin4 is to modulate the activity of β-catenin1, the planarian β-catenin involved in Wnt signal transduction in the nucleus, mediated by the transcription factor TCF-2. This inhibitory form of β-catenin, expressed in specific cell types, would provide a novel mechanism to modulate nuclear β-catenin signaling levels. Genomic searches and in vitro analysis suggest that the existence of a C-terminally truncated form of β-catenin could be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to achieve a fine-tuned regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in specific cellular contexts.

Quantitative proteomics links metabolic pathways to specific developmental stages of the plant-pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora capsici.

PubMed

Pang, Zhili; Srivastava, Vaibhav; Liu, Xili; Bulone, Vincent

2017-04-01

The oomycete Phytophthora capsici is a plant pathogen responsible for important losses to vegetable production worldwide. Its asexual reproduction plays an important role in the rapid propagation and spread of the disease in the field. A global proteomics study was conducted to compare two key asexual life stages of P. capsici, i.e. the mycelium and cysts, to identify stage-specific biochemical processes. A total of 1200 proteins was identified using qualitative and quantitative proteomics. The transcript abundance of some of the enriched proteins was also analysed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Seventy-three proteins exhibited different levels of abundance between the mycelium and cysts. The proteins enriched in the mycelium are mainly associated with glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (or citric acid) cycle and the pentose phosphate pathway, providing the energy required for the biosynthesis of cellular building blocks and hyphal growth. In contrast, the proteins that are predominant in cysts are essentially involved in fatty acid degradation, suggesting that the early infection stage of the pathogen relies primarily on fatty acid degradation for energy production. The data provide a better understanding of P. capsici biology and suggest potential metabolic targets at the two different developmental stages for disease control. © 2016 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Interplay between Oxidative Stress and Nutrient Sensing Signaling in the Developmental Origins of Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

Tain, You-Lin; Hsu, Chien-Ning

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) presents a global health burden, despite recent advances in management. CVD can originate from early life by so-called “developmental origins of health and disease” (DOHaD). Epidemiological and experimental evidence supports that early-life insults can induce programming of later CVD. Underlying the DOHaD concept, early intervention may offset programming process to prevent the development of CVD, namely reprogramming. Oxidative stress and nutrient sensing signals have been considered to be major mechanisms of cardiovascular programming, while the interplay between these two mechanisms have not been examined in detail. This review summarizes current evidence that supports the link between oxidative stress and nutrient sensing signaling to cardiovascular programming, with an emphasis on the l-arginine–asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA)–nitric oxide (NO) pathway. This review provides an overview of evidence from human studies supporting fetal programming of CVD, insight from animal models of cardiovascular programming and oxidative stress, impact of the l-arginine–ADMA–NO pathway in cardiovascular programming, the crosstalk between l-arginine metabolism and nutrient sensing signals, and application of reprogramming interventions to prevent the programming of CVD. A greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular programming is essential to developing early reprogramming interventions to combat the globally growing epidemic of CVD. PMID:28420139

Dephosphorylation of juxtamembrane serines and threonines of the NPR2 guanylyl cyclase is required for rapid resumption of oocyte meiosis in response to luteinizing hormone

PubMed Central

Shuhaibar, Leia C.; Egbert, Jeremy R.; Edmund, Aaron B.; Uliasz, Tracy F.; Dickey, Deborah M.; Yee, Siu-Pok; Potter, Lincoln R.; Jaffe, Laurinda A.

2016-01-01

The meiotic cell cycle of mammalian oocytes starts during embryogenesis and then pauses until luteinizing hormone (LH) acts on the granulosa cells of the follicle surrounding the oocyte to restart the cell cycle. An essential event in this process is a decrease in cyclic GMP in the granulosa cells, and part of the cGMP decrease results from dephosphorylation and inactivation of the natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) guanylyl cyclase, also known as guanylyl cyclase B. However, it is unknown whether NPR2 dephosphorylation is essential for LH-induced meiotic resumption. Here, we prevented NPR2 dephosphorylation by generating a mouse line in which the seven regulatory serines and threonines of NPR2 were changed to the phosphomimetic amino acid glutamate (Npr2–7E). Npr2–7E/7E follicles failed to show a decrease in enzyme activity in response to LH, and the cGMP decrease was attenuated; correspondingly, LH-induced meiotic resumption was delayed. Meiotic resumption in response to EGF receptor activation was likewise delayed, indicating that NPR2 dephosphorylation is a component of the pathway by which EGF receptor activation mediates LH signaling. We also found that most of the NPR2 protein in the follicle was present in the mural granulosa cells. These findings indicate that NPR2 dephosphorylation in the mural granulosa cells is essential for the normal progression of meiosis in response to LH and EGF receptor activation. In addition, these studies provide the first demonstration that a change in phosphorylation of a transmembrane guanylyl cyclase regulates a physiological process, a mechanism that may also control other developmental events. PMID:26522847

Development of Essentialist Thinking about Religion Categories in Northern Ireland (and the United States)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Kirsty; Feeney, Aidan; Eidson, R. Cole; Coley, John D.

2017-01-01

Social essentialism, the belief that members of certain social categories share unobservable properties, licenses expectations that those categories are natural and a good basis for inference. A challenge for cognitive developmental theory is to give an account of how children come to develop essentialist beliefs about socially important…

Understanding and Promoting College Student-Athlete Health: Essential Issues for Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etzel, Edward F.; Watson, Jack C.; Visek, Amanda J.; Maniar, Sameep D.

2006-01-01

Collegiate student athletes are faced with the same developmental challenges and stressors as their nonathlete peers, but they are also expected to deal with the challenges of athletic involvement (e.g., time demands, physical demands, travel schedules). Such additional demands may put athletes at greater risk for experiencing physical and…

Assessing Adaptive Functioning in Preschoolers Referred for Diagnosis of Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milne, Susan; McDonald, Jenny

2015-01-01

Adaptive function is an essential dimension in the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions in young children, assisting in determining the pattern of intellectual function and the amount and type of support required. Yet, little information is available on the accuracy of currently used adaptive function assessments for preschool children. This…

Developmental Expectations and Outcomes for African-American Infants: An Ethnomethodological Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winborne, Duvon G.; Randolph, Suzanne M.

This study examined the interaction between infant behavior and maternal ethnocentric attitudes and expectations. The ethnomethodological approach used in this study was guided by the assumption that it is essential for an investigator to consider the broad cultural context in which behavior is studied. The behavior of 80 African-American neonates…

Teaching through Trade Books: Matter All Around Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royce, Christine Anne

2017-01-01

Matter is an essential science topic that is often challenging to teach at the early elementary levels. Learning about matter helps students develop a solid foundation for more complex concepts that are taught in later years. Make this abstract concept developmentally appropriate for children by engaging them in investigations that focus on…

A Critical Examination of Postmodernism Based on Religious and Moral Values Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forghani, Nooshin; Keshtiaray, Narges; Yousefy, Alireza

2015-01-01

Postmodernism, born under western secular conditions, has the following characteristics: it emphasizes pluralism and relativism and rejects any certain belief and absolute value; it conflicts with essentialism, and considers human identity to be a social construct; it rejects the idea that values are based on developmental realities and also…

From Interdisciplinary to Integrated Care of the Child with Autism: The Essential Role for a Code of Ethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, David J.

2012-01-01

To address the developmental deficits of children with autism, several disciplines have come to the forefront within intervention programs. These are speech-pathologists, psychologists/counselors, occupational-therapists/physical-therapists, special-education consultants, behavior analysts, and physicians/medical personnel. As the field of autism…

From Prioritizing Objects to Prioritizing Cues: A Developmental Shift for Cognitive Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chevalier, Nicolas; Dauvier, Bruno; Blaye, Agnès

2018-01-01

Emerging cognitive control supports increasingly adaptive behaviors and predicts life success, while low cognitive control is a major risk factor during childhood. It is therefore essential to understand how it develops. The present study provides evidence for an age-related shift in the type of information that children prioritize in their…

From SOPs to Reports to Evaluations: Learning and Memory as a Case Study of how Missing Data and Methods Impact Interpretation

EPA Science Inventory

In an era of global trade and regulatory cooperation, consistent and scientifically based interpretation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) studies is essential. Because there is flexibility in the selection of test method(s), consistency can be especially challenging for lea...

The Relationship between Computational Fluency and Student Success in General Studies Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hegeman, Jennifer; Waters, Gavin

2012-01-01

Many developmental mathematics programs emphasize computational fluency with the assumption that this is a necessary contributor to student success in general studies mathematics. In an effort to determine which skills are most essential, scores on a computational fluency test were correlated with student success in general studies mathematics at…

Ideas for Practice: A Collaborative Look to the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterholt, Dorothy A.; Barratt, Katherine

2012-01-01

Many developmental students begin college ill-equipped in the social and emotional competencies to be successful. Thus, it is essential that institutions of higher education address the broader needs of these students. The purpose of this article is to present collaborative learning as a tool for addressing the social and emotional inhibitors that…

Ideas for Practice: A Collaborative Look to the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterholt, Dorothy A.; Barratt, Katherine

2010-01-01

Many developmental students begin college ill-equipped in the social and emotional competencies to be successful. Thus, it is essential that institutions of higher education address the broader needs of these students. The purpose of this article is to present collaborative learning as a tool for addressing the social and emotional inhibitors that…

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): A Promising Method for Improving Communication Skills of Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganz, Jennifer B.; Simpson, Richard L.; Lund, Emily M.

2012-01-01

Children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental delays frequently experience deficits in functional communication. Identifying and using suitable communication enhancement and augmentative and alternative communication supports is essential to achievement of positive outcomes for these learners. This article…

Factor Structure of the "Escala de Autoeficacia para la Depresion en Adolescentes" (EADA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz-Santos, Mirella; Cumba-Aviles, Eduardo; Bernal, Guillermo; Rivera-Medina, Carmen

2011-01-01

The current concept and measures of self-efficacy for depression in adolescents do not consider developmental and cultural aspects essential to understand and assess this construct in Latino youth. We examined the factor structure of the "Escala de Autoeficacia para la Depresion en Adolescentes" (EADA), a Spanish instrument designed to…

Developmental Changes in the Coherence of Essentialist Beliefs about Psychological Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelman, Susan A.; Heyman, Gail D.; Legare, Cristine H.

2007-01-01

Essentialism is the belief that certain characteristics (of individuals or categories) may be relatively stable, unchanging, likely to be present at birth, and biologically based. The current studies examined how different essentialist beliefs interrelate. For example, does thinking that a property is innate imply that the property cannot be…

Web Sites for Young Children: Gateway to Online Social Networking?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauman, Sheri; Tatum, Tanisha

2009-01-01

Traffic on Web sites for young children (ages 3-12) has increased exponentially in recent years. Advocates proclaim that they are safe introductions to the Internet and online social networking and teach essential 21st-century skills. Critics note developmental concerns. In this article, we provide basic information about Web sites for young…

Molecular aspects of eye evolution and development: from the origin of retinal cells to the future of regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Ohuchi, Hideyo

2013-01-01

A central issue of evolutionary developmental biology is how the eye is diverged morphologically and functionally. However, the unifying mechanisms or schemes that govern eye diversification remain unsolved. In this review, I first introduce the concept of evolutionary developmental biology of the eye with a focus on photoreception, the fundamental property of retinal cells. Second, I summarize the early development of vertebrate eyes and the role of a homeobox gene, Lhx1, in subdivision of the retina into 2 domains, the neural retina and retinal pigmented epithelium of the optic primordium. The 2 retinal domains are essential components of the eye as they are found in such prototypic eyes as the extant planarian eye. Finally, I propose the presence of novel retinal cell subtypes with photosensory functions based on our recent work on atypical photopigments (opsins) in vertebrates. Since human diseases are attributable to the aberration of various types of cells due to alterations in gene expression, understanding the precise mechanisms of cellular diversification and unraveling the molecular profiles of cellular subtypes are essential to future regenerative medicine.

Effects of Mentha suaveolens Essential Oil on Chlamydia trachomatis

PubMed Central

Sessa, Rosa; Di Pietro, Marisa; De Santis, Fiorenzo; Filardo, Simone; Ragno, Rino; Angiolella, Letizia

2015-01-01

Chlamydia trachomatis, the most common cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, has a unique biphasic developmental cycle alternating between the infectious elementary body and the replicative reticulate body. C. trachomatis is responsible for severe reproductive complications including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and obstructive infertility. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether Mentha suaveolens essential oil (EOMS) can be considered as a promising candidate for preventing C. trachomatis infection. Specifically, we investigated the in vitro effects of EOMS towards C. trachomatis analysing the different phases of chlamydial developmental cycle. Our results demonstrated that EOMS was effective towards C. trachomatis, whereby it not only inactivated infectious elementary bodies but also inhibited chlamydial replication. Our study also revealed the effectiveness of EOMS, in combination with erythromycin, towards C. trachomatis with a substantial reduction in the minimum effect dose of antibiotic. In conclusion, EOMS treatment may represent a preventative strategy since it may reduce C. trachomatis transmission in the population and, thereby, reduce the number of new chlamydial infections and risk of developing of severe sequelae. PMID:25685793

Childhood Depression: A Developmental Perspective on Disruption of Functioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Rebecca Lynne

This paper reviews research on childhood depression and its relation to developmental processes, family functioning, academic performance, and peer relationships. The methodological strengths and weaknesses of the research are examined. A section on developmental perspectives looks at early childhood, school age children, and adolescence. Support…

Constructivist developmental theory is needed in developmental neuroscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arsalidou, Marie; Pascual-Leone, Juan

2016-12-01

Neuroscience techniques provide an open window previously unavailable to the origin of thoughts and actions in children. Developmental cognitive neuroscience is booming, and knowledge from human brain mapping is finding its way into education and pediatric practice. Promises of application in developmental cognitive neuroscience rests however on better theory-guided data interpretation. Massive amounts of neuroimaging data from children are being processed, yet published studies often do not frame their work within developmental models—in detriment, we believe, to progress in this field. Here we describe some core challenges in interpreting the data from developmental cognitive neuroscience, and advocate the use of constructivist developmental theories of human cognition with a neuroscience interpretation.

Where Do Epigenetics and Developmental Origins Take the Field of Developmental Psychopathology?

PubMed

Nigg, Joel T

2016-04-01

The time is ripe for upgrading or rethinking the assumed paradigms for how we study developmental psychopathology. The classic transactional models appear robust but need specification in terms of biological and psychosocial processes. That specification is increasingly tractable due to developments in genetics, epigenetics, the measurement of psychosocial processes, and theory and data on developmental origins of health and disease. This essay offers a high-level view of where the field has been and where it may be going in regard to nosology and conceptions of etiology. Remarks seek to consider rapidly evolving contexts not only for children, but also for the science itself due to progress in our field and in neighboring fields. Illustrations are provided as to how syndromal nosology can be enriched and advanced by careful integration with biologically relevant behavioral dimensions and application of quantitative methods. It is concluded that a revised, forward-looking, transactional model of abnormal child psychology will incorporate prenatal and postnatal developmental programming, epigenetic mechanisms and their associated genotype x environment interactions, and inflammatory processes as a potential common mediator influencing numerous health and mental health conditions.

A biogenesis step upstream of Microprocessor controls miR-17~92 expression

PubMed Central

Du, Peng; Wang, Longfei; Sliz, Piotr; Gregory, Richard I.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The precise control of miR-17~92 microRNA (miRNA) is essential for normal development and overexpression of certain miRNAs from this cluster is oncogenic. Here we find the relative expression of the six miRNAs processed from the primary (pri-miR-17~92) transcript is dynamically regulated during embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation. Pri-miR-17~92 is processed to a biogenesis intermediate, termed ‘progenitor-miRNA’ (pro-miRNA). Pro-miRNA is an efficient substrate for Microprocessor and is required to selectively license production of pre-miR-17, -18a, -19a, 20a, and -19b from this cluster. Two complementary cis-regulatory repression domains within pri-miR-17~92 are required for the blockade of miRNA processing through the formation of an autoinhibitory RNA conformation. The endonuclease CPSF3 (CPSF73), and the Spliceosome-associated ISY1 are responsible for pro-miRNA biogenesis and expression of all miRNAs within the cluster except miR-92. Thus, developmentally regulated pro-miRNA processing is key step controlling miRNA expression and explains the posttranscriptional control of miR-17~92 expression in development. PMID:26255770

Developmental dyscalculia is related to visuo-spatial memory and inhibition impairment☆

PubMed Central

Szucs, Denes; Devine, Amy; Soltesz, Fruzsina; Nobes, Alison; Gabriel, Florence

2013-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia is thought to be a specific impairment of mathematics ability. Currently dominant cognitive neuroscience theories of developmental dyscalculia suggest that it originates from the impairment of the magnitude representation of the human brain, residing in the intraparietal sulcus, or from impaired connections between number symbols and the magnitude representation. However, behavioral research offers several alternative theories for developmental dyscalculia and neuro-imaging also suggests that impairments in developmental dyscalculia may be linked to disruptions of other functions of the intraparietal sulcus than the magnitude representation. Strikingly, the magnitude representation theory has never been explicitly contrasted with a range of alternatives in a systematic fashion. Here we have filled this gap by directly contrasting five alternative theories (magnitude representation, working memory, inhibition, attention and spatial processing) of developmental dyscalculia in 9–10-year-old primary school children. Participants were selected from a pool of 1004 children and took part in 16 tests and nine experiments. The dominant features of developmental dyscalculia are visuo-spatial working memory, visuo-spatial short-term memory and inhibitory function (interference suppression) impairment. We hypothesize that inhibition impairment is related to the disruption of central executive memory function. Potential problems of visuo-spatial processing and attentional function in developmental dyscalculia probably depend on short-term memory/working memory and inhibition impairments. The magnitude representation theory of developmental dyscalculia was not supported. PMID:23890692

Componential Differences and Varying Developmental Patterns Exhibited in Immersion Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asano, Sachiko

2015-01-01

In bilingual literature, few studies have examined the processes of concept formation (CF); even fewer studies have discussed their developmental changes. This study explores language-cognition links and CF fractionation processes by comparing total and partial immersion programmes (TIPs and PIPs). Descriptive statistics (DS), correlational…

Complex Dynamics in Academics' Developmental Processes in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trautwein, Caroline; Nückles, Matthias; Merkt, Marianne

2015-01-01

Improving teaching in higher education is a concern for universities worldwide. This study explored academics' developmental processes in teaching using episodic interviews and teaching portfolios. Eight academics in the context of teaching development reported changes in their teaching and change triggers. Thematic analyses revealed seven areas…

Ecological Factors in Human Development.

PubMed

Cross, William E

2017-05-01

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1992) helped developmental psychologists comprehend and define "context" as a rich, thick multidimensional construct. His ecological systems theory consists of five layers, and within each layer are developmental processes unique to each layer. The four articles in this section limit the exploration of context to the three innermost systems: the individual plus micro- and macrolayers. Rather than examine both the physical features and processes, the articles tend to focus solely on processes associated with a niche. Processes explored include social identity development, social network dynamics, peer influences, and school-based friendship patterns. The works tend to extend the generalization of extant theory to the developmental experience of various minority group experiences. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Early Developmental Conditioning of Later Health and Disease: Physiology or Pathophysiology?

PubMed Central

Hanson, M. A.; Gluckman, P. D.

2014-01-01

Extensive experimental animal studies and epidemiological observations have shown that environmental influences during early development affect the risk of later pathophysiological processes associated with chronic, especially noncommunicable, disease (NCD). This field is recognized as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). We discuss the extent to which DOHaD represents the result of the physiological processes of developmental plasticity, which may have potential adverse consequences in terms of NCD risk later, or whether it is the manifestation of pathophysiological processes acting in early life but only becoming apparent as disease later. We argue that the evidence suggests the former, through the operation of conditioning processes induced across the normal range of developmental environments, and we summarize current knowledge of the physiological processes involved. The adaptive pathway to later risk accords with current concepts in evolutionary developmental biology, especially those concerning parental effects. Outside the normal range, effects on development can result in nonadaptive processes, and we review their underlying mechanisms and consequences. New concepts concerning the underlying epigenetic and other mechanisms involved in both disruptive and nondisruptive pathways to disease are reviewed, including the evidence for transgenerational passage of risk from both maternal and paternal lines. These concepts have wider implications for understanding the causes and possible prevention of NCDs such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, for broader social policy and for the increasing attention paid in public health to the lifecourse approach to NCD prevention. PMID:25287859

Milestones of critical thinking: a developmental model for medicine and nursing.

PubMed

Papp, Klara K; Huang, Grace C; Lauzon Clabo, Laurie M; Delva, Dianne; Fischer, Melissa; Konopasek, Lyuba; Schwartzstein, Richard M; Gusic, Maryellen

2014-05-01

Critical thinking is essential to a health professional's competence to assess, diagnose, and care for patients. Defined as the ability to apply higher-order cognitive skills (conceptualization, analysis, evaluation) and the disposition to be deliberate about thinking (being open-minded or intellectually honest) that lead to action that is logical and appropriate, critical thinking represents a "meta-competency" that transcends other knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors required in health care professions. Despite its importance, the developmental stages of critical thinking have not been delineated for nurses and physicians. As part of a task force of educators who considered different developmental stage theories, the authors have iteratively refined and proposed milestones in critical thinking. The attributes associated with unreflective, beginning, practicing, advanced, accomplished, and challenged critical thinkers are conceived as independent of an individual's level of training. Depending on circumstances and environmental factors, even the most experienced clinician may demonstrate attributes associated with a challenged thinker. The authors use the illustrative case of a patient with abdominal pain to demonstrate how critical thinking may manifest in learners at different stages of development, analyzing how the learner at each stage applies information obtained in the patient interaction to arrive at a differential diagnosis and plan for evaluation. The authors share important considerations and provide this work as a foundation for the development of effective approaches to teaching and promoting critical thinking and to establishing expectations for learners in this essential meta-competency.

Developmental manganese neurotoxicity in rats: Cognitive deficits in allocentric and egocentric learning and memory.

PubMed

Amos-Kroohs, Robyn M; Davenport, Laurie L; Atanasova, Nina; Abdulla, Zuhair I; Skelton, Matthew R; Vorhees, Charles V; Williams, Michael T

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element but neurotoxic at higher exposure levels. The effects of Mn overexposure (MnOE) on hippocampal and striatal-dependent learning and memory in rats were tested in combination with iron deficiency (FeD) and developmental stress that often co-occur with MnOE. Moderate FeD affects up to 15% of U.S. children and developmental stress is common in lower socio-economic areas where MnOE occurs. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and their litters were housed in cages with or without (barren cage (BAR)) standard bedding from embryonic day (E)7 to postnatal day (P)28. Dams were fed a 90% FeD or iron sufficient (FeS) diet from E15-P28. Within each litter, separate offspring were treated with 100mg/kg Mn (MnOE) or vehicle (VEH) by gavage on alternate days from P4-28. Offspring were tested as adults in the Morris and Cincinnati water mazes. FeD and developmental stress interactively impaired spatial learning in the Morris water maze. Developmental stress and MnOE impaired learning and memory in both mazes. MnOE resulted in reduced CA1 hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and increased levels of α-synuclein. Preweaning MnOE resulted in cognitive deficits on multiple domains of learning and memory accompanied by impaired LTP and α-synuclein changes, effects worsened by developmental stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Project Developmental Continuity Evaluation: Site Visitors' Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Mary; Smith, Allen

This site visitors' manual is part of a series of documents on the evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC), a Head Start demonstration program aimed at providing educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and primary school experiences. The PDC evaluation documents and analyzes the process of program…

Focus on Methodology: Salivary Bioscience and Research on Adolescence: An Integrated Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granger, Douglas A.; Fortunato, Christine K.; Beltzer, Emilie K.; Virag, Marta; Bright, Melissa A.; Out, Dorothee

2012-01-01

The characterization of the salivary proteome and advances in biotechnology create an opportunity for developmental scientists to measure multi-level components of biological systems in oral fluids and identify relationships with developmental processes and behavioral and social forces. The implications for developmental science are profound…

Parent Recognition and Responses to Developmental Concerns in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jennifer; Coulter, Martha L.; Gorski, Peter A.; Ewing, Aldenise

2016-01-01

This mixed-methods study examined influences, factors, and processes associated with parental recognition and appraisal of developmental concerns among 23 English- and Spanish-speaking parents of young children with signs of developmental or behavioral problems. Participants shared their experiences through in-depth interviews or focus groups and…

Developmental Planning: An Introduction for Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noland, Jim

2009-01-01

"Developmental Planning" is the thinking process of using developmental milestones as a general basis for planning and predicting needs for the child within the early years. It considers the time frames associated with normal development across all facets of the child's development. The areas include bone and joint development, movement, sensory…

Games and Simulations in Developmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clavner, Jerry B.

Developmental education activities should attempt to provide experiences which do not hold the student back from the normal flow of learning and which utilize processes already in the student's repertoire. Virtually all areas of developmental instruction can be supplemented with games and simulations, that is, activities designed to show the…

The Relation of Emotional Maltreatment to Early Adolescent Competence: Developmental Processes in a Prospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Anne; Yates, Tuppett M.; Egeland, Byron R.

2009-01-01

Objectives: This investigation examined developmental pathways between childhood emotional maltreatment and adaptational outcomes in early adolescence. This study utilized a developmental psychopathology perspective in adopting a multidimensional approach to the assessment of different forms of emotional maltreatment and later adjustment outcomes.…

The Hedgehog Signal Induced Modulation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling: An Essential Signaling Relay for Urinary Tract Morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Nakagata, Naomi; Miyagawa, Shinichi; Suzuki, Kentaro; Kitazawa, Sohei; Yamada, Gen

2012-01-01

Background Congenital diseases of the urinary tract are frequently observed in infants. Such diseases present a number of developmental anomalies such as hydroureter and hydronephrosis. Although some genetically-modified mouse models of growth factor signaling genes reproduce urinary phenotypes, the pathogenic mechanisms remain obscure. Previous studies suggest that a portion of the cells in the external genitalia and bladder are derived from peri-cloacal mesenchymal cells that receive Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in the early developmental stages. We hypothesized that defects in such progenitor cells, which give rise to urinary tract tissues, may be a cause of such diseases. Methodology/Principal Findings To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of upper urinary tract malformations, we analyzed a series of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) deficient mice. Shh−/− displayed hydroureter and hydronephrosis phenotypes and reduced expression of several developmental markers. In addition, we suggested that Shh modulation at an early embryonic stage is responsible for such phenotypes by analyzing the Shh conditional mutants. Tissue contribution assays of Hh-responsive cells revealed that peri-cloacal mesenchymal cells, which received Hh signal secreted from cloacal epithelium, could contribute to the ureteral mesenchyme. Gain- and loss-of-functional mutants for Hh signaling revealed a correlation between Hh signaling and Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling. Finally, a conditional ablation of Bmp receptor type IA (BmprIA) gene was examined in Hh-responsive cell lineages. This system thus made it possible to analyze the primary functions of the growth factor signaling relay. The defective Hh-to-Bmp signaling relay resulted in severe urinary tract phenotypes with a decrease in the number of Hh-responsive cells. Conclusions/Significance This study identified the essential embryonic stages for the pathogenesis of urinary tract phenotypes. These results suggested that Hh-responsive mesenchymal Bmp signaling maintains the population of peri-cloacal mesenchyme cells, which is essential for the development of the ureter and the upper urinary tract. PMID:22860096

Long-Distance Transport of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Is Concomitant with That of Polyamines1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Martinis, Jacopo; Gas-Pascual, Elisabet; Szydlowski, Nicolas; Crèvecoeur, Michèle; Gisler, Alexandra; Bürkle, Lukas; Fitzpatrick, Teresa B.

2016-01-01

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is ubiquitous and essential for cell energy supply in all organisms as a vital metabolic cofactor, known for over a century. In plants, it is established that biosynthesis de novo is taking place predominantly in green tissues and is furthermore limited to plastids. Therefore, transport mechanisms are required to mediate the movement of this polar metabolite from source to sink tissue to activate key enzymes in cellular energy generating pathways but are currently unknown. Similar to thiamine, polyamines are an essential set of charged molecules required for diverse aspects of growth and development, the homeostasis of which necessitates long-distance transport processes that have remained elusive. Here, a yeast-based screen allowed us to identify Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PUT3 as a thiamine transporter. A combination of biochemical, physiological, and genetic approaches permitted us to show that PUT3 mediates phloem transport of both thiamine and polyamines. Loss of function of PUT3 demonstrated that the tissue distribution of these metabolites is altered with growth and developmental consequences. The pivotal role of PUT3 mediated thiamine and polyamine homeostasis in plants, and its importance for plant fitness is revealed through these findings. PMID:27006489

Nerve growth factor, interoception, and sympathetic neuron: lesson from congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis.

PubMed

Indo, Yasuhiro

2009-05-11

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a well-known neurotrophic factor essential for the survival and maintenance of sensory and sympathetic neurons. Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a genetic disorder due to loss-of-function mutations in the NTRK1 (also known as TRKA) gene encoding TrkA, a receptor tyrosine kinase for NGF. Patients with CIPA provide us a rare opportunity to explore the developmental and physiological function of the NGF-dependent neurons in behavior, cognitive, and mental activities that are not available in animal studies. Here, I discuss the significance of findings that patients with CIPA lack NGF-dependent neurons, including interoceptive polymodal receptors, sympathetic postganglionic neurons, and probably several types of neurons in the brain. They also exhibit characteristic emotional behavior or problems. Together, the NGF-TrkA system is essential for the establishment of a neural network for interoception and homeostasis that may underlie 'gut feelings'. Thus, NGF-dependent neurons play a crucial role in emotional experiences and decision-making processes. Prospective studies focused on these neurons might provide further insights into the neural basis of human emotion and feeling.

Current and future needs for developmental toxicity testing.

PubMed

Makris, Susan L; Kim, James H; Ellis, Amy; Faber, Willem; Harrouk, Wafa; Lewis, Joseph M; Paule, Merle G; Seed, Jennifer; Tassinari, Melissa; Tyl, Rochelle

2011-10-01

A review is presented of the use of developmental toxicity testing in the United States and international regulatory assessment of human health risks associated with exposures to pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary), chemicals (agricultural, industrial, and environmental), food additives, cosmetics, and consumer products. Developmental toxicology data are used for prioritization and screening of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, for evaluating and labeling of pharmaceuticals, and for characterizing hazards and risk of exposures to industrial and environmental chemicals. The in vivo study designs utilized in hazard characterization and dose-response assessment for developmental outcomes have not changed substantially over the past 30 years and have served the process well. Now there are opportunities to incorporate new technologies and approaches to testing into the existing assessment paradigm, or to apply innovative approaches to various aspects of risk assessment. Developmental toxicology testing can be enhanced by the refinement or replacement of traditional in vivo protocols, including through the use of in vitro assays, studies conducted in alternative nonmammalian species, the application of new technologies, and the use of in silico models. Potential benefits to the current regulatory process include the ability to screen large numbers of chemicals quickly, with the commitment of fewer resources than traditional toxicology studies, and to refine the risk assessment process through an enhanced understanding of the mechanisms of developmental toxicity and their relevance to potential human risk. As the testing paradigm evolves, the ability to use developmental toxicology data to meet diverse critical regulatory needs must be retained. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Visual Magnocellular Pathway in Chinese-Speaking Children with Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jiu-Ju; Bi, Hong-Yan; Gao, Li-Qun; Wydell, Taeko N.

2010-01-01

Previous research into the cognitive processes involved in reading Chinese and developmental dyslexia in Chinese, revealed that the single most important factor appears to be orthographic processing skills rather than phonological skills. Also some studies have indicated that even in alphabetic languages some dyslexic individuals reveal deficits…

New Developments in Developmental Research on Social Information Processing and Antisocial Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontaine, Reid Griffith

2010-01-01

The Special Section on developmental research on social information processing (SIP) and antisocial behavior is here introduced. Following a brief history of SIP theory, comments on several themes--measurement and assessment, attributional and interpretational style, response evaluation and decision, and the relation between emotion and SIP--that…

Event-Related Potentials Reveal Anomalous Morphosyntactic Processing in Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantiani, Chiara; Lorusso, Maria Luisa; Perego, Paolo; Molteni, Massimo; Guasti, Maria Teresa

2013-01-01

In the light of the literature describing oral language difficulties in developmental dyslexia (DD), event-related potentials were used in order to compare morphosyntactic processing in 16 adults with DD (aged 20-28 years) and unimpaired controls. Sentences including subject-verb agreement violations were presented auditorily, with grammaticality…

Dual-Process Theories of Reasoning: The Test of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrouillet, Pierre

2011-01-01

Dual-process theories have become increasingly influential in the psychology of reasoning. Though the distinction they introduced between intuitive and reflective thinking should have strong developmental implications, the developmental approach has rarely been used to refine or test these theories. In this article, I review several contemporary…

Children's Competence or Adults' Incompetence: Different Developmental Trajectories in Different Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furlan, Sarah; Agnoli, Franca; Reyna, Valerie F.

2013-01-01

Dual-process theories have been proposed to explain normative and heuristic responses to reasoning and decision-making problems. Standard unitary and dual-process theories predict that normative responses should increase with age. However, research has focused recently on exceptions to this standard pattern, including developmental increases in…

ERPs and Eye Movements Reflect Atypical Visual Perception in Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemner, Chantal; van Engeland, Herman

2006-01-01

Many studies of eye tracking or event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in subjects with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) have yielded inconsistent results on attentional processing. However, recent studies have indicated that there are specific abnormalities in early processing that are probably related to perception. ERP amplitudes in…

Angiogenesis in tissue engineering: from concept to the vascularization of scaffold construct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirah Ishak, Siti; Pangestu Djuansjah, J. R.; Kadir, M. R. Abdul; Sukmana, Irza

2014-06-01

Angiogenesis, the formation of micro-vascular network from the preexisting vascular vessels, has been studied in the connection to the normal developmental process as well as numerous diseases. In tissue engineering research, angiogenesis is also essential to promote micro-vascular network inside engineered tissue constructs, mimicking a functional blood vessel in vivo. Micro-vascular network can be used to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation, nutrient transfer and waste removal. One of the problems faced by angiogenesis researchers is to find suitable in vitro assays and methods for assessing the effect of regulators on angiogenesis and micro-vessel formation. The assay would be reliable and repeatable with easily quantifiable with physiologically relevant. This review aims to highlights recent advanced and future challenges in developing and using an in vitro angiogenesis assay for the application on biomedical and tissue engineering research.

Expression and methylation of circulating microRNA-510 in essential hypertension.

PubMed

Krishnan, Ramalingam; Mani, Panagal; Sivakumar, Pethanen; Gopinath, Vincent; Sekar, Durairaj

2017-04-01

Hypertension (HTN) is one of the most common emerging disease in developing countries. It alters endothelial cell structure and function, resulting in several diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, peripheral vasculopathy, cerebrovascular disease and nephropathy. Although much progress has been made in researching HTN in recent years, early diagnosis and treatment of HTN are not yet satisfactory, and progression control/treatment is still poor. MicroRNAs are well-known regulators of the physiological and developmental processes of HTN. Our results revealed that miR-510 was upregulated in blood samples from HTN patients, whereas no significant differences were observed in the control samples. Methylation analyses corroborated the miR-510 upregulation in patient samples. These results suggested that miR-510 can be used as a novel biomarker for diagnosis and as a new therapeutic target for HTN.

Drosophila melanogaster as a Model for Studying Aspergillus fumigatus

PubMed Central

AL-Maliki, Hadeel Saeed; Martinez, Suceti; Piszczatowski, Patrick

2017-01-01

Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model organism that offers essential insights into developmental and cellular processes shared with humans, which has been adapted for large scale analysis of medically important microbes and to test the toxicity of heavy metals, industrial solvents and other poisonous substances. We here give a brief review of the use of the Drosophila model in medical mycology, discuss the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by the opportunistic human pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, and give a brief summary of what is known about the toxicity of some common fungal VOCs. Further, we discuss the use of VOC detection as an indirect indicator of fungal growth, including for early diagnosis of aspergillosis. Finally, we hypothesize that D. melanogaster has promise for investigating the role of VOCs synthesized by A. fumigatus as possible virulence factors. PMID:29371791

Developmental trends in the process of constructing own- and other-race facial composites.

PubMed

Kehn, Andre; Renken, Maggie D; Gray, Jennifer M; Nunez, Narina L

2014-01-01

The current study examined developmental differences from the age of 5 to 18 in the creation process of own- and other-race facial composites. In addition, it considered how differences in the creation process affect similarity ratings. Participants created two composites (one own- and one other-race) from memory. The complexity of the composite creation process was recorded during Phase One. In Phase Two, a separate group of participants rated the composites for similarity to the corresponding target face. Results support the cross-race effect, developmental differences (based on composite creators) in similarity ratings, and the importance of the creation process for own- and other-race facial composites. Together, these findings suggest that as children get older the process through which they create facial composites becomes more complex and their ability to create facial composites improves. Increased complexity resulted in higher rated composites. Results are discussed from a psycho-legal perspective.

Impaired letter-string processing in developmental dyslexia: what visual-to-phonology code mapping disorder?

PubMed

Valdois, Sylviane; Lassus-Sangosse, Delphine; Lobier, Muriel

2012-05-01

Poor parallel letter-string processing in developmental dyslexia was taken as evidence of poor visual attention (VA) span, that is, a limitation of visual attentional resources that affects multi-character processing. However, the use of letter stimuli in oral report tasks was challenged on its capacity to highlight a VA span disorder. In particular, report of poor letter/digit-string processing but preserved symbol-string processing was viewed as evidence of poor visual-to-phonology code mapping, in line with the phonological theory of developmental dyslexia. We assessed here the visual-to-phonological-code mapping disorder hypothesis. In Experiment 1, letter-string, digit-string and colour-string processing was assessed to disentangle a phonological versus visual familiarity account of the letter/digit versus symbol dissociation. Against a visual-to-phonological-code mapping disorder but in support of a familiarity account, results showed poor letter/digit-string processing but preserved colour-string processing in dyslexic children. In Experiment 2, two tasks of letter-string report were used, one of which was performed simultaneously to a high-taxing phonological task. Results show that dyslexic children are similarly impaired in letter-string report whether a concurrent phonological task is simultaneously performed or not. Taken together, these results provide strong evidence against a phonological account of poor letter-string processing in developmental dyslexia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Insecticidal and Repellent Activity of Siparuna guianensis Aubl. (Negramina) against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus

PubMed Central

Aguiar, Raimundo Wagner Souza; dos Santos, Suetonio Fernandes; da Silva Morgado, Fabricio; Ascencio, Sergio Donizeti; de Mendonça Lopes, Magnólia; Viana, Kelvinson Fernandes; Didonet, Julcemar; Ribeiro, Bergmann Morais

2015-01-01

This study investigated the toxic effects of essential oils isolated from Siparuna guianensis against Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus (eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult) and Aedes albopictus (C6/36) cells. The oviposition-deterring activity, egg viability, and repellence activity in the presence of different essential oils concentrations were determined. The essential oils showed high toxicity to all developmental stages of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus. Furthermore, the oils also showed high repellent activity towards the adult stage of mosquitoes (0.025 to 0.550 μg/cm2 skin conferred 100% repellence up to 120 min) and in contact with cultured insect cells (C6/36) induced death possibly by necrosis. The results presented in this work show the potential of S. guianensis essential oils for the development of an alternative and effective method for the natural control of mosquitoes in homes and urban areas. PMID:25646797

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Developmental Anomalies of the Uterus and the Vagina in Pediatric Patients.

PubMed

Gould, Sharon W; Epelman, Monica

2015-08-01

Developmental anomalies of the uterus and the vagina are associated with infertility and miscarriage and are most commonly detected in the postpubertal age-group. These conditions may also present in younger patients as a mass or pain owing to obstruction of the uterus or the vagina. Associated urinary tract anomalies are common, as well. Accurate diagnosis and thorough description of these anomalies is essential for appropriate management; however, evaluation may be difficult in an immature reproductive tract. Magnetic resonance imaging technique pertinent to imaging of the pediatric female reproductive tract is presented and illustrated along with the findings associated with various anomalies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biology and Systematics of Echinococcus.

PubMed

Thompson, R C A

2017-01-01

The biology of Echinococcus, the causative agent of echinococcosis (hydatid disease) is reviewed with emphasis on the developmental biology of the adult and metacestode stages of the parasite. Major advances include determining the origin, structure and functional activities of the laminated layer and its relationship with the germinal layer; and the isolation, in vitro establishment and characterization of the multipotential germinal cells. Future challenges are to identify the mechanisms that provide Echinococcus with its unique developmental plasticity and the nature of activities at the parasite-host interface, particularly in the definitive host. The revised taxonomy of Echinococcus is presented and the solid nomenclature it provides will be essential in understanding the epidemiology of echinococcosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ontogenetic constraints on foraminiferal test construction.

PubMed

Caromel, Aude G M; Schmidt, Daniela N; Rayfield, Emily J

2017-05-01

Developmental processes represent one of the main constraints on the generation of adult form. Determining how constructional and energetic demands operate throughout growth is es-sential to understanding fundamental growth rules and trade-offs that define the framework within which new species originate. In organisms producing spiral shells, coiling patterns can inform on the constructional constraints acting throughout development that dictated the diversification of forms within a group. Here, we use Synchrotron radiation X-Ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) reconstructions of eight planktic foraminifera repre-sentative of the major morphotypic groups to determine disparity of coiling patterns by measuring Raupian parameters. The results show that foraminifera are a morphologically highly conservative group, exploiting a limited range of poten-tial coiling patterns. Very similar coiling patterns during early ontogeny, regardless of species, point toward strong constraints in early ontogeny and to common develop-mental processes acting across all morphogroups. Dispersion and lateral displacement of taxa in morphospace are limited to the adult stage. Accretion with low translation down the coiling axis in juveniles may maximize lateral growth and metabolic efficiency in light of costly calcification. Increased translation in the adult stages allows growth to accommo-date new chamber shapes, mediated by changes in aperture location and the site of accretion over ontogeny. These constructional constraints, and the accretion of a small number of discrete chambers, limit the potential for novel forms within the foraminifera compared to other groups of coiling organisms and may explain the repeated evolution of similar morphotypes throughout the evolutionary history of the group. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genome-scale gene expression characteristics define the follicular initiation and developmental rules during folliculogenesis.

PubMed

Shi, Kerong; He, Feng; Yuan, Xuefeng; Zhao, Yaofeng; Deng, Xuemei; Hu, Xiaoxiang; Li, Ning

2013-08-01

The ovarian follicle supplies a unique dynamic system for gametes that ensures the propagation of the species. During folliculogenesis, the vast majority of the germ cells are lost or inactivated because of ovarian follicle atresia, resulting in diminished reproductive potency and potential infertility. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of folliculogenesis rules is essential. Primordial (P), preantral (M), and large antral (L) porcine follicles were used to reveal their genome-wide gene expression profiles. Results indicate that primordial follicles (P) process a diverse gene expression pattern compared to growing follicles (M and L). The 5,548 differentially expressed genes display a similar expression mode in M and L, with a correlation coefficient of 0.892. The number of regulated (both up and down) genes in M is more than that in L. Also, their regulation folds in M (2-364-fold) are much more acute than in L (2-75-fold). Differentially expressed gene groups with different regulation patterns in certain follicular stages are identified and presumed to be closely related following follicular developmental rules. Interestingly, functional annotation analysis revealed that these gene groups feature distinct biological processes or molecular functions. Moreover, representative candidate genes from these gene groups have had their RNA or protein expressions within follicles confirmed. Our study emphasized genome-scale gene expression characteristics, which provide novel entry points for understanding the folliculogenesis rules on the molecular level, such as follicular initiation, atresia, and dominance. Transcriptional regulatory circuitries in certain follicular stages are expected to be found among the identified differentially expressed gene groups.

Issues in the Medication Management Process in People Who Have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study of the Caregivers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Steven R.; Salgado, Teresa M.; Tian, Xi

2016-01-01

People who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often rely on caregivers to assist in the medication management process. The aim of this study was to learn from caregivers, who are either family or support staff, what major issues arise throughout the process of managing medication and how these might be addressed. Problems…

Basic procedures for epigenetic analysis in plant cell and tissue culture.

PubMed

Rodríguez, José L; Pascual, Jesús; Viejo, Marcos; Valledor, Luis; Meijón, Mónica; Hasbún, Rodrigo; Yrei, Norma Yague; Santamaría, María E; Pérez, Marta; Fernández Fraga, Mario; Berdasco, María; Rodríguez Fernández, Roberto; Cañal, María J

2012-01-01

In vitro culture is one of the most studied techniques, and it is used to study many developmental processes, especially in forestry species, because of growth timing and easy manipulation. Epigenetics has been shown as an important influence on many research analyses such as cancer in mammals and developmental processes in plants such as flowering, but regarding in vitro culture, techniques to study DNA methylation or chromatin modifications were mainly limited to identify somaclonal variation of the micropropagated material. Because in vitro culture is not only a way to generate plant material but also a bunch of differentially induced developmental processes, an approach of techniques and some research carried out to study the different changes regarding DNA methylation and chromatin and translational modifications that take place during these processes is reviewed.

Project Developmental Continuity Evaluation: Final Report. Volume II: The Process of Program Implementation in PDC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wacker, Sally; And Others

The second of two volumes, this document continues the final evaluation report of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC), a Head Start demonstration project initiated in 1974 to develop program models which enhance children's social competence by fostering developmental continuity from preschool through the early elementary grades. In particular,…

A Developmental Perspective on Assessment of Infants with Clefts and Related Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Hallie E.; And Others

1994-01-01

This article presents a rationale for comprehensive developmental assessment for infants with cleft palates/lips and related disorders. The assessment model is based on risk factors influencing early development and on clinical research on developmental outcomes. Implications on the clinical assessment process and early intervention are discussed.…

Promoting Positive Youth Development: Implications for Future Directions in Developmental Theory, Methods, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtines, William M.; Montgomery, Marilyn J.; Ferrer-Wreder, Laura; Berman, Steven L.; Lorente, Carolyn Cass; Silverman, Wendy K.

2008-01-01

The efforts of the Miami Youth Development Project reported in this special issue illustrate how Developmental Intervention Science (DIS; a fusion of the developmental and intervention science) extended to include outreach research contributes to the development of community-supported positive youth development programs. In the process, the…

Capitalizing on Basic Brain Processes in Developmental Algebra--Part 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughbaum, Edward D.

2011-01-01

In Part Three, the author reviews the basic ideas presented in Parts One and Two while arguing why the traditional equation-solving developmental algebra curricula is not a good choice for implementing neural response strategies presented in the first two parts. He continues by showing that the developmental algebra student audience is simply…

Developmental Trajectories for Children with Dyslexia and Low IQ Poor Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuppen, Sarah E. A.; Goswami, Usha

2016-01-01

Reading difficulties are found in children with both high and low IQ and it is now clear that both groups exhibit difficulties in phonological processing. Here, we apply the developmental trajectories approach, a new methodology developed for studying language and cognitive impairments in developmental disorders, to both poor reader groups. The…

A Quantitative Analysis of Methods Used for Avoidance and Acceleration of Developmental Mathematics Sequences in Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travers, Steven T.

2017-01-01

Many developmental mathematics programs at community colleges in recent years have undergone a process of redesign in an attempt increase the historical poor rate of student successful completion of required developmental coursework. Various curriculum and instructional design models that incorporate methods of avoiding and accelerating the…

The Myths of Redesign in Developmental Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cafarella, Brian V.

2016-01-01

Due to poor student success rates in developmental mathematics, many institutions have implemented various forms of redesign into their developmental math curricula. Since the goal of redesign is to increase student success, it is salient to explore all aspects of the redesign process. Many studies have focused on the positive outcomes of redesign…

Developmental Discourses as a Regime of Truth in Research with Primary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartholomaeus, Clare

2016-01-01

While developmental discourses have been heavily critiqued in relation to education systems, less attention has been paid to how these impact the data collection process in classroom research. This article utilises Foucault's concept of regime of truth to highlight the pervasiveness of developmental discourses when conducting research in primary…

From the Infant's Smile to Mastery of Anxiety: The Developmental Role of Humor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Jacob

The smiles and laughter of an infant form the beginning of the developmental process of interpersonal interaction and socialization. The earliest smiles are automatic expressions of internal states, but soon infants' smiles are communications of pleasure. The developmental changes in smiling and laughing in early infancy reflect the rapidity with…

Evolutionary developmental genetics of fruit morphological variation within the Solanaceae

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Li, Jing; Zhao, Jing; He, Chaoying

2015-01-01

Morphological variations of fruits such as shape and size, and color are a result of adaptive evolution. The evolution of morphological novelties is particularly intriguing. An understanding of these evolutionary processes calls for the elucidation of the developmental and genetic mechanisms that result in particular fruit morphological characteristics, which determine seed dispersal. The genetic and developmental basis for fruit morphological variation was established at a microevolutionary time scale. Here, we summarize the progress on the evolutionary developmental genetics of fruit size, shape and color in the Solanaceae. Studies suggest that the recruitment of a pre-existing gene and subsequent modification of its interaction and regulatory networks are frequently involved in the evolution of morphological diversity. The basic mechanisms underlying changes in plant morphology are alterations in gene expression and/or gene function. We also deliberate on the future direction in evolutionary developmental genetics of fruit morphological variation such as fruit type. These studies will provide insights into plant developmental processes and will help to improve the productivity and fruit quality of crops. PMID:25918515

Growth and development of the brain and impact on cognitive outcomes.

PubMed

Hüppi, Petra S

2010-01-01

Understanding human brain development from the fetal life to adulthood is of great clinical importance as many neurological and neurobehavioral disorders have their origin in early structural and functional cerebral maturation. The developing brain is particularly prone to being affected by endogenous and exogenous events through the fetal and early postnatal life. The concept of 'developmental plasticity or disruption of the developmental program' summarizes these events. Increases in white matter, which speed up communication between brain cells, growing complexity of neuronal networks suggested by gray and white matter changes, and environmentally sensitive plasticity are all essential aspects in a child's ability to mentalize and maintain the adaptive flexibility necessary for achieving high sociocognitive functioning. Advancement in neuroimaging has opened up new ways for examining the developing human brain in vivo, the study of the effects of early antenatal, perinatal and neonatal events on later structural and functional brain development resulting in developmental disabilities or developmental resilience. In this review, methods of quantitative assessment of human brain development, such as 3D-MRI with image segmentation, diffusion tensor imaging to assess connectivity and functional MRI to visualize brain function will be presented. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evidence for lower plasticity in CTMAX at warmer developmental temperatures.

PubMed

Kellermann, Vanessa; Sgrò, Carla M

2018-06-07

Understanding the capacity for different species to reduce their susceptibility to climate change via phenotypic plasticity is essential for accurately predicting species extinction risk. The climatic variability hypothesis suggests that spatial and temporal variation in climatic variables should select for more plastic phenotypes. However, empirical support for this hypothesis is limited. Here, we examine the capacity for ten Drosophila species to increase their critical thermal maxima (CT MAX ) through developmental acclimation and/or adult heat hardening. Using four fluctuating developmental temperature regimes, ranging from 13 to 33 °C, we find that most species can increase their CT MAX via developmental acclimation and adult hardening, but found no relationship between climatic variables and absolute measures of plasticity. However, when plasticity was dissected across developmental temperatures, a positive association between plasticity and one measure of climatic variability (temperature seasonality) was found when development took place between 26 and 28 °C, whereas a negative relationship was found when development took place between 20 and 23 °C. In addition, a decline in CT MAX and egg-to-adult viability, a proxy for fitness, was observed in tropical species at the warmer developmental temperatures (26-28 °C); this suggests that tropical species may be at even greater risk from climate change than currently predicted. The combined effects of developmental acclimation and adult hardening on CT MAX were small, contributing to a <0.60 °C shift in CT MAX . Although small shifts in CT MAX may increase population persistence in the shorter term, the degree to which they can contribute to meaningful responses in the long term is unclear. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Developmental Thyroid Hormone (TH) Disruption: In Search of Sensitive Bioindicators of Altered TH-Dependent Signaling in Brain

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development, yet clear indicators of disruption at low levels of TH insufficiency have yet to be identified. Brain TH is difficult to measure, but TH-responsive genes can serve as sensitive indicators of TH action in brain. A large nu...

A Matter of Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-21

effective communications and is known to be essential in social functioning and cognitive development .12 Learning to take another’s perspective is...improved interpersonal relations.14 Social, cognitive and developmental psychology research depicts a positive correlation between perspective...distinguish the self from others and suspend one’s own biases and beliefs while imagining or inferring another’s. With cognitive development , the

Young Children's Knowledge of Food Allergy and Transition to School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanagavarapu, Prathyusha

2017-01-01

Children's knowledge of food allergies and their self-management is developmentally based, and is essential for their safe transition to school. Despite a growing number of children with food allergies starting school globally, to date, little is known about young children's knowledge of food allergy or their capacity to manage it, or their…

Family Quality of Life for Families in Early Intervention in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mas, Joana M.; Baqués, Natasha; Balcells-Balcells, Anna; Dalmau, Mariona; Giné, Climent; Gràcia, Marta; Vilaseca, Rosa

2016-01-01

Early intervention (EI) has been shown to be an essential resource for meeting the needs and priorities of children with intellectual and developmental disability and their families. The objective of this study was to examine (a) the perceived quality of life of families attending EI centers in Spain and (b) its relationship with characteristics…

Developmental Thyroid Hormone (TH) Disruption: In Search of Sensitive Bioindicators of Altered TH-Dependent Signaling in Brain###

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development, yet clear indicators of disruption at low levels of TH insufficiency have yet to be identified. Brain TH is difficult to measure, but TH-responsive genes can serve as sensitive indicators of TH action in brain. A large nu...

The Transition from Early Child Care to Preschool: Emerging Toddler Skills and Readiness for Group-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrich, Samantha; Mudrick, Hannah; Robinson, JoAnn

2015-01-01

Research Findings: National policy today is on the brink of defining preschool experiences as essential for children's academic success. Indeed, many children's classroom experience begins as they transition from infant/toddler care to a preschool classroom. This study examined developmentally relevant skill domains among 36-month-olds (effortful…

Building Empathy and Social Mastery in Students with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Erik K.; Moore, Lisa; Yazdgerdi, Sasha; Milberger, Kat

2013-01-01

Learning to recognize and express emotions appropriately is a skill of mastery in human development, and an essential component of living the good life. Because this developmental and social skill is one of the core deficits for people along the autism spectrum, anyone who works with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) should provide them…

Early Childhood Preservice Teachers' Knowledge and Application of Social Emotional Assessment and Intervention Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pribble, Lois Marie

2013-01-01

Social emotional competence is an essential developmental skill recognized as the most critical for school and later success. Rising rates in behavioral referrals and preschool expulsion have brought increased attention to the importance of helping children develop social-emotional skills in the early years. In early childhood education a central…

Implementing the Massachusetts Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: A Case Study Examining MARC Award Recipients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salas, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Post secondary education is essential to success. To ensure that students who graduate from high school are prepared to make informed decisions about their life after high school, they need to be explicitly taught career development skills. These skills should be part of a comprehensive, results-based, developmentally appropriate comprehensive…

Developmental Changes in the Mother-Child Interactions of Hyperactive Boys: Effects of Two Dose Levels of Ritalin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkley, Russell A.; And Others

1985-01-01

Mother/child interactions of 60 hyperactive children 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 years of age were studied during free play and task periods. Significant age effects and several drug effects were found in the task period. Drug effects were essentially the same across all five age levels. (Author/RH)

Formative Journeys of First-Year College Students: Tensions and Intersections with Intercultural Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Marta; Lee, Amy; Williams, Rhiannon

2015-01-01

Development of intercultural skills is recognized as an essential outcome of a college education, but in order to facilitate students' growth effectively, we must understand the points of the developmental journey at which students enter the college classroom. This study tests four hypotheses developed on the basis of leading models of…

Communication for the Workplace: An Integrated Language Approach. Second Edition. Job Skills. Net Effect Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ettinger, Blanche; Perfetto, Edda

Using a developmental, hands-on approach, this text/workbook helps students master the basic English skills that are essential to write effective business correspondence, to recognize language errors, and to develop decision-making and problem-solving skills. Its step-by-step focus and industry-specific format encourages students to review,…

The Essential Role of Behavioral Genetics in Developmental Psychology: Reply to Partridge (2005) and Greenberg (2005)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGue, Matt; Elkins, Irene; Walden, Brent; Iacono, William G.

2005-01-01

The authors address the methodological, theoretical, and ideological criticisms of their article on adolescent perceptions of parenting behavior made by G. Greenberg and T. Partridge. Behavioral genetic methods have provided unique insights on the origins of individual differences in behavior and, when applied to parenting and other putative…

Developmental Pathway Modeling in Considering Behavior Problems in Young Russian Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruchkin, Vladislav; Gilliam, Walter S.; Mayes, Linda

2008-01-01

In planning interventions it is essential to understand how adverse risk factors in early childhood are associated with child mental health problems, whether some types of problems can be better explained by the specific risk factors, and whether early risk factors are differently related to different types of child behavior problems. A community…

Developmental dyscalculia is related to visuo-spatial memory and inhibition impairment.

PubMed

Szucs, Denes; Devine, Amy; Soltesz, Fruzsina; Nobes, Alison; Gabriel, Florence

2013-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia is thought to be a specific impairment of mathematics ability. Currently dominant cognitive neuroscience theories of developmental dyscalculia suggest that it originates from the impairment of the magnitude representation of the human brain, residing in the intraparietal sulcus, or from impaired connections between number symbols and the magnitude representation. However, behavioral research offers several alternative theories for developmental dyscalculia and neuro-imaging also suggests that impairments in developmental dyscalculia may be linked to disruptions of other functions of the intraparietal sulcus than the magnitude representation. Strikingly, the magnitude representation theory has never been explicitly contrasted with a range of alternatives in a systematic fashion. Here we have filled this gap by directly contrasting five alternative theories (magnitude representation, working memory, inhibition, attention and spatial processing) of developmental dyscalculia in 9-10-year-old primary school children. Participants were selected from a pool of 1004 children and took part in 16 tests and nine experiments. The dominant features of developmental dyscalculia are visuo-spatial working memory, visuo-spatial short-term memory and inhibitory function (interference suppression) impairment. We hypothesize that inhibition impairment is related to the disruption of central executive memory function. Potential problems of visuo-spatial processing and attentional function in developmental dyscalculia probably depend on short-term memory/working memory and inhibition impairments. The magnitude representation theory of developmental dyscalculia was not supported. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Importance of Reaction Times for Developmental Science: What a Difference Milliseconds Make

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange-Küttner, Christiane

2012-01-01

Reaction times are still rarely reported in developmental psychology although they are an indicator of the neural maturity of children's information processing system. Competence and capacity are confounded in development, where children may be able to reason, or remember, but are unable to cope with information processing load. Furthermore, there…

Automatic Processing of Emotional Faces in High-Functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorders: An Affective Priming Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamio, Yoko; Wolf, Julie; Fein, Deborah

2006-01-01

This study examined automatic processing of emotional faces in individuals with high-functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorders (HFPDD) using an affective priming paradigm. Sixteen participants (HFPDD and matched controls) were presented with happy faces, fearful faces or objects in both subliminal and supraliminal exposure conditions, followed…

Dual Processes in Decision Making and Developmental Neuroscience: A Fuzzy-Trace Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyna, Valerie F.; Brainerd, Charles J.

2011-01-01

From Piaget to the present, traditional and dual-process theories have predicted improvement in reasoning from childhood to adulthood, and improvement has been observed. However, developmental reversals--that reasoning biases emerge with development--have also been observed in a growing list of paradigms. We explain how fuzzy-trace theory predicts…

Processing Capacity in Children and Adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoeksma, Marco R.; Kemner, Chantal; Verbaten, Marinus N.; van Engeland, Herman

2004-01-01

This study sought to investigate whether the abnormally small P3 amplitudes observed in pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) are related to differences in processing capacity. PDD children and adolescents and their control groups participated in the study. Visual probe stimuli were presented during an auditory task with two levels of difficulty.…

Sensory Processing Dysfunctions as Expressed among Children with Different Severities of Intellectual Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engel-Yeger, Batya; Hardal-Nasser, Reem; Gal, Eynat

2011-01-01

High frequency of sensory processing dysfunctions (SPD) is prevalent among children with intellectual developmental disabilities and contributes to their maladaptive behaviors. However, the knowledge about the expressions of SPD in different levels of IDD severity is limited. As SPD may reduce adaptive responses and limit participation, this…

M-Stream Deficits and Reading-Related Visual Processes in Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boden, Catherine; Giaschi, Deborah

2007-01-01

Some visual processing deficits in developmental dyslexia have been attributed to abnormalities in the subcortical M stream and/or the cortical dorsal stream of the visual pathways. The nature of the relationship between these visual deficits and reading is unknown. The purpose of the present article was to characterize reading-related perceptual…

Intellectual Disability and Developmental Risk: Promoting Intervention to Improve Child and Family Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crnic, Keith A.; Neece, Cameron L.; McIntyre, Laura Lee; Blacher, Jan; Baker, Bruce L.

2017-01-01

Initial intervention processes for children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) largely focused on direct efforts to impact core cognitive and academic deficits associated with the diagnosis. Recent research on risk processes in families of children with ID, however, has influenced new developmental system approaches to early intervention. Recent…

Human intronless genes: Functional groups, associated diseases, evolution, and mRNA processing in absence of splicing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grzybowska, Ewa A., E-mail: ewag@coi.waw.pl

2012-07-20

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Functional characteristics of intronless genes (IGs). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Diseases associated with IGs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Origin and evolution of IGs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer mRNA processing without splicing. -- Abstract: Intronless genes (IGs) constitute approximately 3% of the human genome. Human IGs are essentially different in evolution and functionality from the IGs of unicellular eukaryotes, which represent the majority in their genomes. Functional analysis of IGs has revealed a massive over-representation of signal transduction genes and genes encoding regulatory proteins important for growth, proliferation, and development. IGs also often display tissue-specific expression, usually in the nervous system and testis. These characteristics translate into IG-associatedmore » diseases, mainly neuropathies, developmental disorders, and cancer. IGs represent recent additions to the genome, created mostly by retroposition of processed mRNAs with retained functionality. Processing, nuclear export, and translation of these mRNAs should be hampered dramatically by the lack of splice factors, which normally tightly cover mature transcripts and govern their fate. However, natural IGs manage to maintain satisfactory expression levels. Different mechanisms by which IGs solve the problem of mRNA processing and nuclear export are discussed here, along with their possible impact on reporter studies.« less

Developmental changes in brain regions involved in phonological and orthographic processing during spoken language processing

PubMed Central

Cone, Nadia E.; Burman, Douglas D.; Bitan, Tali; Bolger, Donald J.; Booth, James R.

2008-01-01

Developmental differences in brain activation of 9- to 15-year-old children were examined during an auditory rhyme decision task to spoken words using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As a group, children showed activation in left superior/middle temporal gyri (BA 22, 21), right middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), dorsal (BA 45, pars opercularis) and ventral (BA 46, pars triangularis) aspects of left inferior frontal gyrus, and left fusiform gyrus (BA 37). There was a developmental increase in activation in left middle temporal gyrus (BA 22) across all lexical conditions, suggesting that automatic semantic processing increases with age regardless of task demands. Activation in left dorsal inferior frontal gyrus also showed developmental increases for the conflicting (e.g. PINT-MINT) compared to the non-conflicting (e.g. PRESS-LIST) non-rhyming conditions, indicating that this area becomes increasingly involved in strategic phonological processing in the face of conflicting orthographic and phonological representations. Left inferior temporal/fusiform gyrus (BA 37) activation was also greater for the conflicting (e.g. PINT-MINT) condition, and a developmental increase was found in the positive relationship between individuals' reaction time and activation in left lingual/fusiform gyrus (BA 18) in this condition, indicating an age-related increase in the association between longer reaction times and greater visual-orthographic processing in this conflicting condition. These results suggest that orthographic processing is automatically engaged by children in a task that does not require access to orthographic information for correct performance, especially when orthographic and phonological representations conflict, and especially for longer response latencies in older children. PMID:18413290

Developmental origins of the face inversion effect.

PubMed

Cashon, Cara H; Holt, Nicholas A

2015-01-01

A hallmark of adults' expertise for faces is that they are better at recognizing, discriminating, and processing upright faces compared to inverted faces. We investigate the developmental origins of "the face inversion effect" by reviewing research on infants' perception of upright and inverted faces during the first year of life. We review the effects of inversion on infants' face preference, recognition, processing (holistic and second-order configural), and scanning as well as face-related neural responses. Particular attention is paid to the developmental patterns that emerge within and across these areas of face perception. We conclude that the developmental origins of the inversion effect begin in the first few months of life and grow stronger over the first year, culminating in effects that are commonly thought to indicate adult-like expertise. We posit that by the end of the first year, infants' face-processing system has become specialized to upright faces and a foundation for adults' upright-face expertise has been established. Developmental mechanisms that may facilitate the emergence of this upright-face specialization are discussed, including the roles that physical and social development may play in upright faces' becoming more meaningful to infants during the first year. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identity processes and personality traits and types in adolescence: directionality of effects and developmental trajectories.

PubMed

Luyckx, Koen; Teppers, Eveline; Klimstra, Theo A; Rassart, Jessica

2014-08-01

Personality traits are hypothesized to be among the most important factors contributing to individual differences in identity development. However, longitudinal studies linking Big Five personality traits to contemporary identity models (in which multiple exploration and commitment processes are distinguished) are largely lacking. To gain more insight in the directionality of effect and the developmental interdependence of the Big Five and identity processes as forwarded in multilayered personality models, the present study assessed personality and identity in 1,037 adolescents 4 times over a period of 3 years. First, using cross-lagged path analysis, Big Five traits emerged as consistent predictors of identity exploration processes, whereas only one significant path from identity exploration to the Big Five was found. Second, using latent class growth analysis, 3 Big Five trajectory classes were identified, resembling the distinctions typically made between resilients, overcontrollers, and undercontrollers. These classes were characterized by different initial levels and (to a lesser extent) rates of change in commitment and exploration processes. In sum, important developmental associations linking personality traits to identity processes were uncovered, emphasizing the potential role of personality traits in identity development. Developmental implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Raising the Bar for the Care of Seriously Ill Patients: Results of a National Survey to Define Essential Palliative Care Competencies for Medical Students and Residents

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Kristen G.; Chittenden, Eva H.; Sullivan, Amy M.; Periyakoil, Vyjeyanth S.; Morrison, Laura J.; Carey, Elise C.; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra; Block, Susan D.

2014-01-01

Purpose Given the shortage of palliative care specialists in the U.S., to ensure quality of care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness, generalist-level palliative care competencies need to be defined and taught. The purpose of this study was to define essential competencies for medical students and internal medicine and family medicine (IM/FM) residents through a national survey of palliative care experts. Method Proposed competencies were derived from existing Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship competencies, and revised to be developmentally appropriate for students and residents. In spring 2012, the authors administered a web-based, national cross-sectional survey of palliative care educational experts to assess ratings and rankings of proposed competencies and competency domains. Results The authors identified 18 comprehensive palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents, respectively. Over 95% of survey respondents judged the competencies as comprehensive and developmentally appropriate (survey response rate=72%, 71/98). Using predefined cut-off criteria, experts identified 7 medical student and 13 IM/FM resident competencies as essential. Communication and pain/symptom management were rated as the most critical domains. Conclusions This national survey of palliative care experts defines comprehensive and essential palliative care competencies for medical students and IM/FM residents that are specific, measurable, and can be used to report educational outcomes; provide a sequence for palliative care curricula in undergraduate and graduate medical education; and highlight the importance of educating medical trainees in communication and pain management. Next steps include seeking input and endorsement from stakeholders in the broader medical education community. PMID:24979171

EMG1 is essential for mouse pre-implantation embryo development.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaoli; Sandhu, Sumit; Patel, Nehal; Triggs-Raine, Barbara; Ding, Hao

2010-09-21

Essential for mitotic growth 1 (EMG1) is a highly conserved nucleolar protein identified in yeast to have a critical function in ribosome biogenesis. A mutation in the human EMG1 homolog causes Bowen-Conradi syndrome (BCS), a developmental disorder characterized by severe growth failure and psychomotor retardation leading to death in early childhood. To begin to understand the role of EMG1 in mammalian development, and how its deficiency could lead to Bowen-Conradi syndrome, we have used mouse as a model. The expression of Emg1 during mouse development was examined and mice carrying a null mutation for Emg1 were generated and characterized. Our studies indicated that Emg1 is broadly expressed during early mouse embryonic development. However, in late embryonic stages and during postnatal development, Emg1 exhibited specific expression patterns. To assess a developmental role for EMG1 in vivo, we exploited a mouse gene-targeting approach. Loss of EMG1 function in mice arrested embryonic development prior to the blastocyst stage. The arrested Emg1-/- embryos exhibited defects in early cell lineage-specification as well as in nucleologenesis. Further, loss of p53, which has been shown to rescue some phenotypes resulting from defects in ribosome biogenesis, failed to rescue the Emg1-/- pre-implantation lethality. Our data demonstrate that Emg1 is highly expressed during mouse embryonic development, and essential for mouse pre-implantation development. The absolute requirement for EMG1 in early embryonic development is consistent with its essential role in yeast. Further, our findings also lend support to the previous study that showed Bowen-Conradi syndrome results from a partial EMG1 deficiency. A complete deficiency would not be expected to be compatible with a live birth.

Sequestration of polyunsaturated fatty acids in membrane phospholipids of Caenorhabditis elegans dauer larva attenuates eicosanoid biosynthesis for prolonged survival.

PubMed

Lam, Sin Man; Wang, Zehua; Li, Jie; Huang, Xun; Shui, Guanghou

2017-08-01

Mechanistic basis governing the extreme longevity and developmental quiescence of dauer juvenile, a "non-ageing" developmental variant of Caenorhabditis elegans, has remained largely obscure. Using a lipidomic approach comprising multiple reaction monitoring transitions specific to distinct fatty acyl moieties, we demonstrated that in comparison to other developmental stages, the membrane phospholipids of dauer larva contain a unique enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Esterified PUFAs in phospholipids exhibited temporal accumulation throughout the course of dauer endurance, followed by sharp reductions prior to termination of diapause. Reductions in esterified PUFAs were accompanied by concomitant increases in unbound PUFAs, as well as their corresponding downstream oxidized derivatives (i.e. eicosanoids). Global phospholipidomics has unveiled that PUFA sequestration in membrane phospholipids denotes an essential aspect of dauer dormancy, principally via suppression of eicosanoid production; and a failure to upkeep membrane lipid homeostasis is associated with termination of dauer endurance. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Knockdown of zebrafish Fancd2 causes developmental abnormalities via p53-dependent apoptosis.

PubMed

Liu, Ting Xi; Howlett, Niall G; Deng, Min; Langenau, David M; Hsu, Karl; Rhodes, Jennifer; Kanki, John P; D'Andrea, Alan D; Look, A Thomas

2003-12-01

Mechanisms underlying the multiple developmental defects observed in Fanconi anemia (FA) patients are not well defined. We have identified the zebrafish homolog of human FANCD2, which encodes a nuclear effector protein that is monoubiquitinated in response to DNA damage, targeting it to nuclear foci where it preserves chromosomal integrity. Fancd2-deficient zebrafish embryos develop defects similar to those found in children with FA, including shortened body length, microcephaly, and microophthalmia, which are due to extensive cellular apoptosis. Developmental defects and increased apoptosis in Fancd2-deficient zebrafish were corrected by injection of human FANCD2 or zebrafish bcl2 mRNA, or by knockdown of p53, indicating that in the absence of Fancd2, developing tissues spontaneously undergo p53-dependent apoptosis. Thus, Fancd2 is essential during embryogenesis to prevent inappropriate apoptosis in neural cells and other tissues undergoing high levels of proliferative expansion, implicating this mechanism in the congenital abnormalities observed in human infants with FA.

Surgical resection of large encephalocele: a report of two cases and consideration of resectability based on developmental morphology.

PubMed

Ohba, Hideo; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Sadatomo, Takashi; Takeda, Masaaki; Kolakshyapati, Manish; Kurisu, Kaoru

2017-03-01

The first-line treatment of encephalocele is reduction of herniated structures. Large irreducible encephalocele entails resection of the lesion. In such case, it is essential to ascertain preoperatively if the herniated structure encloses critical venous drainage. Two cases of encephalocele presenting with large occipital mass underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In first case, the skin mass enclosed the broad space containing cerebrospinal fluid and a part of occipital lobe and cerebellum. The second case had occipital mass harboring a large portion of cerebrum enclosing dilated ventricular space. Both cases had common venous anomalies such as split superior sagittal sinus and high-positioned torcular herophili. They underwent resection of encephalocele without subsequent venous congestion. We could explain the pattern of venous anomalies in encephalocele based on normal developmental theory. Developmental theory connotes that major dural sinuses cannot herniate into the sac of encephalocele. Irrespective to its size, encephalocele can be resected safely at the neck without subsequent venous congestion.

Elevational differences in developmental plasticity determine phenological responses of grasshoppers to recent climate warming.

PubMed

Buckley, Lauren B; Nufio, César R; Kirk, Evan M; Kingsolver, Joel G

2015-06-22

Annual species may increase reproduction by increasing adult body size through extended development, but risk being unable to complete development in seasonally limited environments. Synthetic reviews indicate that most, but not all, species have responded to recent climate warming by advancing the seasonal timing of adult emergence or reproduction. Here, we show that 50 years of climate change have delayed development in high-elevation, season-limited grasshopper populations, but advanced development in populations at lower elevations. Developmental delays are most pronounced for early-season species, which might benefit most from delaying development when released from seasonal time constraints. Rearing experiments confirm that population, elevation and temperature interact to determine development time. Population differences in developmental plasticity may account for variability in phenological shifts among adults. An integrated consideration of the full life cycle that considers local adaptation and plasticity may be essential for understanding and predicting responses to climate change. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

ADAM metalloproteases promote a developmental switch in responsiveness to the axonal repellant Sema3A.

PubMed

Romi, Erez; Gokhman, Irena; Wong, Eitan; Antonovsky, Niv; Ludwig, Andreas; Sagi, Irit; Saftig, Paul; Tessier-Lavigne, Marc; Yaron, Avraham

2014-06-05

During embryonic development, axons can gain and lose sensitivity to guidance cues, and this flexibility is essential for the correct wiring of the nervous system. Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here we show that receptor cleavage by ADAM (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease) metalloproteases promotes murine sensory axons loss of responsiveness to the chemorepellant Sema3A. Genetic ablation of ADAM10 and ADAM17 disrupts the developmental downregulation of Neuropilin-1 (Nrp1), the receptor for Sema3A, in sensory axons. Moreover, this is correlated with gain of repulsive response to Sema3A. Overexpression of Nrp1 in neurons reverses axonal desensitization to Sema3A, but this is hampered in a mutant Nrp1 with high susceptibility to cleavage. Lastly, we detect guidance errors of proprioceptive axons in ADAM knockouts that are consistent with enhanced response to Sema3A. Our results provide the first evidence for involvement of ADAMs in regulating developmental switch in responsiveness to axonal guidance cues.

A Process Evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity. Interim Report VI: Executive Summary. Recommendations for Continuing the Impact Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granville, Arthur C.; Love, John M.

This brief report summarizes the analysis and conclusions presented in detail in Interim Report VI regarding the feasibility of conducting a longitudinal study of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC). This project is a Head Start demonstration program aimed at providing educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and…

A Neurocognitive Perspective on Developmental Disregard in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houwink, Annemieke; Aarts, Pauline B. M.; Geurts, Alexander C. H.; Steenbergen, Bert

2011-01-01

A common problem in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) is the asymmetrical development of arm and hand capacity caused by the lack of use of the affected upper limb, or developmental disregard. In this paper, we provide a neuropsychological model that relates developmental disregard to attentional processes and motor learning. From this…

Location negative priming effects in children with developmental dyslexia: An event-related potential study.

PubMed

Ma, Yujun; Wang, Enguo; Yuan, Tian; Zhao, Guo Xiang

2016-08-01

As the reading process is inseparable from working memory, inhibition, and other higher cognitive processes, the deep cognitive processing defects that are associated with dyslexia may be due to defective distraction inhibition systems. In this study, we used event-related potential technology to explore the source of negative priming effects in children with developmental dyslexia and in a group of healthy children for comparison. We found that the changes in the average response times in the negative priming and control conditions were consistent across the two groups, while the negative priming effects differed significantly between the groups. The magnitude of the negative priming effect was significantly different between the two groups, with the magnitude being significantly higher in the control group than it was in the developmental dyslexia group. These results indicate that there are deficits in distraction inhibition in children with developmental dyslexia. In terms of the time course of processing, inhibition deficits in the dyslexia group appeared during early-stage cognition selection and lasted through the response selection phase. Regarding the cerebral cortex locations, early-stage cognition selection was mainly located in the parietal region, while late-stage response selection was mainly located in the frontal and central regions. The results of our study may help further our understanding of the intrinsic causes of developmental dyslexia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLEEP-WAKE RHYTHMS AND THE SEARCH FOR ELEMENTAL CIRCUITS IN THE INFANT BRAIN

PubMed Central

Blumberg, Mark S.; Gall, Andrew J.; Todd, William D.

2014-01-01

Despite the predominance of sleep in early infancy, developmental science has yet to play a major role in shaping concepts and theories about sleep and its associated ultradian and circadian rhythms. Here we argue that developmental analyses help us to elucidate the relative contributions of the brainstem and forebrain to sleep-wake control and to dissect the neural components of sleep-wake rhythms. Developmental analysis also makes it clear that sleep-wake processes in infants are the foundation for those of adults. For example, the infant brainstem alone contains a fundamental sleep-wake circuit that is sufficient to produce transitions among wakefulness, quiet sleep, and active sleep. Also, consistent with the requirements of a “flip-flop” model of sleep-wake processes, this brainstem circuit supports rapid transitions between states. Later in development, strengthening bidirectional interactions between the brainstem and forebrain contribute to the consolidation of sleep and wake bouts, the elaboration of sleep homeostatic processes, and the emergence of diurnal or nocturnal circadian rhythms. The developmental perspective promoted here critically constrains theories of sleep-wake control and provides a needed framework for the creation of fully realized computational models. Finally, with a better understanding of how this system is constructed developmentally, we will gain insight into the processes that govern its disintegration due to aging and disease. PMID:24708298

Ontogeny of sensorimotor gating and short-term memory processing throughout the adolescent period in rats.

PubMed

Goepfrich, Anja A; Friemel, Chris M; Pauen, Sabina; Schneider, Miriam

2017-06-01

Adolescence and puberty are highly susceptible developmental periods during which the neuronal organization and maturation of the brain is completed. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, which is well known to modulate cognitive processing, undergoes profound and transient developmental changes during adolescence. With the present study we were aiming to examine the ontogeny of cognitive skills throughout adolescence in male rats and clarify the potential modulatory role of CB1 receptor signalling. Cognitive skills were assessed repeatedly every 10th day in rats throughout adolescence. All animals were tested for object recognition memory and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Although cognitive performance in short-term memory as well as sensorimotor gating abilities were decreased during puberty compared to adulthood, both tasks were found to show different developmental trajectories throughout adolescence. A low dose of the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist SR141716 was found to improve recognition memory specifically in pubertal animals while not affecting behavioral performance at other ages tested. The present findings demonstrate that the developmental trajectory of cognitive abilities does not occur linearly for all cognitive processes and is strongly influenced by pubertal maturation. Developmental alterations within the eCB system at puberty onset may be involved in these changes in cognitive processing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The development of sleep-wake rhythms and the search for elemental circuits in the infant brain.

PubMed

Blumberg, Mark S; Gall, Andrew J; Todd, William D

2014-06-01

Despite the predominance of sleep in early infancy, developmental science has yet to play a major role in shaping concepts and theories about sleep and its associated ultradian and circadian rhythms. Here we argue that developmental analyses help us to elucidate the relative contributions of the brainstem and forebrain to sleep-wake control and to dissect the neural components of sleep-wake rhythms. Developmental analysis also makes it clear that sleep-wake processes in infants are the foundation for those of adults. For example, the infant brainstem alone contains a fundamental sleep-wake circuit that is sufficient to produce transitions among wakefulness, quiet sleep, and active sleep. In addition, consistent with the requirements of a "flip-flop" model of sleep-wake processes, this brainstem circuit supports rapid transitions between states. Later in development, strengthening bidirectional interactions between the brainstem and forebrain contribute to the consolidation of sleep and wake bouts, the elaboration of sleep homeostatic processes, and the emergence of diurnal or nocturnal circadian rhythms. The developmental perspective promoted here critically constrains theories of sleep-wake control and provides a needed framework for the creation of fully realized computational models. Finally, with a better understanding of how this system is constructed developmentally, we will gain insight into the processes that govern its disintegration due to aging and disease.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Beneficial Companions of Plants’ Developmental Processes

PubMed Central

Singh, Rachana; Singh, Samiksha; Parihar, Parul; Mishra, Rohit K.; Tripathi, Durgesh K.; Singh, Vijay P.; Chauhan, Devendra K.; Prasad, Sheo M.

2016-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated inevitably in the redox reactions of plants, including respiration and photosynthesis. In earlier studies, ROS were considered as toxic by-products of aerobic pathways of the metabolism. But in recent years, concept about ROS has changed because they also participate in developmental processes of plants by acting as signaling molecules. In plants, ROS regulate many developmental processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, programmed cell death, seed germination, gravitropism, root hair growth and pollen tube development, senescence, etc. Despite much progress, a comprehensive update of advances in the understanding of the mechanisms evoked by ROS that mediate in cell proliferation and development are fragmentry and the matter of ROS perception and the signaling cascade remains open. Therefore, keeping in view the above facts, an attempt has been made in this article to summarize the recent findings regarding updates made in the regulatory action of ROS at various plant developmental stages, which are still not well-known. PMID:27729914

On the implications of the classical ergodic theorems: analysis of developmental processes has to focus on intra-individual variation.

PubMed

Molenaar, Peter C M

2008-01-01

It is argued that general mathematical-statistical theorems imply that standard statistical analysis techniques of inter-individual variation are invalid to investigate developmental processes. Developmental processes have to be analyzed at the level of individual subjects, using time series data characterizing the patterns of intra-individual variation. It is shown that standard statistical techniques based on the analysis of inter-individual variation appear to be insensitive to the presence of arbitrary large degrees of inter-individual heterogeneity in the population. An important class of nonlinear epigenetic models of neural growth is described which can explain the occurrence of such heterogeneity in brain structures and behavior. Links with models of developmental instability are discussed. A simulation study based on a chaotic growth model illustrates the invalidity of standard analysis of inter-individual variation, whereas time series analysis of intra-individual variation is able to recover the true state of affairs. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early-life stress and reproductive cost: A two-hit developmental model of accelerated aging?

PubMed

Shalev, Idan; Belsky, Jay

2016-05-01

Two seemingly independent bodies of research suggest a two-hit model of accelerated aging, one highlighting early-life stress and the other reproduction. The first, informed by developmental models of early-life stress, highlights reduced longevity effects of early adversity on telomere erosion, whereas the second, informed by evolutionary theories of aging, highlights such effects with regard to reproductive cost (in females). The fact that both early-life adversity and reproductive effort are associated with shorter telomeres and increased oxidative stress raises the prospect, consistent with life-history theory, that these two theoretical frameworks currently informing much research are tapping into the same evolutionary-developmental process of increased senescence and reduced longevity. Here we propose a mechanistic view of a two-hit model of accelerated aging in human females through (a) early-life adversity and (b) early reproduction, via a process of telomere erosion, while highlighting mediating biological embedding mechanisms that might link these two developmental aging processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cumulative risk and developmental health: an argument for the importance of a family-wide science.

PubMed

Browne, Dillon T; Plamondon, Andre; Prime, Heather; Puente-Duran, Sofia; Wade, Mark

2015-01-01

A substantial body of research links social disadvantage and developmental health via a cascade running from poverty, to cumulative psychosocial risk, to disrupted family dynamics, to child biological regulatory systems and neurocognitive processing, and finally to morbidity across the lifespan. Most research in this area employs single-dyad or between-family methodology. While informative, there are limitations to this approach. Specifically, it is impossible to determine how risk alters psychosocial environments that are similar for all persons within a household, versus processes that are unique to particular children. This is important in light of literature citing the primacy of child-specific environments in driving developmental health. Methodologically speaking, there are both benefits and challenges to family-wide approaches that differentiate between- and within-family environments. This review describes literature linking cumulative risk and developmental health via family process, while articulating the importance of family-wide approaches. Areas of shortcoming and recommendations for a family-wide science are provided. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing hopping developmental level in childhood using wearable inertial sensor devices.

PubMed

Masci, Ilaria; Vannozzi, Giuseppe; Getchell, Nancy; Cappozzo, Aurelio

2012-07-01

Assessing movement skills is a fundamental issue in motor development. Current process-oriented assessments, such as developmental sequences, are based on subjective judgments; if paired with quantitative assessments, a better understanding of movement performance and developmental change could be obtained. Our purpose was to examine the use of inertial sensors to evaluate developmental differences in hopping over distance. Forty children executed the task wearing the inertial sensor and relevant time durations and 3D accelerations were obtained. Subjects were also categorized in different developmental levels according to the hopping developmental sequence. Results indicated that some time and kinematic parameters changed with some developmental levels, possibly as a function of anthropometry and previous motor experience. We concluded that, since inertial sensors were suitable in describing hopping performance and sensitive to developmental changes, this technology is promising as an in-field and user-independent motor development assessment tool.

Functions of Huntingtin in Germ Layer Specification and Organogenesis

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Giang D.; Molero, Aldrin E.; Gokhan, Solen; Mehler, Mark F.

2013-01-01

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein (Htt). Although both Htt and the HD pathogenic mutation (mHtt) are implicated in early developmental events, their individual involvement has not been adequately explored. In order to better define the developmental functions and pathological consequences of the normal and mutant proteins, respectively, we employed embryonic stem cell (ESC) expansion, differentiation and induction experiments using huntingtin knock-out (KO) and mutant huntingtin knock-in (Q111) mouse ESC lines. In KO ESCs, we observed impairments in the spontaneous specification and survival of ectodermal and mesodermal lineages during embryoid body formation and under inductive conditions using retinoic acid and Wnt3A, respectively. Ablation of BAX improves cell survival, but failed to correct defects in germ layer specification. In addition, we observed ensuing impairments in the specification and maturation of neural, hepatic, pancreatic and cardiomyocyte lineages. These developmental deficits occurred in concert with alterations in Notch, Hes1 and STAT3 signaling pathways. Moreover, in Q111 ESCs, we observed differential developmental stage-specific alterations in lineage specification and maturation. We also observed changes in Notch/STAT3 expression and activation. Our observations underscore essential roles of Htt in the specification of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm, in the specification of neural and non-neural organ-specific lineages, as well as cell survival during early embryogenesis. Remarkably, these developmental events are differentially deregulated by mHtt, raising the possibility that HD-associated early developmental impairments may contribute not only to region-specific neurodegeneration, but also to non-neural co-morbidities. PMID:23967334

A Process Evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity, Interim Report VI: Recommendations for Continuing the Impact Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granville, Arthur; And Others

This interim report re-examines data on instrument suitability, comparability of groups, and adequacy of sample size in Year III of the process evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC) and offers preliminary recommendations concerning the feasibility of continuing the impact study. PDC is a Head Start demonstration program aimed at…

An Electro-Physiological Temporal Principal Component Analysis of Processing Stages of Number Comparison in Developmental Dyscalculia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soltesz, Fruzsina; Szucs, Denes

2009-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) still lacks a generally accepted definition. A major problem is that the cognitive component processes contributing to arithmetic performance are still poorly defined. By a reanalysis of our previous event-related brain potential (ERP) data (Soltesz et al., 2007) here our objective was to identify and compare…

Neural Correlates of Symbolic Number Comparison in Developmental Dyscalculia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mussolin, Christophe; De Volder, Anne; Grandin, Cecile; Schlogel, Xavier; Nassogne, Marie-Cecile; Noel, Marie-Pascale

2010-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a deficit in number processing and arithmetic that affects 3-6% of schoolchildren. The goal of the present study was to analyze cerebral bases of DD related to symbolic number processing. Children with DD aged 9-11 years and matched children with no learning disability history were investigated using fMRI. The two…

Neural Correlates of Temporal Auditory Processing in Developmental Dyslexia during German Vowel Length Discrimination: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinbrink, Claudia; Groth, Katarina; Lachmann, Thomas; Riecker, Axel

2012-01-01

This fMRI study investigated phonological vs. auditory temporal processing in developmental dyslexia by means of a German vowel length discrimination paradigm (Groth, Lachmann, Riecker, Muthmann, & Steinbrink, 2011). Behavioral and fMRI data were collected from dyslexics and controls while performing same-different judgments of vowel duration in…

Mapping the Developmental Trajectory and Correlates of Enhanced Pitch Perception on Speech Processing in Adults with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Jennifer L.; Hannent, Ian; Heaton, Pamela F.

2016-01-01

Whilst enhanced perception has been widely reported in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), relatively little is known about the developmental trajectory and impact of atypical auditory processing on speech perception in intellectually high-functioning adults with ASD. This paper presents data on perception of complex tones and…

Facial Electromyographic Responses to Emotional Information from Faces and Voices in Individuals with Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnee, Maurice J. C. M.; de Gelder, Beatrice; van Engeland, Herman; Kemner, Chantal

2007-01-01

Background: Despite extensive research, it is still debated whether impairments in social skills of individuals with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) are related to specific deficits in the early processing of emotional information. We aimed to test both automatic processing of facial affect as well as the integration of auditory and visual…

Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults with and without Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saban-Bezalel, Ronit; Mashal, Nira

2015-01-01

Previous studies on individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) have pointed to difficulties in comprehension of figurative language. Using the divided visual field paradigm, the present study examined hemispheric processing of idioms and irony in 23 adults with PDD and in 24 typically developing (TD) adults. The results show that…

Patterns of Time Processing Ability in Children with and without Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janeslatt, Gunnel; Granlund, Mats; Kottorp, Anders; Almqvist, Lena

2010-01-01

Background: Children with developmental disabilities, e.g. intellectual disability or autism, are reported to have problems in time perception, time orientation or time management, i.e. in time-processing ability (TPA). The aim was to investigate whether the problems described are diagnosis specific or reflect differences in age or in level of…